Chapter 377 : Meeting the Parents
Chapter 377: Meeting the Parents
Seeing the warm scene of one man and one beast getting along, Iron Egg remained calm and unsurprised.
Instead, Golden Egg and Five Qi Vine at the side felt a faint trace of jealousy.
Golden Egg even leapt with its flood-dragon body, landing on the right side of Chen Beiwu’s embrace, its gaze wary as it looked at the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox.
“Ying?”
Sensing the stare, the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox slightly lifted its head, its pair of heterochromatic eyes glancing at Golden Egg in confusion.
Golden Egg considered itself the master’s most trusted loyal subject, yet facing the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox’s innocent and guileless expression, its three dragon heads subconsciously turned aside, avoiding that pure gaze.
Forget it, forget it!
This little fellow was not some sycophant like Iron Egg. Why was it competing with a child?
Taking everything in and sensing Golden Egg’s thoughts through the Companion Contract, Chen Beiwu secretly laughed.
A child?
Chen Beiwu lowered his head, his gaze resting on the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox.
The Seven-Tailed Purple Fox clan possessed boundless potential and formidable bloodlines, ranking among the very best even within Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beasts. However, this also resulted in an exceptionally long growth cycle.
At eighteen, their bloodline had only just awakened. At fifty or sixty, they barely left the stage of needing constant care. At a hundred years old, they finally exited infancy and officially entered the growth phase.
In terms of age alone, this little fellow was likely older than Golden Egg and Iron Egg by quite a margin.
Of course, by the standards of human cultivators, the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox was indeed a genuine cub—pure-hearted and not yet in its growth phase.
Chen Beiwu did not expose this and instead asked gently, “That Beast Blood Vine—does it belong to you?”
“Wu.”
The Seven-Tailed Purple Fox softly responded and nodded.
Blinking its round eyes, it moved its four paws and slipped from Chen Beiwu’s arms, landing on the ground.
Under the watchful eyes of the Three-Realm Beast Generals nearby, it walked toward the Beast Blood Vine.
By now, the Beast Blood Vine had successfully devoured and refined the essence blood of dozens of Three-Realm Beast Generals. The fruit hanging upon it was on the verge of ripening, exuding an enticing fragrance.
The Seven-Tailed Purple Fox extended a forepaw. Purple light shimmered at the tip of its claw. With a light swipe, the perfectly ripened Beast King Fruit instantly fell.
Holding the crimson jade-like fruit—larger than its own head—in its mouth, it ran back to Chen Beiwu.
Then it stood upright on its hind legs, raised its forepaws, and offered the Beast King Fruit high to Chen Beiwu. There was not the slightest reluctance in its eyes—only pure sharing.
“Ying~”
Seeing Chen Beiwu not move, the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox let out a soft, glutinous cry, asking why he would not take it. Did he not like it?
Chen Beiwu looked at the Beast King Fruit before him, then at the pair of eyes filled with anticipation. A ripple stirred within his heart.
This little fellow was too pure.
So pure that it could even give away the Beast King Fruit meant to help itself advance to a Three-Realm Beast General and enter its growth phase!
Thinking this, Chen Beiwu did not refuse. He reached out and accepted the Beast King Fruit.
“Ying.”
Seeing this, the little fellow’s lips curled upward, its eyes narrowing into crescent moons, visibly delighted.
The Three-Realm Beast Generals nearby, however, changed expressions drastically, unsure whether to stop this on the spot or persuade their little ancestor to change its mind.
After all, this Beast King Fruit was no ordinary item. It was a Fourth-Tier Mystic Fruit specially prepared by the Purple Yao Beast King for the little princess. She had even pulled strings, having Beast Generals under neighboring Beast Kings voluntarily offer essence blood so that the Beast Blood Vine could blossom and bear fruit.
“Let’s discuss this. Actually, I prefer the Beast Blood Vine. How about you keep the fruit, and I take the vine?” Chen Beiwu said with a smile.
Hearing this, the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox blinked and suddenly realized.
Oh right—it had misunderstood.
Chen Beiwu had always spoken of the Beast Blood Vine, not the Beast King Fruit.
“Ying.”
Selling grandpa’s fields without heartache, the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox nodded without hesitation.
“Whoosh!”
Before Chen Beiwu even gave the order, Five Qi Vine had already flashed forward, carefully uprooting the Beast Blood Vine and transplanting it into the Five Qi Origin Grove. Its speed left the surrounding Beast Generals dumbfounded.
“Na.”
After planting the Beast Blood Vine, Five Qi Vine gave the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox a thumbs-up, its eyes filled with admiration.
Clearly, the little fellow’s casual gift of a Fourth-Tier Mystic Herb had won Five Qi Vine’s favor.
‘How spineless.’
Golden Egg shook its head slightly, feeling ashamed of Five Qi Vine’s behavior.
Chen Beiwu glanced at the drool nearly falling from Golden Egg’s mouth and chose not to expose it.
“Let’s go. I’d like to meet your parents.”
Chen Beiwu bent down and lifted the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox with one arm.
He had returned to the Yuqing Mountain Range to fulfill the promise he had once made to the little fellow.
As for contracting it as a Companion Beast, that matter was no trivial affair. Chen Beiwu needed to deliberate carefully.
The reason was simple: the matter of contracting a Companion Beast concerned the secrets he carried.
The Seven-Tailed Purple Fox was trustworthy, but that did not mean its family behind it was harmless.
Thus, Chen Beiwu needed to meet its parents to assess the risks before making a final decision.
“Ying.”
The little fellow’s eyes brightened slightly and it did not refuse.
…
Elsewhere, deep within a cloud-shrouded cave dwelling.
An incomparably beautiful figure suddenly opened her eyes. The vast mana swirling around her withdrew like a receding tide, slowly merging back into her body.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty, on emerging from seclusion. Your cultivation has advanced another step.”
A charming woman dressed in a snow-white palace gown quietly appeared and respectfully bowed.
“You may rise.”
The Purple Yao Beast King turned, her eyes piercing through illusion as she looked at the white fox kneeling on the ground.
“How is the Beast King Fruit cultivation progressing?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Beast King Fruit has ripened and was successfully picked by the little princess.”
The white fox spoke human language in a respectful tone.
It manifested a charming female form through divine sense not to beguile Her Majesty, but because it was the custom of the White Fox clan when facing those of higher rank.
“Very good. How is A’Zhi’s condition? Is she still staring blankly as before?” The Purple Yao Beast King’s voice was cool.
“This…” The white fox did not know how to answer.
The Purple Yao Beast King glanced at it, understanding that something must have changed today. “It seems you are hiding something from this king.”
“This humble one would not dare.” The white fox appeared flustered and carefully chose its words. “The little princess is in excellent spirits today. Perhaps…”
At that moment, the Purple Yao Beast King’s brows lifted slightly. She keenly sensed two approaching auras.
Raising her slender jade hand, she waved lightly, halting the unfinished report.
“A distinguished guest has arrived. Go retrieve this king’s treasured Cloud-Mist Tea. Boil water and prepare it.”
After speaking, she looked toward Bai Li hidden in the shadows. “Etiquette must not be neglected. Go outside the cave dwelling to welcome the guest and escort him in.”
“We obey Your Majesty’s decree.”
Bai Li and the white fox responded in unison before disappearing to make preparations.
Only the Purple Yao Beast King remained seated upon the throne, her gaze somewhat complex.
Meanwhile, Chen Beiwu carried the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox through layered mountains, arriving at a valley shrouded in dense clouds.
Seeing the thick white mist ahead, Chen Beiwu activated his divine sense to probe it, only to discover that the mist devoured and blocked divine sense. Entering rashly would surely result in losing direction.
“Ying.”
The Seven-Tailed Purple Fox softly indicated that ahead lay its mother’s seclusion grounds, protected by restrictions. One could not intrude casually, or injury and death might follow.
In seclusion?
Chen Beiwu frowned slightly, thinking this trip might end fruitlessly.
The next instant, the white mist parted to either side, revealing a slender figure—Bai Li, who had come to welcome the honored guest.
“Young Master Chen, Her Majesty is aware of your arrival and has sent Bai Li to welcome you,” Bai Li said, bowing slightly.
“My thanks.”
Chen Beiwu nodded, neither arrogant nor overly deferential.
Through divine sense and fate observation, he had already determined that this cultivator who called herself Bai Li possessed formidable aura and unfathomable cultivation—likely a Fourth-Realm Beast King comparable to a late-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch or beyond.
To casually command such a Beast King meant the little fellow’s parents were anything but simple, undoubtedly holding exalted status within the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox clan.
“Ying?”
The Seven-Tailed Purple Fox greeted Bai Li and asked whether Mother had successfully emerged from seclusion.
“Her Majesty has emerged. Please follow me.”
As they passed through the mist, Chen Beiwu’s view suddenly cleared. A magnificent cave dwelling entrance appeared before him.
On both sides flowed spiritual springs, exotic flowers and rare herbs growing everywhere, releasing nearly liquefied heaven-and-earth spiritual energy.
“Na.”
Five Qi Vine’s eyes lit up, instinctively looking at Chen Beiwu.
‘Have some self-control. Don’t embarrass me here,’ Chen Beiwu transmitted via divine sense.
Five Qi Vine lowered its head in disappointment.
It was a famed great thief—how could it enter a treasure mountain and leave empty-handed?
Still, despite its grumbling thoughts, it did not act inappropriately.
‘The little princess truly has good taste.’
Bai Li observed Five Qi Vine’s change and thought inwardly.
Wood-attributed Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beasts born of heaven and earth with such high spirituality were notoriously difficult to restrain. Otherwise, Five Qi Vine would not have earned such notoriety in the ancient records of the Yuqing Immortal Sect.
Yet Chen Beiwu had managed to keep it thoroughly obedient. His methods and temperament were likely even more profound than the Yuqing prodigies she had previously seen. His future achievements would surely be extraordinary.
“Her Majesty is just ahead,” Bai Li reminded softly.
Chen Beiwu nodded and entered.
At the center of the cave dwelling stood a magnificent throne.
Upon it sat a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
Even with Chen Beiwu’s Dao heart as steady as stone, the instant he beheld her face, he could not help but fall into a brief daze.
It was a beauty beyond words.
Clad in a purple palace gown, the hem flowing like layered clouds, she merely sat there yet became the center of the world. Everything around her served only as adornment.
At that very moment, an intense desire surged within Chen Beiwu’s heart—not lust, but an utterly pure possessive urge.
Buzz!
The Guarding-the-One Mirror flashed with light. The embryonic Yang Spirit within Chen Beiwu’s sea of consciousness trembled slightly. His desire instantly vanished, and clarity returned to his gaze.
“This junior Chen Beiwu greets Your Majesty.”
He gathered his thoughts, cupped his fists, and met the eyes upon the throne without evasion.
Not bad.
The Purple Yao Beast King had clearly seen the fleeting change in Chen Beiwu’s eyes.
At her level, she no longer needed outward form to prove the beauty of the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox clan. Even so, many Nascent Soul True Monarchs would feel admiration upon seeing her and willingly fall beneath her skirt.
For a mere Golden Core Perfection cultivator to regain clarity so swiftly—such composure and temperament were exceedingly rare.
No… something was off.
The Purple Yao Beast King suddenly realized something, her gaze turning serious.
It had been only fifty years since their last meeting, yet Chen Beiwu had advanced from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core Perfection, just one step from proving the Dao as a True Monarch.
Such cultivation speed was simply inconceivable.
No wonder A’Zhi had lost her head and directly given him the Beast King Fruit she had painstakingly prepared.
While she was astonished, Chen Beiwu was equally shaken.
Though he could not discern her exact cultivation due to the vast disparity in realms, he could, through the Nine-Breath Chaos Divine Ability, clearly see the immense fate upon her.
Threads of pure and noble purple fate condensed behind her, swirling and forming the faint shape of a majestic Heavenly-Fate Purple Dragon.
The dragon appeared lifelike, not an illusion. Its half-open eyes revealed supreme authority overlooking all beings.
Good heavens.
Chen Beiwu had thought the little fellow’s purple fate was already outrageous, but compared to her mother, it was still inferior.
Fortune-Origin Beast? No… something was off.
Chen Beiwu’s gaze subtly swept over the seven fox tails behind the Purple Yao Beast King, thoughts racing.
If her bloodline had truly reached the Fortune-Origin Beast level, she should have grown an eighth tail and become the supremely noble Eight-Tailed Purple Fox.
“There is no need for excessive courtesy. Please take a seat, young friend, and taste this king’s Cloud-Mist Tea.”
The Purple Yao Beast King leaned slightly forward, lifting the teapot and pouring tea.
Though a simple act, in her hands it carried effortless elegance.
Standing nearby, Bai Li’s pupils contracted.
Within the Yuqing Immortal Sect, only a handful were worthy of Her Majesty personally pouring tea. It seemed Chen Beiwu had already entered Her Majesty’s sight.
“This tea calms the mind, nourishes the Purple Mansion Yang Spirit, and slightly enhances comprehension. It may offer some benefit to your cultivation.”
“My thanks for Your Majesty’s gift.”
Chen Beiwu lifted the teacup and took a sip.
The tea entered his mouth, a cooling current sliding down his throat into his dantian, then surging straight into his sea of consciousness.
Before he could speak another word, he had already entered a state of enlightenment. His mind gradually outlined a towering, majestic Supreme Scenic Stele.
Unlike when he had comprehended Scenic Steles in the Taiyuan Heavenly Realm—where many inscriptions had been obscure and only forcibly memorized—those mysterious texts and scenes now became clear and direct, pointing straight to true intent.
In this state, Chen Beiwu easily discerned the flaws within his Heaven-Bestowed Middle Scene and instinctively began correcting them according to the true meaning of the scripture.
After amending the flaws, he skipped over portions he still could not comprehend and began attempting to forge the Heaven-Bestowed Ultimate Scene.
One failure!
A hundred failures!
A thousand failures!
Ordinary Golden Core cultivators would abandon Observing Nature after several dozen failed attempts at forging the Heaven-Bestowed Middle Scene, retreating to recover their divine sense lest they exhaust their spirit and damage their Purple Mansion sea of consciousness.
Yet with Cloud-Mist Tea assisting him and his naturally powerful divine sense, even after thousands of failures at forging the Heaven-Bestowed Ultimate Scene, Chen Beiwu still had strength remaining. Guided by two Supreme Scenic Steles, he continually adjusted his Observing Mind direction.
“He has entered enlightenment already? Human peerless prodigies are truly favored by heaven and earth!”
Glancing at Chen Beiwu in enlightenment, the Purple Yao Beast King turned to the Seven-Tailed Purple Fox.
Knowing she had erred, the little fellow lowered its head timidly, burying its small face within its tail as if to say: I saw nothing.