AUOF - 63

Sang Li hurried back to Phoenix Hollow under the cover of night.

This was the last remaining sanctuary for the Spirit Race.

Phoenix Hollow was located between North Mountain and South Mountain, nestled against the mountains and water, shrouded in mist. Ten thousand years ago, it had been the dwelling place of phoenixes and was known as “Little Penglai.” However, the Spirit Race did not reside in Phoenix Hollow but had taken root in the tree hollows of the Chaohuang Tree.

The Chaohuang Tree stood over a thousand zhang tall, and its hollows contained an entire world within.

To escape the pursuit of Heavenly Retribution, the Spirit Race had hidden here for generations, developing their own culture and way of life within the tree hollows. The innate magical array of the Chaohuang Tree protected them from external invasions while also concealing their presence, allowing them to evade persecution.

For many years, the Spirit Race lived peacefully, and Sang Li was the only spirit fox to venture outside.

She flew all the way back to Phoenix Hollow and immediately saw the towering Chaohuang Tree piercing through the clouds like a ladder reaching the heavens.

Through the layers of overlapping clouds, the tree trunk seemed endless, its ancient and time-worn patterns twisting like illusions within the mist.

She landed gently, placing her palm on the tree trunk.

A circle of golden light emanated from her palm, and the patterns on the trunk began to spin like a kaleidoscope. A portal of light appeared, and once she stepped through, the portal closed behind her.

Inside the tree hollow, a vibrant scene unfolded.

The Xuantian Ten Thousand Phenomena above simulated the passage of the sun and moon, the changing of seasons. The treehouses were scattered chaotically—some built in the water, others perched on branches—and even the paths twisted unpredictably without any clear order. Despite this, it exuded the charm of a secluded paradise.

This was Sang Li’s first time returning to the Spirit Race, and she felt somewhat uneasy.

She looked around. Since members of the Spirit Race could be animals or plants transformed into human form, they came in all sorts of strange shapes and appearances.

“Watch where you’re stepping! Watch where you’re stepping!”

“Did you step on me? Did you step on me?”

“You’re killing me! You’re killing me!”

A cacophony of chattering reached her ears.

It seemed to come from beneath her feet. She slowly moved her steps and discovered two ant-like children, half-human and half-ant, no bigger than fingernail-sized, struggling to carry food many times their size.

Noticing Sang Li looking down at them, they tilted their heads up and squeaked accusingly, “What are you staring at!”

Another chimed in, “Yeah, what are you looking at!”

There was also a third identical little ant hiding timidly behind the other two, nervously echoing, “Y-you can look... You can look...”

Sang Li: “...”

Right, the Spirit Race had all sorts of creatures. It wasn’t surprising to see ants among them.

She stepped aside and watched as the three little ones stumbled into an anthill, which seemed to be their living area underground.

“Oh! Sang Li’s back!”

Finally, one of the villagers noticed her.

This shout drew everyone’s attention.

“It’s Ali! Ali’s returned safely!”

“Ali, Ali! Did you bring us anything tasty or fun?!”

“Ali hasn’t come back in such a long time. I just picked some fruit; would Ali like some?”

“I just gave birth to some rabbit kits. If Ali wants, take one—it’s no trouble.”

The villagers surrounded her enthusiastically, offering fruits and kits, making her feel quite awkward.

“Is that Ali who returned?”

A childish voice interrupted.

The villagers quickly made way, quieting down considerably. “Elder, it’s Ali.”

The ground trembled slightly, followed by the heavy breathing of a beast.

First appeared an enormous black wolf, with a bamboo chair strapped to its back. Sitting atop it was a girl about five or six years old.

She wore a pale green dress, her hair tied in twin buns adorned with two red pom-poms that shook as she moved.

The child was exquisitely adorable, but contrary to her appearance, a fluffy wolf tail longer than her body hung by her feet, and a pair of gray ears stood upright.

This was Qu You, the leader of the Spirit Race.

Sang Li quickly bowed. “Ali pays respects to the Elder.”

“There’s no need for formalities, Ali,” Qu You said in her young, tender voice, though her expression was mature. “You must be tired after your journey. Come with me to Linglu to rest.”

It was odd to hear such an elderly title coming from a child, but Sang Li still followed her to Linglu.

This was the Elder’s domain. Upon entering the warm tent, the giant wolf knelt down carefully, placing her gently on the bed before obediently lying down by her feet to sleep.

Qu You gently stroked the wolf’s ears, her large tail sweeping across the floor. “You’ve been away for so long without news. Both my sister and I have been worried sick.”

At her words, Sang Li couldn’t help but glance at the giant wolf.

The wolf was originally part of the Spirit Race, named Qu Ying, and was Qu You’s twin sister.

Five hundred years ago, on the day of Heavenly Retribution, both sisters were cursed while protecting their people—one became crippled, forever stuck in the form of a five-year-old, while the other lost her humanity, condemned to live as a wolf for all eternity.

“Tell me about what happened outside. Bu Tianyi once divined that you’d face calamity, and my sister and I cried all night, fearing you wouldn’t return.”

Since the great catastrophe, only two to three hundred members of the Spirit Race remained.

Sang Li was the only nine-tailed spirit fox, making her invaluable to the Spirit Race.

When it was foretold that she would face danger, Qu You couldn’t help but cry for a whole day and night with her sister, even considering leaving Phoenix Hollow to search for her. If not for the villagers stopping her, she would have left already.

Sang Li glossed over the heavier details and recounted her journey.

The little girl cupped her face with both hands, listening intently. Her ears would perk up or her tail fur would fluff out when absorbed, making her irresistibly cute and tempting Sang Li to reach out and pinch her.

However...

Thinking of her actual age, Sang Li silently dismissed the thought.

“I didn’t come back for anything else this time.” She took out the Liuyan Pearl and handed it over. “I’ve already left the Demon Realm, and unless something unexpected happens, Yan Jinglou is likely hunting me across the six realms. He knows that Phoenix Hollow is our stronghold, so he’ll probably come here soon. That’s why I’m giving this to you, Elder, to reinforce the Chaohuang Tree.”

The Liuyan Pearl radiated a brilliant divine light, leaving Qu You astonished. “This is an artifact from the Divine Realm—how did you manage to obtain it?”

Sang Li answered truthfully: “I’ve gone to Gui Xu now.”

Qu You’s wolf tail fur bristled completely, and she let out a sharp cry of surprise: “What did you say?!”

Sang Li knew what she was shocked about.

The Spirit Race was an existence rejected by all six realms, especially in the Immortal Realm. Her actions were akin to walking a tightrope—careless missteps could lead to her soul being scattered into oblivion.

But there was no other choice.

Sang Li sighed. “To be honest with you, Elder, I accidentally formed a Silken Worm Curse with Heavenly Balance Lord Ji Hengyu. For now, I can only temporarily submit to Gui Xu. If you know any way to break the curse, could you tell me?”

Qu You rested her chin on her hand, pondering deeply for a moment before her eyes lit up. “In that case, there is someone who can help.”

Sang Li immediately straightened her posture.

“My master, Wushan Du’e True Lord.” Before the Spirit Race faced Heavenly Retribution, she and her sister had both been disciples under the True Lord of Wushan, his closed-door apprentices. Even after the Heavenly Retribution descended, the True Lord still extended his aid, which allowed the two sisters to survive unscathed.

“Where? Where is he? I’ll go find him right away!”

Sang Li clenched her fists excitedly.

She had already successfully escaped Yan Jinglou’s control; if she could also get rid of the curse tying her to Ji Hengyu, that would be the best outcome.

Qu You shook her head, disappointment evident on her face. “Unfortunately, Master entered seclusion just a month ago. You know how it is—immortals usually take at least three to five hundred years to emerge from seclusion. The earliest would be fifty years.”

Hearing this, Sang Li’s heart slowly cooled once again.

Seeing that she hadn’t been able to help, Qu You’s wolf ears drooped quickly, her wet, shining eyes filled with apology.

Sang Li couldn’t bear to see a child upset, so she reached out and gently pinched her ear. “It’s alright. This isn’t urgent.”

The sudden pinch made Qu You stare at her in disbelief, her eyes wide open.

Realizing what she’d done, Sang Li froze, nearly kneeling in apology. “Elder, forgive my rudeness.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Qu You shook her ears, not caring about such a trivial matter. In fact, she found it rather surprising. In the past, whenever Sang Li returned, she always treated her with utmost respect, even when Qu You tried to draw closer. But today…

Qu You’s eyes twinkled as she secretly probed Sang Li’s spirit form, confirming there was nothing unusual before letting out a sigh of relief.

She smiled softly. “Ali no longer keeps her distance—it makes me very happy. Ali, rest assured. As soon as I hear any news about Master, I’ll pass it on to you immediately.” She tilted her head playfully. “By the way, we’ve harvested quite a few mulberries this year, and we’re holding a bonfire tonight. Why don’t you stay and join us? Everyone will be thrilled to see you.”

It was hard to refuse, so Sang Li agreed.

Qu You was delighted but didn’t forget to set up the Liuyan Pearl. Once the protective array was reinforced, night fell swiftly.

Nearly a hundred people gathered in the square. Every household had prepared fruits and sweet wine, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

Seated on the giant wolf’s back, Qu You turned to ask Sang Li: “Ali, what kind of scenery do you like?”

Sang Li: “Anything will do.”

“Anything it is.” Qu You smiled sweetly. “Today, everything goes according to your wishes.”

After a brief moment of thought, Sang Li said: “Since there’s a bonfire, it should be accompanied by cold blossoms.”

“Alright~” Qu You nodded softly, her voice gentle. “As you wish, Ali.”

With that, Qu You pulled out a whisk from her sleeve and waved it through the air.

The Xuantian Ten Thousand Phenomena shifted—the stars fell, rain condensed into pearls, and fine snow drifted down like dust, blanketing the entire land.

The sudden arrival of wind and snow heightened everyone’s spirits. People sang and danced joyously, celebrating throughout the night.

While the tree hollows were filled with jubilation, Phoenix Hollow itself was shrouded in an oppressive killing intent.

The surroundings bore traces of battle, and the smell of blood lingered long after.

A tall figure stood silently amidst the shadows of night.

Bloodstains still marked his palm as he flicked the droplets off his sword blade, sheathing it and replacing it with a jade fan held elegantly in his hand.

Ji Hengyu stared intently beneath the Chaohuang Tree.

Ji Wu: [The scent of your soul strand vanishes here—is there another hidden realm?]

Ji Hengyu lazily swung his fan.

A slight breeze brushed past his ear, but his figure remained unmoving. In an instant, Ji Wu appeared, tearing apart an approaching demon with a single claw strike.

They had killed dozens tonight, and even Ji Wu was growing weary.

“If you ask me, why don’t we just storm into Yin Zhou and kill that Yan Jinglou outright?”

Ji Hengyu chuckled softly. “Such reckless words.”

Ji Wu bristled, offended. He had real skills—he wasn’t someone who only talked big.

The two idly perched on a tree branch.

Seeing Ji Hengyu staring fixedly below, Ji Wu followed his gaze but saw nothing but dense shadows and a pale moonlit glow. “What’s so interesting to look at?”

“There is something.”

“Hmm?”

Ji Wu squinted and looked again, still unable to discern anything. “What exactly are we supposed to do?”

Ji Hengyu: “Wait.”

“?” Ji Wu was utterly confused. “Wait for whom?”

He crossed his arms, leaning against the tree with his eyes closed. “My beloved.”

Ji Wu: “?”

Ji Wu: “???”

Huh?

Huh?! Who’s the beloved?! Since when do you have a beloved?!