xiū xiān xiū xiān ， zuì zhòng yào de biàn shì jī yuán 。
修仙修仙，最重要的便是机缘。
Cultivation, cultivation—what matters most is opportunity.
xiāng ér suī rán táo qì huó pō ， dàn zhè me jiǎn dān de dào lǐ qǐ huì bù xiǎo de 。
香儿虽然淘气活泼，但这么简单的道理岂会不晓得。
Xiang'er, though mischievous and lively, surely wouldn’t be unaware of such a simple truth.
tiān shàng zhēn de huì diào xiàn bǐng me ？
天上真的会掉馅饼么？
Wouldn't heaven really drop a pie in one's lap?
yì bān qíng kuàng xià ， nà zì rán shì bù kě néng de 。
一般情况下，那自然是不可能的。
In general situations, that would naturally not be possible.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， piān piān yǒu zhè yàng de hǎo yùn bǎi zài zì jǐ shēn cè 。
然而此时此刻，偏偏有这样的好运摆在自己身侧。
But at this moment, such good fortune was right before her eyes.
yú qíng yú lǐ ， dāng rán xū yào hǎo hǎo bǎ wò 。
于情于理，当然需要好好把握。
Emotionally and logically, she should seize it with both hands.
ruò shì cuò guò ， kě shì huì tiān dǎ léi pī de 。
若是错过，可是会天打雷劈的。
To miss out on it could invite divine retribution.
gè zhǒng gè yàng de niàn tou zài nǎo hǎi zhōng zhuǎn guò ， xiāng ér bù zài chí yí ， yíng yíng yī fú ：“ tú ér bài jiàn shī fù 。”
各种各样的念头在脑海中转过，香儿不再迟疑，盈盈一福：“徒儿拜见师傅。”
Various thoughts raced through her mind as Xiang'er no longer hesitated. She bowed gracefully: "Pupil bows to Master."
“ hǎo ， hǎo 。”
“好，好。”
"Good, good."
jiǔ wěi tiān hú dà xǐ ， jué měi de róng yán shàng ， gōu lè chū yíng yíng de xiào yì ， tā ruò shì yuàn yì shōu tú ， gù rán néng ràng wú shù de xiū shì qū zhī ruò wù ， rán ér chú le yǎn qián de xiǎo yā tou ， shuí yòu pèi dāng tā de tú dì ne ？
九尾天狐大喜，绝美的容颜上，勾勒出盈盈的笑意，她若是愿意收徒，固然能让无数的修士趋之若鹜，然而除了眼前的小丫头，谁又配当她的徒弟呢？
Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox was overjoyed. Her beautiful face lit up in a gentle smile. If she were willing to take on a disciple, it would surely attract countless cultivators, but among the many, who else could be worthy of her?
xū zhī míng shī nán qiú ， rán ér zī zhì yōu yì de dì zǐ hé cháng bú shì yī yàng de 。
须知名师难求，然而资质优异的弟子何尝不是一样的。
For fame was hard to come by, yet an outstanding disciple was no less valuable.
bǎi wàn nián le ， zhōng yú zhǎo dào yí gè kě yǐ chuán chéng zì jǐ dào tǒng de tú ér ， qīng qiū guó zhǔ de xīn lǐ ， yī yàng shì huān kuài ér shū fú 。
百万年了，终于找到一个可以传承自己道统的徒儿，青丘国主的心里，一样是欢快而舒服。
After a million years, finally finding a disciple capable of passing down her daoist lineage—Princess Qingqiu felt elated and comfortable in her heart.
jiù zài zhè shí ， xiǎo gōng zhǔ de shēng yīn yòu chuán rù ěr duǒ ， dài zhe jǐ fēn bù hǎo yì sī zhī sè ：“ tú ér hái méi yǒu qǐng jiào shī zūn zūn xìng dà míng lái zhe ……。”
就在这时，小公主的声音又传入耳朵，带着几分不好意思之色：“徒儿还没有请教师尊尊姓大名来着……。”
At this moment, Princess's voice intruded once more, tinged with embarrassment: "Pupil has not yet asked Master’s name..."
zhè shì qíng shì yǒu diǎn guǐ yì ， shī dōu bài le ， què lián shī fù de shēn fèn dōu bù qīng chǔ ， jǐn guǎn xiāng ér xīn zhōng yǐn yǐn yě yǒu yì diǎn chuǎi mó ， dàn bù guǎn rú hé ， zǒng yào tīng duì fāng qīn kǒu què rèn cái xīn ān de 。
这事情是有点诡异，师都拜了，却连师傅的身份都不清楚，尽管香儿心中隐隐也有一点揣摩，但不管如何，总要听对方亲口确认才心安的。
This was somewhat peculiar. She had already bowed to the master but still didn’t know his identity. Although Xiang'er had a vague idea, she needed confirmation from him to feel secure.
“ wǒ me ……。”
“我么……。”
"Me..."
nà shén mì nǚ zǐ xiào le ， shēn chū yù shǒu ， lǐ le lǐ bìn biān de fā sī ， zhè běn shì yí gè hěn pǔ tōng ， hěn zì rán de dòng zuò ， rán ér yóu tā zuò chū què chōng mǎn le yòu huò 。
那神秘女子笑了，伸出玉手，理了理鬓边的发丝，这本是一个很普通，很自然的动作，然而由她做出却充满了诱惑。
The mysterious woman smiled and extended her delicate hand, brushing aside her hair. This simple gesture exuded an irresistible allure.
nà yòu huò bú shì gù yì de ， ér shì zài jǔ shǒu tóu zú jiān ， zì rán ér rán de sàn fà ér chū 。
那诱惑不是故意的，而是在举手投足间，自然而然的散发而出。
This allure wasn't intentional; it naturally emanated with every movement.
yǒu diǎn lèi sì yú lín xuān mò yuè tiān wū jué fǎn pú guī zhēn de xiào guǒ ， zhè shì měi dào jí zhì cái néng dài lái de tiān rán mèi huò 。
有点类似于林轩墨月天巫诀返璞归真的效果，这是美到极致才能带来的天然魅惑。
It was akin to Lin Xuan's return to simplicity after the transformation of the Black Moon Heaven Witch Technique—a natural charm born from unparalleled beauty.
rú guǒ huàn yī míng nán zi yǔ tā yì dì ér chǔ ， kǒng pà xīn shén dōu yào wèi zhī duó ， rán ér lín xuān de yì zhì què shì wú bǐ jiān gù ， jǐn jǐn shì hū xī yǒu xiē jí cù ， suí hòu jiù huī fù cháng tài le ， zhǐ tīng nà shén mì nǚ zǐ de shēng yīn rú xiān lè yì bān liú tǎng jìn ěr duǒ ：
如果换一名男子与他易地而处，恐怕心神都要为之夺，然而林轩的意志却是无比坚固，仅仅是呼吸有些急促，随后就恢复常态了，只听那神秘女子的声音如仙乐一般流淌进耳朵：
If another man were in his place, he might have been utterly captivated. But Lin Xuan’s willpower was incredibly strong; he merely took a few deep breaths before returning to normal. The mysterious woman's voice flowed like celestial music into his ears:
“ míng zì zhè me duō nián ， wèi shī zǎo jiù wàng le ， wǒ zhǐ zhī dào yī xiē xiāng shú de péng yǒu yǐ ‘ jiǔ wěi ， hū wǒ ……。”
“名字这么多年，为师早就忘了，我只知道一些相熟的朋友以‘九尾，呼我……。”
"Names mean so much after all these years, Master has long forgotten them. I only know that some familiar friends call me 'Nine-tails'..."
jiǔ wěi ， guǒ rán shì jiǔ wěi tiān hú ！
九尾，果然是九尾天狐！
Nine-tails! Indeed, Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox!
xiāng ér ， lín xuān ， yuàn kē nǎo hǎi zhōng tóng shí yǒu yí gè niàn tou shǎn guò ， xiān shǒu tā men jǐn jǐn shì zài nǎo hǎi zhōng chuǎi mó ， rú jīn zǒng suàn shì zhèng shí diào le 。
香儿，林轩，媛珂脑海中同时有一个念头闪过，先首他们仅仅是在脑海中揣摩，如今总算是证实掉了。
Xiang'er and Yuanke simultaneously had the same thought flash through their minds—only now confirmed.
“ shī fù shì qīng qiū guó zhǔ ？”
“师傅是青丘国主？”
"Master is Princess Qingqiu?"
jǐn guǎn xiāng ér yǐ yǒu jǐ fēn bǎ wò ， dàn cǐ shí hái shì rěn bú zhù yǎn kǒu jīng hū 。
尽管香儿已有几分把握，但此时还是忍不住掩口惊呼。
Though Xiang'er was already confident, she couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.
“ bù cuò 。” jiǔ wěi tiān hú xiào le ， shēng yīn hěn shì wēn róu ：“ méi shén me hǎo xiàn mù de zhǐ yào nǐ nǔ lì ， yǒu zhāo yī rì ， wèi lái de qīng qiū zhī guó ， jiù shì nǐ le ……。”
“不错。”九尾天狐笑了，声音很是温柔：“没什么好羡慕的只要你努力，有朝一日，未来的青丘之国，就是你了……。”
"Not at all," Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox smiled gently. "There's no need to envy. As long as you work hard, one day the future of Qingqiu will be yours..."
“ zhēn de me ？”
“真的么？”
"Really?"
xiāng ér jué de xiàng shì zuò mèng ， jǐn guǎn cóng yī shēng xià lái ， tā jiù zhī dào zì jǐ zī zhì bù sú ， dàn zuò mèng yě méi xiǎng dào ， píng jià huì gāo dào rú cǐ dì bù ， sān dà yāo wáng ， líng jiè dǐng ér jiān ér de rén wù zì jǐ zhēn de kě néng me ……，
香儿觉得像是做梦，尽管从一生下来，她就知道自己资质不俗，但做梦也没想到，评价会高到如此地步，三大妖王，灵界顶儿尖儿的人物自己真的可能么……，
Xiang'er felt like she was dreaming. Though she knew from birth that her talents were exceptional, she never imagined such high praise—three demon kings, top figures in the spirit realm—could actually apply to her...
fǎng fú gǎn jué dào tú ér xīn zhōng de páng huáng jiǔ wěi tiān hú kāi kǒu le ：“ fàng xīn ba zhǐ yào nǐ nǔ lì ， yí dìng kě yǐ ， huò xǔ hái néng gèng jìn yí bù ……。”
仿佛感觉到徒儿心中的彷徨九尾天狐开口了：“放心吧只要你努力，一定可以，或许还能更进一步……。”
Feeling her disciple's hesitation, Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox spoke: "Relax. As long as you work hard, it will happen. Perhaps even more."
gèng jìn yí bù ？
更进一步？
More?
zhè ge cí zài píng shí tīng zhe bù suàn shén me 。
这个词在平时听着不算什么。
In normal circumstances, this word wouldn't be shocking.
rán ér cǐ shí cǐ kè ， què yǔ shí pò tiān jīng chà bu duō 。
然而此时此刻，却与石破天惊差不多。
But now, it was akin to a thunderclap.
sān rén jué de méi yǒu shén me xiāo xī ， bǐ zhè ge gèng zhèn hàn le 。
三人觉得没有什么消息，比这个更震撼了。
The three were left speechless—no news could be more astonishing than this revelation.
jiǔ wěi tiān hú shì shén me ？
九尾天狐是什么？
What is Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox?
bǐ zhī sān dà sàn xiān yě bù xùn sè ， ruò shì néng gòu zài cǐ jī chǔ shàng gèng jìn yí bù nà qǐ bù shì kān bǐ zhēn xiān yì bān de cún zài le 。
比之三大散仙也不逊色，若是能够在此基础上更进一步那岂不是堪比真仙一般的存在了。
Compared to the Three Loose Immortals, she wasn’t inferior. If one could advance further based on her current status, wouldn't that make her comparable to a True Immortal?
“ shī fù ， nín ……， nín shì zài kāi wán xiào me ？”
“师傅，您……，您是在开玩笑么？”
"Master, are you jesting?"
xiǎo gōng zhǔ nà nà de shuō yī shí jiān ， jué de yǒu xiē kǒu gān shé zào le 。
小公主呐呐的说一时间，觉得有些口干舌燥了。
The princess stammered, feeling parched.
zhè ge fǎn yìng kàn shì bù chéng shú ， qí shí yǐ jīng bǐ jué dà duō shù rén de biǎo xiàn ， yào zhèn dìng dé duō ， shuí ràng jiǔ wěi tiān hú tǔ chū lái de xiāo xī ， shì nà yàng de jīng shì hài sú 。
这个反应看似不成熟，其实已经比绝大多数人的表现，要镇定得多，谁让九尾天狐吐出来的消息，是那样的惊世骇俗。
This reaction might seem immature, but it was already far more composed than most people's response given the shocking news from Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox.
“ nǐ rèn wéi wèi shī zài kāi wán xiào ma ， xiǎng dāng nián wǒ chū shēng shí ， yě méi yǒu sān tiáo wěi ba hē 。”
“你认为为师在开玩笑吗，想当年我出生时，也没有三条尾巴呵。”
"Do you think I'm joking? Back then when I was born, I didn't have three tails either."
jiǔ wěi tiān hú de shēn yǐng biàn dé yuè fā méng lóng ， tàn xī de shēng yīn zhōng yǒu zhe nóng nóng de dòng chàng zhī sè ：“ fǒu zé ， shù bǎi wàn nián qián de nà chǎng dà zhàn ， qǐ huì ràng nà jiàn rén zuò wēi zuò fú ， wèi shī de xiū wèi ， yě zǎo jiù dá dào le zhēn xiān de chéng dù ……。”
九尾天狐的身影变得越发朦胧，叹息的声音中有着浓浓的恫怅之色：“否则，数百万年前的那场大战，岂会让那贱人作威作福，为师的修为，也早就达到了真仙的程度……。”
Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox’s figure grew increasingly hazy. Her sigh carried a deep sense of regret: "Otherwise, that wretched woman wouldn’t have been able to wreak havoc in the spirit realm millions of years ago. Master's cultivation would have reached True Immortal levels long ago..."
zhè yī duàn huà ， xiāng ér yǔ yuàn kē tīng dé mí mí hū hū ， lín xuān zé shì gèng jiā de dà jīng shī sè ， yòng le jué qiáng de yì lì cái miǎn qiǎng bǎo chí zhù cóng róng ， méi yǒu lù chū yǐn rén huái yí de zhèn jīng zhī sè 。
这一段话，香儿与媛珂听得迷迷糊糊，林轩则是更加的大惊失色，用了绝强的毅力才勉强保持住从容，没有露出引人怀疑的震惊之色。
Xiang'er and Yuanke listened dazedly as Lin Xuan was even more shocked, using all his strength to maintain composure, hiding any signs of shock.
shù bǎi wàn nián qián de dà zhàn ， shì zhǐ yuè ér …… bù ， ā xiū luó wáng ， dài lǐng yīn hún guǐ wù ， pò kāi jiè miàn zhī lì ， rù qīn líng jiè me ？
数百万年前的大战，是指月儿……不，阿修罗王，带领阴魂鬼物，破开界面之力，入侵灵界么？
The great battle a million years ago—was it when Moonlet... no, the Asura King, led dark spirits into the spirit realm?
jiǔ wěi tiān hú shuō dé qīng miáo dàn xiě ， rán ér yǔ qì zhōng de huì nù ， què shì xiǎn lù wú yí de ， nà fèn yuàn hèn ， bǎi nián de shí guāng yě bù céng ràng qí xiāo mó ， nà shí hòu ， jiū jìng fā shēng le shén me ， tā kǒu zhōng de jiàn rén ， jiū jìng shì zhǐ de ā xiū luó wáng ， hái shì lìng yǒu qí rén ne ？
九尾天狐说得轻描淡写，然而语气中的恚怒，却是显露无疑的，那份怨恨，百年的时光也不曾让其消磨，那时候，究竟发生了什么，她口中的贱人，究竟是指的阿修罗王，还是另有其人呢？
Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox spoke lightly, but her anger was evident. Her hatred hadn’t diminished over a century. What had happened back then? Who exactly was this wretched woman she referred to?
lín xuān bù xiǎo de ， tā xīn zhōng yǒu tài duō tài duō de yí huò ， kě xī gēn běn jiù bù gǎn xún wèn shén me ， fǒu zé ， yí dàn zì jǐ de mì mì bào lù ， xià chǎng ， kǒng pà bǐ gāng gāng de chūn háng hái yào bēi cǎn dé duō 。
林轩不晓得，他心中有太多太多的疑惑，可惜根本就不敢询问什么，否则，一旦自己的秘密暴露，下场，恐怕比刚刚的椿杭还要悲惨得多。
Lin Xuan didn't know; he had too many questions, none of which he dared ask. If his secrets were exposed, the consequences would be far worse than Cunhang.
yī shí jiān ， lín xuān dà wèi jǔ sàng ， tā hèn ， hèn zì jǐ de lì liàng tài ruò xiǎo le ， jiǎ rú zì jǐ néng yǔ qīng qiū guó zhǔ fēn tíng kàng lǐ ， yě xǔ zhè yī qiè de yí huò ， dōu yíng rèn ér jiě le 。
一时间，林轩大为沮丧，他恨，恨自己的力量太弱小了，假如自己能与青丘国主分庭抗礼，也许这一切的疑惑，都迎刃而解了。
For a moment, Lin Xuan felt despondent. He hated how weak he was—how could he challenge Princess Qingqiu if he wanted to unravel all these mysteries?
kě tā xiàn zài hái hěn ruò ， suǒ yǐ zhǐ néng jìng jìng de bǎo chí chén mò 。
可他现在还很弱，所以只能静静的保持沉默。
But for now, he had no choice but to remain silent.
ér lín xuān xīn zhōng de jiū jié ， xiāng ér zì rán bìng bù qīng chǔ ， xiǎo yā tou suī rán yuǎn bǐ tóng líng rén chéng shú ， dàn yě bèi shī zūn miáo huì de lán tú nòng dé yī lèng yī lèng de ， chāo yuè jiǔ wěi tiān hú ， chéng wéi zhēn xiān yì bān de cún zài me ？
而林轩心中的纠结，香儿自然并不清楚，小丫头虽然远比同龄人成熟，但也被师尊描绘的蓝图弄得一愣一愣的，超越九尾天狐，成为真仙一般的存在么？
Xiang'er didn’t understand the turmoil in Lin Xuan’s heart. Though far more mature than her peers, she was still stunned by the grand vision painted by her master—becoming a True Immortal like Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox?
rú guǒ huàn yí gè rén zhè me shuō ， tā yí dìng rèn wéi shì fēng le ， rán ér yǐ qīng qiū guó zhǔ de shēn fèn ， yòu zěn me kě néng hú yán luàn yǔ ， tā shuō xíng ， nà jiù yí dìng yǒu bù xiǎo de kě néng xìng 。
如果换一个人这么说，她一定认为是疯了，然而以青丘国主的身份，又怎么可能胡言乱语，她说行，那就一定有不小的可能性。
If anyone else said this, she would have thought they were mad. But given Princess Qingqiu's status, she couldn’t possibly speak nonsense. If she said it, there must be some truth to it.
zhǐ shì ， zhè ge qián tú wèi miǎn yuǎn dà dé lí pǔ ， yī shí jiān ， xiāng ér dōu bù zhī dào gāi zěn me shuō 。
只是，这个前途未免远大得离谱，一时间，香儿都不知道该怎么说。
Yet, the prospect was too grand for words. Xiang'er didn't know what to say.
guò le piàn kè ， cái nà nà de kāi kǒu le ：“ tú ér ， tú ér yí dìng huì nǔ lì de 。”
过了片刻，才呐呐的开口了：“徒儿，徒儿一定会努力的。”
After a moment, she stammered: "Pupil will strive."
zhè ge biǎo shì ， píng xīn lái shuō ， yǒu diǎn cāng bái ， rán ér chú cǐ yǐ wài ， xiāng ér zhēn bù zhī dào zhè ge shí hòu ， zì jǐ hái néng zěn me shuō 。
这个表示，平心来说，有点苍白，然而除此以外，香儿真不知道这个时候，自己还能怎么说。
This statement, while sincere, seemed hollow. She truly didn’t know how else to respond at that moment.
shuō wán yǐ hòu ， zì jǐ yě hěn tǎn tè ， rán ér nà shén mì de jiǔ wěi tiān hú què sì hū hěn mǎn zú ， chōng xiāng ér shēn chū le shǒu ：“ zǒu ba ， yǔ shī fù yì qǐ huí qīng qiū zhī guó 。”
说完以后，自己也很忐忑，然而那神秘的九尾天狐却似乎很满足，冲香儿伸出了手：“走吧，与师傅一起回青丘之国。”
With those words spoken, she felt uneasy. But the mysterious Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox seemed satisfied and extended her hand: "Come, let’s return to Qingqiu."
“ huí qīng qiū zhī guó ？”
“回青丘之国？”
"Return to Qingqiu?"
xiāng ér de yǎn zhōng lù chū jǐ fēn mí lí zhī sè 。
香儿的眼中露出几分迷离之色。
Xiang'er's eyes showed a hint of confusion.
“ bù cuò ， cǐ jiè miàn de zī yuán tài guò dān bó ， wèi shī zì rán yào dài nǐ huí qīng qiū zhī guó 。”
“不错，此界面的资源太过单薄，为师自然要带你回青丘之国。”
"Yes, this realm has too few resources. Master naturally wants to take you back to Qingqiu," Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox said with a smile.
jiǔ wěi tiān hú wēi xiào zhe shuō 。
九尾天狐微笑着说。
Qingqiu was one of the many small realms in the spirit world, but its conditions were far superior to Nael Dragon Realm. Not only did it have abundant resources, but there were no numerous sects or families. The entire Qingqiu realm, or rather, the spirit world, was controlled by Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox.
suǒ wèi de qīng qiū zhī guó ， qí shí yě shì líng jiè zhòng duō xiǎo jiè miàn zhī yī ， rán ér gè fāng miàn tiáo jiàn zhī yōu yì ， biàn shì nài lóng jiè yě méi yǒu bàn fǎ yǔ zhī xiāng bǐ ， bù jǐn zī yuán fēng fù ， ér qiě nà lǐ méi yǒu zhòng duō de zōng mén jiā zú ， zhěng gè qīng qiū zhī guó ， huò zhě shuō qǐng qiú jiè ， dōu shì yóu yú jiǔ wěi tiān hú zhǎng kòng de 。
所谓的青丘之国，其实也是灵界众多小界面之一，然而各方面条件之优异，便是鼐龙界也没有办法与之相比，不仅资源丰富，而且那里没有众多的宗门家族，整个青丘之国，或者说请求界，都是由于九尾天狐掌控的。
Controlling an entire realm’s resources showed how wealthy she was. Xiang'er being her disciple meant she wouldn’t worry about cultivation resources in the future. Whatever elixirs or treasures Master had would be prepared for her.
Cultivation, cultivation—what matters most is opportunity.
Xiang'er, though mischievous and lively, surely wouldn’t be unaware of such a simple truth.
Wouldn't heaven really drop a pie in one's lap?
In general situations, that would naturally not be possible.
But at this moment, such good fortune was right before her eyes.
Emotionally and logically, she should seize it with both hands.
To miss out on it could invite divine retribution.
Various thoughts raced through her mind as Xiang'er no longer hesitated. She bowed gracefully: "Pupil bows to Master."
"Good, good."
Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox was overjoyed. Her beautiful face lit up in a gentle smile. If she were willing to take on a disciple, it would surely attract countless cultivators, but among the many, who else could be worthy of her?
For fame was hard to come by, yet an outstanding disciple was no less valuable.
After a million years, finally finding a disciple capable of passing down her daoist lineage—Princess Qingqiu felt elated and comfortable in her heart.
At this moment, Princess's voice intruded once more, tinged with embarrassment: "Pupil has not yet asked Master’s name..."
This was somewhat peculiar. She had already bowed to the master but still didn’t know his identity. Although Xiang'er had a vague idea, she needed confirmation from him to feel secure.
"Me..."
The mysterious woman smiled and extended her delicate hand, brushing aside her hair. This simple gesture exuded an irresistible allure.
This allure wasn't intentional; it naturally emanated with every movement.
It was akin to Lin Xuan's return to simplicity after the transformation of the Black Moon Heaven Witch Technique—a natural charm born from unparalleled beauty.
If another man were in his place, he might have been utterly captivated. But Lin Xuan’s willpower was incredibly strong; he merely took a few deep breaths before returning to normal. The mysterious woman's voice flowed like celestial music into his ears:
"Names mean so much after all these years, Master has long forgotten them. I only know that some familiar friends call me 'Nine-tails'..."
Nine-tails! Indeed, Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox!
Xiang'er and Yuanke simultaneously had the same thought flash through their minds—only now confirmed.
"Master is Princess Qingqiu?"
Though Xiang'er was already confident, she couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.
"Not at all," Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox smiled gently. "There's no need to envy. As long as you work hard, one day the future of Qingqiu will be yours..."
"Really?"
Xiang'er felt like she was dreaming. Though she knew from birth that her talents were exceptional, she never imagined such high praise—three demon kings, top figures in the spirit realm—could actually apply to her...
Feeling her disciple's hesitation, Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox spoke: "Relax. As long as you work hard, it will happen. Perhaps even more."
More?
In normal circumstances, this word wouldn't be shocking.
But now, it was akin to a thunderclap.
The three were left speechless—no news could be more astonishing than this revelation.
What is Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox?
Compared to the Three Loose Immortals, she wasn’t inferior. If one could advance further based on her current status, wouldn't that make her comparable to a True Immortal?
"Master, are you jesting?"
The princess stammered, feeling parched.
This reaction might seem immature, but it was already far more composed than most people's response given the shocking news from Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox.
"Do you think I'm joking? Back then when I was born, I didn't have three tails either."
Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox’s figure grew increasingly hazy. Her sigh carried a deep sense of regret: "Otherwise, that wretched woman wouldn’t have been able to wreak havoc in the spirit realm millions of years ago. Master's cultivation would have reached True Immortal levels long ago..."
Xiang'er and Yuanke listened dazedly as Lin Xuan was even more shocked, using all his strength to maintain composure, hiding any signs of shock.
The great battle a million years ago—was it when Moonlet... no, the Asura King, led dark spirits into the spirit realm?
Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox spoke lightly, but her anger was evident. Her hatred hadn’t diminished over a century. What had happened back then? Who exactly was this wretched woman she referred to?
Lin Xuan didn't know; he had too many questions, none of which he dared ask. If his secrets were exposed, the consequences would be far worse than Cunhang.
For a moment, Lin Xuan felt despondent. He hated how weak he was—how could he challenge Princess Qingqiu if he wanted to unravel all these mysteries?
But for now, he had no choice but to remain silent.
Xiang'er didn’t understand the turmoil in Lin Xuan’s heart. Though far more mature than her peers, she was still stunned by the grand vision painted by her master—becoming a True Immortal like Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox?
If anyone else said this, she would have thought they were mad. But given Princess Qingqiu's status, she couldn’t possibly speak nonsense. If she said it, there must be some truth to it.
Yet, the prospect was too grand for words. Xiang'er didn't know what to say.
After a moment, she stammered: "Pupil will strive."
This statement, while sincere, seemed hollow. She truly didn’t know how else to respond at that moment.
With those words spoken, she felt uneasy. But the mysterious Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox seemed satisfied and extended her hand: "Come, let’s return to Qingqiu."
"Return to Qingqiu?"
Xiang'er's eyes showed a hint of confusion.
"Yes, this realm has too few resources. Master naturally wants to take you back to Qingqiu," Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox said with a smile.
Qingqiu was one of the many small realms in the spirit world, but its conditions were far superior to Nael Dragon Realm. Not only did it have abundant resources, but there were no numerous sects or families. The entire Qingqiu realm, or rather, the spirit world, was controlled by Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox.
Controlling an entire realm’s resources showed how wealthy she was. Xiang'er being her disciple meant she wouldn’t worry about cultivation resources in the future. Whatever elixirs or treasures Master had would be prepared for her.