Chapter 22: Celestial Fox Huli Mei

The grand red palace of the Huli foxes was situated high up in the heavenly realm. Huli Yuehong had clutched Lucy in his arms and jumped through the sky by stepping in the air, while Lily had taken her black demoness form and followed the fox and her cousin.

“There we are!” Yuehong smiled once noticed the giant red palace in the Huli land, in the evergreen garden.

The friends landed near the palace. Masked fox spirits were guarding the gates, but once they caught a glimpse of Lord Huli, they bowed and let them all in. Lucy clung to Yuehong’s arm and followed him in awe in such a magnificent spirit palace.

The main hall was golden and immense. There was a throne situated at the end, raised from the floor by some golden stairs. Lucy and Lily gazed up at it and noticed the queen sitting there. It was a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair and deep purple eyes. Her fox ears were unusually long, unlike any other Huli foxes’ ones, and she had no less than nine tails.

A nine-tailed fox?!

Lucy was amazed – nine-tailed foxes were deemed extremely rare, and were the mightiest of all!

The queen fox wore a red kimono-robe and was barefoot like all other spirits. Once she saw the entered guests, she shot them a stern gaze. Yuehong whispered to Lucy:

“You are a simple human. Please, bow. It is a custom here.”

Lucy started and immediately bowed – if she disrespected the Huli foxes’ customs, High Forces knew what they would do to her! After all, these foxes were man-eaters. Lily, on the other hand, didn’t need to bow, as she was none other than the Queen of the Underworld, so she had equal status to the Huli Queen. Yuehong politely smiled at his daughter, no matter he was of a superior rank, and humbly spoke:

“Hello, my dearest Mei_”

“You are not welcome here.”

Lucy widened her eyes – she dared speak so rudely to her father who was none other than Lord Huli Yuehong?!

What is she doing?

Lily was no less surprised – being accustomed to Incubus’ fearful reactions towards his father and his complete obedience, this kind of an attitude of this fox girl towards her father was foreign to her.

“Mei, dear, I didn’t come to pester you. I simply need your help…”

“You have brought a human. You know my attitude towards humans.”

“She is different. We have the same attitude towards humans, but this one’s special.” Yuehong caressed Lucy.

“And how ‘special’ is she?” Mei coldly crossed her feet.

Yuehong sighed:

“Listen, Mei_”

“I have no desire to listen to your senseless chatter! You are a selfish man, and I have no desire to help you!”

Yuehong, surprisingly for Lucy and Lily who both knew him as the ruthless Blood Moon Fox, didn’t get angry now either, but only dropped his fox ears in sorrow:

“So that is how you think of me…”

Lucy had pity on the poor fox. She clenched her fists and frowned at the Huli Queen:

“How shameful of you! You disrespect your father who has raised you for all these millennia, and gave you his whole clan to rule! You think fathers are to be taken for granted?! I would give anything if only I could meet mine again for just a few minutes, even once!”

“What would you know, human?! My father is immortal, who’d care about him? That fox was unable to protect the one who was far more important and far feebler – my mother!” Tears filled the queen’s eyes, “He failed to protect her!”

Lucy gasped – her mother? She meant Yuehong’s wife? Yuehong failed to protect his wife? From whom? How?

Yuehong sighed. He sprang up and landed before his crying daughter. He hugged her and pressed her to his chest:

“I am sorry, Mei. I know I’ve caused you much pain, but I need your help to make it all right again… The Kaninchen have already attacked – they kidnapped this young girl’s friends,” he pointed to Lucy, who watched them with curiosity. “I became her guardian spirit, so I want to protect her. Please, help me, and we together will take revenge on the Kaninchen Clan.”

“But why would you help a human?” Mei frowned, with tears pouring down her cheeks, “It was humans who killed mother!”

Lucy grew shocked – humans had killed Yuehong’s wife?! Then, it was clear why the Huli Clan hated humans so much!

“Yes, but this human is special – Lady Lilith, the Queen of the Underworld, is her very cousin.”

Mei widened her eyes. She looked down and only now noticed Lady Lilith, who stood next to Lucy. She whispered to her father in fear:

“So you… really formed a deal with… him?”

“Precisely, my dear, and if you cooperate, we might just be able to achieve our common dream.” Yuehong caressed her on the head with a grin.

Mei looked down at Lucy again.

She does indeed have light blue hair and brown eyes…

“Was there any fire element presence on the kidnapping scene?” she asked.

“Yes,” Lilith answered instead of Yuehong. “I felt it myself.”

“Then I guess… only the Phoenix King can track them down,” Mei concluded.

Yuehong grimaced with annoyance. Lucy noticed his face-pulling and blinked with confusion:

“Who is the Phoenix King? Why are you so upset?”

“It is the king of the Kujaku – the clan of peacocks, and, his elder brother really gets on my nerves.”

“Oh…” Lucy recalled the Kujaku Clan from her lesson, “So, why is he so annoying?”

“He’s a very nice guy!” Mei frowned. “It is just that father can’t stand his being so well-mannered and straightforward.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Yuehong rolled his eyes. “Anyway, he won’t help me at any cost, so it’d be better if you came along.”

“I’ve got no objections.” Mei chuckled.

Thus, they decided to travel to the Kujaku territory.