Chapter 392: Daoist Priest, Do You Have Some Powerful Skills You Haven’t Taught Lady Calico?

“If you could defeat the old marsh Dragon Lord, then single-handedly take down three marsh dragons and claim victory, and even possess the power of the fox ancestor’s severed tail, why didn’t you exact your revenge as a nine-tailed fox earlier?” Song You asked.

“First,” the woman replied calmly, her tone steady, “I pushed my limits as a fox demon to defeat the old marsh Dragon Lord. To then fight and overcome three marsh dragons great demons in succession cost me a hundred years of my lifespan.

“Second, the power of the ancestor’s severed tail is tyrannical and not something any fox can use lightly. When I left Yuezhou years ago, I hadn’t yet gained the ability to wield it. Even now that I can, using it still burns a hundred years of my lifespan.

“Third, while the marsh dragons remained in Yuezhou, even with the power of the ancestor’s severed tail granting me the strength of an ancient great being, I had to be wary of the thousand-year willow tree in Yuezhou.”

She spoke with clarity and reason, “Fourth, the ancestor’s severed tail is singular—there has only ever been one in existence. It has been passed down through the ages for thousands of years. Its significance lies in preserving our lineage amidst a world evolving into one dominated by Divine Dao.

“If I were to use it for revenge, the nine-tailed fox bloodline would have no way to defend itself in the future. It would be at the mercy of the Heavenly Palace.”

“So, after you use the severed tail, you need to ensure you could cultivate to the Nine Tails Realm, gain the power of a great being, and leave another tail for your fox clan?” Song You asked.

“Exactly.”

“Clever plan.”

Using the ancestor’s severed tail, she exterminated the marsh dragons, secured the Longevity Pill, extended her lifespan by a thousand years, cultivated back to nine tails, and restored the severed tail in the process—a strategy that achieved multiple goals.

“Actually, there’s a fifth reason,” the fox demon added.

“I’m listening.”

“Daoist Master, you are probably the person in this world who understands the hearts of demons best. But no matter how much you understand, you can’t know everything. Just as we foxes seem to understand the hearts of humans, yet truly do not.”

She lifted her gaze to Song You. “These days, demons are profoundly lonely. Once we take on a human form, we are no longer beasts, but neither are we human.

“We can no longer live among animals, yet it’s difficult to coexist with humans. We are caught in a dilemma.”

Song You couldn’t help but think of Lady Calico. She was much the same. She was not entirely a cat, yet nor entirely human.

From the moment she gained her human form, she ceased to be a cat. In some ways, she preferred human company, but she was still fundamentally different from humans. Were she to try living as one, it would undoubtedly be difficult.

“After we gain a human form, ordinary foxes and beasts seem far too wild to us,” Wanjiang began. “But humans either fear us, look down on us, or covet us. Even if they feel none of these, it’s still rare for them to treat us demons as equals. Such is human nature; we cannot blame anyone for it.”

She continued softly, “And so, we retreat to deep mountains and live among our own kind. But such a life is unbearably dull. Yet Heaven has given us life spans far longer than humans'. What should one do with such a lonely, endless life?”

“That sounds somewhat like the State Preceptor,” Song You replied, snapping out of his thoughts about Lady Calico. His brief reverie left him with a faint sense of longing—he hadn’t seen her in a while and found himself missing her.

“Life is lonely, tedious, and long. I wish to cultivate the nine tails and ascend to the realm of ancient great beings,” the fox demon said. “But to cultivate nine tails requires a thousand years. Even with my exceptional talent, it would still take eight hundred years. Unfortunately, the Heavenly Dao has shifted, and fox demons no longer live long enough to achieve such a goal. That is why I seek the Daoist’s Longevity Pill.”

She looked at him earnestly. “I ask for only half a pill.”

“I see,” Song You said with a slight nod, his expression remaining calm. “And what will you offer this time in exchange?”

“My sincerity.”

“Sincerity...” Song You repeated the word softly, then asked her, “Then tell me yourself—how can I continue trusting you?”

“...” The fox demon closed her eyes at his words.

What she had wanted most in coming here was to gain the Daoist’s magnanimity, to resolve the knot in his heart. But now it seemed that this knot was not so easily untangled, nor his heart easily placated.

No matter how clever a fox demon might be, she could never fully understand the human heart.

Perhaps it was simply a matter of differing perspectives—some things were naturally difficult to let go.

The woman opened her eyes and suddenly tilted her head back, revealing her smooth, elegant neck. Then, she opened her mouth and exhaled, producing a radiant, multicolored pearl—the very same one that had hung in the sky earlier, illuminating the night.

The pearl gleamed brightly as she held it in her hand, its light reflecting her stunningly beautiful fox-like features.

It also illuminated the Daoist sitting across from her.

The fox demon extended the pearl forward.

“This is my demon core, and also my heart,” she said, gazing at the Daoist through the glowing orb. “If you no longer wish to trust me, then here—take my true heart.”

“...”

The Daoist met her gaze through the pearl. The five-colored radiance shone upon his face, which remained tranquil.

“Is this another of your tricks?” he asked calmly.

“...”

The woman stared at him for a moment before retracting her demon core.

Indeed—

No matter what, Song You would never touch her demon core.

Even if a murderous, irredeemable demon offered up their innermost core to him, he would not take it. He would never stoop to such means. Even if he were to exterminate a demon, he would do so openly and with dignity through combat. How could she expect him to accept her demon core which she offered to him herself?

“Sometimes being too clever truly is a burden,” the woman said with a faint smile. “No matter what you do, others think it’s all calculation, never your true intention.”

She paused, her tone softening. “But my admiration for you is not a lie. From what I understand of you, Daoist Master, you would never consume a Longevity Pill refined from yin souls. That leaves you with only a mortal lifespan—merely a hundred years, thirty thousand days. Let me prove my sincerity with time. Even if it were a deception, as long as it lasts until the day you passed away, wouldn’t it count as true in your eyes?”

“Do you have anything more to say?”

“If I don’t, will you send me away?”

“You have neither harmed others nor aided the State Preceptor. You even illuminated the marsh dragons' domain and helped me slay the old marsh Dragon Lord. Naturally, it’s time for you to leave.”

“...”

The woman lowered her head in silence for a moment before finally speaking, “There is something.”

“Speak.”

“Forget about sincerity—let’s talk about an exchange,” she said, lifting her gaze. Though still weak and fatigued, there was a glimmer of the cunning and calculation she had shown in plotting against the marsh dragons and the State Preceptor.

Fixing her eyes directly on the Daoist, she said, “You carry a heart that doesn’t belong to this world.”

“And how do you see that?” Song You’s tone remained as calm as ever.

“Daoist, your heart is out of sync with this world and this era,” the woman said. “You do not like this world. Even after years of living in it, there are still countless things you find intolerable.”

“And so?”

“The Heavenly Palace is like the imperial court of the mortal world—it has long since decayed. Sooner or later, you will clash with it. Yet, this is the age of Human Dao and the Divine Dao, and the power of the Heavenly Palace’s deities is no less than that of the great beings of antiquity. In fact, many ancient great beings only survived the changes of the Heavenly Dao by defecting to the Heavenly Palace.

“The Heavenly Palace harbors ancient great beings in secret, and its most prominent battle-hardened godly officials are formidable opponents. While it’s true that not all powerful deities follow the Great Emperor Chijin’s commands—as seen during the last change in the Heavenly Palace—you still have cause for concern. That is why you’ve begun planning early: elevating the Swallow Immortal to godhood, releasing the white rhinoceroses, and so forth.”

The woman’s gaze bore directly into Song You. “If I can obtain the Longevity Pill, I can cultivate to nine tails. With nine tails, I can wield the ancestor’s severed tail. A nine-tailed celestial fox is a force to be reckoned with even among the great beings of antiquity. Few in the Heavenly Palace could rival such power. I’m willing to offer you my full support, to fight alongside you with unwavering resolve, even unto death.”

“No,” Song You replied.

“If you still do not trust me, then I ask only this: promise me that you’ll keep the Longevity Pill, and when the time comes that you need my help, call upon me. I will give my all, without regret, without hesitation—whether I live or die. For the chance at immortality, to battle the Heavenly Palace, and to aid you. If I survive by chance, only then will you grant me the pill.”

“Still only half of it?”

“Half is enough.” The woman smiled faintly, meeting his gaze. “And the other half, perhaps I will persuade you to take it for yourself.”

“You are truly an extraordinary demon.”

“What do you think?”

“No.” Song You’s expression remained calm and indifferent.

“Human hearts are truly hard to fathom,” the woman said with a faint laugh. “They say demon hearts are inscrutable, but if there’s anything harder to understand, it’s the human heart.”

“...”

“Then I’ll just have to take my time convincing you—through the passing of years and through sincerity,” she said, as if unfazed by his cold indifference. Or perhaps such was the nature of demons.

She continued, “The Ghost City is in ruins. I guess that you will remain here for some time. The Ghost City is a lonely place. I will play the

qin

for you.”

“...”

Song You gave no response. Lost in thought, he closed his eyes.

A moment later, the sound of hoofbeats came from outside. The rhythmic clatter of hooves mingled with the notes of the

qin

.

The Daoist’s eyes snapped open. The woman’s music stopped abruptly.

“

Whoosh

...”

A swallow darted into the room, followed closely by a jujube-red horse and, riding atop it, a cat.

Song You gazed at them with calm composure.

“

Flap, flap, flap.

..”

“

Clop, clop

...”

The swallow perched atop a tall rock nearby, staring down with a mix of curiosity and vigilance at the woman and her maidservant below.

The jujube-red horse, meanwhile, stopped right in front of the Daoist.

“...!”

The calico cat leapt nimbly off the horse. Upon landing, she instinctively paused, glanced around, and fixed her gaze on the fox demon and her tail, observing for a moment longer than necessary. Then, with a quick toss of her head, she darted toward the Daoist.

But after only a couple of steps, she slowed her pace.

As if nothing were out of the ordinary, she casually strolled over to the Daoist’s side. Tilting her head this way and that, she inspected him carefully, her movements agile and inquisitive, “Daoist priest, is your fight over?”

“It’s over.”

“Did you win?”

“I did.”

“Oh...”

The cat sat down right there in front of him, mirroring his posture—he sat cross-legged, she squatted neatly. She lifted her paw and licked it, as though remembering something. Then, raising her head, she met the Daoist’s gaze directly.

“Earlier, I saw a really big Daoist priest! Why did you get so big?”

“When did you see that?”

“When you were fighting! When it was night, and then it turned to day!” The cat lifted her head higher, staring at him with a serious expression. “What was that? How did you get so big? Was it that thing you told me about before—what was it—Titan's Ascension?”

“It wasn’t.”

“Not that,

meow

?”

The cat tilted her head slightly, eyeing the Daoist with suspicion.

“Of course not,” the Daoist answered truthfully. “The 'Titan's Ascension' technique involves enlarging one’s own body. What I did was briefly manifest a larger version of myself. While both possess great power, mine could only last for a few breaths.”

“That sounds really amazing!”

“When you’ve learned other techniques thoroughly, I can discuss it with you.”

“Discuss it!”

“Indeed...”

The cat squatted with a serious expression, head held high.

The Daoist, sitting cross-legged, looked down at her with a faint smile.

At that moment, his heart felt at ease.