Xianxia: Big Brother of Tianyong City

Chapter 29: The Stubborn Six-Tailed Fox Demon

The six-tailed fox demon spoke gravely, “These sanctimonious humans are all vile! They hunt our fox clan and sell our pelts for money!”

“Third Sister, have you forgotten how Mount Huqi was destroyed? How can you trust humans so easily?”

At his words, the three-tailed white fox shed sorrowful tears, her voice trembling with grief, “But I can’t bear to watch you waste away day by day.”

Indeed, who could stand idly by as someone they loved dearly lay bedridden, inching closer to death with every passing moment? It was an unbearable cruelty.

“Even if I were to die from this illness, I would rather perish than accept human pity!”

As he spoke, the six-tailed fox demon’s emotions got the better of him. A violent fit of coughing wracked his body, his complexion paling further. Frost began to form even on his eyebrows as the cold poison invaded his organs.

“The Nine-Turn Profound Ice Spike is an exceptionally insidious artefact,” Xiao Yu said coolly. “Once it pierces the body, its poisonous spikes remain embedded permanently, chilling the very bones. It leaves the victim in unrelenting agony, their cultivation and lifespan slowly diminishing until death claims them.”

“How do you know so much about it?!”

The six-tailed fox demon stared at Xiao Yu in alarm. His gaze was filled with suspicion.

This human cultivator is no ordinary figure. Not only does he know about the Nine-Turn Profound Ice Spike, but he also speaks of it with unsettling precision. Could it be that he also knows how to treat its effects?

“Across the entire cultivation world, only the Grand Elder of the Blazing Sky Valley, Shangguan Ce, has refined such a wicked artefact,” Xiao Yu replied calmly.

[Shangguan (上官, Shàngguān): A compound surname historically associated with nobility or officials in ancient China. 上 (Shàng): “Above” or “high,” symbolizing elevation, status, or superiority. 官 (Guān): “Official” or “bureaucrat,” referring to someone in a position of authority or governance. Together, it conveys a sense of prestige, high social standing, or scholarly lineage. Ce (策, Cè): Meaning “strategy,” “plan,” or “policy.” It often implies intelligence, foresight, and a knack for devising effective solutions.]

He had come across detailed records of the Nine-Turn Profound Ice Spike while perusing the archives of Tianyong City. His teacher had described the artefact with just two words: vile and treacherous.

“Immortal Master, you must know how to save my elder brother, don’t you?”

Hearing the certainty in Xiao Yu’s words, the three-tailed white fox clung to him like a drowning person grasping at a lifeline.

“Even if I do, your brother must be willing to cooperate,” Xiao Yu said firmly.

No one—not even a legendary healer—could save someone determined to give up on life.

“You deceitful human! Don’t think that a few well-placed words will make me listen to you!” The six-tailed fox demon’s hostility toward Xiao Yu was palpable.

“I bear you no grudge, Six-Tails,” Xiao Yu said, his tone steady. “I have no reason to harm you. Moreover, I wouldn’t save you for free—effort demands reward. What I want is the Mysterious Flame Mirror you’re carrying.”

“The Mysterious Flame Mirror?!”

The three-tailed fox frowned at the mention of the treasure.

The Mysterious Flame Mirror was a priceless artefact her elder brother had nearly died obtaining. Over the years, it had been the sole thing slowing the progression of the cold poison within him.

“How do you know I have the Mysterious Flame Mirror? Speak!”

The six-tailed fox demon glared at Xiao Yu coldly.

This greedy human—so his kindness is a façade, and the Mysterious Flame Mirror is his true goal! Now his true colours have been revealed.

“You don’t need to know how I know,” Xiao Yu replied calmly. “What you do need to know is this: I have a Nine Suns Explosive Flame Pill. Try it, and then decide whether to agree to my terms.”

With a flick of his wrist, Xiao Yu produced a fiery red pill, which hovered in his palm.

The Nine Suns Explosive Flame Pill, a nemesis of all cold-attribute ailments, was the perfect counter to the poison inflicted by the Nine-Turn Profound Ice Spike.

“A Nine Suns Explosive Flame Pill?”

The six-tailed fox demon hesitated, sensing the pure fire-elemental energy emanating from the pill.

His intuition told him that consuming the pill could alleviate at least half of his suffering—possibly more.

“Immortal Master, what if my brother’s condition worsens or shows no improvement after taking your pill? What then?”

The three-tailed white fox’s question was reasonable.

“Rest assured,” Xiao Yu replied confidently. “The Nine Suns Explosive Flame Pill is potent. Even if it doesn’t cure him completely, it will do no harm. If it fails to help, consider my visit a waste of time.”

Having experienced the pill’s efficacy himself, Xiao Yu had no doubt about its power.

“In that case, very well!”

Reassured by Xiao Yu’s words, the three-tailed white fox turned to her brother.

“Elder Brother, why not try the Immortal Master’s pill? It costs nothing. If it works, you’ll finally find some relief—that’s what we’ve always hoped for, isn’t it?”

“But…”

The six-tailed fox demon hesitated, his hand instinctively moving to touch the Mysterious Flame Mirror hidden in his robes.

The artefact, forged from the essence of ten thousand flames, was a supreme treasure of the human realm. Its sole purpose in his possession was to stave off the cold poison within him.

“But I can’t part with the Mysterious Flame Mirror,” he murmured, clutching it tightly. Its warm energy was a rare comfort amid his endless suffering.

“Elder Brother,” the three-tailed fox pleaded, “the Mysterious Flame Mirror is a human treasure. Its only use to you is resisting the poison. If the Immortal Master can cure you, keeping the mirror would only invite calamity. Isn’t that reason enough?”

“Let me think.”

The six-tailed fox demon’s resolve wavered further.

As a member of the nine-tailed fox clan, he could never fully master a human artefact like the Mysterious Flame Mirror. Keeping it might one day bring about his demise, especially with the Blazing Sky Valley cultivators constantly hunting for it.

“Six-Tails, the pill is here. Whether you take it or not is up to you.”

Growing impatient, Xiao Yu tossed the pill toward him and left the decision in his hands.

The six-tailed fox demon caught the pill. Its fiery energy wafted into his nostrils, bringing a faint sensation of warmth. With a bitter laugh, he thought to himself, I’m already gravely ill—what do I have to lose?

“Human, I’ll trust you just this once!”

With those words, he clenched his teeth and swallowed the pill.