Volume 5 Chapter 65

Volume 5 + Chapter 65: The Duties of Bai Lian

“Take off your mask.”

Bai Lian fixed her gaze on Xia Yi and made the demand without hesitation.

The moment she noticed the masked fox girl standing beside Ye Shan, a strange sensation stirred within her heart.

It felt as though…

She had seen her somewhere before.

Driven by that nagging curiosity, Bai Lian stopped Ye Shan’s group. She wanted to see, with her own eyes, the true face hidden beneath the fox girl’s mask.

“…”

Xia Yi fell into silence. She neither spoke nor moved, standing stiffly in place like a wooden doll.

She had no idea why Bai Lian had singled her out.

But if Bai Lian were to see her real face, things would indeed turn disastrous. After the incident in Greenfield City, the other party had surely committed her appearance to memory. She would recognize her at once, the Dragon Princess, without the slightest doubt.

“Why no response? Did you not hear me?” Bai Lian questioned sharply.

Seeing this, Ye Shan grew exceedingly nervous. His hands began to tremble uncontrollably, he looked even more flustered than Xia Yi herself.

If any flaw were exposed before the Priestess of the Azure Fox God, he would surely be branded a traitor who aided the Dragon Clan. The consequences would be unbearable.

“Lady Bai Lian, this is my disciple. She is not an outsider.”

Ye Shan hurried forward, positioning himself in front of Bai Lian and shielding Xia Yi behind him.

For the sake of his own life, he had no choice but to help Xia Yi bluff her way through.

“She is not ignoring you. She simply has never witnessed such a grand occasion. A country girl, this is her first time in Taoyuan Township. Upon seeing the esteemed priestess, she was so overwhelmed that she was struck speechless.”

“Then why is she wearing a mask?” Bai Lian asked.

“That is because, although my disciple is gifted and holds great potential, her appearance is… exceedingly unsightly. Showing her true face might frighten others. To avoid causing offense, I ordered her to keep it covered at all times! Lady Bai Lian, I advise you not to look. It may sully your eyes!”

To everyone’s surprise, Ye Shan managed to fabricate a fairly convincing excuse on the spot.

“Oh? Then I am all the more curious to see just how ugly she could possibly be,” Bai Lian replied coolly. Turning to Xia Yi again, she commanded, “Remove your mask yourself.”

“Lady Bai Lian…” Ye Shan began, only to falter.

“Stand aside!”

Bai Lian shot him a cold glare.

Ye Shan dared not utter another word. He could only step back stiffly, closing his eyes in despair, unable to watch what was about to unfold.

“…Very well.”

Xia Yi nodded and slowly raised her hand.

At the same time, her mind raced, swiftly assessing the situation around her.

She could almost be certain that the instant she removed her mask, Bai Lian would recognize her and immediately order the surrounding White Night Sect followers to attack.

When that happened, what should she do?

Retreat cautiously from here?

Or take the risk, break through by force and press deeper into Taoyuan Township to search for the little fox?

Her hand came to rest upon the mask.

She had already prepared for the worst, her nerves taut, ready to enter combat at a moment’s notice.

Yet just as she was about to remove it, another unexpected turn occurred.

“Priestess, something is wrong!”

A White Night Sect follower rushed to Bai Lian’s side and urgently reported.

“The Azure Fox God is enraged!”

“What?”

Bai Lian frowned. As if sensing something herself, she turned sharply.

Deep within the peach forest of Taoyuan Township, a tremendous disturbance erupted. Countless birds burst into the sky, fleeing in terror as though escaping some overwhelming threat.

The spectacle was so dramatic it seemed like the ominous herald of an impending catastrophe.

“Priestess, the High Priest, is not in Taoyuan Township at the moment. Only you can quell the Azure Fox God’s…” the follower urged.

“That is enough. I understand.”

Bai Lian cut him off. Without sparing Xia Yi another glance, she hurried away in great haste.

Xia Yi had narrowly avoided exposure before Bai Lian. It was a close call, but she remained undiscovered.

…

After entering Taoyuan Township, Ye Shan finally let out a breath of relief.

“Thank heavens we weren’t exposed before Lady Bai Lian… Otherwise we’d all have died here.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Elly said with lingering tension. “I was already prepared to carry you away and flee. If not for this so-called rage of the Azure Fox God, we truly would have been finished!”

“What exactly happened just now, for Bai Lian to leave in such a hurry?” Xia Yi asked Ye Shan.

“Didn’t I explain before?” Ye Shan replied. “Taoyuan Township was transformed by the divine power of the Azure Fox God. The foxfolk here gained intelligence because of that god and went on to establish the White Night Sect…”

“Yes, I know.” Xia Yi nodded.

“But within Taoyuan Township, the Azure Fox God’s lingering fury toward the Red Fox God also remains. At intervals, that fury descends upon this land. As the priestess of the Azure Fox God, Bai Lian’s duty is to calm that wrath. That’s why she rushed off just now. If left unchecked, the god’s anger would spread and bring about a terrible disaster.”

Now Xia Yi understood why members of the Nine-Tailed Fox lineage also existed within the White Night Sect, their bloodline was inherited from the Azure Fox God, while the fox royal family traced their lineage to the Red Fox God.

Bai Lian and Yue Liu each corresponded to the priestesses of the Azure Fox God and the Red Fox God respectively.

At its core, then, the upheaval at Fox Hill was essentially, 

A religious war?

“Ye Shan, let me ask you something,” Xia Yi said.

“Ask anything. I’ll tell you everything!” Ye Shan declared quickly.

Thinking of the capsule filled with deadly dragon’s breath inside his stomach, he dared not disobey.

“Why did the White Night Sect capture Yue Liu?”

“I believe… they intend to use the Red Fox God’s priestess as a living sacrifice…”

“A living sacrifice?!” Xia Yi’s expression darkened, anger flashing in her eyes.

“I’m not entirely sure! It’s just what I’ve heard of higher-ups planning. It was the High Priest’s decision.”

“You don’t know for certain?”

“I truly don’t!!”

Seeing the look on Xia Yi’s face, Ye Shan nearly dropped to his knees in fear.

“I’m only an elder of one branch of the White Night Sect, at best, mid-level. I’m not part of the upper ranks. How could I possibly be privy to such secrets? I only heard that the High Priest intended something of that sort…!”

“…This is bad,” Xia Yi murmured.

She had assumed the little fox would be detained like the other members of the fox royal family, used as leverage perhaps, but not in immediate mortal danger.

But now, it seemed the situation had already taken a far darker turn than she had anticipated.

The little fox was in extreme peril. She might even be on the verge of being offered as a living sacrifice.

“We have to find Yue Liu in Taoyuan Township as quickly as possible…!”

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