Chapter 45

A moment later, Xie Chang'an held the two fragments, comparing and examining them side by side.

Beneath the dim, flickering light, the jade possessed a pristine and translucent brilliance, resembling two fallen stars captured from the mortal realm.

The fragments were indeed not from adjacent parts, but one could roughly deduce from them that this magical artifact was exquisitely small—less than half the size of a palm. There were indeed remnants of souls and spiritual energy lingering upon them, but they were exceedingly faint, revealing no useful clues.

"Roughly how many fragments like this are there? Do you know?"

Xie Chang'an returned the jade fragment to her.

The fox seized it firmly in her jaws, her lingering anger unappeased.

"I don't know!"

Xie Chang'an was entirely unconcerned by her attitude.

"What does he intend to accomplish by gathering the Four Responses Bells? Could it be that the Yinglong can actually be resurrected?"

"Impossible. In my view, he is likely coveting the demonic core within the Four Responses Bells. I hear his cultivation has been stuck at the peak of the Compound Realm, just a step away from entering the Demonic Immortal Realm, yet he has never been able to find the path. He must have set his sights on the Four Responses Bells out of desperation."

The fox originally had no desire to converse with her, but the two of them were now in the same boat; if Xie Chang'an leaped overboard, she herself would reap no benefits. Since cooperation was mutually advantageous, she had to swallow her pride and provide the information.

Synthesizing her analysis, Xie Chang'an concluded that the fox was being candid this time without further concealment.

No matter how profound the Crested Ibis's cultivation was or how formidable his dominance over his territory, it was impossible for a single birthday celebration to command such a massive response, drawing so many to attend and offer congratulatory gifts. However, if the reason involving the Four Responses Bells was factored in, the grand spectacle suddenly made complete sense.

Those who possessed fragments wished to wait for the Crested Ibis to repair the magical artifact so they could reap the spoils as fishermen watching a snipe and clam grapple; those without fragments attended simply to join the excitement and fish in troubled waters. Everyone harbored their own ulterior motives, each concealing treacherous designs in their hearts.

"Yet I suspect," she said, her tone shifting abruptly, "that you are still withholding something."

The fox flew into a rage: "You're trying to trick me again?!"

Every hair on her body stood on end, her tail puffed up to more than twice its original size, and even her ears were pinned flat backward.

Xie Chang'an wore a smile that was not quite a smile.

"With so many people attending the banquet, it is inevitable that guests will be divided into different ranks. Great demons like Murong Wuming need not be mentioned; they are naturally honored guests. Since we have neither connections nor status, even holding fragments would relegate us to the rear. If you wish to kill and seize treasures, you must get as close to him as possible, which requires a proper identity."

"You are a clever person, and I refuse to believe you did not anticipate this. Therefore, throughout the information you gave me, you deliberately omitted one crucial detail: among the renowned great demons of the Bone-Reflecting Realm, you are actually one of them, aren't you? Hmm?"

The final syllable rose in pitch. Seizing the moment before the Immobilization Spell expired, she even reached out to scratch the fox's chin.

The fox's internal guard and vigilance had already been raised to the utmost, yet her body was stubbornly honest, reacting before her reason could intervene. Being a fox by nature fond of beauty and sensual pleasures, she found herself completely powerless to resist the caresses of a beauty.

The dissociated fox suffered an agony beyond compare for a moment.

"...That is hardly a concealment. I am carrying injuries; if Murong and the others were to discover them, they would certainly kick me while I am down. Therefore, I planned for you to disguise yourself as the Ghost King. The Bone-Reflecting Realm once possessed a Ghost King, but long ages have passed, his whereabouts are unknown, and he has not shown his face in a very time. Many say his soul was scattered to the winds long ago, yet no one has ever witnessed it with their own eyes."

With a Ghost King accompanying them, others would exercise a certain degree of caution. Initially, Yu Cui had worried that Xie Chang'an might not be up to the task, but now she was far more concerned that this malevolent star would slip beyond her control.

"Well then, do you wish to play the role of this Ghost King?"

Xie Chang'an shook her head: "Information regarding this Ghost King is far too scarce; it is too easy to give the game away."

The fox argued: "Not at all, not at all! In any case, no one has ever laid eyes on his true appearance, so any explanation will suffice! These matters do not truly harm you in the slightest; what genuinely matters, I told you from the very beginning. That Golden-Threaded Garment is indeed beneficial to your cultivation, so our cooperation—each taking what they need—is a win-win scenario!"

Seeing that Xie Chang'an remained silent, the fox grew somewhat restless despite knowing the other was likely holding out for a better price.

"You surely aren't worried about being unable to defeat the Crested Ibis, are you? In fact, as you witnessed earlier, human hearts here are sinister and treacherous; just now, that person could even slaughter a brother who shared life and death with him. The various great demons harbor mutual animosity toward one another as well. Even if we do not make a move at the banquet, someone else certainly will. We can simply wait for them to erupt into chaos and seize our opportunity then! And what of your friend? Do you not wish to find him? If he is still alive, he will undoubtedly attend the banquet, and won't you cross paths then?"

"The Crested Ibis dares to host a banquet to collect the fragments of the Four Responses Bells; his strength must undoubtedly be extraordinary, or perhaps he is concealing something. By asking me to impersonate the Ghost King, you are essentially turning me into a target for everyone's hostility. There will inevitably be no shortage of people coming to test me."

Xie Chang'an displayed a contemplative expression, still unmoved by her words.

Seeing her preparing to back out, the fox grew anxious. Gritting her teeth as if enduring the pain of cutting flesh from her own body, she said: "Very well! I have another magical artifact upon me; I can lend it to you for use!"

Xie Chang'an replied: "There is no need. I merely require a tuft of your fur."

Yu Cui protested: "What for? You mean to cast some sort of sorcery? No, absolutely not—ah!"

Before her words could fade, the softest fur from her chin down to her neck had already been plucked away.

"Xie Chang'an, I swear I will kill you!"

She bounced up in a fury. Just as the Immobilization Spell wore off, the fox lunged forward with her jaws agape.

Xie Chang'an sidestepped gracefully and casually caught her by the tail, leaving the fox dangling upside down and flailing about.

"Cease your fussing. Where is even a shred of a great demon's demeanor in this? I have a use for your fur."

"What possible use?! You are utterly adept at spouting nonsense!"

Chapter 1 (Part 1 of 3)

Chapter 1 (Part 2 of 3)
The fox treasured her coat of fur above all else, and she was instantly driven to a state of red-eyed fury.

Xie Chang'an sighed with regret at her lack of trust.

"It is genuinely useful. Hand me a brush."

The fox snapped: "I have none!"

Xie Chang'an made a gesture as if to pluck more fur.

Shaking her paws, the fox dropped a writing brush for her.

It was an ordinary wolf-hair brush, the kind commonly used by mortal children when first entering school. It looked rather aged, as though it had been in use for a long time.

Xie Chang'an plucked away the original hairs of the brush, replacing them with the tuft of fox fur, and fiddled with it until it transformed into a fox-fur brush.

"Summoning my sword on a whim makes it far too easy to expose my identity. If you wish me to masquerade as the Ghost King, I must possess some alternative skills to rely upon. Your fur carries your demonic power, making it far more pliable in use."

She tucked the brush into her sleeve and flicked the fox lightly on the forehead.

"Would you not agree? With this brush, all the matters you concealed earlier can be wiped clean, as though they never occurred."

Only then did the fox fall resentfully silent, though the more she thought about it, the more wrong it felt.

She was not truly incapable of defeating Xie Chang'an; she had simply refrained from acting rashly due to her injuries. How on earth had she been manipulated in just a few brief words?

With this minor interlude resolved, both of them effectively possessed fragments of the Four Responses Bells. Xie Chang'an carried the fox in her arms and walked toward the wooden boardwalk by the lake.

Across the vast expanse of water, there were neither bridges nor boats. To cross the lake, one could only rely on their own miraculous powers.

One person tossed a leaf onto the lake's surface; the leaf instantly transformed into a skiff, and the traveler leapt onto it, their spiritual energy turning into wind and transforming the small boat into a flying vessel.

Others scattered a handful of seeds into the water, causing them to bloom into lotus leaves across the surface, stepping lightly from leaf to leaf through the air. Still others crossed the lake directly by riding their magical artifacts through the air.

Yet not everyone among them enjoyed a smooth journey.

Some progressed unhindered, while others lost their footing halfway, plunged into the lake, struggled amidst the waves for a moment, and vanished entirely beneath the surface.

"Those who fall halfway lack fragments and have triggered the array's prohibitions."

Since someone was carrying her, the fox naturally refused to walk. Under the pretext of her plucked fur injury, she nestled with complete peace of mind within Xie Chang'an's embrace.

Xie Chang'an observed: "This lake is actually a formation."

Yu Cui remarked: "You noticed? Indeed, those mortal sects of yours all possess mountain-guarding arrays, constantly setting up one formation here and laying down another there."

Xie Chang'an asked: "Not everyone who crosses successfully possesses fragments, do they?"

Yu Cui replied lazily: "Naturally not. There are always those of formidable strength who fear nothing in heaven or earth."

Xie Chang'an tapped the tip of her foot, drifting across the lake's surface as lightly as a scrap of paper.

In the eyes of onlookers, they saw only a young woman in crimson robes holding a red umbrella, walking across the rippling waves with a fox in her arms, reaching the opposite shore smoothly without encountering a single obstacle.

"Does she possess a fragment? Had I known, I would have simply robbed her." Whether an eccentric cultivator or a wild ghost murmured this to their companion is unknown.

"Perish the thought. Her fragment was stolen from someone else as well. You know Zhou Siyuan, don't you?"

"Hiss... That spirit cultivator who acted like a malevolent star? He died at this woman's hands?"

"Without a doubt. I witnessed it with my own eyes just now."

"Thank goodness I didn't make a move. I fear the Buddha's birthday celebration is about to descend into a bloodbath!"

"Hard to say. Several great demons have gone as well..."

...

When Xie Chang'an arrived at Weiguang Sky, she almost mistook it not for the Bone-Reflecting Realm, but for some celestial banquet in the upper realms.

Transitioning from misty gloom to brilliant radiance required only a single instant. With merely a step, she plunged abruptly from the nether hell into an autumn mountain of golden osmanthus.

A sky and earth full of golden osmanthus blossoms rushed into her field of vision.

The branches were densely laden, weighed down to the point of overflowing, sending the flowers fluttering down in showers.

Still waters ran deep, mirroring blossoms face to face.

With every step Xie Chang'an took, she could feel a rich, intoxicating fragrance lingering constantly around her person, on the verge of condensing into mist.

The sky remained in an unyielding dusk, where orange-red, purple, and blue hues bled and melted into one another, casting their glow upon everyone present, imbuing even the dullest and darkest garments with bizarre and dazzling colors.

Attendants drifted by in floating sleeves and chiming jade pendants, weaving among the guests to guide them to their seats, serving tea and offering smiles.

Chapter 2 (Part 2 of 3)

Chapter 2 (Part 3 of 3)
"Do not be astonished. That Crested Ibis simply dotes on these flashy, ghost-pretending spectacles! Now that he has seized the opportunity, how could he possibly pass up the chance to show off!" the fox snorted, finally finding an opportunity for sarcasm. "Do not forget you are the Ghost King; do not stand about slack-jawed as though you have never seen the world!"

Xie Chang'an stated slowly: "I am merely wondering whether this place is an illusion, or forcibly created through the spiritual energy of a magical artifact?"

She stretched out her hand, catching a falling flower just in time.

The exquisite and diminutive golden osmanthus lay soft and harmless in her palm, its sweet, refreshing fragrance drifting softly to fill her senses.

If this was an illusion, it was undoubtedly an illusion of the highest order.

"Why concern yourself with such things?" the fox muttered impatiently, looking about as she waited for the attendants to step forward and assign their seats.

Naturally, there was a purpose to it, Xie Chang'an thought to herself.

Those arriving today with treacherous designs were certainly not limited to the two of them; the birthday banquet was bound to erupt into a chaotic, bustling melee. The better prepared one was, the longer one would survive.

"Ah, so it is Lady Yu Cui's grand arrival. Forgive us for failing to welcome you from afar."

The green-robed attendant who stepped forward evidently recognized the fox, greeting her with a beaming smile.

"My master has been awaiting you for quite some time. Please follow this maid."

Mistaking Xie Chang'an—who was holding the fox—for Yu Cui's attendant and asking no further questions, she led them to a seating area on the lower left.

While not positioned at the very rear, it was unmistakably distant from the host's seat.

"Hold a moment!" the fox interjected. "This is my master. Her seating placement belongs above all other guests."

The green-robed attendant naturally displayed a look of astonishment.

"And this is?"

The fox lifted her chin: "Would I casually serve someone as my master? My master is, naturally, the most exalted personage in the Bone-Reflecting Realm—the Ghost King who once shook the Yellow Springs."

The green-robed attendant was utterly stunned: "You say this personage is the Ghost King?"

The fox's voice turned cold: "What? Do you disbelieve it?"

The other hurriedly replied: "No, no! Please wait a moment, honored guests, while I report this to my master!"

Without waiting for either of them to speak, she hurried off in a flurry.

The fox felt a twinge of unease, yet adhering to her principle that blaming others was always superior to reflecting upon oneself, she shifted the blame and vented her anxiety onto Xie Chang'an.

"Look at you! Just now you stood there like a block of wood, utterly failing to cooperate with me in projecting the Ghost King's majesty and imposing aura!"

"What does the Ghost King look like?" Xie Chang'an asked.

"No one has ever seen him! Not even whether he is male or female is known!" the fox snapped irritably. "He hasn't shown his face in centuries!"

"Then how do you know the Ghost King is not someone of my sort? Very well, you are being rather noisy; speak another word and I shall make you walk on your own feet."

Xie Chang'an directly clamped her hand over the fox's mouth, forbidding her from further speech.

Though the two of them had been whispering, the volume of the fox's earlier exchange with the green-robed attendant had not been low. Word had already spread ten to a hundred among those nearby, and numerous gazes were now cast in their direction.

The green-robed attendant reappeared swiftly, a smile far more enthusiastic than before hanging upon her face.

"I was unaware of the Ghost King's honored arrival. My master is still changing garments and unable to welcome you personally, but I beg the Highness and her companions to be seated first. Once my master arrives, he shall offer a personal apology!"

She seemed deliberately to raise her voice, allowing everyone present to hear clearly. The gazes falling upon Xie Chang'an grew increasingly scorching and bizarre.

The Ghost King, who had once run amok across the Bone-Reflecting Realm and briefly proclaimed himself king, was the most formidable cultivator since the fall of Yinglong. He had walked across a sea of corpses in the Bone-Reflecting Realm, and anyone who dared challenge him had not survived; yet his existence had been like a fleeting flash in the pan, vanishing into thin air almost immediately and leaving behind only a name whose life or death remained unknown.

Now, within the Bone-Reflecting Realm—a place teeming with demons and ghouls—did someone truly dare to proclaim the return of the Ghost King?

When the green-robed attendant escorted Xie Chang'an to her seat on the lower left, the undisguised scrutiny transformed into blatant provocation.

The great demon Wuming was the first to let out a cold laugh: "Since when did a Ghost King who hasn't even dared to show his face in centuries become a wet-nosed girl? Yu Cui, where did you dig up this fake ghost, daring to put on airs in front of us?!"

"The living beings of the Bone-Reflecting Realm swore an oath in those days to pledge lifelong loyalty to the Ghost King. What is this? Now that you see your master in the flesh, none of you dare to pay homage?!"

The fox put up a formidable front, though inwardly she felt rather trepidacious, even harboring a trace of regret for coming up with such a half-baked idea.

After all, the two great demons seated here today were no pushovers. If Xie Chang'an failed to handle them, she feared she would be dragged down into disaster alongside her.

"If you wish me to pay homage, let me first test what she is truly made of!"

Before Wuming had even finished speaking, his sleeves flickered and he was already standing before Xie Chang'an and the fox. Seizing Xie Chang'an's face in what appeared to be a light, drifting grab, his fingertips actually whipped up gales of wind, instantly freezing the surrounding moisture into ice wherever they passed.

Chapter 3 (Part 3 of 3)