Chapter 7 — The Fox Spirit Grand Preceptor Comes to Repay His Debt

The atmosphere between the two men was remarkably delicate, as if a single stray spark could shatter the fragile silence and ignite total destruction.

Grand Preceptor, what you are doing now will only destroy her.

Qin Baichuan's voice sounded exceptionally grating and harsh against the quiet air.

Everything I have ever done has been precisely what she desired.

I turned my head to look at the man standing before me, finally comprehending that every single action he had taken stemmed from his devotion to me, whether in the distant past or at this very moment.

What the eldest princess desires? If she remains here and marries me, she will forever retain her status as a branch of golden leaves and jade dew. Once she leaves with you, she can only wander the desolate ends of the earth, facing hardship.

The corners of my lips curved upward in a mocking smile. If this so-called golden branch and jade dew meant spending lifetime after lifetime dependent upon the whims of others, then I gladly renounced the title of princess.

General Qin, please return the way you came. I have no intention of following you back.

With those words, I proactively reached out and took Ye Tianmiao's hand. We stood side by side, a picture of absolute harmony. A flash of frantic madness flared deep within Qin Baichuan's eyes.

The eldest princess has clearly been bewitched by a fox demon! Men, seize the demonic creature and bring him to justice at once!

Ye Tianmiao sighed softly, gently raising his hand to cover my eyes.

Once again, he had taken a life on my account. Following our narrow escape, Ye Tianmiao fell into a state of profound weakness, and I dared not seek out any mortal refuge for fear of discovery. We could only find sanctuary from the torrential rain within a secluded cave nestled deep among wild, uninhabited mountains. I foraged for whatever medicinal herbs I recognized, yet upon inspecting Ye Tianmiao's body, I found not a single physical wound. Recalling how he had been after the previous killing, I vaguely deduced that he was an immortal beast bound by heavenly laws, forbidden from committing acts of bloodshed. This period of deep slumber lasted far longer than usual. For more than ten days, day and night, I tended to him without ever removing my outer garments, until he finally stirred back to consciousness. Gazing upon his face, as pale and colorless as a sheet of paper, I could not restrain myself and threw my arms around him in a tight embrace.

Perhaps I should just return to the capital after all. You must never kill anyone again.

His hand rose as if to wrap around my waist, yet upon hearing those words, it froze, hesitating before finally pulling me close.

So Su, I originally came simply to repay a debt of gratitude. Yet that man-eating imperial palace that devours its victims without leaving bones left me profoundly uneasy for your safety, which is why I lingered in the mortal realm for all these years.

Over these past few years, your imperial father utilized you to keep me in check, and long ago I had already broken the taboos against shedding blood. Therefore, you bear no need for remorse; everything that has transpired is merely the consequence of my own choices.

I loosened my grip, drawing back to stare fixedly into those distinctive fox-like eyes.

If your kind takes too many mortal lives, what manner of retribution awaits you?

To be cast into eternal damnation, broken beyond all hope of redemption for ten thousand kalpas.

I fell into a harrowing nightmare. In the dream, Ye Tianmiao was bound tightly by dozens of heavy, crude iron chains, shifting between his human form and that of a small red fox. No matter how desperately he struggled, he could never break free from the suffocating restraint of those fetters. In the dream, I screamed his name at the top of my lungs. When my eyes finally snapped open, I discovered my skin drenched in cold sweat, while the little red fox from my dream was curled upon my chest, breathing with steady, rhythmic grace. With each passing day, the duration of Ye Tianmiao's transformations into his true form and subsequent slumbers grew increasingly protracted. If the imperial guards were to track us down once more, the only fate awaiting him would be relentless slaughter. I reached out a trembling finger, gently pressing against the snowy white patch of fur between his brows. The little red fox twitched, a faint shiver running through its small frame. I lifted it carefully, placing it upon a bed of dry grass in the corner, laid my outer robe over its sleeping form, and hardened my heart to walk away.

Once again, I found myself draped in robes of deep, crimson wedding attire. This time, however, the person who lifted the red veil from my face was Qin Baichuan. Initially, I had fled from Ye Tianmiao simply to spare him from committing further acts of violence, yet in the end, I had been recaptured by Qin Baichuan and hauled back to the capital. At this moment, he gazed at me with undisguised joy, capturing my hand within his own as he spoke.

Xiao Su, in this lifetime I swear I shall never fail you.

Yet within the quiet chambers of my mind, another voice echoed persistently:

I came to repay a debt of gratitude.

It felt as though I were wandering through a prolonged, surreal dream. Coming full circle, I had theoretically fulfilled the dream of my youth, yet my soul violently resisted it. This was not what I truly desired. With a sudden surge of strength, I shoved Qin Baichuan backward.

Do not touch me!

A fleeting flash of profound hurt crossed his features, though he merely sat quietly beside me in the stillness.

Truthfully, I merely arrived a single step behind Ye Tianmiao. I had perceived his feelings for you long ago, and all this time I have only ever sought to protect you.

Yet I am deeply in love with you as well, Xiao Su, and my heart simply refuses to accept this defeat.

When all was said and done, Qin Baichuan could utter no further words of argument. The high-spirited, unyielding youth of years past had ultimately been utterly defeated and trapped by the single word of love. Silence stretched endlessly through the newlywed chamber.

Let us go. I will take you to find Ye Tianmiao.

On the night of our wedding, Qin Baichuan and I each mounted a swift steed, charging furiously through the city gates. This time, it was I who ran desperately toward Ye Tianmiao. Yet by the time we finally located him, an entire imperial army had already surrounded him in an impenetrable, suffocating siege.