Chapter 50: The Fox Princess’s Spell

Chapter 50: The Fox Princess’s Technique (Third Update)

With a soft "pop," the maid vanished, transforming into a vivid crimson mist that slithered through the air like a small blood-red serpent. It twined a few times before slipping into Xuan Qing’s mouth and nose.

After inhaling the blood-red aura, Xuan Qing’s entire body trembled violently. His eyes snapped open, flickering between sharp intensity and moments of vacant distraction.

He staggered forward a few steps, swaying as though drunk, clutching the edge of the table before slowly lowering himself into a seat.

Even in this state, Zhou Yu and the others dared not act rashly; the gruesome death of the blue-robed white fox was still fresh in their minds.

Suddenly, the Fox Princess sprang into motion. Her delicate hand shot out like lightning, reaching for the immortal pills on the table.

Just as she was about to grasp them, her hand halted abruptly, unable to move even an inch further.

“What are you trying to do?” Xuan Qing slurred, shaking his head as he looked at her.

The Fox Princess, beads of cold sweat trickling down her face, flicked her eyes and replied, “Hey, you.”

“These pills are mine! All mine! No one else is allowed to touch them!” Xuan Qing suddenly rose, threw his head back, and unleashed a roar that shattered the silence. A wave of azure light burst from his body, piercing the sky and shattering the heavy snow clouds above. Countless snowflakes caught in the light dissolved into nothingness.

Even the frigid winds above were scattered by this roar.

The sheer force of his bellow rivaled the devastating attack once unleashed by the Sacred Qilin in its rage. Fortunately, this roar was directed skyward, so Zhou Yu and the others inside the hall escaped serious harm.

Nevertheless, the sheer volume of the roar knocked half of the boar soldiers unconscious.

Zhou Yu rubbed his aching head. As he opened his eyes, he saw the Fox Princess dissolve into red mist drifting away. She reappeared not far off, her hair slightly disheveled. Her hands danced rapidly, chanting incantations while pointing her fingers one by one at the seven remaining maids.

Once touched by her finger, each maid transformed into red mist and gathered around Xuan Qing.

Xuan Qing inhaled deeply after his roar, drawing all seven crimson mists into himself.

Seeing this, the Fox Princess felt a surge of relief—half of her plan was complete. Now was the moment to fully display her power.

Her hands weaved a complex seal.

Zhou Yu watched carefully and realized she was casting the Clone Seal!

"Ha!" The Fox Princess cried sharply, conjuring eight duplicates. The moment they appeared, all eight surrounded Xuan Qing.

Having consumed the pills and absorbed the demonic aura, though Xuan Qing was powerful, his mind was now clouded. Seeing eight enchanting women encircle him, a wild ambition ignited within his heart. Clumsily, he stretched out his hands to grab at them.

The eight clones laughed and dodged playfully, teasing him with flirtatious words, bending and twisting their slender waists with bewitching allure.

Xuan Qing lunged several times but caught nothing. Gathering his energy, his clawed hands glowed with azure light that pierced through space to strike one clone.

The clone calmly dissolved into red mist—it had no physical form, so Xuan Qing grasped at emptiness.

Frustrated, he ignored the reason for his failure, his mind muddled.

Just as he was about to lose his temper, a clone suddenly appeared right before him. Ecstatic, he reached out to embrace it, but again only held mist.

Zhou Yu and the Golden Monkey looked on in astonishment. Not only could the Fox Princess create eight duplicates, but these clones could also independently dissolve into mist. How could anyone defeat such elusive illusions?

The two exchanged glances and stepped back, clearing the space between them as the Fox Princess began weaving an even more intricate seal beside them.

Her flowing robes fluttered—whether from the cold wind or her own emanating demonic power, her formerly pale skin now flushed faintly crimson. Tiny beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, like fresh bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

As she moved, Zhou Yu noticed snowflakes drifting toward her, and the spilled wine on the floor inexplicably forming into small droplets rolling her way.

The Fox Princess was controlling external objects!

Such a divine skill was rare even in Zhou Yu’s spiritual realm experience. Hua Queyue had once told him that manipulating external objects for attack was a minor technique, for all things in the world were composed of energy. The pure energy emitted by cultivators carried immense power.

But the Fox Princess was akin to one of the five great demon kings, and Xuan Qing was a sacred beast. If she intended to confront him, she would never rely on trivial tricks.

Indeed, the snowflakes and droplets vaporized into energy as they approached her, revealing that she was not manipulating objects directly but converting their varying structures into energy.

Soon, not only snow and wine but dust from the floor began swirling toward her. Even small items on the hall’s surfaces started to move.

Ah Fei sensed the situation and ordered the boar soldiers to discreetly withdraw. Zhou Yu and the Golden Monkey circled around Xuan Qing, standing at the Fox Princess’s sides to protect her.

Zhou Yu gripped his ox fork tightly, and the Golden Monkey held his golden staff, both eyes fixed warily on Xuan Qing. Although he was currently distracted by the clones, no one knew if he might suddenly regain clarity.

Sweat dripped down Zhou Yu’s cheek, then floated toward the Fox Princess, transforming into energy that gathered before her.

All the boar soldiers had retreated, and the wood tables, iron cups, food, and other objects trembled slightly. With a soft hum from the Fox Princess, everything floated toward her.

Except for Xuan Qing and the eight clones at the hall’s center, the surroundings began to resemble a brewing storm—countless objects rapidly converged on the Fox Princess.

Zhou Yu and the Golden Monkey braced themselves, stabbing their weapons into the ground and holding on tightly to resist being pulled in by her immense suction.

The energy amassed before the Fox Princess reached a terrifying intensity, yet she did not relent. Her demonic power surged wildly to maintain the complex seal.

As Zhou Yu had surmised, the technique used her inner demonic power as a catalyst to absorb all surrounding matter, converting everything into energy.

Roof tiles began to peel away, beams loosened, and bricks and other building materials floated upward toward her.

In a short time, the entire hall was absorbed and transformed into energy. Even from a distance, Zhou Yu could feel the overwhelming force behind him. Stray energy slices cut across his back like blades, tearing his clothes. Fortunately, his skin had become tough after enduring the giant crab’s body, sparing him from injury.

The Golden Monkey clenched his teeth and gripped his staff tightly, growing fearful that the Fox Princess might turn on him and absorb him too. He bared his teeth at Zhou Yu in panic.

“What do we do?” he asked.

Zhou Yu glanced at him, understanding his worry. Yet he did not believe the Fox Princess would do such a thing. This seal required a long time to complete, and with only him and the Golden Monkey guarding her, any sudden thought from Xuan Qing could ruin everything. Moreover, once this technique was used, the Fox Princess would be drained. If they failed to defeat Xuan Qing now, the burden would fall entirely on Zhou Yu and the Golden Monkey.

“Don’t worry,” the Fox Princess whispered faintly through clenched teeth, the words drifting softly into Zhou Yu and the Golden Monkey’s ears.

The Golden Monkey relaxed but remained alert. Xuan Qing seemed to sense something amiss.

As time passed, the entire hall vanished, and nearby buildings and earth began floating toward the Fox Princess.

Energy swirled relentlessly before her.

Exhausted by the prolonged effort, the Fox Princess’s movements slowed. Sweat drenched her, her clothes clinging to her graceful figure.

Her weakening control caused a disturbance in the previously calm center of the hall. The immortal pills on the table began to roll slightly.

Xuan Qing reached out again and again, catching nothing. Yet whenever frustration surged, a clone would approach, distracting him and sending his anger soaring.

He appeared truly mesmerized, oblivious to the Fox Princess’s movements, the boar soldiers’ departure, and even the disappearance of the great hall.

But the slight roll of the immortal pills caught his attention.

“Don’t run, pills!” he shouted, snatching all from the table. He tossed back his head and swallowed hundreds of the pills at once like a whale gulping a river.

His roar, though not directed at Zhou Yu and the others, carried tremendous might, causing Zhou Yu’s eardrums to ache.

The Fox Princess trembled, nearly losing control. Fortunately, after swallowing the pills, Xuan Qing closed his eyes and stood quietly, allowing her to regain command of the energy before her.

A gleam of azure light appeared on Xuan Qing’s face, flickering across his body in bursts. His expression shifted rapidly between excitement and ferocity.

“What’s wrong with him?” the Golden Monkey asked nervously.

“He overdosed on the pills. He’s done for—if he doesn’t die, he’ll go mad,” Zhou Yu said, drawing on his past life’s experience. There was no way he would be fine after swallowing so many pills at once!

“Madness is bad!” the Golden Monkey exclaimed. “If he goes crazy and attacks everyone, I can’t take more than a few punches!”

This was Zhou Yu’s greatest concern. Although Xuan Qing had been disoriented before, at least he had not shown violent tendencies. If he suddenly snapped and rampaged, it could spell disaster.

Thinking this, Zhou Yu glanced at the Fox Princess, hoping she would finish the seal soon.

Yet Zhou Yu could not see her—behind him was a sea of white light, strange and contained as if trapped within something, not diffusing outward. Suddenly, he realized these were not mere lights but white energy.

Xuan Qing twitched his fingers lightly before snapping his bloodshot eyes open, filled with madness.

A clone hurried forward, hoping to distract him.

Indeed, Xuan Qing’s attention shifted. He pointed at the clone, who tried to dissolve but was unable, forced to stand still as Xuan Qing pulled it close.

Xuan Qing leaned in to sniff the clone, then crushed it with a fierce squeeze.

“Whose clone is this?!” he roared, his voice crashing like ocean waves and thunder.

The remaining seven clones quickly dissolved into mist before reappearing simultaneously, surrounding Xuan Qing once more.

The Fox Princess’s seal had reached a critical stage—she could not afford any disturbance.

Zhou Yu and the Golden Monkey suddenly felt the suction ease, their bodies, which had been lifted, fell back to the ground. Ahead, a roaring wave surged forward.

“Scatter!” the Fox Princess commanded sharply, and the two were flung aside by a powerful force.

In midair, Zhou Yu caught sight of a dense white energy mass, almost tangible, hurled by the Fox Princess toward Xuan Qing!