Fox Demon: Why did your brother beat you up every day at the beginning of the month?

Beside the stream, Cuiyu Mingluan gulped down several mouthfuls of water to replenish her strength, then quickly turned around and bowed deeply to Dongfang Haoyang, who stood with his hands behind his back.

Dongfang Haoyang took two steps back without making a sound, his eyes filled with indifference.

After all, without Ya Ya and Rong Rong as his shields, if this leech spirit were to impulsively pounce on him, a casual lightning strike could easily kill her.

After all, there is a huge difference in cultivation level between Cuiyu Mingluan and Cuiyu Ling.

"That creature was called Golden Dawn, and it's also an extraterrestrial being. As you probably guessed, yes... it was in the bowl of water you were about to drink. If you actually drank it, you'd almost certainly die."

Upon hearing this, Mingluan was so frightened that a layer of cold sweat broke out on her back, and her gratitude towards Dongfang Haoyang deepened.

"Of course, I'm not saying this to ask for your gratitude, but to persuade you to obediently return to your tribe."

After all, her older sister, Cui Yuling, had been clinging to Rongrong's leg and crying in the Tushan Palace, demanding to see her younger sister. This couldn't go on forever...

Cuiyu Mingluan nodded. Indeed, she had guessed it. Mingluan had seen that creature in her sister's ancient book.

According to records, Venerable Beishan secretly discovered a creature from outside the circle and cultivated it to control other demons. However, it was quickly defeated by the Demon Emperor Shi Kuan of Beishan, and its whereabouts became unknown afterward.

The creature from outside the circle is named Jin Chenxi. It specializes in possessing the consciousness of others and turning them into puppets that are controlled by them...

"My benefactor has saved this humble woman once again. If you don't mind, I would like to... cough cough, treat you to a meal... hehe, please don't do it, or my sister will be heartbroken."

"My benefactor wouldn't want to see my sister clinging to Miss Rongrong's leg every day, crying and making a fuss, bothering her all the time."

Dongfang Haoyang silently lowered his fingers from Cuiyu Mingluan's forehead.

Sensing the disappearance of that chilling killing intent, Mingluan stuck out her little pink tongue and grinned at Haoyang.

Dongfang Haoyang's expression was very serious. He felt it was necessary and imperative to make things clear to the leech spirit.

"Miss Mingluan, you should know that I already have a demon I like, and there is no possibility between us."

Although you might feel a little disappointed saying this, I must make it clear that this is for the sake of Ya'er and Rong'er, and also for your sake.

Dongfang Haoyang clasped his hands in a fist salute and continued.

"So please don't say things that could be misunderstood. I don't want them to misunderstand, and you deserve someone better..."

Mingluan's eyes were noticeably dim. He clasped his hands in front of him and remained silent for a long time before nodding slightly.

Mingluan sighed, raised her head with a sense of relief, and looked at Dongfang Haoyang. Her lips curved upwards, but tears kept sliding down her cheeks. Mingluan's smile was beautiful, but also very desolate.

"It's me, is it too late...?"

Dongfang Haoyang pursed his lips, remaining silent without answering. He couldn't answer either; life was inherently unpredictable, and Mingluan's unrequited love was destined to have no outcome for him.

But her feelings deserve someone better, and she deserves to have her life in return—a token of gratitude for being truly loved.

Haoyang simply clasped his hands in a deep salute, and soon a talisman with a dazzling fire lotus pattern appeared out of thin air and slowly affixed to the tall and upright Mingluan.

There is still only one character engraved on it: 一.

"Take care, young lady!"

After speaking, the clone's body turned into specks of golden light and gradually dissipated. Dongfang Haoyang looked at the blazing sun in the sky, but in his mind were Rongrong and Yaya's expectant eyes. He turned his back, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and smiled with relief. The golden specks of light gradually drifted away with the breeze.

…………

"Really... I should have just stayed at the entrance to Tushan..."

With her experience in outdoor travels, Cuiyu Mingluan sighed, silently squatted down, wrapped her arms around her knees, buried her pretty face in them, and soon began to sob softly, which then grew louder and louder...

She had countless suitors since childhood, but this was the first time she had been rejected so decisively and firmly, without any room for negotiation.

She admitted that she was not as pretty, cute, or charming as the two young ladies from Tushan.

But... no matter how beautiful she is, losing to a loli and being replaced by a woman with some looks, would she be willing to accept it...?

Seriously... Waaah, it's rare for me to be this moved, and in the end, I've lost so completely... Waaah...

A while later.

"Uh, young lady?!"

Mingluan, who was squatting on the ground, silently burying her head in the sand like an ostrich, had a large, fair hand gently patting her shoulder.

"..."

"Girl?! Are you... alright?"

"What are you doing?! Can't you see I just got dumped and I'm feeling really down?!"

Cuiyu Mingluan puffed out her cheeks and wiped away her tears, looking just like an angry hamster.

The three-eyed man almost burst out laughing at her adorable expression.

Mingluan looked at the newcomer, but when she saw him clearly, she froze instantly...

A handsome young man, with a third eye on his head like hers, long, lotus-colored hair reaching his waist, wearing a blue robe with white cuffs, was smiling and bowing to her.

"Thank goodness, you're alright, young lady. My name is Mu Mie, and I got lost in this forest. I was attracted by the sound of the explosion... You, young lady, are you lost too?"

The young man gave her a very innocent, somewhat silly smile.

Upon seeing the handsome Mu Mie, Cui Yumingluan immediately stopped crying. Her big eyes darted around, her lips curled up slightly, and she jumped up.

Three curious, large eyes gleamed as they glanced at the seemingly clueless human opposite them, then playfully poked his cheek, teasing him playfully.

"Heh, I'm a leech demon, aren't you afraid of me? You little...meatball..."

Mu Mie blushed slightly as Ming Luan poked his cheek, feeling a little shy. It was the first time he had ever been so close to a girl other than his mother.

"Hmm? Why are you afraid? You didn't harm me, young lady. I came here because I heard you crying. As for monsters, humans... um..."

Mu Mie stroked his chin, then looked intently at Cui Yumingluan.

"Well... I feel that there are bad people among humans, and I believe there are good monsters among monsters. Otherwise, with your strength, if you really wanted to, I would have been attacked by you long ago."

"Hmm~ He really is a simpleton! Quite dull, hehe."

Cui Yumingluan's eyes lit up instantly. This foolish Taoist priest, who had just discovered that he was a demon and had the opportunity to kill her with the high-quality magic sword on his back, uttered such biased words towards demons.

Mingluan chuckled and immediately grabbed Mumie's arm and hugged it tightly!

This action startled Mu Mie, who had never even touched a girl's hand before, as he felt the soft touch on his arm.

His face instantly turned bright red!

"Auntie, young lady, we've just met, what are you doing?"

"Excuse me, I'm lost. Could you please help me, young master? Of course, I will repay you handsomely in the future."

Cuiyu Mingluan chuckled, suppressing her embarrassment, and clung to Mu Mie's arm, pretending to be lost.

"But my arm... it touched..."

"You idiot! You wouldn't say anything if you were taking advantage of someone, would you? Don't you understand?!"

Cuiyu Mingluan was so angry she was about to explode. Was her method of swindling a rich man really that low? Or was it that she couldn't seduce this stupid idiot with her looks?

"Huh? Oh... Well, if I tell you secretly, it shouldn't count as saying it directly, right..."

Cui Yumingluan was utterly speechless. This little dim-witted girl, well, another top-notch handsome guy who doesn't mind being a demon has appeared... cough cough, top-notch idiot, I'll just take him first.

This time she wouldn't hesitate anymore, otherwise if another vixen snatched it up first, she wouldn't even get a sip of the soup!

That's right! We're talking about the Tushan fox demons! They're incredibly fast at stealing men!

Hmm, since she got dumped, she'll become a wicked monster and prey on human men! Yes! She'll start with this incredibly handsome guy in front of her! Hehe!

"Actually, I really am lost, but young lady, is your weight...?"

"W-what's wrong... I... I hurt my foot and can't get down. Can't you carry me for a bit...?"

(Friendly reminder: Cuiyu Mingluan is a physician, and Tushan's "Star Shift" technique was learned by Tushan Rongrong from her sister...)

"Oh, is that so? Then don't worry about it, leave it to me. Miss, just point me in the right direction, and I'll take you home."

"Hmph, you're quite the smooth talker... Well then, let me ask you, what brings you here?"

"To be honest, young lady, I left home to find my brother..."

"Young lady, what brings you here...?"

"Me..." Cuiyu Mingluan pondered for a moment, and the smiling face of her disciple Cuiyu Xiaotan appeared in her mind. The corners of her mouth gradually turned down, and her expression became somewhat painful. Her deep voice contrasted sharply with her previous playful teasing.

"I want to resurrect a demon... who is very important to me..."

After speaking in a low voice, Cuiyu Mingluan's eyes dimmed slightly. She remembered that Xiao Tan had been deceived and seduced by humans because she had easily believed their sweet words, and was eventually skinned alive and killed.

As she pondered, Mingluan lightly raised her hand, transforming it into a hand chop, and with a fierce look in her eyes, she was about to knock out Mu Mie, who was carrying her, before leaving on her own.

"Oh, is that so? Then I'll revive her first, and then you can help me find my brother, okay?"

Swish! The chop stopped at the neck of the wooden stick.

Cui Yumingluan stared wide-eyed at the wooden figure beneath her, her face filled with disbelief.

"What did you say?!"

"Hmm? Was my voice too soft?"

"I mean, I'll help you revive someone important to you first, and then you can help me find my brother, okay?"

"During this time, we protected each other's safety and stood behind each other."

"What a...naive...little idiot..."

Cui Yumingluan's eyes were moved. She pursed her lips, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, chuckled twice, and then rested her head completely on Mu Mie's shoulder, leaning down and resting her entire body against Mu Mie's back.

"Miss Yokai, I've run into her again..."

Mu Mie's face was like a ripe, bright red apple, her back was soft, and the unique fragrance of a young girl wafted into his nostrils.

"Hehe, you little rascal, this time I won't fail again~"

"Miss Yokai, please stop joking. I was taking advantage of you, so I had no choice but to..."

"Hmm, I'm listening, you little... coward~"

A human and a demon, one blushing and the other shy, walked toward the nearby stream.

However, neither the human nor the demon noticed that two petite figures were watching them from a tree they couldn't see.