CHAPTER 140
The Opening Move
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The yellowed photograph appeared aged by time. A black blade sliced through the image, rendering the already indistinct features of the man within even more blurred and indistinguishable.
Like a past begging to be forgotten, shredding this photo seemed effortless—yet equally impossible.
Like the blade of judgment, the photograph was an object not of this world, yet it had appeared nonetheless.
Pierced by the dagger, it was pinned firmly to the table.
The Great Fox remained in the Hall of Heavenly Paths. She had no intention of leaving, nor of meeting that man.
Her arrival heralded the judgment. She would take Cheng Liang's place, raise the blade of retribution, and strike down the cowardly traitor with her own hand.
At this moment, the duplicate entity bearing the compound surname Shangguan had awakened. The flames of retribution would consume all self-deception.
"My lady, you sought me?"
As if tearing through space itself, a figure accompanied by a childish voice appeared with the effortless ease of lifting a curtain. The space ripped open, and a figure stretched out from within like a kitten yawning.
The visitor was none other than Dongfang Jue's strategist, the Flower-Seeking Immortal. Yet now, the deliberate disguise had vanished, revealing her true form.
Lifting her little head to gaze at the great fox before her, she couldn't help but feel envious—truly breathtakingly beautiful.
Yet even such a face, capable of conquering all the world, possessed one fatal flaw. The Immortal Sage knew it well: the great fox never smiled.
Not that she disliked smiling, but rather that she simply couldn't. The Immortal Sage hadn't known the great fox for just a day, yet she had never once seen her smile.
"Heh, you dare come back?"
"Please calm down, Your Excellency. How could I ever oppose you?"
"You already are."
"I'm innocent! Sister, you know I'm not! I truly came out just to have some fun. I never intended to help anyone."
"Come sit."
Though the so-called tyrantly lecherous Immortal Lord softened his tone slightly, he showed no fear whatsoever. Smiling, he sat right down on the great fox's lap.
"Stop tugging my tail…"
"Uh… sorry, sorry! But I really do love your tail~"
Even that breathtaking beauty, frozen like solid ice, seemed to reveal a hint of speechlessness.
"You've seen him."
"Just a glance. He noticed me too."
Though she’d been apologizing moments ago, those restless little hands never stayed still. Now they’d snatched another unruly tail, cradling it in her arms~
"You don't seem to mind?"
"If I cared, he'd be dead already." That blissful little face beamed like it had received the finest toy. The fox's tail before her was utterly captivating, and such a prime fox tail—the great fox possessed nine of them.
As she pondered, a sense of unfairness crept in. She didn't even have a single tail, yet this big fox possessed nine! Why couldn't he share just one with her?
"Did you come here on your own?"
"I brought ■■ over. I'm a bit of a bed-hugger, you know."
"What do you plan to do?"
"Nothing. Otherwise, that sanctioning power would have been in my hands long ago."
The great fox said nothing, merely watching the child in her arms as if grooming a kitten, playing with her tail.
The Great Fox couldn't understand how she managed to stay so calm. She was the one who should be the angriest.
"Don't you hate him?"
"No need for further words. This is my stance. I won't interfere. Isn't that enough?"
"Perhaps your fate isn't so favorable either. You should change your name too."
"I've already abandoned my surname. If I abandon my name too, I won't know who I am."
The Great Fox fell silent. So it was true—she must hate that man to the core. Yet she remained the calmest among them all.
The world is like a small bowl—its capacity is limited.
People are the same—their capacity to endure is finite.
This world is already shattered beyond repair, unable to bear the weight of any more authority descending upon it.
The same held true within this girl's heart—it could bear no more lies or betrayal.
And now, the so-called Mandate of Heaven truly begins to turn. You, me, and everyone else are but tiny cogs driving the world's progress.
"Since that is the case, I shall make my move."
"May your martial fortune flourish!"
He spoke with a smile, as if utterly unaware of the great fox's intentions.
After the true test and probing, the two began their feigned game—on the chessboard.
Inside the Lingxian Hall, the fierce battle between the two beauties had reached its final stages.
To put it plainly, this was the first time Ye Qinghan had been so thoroughly outmaneuvered since joining Lingxian Hall!
Truth be told, without Shi Yao, she never would have made it this far.
The two hurriedly dashed into the tower. Seeing the tidal wave of ferocious beasts halted at the entrance, they finally gained a moment to catch their breath.
"Senior Sister, Shi Yao can't go on~ Let's rest for a bit~"
"Mm."
Not only was Shiyu exhausted, Qinghan was nearly spent too. After all, she'd been unleashing her ultimate attack the entire way—otherwise, that tide of beasts would have buried them both alive…
"Senior Sister, want a bun?"
Ye Qinghan was exhausted, but the sight of the steamed bun Li Shiyu offered made her chuckle.
"What's the filling? Senior Sister is a fox demon—no vegetarian fare for me."
Just like when they first met, Li Shiyu held the bun right up to her face, practically shoving it in her.
"Meat filling! Senior Sister has been so kind to me, I'm happy to share with you!"
Plopping down onto the ground, her dress already torn from being grabbed, Li Shiyao no longer cared about cleanliness. She was truly exhausted.
Under normal circumstances, wearing her senior sister's skirt, she wouldn't dare sit down casually for fear of getting it dirty.
Li Shiyu hugged the small cloth pouch sewn for her by the Grand Elder, occasionally pulling out a bun to stuff into her mouth.
You had to admit this girl was nostalgic. Just like she said, she knew who was good to her.
Ye Qinghan smiled as she took a bun and bit into it. The flavor was hard to describe, but it was undeniably delicious—better than any bun she'd ever tasted.
"Eat slowly, Shiyu. Senior Sister will go check up front."
Seeing her senior sister rise, Shiyu hurriedly stood up too.
"Wait! Cough cough! Wait for Shiyu! Shiyu will go with Senior Sister!"
Like someone who’d been dumped but refused to accept it, Li Shiyu scrambled to her feet and followed closely behind her senior sister.
Ye Qinghan wore an exasperated yet indulgent expression. Though this junior sister was a bit slow, she really suited her temperament.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister won't wander off this time. Shiyu can just wait here for me."
Li Shiyu looked skeptical, tugging at Ye Qinghan’s already short pencil skirt and refusing to let go. It wasn’t the first time her senior sister had left her behind…
"Really?" She wore a skeptical little face, seemingly debating whether to trust her dear senior sister.
Ye Qinghan found this kid growing cuter by the minute—and harder to fool!
"Really, really! Shiyu, just wait here for Sister. I'll go check if there's a path."
Li Shiyu tilted her head, not really listening to her senior sister at all. She just studied her expression, then nodded thoughtfully, a hint of reluctance in her eyes.
When it came to reading between the lines and observing actions, Li Shiyu understood this about her senior sister even before her own master did.
Senior Sister was a fox spirit—what she said mattered little. What truly mattered were those eyes of hers.
Though she couldn't decipher her senior sister's thoughts, Li Shiyu could discern simple emotions like happiness.
"Then hurry up, Senior Sister. Shiyu is scared."
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