Volume 1, Chapter 8 – Liking a Vixen? Absolutely Impossible!
Lu Zhuxin rose slowly, adjusting the clothes she had intentionally torn.
This wasn't a bad start, she mused. At the very least, Song Shiyuan's reaction had been somewhat satisfactory.
If that young sword practitioner had truly been swayed by just a hint of pheromone, clinging to her like a moth to a flame, Lu Zhuxin would have had serious doubts about whether she was indeed the Sword Sect junior sister from her book.
"Your Majesty."
A charming fox demon maidservant, Hu Mei'er, emerged from her hiding spot, gracefully draping a garment over Lu Zhuxin's shoulders.
She had witnessed everything the Fox Monarch had orchestrated, including the interaction with the young sword practitioner.
But the meaning behind her Majesty's actions eluded her.
Was Lu Zhuxin truly trying to seduce that young girl?
Hadn't she already taken her as a concubine?
If her feelings were genuine, wouldn't she simply summon her to bed?
Why go to such elaborate lengths, crafting a space and making numerous arrangements?
Or perhaps her Majesty relished this teasing game of seduction?
Hu Mei'er's mind swirled with questions.
Noticing the confusion etched on Hu Mei'er's face, Lu Zhuxin reached out and pinched her cheek.
The fox demon's charming visage flushed under her touch, radiating an innocent allure.
So cute.
With such a flamboyant and sultry appearance, how could she be so naive?
A mere pinch had her blushing like a ripe peach.
If all the heroines were this easily swayed, Lu Zhuxin wouldn't have to exert so much effort.
"Go back for now," she said, withdrawing her hand and turning to leave.
"Your Majesty…"
Hu Mei'er's face remained flushed, her eyes shimmering like silk as she watched Lu Zhuxin retreat.
Sister Xian'er was right; her Majesty was undeniably different now.
Ever since she met that man, it was as if a transformation had taken place.
Once cold and unyielding—insensible and unfox-like, even—her Majesty had never engaged so intimately with maidservants like them before.
Had a mere man changed her?
But…
Hu Mei'er cupped her face, a smile creeping onto her lips.
Her Majesty was simply adorable now.
Especially that earlier moment—when she had thrown herself into the young sword practitioner's arms, bewildered and sweet.
It made Hu Mei'er wish she could be that young sword practitioner instead.
[Host, what are you planning to do next?]
"Next…" Lu Zhuxin mused, stroking her chin as she paced
.
"Sword practitioners are straightforward and stubborn—Song Shiyuan is no exception. They respond to kindness, not force."
"Force won't work; I need a softer approach."
[So?]
Lu Zhuxin paused and pondered for a moment.
"Tonight, I'll climb into her bed."
[…]
On the other side, panic gripped Song Shiyuan as she bolted into her room.
With a resounding slam, she shut the door behind her.
Leaning against the wooden panel, she took a moment to catch her breath.
Circulating her Foundation Establishment stage spiritual energy, she slowly calmed the chaos within her body.
Yet, despite her efforts, fear still echoed in her heart.
"Just now, that fox demon… what was that about?"
She pressed a hand to her chest, recalling the soft touch of the little fox demon nestled in her arms.
Though it was her first encounter with a fox demon, she wasn't completely naive.
Song Shiyuan had a secret passion—she loved to read.
Her collection of storybooks included countless tales about fox demons, filling her mind with knowledge.
She understood that a fox demon's pheromones could amplify desires, stirring the yang energy of a pure yang sword cultivator.
But they weren't outright aphrodisiacs; if a cultivator's heart was devoid of desire, the effects would be minimal.
Moreover, the strength of these pheromones depended on the fox demon's cultivation level.
The stronger the demon, the more potent the allure.
But that little fox demon? She only had one tail!
A newly transformed fox demon like her shouldn't be capable of such control.
So why did her pheromones have such an overwhelming effect on Song Shiyuan, leaving her flustered and confused?
Was her willpower really that weak?
"Something's wrong… No! It's not my problem."
"It's that little fox demon."
"That little fox demon might have a problem."
With that thought, Song Shiyuan took a deep breath, striving to regain her composure.
First and foremost, Song Shiyuan was painfully aware of her own heart's secret—a naive affection she couldn't openly declare.
She was clear on her sexual orientation; her feelings were reserved for men. The thought of being attracted to a female fox demon was utterly impossible.
Even if, by some chance, she could muster a flicker of interest in a same-sex fox, it would have to be a mature, sophisticated fox demon elder sister, not some frail and delicate creature.
"That turmoil just now…"
She couldn't shake off the memory.
"Her pheromones caused such a violent reaction."
The possibilities swirled in her mind.
"Either her strength far surpasses mine… or I was unprepared for her… or perhaps I truly felt desire for her."
Song Shiyuan's gaze darkened, each option more impossible than the last.
"No… there's another possibility."
She recalled a passage from an obscure historical text about pheromones.
If a sword practitioner and a particular fox demon were naturally compatible, the potency of her pheromones would be magnified.
The stronger the compatibility, the more powerful the effect. Even if the fox demon didn't consciously release her pheromones, a compatible sword practitioner could still detect the scent hidden within her body, leading them right to her.
Fox demons and pure yang sword practitioners were drawn to each other, a phenomenon described in that ancient text as—
—A Preordained Union.
"Bullshit!"
She scowled, tugging at her hair in frustration.
"An unattributed historical account cannot be taken seriously. I must be losing my mind, letting a fox demon disturb me like this."
Yet, a thought lingered: "Perhaps… this is the purpose of those fox demons?"
Calmly, she began to reflect on everything that had transpired since leaving the dungeon.
Everything had seemed so ordinary at first. The Fox Monarch desired her as a concubine but had not rushed to claim her. Instead, she was given a place to stay, with the freedom to wash and dress herself.
This was all rather odd, deviating sharply from the narratives she'd read in storybooks. Typically, at this juncture, maidservants would have stripped her bare, wrapped her in a quilt, and delivered her straight to the Fox Monarch's bed.
When had the vicious and unpredictable Fox Demon Monarch become so merciful?
And then there was the little fox demon—her appearance felt too coincidental.
How had she managed to prepare bedding just as Song Shiyuan emerged from the dungeon?