Genius Beast Tamer

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Deep within the palace, shadowy figures sway...

"Your Excellency," the man in the yellow robe bowed politely.

In the darkness, a pair of eyes, one green and one blue, emitted an eerie light.

"How long until the unification of Kyushu?" The deep voice was slightly hoarse.

The man in the yellow robe replied, "Your Majesty, only some small tribes and some barbaric little countries remain, unwilling to submit to the Great Jin and preferring death to surrender."

"Preferring death to surrender?" A deep voice, tinged with bloodlust, said, "Since you're willing to die, then let's cut the Gordian knot."

"Yes, sir!" The man in the yellow robe bowed.

"When the Nine Provinces are unified, that will be the time for our plan to be implemented." Greed and longing filled his eyes, one green and one blue.

The man in the yellow robe cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency, given the current power of the Great Jin Dynasty, finding five thousand young boys and girls would not be difficult. Why must we wait until the Nine Provinces are unified?"

His eyes, one green and one blue, narrowed slightly, revealing a dangerous glint.

The man in the yellow robe quickly bowed and said, "I was being nosy."

The pair of eyes, one green and one blue, opened slightly, a hint of relief in them. A deep voice rang out: "As long as the Nine Provinces remain ununified, gathering too many young boys and girls will arouse suspicion. Then, some ununited tribes will cause trouble, and if this attracts the attention of cultivators, it will be far too troublesome!"

The man in the yellow robe blamed himself, saying, "It was my foolishness!"

……

"Sister Wuxie, since you want to help the man in the mirror, how exactly can we help him?" Han Xingyu asked with some worry, "Demonic cultivators are not something we can deal with. Han Tianci and I have only just reached the mid-stage of Martial Warrior, and you, sister, have only just reached the mid-stage of Martial Master. We can't even rashly go to the Martial World Continent with our current abilities, so how could we possibly be a match for demonic cultivators on the Cultivation Continent!"

Han Wuxie frowned and said, "I wanted to help him, and it's not that I hadn't considered these things."

Han Wuxie looked at Hua Lianhuo and the Eight Generals and said, "You presented the mirror as a gift, so you must have known for a long time who the person in the mirror is and what the demon cultivators are all about. Since you chose to give us the mirror, can I take that as a sign that you are turning to us?"

Hua Lianhuo smiled slightly and said, "You've already figured out the matter of the level seven magical beast? Is it time we could have a proper talk?"

Han Wuxie nodded, gesturing towards Qinglang.

The Blue Wolf dismissed the other assassins in the mountains, leaving only Black Wind, Cricket, Wild Bull, Tall Bamboo Shoot, and his wife.

Hua Lianhuo and his eight generals, a total of nine people, sat opposite each other at the long table. Han Wuxie, Han Xingyu, Han Tianci, Qinglang, Qinglang Niangzi, Heifeng, Xishuai, Manniu, and Gao Sun sat with them.

Han Wuxie said bluntly, "Since we've sat down to talk, we should be honest with each other. You can tell us your real names and the purpose of your visit."

Hua Lianhuo laughed and said, "Don't you already know our identities? As for our names, we've always used our real names."

Han Xingyu said in disbelief, "Since you concealed your identities from the beginning, how could you possibly use your real names?"

Hua Lianhuo said earnestly, "My name is Hua Lianhuo, and I am not lying to you! I am the current king of the vampire clan! The reason we are here is because we have been paying attention to the emperor of Wu Kingdom. The emperor of Wu Kingdom died because of you, so we have come to find out your identities."

Han Wuxie smiled knowingly and said, "Since you have been honest with me, my brother and I will not hide anything from you either."

Han Wuxie looked at Qinglang and the others and said, "You're all curious about my and my brothers' origins, aren't you? Now that you're all working for my brothers, it's time for us to tell you about our origins."

Han Xingyu frowned and said, "Sister Wuxie, are you really going to tell me? But..."

Han Wuxie waved his hand and said, "Xingyu, it's alright! Over the past month, I've been keeping an eye on Qinglang and the others. They're trustworthy, and since they are, we can't keep it from them. After all, you didn't just take them in as your subordinates on the Nine Provinces Continent! It needs to be made clear!"

Han Xingyu remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

Qinglang stood up and said, "You don't need to tell me your identities. I only agreed to be Hanxingyu's guard until my wife recovers." He said in a low voice, "Although it may be a bit disloyal, I know you have extraordinary backgrounds and are not people I can follow. I don't want my wife and I to get into trouble. I just want to be with her happily and peacefully."

Qinglang's wife stood up and grabbed him, shaking her head. "Qinglang," she said, "I know you're willing to give up everything for me, just like before, when you abandoned the martial arts world to come to this Nine Provinces, giving up your dreams of martial arts. But now that I have a chance to recover and can practice martial arts in the future, why won't you take me with you? You've sacrificed so much for me, why can't I accompany you on your carefree journey through the martial world?"

Qinglang frowned, held his beloved woman's hand tightly, and said affectionately, "Mo Wu, you don't like bloodshed or fighting. But once you go to the martial arts world, you won't be able to avoid it."

"In the past, because of my heart condition, the smell of blood would make me feel sick. Seeing you fight would make me too nervous, so I didn't want to see any fighting. But as my heart has gradually improved, I've found that I'm not averse to those things. Seeing blood might still make me feel nauseous, but I can get used to it. Seeing you spar with your men, seeing you win, I've discovered that I don't really hate fighting; in fact, I get excited and happy when you win! Maybe I do have a passionate martial arts heart!" She smiled mischievously. "Once my heart is fully recovered, didn't Xingyu say that I could also practice martial arts, and that I'd have excellent aptitude? Maybe then I'll enjoy the thrill of victory you enjoy now, and I'll even yearn for the martial arts world!"

The blue wolf gazed intently at Mo Wu's smile for a long time before slowly asking, "Are you really willing?"

Mo Wu smiled brightly and said, "It's not a matter of whether I want to or not! It's about whether you want to take me out to play! But even if you don't go, I want to go and explore the martial arts world myself! I've been sick for so long and haven't had any fun. Don't even think about keeping me locked up. I don't like peaceful days. After all, I've had too much peace since I was born. I want to go crazy for a while!"

Looking at Mo Wu's radiant smile, Qinglang gently stroked her hair and said softly, "Do whatever you want, I'm willing to be with you."

Han Xingyu chuckled, "Sister Beauty's charm is truly powerful! It seems that in the future, if Brother Qinglang needs anything, we can just ask Sister Beauty directly; there's no need to ask Brother Qinglang at all!"

Mo Wu winked at Han Xingyu; clearly, they had already conspired together!

Seeing the atmosphere improve, Han Wuxie smiled and said, "Then I'll reveal our identities now! We are actually from the Immortal and Demon Realms. The unusual celestial phenomena are precisely because we descended to the mortal realm. The so-called extraterrestrials are indeed referring to us. However, we are not as rumored, lacking the ability to unify the Nine Provinces Continent."

"No, you have!" Hua Lianhuo said, "It's because you descended to the mortal realm that many things have changed! Initially, we paid attention to the Emperor of Wu because the demon cultivators originally intended to control both the Emperor of Wu and the Emperor of Jin, without any intention of unifying the Nine Provinces. They wanted to better control the two emperors, creating a sense of competition that would make them more loyal. However, because your people killed the Emperor of Wu, the demon cultivators are now forced to urge the Emperor of Jin to unify the Nine Provinces quickly, lest things get complicated. Everything is as the celestial signs indicate: an extraterrestrial visitor; if you obtain this person, you will surely unify the Nine Provinces! Now you intend to help the person in the mirror. If you successfully help him, when he returns to his original body, he will still be Emperor Sima Yan of Jin. And now that Jin is gradually unifying the Nine Provinces, when he returns to his body, he will be the Emperor of the Nine Provinces! This proves the saying: because he received your help, he will unify the Nine Provinces!"

Han Wuxie said calmly, "Even if we offered to help him now, we might not be able to. Isn't it a bit premature to talk about this? For that rumor to come true, it depends on whether we can help him return to his body. Since you know so much and have come to us, it can't be as simple as just offering us the mirror, right?"

Hua Lianhuo narrowed her eyes and said, "You claim to be from beyond the heavens, but as far as I know, the path between the Immortal Realm and the Mortal Realm has long been blocked. How did you manage to descend to the mortal realm?"

"This shouldn't be related to this matter, right?" Han Wuxie said coldly, "I said to be frank, but that doesn't mean I'll act like a fool and hold nothing back!"

Hua Lianhuo shrugged indifferently and said, "Fine, whether you know or not doesn't really matter to me! We can help you get the person in the mirror back into their body, but in return, we also have something we need your help with!"

"Are you going to start by stating your true purpose?" Han Wuxie said with a playful smile, "Please get to the point!"

Seeing the little girl's amused smile, Hua Lianhuo's demeanor suddenly turned slightly wicked, and he couldn't help but feel that he was gradually falling into someone else's trap.

"My parents and the previous eight great generals of the vampire clan were suddenly cursed. Many elders of the previous generation of vampires were also exposed to the sun and eventually turned to ashes. Our generation doesn't know what happened. Those who know the reason are either in slumber or have already turned to ashes. We only know that only demon cultivators in the cultivation world, or those celestial demons left in the mortal world who cannot return to the immortal and demonic realms, can bring about such a curse on the vampire clan. Only immortals with immortal roots or cultivators with five elemental roots can lift the curse and let us know everything."

Han Wuxie said calmly, "I'm sorry, my brothers and I descended to the mortal realm because we lack immortal roots and spiritual roots. We can't help you."

"But if you know how to descend to the mortal realm, you must know how to return. You can get others to descend and help us!" Hua Lianhuo's eyes lit up with hope. "Even if you don't want to go back to the Immortal Realm to find help, you can find the immortals who remain in the mortal realm. We vampires have difficulty finding them; they have to hide. Even if we brush past them, we wouldn't know if they were immortals. But as fellow immortals descended to the mortal realm, you will definitely be able to recognize them!"

Han Wuxie pursed his lips and said, "I do know of an immortal in the mortal realm. Even if we can't find him, I think my friend can help you when he returns."

Hua Lianhuo asked urgently, "Was it Fang Yan who saw that invisible master?"

Han Wuxie smiled mysteriously and said calmly, "You don't need to ask any more questions. Anyway, I will help you find a way to resolve the curse. Consider it a promise I made to you."

"As long as you have this promise, I believe you won't lie to me!" Hua Lianhuo knew she had no other choice but to believe.

Han Wuxie nodded and said, "Now, can you give me some advice?"

Hua Lianhuo said, "I know that in the far north, in a snow valley, lives a top-grade demonic beast, the Ice Fox. It possesses the art of soul transference and can help you move the soul of the person in the mirror back into their body. This information is my way of helping you, and it's also a token of my sincerity. I hope you can keep your promise and find a way to lift the curse!"

Han Wuxie nodded and said, "We're allies now, aren't we? King of the Vampires!"

Hua Lianhuo's lips curled slightly, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. He looked at the eight generals and said, "They are the eight generals of the Blood Clan." He instructed, "Eight generals, introduce yourselves to our allies, little immortal!"

Old Zhi, like a kind old man, smiled politely and said, "You can just call me Old Zhi. I am the leader of the eight generals and the wise strategist of the clan."

Kinnair then said, "My name is Kinnair, you can just call me Little Kinnair. I am the second wisest among the Eight Generals, and also the weapon refiner who forges blood weapons."

Qiu Chu spoke before Xiao Mei could, even though he was supposed to be after her. He insisted on speaking after Jin Nai'er, saying, "My name is Qiu Chu, you can call me Brother Chu! Or you can call me…" He glanced at Jin Nai'er and chuckled, "Little Jin's wife!"

"Damn! Pfft!" Bull, Cricket, and Bamboo Shoot couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

Xiao Mei gave Qiu Chu a hard punch on the head, and Qiu Chu shut up helplessly. Xiao Mei said, "My name is Melosa, but everyone calls me Xiao Mei. You can call me Sister Xiao Mei! I'm Xiao Tong's older sister, as you already know! Within the vampire clan, I hold the third position among the eight generals. Qiu Chu, who interrupted earlier, is only fourth after me! Within the vampire clan, I can easily resolve any disputes. I'm unworthy of the title 'Violent Woman,' but I don't just solve things with violence. With my pretty face, I mostly rely on charm to resolve many issues!"

Upon hearing this, Han Xingyu curled her lip and said, "How narcissistic!"

Han Tianci shook his head and said, "My older sister will definitely be more charming than her when she grows up!"

Qiu Chu finally had a chance to speak, rubbing his head as he said, "Just as Xiao Mei said, I'm the fourth of the Eight Generals. I'm actually quite unfortunate; I'm always the one carrying the heavy loads. I'm practically the porter among the Eight Generals!"

The enchantress sneered, "Stop complaining, you talk too much nonsense. It's my turn to speak!"

The Demoness rolled her eyes at Qiu Chu, but when she looked at Han Wuxie and the others, her expression immediately changed, and she smiled alluringly, saying, "I am the fifth Demoness among the Eight Generals. You can call me Sister Demoness!" She gave Han Xingyu a deep look and said, "Handsome boy, I really like you. Come visit me often when you have time!"

Fang Yan said sternly, "You're only after her blood! Young brother, don't fall for this vixen's tricks. She only covets your immortal and demonic blood! She's the most skilled seductive woman in our vampire clan, she's tricked countless people out of their blood, and has lured many mortals into becoming vampire members. It's all thanks to her seductive skills that she became one of the Eight Generals!"

"Would you die if you weren't so honest?" The enchantress crossed her arms in displeasure.

Fang Yan smiled triumphantly, then turned to Han Wuxie and the others and said in a serious tone, "I am Fang Yan, the sixth of the Eight Generals. You can call me Brother Fang..."

The enchantress interrupted retaliatoryly, "Call him Xiao Fang, Xiao Fang sounds much better!"

"Demoness, how many times have I told you, don't call me by my nickname!" Fang Yan muttered unhappily, "Little Fang, Little Fang, it sounds like a village woman's name!"

Upon hearing this, Han Wuxie couldn't help but cover his mouth and chuckle, then looked at Hua Lianhuo and said, "Your eight generals are truly interesting!"

Hua Lianhuo gave an awkward laugh, then said angrily, "Introduce them properly to me, everyone! This is truly embarrassing!"

Fang Yan coughed lightly to clear her throat and said again, "My name is Fang Yan. I am the sixth general in the Eight Great Generals, responsible for information on the vampires. In short, I am a spy."

Xiao Tong, after speaking to Fang Yan, said, "My name is Mei Luo Tong, you can call me Xiao Tong. I am the seventh of the Eight Generals, responsible for serving as an idol and role model for the young vampires, constantly striving to become stronger so that more people will admire me and enhance the power of the younger generation of vampires."

Upon hearing this, Han Tianci and Han Xingyu both rolled their eyes.

Yao Feiyao said with a bitter face, "My name is Yao Feiyao, and I'm ranked last, the eighth general. I'm weak in martial arts and have a weak ability to suck blood. I have brown hair, which is considered a very poor color among vampires. Originally, I wouldn't have been ranked among the eight generals, but I'm very good at researching medicines. Later, I developed many new medicines. Because I developed a powder that can block sunlight, I was ranked as the eighth general."

Han Wuxie smiled knowingly and said, "Since you've introduced yourselves, it seems you're very sincere about cooperating! If the curse on your elders is lifted, and it truly was a curse placed on your elders by demons or demon cultivators, I think we can continue cooperating. After all, helping Sima Yan this time will definitely put us in the wrong hands with demon cultivators!"

Hua Lianhuo nodded and said, "That's right. So until you figure out a way to lift the curse on your elders, we will still sincerely remain your ally, because you have, after all, provoked demon cultivators! Even if it wasn't to help the person in the mirror, your spirit beast has caused you considerable trouble. A level seven demon beast is very precious in the eyes of demon cultivators!"

Hua Lianhuo took out a sheepskin map from her bosom and said, "If you're going to help someone, help them all the way. The blue marker is where the Ice Fox is located. We can't leave the vampire clan for too long. Now that we've reached an agreement, let's go back to the vampire clan. The red marker is our residence. It's best to memorize the map and then destroy it. Our residence is hidden, and we don't want any uninvited guests."

Han Wuxie indicated that he understood, studied the map for nearly ten breaths, and then tossed it to Qinglang, saying, "Destroy it."

Hua Lianhuo's eyes showed even deeper admiration, but Qinglang frowned and said, "Miss Wuxie, you've already memorized this map?" He looked at the map with disbelief. This map was extremely complex, and even he, a killer who often killed and wandered around, found it difficult to remember the routes on it.

"I've got it," Han Wuxie said calmly.

Han Xingyu narrowed her eyes dangerously and said unhappily, "Brother Qinglang, are you doubting my sister's intelligence?"

The blue wolf scratched his head, gave a wry smile, and said self-deprecatingly, "I almost forgot you guys aren't ordinary people!"

Three days later, Hua Lianhuo left with the eight generals.

In the courtyard, Han Wuxie carried a small crossbody bag, with Han Xingyu and Han Tianci following closely behind.

"Sister, why won't you let us go with you?" Han Tianci said petulantly.

Han Xingyu said coquettishly, "Sister Wuxie, we also want to see it, please take us there!"

Han Wuxie threatened, "You are at the crucial moment of breaking through to the mid-stage of Warrior, so stay here obediently! When I return, if you haven't reached the peak of Warrior, see how I deal with you!"

"I'm worried about my sister setting off alone!" Han Tianci gripped Han Wuxie's sleeve tightly.

Han Wuxie gently stroked the little rabbit he was holding and smiled, "Don't worry, with Xiaobai here!"

Han Xingyu rolled her eyes and glanced sideways at Xiaobai, saying, "If Hua Qianye were here, we wouldn't be worried at all! Xiaobai is just a level four spirit beast, it's useless! What you're looking for is a top-grade Ice Fox. Even Zi Tong said that if he were to fight an Ice Fox, he wouldn't be a match for it!"

Han Tianci's eyes lit up and he said, "Han Xingyu, let my sister take Zi Tong with her, shall we?"

Han Xingyu grimaced and pouted, saying, "What you've thought of, I've already thought of! That damned dog says he has no other obligation than to protect me, but he just won't!"

Han Wuxie gently patted the little white dog's head, smiled softly, and reassured it, "Alright! I'll take good care of myself!"

Han Tianci and Han Xingyu exchanged a glance, but the deep worry in their eyes remained.

"Alright! Stop blocking my way, I'm leaving!" Han Wuxie's expression turned serious.

Han Tianci and Han Xingyu remained in front of Han Wuxie, still trying to offer some words of advice, but after being glared at by Han Wuxie, they dared not speak again.

As Han Wuxie walked away, Han Tianci shouted from behind, "Sister, be careful!"

Han Xingyu shouted, "Sister Wuxie, if there's danger, let Xiaobai go! You quickly escape to a safe place! Be careful!"

Han Wuxie didn't turn around, but simply raised his hand, made a fist gesture towards his back, and then waved.

……

Following the path he remembered, Han Wuxie headed towards a less crowded area. The journey went smoothly without him encountering any trouble.

She didn't stop for the entire two-day, one-night trip.

A cold front swept in with heavy snow, the mountains roared like thunder, the pine forest surged like waves crashing against the shore, and the silvery white branches of the willows struggled in the gale, emitting a mournful scream.

The deeper you go, the stronger the snow and wind become. The heavy snow falls like feathers shed by a giant beast, and everything in front of you is white, obscuring the road ahead.

The sky was obscured by thick clouds, and the light seemed to be covered with a layer of dust.

The chaotic wind and snow made the surroundings seem empty, yet everything was white all around. Han Wuxie shrank back slightly. The route in his mind was still clear, but faced with such a place, even if he remembered the map, he had already lost his way.

Xiao Bai jumped out of Han Wuxie's embrace and transformed into human form.

The biting wind whipped his white hair around, making it look like snowflakes dancing in the air.

The wind blew across Han Wuxie's fair skin like a blade, but her fair and rosy face was now just as pale.

Xiao Bai turned around, and a layer of white light emanated from his body. His white outer garment transformed into a thick, plush coat. He reached out and hugged the almost frozen Han Wuxie tightly.

The towering glacial cliffs on both sides gradually narrowed in front of them, turning into a canyon that grew ever narrower. Xiaobai held Han Wuxie tightly and followed the directions Han Wuxie had given her. Xiaobai was an ice-type, so her eyesight in this kind of place was much better than Han Wuxie's. Although Han Wuxie's internal energy had the ability to resist the cold, she was only a mid-stage martial artist after all. Wearing only thin clothes, she was just a ten-year-old child and still couldn't withstand the cold.

Strange cries seemed to come from the canyon, and Han Wuxie couldn't help but feel a little scared. Before encountering the unknown, he would always feel a chill down his spine for no reason.

Xiao Bai lowered his head. On the ice beneath his feet, there was a faint undercurrent, like maggots wriggling, gathering little by little from a distance and heading towards them.

"Pfft!"

Suddenly, several strange noises were heard, and the ice beneath Xiaobai's feet suddenly cracked.

Xiao Bai nimbly jumped up. The ice where he was standing had sunk, and countless snow-white insects sprang out from the bottom of the ice. The insects seemed to have transparent, ice-like wings flapping on their bodies.

"Splash splash..."

More and more strange insects flew out from under the ice, swarming towards Little White.

Xiao Bai held Han Wuxie tightly in her arms and nimbly fled.

"Master, hold me tight! There are more and more strange insects, I have no choice but to run away."

Han Wuxie could clearly hear the cold wind whistling past her ears. She wanted to peek out from Xiaobai's arms to see what was happening outside, but Xiaobai buried her head in his arms and held her tightly, so she couldn't move at all.

Han Wuxie didn't know how long Xiaobai had been running. He only heard the "whoosh..." sound outside gradually fading away until it disappeared. Only then did Xiaobai stop.

"Where is this place?" Han Wuxie crawled out of Xiao Bai's arms and looked around.

It's not snowing here; it's a flat valley.

"Master, look there!" Little White shouted, pointing to the plum grove in the distance of Pinggu.

The plum blossoms, as red as blood, are beautiful in their proud and piercing beauty.

The silver-haired man stood in front of the plum blossoms, muttering to himself as he gently stroked the branches. His expression was impossible to discern from his back.

Han Wuxie and Xiaobai ran over, but when they arrived under the plum tree, the silver-haired man had vanished.

"Strange?" Han Wuxie asked疑惑地, "I was clearly keeping a close eye on where he was, watching him, and running towards him, so why has he disappeared when I got here?"

Xiao Bai sniffed, its expression turning serious. "Master, it seems we've mistakenly entered the Plum Blossom Formation!"

"Plum Blossom Formation?"

Xiao Bai took a deep breath and said, "There are plum blossoms all over here, but I can't smell a single trace of their fragrance."

Han Wuxie's expression gradually turned cold, and he said in a low voice, "I'm afraid it's not the Plum Blossom Formation, but an Illusion Formation."

"Master, I'm a pro at digging tunnels! Why don't I dig a tunnel and we can leave through the burrow?" Little White said quickly, squatting down and starting to dig through the snow.

When he dug away the top layer of snow, he found a hard layer of ice underneath, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't dig any further.

Han Wuxie frowned and said, "Xiao Bai, stop digging!"

"If we don't dig, how will we get out?" Xiaobai pouted, looking pitifully at Han Wuxie.

"Shout! Since someone has set up a formation, there must be someone nearby!" Han Wuxie shouted, looking up. "I know it's you, Ice Fox! I was introduced by Hua Lianhuo. I need your help with something. Please see us, okay?"

Little White asked in confusion, "Master, how did you know it was an Ice Fox? I didn't smell any fox scent!" Little White made a pained expression and said, "Foxes have a very strong fox odor!"

Han Wuxie shook his head and said, "He is an Ice Fox, and he has reached the highest level. He must have hidden his scent! I remember that in the map that Hua Lianhuo showed me, there was a plum tree drawn at the Ice Fox's residence."

"But even if there are plum trees, it doesn't mean it's the Ice Fox's dwelling place. I saw plum trees elsewhere along my way here!"

Han Wuxie squinted and said, "Look there."

Following Han Wuxie's gaze, Xiao Bai saw the strange insects chasing them outside Pinggu Valley.

Han Wuxie said, "There's only one reason why those insects dare not enter Pinggu..."

"There are high-level monsters here!" Little White blurted out.

Han Wuxie snapped his fingers and said, "The reason I dared to come here is because Hua Lianhuo pointed out a lot of things on the map. Apart from the Ice Fox, there are no beasts here with a higher level than you. Those insects are called Bone-Eating Insects, which are level one demonic beasts."

Xiao Bai patted his chest and said, "Although it's only level one, there are too many of them."

"Their strength lies in their sheer numbers. If it weren't for their large numbers, preventing other ice-type beasts from entering, there would probably be quite a few other high-level ice-type beasts here by now." Han Wuxie gazed into the depths of the plum grove and said, "Little White, shall we all call them Ice Foxes?"

"But he ignores us!" Xiaobai pouted, looking a little lazy.

"Even if he ignores us, he'll still find us annoying, right?" Han Wuxie chuckled. "Before Hua Lianhuo left, he told me that Ice Fox loves peace and quiet. If we bother him, even if he doesn't want to come out to see us, we'll annoy him until he does!"

"Really?" Xiaobai squinted and chuckled to herself.

"Ice Fox, come out!..." Xiao Bai shouted loudly, and as he shouted, he became excited and started singing a folk song: "Ice Fox, Ice Fox, where are you? Come out, come out, come out quickly..." (Xiao Bai sang along to a tune that was very characteristic of the mountain village.)

Han Wuxie covered his ears in pain. The Ice Fox wasn't driven crazy by him, but he was almost driven crazy himself!

"Enough! Shut up!" A chilling voice came from the depths of Merlin.

"Ice Fox?" Little White blinked its big eyes.

Han Wuxie looked into the depths of the plum grove, where the silver-haired man still had his back to them.

Seeing that the silver-haired man seemed to ignore them, Xiaobai continued to wail and howl, "Ice Fox, Ice Fox..."

"Shut up!" The silver-haired man turned around, his deep blue robe, trimmed with luxurious silver, fluttering in the wind. His face was as captivating as crystal, the wind blowing his silver hair across his forehead to reveal a black diamond crown. The black and silver complemented each other, making his complexion even more alluring. His eyes were dreamy and hazy, his pupils seemingly filled with diamonds of all sizes, sparkling with dazzling light. Behind him were blood-red plum blossoms, the entire valley a vast expanse of white, the scattered blood-red spots making him stand out. In this scene, he seemed like a pure angel, yet the proud plum blossoms made him appear resolute. The ice and snow made him seem cold, ever-changing, yet endlessly captivating.

Han Wuxie asked, "Are you an Ice Fox?"

The silver-haired man stared at her coldly, offering no reply, but simply saying, "Leave here."

Seeing that he didn't answer, Han Wuxie wasn't angry. Instead, he slowly approached, a friendly smile on his face, and said, "Hua Lianhuo told us you were here. We need your help."

The silver-haired man glanced at her indifferently, his cold demeanor instantly making Han Wuxie feel rejected and disliked.

"Get out." He uttered a single, cold word.

Xiao Bai pounced in anger, but missed. The silver-haired man simply moved a step to the left and easily dodged Xiao Bai's attack.

"You bastard! How dare you tell my master to get lost! I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"

Unwilling to give up, Xiaobai pounced again.

The man appeared to remain motionless, but in reality, he moved a step to the left, dodging Xiaobai's attack.

"I don't believe it!" Little White bared its teeth and pounced again.

Each time it lunged, it was easily moved aside.

The white-haired boy roared wildly, baring his teeth and brandishing his claws, "If you've got the guts, don't hide! Fight me properly!"

Han Wuxie said with some concern, "Xiao Bai, you are no match for him, don't force yourself."

"Master, don't worry!" Little White smiled and said, "Master, have you forgotten that I can easily take down even a level seven magical beast? I want to try and see if I can win against a top-tier magical beast too! Even if I lose, it won't be shameful. I just want to give it a try, since Purple Eyes has been refusing to spar with me! I'll know my limits!"

Han Wuxie was still somewhat worried and said, "We came here to ask him for help. Even if you win, what if he doesn't help us?"

"If I can win and he refuses to help, I'll fight him until he does!"

Little White declared with great ambition, "Ice Fox, hurry up and make your move! Stop hiding like a coward! Come and have a good fight with this Rabbit Lord! Don't think that just because you're pretty, this Rabbit Lord will go easy on you. Make your move!"

The silver-haired man looked coldly at Xiaobai, his eyes filled with disdain and a hint of mockery.

"Hey! Are you mute?!" Little White kept lunging at him, its ferocity comparable to the level seven monster that had attacked him before.

The silver-haired man simply moved forward step by step as if taking a stroll, without sustaining any injuries.

Exhausted, Little White collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Pointing at the nonchalant silver-haired man, it roared, "You idiot! You're so hopeless! I don't know if you're stupid or what, but when I hit you, all you do is dodge, not even try to fight back! Aren't you a top-tier demon beast? I'm just a level four rabbit provoking you, why aren't you angry?!"

The silver-haired man glanced at him and said in a low voice, "Get lost."

"Ugh!" Little White lay back, looking as if it had suffered a great blow, and pitifully looked at Han Wuxie, pleading for help, "Master, I have absolutely no way to deal with this guy!"

Han Wuxie's brows were furrowed. For such a powerful guy who couldn't be controlled by force, he could only use gentle tactics. But this guy had a cold and indifferent look about everything. He wouldn't reply to ten sentences, only saying "get lost" in response. Obviously, gentle tactics were not very effective. It was really a headache.

Hua Qianye, inside the ring, had been observing everything outside. Seeing Han Wuxie's distressed expression, he wanted to come out and tell her what to do, but he tried his best to suppress himself and not act impulsively. Now was a good opportunity to train her and let her figure out a solution herself. Otherwise, there would be no point in him hiding and watching over her.

Xiao Bai crawled to Han Wuxie's side, looking distressed, and said, "What should we do? He's just standing there, not saying a word to us, just coldly staring at Mei Hua. When I talk to him, he just tells me to get lost. We can't get a single word out!"

Han Wuxie patted Xiaobai on the shoulder and asked, "Xiaobai, if you became a top-grade spirit beast and you were him now, what would you want to gain in order to agree to help me?"

"Huh? I'm him?" Xiaobai said with a bitter face, "How could I be him? He's like an ice block, so annoying! How did I become such a nasty person!"

Han Wuxie rubbed his forehead and pouted, "I was just saying, hypothetically! Suppose you've already reached the highest level, are cultivating in a place suitable for your cultivation, ignoring other people's affairs, and gradually becoming aloof and cold. Now, if someone suddenly comes to ask you for help, wouldn't you definitely not want to help?"

"That's true!" Xiaobai nodded and said, "When I was cultivating alone in the past, I was always looking for a suitable place for myself. Later, I found that forest, where few people disturbed me. I didn't like being disturbed during my cultivation. At that time, I just wanted to cultivate quickly, just to advance in cultivation and increase my lifespan. I didn't want to cause trouble for others..."

Hearing this, Han Wuxie's eyes lit up and he asked, "But why did you come to us later?"

Little White didn't understand why its master's eyes suddenly lit up, looking somewhat mischievous, but it still answered truthfully, "Because you smell of immortal bones! I found this secluded place like the forest to cultivate; my only goal is to become stronger. When I smelled the immortal bones on you, I knew it could help me improve, so I sought you out!"

"So, he's currently all alone in this freezing cold, probably for cultivation!" Han Wuxie raised an eyebrow and said, "If I can help him improve, do you think he could reciprocate and help us in return?"

Little White nodded, but then quickly waved its hand, saying, "Master, something seems wrong!"

"What's wrong?" Han Wuxie tilted his head, looking at him with a puzzled expression. "Is something off?"

Little White frowned and said, "Master, when you first entered the forest, I could smell the aura of immortal bones on you from a great distance! Even now, though you've masked the scent of immortal bones with the strong smell of medicinal powder, I can still detect the faint aura of immortal bones on you! I'm only a level four spirit beast, and I can smell it. How could he, as a top-grade demon beast, not smell it? If he really wanted to improve his cultivation, he would probably have already pounced on you and devoured you! After all, the scent on you is an irresistible temptation for us beasts. If it weren't for the contract I have with you, I wouldn't be able to resist either!"

---Aside---

I originally announced yesterday that I would update at 6 PM today, but I wrote until 2 AM and uploaded it, hoping the chapter would automatically be released at 6 AM. However, it didn't work because the editor hadn't reviewed it. I couldn't release it at 6 AM; I had to wait until the editor started work at 8 AM to review it before it could be released! In other words, if I want to release it at 6 AM from now on, I must submit it to the editor for review before midnight. Uploading after midnight won't get me approved; the editor won't be online until 8 AM to review it before it's released! Although today's chapter wasn't updated until 8 AM, I'm really sorry for being two hours late compared to yesterday's announcement of 6 AM. I feel so guilty for breaking my promise! Actually, I finished writing it at 2 AM, but the editor wasn't there; I had to wait until she started work to review it! I'm so sorry everyone, today's update is two hours late compared to the announced time!