#739 - Prologue (Part 3)

Eight-tailed demon fox.

Legend has it that the fox demon clan can grow up to nine tails, known as the Nine-tailed Fox.

However, no one has ever seen a nine-tailed fox demon. The most recorded is eight tails, with strength comparable to a second-rank cultivator among humans.

From this, the realm division of the fox demon clan is very clear.

One tail is equivalent to the ninth rank, and nine tails are equivalent to the first rank.

Eight hundred plus two hundred, exactly one thousand.

Just like that, Yang Liu Shi just happened to meet the conditions for growing the eighth tail.

And this also means that her current strength has surpassed Liang Zhen and others in one fell swoop, becoming second only to Han Zhao among the 300,000 troops.

From four tails and sixth rank, directly soaring to eight tails and second rank.

Although the Eclipse Pearl is cheaper than the True Dragon Forehead Scale, its effect can be described as "earth-shattering."

Of course, just like when Wei Chang Tian squandered the True Dragon Forehead Scale to break through to the third rank, the effect of the Eclipse Pearl has not been fully utilized.

If she could accumulate three to four thousand years of cultivation before taking it, Yang Liu Shi might really be able to grow nine tails in one fell swoop.

But unfortunately, she had no choice just now.

Faced with the situation just now, taking the Eclipse Pearl was the only way to break the situation.

"Da."

The skirt fluttered, and the toe lightly touched the ground.

Like a fairy descending from the moon, Yang Liu Shi's already stunning appearance seemed to become even more captivating.

The fox demon phantom behind her had disappeared, but that scene was deeply engraved in Wang Nian Chu's mind.

Even with her limited knowledge, she already knew that Yang Liu Shi's true identity was actually a fox demon.

Therefore, as she watched the latter walk towards her step by step, a strong sense of fear slowly surged in her heart.

However...

Taking out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve, she poured out a few round pills.

Yang Liu Shi did not kill her to silence her, but knelt down and helped Wang Nian Chu up, gently feeding the pills into the latter's mouth.

"Hu...Madam... Cough! Cough cough cough!"

Feeling the warmth spreading from her dantian, Wang Nian Chu widened her eyes and coughed up several mouthfuls of blood.

"Don't speak, you are seriously injured."

Yang Liu Shi stretched out her sleeve to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes very gentle.

"Miss Wang, you are right, I am indeed a fox demon."

"But this matter, and what you just saw, don't tell anyone."

"Okay?"

"..."

Wang Nian Chu did not say "okay", nor would she say "not okay".

She just stared blankly at Yang Liu Shi, not knowing what she was feeling.

At this moment, as a group of soldiers rushed into the courtyard, Zhang San's hurried voice finally rang in their ears.

"Madam!!"

"Madam! Your humble servant is late! How are you?!"

"Where did the thief escape to? Your humble servant will take people to chase after him!"

"Someone come! Check Madam's injuries!!"

"..."

After shouting several times, Zhang San's face turned red, but he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

When he rushed in, he only saw Yang Liu Shi and Wang Nian Chu covered in blood, and subconsciously thought that both of them were injured, and the assassin had escaped after the assassination failed.

Fortunately, Madam is not dead, otherwise, Young Master would...

"Hiss..."

Thinking of what Wei Chang Tian's reaction would be if Yang Liu Shi died, Zhang San couldn't help but shudder.

He quickly led several military doctors to Yang Liu Shi's side, and the latter had already slowly stood up.

"Zhang San, I'm fine."

"But Miss Wang is seriously injured, treat her first."

"Ah? Yes!"

With a look from Zhang San, several military doctors immediately took out various pills and soft cloths, and stepped forward to carefully check Wang Nian Chu's condition.

However, Zhang San had no time to care about these things, and only looked nervously at the blood stains on Yang Liu Shi's body.

"Madam, are you really okay?"

"Also, where did that thief escape to? Your humble servant will definitely capture him and tear him to pieces!"

"I'm really fine, these blood stains are Wang Nian Chu's."

Looking at Zhang San, who was gnashing his teeth, Yang Liu Shi smiled.

"As for the assassin... he's over there."

"Huh?!!"

In an instant, everyone turned their heads sharply and looked in the direction pointed by Yang Liu Shi.

Then, they saw a pool of minced meat mixed with shredded cloth and blood.

"..."

Looking at this scene, the soldiers present all widened their eyes in disbelief, their expressions varying from astonishment to nausea to shock.

At this moment, Yang Liu Shi suddenly noticed a girl whose wrist was being tightly held by several soldiers.

"Zhang San, who is this?"

Looking at the girl with a pale face but red eyes, Yang Liu Shi frowned and asked Zhang San.

"Ah? Ah!"

Zhang San suddenly came back to his senses and quickly cupped his hands and replied:

"Reporting to Madam, this little girl was hiding sneakily in the street corner just now, and we happened to bump into her."

"Your humble servant is worried that she may be related to tonight's events, so I captured her together, intending to interrogate her properly later."

"Is that so?"

Yang Liu Shi nodded, and then said softly in Zhang San's surprised eyes:

"Since the thief is dead, leave a few people to take care of Miss Wang, and the rest should go back."

"Tell General Han and General Liang that I'm fine, and they don't need to come."

"Oh, right, hand this little girl over to me, I'll ask her a few questions."

"..."

Yang Liu Shi's voice was not loud, but her tone was unquestionable.

Fearing that something unexpected would happen to Yang Liu Shi again, Zhang San wanted to say something more, but when he saw the former's eyes, the words that came to his mouth were forced back.

What's going on?

Why do I feel like Madam is a little different from before?

The doubts in his heart flashed by, Zhang San hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he did not disobey Yang Liu Shi's order.

"You few stay with me! The rest of you go back to the camp first!"

"What are you still standing there for? Didn't you hear what Madam said? Hurry up and bring that little girl over!"

"..."

Soon, most of the soldiers withdrew from the courtyard, and the rest were busy cleaning up the corpses in the courtyard, or on guard all around, etc.

And the girl who had not said a word from beginning to end was also escorted to Yang Liu Shi.

"Madam, then we..."

"Go and be busy."

"Yes!"

Zhang San gave a wink and immediately led the last few people out of the backyard.

In this way, only Yang Liu Shi and the girl were left in the faint moonlight.

Feeling that familiar aura, Yang Liu Shi already knew that the latter was the little fox from the Mountain God Temple.

Therefore, her eyes also became somewhat complicated.

"What's your name?"

"..."

"The man who came to kill me, is he your father?"

"..."

"Did you come to avenge your mother?"

"..."

Yang Liu Shi asked three questions in a row, but the girl did not answer a single one, only staring at her with red eyes, her eyes filled with unforgettable hatred.

"Sigh..."

Sighing softly, Yang Liu Shi didn't ask any more questions.

Because "no answer" was actually the answer.

Reaching out her left hand, she gently wiped away the dirt on the girl's face.

In the next moment, Yang Liu Shi's pupils slowly began to become deep, eventually turning into the dark vertical pupils that Wang Nian Chu had just witnessed.

"Mmm..."

Her body trembled, and the girl's eyes suddenly became dull, and the hatred in her eyes gradually faded away.

After an unknown amount of time, she raised her head in a daze, looking at Yang Liu Shi blankly.

Then, a somewhat timid, yet expectant voice rang out in the faint moonlight.

"..."

"Mother..."