Yun Qingxue walked at the forefront, cradling the ten-tailed little fox in her arms, and soon stepped into the narrow cave they had come through.
“Screech~~~~!!!!”
Suddenly, the little creature, which had only been whimpering softly in Yun Qingxue’s embrace, let out a piercing cry of distress.
As if in response to the little one, the scene outside the narrow cave—once lush with green grass, blue skies, and white clouds—vanished entirely, leaving behind only an endless expanse of darkness.
Within the darkness, an eerie wind seemed to swirl and howl.
“Since thousands of years ago, the royal lineage of the divine race in the Xuanling Continent, which was meant to pass down through a single heir, began producing twin pairs—celestial and earthly twins, divine and demonic twins…
The successive births of these twins marked the beginning of upheaval. The noble royal bloodline was repeatedly usurped, foretelling the dawn of chaos…
The Flower King, after narrowly escaping death, has reincarnated… Perhaps he will be the greatest variable and hope amidst this turmoil…
The Flower King’s decree brings boundless vitality…
The six-tailed flower fox, under serendipitous circumstances, may glimpse the secrets of heaven…
May the Flower King protect my granddaughter, and may she one day awaken to these heavenly secrets, aiding the Flower King in breaking free from his plight!!!!!”
The voice of the old man who had entrusted his grandchild to Yun Qingxue echoed through the void, carrying hollow reverberations.
Yun Qingxue paused in her steps and turned back, only to see an endless darkness behind her.
The occasional gusts of wind carried a chilling, sinister aura.
“I have taken your words to heart, elder! Rest assured, since I have accepted your entrustment and formed a contract with Liuli, I will spare no effort to preserve the last vestiges of your flower fox lineage…
If fate allows me to return here one day, I will surely bring Liuli to visit you all!!!”
With those words, Yun Qingxue continued forward without hesitation.
After traversing the narrow passage, the path gradually widened, and the time it took to exit seemed far shorter than the time spent entering.
Soon, Yun Qingxue emerged from the cave inhabited by the six-tailed flower foxes, accompanied by Daise, Adai, and Liuli.
Exiting the rightmost cave entrance, she saw two other openings.
Recalling the elder’s words that the middle cave was the exit, Yun Qingxue did not rush forward.
She remembered the elder—Liuli’s grandfather—warning that the middle cave was perpetually occupied by the Black Python Clan. Moreover, he had repeatedly cautioned her to be wary, indicating that the Black Python Clan was far from benevolent.
Stepping into that middle cave might very well lead to a fierce battle.
Yun Qingxue turned to Daise and instructed, “You heard what Liuli’s grandfather said…”
Daise nodded solemnly. “This servant heard. I only ask one thing of my lady—if danger arises, please do not hesitate for my sake. Flee without looking back!”
Yun Qingxue handed Liuli to Daise and said, “Don’t speak such foolish words. If a fight breaks out, just stay close to me with Liuli.”
After admonishing Daise, Yun Qingxue turned to Adai. “Adai, you’re from the aquatic races. Is the Black Python Clan also part of your kin?”
“Hiss~” *Yes.*
Adai bobbed his tiny head and flicked his tongue. However, the Black Python Clan had always been savage, cruel, and notorious for preying on their own kind—utter scum of the aquatic races!!
Moreover, due to their vicious nature, they were considered enemies by the entire aquatic community. So… when facing them, there’s no reasoning—only fighting!
Though Yun Qingxue couldn’t understand Adai’s words, his aggressive tongue-flicking and sharp-eyed glare at the mention of the Black Python Clan told her something was amiss.
She tentatively asked, “The Black Python Clan isn’t friendly, is it?”
“Hiss~” Adai nodded.
“Would invoking Jinlin’s name work against them?” Yun Qingxue pressed. They had just arrived in the Yunhuang Illusory Realm. If they exhausted themselves in battle right away, they’d be helpless against any subsequent dangers!
Thus, avoiding conflict where possible was ideal. If there was a backdoor, Yun Qingxue wouldn’t mind taking it!
Her master had sent her here to train, not to fight everyone she encountered. Training didn’t mean recklessly draining her energy in an unknown land!
Since the Black Python Clan belonged to the aquatic races, if Jinlin’s name carried weight, she wouldn’t hesitate to use it. And if questioned, Adai—a living, breathing sacred serpent of the aquatic races—was right there as proof!
Strictly speaking, Adai and the Black Python Clan were kin—both cold-blooded creatures. But her Adai was adorable and dopey, while the Black Python Clan, though unseen, conjured images of massive, pitch-black reptiles just from their name…
Yun Qingxue shuddered involuntarily, only to see Adai shake his head emphatically.
“Jinlin’s name won’t work?” she asked incredulously. “Jinlin is the ruling monarch of your aquatic races! If they don’t fear their own king, then they’re nothing but—*traitors*?!”
“Hiss~~” Adai nodded again. The Black Pythons *were* traitors—brigands through and through. Their infamy was unmatched in the aquatic world!!! Even the previous Dragon King had issued an extermination decree against their entire clan!!!
“So… we have no choice but to fight?” Yun Qingxue sighed softly.
“Hiss~~” *Master, when in doubt, throw hands!*
“Adai, how much do you know about the Black Python Clan?” Yun Qingxue asked.
Since peaceful passage was impossible, understanding their adversaries was the next best thing. That way, if a fight broke out, she’d at least have some idea of what to expect.
“Hiss~” *A brutish clan relying on raw strength!*
Adai suddenly slithered up Yun Qingxue’s wrist, coiling his tiny body around it and tightening his grip.
Yun Qingxue immediately understood. “You mean they specialize in constriction?”
“Hiss~” Adai’s round eyes rolled as he nodded. *Those dimwits aren’t capable of anything sophisticated.*
Yun Qingxue recalled watching nature documentaries in her past life, where pythons were shown coiling around prey and slowly suffocating them. If Adai’s description held, the Black Python Clan’s tactics aligned with their serpentine nature.
“What about their magical prowess? Do you know their combat techniques?” she pressed.
“Hiss~” *Nothing fancy. Their cultivation mainly hardens their bodies—thick-skinned and tough!!!*
Unsure how else to convey this, Adai nibbled his own tail before baring his fangs pitifully at Yun Qingxue.
This mode of expression…
Yun Qingxue could only admit she had no clue what he meant.
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