Outside Jiuyuan City, the accumulated snow had already disappeared.
Although the mountains were still barren and lifeless, a hint of green had begun to sprout on the dried branches.
The wind blowing towards them was no longer bitterly cold.
Spring had finally arrived, with early spring winds carrying a slight chill.
Li Muyang and Li Yuechan landed in the forest, avoiding any reckless approach toward Jiuyuan City.
For them, there was no need to step into Jiuyuan City or face Chou Yuyan head-on.
As long as they were on the surrounding land of Jiuyuan City, the Ghost Moon Fox could transport them inside.
Yet, after Li Muyang and Li Yuechan waited in the forest for quite some time, there was no sign of movement.
Li Muyang frowned and said, “We shouldn’t be late, right…?”
He lowered his gaze to the Yin Life Book in his hand.
The previously radiant Yin Life Book had been dim for quite a while now.
Li Yuechan said, “If Mother has perished, as her bloodline descendant, I should sense it. Mother must be too occupied to divert her attention…”
Just as Li Yuechan finished speaking, the forest around them suddenly stirred.
A rustling sound echoed, and eerie foxes began appearing in the forest.
These foxes had fur of various colors, yet they all emitted a sinister chill, exuding an aura akin to ghostly creatures.
Li Muyang watched the appearance of this horde of Ghost Foxes with icy eyes.
“It seems these stubborn Ghost Foxes refuse to give up their haunting ways…”
These Ghost Foxes, bound to this land, harbored immense resentment toward the Mortal World and intense hatred for the Ghost Moon Fox that imprisoned them here.
Despite the fact that without the Ghost Moon Fox, they would have perished in the calamity ten thousand years ago, their entire species obliterated.
As Netherworld Saint Spirits, they had witnessed the destruction of the entire Netherworld firsthand. Clearly, they felt no gratitude toward the Ghost Moon Fox that saved them.
Perhaps in their view, it would have been better to perish with the Netherworld than to linger here in captivity?
But Li Muyang’s cold words only served to infuriate the Ghost Foxes.
Their enraged screeches echoed as they surged relentlessly toward Li Muyang and Li Yuechan.
Yet, faced with this furious tide of Ghost Foxes, Li Muyang wouldn’t hold back.
Out of respect for the Ghost Moon Fox, Li Muyang wouldn’t proactively kill these foxes. But if they attacked him, he couldn’t just stand by without retaliating.
In the mountain forest, flashes of light blazed.
Li Muyang didn’t even need to summon Mo Immortal’s remains; the Destruction Wheel appeared and slaughtered the Ghost Foxes, leaving them shrieking in agony.
One by one, the Ghost Foxes fell under the blade of the Destruction Wheel before being devoured and absorbed.
“Despicable human! You dare steal the Abyssal Artifact of our realm!”
“That is our sacred relic!”
“Treacherous Mortal World creature!”
The Destruction Wheel swept through, leaving the Ghost Foxes utterly defenseless.
But instead of retreating, they grew increasingly frenzied, rushing toward Li Muyang with even greater ferocity.
What once had been their Holy Artifact was now being used to slaughter them, a disgrace they deemed unforgivable.
Li Muyang looked at the crazed foxes and laughed coldly, shaking his head. “You bunch who destroyed your own world, lost your home, and now seek to invade ours—how dare you accuse others of being despicable.”
“If we’re being honest, you are the most wretched scum of all!”
He could tell that the foxes’ madness stemmed from their desire to reclaim the Destruction Wheel from his hands.
In the wilderness, foxes filled every inch of the land.
Li Muyang and Li Yuechan stood in the forest, as if surrounded by an ocean of foxes. As far as the eye could see, they blanketed the mountains.
By the looks of it, probably all the foxes of Jiuyuan City had emerged.
Li Yuechan’s vigilance elevated. “Brother, these foxes seem endless…”
The Destruction Wheel’s light swept through, annihilating swathes of foxes at a time, yet they continued to pour forth ceaselessly.
Li Muyang gave a rough estimate: he’d probably slain over a thousand foxes.
Yet the remaining foxes were still undeterred.
As the foxes surged endlessly forward, Li Muyang snorted coldly, suspecting that the foxes had some ulterior plan at play.
Li Muyang immediately summoned the Startling Swan Immortal Sword. Its dazzling sword light erupted across the mountains, instantly wiping out all the foxes within a ten-zhang radius, forming a vacuumed space.
At the same time, Li Muyang took Yuechan and ascended into the air, fleeing towards the distance.
Li Muyang didn’t want to uncover whatever scheme the foxes were concocting. Having guessed it involved danger, escaping outright was the safest option.
As Li Muyang rose into the air, the foxes below grew even more agitated.
They screamed and screeched as they shot into the air, attempting to stop Li Muyang from leaving.
Seeing the foxes act with such desperation only fortified Li Muyang’s suspicions—staying here wouldn’t end well!
He swung the Startling Swan Immortal Sword, activated the Destruction Wheel, and with Li Yuechan’s assistance, easily broke free of the foxes’ encirclement, soaring away into the void.
Once the siblings crossed Jiuyuan City’s borders, the pursuing foxes halted at the riverside, howling curses at Li Muyang from beneath the sky.
Clearly, the foxes couldn’t chase them beyond this point. Beyond this river lay the boundary set by the Ghost Moon Fox.
Li Muyang led Li Yuechan to land atop a mountain across the river, overlooking the fox-infested landscape on the opposite side. He remarked,
“Those damned foxes must’ve struck a deal with Chou Yuyan. They’re here to obstruct us.”
Li Muyang frowned. “The Ghost Moon Fox’s situation must be dire, leaving it unable to assist us in opening the door. If we want to enter the secret realm, we’ll have to rely on ourselves.”
These foxes were merely a pesky nuisance; dealing with them only wasted time.
The priority now was entering the Ghost Moon Fox’s secret realm to rescue the beleaguered Netherworld deity.
Li Yuechan said, “Perhaps there is a way to get inside, but…”
Li Yuechan hesitated.
Li Muyang looked at her and asked, “But what?”
Li Yuechan said, “Perhaps I can open the door to the secret realm at a special earth vein node, but I’ve never tried it before. Opening the door would require a long time.”
“During that process, those foxes will undoubtedly attack to disrupt us…”
After Li Yuechan finished speaking, Li Muyang responded decisively.
“There’s another way—we can act separately.”
Looking at the foxes by the riverbank, Li Muyang said, “I’ll distract these foxes. They’re focused on the Magic Artifact I’m carrying and will chase after me without a second thought.”
“Once I’ve lured the foxes away, you can enter Jiuyuan City and find the earth vein node to open the door. Once the secret realm’s entrance is opened, signal me, and I’ll come to regroup with you.”
Li Muyang presented a highly feasible plan.
Li Yuechan still hesitated. “But, brother, if you face those foxes alone while trying to delay them… I feel that it might be dangerous.”
Those foxes had clearly devised methods to deal with Li Muyang earlier, only failing to execute them due to his quick escape.
In response to Li Yuechan’s concerns, Li Muyang simply shook his head. “No problem. This body isn’t my main one. If it perishes, it won’t affect me.”
At worst, he’d lose another corporeal vessel… Even though this high-quality body, with a 90% synchronization rate, was one of only three left and incredibly valuable.
But if necessary, sacrificing it wasn’t out of the question.