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"Really... but she looks so fierce... Brother Yino is much gentler..."

The treegirl was still acting coy, indirectly praising Yino.

But meeting everyone's gaze, Yino carried the girl in his arms toward the back.

"Of course it's true, my little deer really doesn't bite. If you don't believe me, I'll carry you over now, and she'll definitely be good friends with you."

"Eh?"

At some point, Lily froze.

She blinked, doubting what she'd heard. But when she looked back, she saw the deergirl staring at her with resentful eyes, looking ready to bite no matter how you looked at it.

"Don't worry, my little deer doesn't bite. If you comfort her later, you can still be good friends."

Yino gradually walked up to Wangxue, setting down the little treegirl while gently patting both their heads with a kind smile.

Wangxue, did you hear me? No bullying Lily!

Yino gave a perfunctory scolding, but when his eyes met Wangxue's, they seemed to communicate something telepathically.

Don't worry! Wangxue will get along! Just! Fine! With this manipulative b*tch!

The deergirl clearly emphasized those last few words.

Lily was caught off guard, not expecting Yino to abandon her so quickly after their tender moment.

Meanwhile, Yino also released the treegirl's small hand, turning to look at the foxgirl still bound by vines in the distance.

"You all play nice – big brother needs to deal with the bad guys."

After saying this, Yino walked over to the blue-haired girl who had been guarding Wangxue and Yunjin.

"Ruoning, this place isn't safe either. Please escort them away from here first."

He didn't seem to mind that Ruoning had witnessed the battle, treating her as an insider while calmly giving instructions.

Ruoning felt honored yet surprised.

She had thought that after seeing so many secrets along the way, Yino would surely control her with evil mark like he did with the cult's Holy Maiden once he finished dealing with the enemies.

"What's with that disappointed look?"

Yino raised an eyebrow, realizing he hadn't paid attention to Ruoning for a while and wondering what this girl was thinking about.

On the other side, Ruoning suddenly blushed when questioned, as if waking from a dream.

"Nothing... just feel like I've wronged you all this time..."

The girl lowered her gaze, having lost her previous pride as she apologized submissively to Yino, even more docile than when she was younger.

"Is that so?"

Yino was surprised by Ruoning's transformation.

Actually, he had considered whether to mark Ruoning with demon mark after she witnessed this battle, to prevent any future troubles.

But now it seemed unnecessary.

Though this little minx was somewhat tsundere, she wasn't bad at heart. She was far less calculating than those two foxes and dealing with Ruoning didn't require Yino to play mind games.

"Since you feel indebted to me, how about I give you a chance to make amends?"

Yino lifted the blue-haired girl's dejected noble face.

Ruoning's heart started racing.

A chance to make amends...?

Ruoning suppressed her increasingly reddening face, swallowing hard while nodding and staring into Yino's eyes, her imagination running wild.

But just as Ruoning was recalling Liuli's humiliating scene when she was demonized earlier, Yino didn't speak directly but leaned forward to whisper in her ear:

"There's actually a black-robed woman hiding outside this ancient hall, spying on us."

"!!"

At these words, Ruoning's eyes widened.

But at this moment, Yino warned again:

"Don't make a fuss now, and don't look up. Just listen to what I have to say."

"Mm!" The girl nodded seriously, her expression turning grave.

"Ruoning, pretend to lead them away, but actually lure her into a dead end, then capture her alive - don't kill her..."

"However, that black-robed woman's cultivation isn't low - she might be at late Core Formation stage. If you can't beat her, let her escape. Don't risk your life - after all, I had to trade one life for another to save you from the Evil Cult's Holy Maiden!"

After explaining everything, Yino patted Ruoning's shoulder with a meaningful smile.

Nearby, Lily gently tugged at Yino's clothes, seeming to have something to say.

But unexpectedly, Yino crouched down to look at Lily:

"Hey Lily, will you help your brother with a small task?"

"Yes!"

Lily nodded eagerly.

The sudden sense of mission made the small sprout on her head stand up straight, momentarily forgetting her earlier intention to act coy with Yino.

"Go with this sister to catch the bad person. That black-robed woman seems to know earth-burrowing techniques. If she escapes, activate your animal friends in the forest to watch the area. Don't let her escape no matter what."

"No problem! Leave it to Lily~"

The treegirl nodded solemnly, excited to finally have freedom after a hundred years.

But as soon as she finished speaking, the little deer pushed forward--

"Master, Master! What about Wangxue? What do you need Wangxue to do!"

"You..."

Yino hesitated, seeming lost for words.

"Wait, why do you look so helpless when it comes to me?!"

The little deer complained.

Yino glanced at her, then at the tired Yunjin beside them.

"You... with your combat ability, just stay with Yunjin and protect her. Yunjin helped stabilize Lily's emotions earlier, she must be exhausted now..."

As he finished speaking, Yino nodded and smiled at the girl in green.

Yunjin's eyes widened, her tired ahoge suddenly standing straight. Though exhausted, she happily nodded back at Yino.

"You did well this time too. After we leave the secret realm, I'll take you to play in Western Province City."

"Mm-hmm!"

After dispatching the support personnel, Yino returned to face the combatants below. Purple demonic runes appeared in his palm. As he approached step by step, the white fox girl's eyes once again showed despair-

"Now, have you decided?"

"Will you expel this soul core pill yourself, or should I help your body expel it with demonic arts?"

"What nonsense! This soul core pill is sealed with secret techniques, it can't possibly leave my body!"

The white fox girl spoke fiercely, still clinging to her logic even now.

Yino observed her, having lost count of how many times Yuebai had deceived him.

A fox's mouth, a demon's lies...

For foxes, it seems only physical contact brings out honesty.

"That's fine."

"The Azure Forest won't close for two days and nights."

"And I have a demonic arts expert and an illusion expert with me..."

"With a professional team's help, I'm sure we can find ways to make your body willingly give up the soul core pill in these two days"

With these words, Yino walked forward with a faint smile.

He raised his hand, slowly pressing his demon-runed palm against the slight swell of the white fox girl's lower abdomen beneath her pleated skirt.

"No... please don't..."

"Yino!"

"If you dare to touch me today, the entire White Fox clan will never forgive you!!!"

"Future? I'm counting on you to lead the way and help me corrupt your White Fox clan's next Holy Maiden too."

"Yino, you bastard--!!!"

…

At Wuji Sect's Ranmo Peak.

The sound of chess pieces falling continued as sweat appeared on the immortal maiden's brow.

For some reason, Yuyan felt unsettled today.

Just then, light footsteps came from outside--

"What wind blows today that Junior Sister Yuyan would actively write to me?"

The black-robed maiden stepped into the courtyard, her graceful figure accentuated by her fitted dress.

Yuyan looked up thoughtfully, but spoke with anxiety:

"Senior Sister, if someone's not by your side and you inexplicably feel unsettled, can't eat or sleep well, and every day feels so long... what does that mean?"

"???"

Yuyan's words made the white-haired woman freeze.

Yanran looked at her junior sister's troubled face with a strange expression, carefully asking:

"How... how long have you had these symptoms?"

"Noticed two days ago."

"Oh, two days... that's not too bad, probably just worried he died... Say, besides feeling unsettled, any other symptoms?"

Yanran sighed in relief.

But just as she thought it wasn't serious, Yuyan at the chessboard bit her lip hesitantly and spoke with embarrassment:

"Also... some daily life issues..."

"Daily life?"

"Yes... normally when helping other disciples channel energy, is it normal for half their spiritual energy to be absorbed?"

"Absorbed??"

"And during his massage, this area of my lower abdomen feels burning hot and intensely itchy, and sometimes my body involuntarily spasms... is that also a normal physical reaction?"

"WAIT, WHAT, WHERE DID HE MASSAGE!!!!????"