Chapter 212 What exactly do you want from Qingyu Mountain?
As Achan uttered that accusation, a chill ran down her spine—her body's perception of danger.
The Fox King's murderous intent was undisguised. When Achan met her gaze, they could both see the resentment in each other's eyes.
The Fox King resented Ah Chan for causing her to lose her son, while Ah Chan resented the Fox King's decision that caused her to lose her parents.
"You want to die!" The Fox King's voice was cold and stern. There was never any warmth between her and Achan due to their kinship. She never showed mercy to any junior who provoked her.
“If Grandmother wants to try, she can. Father gave me all his life force; if he wants me dead, you’ll have to kill me several more times.”
Upon hearing Achan say that Xijing had given her all his life force, the murderous intent in the Fox King's eyes suddenly faded, and she reverted to her original proud and aloof demeanor.
"Is this why you dared to come to Qingyu Mountain? Relying on the life Xijing gave you, you dare to spout nonsense in front of me."
"Grandmother, won't you ask how I obtained Father's life force?"
The Fox King didn't need to ask, because she had taught Xi Jing the knowledge about inner alchemy before he even grew up.
He truly heeded all the repeated admonitions he had received.
"You found his remains?"
“I saw his remains,” Achan said to the Fox King. “I also learned the cause of my father’s death.”
"He died at your mother's hands, because of you."
Achan's lips twitched slightly: "He was cursed by the Demon Emperor and was forced to walk this path for our sake."
She stood up, placed her hands on the rough stone table, and looked down at the Fox King: "If you hadn't deliberately lured Father away, the Witch Clan wouldn't have been nearly wiped out, and Father wouldn't have broken with the Demon Emperor because of it. If you, Grandmother, hadn't been so good at protecting yourself, the Demon Emperor might not have been able to successfully curse Father in the end."
"What did you say?"
Achan didn't miss a single subtle expression from the Fox King. The fact that her father was cursed had a huge impact on her; she had indeed been completely unaware of it before.
All she knew was that her father died for her and her sisters, but she didn't know the cause of all this.
The stone table under Achan's hands made a cracking sound, and countless tiny but deep cracks appeared on its surface.
“I said that before he died, he cursed Father’s bloodline to be cut off and that all his descendants would die a terrible death.” Achan straightened up and said, word by word, “Grandmother, it was you who personally pushed Father to his death.”
The Fox King closed her eyes. She and Xi Jing had argued many times, initially because of the witch, and later because of their two short-lived offspring.
She never understood what was wrong with giving up on two cubs who were destined to have no future. The demon race has always been a dog-eat-dog world, and the weak should be left to fend for themselves, but Xi Jing refused.
Even during their most heated arguments, he never told her that the reason the two children died young was due to the Demon Emperor's curse.
After a long silence, the Fox King finally spoke, asking, "What exactly do you want from Qingyu Mountain?"
Achan lifted her skirt and sat back on the stone bench: "Actually, what I want is easy for Grandmother."
She slowly spoke: "I've heard that the Demon Emperor has descendants to carry on his legacy. I think they deserve to die."
The Fox King suddenly opened his eyes: "What's your name among humans?"
Achan paused in playing with her hair, then replied, "Ji Chan, Ji as in the four seasons, Chan as in beautiful woman."
What is your relationship with Ji Heng?
Ah Chan sighed inwardly, "As expected of the Fox King who stands firm among the demons, he is truly perceptive."
She answered calmly, "He is the biological father of this body."
The statement, “You have a grudge against him,” is not a question, but a statement of certainty.
What are the Demon Emperor's offspring compared to the one truly worthy of fear? The only one worthy of apprehension is that half-demon named Ji Heng. She happens to know that the half-demon originally came from the human race.
"I have no grudge against him. I was just asked to kill him." Achan made no attempt to hide her purpose. In the face of the Five Realms, lies are the most useless cover-up.
"You think you can sway me with just a few words?"
"Can't it?" Achan seemed somewhat troubled. "If even Father's death can't move Grandmother, then I'll have to be more blunt. If Grandmother doesn't help me today, and Qingyu Mountain falls into trouble in the future, you'll only be able to rely on that demon princess to save you from danger."
"Qingyu Mountain is in trouble?" The Fox King sneered. "Are you threatening me? With a mere Ming King's heir who hasn't even ascended the throne yet?"
"Yes, does Grandma think it's not enough?"
The Fox King laughed: "Achan, has no one taught you that power gained through trickery cannot be controlled? Power only has deterrent effect when it is in your own hands. The Great Xia is not for you to rule."
Achan laughed, "Grandmother hasn't even seen the knife in my hand yet, how do you know I won't be able to control it?"
Her eyes crinkled into a smile, her expression tender: "My knife only obeys me. Wherever I point, it cuts. Whoever I want to die, it will kill for me. Grandmother, you should know, this is not difficult for me."
The Fox King stared at Achan for a long time: "Your knife is not heavy enough to threaten me."
"Is that so?" Achan said dismissively. "Let me remind you, Grandmother, that he is not yet thirty years old. Perhaps in ten years, you will not be able to handle this knife."
The smile on the Fox King's face vanished.
At less than thirty years old, Wu Jing was indeed threatened, but she would not be easily persuaded.
Will he still listen to you ten years from now?
“He will,” Achan said with certainty. “He will only ever listen to me for the rest of his life. Of course, if you don’t believe me, I don’t mind bringing him to visit you in person.”
The Fox King was probably not interested in this suggestion, and immediately changed the subject, saying, "Ji Heng is a fifth-level demon. His death would be harmful to the demon race."
"Grandmother is just the Fox King, yet she insists on worrying about the Demon Emperor. Did the demon race not survive before him? Now that he's here, Grandmother should be worried. After all, it's not just us who have a grudge against the Demon Emperor; in the eyes of the Demon Emperor's descendants, there is also a blood feud between her and us."
In the end, the topic was still brought back to the Demon Emperor by Ah Rao.
"Ji Heng's existence, apart from constantly threatening Grandmother, will not bring any benefit to Qingyu Mountain. That demon princess can raise one Ji Heng, and who knows, she might raise a second or a third. When that happens, which son will Grandmother sacrifice to her?"
Ah Chan's deliberately provocative words angered the Fox King, but she did not fly into a rage as she had at the beginning.
Achan knew very well that the Fox King could easily see through her thoughts, but she would never refuse.
Finally, the Fox King said, "Ji Heng is now a demon, I will not help you kill him."
Achan smiled and said, "I have already found someone to kill Ji Heng. It won't make things difficult for Grandmother. Grandmother only needs to stop those demon kings who want to help Ji Heng."
"You think highly of me."
Achan blinked: "I never underestimate my grandmother. I heard that when she was young, several demon kings of the demon race lingered in Qingyu Mountain. If my grandmother hadn't disliked them for not being foxes, one of them would probably be my grandfather by now. The demon emperor's followers may not be as many as my grandmother's admirers."
The Fox King, not wanting to listen to Ah Chan's nonsense, interrupted her: "Is stopping them enough?"
"Oh, there's one more thing I need to trouble Grandmother with."
Achan took out a golden book.
The Fox King recognized it at a glance: "The Book of Earth Spirits?"
Achan handed over the Book of Earthly Spirits: "Since Grandmother recognizes it, consider this book a gift for you. I've heard that the Rat Clan has a very thorough understanding of it; with just one person's blood, they can find all of that person's blood relatives."
"You want to find out all the bloodlines of the Demon Emperor through it? You have quite the appetite."
Even so, the Fox King eventually accepted the Book of Earthly Spirits.
“If you’re going to do something, you have to go all the way. Ah Mian and I have both died once. Why should the descendants of the Demon Emperor be allowed to live? Their survival is disrespect to Father. Grandmother would never want that to happen, right?”
The Fox King snorted lightly: "When will we make our move?"
"Grandmother's birthday is coming soon. Let's not delay too long, lest we bring bad luck on such an auspicious day. How about we set it for seven days later?"
"Can."
“Then…” Achan stretched out her hand to the Fox King, “I trust my grandmother, but in case she doesn’t trust me, let’s make a contract.”
The Fox King glanced at her coldly, but Achan's smile remained unchanged. In the end, she still placed her hand on his.
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