The Stars Beyond

Chapter 176: Losing The Bet With Two Humans And A Beast

Chapter 176: Losing The Bet With Two Humans And A Beast

The black fox yowled under the pressure of Wang Xuan's foot, indignantly protesting, "What's the meaning of this? Both of you are squeezing together, squashing poor little Celestial Fox. Lift your foot already, you're killing me!"

Wang Xuan glanced down; indeed, he was stepping not just on one of the fox's legs but also on its tail. "Is it necessary to make such a fuss?" he thought. Yet, he made no move to shift his weight off the fox.

"Help, Wu Yin! Get your smelly man to lift his foot. Continue whatever you are doing later!" the black fox cried out.

Wu Yin's face flushed with embarrassment at the fox's choice of words. Just moments ago, she had stumbled into Wang Xuan, leaning against him in an unstable posture. The black fox's loud remarks only added to her discomfort. She quickly pushed herself away from Wang Xuan, standing upright and releasing his hand from her bite.

"You should... maybe lift your foot," she suggested softly.

Despite the fox's actions in the canyon, it had saved her life and protected her from many threats in the treacherous Hidden Land. Without its intervention, she doubted she would have survived. Wang Xuan lifted his foot and examined the black fox. It was a Transcendent spiritual beast, yet here it was, acting pitiful. He picked up the fox, securely bound with the resilient fishing line, and scrutinized it with a stern look, contemplating roasting it for a meal.

"How does fox meat taste?" he casually inquired of Wu Yin.

Hearing this, the black fox became utterly terrified. "You want to eat me?"

"Please don't eat me," the fox begged, its eyes filled with tears. "I am a kind-hearted and beautiful spirit. I've never done anything atrocious. You can't do this to me!"

Wu Yin was infuriated by the fox's antics; it was blatantly imitating her in both expression and tone.

"Who did you learn this from?" Wang Xuan asked, holding the fox, feeling that there was something peculiar about it.

"I learned from Wu Yin!" the fox declared boldly. "We are like sisters, walking and behaving alike. Therefore, you can't kill me!"

Wang Xuan was at a loss for words.

Wang Xuan's question about eating the fox was merely rhetorical, yet the fox's reaction was unexpectedly genuine. Wu Yin's face flushed with embarrassment and indignation. Though some of the fox's exaggerated phrases were indeed hers, the creature had taken too many liberties in its imitation.

"It's infuriating! How dare it use my words like this?" Wu Yin fumed internally. Overwhelmed by the fox's audacity, she suggested, "You might as well eat it!"

With a thud, Wang Xuan dropped the black fox to the ground, warning it against further nonsensical talk and momentarily ignoring it. The fox, feeling aggrieved and belittled, couldn't believe its unfortunate fate. Accustomed to reverence and respect in the depths of the Hidden Land, it found its current situation deplorable.

Turning his attention to Wu Yin, Wang Xuan inquired about her well-being, recalling her final message in the canyon and her mentioning of him. He had been concerned about her fate, even contemplating searching for her remains if she had perished.

"I'm fine, thanks to you," Wu Yin replied, her voice carrying a hint of gratitude.

She recounted how the black fox, despite being injured, recognized her as a descendant of the Immortals. It insisted she had an 'Immortal's malady' – a reference to the 'Five Declines of Heaven and Man,' an ailment peculiar to the original inhabitants of New Star. For Wu Yin, the condition was latent, not manifesting rapidly, but it posed a potential risk to future generations. This revelation explained the relentless endeavors of her family in the Hidden Land, seeking remedies to alleviate the effects of this affliction.

The air grew still as Wu Yin's gaze settled on Wang Xuan, her emotions a tangled web. If only he were Master Wang Xiao, things would have been simpler. But he was Wang Xuan, the man whose character she found so vexing. The transformation from the upright, radiant Master to this exasperating figure left her speechless and bewildered.

Wu Yin harbored a distinct lack of fondness for Wang Xuan, the real person behind the persona. His lack of courtesy, the ungentlemanly act of pushing her into the lake, and various other unpleasant interactions had left a sour taste. It was only after his interventions in the Hidden Land, where he twice stepped forward to save her, that her perception of him began to shift slightly.

Yet, reconciling these two identities—Wang Xuan and Xiao Wang the Master—into one was a challenge she found hard to accept. The reality that these contrasting personas belonged to the same individual was a bitter pill to swallow.

"It's good to hear you're fine. I'll take you to a safe place," Wang Xuan said with a smile, which only added to Wu Yin's inner conflict. His radiant smile was reminiscent of Xiao Wang the Master, but the face it adorned was unmistakably Wang Xuan's, deepening her turmoil.

Caught in a whirlpool of conflicting emotions, Wu Yin struggled to merge these two images into one coherent person. Unable to contain herself, she voiced her confusion, "Why are you sometimes so despicable, Xiao Wang?" Her complaint, accompanied by a pronounced eye roll, signaled her effort to come to terms with reality.

Wang Xuan, feeling somewhat wronged, responded, "In the Old World, you were always hostile towards me, prejudiced from the start. Besides, throughout our interactions, I never really wronged you. I even complimented your figure often." He conveniently omitted the instance of kicking her, focusing instead on the more positive aspects.

"Was your sincere and upright side just an act?" she asked sharply, skeptical of the disparity in his behavior.

Internally, Wu Yin grumbled about the stark contrast in personalities, both belonging to the same individual—a master of deception, she thought.

Feeling unjustly accused, Wang Xuan began to defend himself “Listen, Da Wu...” But was immediately met with a murderous glare from Wu Yin. Her intense stare was a silent rebuke to his casual slip-up, addressing her as "big” Wu – a nickname he evidently used in private.

Touching his forehead in realization, Wang Xuan chastised himself for being too relaxed, letting his guard down, and inadvertently revealing his true thoughts.

Wang Xuan, unapologetic, retorted, "I heard it from Zhao Qinghan. Honestly, it's a compliment to your figure."

"That's nonsense, 'little bell' has a different connotation!" Wu Yin glared at him fiercely.

Their exchange was abruptly interrupted by the black fox's dissatisfied voice, "Can you two stop being so lovey-dovey and feed me some fox food first?"

"Did she teach you that too?" Wang Xuan asked in astonishment.

"When Wu Yin saw a pair of swans, she referred to it as 'throwing dog food', though it was clearly 'goose food'," the black fox corrected, unforgetful of the details.

"Shut up!" Wu Yin fumed, frustrated by the fox's relentless mimicry and its knack for revealing her secrets. If this continued, she would have no privacy left.

With a swift motion, Wang Xuan picked up the fox and flung it several meters away, showing no mercy, much to the fox's irritation.

"Help!" Suddenly, the black fox began to scream for help, its spiritual domain pulsating as it sent distress signals into the distance.

Wang Xuan's expression darkened. He suspected the fox wasn't crying wolf—it might genuinely be summoning some Transcendent creature.

"What creatures has it been in contact with recently?" he asked Wu Yin urgently.

Her complexion paled as she replied, "I didn't see any, but there were times it seemed to be communicating with something afar."

"Let's go!" Wang Xuan swiftly grabbed Wu Yin. Hesitating briefly, he also scooped up the black fox, deciding against killing or abandoning it.

Wang Xuan's strides, covering twenty to thirty meters in a single step, were too fast for Wu Yin, causing her to lose her balance.

"I'll carry you. Get on my back," he offered. But then, recalling something, he quickly produced a soft yet incredibly sturdy battle suit from Eura and urged her to put it on, advising her to cover her face and hands for protection.

Aware of the gravity of the situation, Wu Yin wasted no time in donning the sleek black-gold battle suit of Eura, covering her entire body for protection. She then mounted Wang Xuan's back, ready for the rapid escape.

Wang Xuan, ensuring the black fox wouldn't cause any trouble during their flight, delivered a firm smack to its head, rendering it unconscious. He then grasped it securely and commenced a frenzied dash through the landscape.

Wu Yin felt as though she was soaring through the clouds, the velocity of their movement astonishingly rapid. Nestled within the protective confines of the battle suit, she was acutely aware of the roaring wind outside. Had she been clad in ordinary attire, the sheer force of their passage could have easily torn it apart. The suit’s exceptional sturdiness, coupled with a perforated protective gear she wore over her head, safeguarded her from harm.

However, her face soon flushed with discomfort. The vigorous motion, coupled with her generous physique – a fact that even Zhao Qinghan had playfully noted – made the journey unsettling for her.

"Da Wu..." Wang Xuan began, intending to ask her something.

In response, Wu Yin pinched him sharply, a mixture of irritation and embarrassment in her action. Wang Xuan, though momentarily perplexed, soon grasped the reason for her discomfort. His mind, however, was preoccupied with more pressing concerns – the formidable creature the black fox might have summoned.

After a while, as the unsettling sensation subsided, Wang Xuan slowed down, taking care to leave no tracks. He then changed direction, swiftly navigating through the terrain. It was only after traversing several mountains and covering a considerable distance that he finally halted, gently setting Wu Yin down and tossing the black fox onto the ground, ready to incapacitate it again if necessary.

Wu Yin, once on solid ground, felt a sense of weightlessness and had to steady herself against Wang Xuan's arm. The intense escape, leaping ravines and cliffs in their path, had been incredibly taxing.

"Are you okay?" Wang Xuan asked with concern, observing her with an involuntary glance. She seemed even more exhausted than himself, her chest heaving as she caught her breath.

"You're even faster than that Transcendent fox when it's flying!" Wu Yin deflected, shifting the focus of their conversation.

Indeed, the intense and erratic speed of their journey had left Wu Yin feeling uneasy, an experience far more disconcerting than any car ride. The constant leaping and plummeting, akin to an elevator in freefall repeated over rugged terrains, proved overwhelming even for someone with her training.

"Big Wu, if there's a fight later, stay back," Wang Xuan advised.

"Don't call me Big Wu; call me Wu Yin from now on!" she retorted sharply, glaring at him while her face flushed slightly and her chest heaved with emotion.

A sudden voice behind Wang Xuan made his hair stand on end – an enemy so close, yet undetected by his spiritual domain? He instantly pulled Wu Yin with him, moving twenty-odd meters away in a blink.

"Relax, I mean no harm. If I wanted to attack, I would have done so already." Surprisingly, another black fox appeared, evidently older with slightly graying fur. Standing upright and dressed in coarse linen clothes, it had an almost human appearance.

"Grandfather, he bullied me! Help me get revenge!" The younger black fox, now awake and indignant, complained to the elder fox, urging it to cut Wu Yin's ties to the mundane world and force her into ascetic cultivation, thereby severing her connection with Wang Xuan.

"Get up." The elder fox waved its paw, emitting a beam of black light aimed at severing the fishing line binding the younger fox. However, the line remained intact, unscathed by the attack.

Surprised, the elder fox tried again, only to achieve the same result. Approaching for a closer inspection, it attempted to cut the line with its claw, but still, the line held firm.

The elder fox was visibly taken aback. Even a creature as powerful as itself couldn't destroy a mere thread. This revelation about the young man’s origins and his possession of such an extraordinary object was truly astounding.

Wang Xuan, understanding his inability to overpower the elder fox, approached and deftly untied the fishing line, addressing the creature. "This treasure, bestowed by my ancestral master, is known as the Binding Saint Rope."

The elder fox's keen senses detected something intriguing. "Ah, I smell the scent on you. You've recently been with another descendant of the Immortals. It's good news indeed, that the Immortals' lineage continues."

Wang Xuan realized the elder fox was likely referring to Zhao Qinghan, whose family had intermingled with the original inhabitants of the New World. Zhao's eyes had even started to show a hint of purple.

The fox continued, "A young woman, radiant with vitality, also bearing the latent Immortal's malady. She seems well-suited for cultivation."

Wu Yin, turning to Wang Xuan, inquired, "There's another woman's scent on you? You two..."

"Think nothing of it. Your scent is on me too. If you don't believe me, ask the elder fox," Wang Xuan replied.

The elder fox nodded in agreement. "Indeed, her scent on you is quite strong, almost leading me to mistake you as an Immortal's descendant."

"Let's proceed. Lead the way. I won't harm them. I'll provide them an opportunity, something befitting the descendants of Immortals," the elder fox spoke.

Wang Xuan was reluctant to guide the way, unsure of the elder fox's true intentions. However, the elder fox, demonstrating its extraordinary abilities, led the way and soon they encountered Grandmaster Ma and Zhao Qinghan on a mountain peak.

Wang Xuan felt a chill run down his spine at the old fox's immense power. "This little horse is also quite remarkable. Suitable to accompany me in cultivation," the elder fox remarked.

Wang Xuan sighed, realizing that both Grandmaster Ma and the two women might be lost to the elder fox's intentions, and he was powerless to stop it.

The elder fox then turned to Wang Xuan, "If you're worried, you can accompany us as well."