“What should I do next?”
Facing Chu Yuan’s question, Su Xuanxuan didn’t hesitate. “Of course, acknowledge the kinship! Right now, the Holy Son is being drained dry every day by that Successor of the Immortal Dynasty. I cannot bear it. Before the Successor can harm him further, I must bring him back as soon as possible.”
Chu Yuan nodded, then shook his head. “The Successor played me for a fool! I had the same intention originally. But unfortunately, the Successor…”
With that, he told her about the Soul Covenant.
Learning that the Successor might use the Holy Son’s identity after discovering it, Fox Venerable couldn’t help but scold, “Ancestor, how could you be so careless?”
Chu Yuan coughed awkwardly, putting on the airs of an elder. “In truth, I let the child handle the negotiations himself. That he got this result is already decent. Jade must be carved to become a vessel; consider this a lesson for him. Anyway, once the Demon Path Alliance is destroyed, the Soul Covenant will end.”
Fox Venerable frowned slightly. If it were her, she would never allow her own Yuan’er to handle such an important negotiation.
But since it had already come to this, she didn’t scold him further. Instead, she said, “Forget it. I’ll handle this matter.”
Chu Yuan was curious. “Oh? How does Fox Venerable intend to handle it?”
“The Divine Hunt Grand Ceremony is coming. I’ve already taken lodgings with the Chu Clan Branch. Once the Holy Son returns, I’ll say I’ve taken a liking to him. The Successor will have to give me some face and won’t dare keep him by force. Afterward, when the Divine Hunt ends, I can smoothly bring the Holy Son back to the Sacred Realm. Then, even if the Successor wants to drain him dry, he’ll have no means to do so.”
Chu Yuan saluted her with admiration. “An excellent plan, Fox Venerable! But after the Divine Hunt, the Holy Son cannot return to the Sacred Realm with you.”
Su Xuanxuan was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Chu Yuan replied, “The child needs to go to Medicine King Valley to assist his childhood friend in her trial.”
Su Xuanxuan immediately thought of Gu Qingwan and strongly opposed it. “No! The Medicine King Valley Trial is extremely dangerous. The Holy Son is the future Holy Lord. How can he risk his life for romantic entanglements?”
Facing her commanding tone, Chu Yuan couldn’t help but recall scenes from his past life. In his previous life, the script had prevented him from effectively countering this fox. This life, without those restrictions, Chu Yuan wouldn’t just listen obediently.
Thus, he insisted, “Wan’er is my childhood friend and a Saintess Candidate. If I can help her become the Saintess, it will benefit the Sacred Realm more than harm it.”
Seeing his attitude, Su Xuanxuan was startled. “Wan’er? Did Yuan’er take over his own identity?”
Realizing the other party was already the Holy Son, Su Xuanxuan’s stance became firmer. “Your Highness, think of the responsibilities you bear. How can you take such risks? If you truly want to help your childhood friend, I’ll send someone to do it.”
Chu Yuan waved his hand. “No. Doing it through another person would lack sincerity. Besides, I have the help of my ancestors here. Nothing can go wrong. Moreover, when it comes to taking risks, haven’t I taken enough risks these past years? Fox Venerable, have you actually been protecting me in secret?”
Facing the Holy Son’s direct question, Su Xuanxuan frowned slightly but said firmly, “Of course I have! It’s just that Your Highness didn’t know. In my heart, you… are absolutely the most important!”
As she spoke, her gaze was tender as water, as if she wanted to make up for all the care she had withheld over the past sixteen years in a single sentence.
Seeing her like this, Chu Yuan suddenly laughed. He remembered the blood that had splattered on his face when his foster father blocked that sword for him—hot and coppery. He remembered the wind howling by his ears as his foster mother shielded him, her voice torn to pieces by the gale: “A-Yuan… live… well…”
Later, he had lived, but they had died.
“Fine, fine, fine.”
Chu Yuan nodded, his voice trembling as he tried to keep it calm. “Since Fox Venerable says so, then back when I took risks with my foster parents, you must have been nearby, right?”
Su Xuanxuan’s pupils contracted slightly. Her vermilion lips parted, but she couldn’t utter a single word.
Staring at her constricted fox pupils, Chu Yuan’s gaze blazed with hatred as he continued to press, “Why didn’t you save my foster parents? Or is it…”
He didn’t finish, but his reddened ink-black eyes already spoke what his words did not.
Meeting the Holy Son’s gaze, Su Xuanxuan took a few steps back in guilt.
What could she say?
Say “Yes, I was nearby”?
Say “I watched them die but didn’t lift a finger”?
Say “Because only if they died, your mentality could become stronger”?
Those words stuck in her throat like a fishbone—she could neither swallow them nor spit them out.
Watching her silent, Chu Yuan gave a cold laugh, turned around, and grabbed the clothes from the rack. He moved quickly, not wanting to say anything more to this deranged fox.
But unfortunately, he still needed to use her influence within the domain to take down the Fake Young Master later, so he couldn’t completely sever their relationship. After calming his emotions, he added, “Fox Venerable, from now on, just focus on your protective duties. Leave the rest to me. You don’t need to bother with it anymore!”
Facing the Holy Son’s increasingly cold gaze, Su Xuanxuan’s delicate body trembled violently, as if her Dao Heart had been stabbed directly.
‘Everything I did was for the Holy Son’s good!’
That was what she had always told herself.
Sending him away was to keep him away from the Sacred Realm’s troubles. Not telling him the truth was to let him grow up like an ordinary person. Letting his foster parents die without saving them was to temper his will.
Every single thing she did, she could find a reason of “for his good.”
But now, facing the Holy Son’s accusations, she closed her eyes, suddenly uncertain.
When she opened them again, Chu Yuan had already changed into clothes embroidered with bamboo patterns—the style of the Chu Clan.
Without looking at her again, he held the young dragon in one arm and walked straight toward the door.
“Wait!!!”
At that moment, Su Xuanxuan finally spoke.
Rushing forward quickly, she grabbed the hem of Chu Yuan’s clothes. “Your Highness, it doesn’t matter whether you forgive me or not. But at least take this jade pendant. It is a defensive magic tool I carefully prepared. With it by your side, I can rest easy.”
As she spoke, Su Xuanxuan pressed a jade pendant into his hand.
Chu Yuan reluctantly took it. Glancing at it, he recognized it as the Warm Sun Jade from his past life.
In his previous life, following the system’s script, he had given it to his Senior Sister. Later, in the final battle, his Senior Sister used this jade to block a full-force strike from the Black Dragon Emperor at her peak. It was indeed a fine magic tool.
Reborn into this life, Chu Yuan naturally wouldn’t foolishly give it to that blockhead again. He saluted politely. “Thank you, Fox Venerable, for this generous gift. This disciple will treasure it.”
After saying that coldly, Chu Yuan opened the door, only to find that the entire space was completely sealed due to the formation Fox Venerable had set up. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, then turned to look at Su Xuanxuan, who was dressed as a maid. “The formation is lifted now. Do you have any other reason to keep me? Please release the formation, Fox Venerable, and let this disciple leave.”
Fox Venerable lowered her head involuntarily, thinking to herself: ‘Yes. What reason do I have to keep this child? Children always have to grow up and face the outside world on their own. And I can only…’
Su Xuanxuan was unwilling.
But before she could make up her mind, Chu Yuan’s tone turned even colder. “Su! Xuan! Xuan! What exactly do you mean by this? Are you trying to kill your master?”
He hadn’t wanted to say it, but he had no choice.
Faced with such an accusation, Su Xuanxuan, who had always prided herself on her “loyalty,” dared not keep him any longer. “Your servant dare not!”