After completing the rune protection on her feet, Yino could finally embrace Yuebai without worry. Beyond words, when they were honest with each other, her sitting in his lap privately, letting him pat her head and pinch her cheeks, was quite adorable.
Yino had originally planned for two days and nights. But now, it took less than three hours for Yuebai to become completely docile, which saved him considerable unnecessary time. As for the thousand-year soul source pill, Yino and Liuli hadn’t extracted it yet. Now, the spirit pool was full, and the exit sealed with talismans. Moreover, since Yuebai had thoroughly surrendered, refining the soul source pill was merely a matter of time.
Whether they needed to remove the soul source pill at all remained debatable. After all, if it could be refined, the dark mark could directly control it. At that time, leaving it inside Yuebai’s body would become Yino’s medium of control – why remove it?
“Come here, raise your tails.”
“Just one final step, and you’ll be completely free.”
Yino patted the little white fox’s waist until all her nine tails were raised, then finally attached the tenth tail he had prepared. As the reservoir’s final plug was sealed, the adorable little white fox had successfully completed the full inspection process.
“Alright, get dressed. Other righteous cultivators will be here soon, we should leave early.” Yino said flatly, giving the white foxgirl’s bottom a final pat. Strictly speaking, Yuebai’s clothes weren’t dirty, mainly her stockings were soiled. Now her legs were adorned with new white thigh-high stockings, her body had been cleaned thoroughly by Yino under Liuli’s spraying vines. To regain composure, she only needed to stand and put on her chest-high ceremonial pleated dress.
However… Because of the newly added tail dragging on the ground, even standing made Yuebai tremble. She clutched her clothes, legs pressed together, knees slightly bent, her alluring eyes unable to hide both shame and resentment when looking at Yino. Yino didn’t scold her further, seeing she wasn’t yet accustomed to the new tail, he stepped forward to help her dress and thoughtfully adjusted the tenth tail’s angle to make it less uncomfortable.
“What’s wrong? Doesn’t your fox clan say more tails show higher cultivation? Aren’t you happy your master thoughtfully gave you another tail?” Yino teased seriously.
At these words, not only did Yuebai blush furiously, but even the red foxgirl who had dressed nearby reddened with shame. Jinyue watched the ten-tailed Yuebai, swallowing unconsciously with a sense of empathy, her own three red tails unconsciously tightening. She had thought Yino was bluffing when he said he’d string her up and forcefully attach a fourth tail.
But unexpectedly… Yino really had tail-attaching implements! Why would he carry such things around?! Jinyue now suspected Yino had prepared this white tail long ago, and his mysterious storage ring surely held more than one red tail, just waiting for the day to attach them to her!
“Yino…”
“This lady… can barely walk like this!”
Yuebai took two difficult steps with Yino’s support, but finally complained through gritted teeth. Yino glanced at her and snapped his fingers.
Yuebai didn’t react immediately, but soon felt her body lighten considerably, even the ten taut tails becoming more nimble.
“You, you can control even this at will?”
Thinking of this, Yuebai broke into a cold sweat, feeling Yino had completely developed every inch of her body – no matter where she fled in the world, she couldn’t escape the power of his single finger snap!
Yino didn’t explain, just observed her shameful angry expression and snapped again. Click~!
As the sound fell, Yuebai suddenly felt something, her previously glaring face immediately flushing red with frustration.
“Why, why did you adjust it back a bit?!”
The white foxgirl bent slightly with discomfort, clinging even more to Yino’s arm.
Yino’s eyes held no revenge, only pure playfulness:
“See, this setting is just right – lets you maintain basic walking needs while keeping you focused on cultivation, with less spare energy to argue with me.”
“You… you really are a demon…”
Due to Yino’s precise control, Yuebai could only argue back in the most difficult tone while gritting her teeth in endurance.
“If I’m a demon, why are you clinging to me? The ancient palace exit is right there, go if you want to leave.”
Yino shrugged, deliberately releasing Yuebai’s hand. But before he walked far, the trembling little white fox hugged him again, clingy like Jinyue had been.
“If you abandon this lady here now, what if other righteous cultivators discover me?”
Yuebai’s was red with frustration, her white-gold alluring eyes reflecting hints of peach blossoms, her attitude toward Yino gradually changing from hatred to a love-hate relationship she couldn’t help.
Yino gave a teasing laugh, suddenly turning back to look at Yuebai, speaking in a domineering yet subtly gentle tone:
“What’s there to fear? If anyone dares touch you, I’ll kill them.”
“…”
Yuebai froze, words failing her. She felt warmth in her heart and abdomen, as if experiencing care for the first time in ages.
But… Yuebai understood clearly now that these feelings were strange – how could she be happy about Yino’s concern? After all, if he hadn’t forcefully trained her, she wouldn’t need anyone’s protection with her cultivation level!
“What’s this? Did you just feel a little secretly pleased?”
Yino seemed to have anticipated this, seeing through to the slight excitement in Yuebai’s heart.
Yuebai’s little face flushed, shaking her head repeatedly, but feeling too ashamed to meet Yino’s eyes.
“Keep at it, don’t fall too far. I’m still counting on you to help me with something in Jiangnan in the future.” Discover stories at empire
Yino said lightly, raising his hand to support Yuebai’s waist. In this dark and damp ancient palace, Yuebai felt somewhat heartwarmed, while Jinyue and Liuli could only watch enviously from the side.
“At this point, what do you still want this lady to do in Jiangnan?”
“What else? Your original job, of course.”
“Original job?”
“Aren’t you Xumo’s master?”
“…. Just how many of this lady’s secrets do you know?”
“I know plenty. Next, when we find a safe place, I’ll ask you one by one. Then you can choose whether the soul source pill or the Celestial Master is more important to you.” Yino smiled coldly, walking arm in arm with Yuebai out of the ancient palace.
But all along the way, Yuebai walked unsteadily. She suddenly thought of something important–
“Wait, how long do you want this lady to wear this tail?”
“Let’s try a month first. I still need to input spiritual energy through it to maintain the stability of various seals in your body. Once your body gets used to it, you naturally won’t need to wear it every day.”
“But, but what if this lady needs to…”
“You think I don’t know that at the Nascent Soul stage, you no longer need basic bodily functions?”
“You’re only at Core Formation, how do you know that!!!”
“Oh right, let me tell you another secret – if you ever stubbornly try to remove it yourself, beware of triggering the punishment mechanism in the evil mark all over your body.”
“You really are a demon–!!!!!”
“Call me Master.”
“Master~”