Chapter 77: Contingency
A Race Against Time
Under the cover of night, Feng darted through the darkness, her heart pounding with urgency. She couldn’t recall the last time Ai Xinglan had shown such an expression. All she knew was she had to find Yu Li as quickly as possible.
Otherwise…
She shook her head, refusing to dwell on the thought.
By chance, she crossed paths with an old acquaintance. Like her, he seemed to be searching for something, his face etched with endless coldness.
He noticed Feng as well, giving her a curt nod before speaking in a flat tone.
“Long time no see… Silver Moon. It seems you’ve found a master worth serving.” His eyes lingered on Feng’s maid outfit, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
“Hm.”
Feng offered only a nod, choosing silence over conversation.
“Not easy to see, is it? The once-proud lone wolf, tamed at last.” His gaze softened with a hint of nostalgia as he recalled the past.
“Sorry, I’m in a hurry. If you want to catch up, let’s do it another time.”
Feng had no intention of lingering. Her urgency was palpable.
“Something’s happened, hasn’t it? Looking for someone? I’m searching too… for someone who deceived my master.” His sudden words made Feng pause mid-step.
“My master… she’s a pure, good-hearted girl, but stubborn as they come. Once she sets her mind on something, no one can sway her.”
His words made Feng frown instinctively, puzzled by his timing.
“I hope you understand. As her servant, I can’t interfere with her choices, but… I don’t want her to be hurt again.”
Glancing at Feng’s furrowed brow, he shook his head slowly. “But it seems today isn’t the day to keep searching. Liang bids you farewell.”
A gentle breeze brushed past as his words faded. In an instant, his figure vanished without a trace.
At that moment, Feng’s phone chimed. She pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and let out a relieved breath.
“Phew…” The next steps were no longer a concern.
Yet…
“Miss Yu Li, what exactly… have you gotten yourself into?” Recalling the butler’s words, Feng murmured helplessly.
The Fox’s Defiance
Dark foxfire blazed around Yu Li. Transformed, she stood like an otherworldly fox spirit, effortlessly breaking free of her chains to face Wang Si.
“Heh, hahaha… this is really…” Wang Si’s mad laughter carried a trace of bitterness.
“Yu Li, you never cease to surprise me… I’ll ask you one last time. Will you truly not embrace the Calamity?”
“Join us, and you’ll become stronger than you are now. Your abilities will shine even brighter!”
His voice grew fervent, his eyes gleaming with a strange light, as if envisioning that future.
“Hm… join you, you say…” In her fox form, Yu Li actually seemed to consider it.
Leaning her hands against the wall, she suddenly brightened, tilting her head to ask Wang Si, “Do you… have a golden-haired, red-eyed beauty to be my wife?”
“Golden… what?” Wang Si blinked, caught off guard.
“None? If you don’t, I’m not interested. You might as well give up.” Yu Li shook her head with mock regret, as if genuinely disappointed.
“So that’s it… you’re toying with me!”
“What? No way, I’m asking seriously!” Yu Li blinked, feigning grievance. “It’s you who can’t meet my demands, isn’t it?”
Her earnest tone and wronged expression made Wang Si pause. Could she… actually mean it?
“Women? Once you’re stronger, you can have as many as you want!”
For some reason, Wang Si didn’t find her request for a wife strange at all. Instead, he answered seriously.
“But… there are many women out there. My little Ai is one of a kind.” A gentle smile curved Yu Li’s lips.
“Little… Ai?” Wang Si faltered, confused by the shift in topic.
Yu Li’s smile widened as she continued. “That’s right. Little Ai is the best girl in the world. She indulges my every whim, blushes at the slightest tease, and is a simple, honest soul.”
“She took in a homeless stray like me… gave me everything I wanted… and real, genuine emotions.”
“So, compared to joining you, I’d much rather go see my little Ai.”
Flames of Resolve
Yu Li’s smile faded. With a sudden burst of strength, dark flames surged along the wall, engulfing the two stunned puppets in an instant.
“What!”
Her tactic of stalling with words had worked perfectly. Ignoring Wang Si’s shocked expression, Yu Li poured more spiritual energy into her flames. In this form, her fire was far more potent than before. Moments later, the two puppets were reduced to ashes.
Though she had dispatched them, Yu Li’s condition was far from ideal. She barely maintained her stance.
Fu Qingyue’s emotions had been drained entirely by her ascension, and Yu Li had forcibly activated a new ability. Her spiritual energy was now completely depleted.
“Teacher Wang Si, stop the puppets outside.”
Struggling to hold herself upright, Yu Li masked her exhaustion with a cold, threatening glare, as if she’d kill him the next moment if he refused.
But… she had miscalculated. In her current state, this was her limit.
“Yu Li, I know you’re clever… but do you think I wouldn’t have a contingency?”
Three more puppets appeared behind Wang Si, their auras brimming with savagery, eyeing Yu Li like prey.
“I crafted thirty-six of these puppets in total. If you can still win, Yu Li, I’ll concede defeat right now.”
Wang Si spoke calmly, his tone laced with confidence. No matter how Yu Li tried to hide it, her exhaustion was undeniable.
Even her fox ears and tails were beginning to fade…
(‘I’m sorry… Yu Li.’) Glazed Flame’s voice echoed in her ears.
Forcibly awakened and pushed to use a new ability, Glazed Flame was also at her limit. She would soon return to dormancy.
“Yu Li, it was an honor to be your teacher… Farewell.” A trace of reluctance flickered in Wang Si’s eyes but quickly vanished.
The three puppets lunged at Yu Li like ravenous wolves, ready to tear her apart.
Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom!
At that critical moment, the walls resounded with countless impacts, the room trembling as if caught in an earthquake.
Blood poured from Wang Si’s eyes, nose, and mouth. He collapsed to his knees, his face twisted in terror, muttering frantically to himself.
“They’re all… dead? How is this possible?!”