Over the next few days, Xiao Mo sat on the deck day and night, devoting himself to cultivation.
Whenever Tushan Jingci had free time, she would also e to the deck and quietly keep him pany.
But on this flying boat, the cultivators of the Tushan clan had not e merely to protect Tushan Jingci. There was even a faint sense that they were watching her.
Yueshi was worried that after her young lady returned to Tushan, the matter between her and Xiao Mo would bee leverage for others to use against her.
So Yueshi often pulled her young lady aside and urged her to restrain herself a little.
Although Tushan Jingci was very displeased, she understood.
It was also during this time that Xiangniang would e over every so often to tease Xiao Mo.
And without exception, she chose moments when Tushan Jingci was not present.
Whenever she caught an opportunity, Xiangniang would sway her slender waist and walk gracefully up to Xiao Mo.
Either she would deliberately drop something on the ground, then bend over in front of Xiao Mo to pick it up, intentionally revealing that soft, snowy swell beneath her collar.
Or she would deliberately move close to Xiao Mo and let the softness before her chest brush lightly against his arm.
If not that, she would lift the hem of her skirt slightly, revealing a pair of long, well-shaped legs. Then, in front of Xiao Mo, her fingers would stroke lightly from her fair ankles up to her smooth, full thighs.
Xiao Mo even felt that if he had not deliberately kept his distance from her every time, she might have pressed herself right against him and rubbed against him from behind.
At first, Xiao Mo only assumed that this fox-clan woman named Xiangniang was amorous by nature and loose with her affections, throwing herself at him so openly.
But one night, Xiangniang secretly came to find Xiao Mo and told him that she was still a virgin. At that, Xiao Mo realized the matter was far from as simple as it appeared.
If she were simply a woman of passion, Xiao Mo could understand it.
After all, the fox clan’s seductive nature was famous, and they had always looked forward to relations between men and women more than other races.
But for her to be an untouched virgin instead made the whole thing rather suspicious.
It even felt very much as though the other party truly could not deal with him, and so she had revealed her trump card in order to seduce him.
She was trying far too hard.
As for whether she had fallen in love with him at first sight?
That was even more absurd and impossible to explain.
In short, although Xiao Mo could not guess the true reason behind her actions for the moment, he knew very well that Xiangniang must have some other purpose in approaching him like this.
...
Three days later, the horizon had just begun to pale, and the first faint light of dawn appeared.
Xiao Mo slowly opened his eyes and saw, not far away, layer after layer of mist floating over the towering ranges of mountains.
Those clouds and mists were, in truth, the visible manifestation of spiritual power after it had grown dense enough to take form.
Places with spiritual power this abundant were usually treated as forbidden grounds by sects, where only inner disciples could enter to cultivate by relying on sect contributions.
Yet now, this blessed cultivation sanctuary stretched across more than a hundred peaks, and it was merely the dwelling place of a single clan.
From this alone, one could see the status and strength of the Tushan clan in the demon-race world.
After all, without sufficient strength, the Tushan clan could never have held on to a place like this.
Huang Mingwei brought out a jade pendant. The light emitted by the pendant enveloped the entire flying boat and slowly merged into the formation.
After passing through that layer of formation, the ancestral land of the Tushan clan appeared fully before Xiao Mo’s eyes.
Towns and villages were scattered among the mountains, interwoven with one another in a picturesque scene.
Spirit beasts leapt lightly through the mountains. Foxes of every color chased and played, some still in beast form, while others had already taken human form yet still retained fluffy ears and tails.
Because of Tushan’s grand formation, the spiritual power and fortune here were allocated to the fox clan first.
Thus, fox-clan members born here did not need to cultivate or encounter any special opportunity. As soon as they opened their eyes, intelligence naturally awakened within them.
Or rather, being born in the Tushan clan grounds was already the greatest opportunity of their lives.
The flying boat slowly descended, and two women came forward. They curtsied to Tushan Jingci.
“Qingkong.”
“Qingyu.”
“We greet Sister Tushan.”
The pair of identical sisters spoke in unison.
Standing to the side, Xiao Mo could clearly sense that their bloodline aura was exactly the same as Jingci’s.
In other words, they were also descendants of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan.
“I greet you, Sisters.”
Tushan Jingci returned the greeting openly and graciously, her tone warm and posed.
“Jingci grew up outside since childhood. This is my first time ing to Tushan’s ancestral land. If I am discourteous in any way, I hope you will be generous enough to forgive me.”
“Sister, what are you saying? This is your first return to the clan grounds. We should be properly receiving you.” Qingkong smiled faintly, then continued, “But before that, the Grand Elder wishes to meet Sister Jingci. Might Sister have time?”
“Naturally. Then I will trouble you two Sisters to lead the way.” Tushan Jingci nodded in answer.
“Then, Young Lady, Xiao Mo and I will wait for you here,” Yueshi said tactfully.
She had never imagined following her young lady to meet that legendary head of the Tushan clan.
“Well...” Qingyu turned her head and looked at Xiao Mo with a smile. “The Grand Elder has ordered that Young Master Xiao e with us as well.”
As Qingyu’s words fell, everyone’s gazes turned toward Xiao Mo in surprise. Only the corners of Xiangniang’s lips curved with an ambiguous, almost-smiling look.
“It is my honor to meet the Grand Elder.” Xiao Mo nodded calmly. “I will trouble you two ladies to lead the way.”
“Please.”
Qingkong and Qingyu turned gracefully and led Xiao Mo and Tushan Jingci toward the main peak.
After the time it took an incense stick to burn, Tushan Jingci and Xiao Mo arrived before a great hall.
“The Grand Elder is already waiting for you inside. You may enter directly,” Qingkong said.
“Thank you, Sisters.” Tushan Jingci nodded and gave a curtsy, then led Xiao Mo into the great hall.
The hall doors slowly closed on their own.
At the very front of the great hall, only one woman in white robes stood quietly.
“Jingci.”
“Xiao Mo.”
“We pay our respects to the Grand Elder.”
The two bowed to the elder in unison.
The Grand Elder slowly turned around. Her gaze fell on Tushan Jingci and Xiao Mo, and she smiled faintly.
“No need for so much courtesy. Rise.”
“Yes, Grand Elder.”
The two straightened and lifted their heads to look at her.
Before them was a woman who looked to be in her forties. Her entire body exuded an icy, unapproachable aura.
As for her appearance, that went without saying.
Everyone of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan was beautiful. There had never been an exception.
As for why they were all “beautiful women,” that was because no matter what race a Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox joined with, the children born would all be girls.
And while the Grand Elder looked at Tushan Jingci, a strange light flowed through her eyes. She was using her innate divine ability to probe Tushan Jingci’s natural foundation.
At the same time, Tushan Jingci felt her soul being invaded bit by bit. The other party seemed to be trying to control her.
Knowing that the other party was testing her, Tushan Jingci circulated her spiritual power.
After three breaths, that soul-controlling spell art quietly came undone.
“Good. Good.”
The Grand Elder looked at Tushan Jingci, her eyes full of satisfaction.
“As expected of the most outstanding child of our Tushan clan. Whether in natural foundation or soul strength, you are indeed extremely remarkable. Our Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox clan has not produced such a satisfying junior in a very long time.”
“Grand Elder praises me too much,” Tushan Jingci said modestly. “pared with the other sisters of the clan, Jingci still has many shortings.”
“Hahaha, quite humble too.” Grand Elder Tushan Meng laughed lightly, her expression kindly. “I heard from your mother that you had a lively, mischievous temperament, even a little willful. Yet seeing you today, I feel instead that you are well-read, courteous, and gracefully posed.”
“Enough, enough. I will not praise you any further. Otherwise, your mother will say you cannot withstand praise and will slack off in cultivation afterward.”
“Jingci, I know this is your first time ing to the clan grounds, so there are likely many places you are not used to yet. But that is no great matter. Over time, you will naturally adapt. If you need anything, e directly to Cold-Soul Peak and find me.”
“Yes, Grand Elder,” Tushan Jingci answered with a nod.
“In addition, there is one more matter. I simply do not know whether you will agree.” The Grand Elder looked at Tushan Jingci kindly, her eyes full of satisfaction.
“Please speak, Grand Elder. Jingci is listening.” Tushan Jingci sounded as though she trusted the Grand Elder very much, but in truth, a trace of vigilance had already risen in her heart.
“In this life of mine, I have accepted only two disciples. One of them is your mother. Now that I have seen how outstanding your talent is, I have once again developed the thought of taking a disciple.”
Tushan Meng looked at Tushan Jingci expectantly, her tone filled with affection for a junior.
“Jingci, are you willing to bee my disciple and serve as the new holy daughter of the Tushan clan?”
“This...” Tushan Jingci’s eyes shifted, and there was a trace of hesitation in her expression. “Grand Elder, if this junior could take you as Master, that would naturally be my good fortune. But as for the position of Tushan’s holy daughter, this junior lacks both virtue and ability. I fear I would be unable to shoulder it.”
Being the Tushan holy daughter was not a bad thing. In fact, the overwhelming majority of Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox descendants dreamed of being the holy daughter.
Because the holy daughter meant being the next head of Tushan.
But she had only just arrived in the ancestral land and knew nothing. How could she bear such a heavy responsibility?
Moreover, she had never thought about matters such as leading the Tushan clan.
“Hahaha, you need not rush to refuse. You can think it over carefully and tell me once you have decided.”
Tushan Meng did not seem to have any intention of forcing Tushan Jingci, and she lightly changed the subject.
“As for this attendant of yours, Jingci, this old woman has also heard of him before. Not only did he save your life when you were young, his talent is exceptional as well. At such a young age, he has already stepped into the Golden Core Realm. So this old woman also has something I wish to give him.”
Hearing the Grand Elder’s words, Xiao Mo and Tushan Jingci glanced at each other.
“You are Xiao Mo, yes?” Tushan Meng looked at Xiao Mo with a measuring gaze.
“I see that you have yet to marry. Among the Tushan children who came to escort you here, there is a young woman named Xiangniang. She is a fine woman of our Tushan clan.”
“As for this old woman, today I will act as matchmaker.”
“I will betroth Xiangniang to you. How about you choose a suitable date and marry?”
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