Chapter 280: The Stench of Foxes Overwhelms the Mountain
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“Are you leaving now?”
“Yes.”
Yu Zhao always handled matters decisively. Once she made up her mind, she wasted no time in bidding farewell to Jiu Wei and Bai Ling.
Jiu Wei immediately felt a complicated mix of emotions, as if someone had taken everything from her only to discard her afterward.
Bai Ling, having spent more time with Yu Zhao, was not surprised by her abrupt decision.
“The Azure Dragon Egg will hatch in the next few days. Why not stay a little longer?”
“No need. I trust you to handle it,” Yu Zhao replied flatly.
Her words, however, were hardly persuasive.
The beast egg was still on Spirit Mountain under the care of the White Peacock Clan, and even Bai Ling, the clan leader, wasn’t present to witness its hatching. As a human cultivator, Yu Zhao had even less reason to stay.
Seeing her determination, Bai Ling and Jiu Wei didn’t insist further. They prepared to escort her down the mountain.
As soon as they opened the barrier, they were met with the sound of shouting and commotion.
Jiu Wei smirked coldly and vanished in an instant.
Bai Ling’s expression darkened. Using his demonic power, he carried Yu Zhao and followed swiftly.
…
Halfway up Green Hill Mountain…
“Speak! What did Yu Zhao do with you? Did you tell her anything about me?”
Quan Ye held Little You by the scruff of his neck, shaking him forcefully.
Little You was so disoriented he couldn’t tell east from west, let alone answer questions.
The other little foxes lay flat on the ground, too weak to lift their heads, chirping anxiously.
Even the Nascent Soul-level nine-tailed foxes, though not as bedraggled, couldn’t resist the bloodline suppression from Quan Ye’s Azure Dragon heritage. They were helpless, reduced to pleading with Quan Ye to release Little You.
Quan Ye ignored them.
He reveled in the benefits of his newly awakened bloodline. His entire body buzzed with exhilaration, and his arrogance grew.
When Little You’s eyes began to roll back, Quan Ye flung him to the ground like a rag doll and turned to select his next target. Before he could move, a terrifying aura slammed into him, sending him flying.
“Who gave you the nerve to cause trouble on Green Hill Mountain?”
Jiu Wei infused demonic energy into Little You to stabilize him before glaring icily at Quan Ye.
Seeing Jiu Wei again, Quan Ye involuntarily shuddered—a reflex ingrained by long-term abuse.
Although he feared her, his newfound identity emboldened him.
“I meant no harm. I just asked him a question,” Quan Ye said defensively.
“Oh? Then I’ll ask you a few questions in return,” Jiu Wei sneered.
To a Divine Transformation-stage demon like her, the effects of Quan Ye’s bloodline were negligible.
With a flick of her hand, she gripped Quan Ye by the throat, her bewitching fox eyes glinting with icy menace.
Her grip tightened steadily. Quan Ye’s breaths grew labored, his face turned red, and his eyes bulged.
He stared at Jiu Wei in disbelief, as if unable to comprehend that she dared treat someone with Azure Dragon blood like this.
Just as he thought she might snap his neck, Bai Ling arrived with Yu Zhao and hurriedly urged Jiu Wei to let him go.
The outcome of the egg hatching was still uncertain, but Quan Ye, as the only known half-human, half-demon with Azure Dragon blood in the cultivation world, was a critical asset.
Jiu Wei understood this but was unwilling to let Quan Ye off easily.
This brat had already started abusing his bloodline power. If he became the leader of the demon race, there would be no peace.
“Jiu Wei! Don’t forget who entrusted him to you!” Bai Ling reminded her urgently as Quan Ye’s face darkened further.
This finally subdued Jiu Wei’s murderous intent.
She could kill Quan Ye, but she couldn’t handle the consequences.
Beyond Bai Ling’s disapproval, Master Qing Yan’s wrath was not something she could face. If Master Qing Yan learned that she had killed his disciple, he might raze Green Hill Mountain in anger.
Jiu Wei regretted agreeing to the deal with Master Qing Yan in the first place. She tossed Quan Ye to the ground with the same disdain he’d shown Little You earlier.
“Green Hill Mountain doesn’t welcome you. Leave now, and never return. Not even Master Qing Yan can protect you if you come back.”
Quan Ye sat on the ground, gasping for air. Upon hearing her words, he snarled, “Do you think I want to stay in this wretched place? The stench of foxes on this mountain is revolting!”
He bent over and pretended to retch.
Even Bai Ling frowned at this.
Yu Zhao’s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
It seemed her rebirth had brought about some changes. This time, Quan Ye was even more foolish than in her previous life.
Before, he had at least maintained a facade before Bai Ling and the other great demons, hiding his true disdain for the demon race. Now, he openly expressed his repulsion, alienating even Bai Ling, his staunchest supporter.
Gaining the unconditional backing of the demon race, as he had in the past, was no longer possible.
As a half-human, half-demon with Azure Dragon blood, Quan Ye already faced a challenging path in cultivation. Without support, his future would mirror Yu Zhao’s bleak past.
But Quan Ye, oblivious to the gravity of his situation, seethed inwardly. He swore that once he became ruler of the demon race, he would burn Green Hill Mountain to the ground.
Jiu Wei, though unable to read his thoughts, could tell from his expression that he was plotting something. Disgusted, she prepared to throw him off the mountain when the jade pendant on Bai Ling’s waist suddenly lit up, drawing everyone’s attention.
Bai Ling eagerly grabbed the pendant, and a voice filled with excitement burst forth.
“Clan leader! The beast egg has hatched! I saw it! Its scales are white!”
Bai Ling’s joy was boundless. “Ha! White scales! Excellent! Our White Peacock Clan has white feathers—this must be fate!”
Jiu Wei’s anger dissipated, replaced by excitement.
Yu Zhao, who had been about to leave, paused, her curiosity piqued.
She, too, wanted to see what kind of creature would emerge from the egg she had found.
“Clan leader! I just saw its claw—Phoenix Ancestor above—it looks like a dragon claw!”
“What?! A dragon claw?! Are you sure?” Bai Ling’s voice trembled with disbelief, his grip almost crushing the pendant.
Alarmed, Jiu Wei snatched the pendant from him. “Bai Mei, are you certain? Is it really a dragon claw?”
“I-I’m not sure. It looks like one. I’ve never seen a real dragon claw before. Let me check again!” Bai Mei stammered.