Volume One, Chapter 13: The Treacherous Slave Betrays His Master

Cheng Xi paused halfway, slipping into the nearby rockery before Cheng Fenglan could catch up. She retained the memories of the original owner and recalled everything about the Cheng residence, so she followed the passage through the rockery.

Soon, she reached the end of the path and saw Baohua restored to a paper figure stuck against the rock wall. Upon seeing her, Baohua’s eyes lit up instantly.

Cheng Xi took in her disheveled state, noticing several scratches on her body. One deep claw mark had pierced through her leg, leaving a large hole.

“What happened?” Cheng Xi asked, torn between worry and anger.

Baohua looked utterly wronged and whispered, “Fox… ran…”

What fox? What running away?

Cheng Xi stared at Baohua, confused.

Baohua’s speech was still clumsy, and the more anxious she became, the more tangled her words grew, as if she might twist herself into knots.

Before Cheng Xi could respond, a furry head suddenly popped out behind Baohua.

A four-eyed demon fox!

Cheng Xi was stunned.

She looked at Baohua, then at the four-eyed demon fox.

Baohua avoided Cheng Xi’s gaze, and the fox’s eyes flicked rapidly, unwilling to meet hers.

Taking a deep breath, Cheng Xi faced the four-eyed demon fox and said, “Weren’t you taken back to the Golden Capital? How did you escape from Li Zhian’s grasp?”

She hadn’t expected him to possess such cunning.

“Li Zhian went to Qinghe Academy. The moment he left, I ran,” the fox replied confidently.

Cheng Xi groaned inwardly. “I don’t take in wanted criminals.”

She wasn’t fooled by the fox’s intentions.

“How can you be so heartless? If I hadn’t saved Baohua, she’d be nothing but scraps of paper now!” the fox exclaimed angrily.

“You saved Baohua?” Cheng Xi regarded the fox coldly. “I haven’t forgotten you were once defeated by Baohua.”

“If I hadn’t been severely injured and starving on the run for days, would she have caught me? Plus, the rope she used was peculiar—otherwise, I’d have escaped long ago.”

Cheng Xi recalled that the rope Baohua had tied around the fox was her own hair ribbon—undoubtedly unusual.

“So, what are you doing at the Cheng residence?” Cheng Xi asked.

The fox looked smugly at her. “I want to join you. Don’t I need to show some sincerity? I know you have grievances with the Cheng family and want them gone. You’d surely take me in.”

Cheng Xi: …

Thanks a lot—right at the door, you hand me a royal warrant for a wanted fugitive.

“I came to the Cheng residence just in time to see the Ghost-faced Bird fighting Baohua. Seeing Baohua losing, of course I had to help her. After all, we’re all妖族 (demon kind) in the end.”

Cheng Xi: !

Baohua looked at Cheng Xi, pointed at the hole in her leg, then at the four-eyed demon fox, signaling “Keep him.”

“He’s a wanted demon beast. I don’t want to make enemies of the Tongtian Bureau. That would be troublesome. Besides, I can’t beat them now. If we keep him, we’ll both be fugitives,” Cheng Xi said flatly.

“I know a way to heal your body. If you keep me, I’ll tell you.”

“No conditions here!” Cheng Xi sneered. The fox’s sharp mind was obvious.

If she kept him, she’d be scheming against him every day. Would life even be livable?

Cheng Xi refused to relent. The fox grew desperate. “What do you want me to do to be accepted?”

“For saving Baohua, I won’t tip off the authorities about you. Jiang Boyu is outside catching the Ghost-faced Bird. If you don’t want to get caught, leave quickly,” Cheng Xi said, then looked at Baohua. “You’re coming with me.”

Cheng Xi left decisively. Baohua gave the fox a helpless look and followed close behind.

The fox’s eyes darkened. Cheng Xi was indeed not easily fooled—such a cold and ruthless woman!

“Then let’s make a Heaven and Earth pact. This time, you have to believe me,” the fox gritted his teeth.

Cheng Xi didn’t look back and kept walking.

Not even a Heaven and Earth pact works?

Fine by me.

“The Ghost-faced Bird isn’t trying to kill Cheng Yanjian, only capture him. I know why.”

Cheng Xi stopped in her tracks.

The fox immediately leapt to her side. “Cheng Yanjian has a treasure the Ghost-faced Bird wants. If it falls into its hands, it could ascend a level.”

A treasure?

Cheng Xi pondered thoughtfully.

“Let’s go.”

She looked at the fox. So it was just the two of them?

Meeting Cheng Xi’s gaze, the fox instantly bristled. “You’ve heard my intelligence. Our deal is sealed. Are you going to back out now?”

Cheng Xi gazed silently at the fox clinging to her.

The fox signaled Baohua, who immediately curled into a ball. The fox’s tail hooked around her as he tossed out, “We’ll head back first. Take your time.”

Cheng Xi laughed with disbelief. In her previous life, a demon beast like this would only dare to crawl at her feet, let alone make demands.

With a stern face, Cheng Xi exited the rockery, hesitating whether to witness the commotion ahead. She soon saw Mrs. Li hurriedly supporting Madam Cheng as they approached.

The three confronted each other instantly.

Madam Cheng sneered upon seeing her. “What are you doing here? This is no longer your home. Don’t tell me you regret and want to come back? Dream on!”

Remembering how her son had sent her so much silver, Madam Cheng’s hypocritical mask slipped. This debt collector was as detestable as her wretched mother!

Cheng Xi stared coldly at Madam Cheng. “What am I doing here? Why don’t you ask your beloved son and granddaughter? They begged me to come back just this morning.”

Mrs. Li frowned at Cheng Xi. “If you lie, at least make it believable. Cheng Xi, I advise you to be smart. Since you’ve severed ties with the Cheng family, don’t shamelessly show up.”

Cheng Xi recalled the fox’s words and suddenly smiled, looking at Madam Cheng and Mrs. Li. “Fine, I advise you both to be smart, too. Don’t bring your troubles upon me.”

She had no patience for their nonsense and turned to leave.

“Stop!” Madam Cheng’s eyes glared fiercely. “You’re just going to walk away? Who knows if you stole anything from the Cheng family!”

“Mother!” Cheng Zhouxing returned, hearing this, and nearly fainted. “Xi Xi would never do such a thing.”

“Xi Xi, Xi Xi, she’s cut off ties with you. Why do you still cling to such a white-eyed wolf?” Madam Cheng scolded her unfilial son.

Cheng Zhouxing was at a loss for words and turned to Cheng Xi. “Xi Xi, can you help us?”

“No!” Cheng Xi said with a faint, amused smile, addressing Madam Cheng and Mrs. Li slowly.

Both women were taken aback. Mrs. Li said, “Master, are you out of your mind? That worthless woman can be of what help?”

“Exactly. Don’t let her lie to me again, old woman. Just get rid of her!” Madam Chen snapped.

Cheng Xi clapped her hands and looked at Cheng Zhouxing. “Magistrate, I take my leave.”

Cheng Zhouxing’s face darkened as he stepped forward to block her. “Xi Xi, if you don’t cherish the bond between father and daughter, and between siblings, do you not care about Lord Jiang’s life and death?”