Volume 1, Chapter 13 – A Degenerate Among Sword Practitioners?!
The little fox demon's words contained much information, leaving Song Shiyuan's mind struggling to keep up.
For a fleeting moment, she was torn between marveling at the little fox demon's naive innocence and cursing the Fox Monarch's despicable cruelty.
As her thoughts spiraled, she glanced at Lu Zhuxin, a flicker of pity in her eyes.
The Fox Monarch had kept such a young fox demon in the Demon Palace, using her as a mere concubine for others. She was truly pitiful.
"Little fox demon, do you know what a concubine is?" Song Shiyuan asked gently.
"Concubine?" The little fox demon blinked, her big, innocent eyes wide with curiosity. "Sword practitioner sister, aren't you a concubine?"
"Um…" Song Shiyuan's expression darkened.
She was indeed a concubine—a prize forcibly taken by the Fox Monarch.
The little fox demon paused, her small face serious in thought. "The other sisters said to Ah Xi that a concubine is someone who wholeheartedly loves and serves her husband, giving her entire life to him."
With a sweet smile, she added, "Ah Xi didn't understand before, but after seeing Sister Song Shiyuan, Ah Xi gets it now. Only kind and beautiful people like Sister Shiyuan can become concubines!"
"..."
Song Shiyuan felt like the little fox demon had inadvertently stabbed her heart.
She didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
"A concubine… might not be what you think, little fox demon," Song Shiyuan hesitated.
She didn't know how to explain it to this girl. It'll cruelly shatter this poor child's naive fantasy.
"Ah Xi envies Sister Shiyuan," the little fox demon said earnestly. "In this Fox Palace, most foxes aspire to be the Monarch's concubine. Ah Xi wants to be like Sister Shiyuan."
No, I don't want this blessing at all!
Song Shiyuan thought, feeling a pang of desperation as she met the little fox demon's hopeful gaze.
Eventually, she couldn't bring herself to crush the girl's fantasy.
Instead, her mind drifted back to something else the little fox demon had mentioned—the Fox Monarch had found a sword practitioner for her.
"Are there other sword practitioners in the Demon Palace?" Song Shiyuan asked. "And does the Fox Monarch often give fox demons to sword practitioners as concubines?"
The little fox demon shook her head, then nodded enthusiastically.
"In the Demon Palace, Ah Xi only met you, sister! But Ah Xi knows that high-ranking members of sword practitioner sects often visit."
She continued, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "The Demon Palace also selects some fox demon sisters who have made mistakes, or those who volunteer, and sends them out of the palace to be chosen by those powerful sword practitioners."
"And some sword practitioners come in," she added with a grin, "Just like Sister Shiyuan."
"That's impossible?!" Song Shiyuan's first reaction was disbelief.
The very foundation of her beliefs trembled. Captured by the Fox Monarch, she and her fellow disciples had been victims, not pawns to be traded!
"Sword cultivators hold integrity above all else!"
"Integrity and sincerity! Only through these can one reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship!"
"Therefore, sword practitioners are the epitome of righteousness, with an unwavering disdain for evil!"
"How could they possibly consort with demonic beings?!"
"And I was abducted by the Fox Monarch! I wasn't some bargaining chip!"
Her eyes narrowed with skepticism, doubts swirling like storm clouds. The long-standing enmity between sword practitioners and the fox demon clan loomed large in her mind.
The very thought of exchanging anything with demonic beings was blasphemy; a violation of the sacred tenets that guided their path.
If such a scandal came to light, it would shatter their world, branding them as heretics within the cultivation world!
No, it was unthinkable!
Lu Zhuxin knew Song Shiyuan's character very well.
This upright and kind junior sister from the Sword Sect could hardly accept this.
But unfortunately, what Lu Zhuxin said was the truth.
It was, after all, the setting of her novel.
"Sister Shiyuan's words, Ah Xi doesn't quite understand," she said, "But what Ah Xi says is the truth, she won't lie to sister!"
Song Shiyuan's expression shifted, the initial shock giving way to a more measured demeanor.
She steadied her thoughts, focusing on the matter at hand.
"So… the sword practitioner chosen by the Fox Monarch for you—is he a high-ranking member as well?"
This issue, concerning all sword practitioners in the cultivation world, was far too significant to ignore.
For both personal and public reasons, Song Shiyuan felt compelled to uncover the truth. Since this little fox demon was among those selected to be given away, she might serve as a crucial breakthrough.
Song Shiyuan couldn't help but wonder who this degenerate sword practitioner was—the one deemed worthy of receiving a concubine from the Fox Monarch personally.
"Have you met him?" Song Shiyuan pressed.
Lu Zhuxin shook her head, her ears drooping slightly.
"Ah Xi doesn't know. The Monarch only told me that the sword practitioner is a genius among the younger generation—a Nascent Soul stage cultivator under one hundred years old. He's likely to become a sect leader in the future!"
"Sister Shiyuan, is that considered amazing?" The little fox demon remained innocent
A genius? A potential leader?
As she pondered, a flicker of doubt crept in—could the words of this seemingly naive little fox demon be trusted?
From the moment Song Shiyuan began her interrogation, she channeled her spiritual energy to focus intently on the little fox demon. She was hyper-aware of every subtle shift in her breathing and heartbeat.
If she's lying, surely some telltale sign would betray her.
Yet, to Song Shiyuan's surprise, the little fox demon remained composed, her innocent features betraying no deceit.
She wasn't lying…
That realization sent a chill down Song Shiyuan's spine. The information the little fox demon provided aligned too closely with her brother, Song Shixuan.
Was it merely a coincidence?
A prodigy among the younger generation, a Nascent Soul stage sword practitioner under a hundred years of age—perhaps even the young master of a prestigious sword sect. It fit Song Shixuan perfectly, but it could just as easily refer to someone else!
"Indeed… very impressive," Song Shiyuan replied, her voice steady but her mind racing.
"Then how do Sister Shiyuan stack up against him?" The little fox demon tilted her head, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
Song Shiyuan's gaze deepened, her expression inscrutable. "I haven't met him. How could I possibly compare?"
"Why don't you tell me who he is? To see if I may know him."
"Then I can tell you who is truly more remarkable."
It couldn't possibly be Song Shixuan. He was captured along with them; it simply wasn't feasible.
The little fox demon held Song Shiyuan's gaze, unwavering.
"Sister Shiyuan, Ah Xi truly doesn't know."
"Ah Xi only knows that the sword practitioner the Monarch wishes for Ah Xi to serve…"
"His surname is Song."
The surname Song? Which Song?
Song Shiyuan's pupils widened in shock.
Lu Zhuxin observed as the junior sword practitioner's complexion drained of color, she chuckled inwardly.
Got you testing and probing over and over again!
Not so tough now, are you?
You're drenched in sweat, aren't you, little sister?