Chapter Thirty
On the second day after Gu Jin woke up, the two prepared to take the little fox back to the Fox Demon Clan. But early in the morning, the little fox had vanished without a trace from Purple Moon Mountain. Purple Moon Mountain was surrounded by Tian Qi’s protective formation array, and without Bi Bo or San Huo opening the barrier, even Gu Jin could hardly come and go freely. Yet this little fox had disappeared overnight without leaving a single trace, astonishing everyone. Only Ayin couldn’t bear to part with the little fox and searched the entire mountain, giving up only after failing to find it anywhere.
Time waited for no one, so Gu Jin decided to return to the Fox race once more. San Huo escorted the two to the mountain gate, but Bi Bo was nowhere to be seen.
“It seems this little fox is no ordinary creature, to come and go freely within Purple Moon Mountain’s barrier. How it entered the Nine Nether Purgatory is something even this old dragon can’t figure out. I’m afraid only Divine Lord Tian Qi can solve this mystery when he returns. Who knows if this fox is the Fox race’s royal nephew.”
San Huo stroked his chin, then pulled a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Gu Jin. “Nephew, you’re of the Immortal Tribe. The Fox race already shows you leniency for Dong Hua’s sake, which is rare enough. I’ve heard that the phoenix tree within their clan has nurtured many young foxes with five-tailed Spiritual Power over the past few millennia—it’s the Fox race’s Supreme Treasure. Chang Qin is reasonable enough, but the other Fox Elders are hot-tempered and domineering. They likely won’t let you near the phoenix tree easily. Ten thousand years ago, I saved the Fox race’s Chang Mei and Chang Huo. Take my letter with you and tell them this old dragon is calling in that life-saving favor, asking them to grant you some convenience.”
Thinking of how troublesome those Fox Elders could be, Gu Jin felt a headache coming on. He quickly thanked San Huo. “Dragon Lord, you’ve considered everything. Thank you. As for the little fox’s identity, once Ayin and I return to the Fox race and ask tribal chief Chang Qin, we’ll surely learn the truth.”
As he spoke, he glanced toward the mountain gate. Noticing his expression, San Huo chuckled. “Nephew, don’t wait. It’s been thinking of you for a hundred years, and now after just a few days together, you’re parting again. It’s probably hiding somewhere on the mountain, heartbroken. Divine Lord Tian Qi has ordered that Bi Bo cannot leave Purple Moon Mountain. Rest assured, nephew—I’ll protect it well. When the time is right, I’ll send Bi Bo back to you.”
Gu Jin sighed and nodded. “With the Three Realms in turmoil, it’s better for it to stay at Purple Moon Mountain. Dragon Lord, it’s getting late. Ayin and I must bid farewell now. Once we recover Feng Yin’s Soul, we’ll definitely return to Purple Moon Mountain to trouble you again.”
Gu Jin recited an Immortal Incantation and led Ayin onto an Immortal Cloud.
“Dragon Lord, tell our family’s old ancestor I’ll be thinking of it!” Ayin peeked out from behind Gu Jin, her smile bright.
“Alright, little girl, I’ll tell it! The road ahead is long—travel safely. This old dragon will wait for your return at Purple Moon Mountain!” San Huo laughed heartily and opened the barrier.
The two waved in San Huo’s direction, then rode the cloud out of Purple Moon Mountain and into the distance.
San Huo turned and looked back. “They’re long gone. You can come out now.”
Bi Bo fluttered its little wings as it flew out from behind a nearby tree, pouting pitifully, its gaze fixed longingly on the direction where Gu Jin and Ayin had disappeared.
San Huo couldn’t bear to see it like this. He pulled out the phoenix tree heart from his robe; it glowed with a faint golden light.
Bi Bo had always loved golden things and immediately stared at it, unable to look away.
San Huo sighed, broke off half of the tree heart, and tossed it toward Bi Bo. “Here, take it. Go play with the locust tree spirit in the back mountain.” With that, he turned and walked toward the main hall inside the mountain.Taking the tree heart, Bi Bo was taken aback for a moment. Fluttering his wings, he flew to the old fire dragon's shoulder and chirped, "San Huo, isn't this the treasure you used to overcome your tribulation? Why are you giving me half? This was something A Qi went through great trouble to retrieve from the Nine Nether Purgatory. How can you be so careless with it?"
The old fire dragon snorted. Seeing the chubby green ball clutching the phoenix tree heart while following him and muttering nonstop, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and stretched out a hand to the side. "Stop blabbering. Then give it back to me."
Bi Bo nimbly dodged, swallowed the tree heart in one gulp, and innocently spread his two short arms. "It's gone now. Serves you right for giving away your treasure so recklessly. I'm not giving it back." After saying this, he wiped his mouth, wiggled his round buttocks at San Huo, and hummed a tune as he flew up the mountain, completely shedding his earlier melancholic demeanor.
San Huo raised an eyebrow, placed his hands behind his back, and watched the smugly strutting Water Condensation Beast in the distance. A faint smile appeared on his usually proud and cold face.
Half a day later, Gu Jin and Ayin returned to the Fox race's Tranquil Mountain. Just like last time, as soon as they flew to the mountain gate, Elder Chang Huo's figure was already faintly visible.
"Elder Chang Huo, I trust you have been well?" Gu Jin and Ayin descended from the clouds and greeted Chang Huo with a respectful bow.
"All is well. Young friends, you have come at just the right time. The tribal chief has been saying these past two days that you should be returning soon." Chang Huo's expression was amiable, no different from his attitude last time. "Come, the tribal chief is waiting for you in the council hall."
Gu Jin and Ayin nodded and followed Chang Huo toward the council hall.
Inside the council hall, Chang Qin and five Fox race Elders sat upright and solemn.
Seeing Gu Jin enter the hall, Chang Mei looked around beside him and, seeing only Ayin again, revealed disappointment on her face. Unable to hold back, she said, "Gu Jin, you didn't bring our young tribal chief back? I thought the disciple of Great Marsh Mountain's Dong Hua Shang Shen would be impressive, but it seems you're just as fond of boasting. Could it be you couldn't even enter Purple Moon Mountain? Did you just take a sightseeing tour around our Demon Realm and then come back?"
A few days ago, when Gu Jin readily accepted Chang Qin's request to go to Purple Moon Mountain to find Hong Yi, the Fox race Elders had assumed that Dong Hua Shang Shen had connections and friendship with Purple Moon Mountain, and that Gu Jin would smoothly bring back Hong Yi. Now, seeing him return empty-handed, they naturally felt they had been fooled by this Immortal Tribe youth.
Hearing Chang Mei's rude words, Ayin was about to argue but was stopped by Gu Jin. "Elder Chang Mei." Gu Jin raised his hand in greeting, his expression still gentle. "Ayin and I rescued a young fox inside Purple Moon Mountain. I wonder if it might be your noble clan's young master?"
"Young fox?" Chang Mei was stunned and blurted out, "Our young tribal chief is already five thousand years old. Even when shape-shifted, he is an adult nine-tailed fox. How could he be a young fox?"
"Nine-tailed fox?" Gu Jin frowned and smiled bitterly. "It seems that was not your young tribal chief, then. The fox we rescued in Purple Moon Mountain, though it can enlarge its size, only has one tail. Tribal Chief Chang Qin, could your sensing three years ago have been mistaken? Perhaps the one trapped in Purple Moon Mountain was that young fox, not your nephew."
"Nonsense! How could our tribal chief's sensing be wrong? Clearly, you, an Immortal Tribe youth, couldn't enter Purple Moon Mountain and are now coming back with absurd stories to deceive us." Chang Mei raised an eyebrow, anger appearing on her face.
"Chang Mei!" Chang Qin's voice rang out in the hall. She glanced at Chang Mei, her eyes carrying authority.
Chang Mei's expression faltered. The hot-tempered beautiful fox pursed her lips, snorted, and turned her head away."You say it was a rescue?" Chang Qin looked towards Gu Jin. "Purple Moon Mountain is Divine Lord Tian Qi's cultivation ground. Who would dare act recklessly within the mountain? If my royal nephew is there, at most he would be trapped. How could he be in danger?"
Naturally, only something belonging to Tian Qi could run amok in Purple Moon Mountain. After all, the Nine Nether Purgatory was created by Tian Qi himself, and even San Huo could only guard it. Gu Jin silently grumbled in his heart but could not reveal the reason. Tian Qi was away on a journey and had not yet returned. The Nine Nether Purgatory imprisoned ferocious beasts that had committed grave sins in the Ancient Divine Realm and the Three Realms over the past hundred thousand years. If someone with ill intentions exploited this and opened the Purgatory, the Three Realms would surely face catastrophic disaster.
"Tribal Chief, this matter concerns the secrets of Purple Moon Mountain. I have made a promise to Dragon Lord San Huo and cannot disclose the affairs of the mountain to outsiders. I ask for your understanding and forgiveness."
Hearing San Huo mentioned, Chang Qin narrowed her eyes. "Oh? You met Dragon Lord San Huo?"
Noticing the slight rise in Chang Qin's tone and the skeptical expressions of the elders, Gu Jin knew the Fox race did not believe him. He retrieved a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Chang Huo.
"Tribal Chief Chang Qin, this is a letter from Divine Lord San Huo, entrusted to me to deliver to you."
Chang Huo quickly took it and passed it to Chang Qin.
Chang Qin unfolded the letter, glanced through it, and raised an eyebrow in Gu Jin's direction. "Young man, not bad. The Dragon Lord actually invoked an old favor from our Fox race on your behalf, asking me to permit you entry into the Tranquil Abyss Lake."
"I ask the Tribal Chief to grant me passage into the lake to retrieve Feng Yin's soul." Gu Jin bowed respectfully to Chang Qin, his tone sincere.
"Entering the Tranquil Abyss Lake is not impossible." Chang Qin clasped her hands behind her back, her voice slightly raised.
Several elders' expressions changed, and they were about to speak, but Chang Qin raised a hand to stop them.
"Unless you tell me what exactly happened in Purple Moon Mountain. Either you retrieve Feng Yin's soul, or you keep your promise to Dragon Lord San Huo. Young man, how can one gain something in this world without paying a price? Especially when what you seek to enter is the sacred land of our Fox race."
Hearing Chang Qin present him with this choice, Gu Jin met her gaze. Seeing her scrutinizing and assessing look, he remained silent for a long moment before suddenly speaking.
"I have heard that three hundred years ago, the Ancient True God, who was then Divine Lord Rear Pond of Clear Pond Palace, traveled to the Third Heaven of the Demon Realm with the Phoenix Sovereign. It is said they once saved the Tribal Chief in front of the Mystic Crystal Palace. May I ask if this past event is true?"
The matter of Chang Qin being trapped in the Third Heaven by the Demon Realm's Second Prince, Sen Yu, for hundreds of years was a great taboo within the Fox race. No one had dared mention it in her presence for centuries. As soon as Gu Jin spoke these words, the expressions of several elders instantly changed.
"That is correct, it is true. What of it, Gu Jin? Could it be that you intend to stand in for Feng Ran and demand repayment of that favor?"
"I would not dare. I merely wish to say..." Gu Jin paused briefly. "Before the battle at the Mystic Crystal Palace, the Phoenix Sovereign and the Tribal Chief had no prior acquaintance. The Phoenix Sovereign spoke out for you out of pure righteousness. Later, the Tribal Chief and the Phoenix Sovereign became close friends. For hundreds of years, even amidst conflicts between the immortal and demon races, their friendship has never been affected. This shows that many matters in this world are judged by the heart and acted upon with righteousness. Not everything is a transaction that requires a price."
He took a step forward and bowed his head to Chang Qin. "I dare not seek repayment of the Phoenix Sovereign's favor. My purpose in entering the Demon Realm is only to atone for the mistake I made on Phoenix Tree Island. Feng Yin's soul being scattered and spirit dispersed is entirely my fault. I ask the Tribal Chief to forgive Gu Jin for his youthful ignorance back then and grant me another chance to make amends."The young man stood tall and straight, bowing his head in apology, his expression open and sincere—utterly different from the frivolous, still-green youth of years past.
Ten years of imprisonment had finally allowed this most mysterious and rebellious young disciple in the history of Great Marsh Mountain to mature.
Chang Qin nodded inwardly, finally letting out a hearty laugh. "Well done! Truly worthy of being Dong Hua's disciple—bold and responsible. I, too, have been waiting for that little Feng Yin for a century. Gu Jin, today, in light of your sincere repentance and San Huo's ties to our race, I will permit you to enter the sacred grounds of the Fox race and retrieve Feng Yin's soul." She waved a hand. "Chang Huo, take them to Tranquil Lake. Remember, do not disturb that senior."
"Thank you, tribal chief, for your wisdom and fairness." Gu Jin finally relaxed his brow. Though puzzled by Chang Qin's instructions, he had no time to ask before Chang Huo led him toward Tranquil Lake.
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