After the Fairy Maidens Fell to Darkness, They Captured Me to Ruthlessly 'Repay' Their Gratitude-Chapter 53 - The Fox Tail

“Alright, it’s about time for lunch. Try the food here, see if it suits your taste,” Qin Shiyan said, her tone soft and gentle, reverting to her usual demeanor after discussing serious matters.

He Ange didn’t stand on ceremony. He picked up his chopsticks and began eating.

He had already agreed to Qin Shiyan’s proposal, and his righteous and determined response had left her pleasantly surprised.

After all, it was Qin Shiyan who had elevated the conversation to such a grand level. For a young disciple like He Ange to respond so passionately to her call for duty was beyond her expectations.

She had underestimated him.

But regardless, it was a good thing that He Ange was willing to take on such an important and dangerous task. As his master, Qin Shiyan felt it was her duty to support him.

Before he left, she gave him some advice and a few life-saving artifacts. After all, any mission involving the Demon Sect was bound to be perilous, and He Ange was still young. She didn’t want anything to happen to him. If he were captured by the Demon Sect, it would fall on her to rescue him.

It was good to have righteous zeal, but recklessness could be fatal.

That was the extent of Qin Shiyan’s guidance. He Ange listened attentively and accepted her instructions.

In the afternoon, after a hearty meal, He Ange returned to his quarters.

The task Qin Shiyan had given him was a sect secret. He couldn’t share it with anyone, so he had to plan his next steps alone.

Sitting at his desk, he thought things through and ultimately decided to visit the black market again that night.

He wanted to try his luck and see if he could encounter the Demon Sect’s Holy Son again.

That Holy Son was undoubtedly the key figure Qin Shiyan wanted information on. He Ange was certain the man was a treasure trove of intelligence.

To He Ange, the Demon Sect’s Holy Son had become a gold mine.

As a spy for the sect, He Ange needed to build a strong relationship with the Holy Son and extract as much value as possible.

…

“Miss, I advise you to stay away from He Ange. First, he’s the disciple of Qin Shiyan, the fairy of the Shengxu Sect. Second, he’s deeply entrenched in the black market and even has ties to the Demon Sect’s Holy Son, Nightfall. A cunning and suspicious human like him... no one knows his true nature. If one day he decides to sell you out, you might end up helping him count the money while he does it!”

In the bamboo forest at the foot of the Shengxu Sect, several black-clad subordinates knelt before Xia Ranyue, their voices filled with concern.

Xia Ranyue understood their worries but didn’t want to hear it.

She had been deceived by He Ange once before, but when she thought about her interactions with him, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t as bad as he seemed. Besides, she still hadn’t recovered the spiritual energy he had taken from her. How could she give up now?

“Miss, you can regain your spiritual energy through cultivation, but if you fall into the hands of the Demon Sect, it’ll be over for good!”

“Exactly, Miss. Do you know how dangerous last night was? That Holy Son is at least at the late Core Formation stage. If he had gone on a rampage, we might have been able to help you escape. But if you had been bewitched by He Ange and insisted on saving him, how would we explain that to the saintess?”

The black-clad women were all adult fox demons. They had seen much of the world and understood its dangers. The more suspicious someone like He Ange appeared, the more cautious they became.

“Do I look that foolish? Like I’d be bewitched by a human?” Xia Ranyue retorted, crossing her arms, her charming eyes flashing with a hint of anger.

She was tired of hearing this.

Growing up, her elder sister had always been the pride of the Fox Clan, the destined one. Meanwhile, Xia Ranyue, though talented, had always lived in her sister’s shadow. The adults constantly compared her to her sister, lectured her, and worried about her lack of strength and cunning. They forbade her from doing this or that.

In the end, Xia Ranyue felt like she was allowed to do nothing but eat and sleep, like a pet being kept in a cage.

She didn’t want to live like that.

She didn’t want to be constantly controlled by her sister and the elders. She had finally left the Fox Clan’s secret realm, but she was still living under such constraints. Even her subordinates treated her like a child.

Did she have to live her entire life as a mere accessory to her sister, following the path the clan had laid out for her, forever overshadowed by the saintess?

What kind of life was that?

“Miss, the saintess said you’re just going through a rebellious phase. When you grow up, you’ll understand our good intentions,” one of the subordinates said.

Xia Ranyue was on the verge of losing her temper. These subordinates hadn’t been able to protect her when it mattered, and now they were lecturing her about being naive.

“I’m already grown up. I have my own judgment, and I’m not weak. In my true form, I’m far stronger than any of you!”

“If you keep trying to use my sister to control me...”

Her voice trailed off as her charming eyes glowed with a demonic light. Behind her, nine large, orange-red fox tails materialized, and a powerful demonic aura filled the bamboo forest.

No matter how young or inexperienced she might seem, Xia Ranyue was a nine-tailed fox, just like her sister, the saintess.

Her subordinates had crossed a line. While she usually tolerated their nagging out of understanding for their good intentions, her patience had limits.

Sometimes, she needed to assert her dominance, to remind them of her status as a nine-tailed fox and an heir to the Fox Clan’s bloodline.

“Miss, please calm down!” the subordinates pleaded, kneeling under the oppressive gaze of her fox eyes.

Xia Ranyue sighed, retracting her tails and returning to her human form.

“If you want to redeem yourselves, then keep an eye on Cao Dao for me. I’ll personally deal with that child-trafficking scum one day!”

“Yes, Miss! Your wisdom is unparalleled!” they replied in unison.

…

In the afternoon, He Ange, having received his mission from Qin Shiyan, prepared to head down to Yong’an City.

But as he reached the halfway point down the mountain, he sensed a faint demonic aura. Following it, he stumbled upon Xia Ranyue scolding her subordinates.

It was his first time seeing her in her true fox form.

Her demonic aura was impressive... and the number of tails she had was a bit overwhelming.

Thinking back to that night in Yong’an City, He Ange realized how lucky he had been. If Xia Ranyue had transformed into this form back then, he might have been drained dry.

Then again, in the city center, she probably wouldn’t have dared to reveal her true form so openly. It would have drawn the attention of the Six Doors.

Snap.

As He Ange’s thoughts wandered, a stray cat darted past, snapping a twig and revealing his hiding spot.

“Who’s there?!” Xia Ranyue demanded, her nine-tailed senses immediately picking up on the disturbance.

She turned to see He Ange awkwardly waving at her, the atmosphere growing tense. Hastily, she retracted her tails, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

This was the first time a living human had seen her true form. In the past, anyone who had seen it hadn’t lived to tell the tale.

But He Ange...

She couldn’t bring herself to harm him.

Which made him the first human to see her true form and live.

“Miss, shall we capture him?” one of her subordinates asked, their killing intent evident as they prepared to act.

But Xia Ranyue sighed.

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“Forget it. Let him go.”