Chapter 10: The Fated Shadow Woman

A layer of mist clouded my eyes as I raised my head in confusion, and indeed, I saw a tall figure that had appeared by my side at some unknown moment

I am but a human, how can I help the fox clan continue their bloodline

After a pause, he asked me, "Have you found the item?"

A ghostly red figure appeared before my eyes

Rest assured, I will not let you die so easily; you are now shouldering the important responsibility of revitalizing the Fox Clan

"You, you are the fox that caused the death of my parents back then?" I was shocked in my heart, but more than that, I felt fear

The Bai family killed my wife and children, and severely injured me. This enmity cannot be shared under heaven. I seek retribution from the Bai family, which is only just and proper

Little did he expect that the moment the wooden spirit hairpin pierced in, it suddenly shattered, causing him no harm at all

What are you daydreaming about? Why aren't you getting up?

Just thinking about it sends a chill down my spine

So, this pile of corpses is actually that of a fox

Perhaps I myself was not even aware that, while asking these two questions, there was a hint of grievance in my voice, tinged with a sobbing tone

Do you even deserve it

I recognize this face; it was he who attempted to act improperly towards me the last time I saw him in the coffin

Su Qingyuan nodded slightly and said: "Very well, I suppose you have some usefulness, so it is not in vain that I have given you three days' time."

In an instant, I felt the threat of death, and the instinct for survival compelled me to want to escape from here

Hu Jiu seemed taken aback for a moment: "What do you mean by that?"

I despairingly close my eyes, feeling as if I have the heart to die

I belatedly realized: "These, are they all your kin?"

Where have you just been? Why did you only arrive now

You will die! All of you will die!

My grandfather merely killed a fox that was occupying our ancestral grave, and he has never committed the immoral act of skinning a fox. What does this have to do with my family

Su Qingyuan interrupted him displeased, saying: "My identity is not something you should inquire about"

Hu Jiuxin expressed her grievances, saying: "But the Bai family has caused the deaths of nearly a thousand of my kin from the fox clan. If I do not avenge this grudge, I will not be at peace in my heart"

Why is this happening?

Do you think I would be fooled in the same place twice?" Hu Jiu sneered, "The remaining spiritual energy in the Wood Spirit Hairpin has already been exhausted. This time, you will not have such good luck as with the library!"

Not enough! Of course, it is not enough! Hu Jiuyin's cold voice was laced with intense resentment

"Not yet, but I have sensed its presence, just not far from here," I replied honestly

He looked at Su Qingyuan, unwillingly asking: "Who are you? As a member of the same clan, why are you helping humans to deal with me?"

Do you still not know who I am

The same clan? Su Qingyuan stood with one hand behind his back, exuding an air of dignity, his black robe adorned with gold embroidery billowing without wind, showcasing his nobility

What grievances do you have with humanity? I have no intention of interfering; it is just that this woman is of use to me, and you would do well not to harm her

Look at the bloody corpses beneath your feet; these are the sins of murder committed by your village! How can a mere few lives compensate for this?

Hu Jiudao: "Your Bai family is deeply sinful, deserving of death! If it were not for the treachery I suffered back then, which caused me to lose all my cultivation, I would have ensured that the descendants of the Bai family were extinguished, and the blood would flow like a river in Kuhe Village!"

He stood beside me with an air of calm and composure, his sleeves loosely gathered, his face as fair as snow, and his beauty akin to a crowned jade. The ethereal glow of the moonlight outlined his exquisite features, while his golden eyes radiated a chilling coolness.

Beast!

I regained my composure and quickly grabbed the torn collar with my hand, awkwardly standing up and hiding behind him

That voice was cold, devoid of any warmth, even exuding a heavy aura of death, as if a vengeful spirit had been lurking underground for a thousand years, approaching me with intense resentment

"The debt my family owes you has already been repaid with three lives; is that not enough?" I questioned through clenched teeth, while taking advantage of his momentary distraction to slip my hand into my pocket and secretly grip the wooden spirit pin.

My name is Hu Jiu, and I have come to your Bai family to collect a debt

Bai Xiang, the sins committed by your Bai family can only be atoned for by you now

Su Qingyuan cast a faint glance at me and said, "I just sensed a heavy atmosphere of resentment here, as if there are traces of some kind of formation present, so I took some time to investigate."

He spoke, extending his cold, pale fingers, and fiercely grasped my jawbone, sneering: "As for you, Bai Xiang, a corpse-born child, a destined yin woman, an excellent vessel for cultivation!"

Both feet seemed to be stuck in a quagmire, unable to be pulled out no matter how hard I tried

This sound

I looked at the injured Hu Jiu, feeling quite uneasy, and said: "He is the one who intends to harm my family, the fox immortal from m.hetushu.com. Shouldn't you deal with him first?"

"You are not of the fox clan? Impossible!" Hu Jiu clearly did not believe it, "You clearly have a trace of the fox clan's aura..."

"Unwilling?" Su Qingyuan scoffed, looking down from a height, coldly observing the red-haired fox curled up on the ground, and spoke softly, "Isn't all of this your own doing?"

Oh? Is that so? Su Qingyuan's gaze turned slightly cold, and an aura of pressure emanated from his entire being. "Even if what you say is true, why have you not mentioned the most crucial point at all?"

It is Su Qingyuan

Continuing the bloodline

He spoke, and his mask-like face transformed into a fierce and terrifying red fox face, with eyes filled with a greedy and sinister light, as his entire body bore down upon me

When I saw those corpses just now, I felt as if they were dogs that had been skinned, but their limbs were noticeably thinner than those of a dog. Now that I hear Hu Jiu say this, it all makes sense.

"Who exactly are you? Why do you keep trying to harm me?" I clenched my fists tightly, my fingertips digging into my palms, in an effort to suppress the fear within me

Hu Jiu's malicious grin pinned me to the ground, one hand gripping my neck while the other began to tear at my clothes

You continue to search, I shall wait here

At that moment, a cold and commanding voice echoed above my head

Hu Jiu seemed to have seen the doubts in my heart, and with a cold laugh, he said: "If it weren't for your grandfather seriously injuring me back then, would I have been able to watch my own kin being skinned alive and hunted to near extinction?"

Isn't this Hu Jiu perhaps insane

It is just right for the continuation of my fox clan's bloodline, aiding in my significant increase in cultivation

Get lost

Hu Jiu was struck by Su Qingyuan, seemingly sustaining significant injuries, and has already revealed his true form as a fox

I was being choked and found it hard to breathe, feeling both anxious and scared. Taking advantage of his unpreparedness, I fiercely thrust the wooden spirit hairpin towards his shoulder.

In the next moment, a muffled sound of "bang" was heard, and Hu Jiu's body was hurled away by a powerful force, crashing heavily into a nearby dead tree stump.

The masked man, who calls himself Hu Jiu, sneered: "The Bai family has caused the death of my wife and children, and has imprisoned me here, damaging my cultivation, preventing me from fully taking human form to this day! Such a deep-seated grudge, how can it not be avenged?"

He was dressed in a striking red outfit, with no facial features, resembling a white mask that seemed to be affixed to his face, exuding an indescribable sense of eerie terror