As time passed and the night faded, a faint pink hue appeared on the distant sky, signaling the imminent start of a new day.
Bai Qingnian walked in from outside with a small bowl and sat down at the table.
"Still not awake?" He reached out and gently poked the little black snake in the broken bowl.
The little black snake stirred and slowly opened its eyes to look at him, its beautiful golden eyes meeting his gaze.
Bai Qingnian was taken aback. "Why are there golden eyes again? Have I been messing with golden eyes lately?"
Long Qianling was somewhat bewildered. How could he see her? Why?
He couldn't see her divine consciousness, so why could he see her true form now?
"You're awake. Are you hungry? I just went outside and got some meat. Would you like some?"
Bai Qingnian had no idea what she was thinking. He picked up the small bowl, used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of raw meat, and held it to Long Qianling's lips.
Long Qianling glanced at the raw meat with some disdain, not wanting to eat it, but when she met Bai Qingnian's eager eyes, she still opened her mouth and swallowed the meat.
"How is it? Is it delicious?" Bai Qingnian's eyes lit up when he saw her eating, and he looked at her with a smile.
Long Qianling was startled by his smile; it was the first time she had ever seen him smile so happily, and he even looked rather handsome...
He tapped his snake head, feeling a little guilty and not daring to look at him.
"Then eat more." Bai Qingnian happily put another piece of meat on her plate.
Long Qianling swallowed them one by one.
After feeding her the meat in the bowl, Bai Qingnian put down the bowl and chopsticks and gently stroked her chin with his finger.
"So cute..."
Long Qianling's pupils narrowed. What was he saying? She's cute? Is "cute" even a suitable word to describe her?
Long Qianling got angry and opened her mouth to bite his finger, but Bai Qingnian grabbed her by the seven-inch mark and lifted her up.
"I'm going to gather herbs, will you come with me?"
I disagree! Let me go!
Long Qianling glared angrily with her golden eyes, but Bai Qingnian had no idea what she was trying to say. He thought she was just too excited, which was why she was twisting her body like a pretzel.
"Stop fooling around, just keep me company. I used to go to gather herbs all by myself, but now that you're with me, I'm not lonely anymore, okay, Little Black~" Bai Qingnian stopped and looked at the little black snake in his hand with her beautiful fox eyes.
Long Qianling was taken aback, stopped struggling, and looked back at him.
Is he being coquettish?
Seeing her looking at him, Bai Qingnian knew she was wavering, so he moved his face closer and rubbed it against hers.
"Thanks, Xiao Hei!"
Long Qianling froze, completely unprepared for the audacity of this cunning fox, brazenly approaching him. Wasn't he afraid of being poisoned?
Also, why do her ears seem a little hot?
Long Qianling's mind was in complete chaos, and she didn't hear Bai Qingnian call her anything at all.
Bai Qingnian wasn't particularly brave; he just had a fondness for small animals. In his mind, small animals that couldn't transform into human form posed no danger whatsoever, like Long Qianling in the present moment.
...
Baicao Valley.
Bai Qingnian led Long Qianling out of the Fox Palace and arrived at the nearest Hundred Herbs Valley.
This is the territory of the fox clan, so those who dig for medicinal herbs here are all fox clan members.
Bai Qingnian's father, Zhiyan, went into seclusion to cultivate after opening his meridians. Bai Qingnian had some talent for alchemy, so he refined low-level pills to sell and supplement his and his father's household income.
He was not favored, so naturally he didn't receive a monthly allowance. The Fox Emperor abandoned them, leaving them to fend for themselves. If it weren't for the pills he had refined and the handkerchiefs his father had embroidered over the years, the father and son might have frozen to death in the winter of Qingqiu long ago.
"Little Black, we'll just gather some low-grade spiritual herbs today, no need to go into the valley," Bai Qingnian said, pointing to Long Qianling perched on his shoulder. His voice was light and cheerful.
Long Qianling turned her head to the side, avoiding his fingers.
That damn little fox, why does it have to get physical when it's just talking?
Bai Qingnian smiled and withdrew his hand. "Alright, let's go dig for herbs."
It's definitely better to have someone with you, even if she's just a little black snake, he's still very happy.
It's you.
A somewhat familiar voice sounded behind him. Bai Qingnian turned around and saw Bai Shaoheng standing not far away with a group of people.
"Second Prince..." Bai Qingnian turned to face Bai Shaoheng and bowed to him.
He was still very grateful to him for helping him in the palace before. If he hadn't spoken up, he might be dead by now.
Bai Shaoheng stepped up to him, his gaze inadvertently falling on the small black snake on his shoulder.
"No need to be so distant, just call me Second Brother." Bai Shaoheng turned his gaze back to Bai Qingnian, who was looking down with meek eyes.
"Yes, Second Brother..." Bai Qingnian dared not say more and could only reply.
Bai Shaoheng helped him up and asked, "Are you here to gather herbs? Would you like to come along?"
"Second Brother, Nineteen is only here to gather some low-grade medicinal herbs, so she won't be traveling with you," Bai Qingnian quickly refused.
Bai Shaoheng nodded, "Then I'll go into the valley first. Be careful."
"Okay, thank you for reminding me, Second Brother."
Bai Shaoheng led a large group of people into Baicao Valley.
He came here to gather some high-grade herbs to treat his mother's injuries. She was ambushed and seriously injured yesterday, and as her son, he felt he should do something to help.
Unexpectedly, I ran into Bai Qingnian here.
Bai Qingnian watched them leave, then let out a long sigh. "Xiao Hei, you know what? That really scared me to death!"
Long Qianling flicked her tail in annoyance, the air still filled with a smell she disliked.
It's that old fox's scent!
That Bai Shaoheng is indeed worthy of being the legitimate son; even his aura is exactly the same as that old fox's.
Long Qianling actually knew Bai Shaoheng. She remembered that when they first met, Bai Shaoheng was being chased by Hu Ruo, that silly tiger. She appeared and beat Hu Ruo up, creating a scene of a hero saving a beauty.
However, what Long Qianling didn't know was that Bai Shaoheng had secretly fallen for her ever since that incident.
Unfortunately, the dragon clan was later destroyed, and their fox clan remained the main force. Bai Shaoheng felt guilty and dared not appear in front of her again.
Even when he went to the Abyss of Evil, he only dared to stand blankly outside the abyss, afraid that Long Qianling would hate him because of his mother.
"Have you heard? The Fox Emperor was attacked yesterday and was seriously injured!"
"Really? How could the Fox Emperor, who is so powerful, be injured?"
"How would I know? Looking across the entire demon realm, besides that evil dragon in the Abyss of Ten Thousand Evils, who else could possibly harm the Fox Emperor?!"
"Tch, what are you saying? Thirty thousand years have passed, that evil dragon might already be dead!"
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