Douluo Dalu 3: Legend of the White Fox

Previously, Leng Yaozhu had indeed been very kind to Xia Yi, but it was mostly due to her relationship with Leng Yulai.

It wasn't until just now, when she witnessed Xia Yi willingly give up the opportunity to evolve his Martial Soul just to refuse Ya Li's offer to take him as a disciple, that she truly began to acknowledge him from the bottom of her heart.

Although Leng Yaozhu didn't know what kind of treasure Xia Yi needed for his fourth tail's evolution, judging from the Ice God's Heart required for his third spirit ring, it must be something extraordinarily rare.

Even if it wasn't as precious as the Ice God's Heart, it wouldn't be far off.

Faced with someone who was willing to give up such a tempting opportunity for his sister, how could Leng Yaozhu not be moved?

As the person involved, Xia Yi could clearly feel the change in Leng Yaozhu's emotions.

If he were dealing with someone who intended to scheme against him, Xia Yi would have enjoyed playing along.

If he outsmarted them, he would relish the victory; if not, he would accept defeat gracefully without complaining.

Since he chose to play the game, he was prepared to lose from the very start.

After all, who says one should always come out on top? If he lost, he could always win next time.

He faced everything with a calm and accepting mindset.

But when it came to people who were genuinely good to him—like Leng Yaozhu—things were different. No matter how close they became, once she discovered he was imprisoning Leng Yulai or that he was a spirit beast in human form, their relationship could collapse instantly.

In other words, their bond—even Leng Yaozhu's heartfelt affection—was all built on his deception.

How could Xia Yi not feel guilty about that?

He hated this feeling. He would rather Leng Yaozhu scheme against him than genuinely care for him and even see him as "family."

He knew he could never betray Star Dou Forest for personal reasons.

Therefore, their paths were destined to diverge.

"Damn it, why am I overthinking this? It's giving me a headache. I'll deal with whatever comes when it comes," Xia Yi shook his head vigorously. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't find a solution, so he chose to stop worrying.

Just then, a staff member suddenly burst through the door.

Seeing Leng Yaozhu and Xia Yi embracing, she let out a startled scream and instinctively tried to leave.

"Stop right there!" Leng Yaozhu shouted, her face darkening. She let go of Xia Yi and, after recognizing the staff member, her expression softened. "Ya Li, why didn't you knock?"

"I... I was in such a rush that I forgot," the woman named Ya Li stammered, clearly terrified.

Leng Yaozhu was known as the Ice Queen of Spirit Pagoda, showing even the Pagoda Master, Qiangu Dongfeng, no courtesy.

But just now, Ya Li had seen the unthinkable—Leng Yaozhu in an intimate embrace with her male student. Could their teacher-student relationship be just a cover for something more...?

Ya Li, whose full name was Long Ya Li, was Leng Yaozhu's secretary. She looked to be in her early twenties and was quite attractive. Leng Yaozhu had chosen her mainly because of her name—she enjoyed having someone named Ya Li around.

"Stop imagining nonsense, or you'll regret it," Leng Yaozhu warned, her voice cold.

"Don't worry, Tower Master! I didn't see anything!" Long Ya Li paled in fear, nearly dropping to her knees.

"What's with all that nonsense? Xia Yi is my student," Leng Yaozhu said, shaking her head. "Now, what's so urgent that you forgot basic manners?"

"It's... it's about the Holy Spirit Cult. They've made another move," Long Ya Li quickly replied, relieved that Leng Yaozhu wasn't angry anymore.

"What kind of move? Speak clearly!" Leng Yaozhu demanded, her eyebrows knitting together.

Long Ya Li hesitated, glancing at Xia Yi before continuing.

"I already said Xia Yi is my student," Leng Yaozhu's tone grew colder.

"It's not about him hearing classified information. It's just...," Long Ya Li trailed off, unsure of how to explain.

"Just what?" Leng Yaozhu's patience was wearing thin.

"You'd better see for yourself." Long Ya Li flipped her hand, revealing a book.

It was a thin book, only about three to four hundred pages. But when they saw the cover, both Xia Yi and Leng Yaozhu were stunned.

On the cover was none other than Xia Yi himself, dressed in white, seated on an extravagant chair. Behind him, Leng Yaozhu and another woman who looked remarkably like her were massaging his shoulders, their faces full of affection.

In front of him, Ya Li knelt on the ground, gently massaging his legs, her slightly swollen belly hinting at pregnancy, and her gaze filled with tender love.

Even Gu Yue, Mu Xi, her mother Yuan Bao'er, and a bunch of other women Xia Yi didn't even know were depicted on the cover.

The title read: "The Tale of the Carefree Heavenly Fox".

The author's name? Unsurprisingly: Cun Ying.

[T/N: Damn the Author Self Inserted himself lmao]

"That damned Cun Ying! I'm going to tear him to pieces!" Leng Yaozhu's face darkened with fury, and she shook with anger.

She grabbed the book, ready to rip it to shreds.

But then, she noticed a chapter titled "The Fall of the Holy Spirit". Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened it.

What she read next made her tremble with rage.

It wasn't because of Ya Li, but because the book depicted Yun Ming as a eunuch. It claimed that he had castrated himself in his youth to avoid distractions from women, providing numerous "evidences" to support the claim.

It even explained that this was how Yun Ming could focus solely on cultivation, making him the strongest of his generation, and why Ya Li had remained childless.

"Well-reasoned and convincing... Who would have thought the man you've been waiting for all these years is... a eunuch?" Xia Yi teased, peeking over her shoulder.

"Shut up!" Leng Yaozhu slammed the book into Xia Yi's face. "You're too young to read this garbage!"

"Damn you, Cun Ying! And damn the Holy Spirit Cult for slandering my Ming! If I catch them, I'll skin them alive!" Leng Yaozhu cursed internally, her rage boiling over.

She turned the pages in anger, her face flushing crimson as she read the detailed and explicit descriptions of Xia Yi's "conquest" of Ya Li.

"Vulgar! Shameless! Disgusting!" Flames ignited in her hand, reducing "The Tale of the Carefree Heavenly Fox" to ashes.

Xia Yi watched the book burn with a pang of regret.

Before it was destroyed, he had caught a glimpse of the chapter detailing his "relationship" with Ya Li.

After slandering Yun Ming, the story went on to describe how Ya Li fell for Xia Yi and became pregnant with his child.

No wonder Leng Yaozhu was so embarrassed—she was still a single woman who had never been in a relationship.

As for Xia Yi, he gritted his teeth in anger.

He never expected the Demon Emperor to target him like this.