Chapter 392: 218, Burial Immortal Land, Queen Mother of the West (5k2 big Chapter, seeking subscriptions)
Mortals might still believe in an afterlife, perhaps due to faith in reincarnation. But the Heavenly Fox King had entered the Netherworld Wasteland; she knew there was no reincarnation in this world. When people died, they were simply dead. The corpses in the River of Nether were merely a form of Origin Energy.
"I wonder, Your Majesty, who exactly is this ’he’ you are referring to?" Xu Xing asked.
Seeing that the Heavenly Fox King no longer made a move, Xu Xing also retracted the bronze cauldron into his body, concealing it in his sleeve. He frowned, feigning curiosity.
Reincarnation is even more precious than the chance to become immortal. It’s the greatest secret he carries. He wouldn’t even tell Shi Yuyan, someone so close to him, let alone confide in the Heavenly Fox King. Moreover, the Heavenly Fox King before him now was not the one he once knew; she was the Heavenly Fox King’s second incarnation—merely a similar flower.
"An old acquaintance," the Heavenly Fox King said, her composure restored. "Someone who has been dead for six thousand years. This king has some unsettled scores with him."
After speaking, she turned her cold gaze to Xu Xing. "What is your relationship with Shi Yuyan... that is, with Emperor Xi?"
If the afterlife is a fabrication, then the scent of fresh blood on Xu Xing must be inextricably linked to Shi Yuyan. There’s a definite connection between them; of this, there is no doubt. Otherwise, how could Xu Xing have entered the West Emperor Palace unharmed? How could he have reached the Hall of Life and Death where her corpse was stored and taken the Jade Gui belonging to Fang Huang, the Qiming Divine Mansion Master? In his lifetime, Fang Huang’s cultivation was just beneath that of an Emperor, a notch higher than her own.
"My surname is Yao. I was originally a disciple of the Qiming Sect, and later..." Xu Xing recounted the general course of his current life to the Heavenly Fox King, then continued, "Emperor Xi took me as her disciple and imparted the ’West Emperor Sutra’ to me... Emperor Xi and I share a master-disciple relationship."
Whether Yao Dang or Gongyang Yi, they were all just his aliases. Which name he used was inconsequential to him.
"Yao Dang..." The Heavenly Fox King murmured, then a look of understanding crossed her face. "So that’s how it is." She nodded slightly.
As Xu Xing spoke, she had also begun to perform Soul Searching on the remnant soul of Nangong Ancestor within her. Discovering that its memories largely corroborated Xu Xing’s account, she found herself believing him.
"It’s just a pity about that fine physique of yours..." As her words trailed off, the Heavenly Fox King seemed to recall something. A faint, knowing smile touched her lips. "Ultimately, it will merely serve as a wedding dress for another. Emperor Xi is not a benevolent sort."
"You," she stated, "are but a tool for resurrecting her son. It’s laughable that you remain oblivious."
The benevolence of the powerful is never unmotivated. Perhaps this ’Yao Dang’ is currently wondering why Emperor Xi specifically chose him, why she would want him as her disciple.
"And what is the connection between Your Majesty and Emperor Xi? Why was your corpse in the West Emperor Palace?" Xu Xing’s eyes flickered. He chose not to respond to the Heavenly Fox King’s previous statement, instead shifting the topic to inquire about this hidden matter.
From the Heavenly Fox King’s tone, Xu Xing could sense her deep-seated resentment towards Shi Yuyan. Back when they had departed the Bloodline World, their relationship hadn’t been this strained. Something unknown must have transpired between them.
"In my first life..." The Heavenly Fox King gazed at the distant mountain scenery, a nostalgic look in her eyes. She paused briefly before continuing, "In my first life, I was her daughter-in-law. But her son—my husband—was already dead. Later..."
She proceeded to recount her complex history with Shi Yuyan, a tale of entanglement between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Initially, their relationship had been quite good. However, after Wu Xing’s subsequent death, conflict erupted between them. The Heavenly Fox King disapproved of Shi Yuyan’s plan to use all living beings as if they were her own children, establishing the Burial Immortal Land to resurrect Wu Xing. Such an act, she argued, would lead to the slaughter of countless lives. Consequently, the two parted ways.
Later, after Shi Yuyan ascended to become an Empress, she killed the Heavenly Fox King’s first incarnation and sealed her corpse within the Hall of Life and Death in the West Emperor Palace.
"Had I not lived a second life, I would never have escaped that Burial Immortal Land," the Heavenly Fox King continued. "The Burial Immortal Land is a grand Feng Shui arrangement established by Shi Yuyan, a massive heaven and earth Large Array. It’s rumored she obtained it from a Different World, and it possesses the power to resurrect the dead..."
Her almond-shaped eyelashes trembled faintly, and a subtle wave of her Charm Art emanated from her, subtly influencing Xu Xing. At her realm, such arts could be deployed tracelessly, potent enough to sway the minds of others.
"Wu Xing’s wife?"
Even though Xu Xing had braced himself, hearing this revelation nearly made him stagger. However, he recovered quickly, his expression remaining unchanged. After all, back in the Main World, there was already the precedent of Wu Miao, his ’Lady Xu’. Experiencing something like this again wasn’t such a big deal.
Seeing his reaction, the Heavenly Fox King didn’t suspect Xu Xing of inner ridicule. She merely assumed he was terrified by the revelation. After all, who wouldn’t be petrified at the thought of directly confronting the schemes of a Great Emperor?
"You needn’t be so alarmed," the Heavenly Fox King said with a smile. "This king and Emperor Xi share a hatred that runs bone-deep. She ended my first life; I will naturally not let her off. We are natural allies."
Slaughtering cultivators from local sects to plunder their blood and vital energy is something one can only get away with once, not twice. Sooner or later, powerful figures would track her down. If she allied with ’Yao Dang,’ however, she could accompany him to the West Emperor Divine Mansion. There, drawing upon the Divine Mansion’s resources, recovering her cultivation would be far easier, and without future complications.
"Heavenly Fox King, I, Yao Dang, am willing to form an alliance with you to stand against Emperor Xi." Xu Xing then declared, his voice resonant as he took a Great Dao Oath, "If Emperor Xi truly sees me as nothing more than a tool to resurrect her son... then this enmity, this hatred—I swear I will repay it in full!"