Chapter 118: The Method of Breaking the Spell (Happy Mid-Autumn Festival)

The phantom of a white fox and the phantom of a nine-tailed fox appearing on one person simultaneously is unprecedented. It is a known truth that a person can only possess one type of power; no one has ever heard of an individual wielding two.

Third Grandfather was deeply troubled. The power Yin Yao inherited from the Silver Fox was that of a white fox—a symbol of holiness and purity. Yet, the nine-tailed fox is renowned for its charm, capable of bewitching the hearts of men. Yin Yao was protected by the white fox phantom a short while ago, and now she is shielded by the nine-tailed fox phantom. What exactly did she inherit? In any case, it is impossible for two such powers to coexist.

Could it be...? Could one of these two powers appearing on Yin Yao belong to her sister? If that were the case, wouldn’t the possibility that Yin Yao had been subjected to a forbidden soul-binding art be near absolute?

Third Grandfather was so frightened by his own thoughts that he stepped back repeatedly. Having spent the day comforting others—and himself—that Yin Yao’s condition only resembled a forbidden soul art, he now found himself increasingly convinced that it was exactly that. Could it be that another soul was truly living inside the child?

Suppressing his shock, Third Grandfather forced himself to calm down. He resolved to scour the ancient texts, and if that proved fruitless, he would find an excuse to leave and seek out elders from other great clans to ask about breaking forbidden soul arts. He would not allow this situation to continue.

He would never allow it.

...

When Li Su opened his eyes, the sky was already dark; night had fallen. He surveyed his surroundings and observed the environment. He was in a cave—not large, but well-positioned, shielding him from the cold night wind. The cave was not as frigid as he had imagined.

He looked around in disbelief; the white-clad Yin Yao was indeed gone. Li Su rubbed his throbbing temples and scanned the cave again. Was everything he saw last night just a hallucination?

He stood up, his bones aching in protest. Touching the stone walls, he bent over and made his way toward the exit, inch by inch. He was still too weak; he didn't know if this adventure had been worth the cost.

"Li Su, why are you up?" The woman in white jumped off the back of a white fox and hurried into the cave.

Hearing her voice, Li Su looked up abruptly. Seeing her familiar face, he offered a faint smile. "Yao’er, you’re back. You know, when I woke up and couldn't find you, I thought everything from last night was just a hallucination."

Li Su’s guileless expression and earnest tone made the woman’s nose sting. She felt an urge to cry. Looking up at the sky to force her tears back, she walked into the cave, carrying some wild fruits.

Carefully helping Li Su sit on the dry grass, she held out the fruit. "Li Su, eat something. I couldn't find much in this wilderness, just a few wild fruits to stave off your hunger. Please, eat."

Li Su took the fruit with both hands, took a bite, and smiled happily. He looked at the few fruits in his hand and reached out. "Yao’er, you should eat too."

The woman stopped him and shook her head. "I no longer need to eat. You know, once one reaches the middle stage of the Void Realm, one can go long periods without food. But you are different; you are covered in wounds and must eat to regain your strength, or you will heal much slower."

Hearing this, Li Su began to devour the fruit. He didn't know where she found them, but they were bright red and sweet, with the greener ones offering a pleasant, slightly tart tang.

After finishing the fruit, Li Su began to ask the white-clad Yin Yao about the Void Continent. He learned that they were in the border region between the Nine-Tailed Fox clan and the White Fox clan; the original Spirit Fox clan had long been divided in two. Their current location was closer to the territory of the Nine-Tailed Fox clan.

"Yao’er, what do you plan to do next?" Li Su asked after absorbing the information.

Hearing the name "Yao’er," the woman masked her eyes with her hand, hiding the fleeting emotion that had flickered across her face. Lowering her hand, she smiled gently. "Li Su, I have learned some things about my parents. Now, I want to go to the territory where your clan is located."

"Why?" Li Su asked, puzzled.

"My parents are both severely wounded. I need to go to your clan to learn some ancient healing methods." The woman had been prepared for his questions; she had answers for everything.

Li Su didn't hesitate and agreed immediately. This rendered her prepared rhetoric useless, but that was fine—it saved the trouble of explaining. It seemed Li Su trusted Yin Yao implicitly. He didn't ask more, nor did he complain, even though he could have reached his own clan’s territory much sooner had he not broken the rules and suffered severe injuries in his haste to see her.

"Li Su, don't call me Yao’er anymore, okay?" The woman was unwilling to keep living under someone else’s identity.

"Then tell me, what should I call you?" Li Su didn't make it difficult for her. He didn't know why, but since meeting Yin Yao again in the Void Continent, he found her much quieter, and her smiles more frequent. Was it because she had news of her parents?

The woman thought for a moment. She still had to stay by Li Su’s side as Yin Yao, but she didn't want him using a nickname meant for someone else. She had to maintain the charade while staying true to herself.

"Just 'Yin,' how about that?" She smiled at him, her two small dimples appearing, looking very serene and lovely.

Looking at her smile, Li Su felt a sense of intoxication and nodded, agreeing to her request. Seeing his consent, her smile deepened.

That night, they talked for a long time. When Li Su could no longer stay awake, she gave him a prepared medicinal herb so that he would see her when he woke up.

At the entrance of the cave, a white fox the size of a tiger lay down, blocking the wind and keeping the cave warm. She rose, walked over to the fox, and lay down beside it, stroking its fur.

"Ling’er, tell me, was bringing him with us the right choice? Will he notice the difference between me and Yin Yao? Tell me, is that long-lost method I accidentally learned still useful? Does anyone really know how to perform it? Will I succeed? I don't want to implicate my loved ones! I don't want to hurt anyone, but you know how fast my strength is growing. If Yin Yao doesn't work hard enough, she will be consumed by my soul, won't she?"

She spoke softly, pouring out her heart. The white fox seemed to understand, nuzzling her face to comfort and empower her.

The fox's fur tickled her, and she laughed softly. She stood up, draped herself over the fox, and gently petted its back.

"Ling’er, this method won't last long. Li Su will eventually discover that I disappear during the day. What should I do? He must never know that I am merely a soul entity! I can feel it; Yin Yao is working very hard in her cultivation. Should I restrain my own strength and suppress it, giving her more time to grow?"

Her voice was as soft as water, and she wore a perpetual, faint smile—as if nothing could ever strip it away. Even when she frowned, her eyes still held a glimmer of laughter.

The white fox curled its body around her, providing warmth. She smiled, stroked the fox, and drifted into a deep sleep.

...

When the sun rose, Yin Yao woke up, feeling the abundant spiritual energy within her. She hoped that the next time she leveled up, she would meet that mysterious woman again to ask her questions, so she wouldn't have to worry about falling into a sleep from which she might never wake, only to return with a different soul.

Third Grandfather was a man of action. He left behind some spare medicine, bid everyone farewell, and stepped into the night to leave the White Fox clan before Yin Yao woke up. Everyone knew why he was doing this, so no one stopped him; they only hoped he would return soon.

Ji Xuanyu scoured the library but found little useful information. He wanted to follow Third Grandfather to search for clues about the forbidden soul art, but he knew he couldn't leave Yin Yao, especially not in her current state.

Everyone knew Yin Yao’s condition, and they were at a loss as to what to do next. Losing her consciousness and spiritual energy every night meant she couldn't accomplish much.

Everyone hoped Yin Yao would improve her strength quickly to buy more time. To help her avoid detours, the five remaining grandfathers took turns passing on their life’s cultivation insights, hoping only that she would become stronger.

Yin Yao worked incredibly hard. She stayed in her room, entering a state of deep meditation. When she lost consciousness, she rested; when she awoke, she cultivated. Since she no longer needed food, she became even more desperate. She was essentially a shut-in.

Yet, no one stopped her. They all tacitly supported her. By now, everyone had defaulted to the reality of Yin Yao’s situation, but no one spoke it aloud; they simply stood by and offered silent support.

Influenced by her actions, Bai Yun curbed her own temperament and became quiet and diligent. Even Bai Ziye, who knew her best, was shocked, but he was also pleased and felt more at ease assisting Bai Ling with the clan’s affairs.

Bai Yong, spurred on by his sister’s behavior, led the White Fox warriors through grueling training, making his subordinates groan.

Ji Xuanyu kept searching for books. One day, after reading something, he informed Bai Ling and Bai Ziye and immediately went into seclusion. This surprised everyone, as seclusion meant he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

Everyone was working hard, as if they all sensed that something significant was about to happen.