xī “ shì ！”
溪“是！”
Xī "Yes!"
qí tā rén suī rán lüè yǒu bù mǎn ， dàn shēn wèi huà xíng qī lǎo guài ， zì rán bú huì jiāng zhè zhǒng qíng xù biǎo xiàn chū lái ， xíng le yī lǐ ， biàn yú guàn tuì le chū qù ， ruò dà de yán dòng lǐ ， zhǐ shèng xià xuě hú wáng fù zǐ 。
其他人虽然略有不满，但身为化形期老怪，自然不会将这种情绪表现出来，行了一礼，便鱼贯退了出去，偌大的岩洞里，只剩下雪狐王父子。
Although the others were slightly dissatisfied, as old monsters of the Transmutation Phase, they naturally did not show such emotions. They bowed and retreated one by one, leaving only the Snow Fox King and his son in the vast cavern.
“ hǎo le ， jiān ér ， jiū jìng chū le shén me shì ？”
“好了，坚儿，究竟出了什么事？”
"Alright, Jian'er, what exactly happened?"
nà shào nián shēn chū shǒu lái ， qīng qīng fān zhuǎn ， yī céng gé yīn zhào yǐ bèi tā shì fàng chū lái ， kàn jiàn ér zi rú cǐ jǐn shèn ， xuě hú wáng xīn zhōng yǐn yǐn yǒu bù hǎo de yù gǎn ， biǎo qíng yě yuè fā de yán sù le qǐ lái …”…… fù qīn ， zhè xiē shí rì yǐ lái ， zūn zhào nín de fēn fù ， zú rén men yì zhí zài èn xún xiǎo mèi de xià luò ， suī rán méi yǒu xiàn suǒ ， dàn wǒ men què fā xiàn le yī jiàn gǔ guài de shì 。”
那少年伸出手来，轻轻翻转，一层隔音罩已被他释放出来，看见儿子如此谨慎，雪狐王心中隐隐有不好的预感，表情也越发的严肃了起来…”……父亲，这些时日以来，遵照您的吩咐，族人们一直在摁寻小妹的下落，虽然没有线索，但我们却发现了一件古怪的事。”
The young man extended his hand, gently flipping it over to release a layer of soundproof barrier. Seeing his son's cautious demeanor, the Snow Fox King had an ominous feeling in his heart, his expression becoming increasingly serious...
“ shén me ？”
“什么？”
"Dad, these past days, following your instructions, our people have been searching for Little Sister’s whereabouts. Although we haven’t found any leads, something strange has caught our attention."
“ zuì jìn yī duàn shí jiān ， zài bīng mò huāng yuán ， yī xià zi duō chū le xǔ duō mò shēng miàn kǒng ， qí zhōng dà bù fèn dōu shì jiāo lóng yǐ jí lái zì nán fāng zhǎo zé de yāo shòu ， qí zhōng bù fá huà xíng qī de ，…”
“最近一段时间，在冰漠荒原，一下子多出了许多陌生面孔，其中大部分都是蛟龙以及来自南方沼泽的妖兽，其中不乏化形期的，…”
"What?"
xuě hú wáng tīng le ， méi tou yí zhòu ， jiāo lóng bú yòng shuō ， nán fāng zhǎo zé de zhǔ rén zhèng shì bì yǎn nà lǎo guài wù ， nán dào zhè xiē yì cháng yǔ tā men yǒu guān lián ？
雪狐王听了，眉头一皱，蛟龙不用说，南方沼泽的主人正是碧眼那老怪物，难道这些异常与他们有关联？
"Recently, many unfamiliar faces suddenly appeared in the Ice Desert Wasteland. Most of them are dragons and beasts from the southern marshes. Some even belong to Transmutation Phase creatures..."
liǎng gè jiā huo pài chū dà liàng shǒu xià ， guǐ guǐ suì suì de xiǎng yào zuò shén me ？
两个家伙派出大量手下，鬼鬼祟祟的想要做什么？
The Snow Fox King frowned upon hearing this. Dragons were no surprise; the master of the southern marsh was none other than the old monster with green eyes. Could these anomalies be related?
gāi bú huì …………， xuě hú wáng nǎo hǎi zhōng líng guāng yī shǎn ， tū rán xiǎng dào le yī zhǒng kě néng ， liǎn sè dùn shí biàn dé tiě qīng ， qià zài zhè shí ， ěr biān yòu chuán lái le ér zi de shēng yīn 。
该不会…………，雪狐王脑海中灵光一闪，突然想到了一种可能，脸色顿时变得铁青，恰在这时，耳边又传来了儿子的声音。
Two fellows had sent out a large number of subordinates, acting suspiciously. What could they possibly want to do?
“ fù wáng ， nín yě xiǎng dào le ， ér zi huái yí ， cǐ shì kǒng pà yǔ xiǎo mò shī zōng yǒu guān xì ， huì bú huì shì xiāo xī xiè lòu le chū qù ？”
“父王，您也想到了，儿子怀疑，此事恐怕与小秣失踪有关系，会不会是消息泄露了出去？”
Could it be... A sudden thought flashed through the Snow Fox King’s mind as he realized a possibility. His face turned pale. At this moment, his son's voice came again.
“ bù kě néng ， wǒ yǐ chuán lìng ， cǐ shì yào yán gé bǎo mì ， shuí gǎn hú yán luàn yǔ 。” xuě hú wáng yǒu xiē jīng nù jiāo jí 。
“不可能，我已传令，此事要严格保密，谁敢胡言乱语。”雪狐王有些惊怒交集。
"Father, you’ve also guessed it. I suspect that this incident might have something to do with Little Mò’s disappearance. Could it be that someone has leaked information?"
“ àn lǐ ， zú rén men què shí bù gǎn wéi bèi nín de mìng lìng ， kě jiǎ rú yǒu pàn tú ”
“按理，族人们确实不敢违背您的命令，可假如有叛徒”
"That’s impossible! I’ve already ordered strict confidentiality on this matter; no one dares to speak out of turn," the Snow Fox King was both shocked and angry.
xuě hú wáng yě xiàn rù le chén jiù ， yǐ shǒu zhī é ， chén yín qǐ lái le ， ér hū shuō dé yě yǒu dào lǐ ， zhè shì jiè shàng méi yǒu bǎi fēn zhī bǎi jué duì de dōng xī ， jiǎ rú zhēn chū le chī lǐ pá wài de pàn tú ， xiè lòu zì jǐ nǚ ér shī zōng de mì mì ， nà yǎn qián de qíng kuàng jiù hěn hǎo jiě shì 。
雪狐王也陷入了沉就，以手支额，沉吟起来了，儿乎说得也有道理，这世界上没有百分之百绝对的东西，假如真出了吃里爬外的叛徒，泄露自己女儿失踪的秘密，那眼前的情况就很好解释。
"Logically, our people indeed dare not defy your command, but what if there is a traitor..."
bì jìng zhè dǎo shàng de yāo zú ， biǎo miàn hé mù ， kě shí jì shàng ， yě shì míng zhēng àn dòu bù xiū ， zì jǐ yǔ dú jiāo wáng ， bì yǎn lǎo zǔ ， tóng wèi hòu qī de dà yāo shòu ， shí lì xiāng chà fǎng fú ， shuāng fāng shǒu xià de shì lì yě chà bu duō ， kě yòng sān zú dǐng lì lái xíng róng 。
毕竟这岛上的妖族，表面和睦，可实际上，也是明争暗斗不休，自己与毒蛟王，碧眼老祖，同为后期的大妖兽，实力相差仿佛，双方手下的势力也差不多，可用三足鼎立来形容。
The Snow Fox King fell into deep thought, supporting his head with his hand as he pondered. His son’s words had some merit; in this world, nothing could be taken for granted. If a traitor did leak the secret of his daughter's disappearance, it would explain the current situation.
kě xiāng ér de chū shēng què jiāng zhè píng héng dǎ pò ， yǐ nà yā tou de zī zhì ， yòng bù liǎo jǐ bǎi nián jiù néng tà rù lí hé qī ， xuě hú zú yī jiā dú dà jī hū shì kě yǐ yù qī ， rú guǒ zì jǐ yǔ nà liǎng gè lǎo guài wù yì dì ér chǔ ， yǒu zhè me hǎo de jī huì ， kěn dìng yě huì xiǎng bàn fǎ jiāng wèi lái de wēi xiǎn jiǎn chú 。
可香儿的出生却将这平衡打破，以那丫头的资质，用不了几百年就能踏入离合期，雪狐族一家独大几乎是可以预期，如果自己与那两个老怪物易地而处，有这么好的机会，肯定也会想办法将未来的危险剪除。
After all, the demons on this island appeared harmonious on the surface but were actually constantly vying for power behind the scenes. He and the Poison Dragon King, the old monster with green eyes, were all powerful late-stage creatures, their strengths comparable, and they could be described as a three-way balance of power.
xiǎng dào cǐ chù ， yǐ xuě hú wáng de chéng fǔ ， liǎn shàng yě lù chū le huáng jí zhī sè ， nǚ ér de chǔ jìng ， kě shì wàn fēn wēi xiǎn le 。
想到此处，以雪狐王的城府，脸上也露出了惶急之色，女儿的处境，可是万分危险了。
But Xiang'er's birth had disrupted this equilibrium. With her talent, she would likely enter the Union Stage in just a few hundred years. The Snow Fox Clan was almost certain to dominate. If he were in those old monsters' positions with such an opportunity, he would certainly try to eliminate future threats.
dàn tā zhī dào ， jí jiě jué bù liǎo wèn tí ， zhǐ huì ràng shì qíng gèng jiā de zāo gāo ér yǐ ， shēn shēn de xī le kǒu qì ， jiāng zì jǐ de xīn qíng píng fù le xià qù 。
但他知道，急解决不了问题，只会让事情更加的糟糕而已，深深的吸了口气，将自己的心情平复了下去。
With his deep-seated concerns, the Snow Fox King’s face showed signs of anxiety. His daughter's situation was extremely dangerous.
“ jiān ér ， jì rán nǐ yě yǒu suǒ huái yí ， shuí shì pàn tú ， kě yǒu xiàn suǒ 。”
“坚儿，既然你也有所怀疑，谁是叛徒，可有线索。”
But he knew that rushing wouldn’t solve anything; it would only make matters worse. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
“ zhè shí ，， nà shào nián de liǎn shàng què lù chū le wéi nán zhī sè ， yáo le yáo tóu ：“ duì bù qǐ fù qīn ， wǒ zhǐ shì cāi cè ， sī háo zhèng jù méi yǒu ， gèng bù qīng chǔ shuí huì shì pàn tú 。
“这十，，那少年的脸上却露出了为难之色，摇了摇头：“对不起父亲，我只是猜测，丝毫证据没有，更不清楚谁会是叛徒。
"Jian'er, since you also have suspicions, who is the traitor? Do you have any leads?"
xuě hú wáng méi yǒu kāi kǒu ， ér shì bì shàng yǎn móu ， zú nèi de zhòng yào rén wù yī yī zài nǎo hǎi zhōng shǎn guò ， tā men de xìng qíng ， yǐ jí guò wǎng de suì yuè zhī zhōng ， yǒu méi yǒu kě yí jǔ dòng ， rán ér tóng yàng shì sī háo xiàn suǒ méi yǒu 。
雪狐王没有开口，而是闭上眼眸，族内的重要人物一一在脑海中闪过，他们的性情，以及过往的岁月之中，有没有可疑举动，然而同样是丝毫线索没有。
The young man’s face showed difficulty as he shook his head: "Father, I can only guess; there's no evidence, and I don’t know who the traitor could be."
zhè yě méi shén me hào qí guài de ， dú jiāo wáng wèi le zài xuě hú zú zhōng ān chā ěr mù ， qián qián hòu hòu huā fèi de xīn xuè kě shì dào le hài rén tīng wén de dì bù ， zì rán méi yǒu nà me róng yì bèi duì fāng shí pò 。
这也没什么好奇怪的，毒蛟王为了在雪狐族中安插耳目，前前后后花费的心血可是到了骇人听闻的地步，自然没有那么容易被对方识破。
The Snow Fox King did not speak but closed his eyes. Important figures within the clan flashed through his mind— their personalities and past actions for any suspicious behavior, yet still, he found nothing.
jiù suàn néng gòu jiū chū pàn tú ， yě bú shì yī zhāo yī xī néng gòu wán chéng de 。
就算能够揪出叛徒，也不是一朝一夕能够完成的。
This was not surprising. The Poison Dragon King had spent considerable effort to plant spies in the Snow Fox Clan, making it difficult for them to be discovered. Even if a traitor could be identified, it wouldn’t happen overnight.
xuě hú wáng yáo le yáo tóu ， yuǎn shuǐ jiě bù liǎo jìn kě ， shì qíng yào yí bù yí bù de lái zuò ， rú jīn gèng dé zhuā jǐn le ， xīn xū jǐn kuài jiāng nǚ ér zhǎo chū ， fǒu zé “， lǒng ér ， cǐ shì jiù jiāo yǔ nǐ fù zé ， tiāo xuǎn kě kào de rén wù ， bīng fēn liǎng lù ， yī lù dǎ tàn nǐ mèi mèi de xià luò ， lìng yī lù …”
雪狐王摇了摇头，远水解不了近渴，事情要一步一步的来做，如今更得抓紧了，心须尽快将女儿找出，否则“，垄儿，此事就交予你负责，挑选可靠的人物，兵分两路，一路打探你妹妹的下落，另一路…”
The Snow Fox King shook his head. Far water cannot quench near fire; this matter must be handled step by step. He needed to find his daughter as soon as possible. Otherwise...
“ rú hé ？”
“如何？”
"Long'er, I entrust you with this responsibility. Select reliable individuals and divide into two groups. One will search for your sister’s whereabouts while the other..."
“ jiāng nà xiē wài lái de yāo shòu gěi wǒ zǎi le 。” xuě hú wáng liǎn lù shā qì de shuō 。
“将那些外来的妖兽给我宰了。”雪狐王脸露杀气的说。
"How?"
“ shén me ， fù wáng ， zhè yàng shì bú shì yǒu xiē bù tuǒ ， nín bù pà yǐn qǐ yǔ dú jiāo hái yǒu bì yǎn lǎo zǔ de quán miàn chōng tū ？”
“什么，父王，这样是不是有些不妥，您不怕引起与毒蛟还有碧眼老祖的全面冲突？”
"Kill those foreign beasts," said the Snow Fox King with a murderous look.
“ duō ， rén shàn bèi rén qī ， mǎ shàn bèi rén qí ， tā men dōu qī fù dào le jiā mén kǒu ， nán dào běn wáng hái yào yǔ tā men kè qì ， dāng rán le ， zhè jiàn shì qíng yě bù néng dà zhāng qí gǔ ， bì xū xiǎo xīn yì yì de qù zuò ， tā men gǎn àn zhōng duì nǐ mò mò bù lì ， běn wáng yě jiù gǎn qiāo shān zhèn hǔ ， zhǐ yào méi yǒu zhèng jù ， tā men yě jiù bù kě néng hé běn wáng sī pò liǎn pí 。”
“多，人善被人欺，马善被人骑，他们都欺负到了家门口，难道本王还要与他们客气，当然了，这件事情也不能大张旗鼓，必须小心翼翼的去做，他们敢暗中对你秣秣不利，本王也就敢敲山震虎，只要没有证据，他们也就不可能和本王撕破脸皮。”
"What, Father? Isn’t this inappropriate? Aren’t you afraid of triggering a full-scale conflict with the Poison Dragon King and the old green-eyed monster?"
“ shì ！”
“是！”
"A man who is kind will be bullied; a horse that is good will be ridden. They have already pushed their luck to our doorstep. Shouldn’t I retaliate? Of course, we can't act openly but must proceed carefully. If they dare to harm you secretly, I’ll show them the power of my fist. As long as there’s no evidence, they won’t dare to break ties with me."
shào nián xíng le yī lǐ ， gōng shēn tuì le xià qù 。
少年行了一礼，躬身退了下去。
"Yes!"
shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu ， yīn wèi nà tiáo pí de xiǎo hú lí ， rú jīn yāo zú de sān dà shì lì ， chǔ yú le fēi cháng wēi miào de jìng dì 。
山雨欲来风满楼，因为那调皮的小狐狸，如今妖族的三大势力，处于了非常微妙的境地。
The young man bowed and retreated.
rán ér dāng shì rén bìng bù qīng chǔ ， cǐ kè xuě hú zú de xiǎo gōng zhǔ yǐ lái dào le jù lí bǎi huā shān yuē shí wàn lǐ zhī chù 。
然而当事人并不清楚，此刻雪狐族的小公主已来到了距离百花山约十万里之处。
A storm was brewing; due to that mischievous little fox, the three major forces among the demons were in a delicate situation.
xiǎo jiā huo lè bù sī shǔ ， tā yǔ yuè ér chéng wéi le hǎo péng yǒu ， yī dà yī xiǎo liǎng gè yā tou fēi cháng tóu yuán ， xiǎo xuě hú zǒu qí xǐ huān tūn fú gè zhǒng líng dān ， zài tā kàn lái jiù xiàng táng wán 。
小家伙乐不思蜀，她与月儿成为了好朋友，一大一小两个丫头非常投缘，小雪狐走其喜欢吞服各种灵丹，在她看来就像糖丸。
However, the parties involved did not know that Snow Fox Princess Xiang'er had arrived at a place about ten million li away from Fragrant Mountain.
ràng yuè ér jīng qí de shì xiǎo xuě hú jū rán huì jiǎng huà ， yào zhī dào yāo zú suī rán yě yǒu líng zhì ， dàn xiǎng yào xué huì rén lèi de yǔ yán ， luò xū dé děng dào huà xíng qī 。
让月儿惊奇的是小雪狐居然会讲话，要知道妖族虽然也有灵智，但想要学会人类的语言，落须得等到化形期。
The little girl was having fun. She and Yue’er became good friends; the two girls, one big and one small, got along well. Little Snow Fox enjoyed swallowing various spirit pills, seeing them as candy.
zhè ràng yuè ér jīng yà bù yǐ ， cóng duì fāng de nǎi shēng nǎi qì ， pàn duàn chū tā míng xiǎn chū shēng wèi jiǔ de yàng zi 。
这让月儿惊讶不已，从对方的奶声奶气，判断出她明显出生未久的样子。
To Yue’er’s surprise, the little snow fox could speak. In the demon world, while they had intelligence, learning human language required reaching the Transmutation Phase...
biàn shì fǎ shù yě fēi sī xiǎo kě ， zhè me yí gè xiǎo jiā huo ， jū rán néng gòu yǔ pǔ tōng de zhù jī qī xiū shì xiāng pì měi le 。
便是法术也非司小可，这么一个小家伙，居然能够与普通的筑基期修士相媲美了。
This amazed Yue’er; from her baby-like voice, she judged that Xiang'er was a newborn.
kě xī duì fāng shí zài shì tài xiǎo ， yuè ér wèn tā lái lì ， xiǎo jiā huo zǒng shì qián yán bù dā hòu yǔ ， tīng dé yuè ér yún lǐ wù lǐ 。
可惜对方实在是太小，月儿问她来历，小家伙总是前言不搭后语，听得月儿云里雾里。
Even magic wasn’t trivial; such a small creature could rival ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.
bù guò xuě hú zǒng suàn hái jì de zì jǐ de míng zì 。
不过雪狐总算还记得自己的名字。
Unfortunately, she was too young. When Yue’er asked about her origins, the little girl spoke incoherently, leaving Yue’er confused.
， xiāng ér ， jiē zhù ！”
，香儿，接住！”
However, Snow Fox remembered her name.
yuè ér yù shǒu yī fú ， yī kē hú táo bèi tā diū xiàng le yuǎn chù ， xiǎo hú lí shēn xíng wēi huǎng ， dùn shí huà wèi yī dào yào mù de jīng máng ， hòu fā xiān zhì ， zài gāo gāo yuè qǐ ， jiāng hú táo diāo jìn le zuǐ lǐ 。
月儿玉手一拂，一颗胡桃被她丢像了远处，小狐狸身形微晃，顿时化为一道耀目的精芒，后发先至，再高高跃起，将胡桃叼进了嘴里。
"Xiang'er, catch!"
zhè shì liǎng gè yā tou zuì xǐ huān wán de yóu xì ， suī shuō yǒu diǎn yòu zhì ， dàn méi bàn fǎ ， zǒng shèng guò zì jǐ yī rén zài zhè lǐ shǎ shǎ de kū děng shào yé 。
这是两个丫头最喜欢玩的游戏，虽说有点幼稚，但没办法，总胜过自己一人在这里傻傻的枯等少爷。
Yue’er flicked her hand, sending a walnut flying to the distance. The little fox’s figure shimmered and turned into a dazzling light beam, leaping high to snatch the walnut in its mouth.
yuè ér tàn le kǒu qì ， yuán běn àn zhào gū jì ， liàn zhì tiān chén dān xū yào qī qī sì shí jiǔ rì ， nǎ zhī dào shào yé shí jì cāo zuò yǐ hòu ， cái fā xiàn yuǎn yuǎn bù zhǐ 。
月儿叹了口气，原本按照估计，炼制天尘丹需要七七四十九日，哪知道少爷实际操作以后，才发现远远不止。
This was their favorite game; though it seemed childish, it was better than waiting alone for Lord Xuanxuan.
rú jīn yòu guò qù le jìn bàn gè yuè ………… yě bù zhī hái yào duō jiǔ cái néng chóng xīn jiàn dào shào yé 。
如今又过去了近半个月…………也不知还要多久才能重新见到少爷。
Yue’er sighed. Originally, she had estimated that crafting the Heavenly Dust Pill would take forty-nine days. But after Lord Xuanxuan’s actual operation, they found it took much longer.
yóu yú liàn dān yǐ dào le zuì guān jiàn de shí qī ， wèi le pà dǎ rǎo dào lín xuān ， yuè ér yě bù gǎn zài suí yì pǎo dào huǒ yún kū qù 。
由于炼丹已到了最关键的时期，为了怕打扰到林轩，月儿也不敢再随意跑到火云窟去。
Now, nearly half a month had passed... Who knew how long before she could see her lord again?
hǎo zài yǒu zhè xiǎo hú lí ， yuè ér dào bù jué de jì shà 。
好在有这小狐狸，月儿倒不觉得寂霎。
Since the alchemy process was at its critical stage, Yue’er dared not go to the Fiery Cloud Cave to disturb Lin Xuan. Fortunately, with this little fox by her side, Yue’er didn’t feel lonely.
“ jiě jiě ， wǒ yào chī táng 。”
“姐姐，我要吃糖。”
"Big sister, I want candy."
nǎi shēng nǎi qì de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr lǐ ， yuè ér huí guò tóu ， fā xiàn xiǎo xuě hú yǐ jīng diāo zhe hú táo pǎo huí lái le ， yǎng qǐ tóu ， měi cōng de dà yǎn jīng zhōng mǎn shì kě wàng 。
奶声奶气的声音传入耳里，月儿回过头，发现小雪狐已经叼着胡桃跑回来了，仰起头，美聪的大眼睛中满是渴望。
A baby-like voice sounded in her ears as she turned around and saw Little Snow Fox returning with a walnut in its mouth, looking up at her with eager eyes.
“ zhēn shì gè jué zuǐ de xiǎo jiā huo 。”
“真是个绝嘴的小家伙。”
"A truly adorable little girl."
yuè ér yáo le yáo tóu ， què hái shì tān kāi qiàn shǒu ， yī lì líng dān chū xiàn zài zhǎng xīn zhōng ， tā suī rán méi yǒu shēn tǐ ， dàn yǐ kào fǎ lì ， hái shì kě yǐ tuō zhù shí tǐ 。
月儿摇了摇头，却还是摊开纤手，一粒灵丹出现在掌心中，她虽然没有身体，但倚靠法力，还是可以托住实体。
Yue’er shook her head but still stretched out her delicate hand. A spirit pill appeared in her palm; although she didn’t have a physical body, relying on her power, she could hold it.
xiǎo xuě hú de yǎn zhōng lù chū xǐ sè ， zhèng yào shàng qián tūn fú ， yuè ér tū rán méi tou yí zhòu ， xiàng shì sà rán gǎn jué dào shén me shì de huí guò le tóu .
小雪狐的眼中露出喜色，正要上前吞服，月儿突然眉头一皱，像是飒然感觉到什么似的回过了头.
The little snow fox’s eyes lit up as she prepared to swallow the pill. However, Yue’er suddenly frowned and turned her head, sensing something.
Xī "Yes!"
Although the others were slightly dissatisfied, as old monsters of the Transmutation Phase, they naturally did not show such emotions. They bowed and retreated one by one, leaving only the Snow Fox King and his son in the vast cavern.
"Alright, Jian'er, what exactly happened?"
The young man extended his hand, gently flipping it over to release a layer of soundproof barrier. Seeing his son's cautious demeanor, the Snow Fox King had an ominous feeling in his heart, his expression becoming increasingly serious...
"Dad, these past days, following your instructions, our people have been searching for Little Sister’s whereabouts. Although we haven’t found any leads, something strange has caught our attention."
"What?"
"Recently, many unfamiliar faces suddenly appeared in the Ice Desert Wasteland. Most of them are dragons and beasts from the southern marshes. Some even belong to Transmutation Phase creatures..."
The Snow Fox King frowned upon hearing this. Dragons were no surprise; the master of the southern marsh was none other than the old monster with green eyes. Could these anomalies be related?
Two fellows had sent out a large number of subordinates, acting suspiciously. What could they possibly want to do?
Could it be... A sudden thought flashed through the Snow Fox King’s mind as he realized a possibility. His face turned pale. At this moment, his son's voice came again.
"Father, you’ve also guessed it. I suspect that this incident might have something to do with Little Mò’s disappearance. Could it be that someone has leaked information?"
"That’s impossible! I’ve already ordered strict confidentiality on this matter; no one dares to speak out of turn," the Snow Fox King was both shocked and angry.
"Logically, our people indeed dare not defy your command, but what if there is a traitor..."
The Snow Fox King fell into deep thought, supporting his head with his hand as he pondered. His son’s words had some merit; in this world, nothing could be taken for granted. If a traitor did leak the secret of his daughter's disappearance, it would explain the current situation.
After all, the demons on this island appeared harmonious on the surface but were actually constantly vying for power behind the scenes. He and the Poison Dragon King, the old monster with green eyes, were all powerful late-stage creatures, their strengths comparable, and they could be described as a three-way balance of power.
But Xiang'er's birth had disrupted this equilibrium. With her talent, she would likely enter the Union Stage in just a few hundred years. The Snow Fox Clan was almost certain to dominate. If he were in those old monsters' positions with such an opportunity, he would certainly try to eliminate future threats.
With his deep-seated concerns, the Snow Fox King’s face showed signs of anxiety. His daughter's situation was extremely dangerous.
But he knew that rushing wouldn’t solve anything; it would only make matters worse. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
"Jian'er, since you also have suspicions, who is the traitor? Do you have any leads?"
The young man’s face showed difficulty as he shook his head: "Father, I can only guess; there's no evidence, and I don’t know who the traitor could be."
The Snow Fox King did not speak but closed his eyes. Important figures within the clan flashed through his mind— their personalities and past actions for any suspicious behavior, yet still, he found nothing.
This was not surprising. The Poison Dragon King had spent considerable effort to plant spies in the Snow Fox Clan, making it difficult for them to be discovered. Even if a traitor could be identified, it wouldn’t happen overnight.
The Snow Fox King shook his head. Far water cannot quench near fire; this matter must be handled step by step. He needed to find his daughter as soon as possible. Otherwise...
"Long'er, I entrust you with this responsibility. Select reliable individuals and divide into two groups. One will search for your sister’s whereabouts while the other..."
"How?"
"Kill those foreign beasts," said the Snow Fox King with a murderous look.
"What, Father? Isn’t this inappropriate? Aren’t you afraid of triggering a full-scale conflict with the Poison Dragon King and the old green-eyed monster?"
"A man who is kind will be bullied; a horse that is good will be ridden. They have already pushed their luck to our doorstep. Shouldn’t I retaliate? Of course, we can't act openly but must proceed carefully. If they dare to harm you secretly, I’ll show them the power of my fist. As long as there’s no evidence, they won’t dare to break ties with me."
"Yes!"
The young man bowed and retreated.
A storm was brewing; due to that mischievous little fox, the three major forces among the demons were in a delicate situation.
However, the parties involved did not know that Snow Fox Princess Xiang'er had arrived at a place about ten million li away from Fragrant Mountain.
The little girl was having fun. She and Yue’er became good friends; the two girls, one big and one small, got along well. Little Snow Fox enjoyed swallowing various spirit pills, seeing them as candy.
To Yue’er’s surprise, the little snow fox could speak. In the demon world, while they had intelligence, learning human language required reaching the Transmutation Phase...
This amazed Yue’er; from her baby-like voice, she judged that Xiang'er was a newborn.
Even magic wasn’t trivial; such a small creature could rival ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Unfortunately, she was too young. When Yue’er asked about her origins, the little girl spoke incoherently, leaving Yue’er confused.
However, Snow Fox remembered her name.
"Xiang'er, catch!"
Yue’er flicked her hand, sending a walnut flying to the distance. The little fox’s figure shimmered and turned into a dazzling light beam, leaping high to snatch the walnut in its mouth.
This was their favorite game; though it seemed childish, it was better than waiting alone for Lord Xuanxuan.
Yue’er sighed. Originally, she had estimated that crafting the Heavenly Dust Pill would take forty-nine days. But after Lord Xuanxuan’s actual operation, they found it took much longer.
Now, nearly half a month had passed... Who knew how long before she could see her lord again?
Since the alchemy process was at its critical stage, Yue’er dared not go to the Fiery Cloud Cave to disturb Lin Xuan. Fortunately, with this little fox by her side, Yue’er didn’t feel lonely.
"Big sister, I want candy."
A baby-like voice sounded in her ears as she turned around and saw Little Snow Fox returning with a walnut in its mouth, looking up at her with eager eyes.
"A truly adorable little girl."
Yue’er shook her head but still stretched out her delicate hand. A spirit pill appeared in her palm; although she didn’t have a physical body, relying on her power, she could hold it.
The little snow fox’s eyes lit up as she prepared to swallow the pill. However, Yue’er suddenly frowned and turned her head, sensing something.