A vicious female is trapped in a beastly hell.

Chapter 454 Childhood Tragedy
Listening to her father's tireless instructions, the little fox rubbed her eyes with her paws, stretched her body, gave a big yawn, twisted her bottom, covered her ears, and snuggled into his arms, pretending to be asleep.

Ji Jin shook her head with a wry smile and carried her son to the bathroom.

Upon hearing the sound of dripping water, the little fox sensed something was wrong. It sprang out of Ji Jin's arms and ran outside, shouting, "I don't want to take a bath!"

"You're so old now, why do you still hate taking baths?" Ji Jin rubbed her temples helplessly, she was really a worry.

Most fire-type beastmen don't like water, especially the cubs. The little fox felt ugly every time it saw itself being scrubbed and washed in a pool, turning into a drenched fox, and disliked bathing even more.

Before the little fox could escape, "thump!" it crashed into a hard embrace, its paws covering its sore nose, "Ooh..."

The young man picked it up and teased, "Little prince, are you running so fast because a monster is chasing you?"

The little fox looked up and grumbled pitifully, "Uncle Qiu Yang~ take me away quickly! Don't let Father catch me!"

That sweet, innocent voice melted Qiu Yang's heart.

The two large males looked at each other and smiled.

Ji Jin raised an eyebrow and gave him a wink.

Qiu Yang suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He picked up the little prince and walked outside. "Alright, alright, we won't take a bath! Little prince, let me carry you to the river to play in the water. I heard that some people have seen colorful little fish there. They are very beautiful."

"Okay, okay~ Uncle Qiu Yang is the best, and Daddy is the worst!" The little fox happily shook its nine fluffy tails, and the golden lotus flowers were so lifelike that it looked like it had been sold out and was still helping to count the money.

Hmm! Taking a bath is out of the question, but playing in the water is fine.

The emperor watched the two leave, smiled slightly, and then went to his study to handle state affairs.

Shen Tang smiled as she looked at the heartwarming scene.

Just as she was about to follow, the screen suddenly flashed.

She arrived outside the city.

Then, a commotion was heard coming from not far away.

"Your Highness, don't run away! His Majesty instructed you not to leave the city! Please come back quickly!"

The little fox said impatiently, "Stop following me, it's so annoying! I'm just going for a walk, I'll be right back!"

It saw in the book that the red berries were ripe this season and wanted to go pick some fresh ones to taste, to see if they were as delicious as described in the book.

"No, His Majesty has ordered us to keep an eye on you. If Your Highness wants anything, you can tell us!"

"I want to go by myself!" the little fox cried out in annoyance. "Father is really something, he won't let me do this or that. I'm three years old, not a little kid anymore!"

"Oh dear, my goodness, please don't be angry, come back quickly! Otherwise His Majesty will be angry again!"

Qiu Yang led a group of orcs in pursuit of the little fox running ahead, and they were in a terrible state of distress.

We agreed to play hide-and-seek, but before we knew it, the person was gone.

Turning around, they discovered that the mischievous and clever young prince had already run several miles outside the city.

This terrified them, but they dared not forcibly take him back, fearing they might anger the young prince, so they could only try to coax him gently.

As dusk fell, the woods and fields fell silent.

Perhaps because she had finally released all the pent-up frustration, the little fox was unusually stubborn today and refused to go back no matter what.

Qiu Yang and the others had no choice but to play with it outside.

But unexpectedly, on this very day, a change occurred in the palace.

Someone looked towards the thick smoke rising from the palace and exclaimed, "Oh no! The palace looks like it's on fire!"

"Hurry! Go back!"

The little fox was dumbfounded, and cried out in a trembling voice, "Father...Mother..."

It quickly ran back to the palace.

Qiu Yang and the others quickly followed.

Shen Tang swayed, and the familiar dizziness returned to her eyes. The surrounding scenery rippled and blurred like water.

She knew that the mental illusion was becoming increasingly unstable, and that her master's mind was about to collapse.

That's too late.

She must provide mental support and comfort to Shen Li as soon as possible!

The scene shifts again, and Shen Tang arrives inside the palace.

At this moment, a raging fire broke out in the palace, and all around were the panicked screams and footsteps of palace servants and guards as they hurried to put out the flames.

But the flames were strangely malevolent, and there was no way to extinguish them with water.

Shen Tang was surrounded by burning flames, the air was distorted, and a broken beam from above crashed down on her head. She hurriedly dodged, and thick black smoke shot into the sky, making her cough and her eyes water. Her mind and body were momentarily distorted.

The flame's core is blackish-red, unlike ordinary flames; it is a flame of destruction!
The flames of destruction here were filled with violent malice, and felt even more powerful than Shen Li's flames, capable of destroying everything!

It's hard to imagine how terrifying the fire must have been in reality that night.

What exactly happened in the palace?
Shen Tang tried her best to maintain her spiritual body, dodging the flames and roof beams as she searched around, and finally arrived at the late empress's bedroom.

Not far away, there were more than a dozen men in black robes, their faces covered, making it impossible to identify them.

The leader of the men in black was tall and imposing, with an unfathomable aura. He held the late empress hostage, ignoring her cries and struggles, seemingly intending to forcibly abduct her!

"Xiao Jiu! Let her go!"

Ji Jin was no longer the dignified and upright man he once was. His long, snow-white hair was disheveled and hanging down his back, his robes were tattered and stained with blood, and the nine tails behind him were burned by the embers of the flames. He was in a terrible state.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he attacked the leader of the men in black like a madman, desperately trying to win back his partner.

Unfortunately, the gap in strength between the two sides was too great.

Ji Jin was severely injured and suffered a crushing defeat, collapsing to his knees.

Shen Tang was shocked. The late Emperor Ji Jin was a powerful tenth-tier beastman. There were probably few people in the world who could rival him. How could he be defeated so easily?

Who exactly are these men in black?!

A faint cry came from not far away. Shen Tang rushed over and found a small fox covered in blood buried under the rubble.

It was no longer the lively and active creature it once was; its belly undulated very weakly, and its fur was covered in filthy blood, making it look wretched and pitiful.

Shen Tang's eyes suddenly welled up with tears, her nose stung, and her heart ached slightly, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

This little fox reminded her of Shen Li, who nearly lost his life to save her that day.

Despite her many grievances against him, she had to admit that the debt of saving her life was more precious than any words of love in the world, and would be unforgettable for a lifetime.

The little fox lay on the ground, staring blankly in the direction of its parents. Its beautiful eyes had lost their former luster and were lifeless.

Tears of regret welled up in her eyes and slid down her cheeks.

Blame him.

If only he hadn't run off to play today...

If only he could have come back sooner...

If he had listened to his father and hadn't run around, wouldn't all these things have been avoided?
At this moment, Shen Li was too weak to do anything. He could only watch helplessly as his mother was taken away and his father was seriously injured. He couldn't even go to see them one last time.

Wisps of black energy emanated from its body; that was the power of hatred.

This unusual fluctuation of power was quickly noticed by the group of men in black.

"what happened?"

"Strange, look, there's a fox cub trapped underneath!"

"No, look at its pure red fur, could it be..."

The leader of the men in black glanced at the late Empress, his eyes suddenly turning fierce. "Grab that child!"

A man in black tried to capture the little fox.

It unleashed a powerful burst of flames, instantly repelling him. The men in black were all utterly shocked.

"My God, this child is incredibly talented! We absolutely have to take him back with us!"

Shen Tang could no longer bear it. She conjured a spiritual blade in her palm and stabbed at the man in black. At the same time, she quickly ran over, hugged the little fox in her arms, and gently comforted it, "Don't be afraid, it's all over now, it was all fake..."

From the little fox's perspective, it seemed like it had encountered a ghost.

He could feel the other person's warm embrace, but he couldn't see them. It was as if he was being hugged by thin air. His body stiffened, and his voice trembled, "Who...who are you? Are you a ghost?"

Shen Tang said softly, "I'm not a ghost, I'm here to save you."

It was a female voice, very young, and very pleasant to hear.

The little fox looked up blankly at some empty space. There was nothing there, but it seemed to feel that gentle and kind gaze, which made it feel a long-lost infatuation.

Like a mother, warm yet fleeting, leaving no room for resistance.

"Why...why did you save me?"

The cub's soft voice sounded like a question, yet also like a persistent search for an answer.

Who is she?
Are they related?

Why did she save him?

Shen Tang was speechless for a moment. She didn't know how to answer it. She just remained silent, gathering a pure white, gentle power in her palm and covering the little fox's body, eliminating the black energy surging from it.

"Your Majesty! Your Highness, I have finally found you!" Qiu Yang arrived with reinforcements.

The leader of the men in black looked at this group of overconfident ants, let out a short, cold laugh, and gave the order, "Kill them all, leave no one alive!"

"No, you can't do this! Please, spare them!" The late empress cried, her voice filled with anguish.

The man in black ignored him and insisted on slaughtering the entire clan.

Finally, the late empress burst forth with a blinding light, and a terrifyingly powerful energy erupted, almost knocking Shen Tang's spirit away, causing her consciousness to instantly fall silent.

Within the realm of spiritual illusion, several years passed swiftly.

Since the fire, the late empress has completely left, and those mysterious men in black have also disappeared without a trace and have never appeared again.

No one can say for sure what happened that night.

The death of the late empress became a taboo subject throughout the empire.

No one dared to mention it again.

Since that incident, Ji Jin suffered a fundamental injury, accumulated depression damaged her health, and she was bedridden, her health deteriorating day by day.

Ji Jin had been in poor health for many years and was unable to handle even the affairs of the court, let alone take care of her son.

As the emperor's close bodyguard and also a sort of steward, the task of taking care of the young prince fell to Qiu Yang.

He devoted himself to raising Shen Li, treating him even better than his own son. He raised the little prince from childhood, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him half a father.

The scene shifted again.

Zhu Qiong Palace.

Years have passed, and the palace has long been renovated, leaving no trace of the fire. But the scars left in people's hearts can never be erased.

Shen Li had long since learned to transform into human form and was already the appearance of an eight or nine-year-old boy.

He had a beautiful and delicate appearance, with a touch of childlike innocence, and it was not hard to see his future unparalleled elegance. His eyes were extremely calm, a stark contrast to his childhood appearance.

Shen Li carried the herbal medicine she had personally prepared to care for her seriously ill father.

The man on his sickbed was thin and emaciated; although only a few years had passed, he looked decades older.

"Li'er, you've had a hard time." Ji Jin looked at the young man before her, a look of guilt appearing on her pale, thin face. "It's all my fault for making you suffer so much... cough cough..."

He coughed, his lips pressed together, and looked increasingly weak.

His health deteriorated day by day. With the court in turmoil and foreign powers eyeing him covetously, the still young Ji Jiuli had to shoulder heavy responsibilities. He was no longer the little boy who cried and begged to run out and play.

His son is no longer a worry for him, yet he is so sensible that it breaks his heart.

He is far more mature than his peers, but he is still just a young child.

The boy's eyes reddened, but he suppressed his emotions and replied with a smile, "Father, this is what I should do. The imperial physician said that your health will definitely improve."

"Alright, alright, then I'll accept Li'er's kind words." Ji Jin forced herself to sit up, took the medicine bowl, her fingers trembling uncontrollably.

Shen Li could no longer hold back, and a tear slid down his cheek. He sat down by the bed to support Ji Jin, picked up the medicine bowl, scooped a spoonful of medicine, and said softly, "Father, let me feed you."

The bitter medicine rolled down my throat.

Ji Jin's complexion seemed to have improved.

He looked at the boy's tired face, filled with guilt and heartache.

Shen Li had to study etiquette and homework during the day, and take care of him at night. Over the years, she had hardly had a good night's sleep.

But he was also proud of his good son.

Ji Jin raised her hand and gently touched the boy's face, revealing a gratified smile, as if looking at another person through his clear, gem-like red eyes.

The man couldn't help but say,
"Li'er, you really look like your mother."

"Father……"

He gently touched the boy's moist eyes and the faint dark circles under his eyes with his slender fingers, his voice becoming even gentler, "You're exhausted and have dark circles under your eyes, go and rest, I'm fine."

"Yes, Father called me."

Shen Li was indeed very tired. After saying goodnight to her father, she turned and left.

Shen Tang did not follow. She saw Ji Jin cough heavily after her son left, and blood appeared on her palms.

The candlelight illuminated his thin, handsome face, making him appear even paler and more haggard, as if he might vanish into thin air at any moment.

Shen Tang looked at the candle flame that was almost gone by the bedside, and eight words came to mind.

A candle flickers in the wind; its days are numbered.

"Qiu Yang".

Ji Jin called softly towards the outside of the hall.

A tall, upright young man walked in and bowed respectfully. "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

"You are the person I trust the most, and there are many things I can only say to you."

Ji Jin's voice was weak and he spoke haltingly, "I summoned you here today because there are some things I want to entrust to you. I... cough cough, I'll only say it once... Listen carefully today, and remember to do it properly..."

Qiu Yang's heart skipped a beat. He looked up at the ailing emperor on the bed, then hurriedly lowered his head and solemnly said, "Your Majesty, please speak. I will gladly die for you!"

Ji Jin looked out the window, her eyes filled with worry. "Ever since I fell seriously ill, the court has been restless, and the various powers of the empire are all eyeing me covetously... Right now, the one I worry about most in the court is Prime Minister Yuan Ke... cough cough..."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Yuan Ke holds great power and harbors wolfish ambitions. Xiao Li is still young, and I'm afraid he will be held hostage by Yuan Ke and turned into a puppet emperor to command all the tribes."

Qiu Yang also felt deeply troubled by the internal strife; the court was fraught with danger and crisis.

No matter how clever the young prince is, he can't possibly outsmart those seasoned veterans.

Once the young prince ascends the throne, Yuan Ke and his associates will be left unchecked, allowing them to seize power and become regents in the true sense.

"Does His Majesty mean that I should assassinate Yuan Ke?" Qiu Yang asked in a low voice.

"No, not only can we not get rid of Yuan Ke, but I will also openly strengthen his power."

"what?"

Qiu Yang stared at His Majesty in shock, thinking he had misheard.

The two have been combined into one, totaling four thousand words.