Chapter 105: Intercepting the Demonic Calamity

"Delivering a message?"

Qin Hongxiu raised an eyebrow, teasing, "And whose message might you be delivering?"

Although the white fox posed no threat to her whatsoever, its bizarre appearance at such a sensitive time naturally aroused her suspicion. No matter the circumstances, a white fox was still a demon.

Catching the implication, the white fox bit her lip, a flicker of irritation rising in her chest. "From Qingshan, of course!"

"Oh?" Qin Hongxiu caught the shift in the little fox's expression. A glimmer of surprise crossed her eyes, and she clicked her tongue in wonder. "You've certainly grown a spine, haven't you?"

Teasing aside, she was genuinely astonished that Lin Ze could command such a powerful demon, let alone give it the courage to raise its voice at her. He was only a cultivator at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. How had he pulled that off?

The white fox took a deep breath, a look of displeasure crossing her lovely, striking face. Though she harbored a bitter, irreconcilable hatred for the Heavenly Demon Sect, these human cultivators were hardly saints either. It was true that Qin Hongxiu had spared her life once, but to the sword cultivator, she was nothing more than a plaything—someone who could be casually snuffed out whenever Qin Hongxiu happened to be in a foul mood.

Truth be told, had Lin Ze not ordered it, she wouldn't have lifted a finger to help either side. Feeling thoroughly annoyed, the white fox decided not to waste any more words. She quickly relayed Lin Ze's message in its entirety, then turned to leave.

If the message was true, a massive war was about to erupt between the Heavenly Demon Sect and the Dongyue Sect. At a time like this, she felt far safer staying close to Lin Ze.

"The Tiangou?"

As Qin Hongxiu heard the name, the smile slowly faded from her lips. She stared intently at the white fox's retreating back. Suddenly, she extended a slender hand. A sudden gale whipped up, wrapping around the fox's soft, alluring figure and dragging her right back.

The white fox cried out in surprise, looking up in alarm. She found herself pulled into Qin Hongxiu's embrace, enveloped in a cage of sharp sword energy that pinned her in place. The sword immortal looked down at her with a sweet smile. "Little fox, how did you come by this information?"

A sliver of ice lurked within those crescent-shaped eyes, causing the white fox to shudder. Her voice shrank to a tiny whisper. "I don't know... Imm—Immortal Lord Lin told me to pass it on to you."

Without even realizing it, her first instinct in the face of danger was to invoke Lin Ze's name in hopes of deterring the sword cultivator.

Hearing this, Qin Hongxiu rolled her eyes and gave the white fox's petite nose a firm pinch. "Don't go tossing the title 'Immortal Lord' around so lightly. If I didn't know exactly who you were talking about, you might have actually fooled me."

It was said that many male cultivators harbored peculiar tastes, enjoying it when their companions addressed them by grander, senior titles. She hadn't expected Lin Ze to be so adventurous.

*Immortal Lord?* He wasn't afraid of tempting fate and shortening his lifespan.

Wait...

Qin Hongxiu's expression faltered slightly. She took another look at the delicate, fragile beauty in her arms. The fox's anxious, trembling face was enough to evoke pity in anyone, bearing none of the ferocity she had shown back at the Herb Mountain. No wonder Lin Ze had asked her to lift the restriction last time. It turned out he had used *other* methods to tame this powerful demon.

At the thought, a shiver of disgust ran through her, and she shook her head. That brat actually dared to get tangled up with a demon fox. Bah! Shameless scoundrel. He was a disgrace to Qingshan's reputation!

Losing the desire to tease her any further, she released her grip, sat down on the edge of her giant hovering sword, and patted the space beside her. "Sit."

The white fox hung her head in grievance. "I've already delivered the message."

Qin Hongxiu leisurely retrieved a jade slip. "If that Lin fellow had come himself, I might have believed it outright—the boy does have a knack for the bizarre. But since it's you... if I find out this news is fake, I'll offer your head to the inner sect as an apology."

Despite her harsh words, a shadow of worry flickered in the sword immortal's eyes. The matter was far too peculiar; she had no choice but to err on the side of caution.

If it was false, the worst she would do was give the fox a good thrashing. But if it was true... how on earth had Lin Ze found out?

While Qin Hongxiu hoped Lin Ze could help her protect Little Qingshan, she knew how to weigh the gravity of the situation. A matter of this magnitude could not possibly be something he had overheard while wandering around. What, had some Demon King gotten drunk and let it slip? Ridiculous. Such excuses held no water.

She didn't suspect Lin Ze of colluding with the demons; after all, if he were, there would be no reason to send the white fox to warn her. Still, she would have to demand a clear explanation from him afterward. Even if she believed him, the old fogeys of the inner sect were no fools.

As she pondered, the jade slip in her hand glowed. A reply from the inner sect had arrived.

***

Along the lower reaches of the Yellow Sand River, turbid waters churned, lapping tirelessly against the jet-black boulders along the shore, wearing them smooth over time. A dozen or so cultivators stood gathered on the bank.

Leading them was Peng Yangrong. Holding his Dao sword, he gazed quietly across the river. His breathing was slow and even, and his presence carried an air of calm composure.

"Senior Brother Peng, have you already reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage?" a female cultivator asked, her voice tinged with pleasant surprise.

"Not quite yet," Peng Yangrong replied with a shake of his head. He had indeed trained relentlessly in preparation for the upcoming demon tide, but he was still half a step away from a breakthrough.

"Oh." The female cultivator sounded slightly disappointed, but she quickly brightened. "No matter. Last time, you personally slew three Foundation Establishment beasts, and even Master praised you. I'm sure you will keep us safe this time as well."

Peng Yangrong sighed softly. "Junior Sister Chen, we must not let our guard down. Ten years ago, over two hundred demon beasts attempted to break through the lower reaches. Even though ninety percent of them were mindless, low-level beasts in the Qi Condensation stage, they still inflicted heavy casualties upon us."

"After a decade of recovery, the forces they bring this time will likely be even larger."

During the last tide, he had been just an ordinary disciple among many. It was only due to his outstanding performance that the sect had tacitly chosen him to lead this group. Looking at the inexperienced disciples behind him, he could not help but feel a pang of unease.

Estimating the time, the confrontation was imminent. He glanced back at the group. "Is everyone here?"

The disciples looked at one another. After a brief silence, Junior Sister Chen’s brow furrowed in anger. "Those three still haven't shown up!"

Though she named no names, everyone knew exactly who she meant. A wave of hushed complaints broke out among the crowd.

"This is completely unacceptable."

"Do they think this demon tide is a game?"

"Once we return to the sect, Senior Brother Peng must report this to the elders. The Southern Palace should punish them for dereliction of duty!"

As the chatter grew louder, Peng Yangrong raised a hand to quiet them down. He let out a sigh. "I checked earlier; they are likely disciples of Little Qingshan. You might not know, but since the passing of Elder Zhang Dahai, that peak has been virtually abandoned. I heard a rogue cultivator was recently brought in as an elder just to keep their lineage from dying out."

"They have probably never even heard of a grand campaign like defending against the demon tide. Since this is their first time, it's only natural they might be nervous."

"We are all disciples of the same sect. Let us put aside our grievances and focus on the battle ahead."

Though he spoke words of comfort, it would be a lie to say he wasn't annoyed. However, he was a man of mature character who saw the bigger picture, and he knew that complaining now would change nothing.

Besides, the beasts... were already here.