Chapter 34: Yuehong's Power

The Black Panther spirit widened his eyes at such a sudden transformation of the tailed fox, but then fiercely growled, and the two beasts dashed at each other.

“Ah!”

Sandy was hiding behind Lutecia, so horrified she was – two such enormous beasts were fighting each other on the same branch they stood on!

But it seemed like Yuehong didn’t want his battle to harm his wife – he jumped at the Black Panther rapidly like a true rabbit (he had well learned the moves from Lutecia), bit him on the neck, and took him down to the ground, off the tree where Lutecia and her squirrel friend might get hurt.

The girls watched the battle from up the trees and, of course, rooted for the tailed fox, who had come to save them. The fox and the panther had a fierce fight: Yuehong spat red flames out of his mouth, while the Black Panther, on his part, sent energy into the earth and made some strong lianas grow, which, upon hitting the enemy, could deplete their energy. Soon, these lianas indeed caught Yuehong and tied him up.

“You’re a goner, fox!” the panther chuckled with triumph. “These lianas will take away your whole energy and exhaust you to death!”

In response, they heard a deep, demonic laugh which was way scarier than Yuehong’s laughter in his usual form. It even sent shivers to Lutecia. She thought the voice had changed and turned more gruesome due to Yuehong’s taking his Basic Ultimate Red form.

“Of course, I’d be long dead by now, as your logic is right... but you forgot a very important thing, child: I am Huli Yuehong – I am nature itself!”

Red flames heated up his whole body and made the lianas burn right on his fur. The Black Panther gasped in shock and stepped back:

“Y-You said, Huli Yuehong?!”

Now he got truly frightened. However, Yuehong wasn’t the type to forgive easily. He roared in a gruesome hell-fox voice and spat red flames out of his mouth, burning down all of the defensive lianas of the panther. The flames even reached his skin.

“Ah!!!” he roared in pain as he bled.

“You wanted to eat my wife...” the fox snarled, “As you had no knowledge, I shall now let you go, but be sure – whatever happens in nature, I am watching. Now run, and never come back!”

The Panther purred with pain and anguish and ran off at a full speed. Sandy was horrified – this giant fox possessed such power, and was so brutal! She almost burst into tears. Now she even felt pitiful towards the poor panther, who almost got roasted. Lutecia was no less frightened – she had never seen her husband so enraged before.

When the panther disappeared in the dense forest, the flames subsided and died out. The gruesome nine-tailed fox retook his normal redhead boy-fox form, covered his face with his red fan, and looked up at the two girls:

“All clear! Please come down!”

The girls blinked – he acted so carefreely after all that had happened! Yet, they sighed with relief – at least they wouldn’t become that vile panther’s lunch... They jumped off the tree, but Sandy still felt a little fearful of the predator spirit so she kept hiding behind Lutecia’s back.

“T... Thanks,” Lutecia murmured, still dumbfounded about all the events that had occurred right before her eyes.

“Be a little careful from now on.” Yuehong grinned and hit her softly on the head with his fan.

“Ouch!” Lutecia rubbed her head and laughed, “Hehe! I promise I will, Hong-hong!”

While the couple felt happy for their reunion, Sandy still timidly and fearfully watched Yuehong. The fox spotted her gaze and smiled. He looked down at Lutecia:

“Oh, I see you’ve found your old friend, hein?”

“Hehe, yeah! Meet my friend, Sandra Nutts!” Lutecia turned to her squirrel friend, “Sandy, this is Yuehong, my husband.”

“It is nice to meet you, Sandy.” the fox smiled and stretched out a hand. Noticing his long red claw-like nails, the squirrel shuddered. Yuehong chuckled: “Don’t worry. I don’t eat my wife’s friends.”

Hearing such a carefree joke about eating weak spirits, Sandy trembled even more and gulped. She shook his hand with her trembling one:

“It’s... nice to meet you too.”

Yuehong fanned his face and turned back to Lutecia:

“Well then, I guess I’ll get going now, little one. I have my work to do. Goodbye!”

He sprang up and vanished in the sky.

“Woah...” Sandy mumbled after the fox disappeared, “He jumps so high... How could you teach him jumping and teleportation? His power has no limits now!”

“Well, I guess we got saved because of that.” Lutecia chuckled. “Don’t worry. He’ll never do anything cruel.”

“Yeah, but he sure roasted that poor big cat just now...” Sandy shrugged.

Lutecia laughed at such a remark of hers:

“What? You pity that predator now who wanted to eat you just a few minutes ago?”

“Well, everyone is relatively right, I guess... That guy was just hunting for lunch. Ugh, I guess I can never understand the ultimate laws of this world...” Sandy chuckled, “I’m just thankful I stayed alive.”

“Well, let’s leave all those ultimate laws to the primal forces, and enjoy life while we can.” Lutecia beamed.

The girls followed their way on.