The fox demon's figure flickered as she leaned against the head of the bed.
One hand clutched her arm, her eyes still filled with lingering fear.
She then sneered with a mix of shame and anger, "Well, well, well. I thought the Lin family was lying to me, but it turns out it was really you who killed Yinlang."
As she spoke, the fox demon suddenly threw off the blanket.
Beneath it, Lin Baiwei lay in nothing but a thin undergarment, her delicate shoulders exposed.
Her pretty face was marred with bruises, and dried blood clung to the corners of her lips.
Her eyes were dazed, struggling to maintain consciousness.
The fox demon grabbed Lin Baiwei by the neck, her sharp nails digging into the skin.
Her voice was shrill as she hissed, "I let you sleep with this wench, let you torment her, let you kill her! And now you're learning martial arts from her? You're quite the teacher, my dear Lin Lieutenant! So easily you turned the dog I raised against me. Did you let him take advantage of you too?"
The two faces were identical, but the fox demon's eyes burned with jealousy, her expression slightly twisted.
When the title "Lieutenant" was uttered, a faint trace of panic flickered in Lin Baiwei's dazed eyes.
After a moment, though weak, Lin Baiwei managed to force a faint smile.
"You talk too much. Enough already. I'm still hungry."
Watching Lin Baiwei close her eyes, the fox demon's gaze gradually turned icy.
She sneered, "As expected of someone with backing. Even in such dire straits, you remain calm and composed... Why put on such an act? I can't kill you, but can't he?"
At these words, Lin Baiwei finally showed a reaction, her lips pressing together in silence.
The fox demon glanced disdainfully to the side.
"A little favor and you're bought. Do you really think she has good intentions? You fool! Do you know that with her master's status, just the fact that you tied her up that day is a crime punishable by a thousand cuts?"
Shen Yi quietly observed the bell in front of him.
From start to finish, the fox demon's attention hadn't been on it, yet the bell moved on its own without any wind.
Despite the full power of his Blood Saber Technique, his black blade couldn't advance another inch.
It wasn't so much a weapon as it was the kind of "protective artifact" he had imagined.
So, the demonic arts of this world were truly this miraculous.
No wonder they were a renowned demonic faction.
Even a random second-generation member could broaden his horizons.
"Are you even listening to me?" The fox demon waved her hand, recalling the string of copper bells to her fingertips, clearly annoyed.
"..."
Despite the unease in her heart, Lin Baiwei couldn't help but twitch the corner of her lips.
This man's indifference wasn't directed solely at her.
Shen Yi took the opportunity to sheathe his blade and walked toward the two women.
"Stop! Don't move!"
Perhaps the previous strike had been too ruthless, leaving a lingering psychological shadow.
Seeing him approach, the fox demon instinctively tightened her grip, causing fresh blood to trickle down Lin Baiwei's neck.
Lin Baiwei winced, her brows furrowing in pain.
Yet the young man acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing to step forward until he stood right in front of her.
The fox demon stared at the indifference on his face and suddenly felt something was off.
The relationship between Shen Yi and Lin Baiwei didn't seem as close as she had imagined.
They weren't star-crossed lovers, nor did they even share a brief master-disciple bond.
"If you don't care about her, why not just make it clean? I'll let you go to North Cliff to lay low... We'll consider the matter of Yinlang settled..."
After a moment of hesitation, the fox demon offered a condition he couldn't refuse.
Shen Yi had already offended the Demon-Suppression Bureau; there was no way out for him now.
They were both in the same boat.
Those damned Demon-Suppression officers had already sneaked into the county.
She was tired of playing around in the Lin family.
It was time to end this game.
Hearing this, Lin Baiwei silently opened her eyes and looked at the young man.
Her red lips moved as if she wanted to explain something, but she felt too weak.
She had originally planned to wait until they were more familiar before finding an opportunity to reveal her identity.
But now that the fox demon had exposed everything, with Shen Yi's cautious nature, no amount of explanation would make him believe her assurances.
As her thoughts swirled, she suddenly saw Shen Yi raise his hand.
Slap!
His long, powerful fingers struck the fox demon's unprepared cheek.
A force far beyond the initial realm erupted from his fingertips, sending the seemingly delicate fox demon flying.
Shen Yi then grabbed her by the back of her neck and slammed her into the door!
"If you don't dare to kill her, stop pretending to be tough."
Shen Yi rubbed his wrist and turned to look at her.
The fox demon lay on the ground, her face twisted in disbelief.
Her long fur began to sprout, her lips protruding as she spat out a mouthful of broken teeth.
That seemingly casual throw had broken several of her ribs.
When she looked up again, her fox-like face was filled with venom.
"You're dead... When I report this to Third Uncle, I'll personally skin you alive..."
By provoking both the Demon-Suppression Bureau and the North Cliff Fox Clan, Shen Yi had no way to survive in Qingzhou!
Lin Baiwei's small face was filled with shock as she stared at the tall figure in front of her.
She had thought... that he would at least ask about her origins.
After all, she had hidden it for so long, fearing that once he knew everything, he might resort to desperate measures and kill her to silence her.
But now that the truth was out, Shen Yi's bold actions were far from what she had imagined.
"..."
Lin Baiwei's tense nerves finally relaxed for a moment.
Her forced calm smile gradually faded, as smiling with a split lip was truly painful.
She took a deep breath, her voice hoarse.
"Ignore her. She's not quite right in the head."
As long as she remained in Baiyun County for a day, the fox demon's Third Uncle would never set foot here.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have just sealed her acupoints and sent her back to the county.
Even the desire to kill her was likely just this little fox's own idea.
Of course, Lin Baiwei didn't want Shen Yi to get too entangled with the fox demon.
With the protective bell artifact given by her elder, even an ordinary Jade Liquid Realm martial artist wouldn't be able to keep her here without some serious means.
The previous strike hadn't been life-threatening, and the fox demon hadn't reacted in time, so the bell hadn't activated.
But if the fox demon were truly pushed to fight for her life, her ferocity would be unleashed...
Just then, Lin Baiwei suddenly saw Shen Yi walking forward.
She gritted her teeth against the pain and reached out to grab his sleeve.
"I'm really fine. There's no need..."
Shen Yi turned back, giving her a slightly odd look.
Under his gaze, Lin Baiwei pursed her lips, suddenly feeling a bit awkward.
It seemed she had misunderstood something, just like the fox demon.
"That's not what I meant... You... You're no match for her..."
The more she spoke, the more tangled her words became.
It seemed she had lost her usual composure and wit.
"..."
The fox demon slowly pushed herself up, her cold eyes fixed on the two of them.
She then raised the bell in her hand.
The clear sound of the bell rang out, and the air seemed to freeze.
Compared to before, this time the bell's power had increased tenfold! The fox demon's aura rapidly weakened, but the bell's effect was far more potent.
The fox demon couldn't understand why, despite having the same face and wearing the same clothes as this woman, she was always so lucky.
Even when she encountered Third Uncle, she managed to survive.
Even when she was taken by that evil constable, she remained untouched, without even a scratch.
And now, even as her neck was about to be snapped, she could still force out that annoying smile.
The jealousy in the fox demon's eyes grew thicker, turning into pure malice.
"Even you, this wretched dog, side with her! If I can't kill her, I'll kill you first!"
With two short daggers in hand, the fox demon lunged at Shen Yi, the clear sound of the bell accompanying her attack.
Lin Baiwei felt her body stiffen, her expression changing slightly.
Even when she had encountered that Core Formation demon before, she had remained calm.
But now, a rare trace of panic appeared on her face.
Suddenly, she felt Shen Yi gently shake off her hand.
In this stagnant mire, he could still move?
In the next moment, invisible currents of energy gathered in the room, solidifying at a visible rate.
Like countless flying swords, they hovered in mid-air.
A chilling aura filled the surroundings, making the place feel eerily silent, as if it were no longer part of the mortal world.
The fox demon, still gripping her daggers, stared in shock at the young man standing calmly with his hands at his sides.
Shen Yi stood quietly, his face pale but his eyes as calm as an ancient well.
With a slight thought, the fox demon felt herself locked in place by an invisible force, as if someone had grabbed her by the neck, making it hard to breathe.
In an instant, countless streams of true energy poured down, crashing toward the fox demon!
(End of Chapter)