Hush

The next day, Gong Ning planned to visit the Xuantian Library—but no sooner had she stepped out than Bai Peilan and Zhou Zian arrived, two aunts who always showed up on weekends to bother her instead of attending to their own disciples.

Before she could even taste her morning pancake, the two swept in, chasing away all peace and aroma.

Seeing them, Gong Ning knew she was doomed—so she quickly said,
“I have urgent matters today. I can’t stay.”

Bai Peilan wasn’t giving up.
“How urgent?”

“Extremely urgent. Not a second to spare.”

They looked disappointed—then exchanged a glance and perked up.
“No way—we came all this way!”

They dragged Gong Ning to her dressing table, began applying makeup, combing her hair, styling her like a doll.

“Can’t you two spend time with your disciples? Why are you always messing with my face?”

“Not possible,” Bai Peilan said, delicately drawing an upward-sweeping willow-leaf brow.
“This face isn’t on me. If it were, would I be clinging to you?”

Zhou Zian braided her hair from behind.
“Elder Xue said it herself—you’re the face of Heart-Sword Hall. Reviving our hall depends on you.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to do it with my looks.”

“Just accept it. The world only has one person as beautiful as you who refuses to wear makeup. Everyone else is jealous just seeing your bare face.”

Gong Ning laughed. “So you’re doing this for my own good?”

“Of course.”

Looking in the mirror, Gong Ning noticed something different—Bai Peilan’s makeup had changed.

Before, it was soft and delicate—like a gentle immortal.

Now, there was a subtle sharpness at the end of her brows.

“A bit too pointed?”

“Not at all. That’s you now. I thought you were gentle, but after what you did… I can’t paint you as soft anymore.”

Gong Ning smiled faintly. “You’re afraid of me?”

“A little.”

“Then why provoke me?”

Because you’re more attractive with thorns.

They kept praising her until she finally escaped, hurrying alone to the library.

Her appearance drew stares—so striking that even the owner of Yulinlang tried to gift her a robe.

But Gong Ning ignored it all.

She greeted the Sect Master and entered the library, eager to dive into knowledge.

To her disbelief, the first book she saw—placed prominently—was Waste Immortal.

What nonsense. Xuantian Sword Sect was truly losing its morals.

After searching, she found Tome of Demon Calamities—sat down, and began reading.

But before she could focus, a voice spoke beside her:

“In ancient times, humans had a tradition—ranking young women by beauty. Later deemed degrading, it was abolished. But fox clans still keep it. And in all these years… I’ve never seen anyone as stunning as you.”

A woman sat beside her—Sect Master’s wife, appearing as an ordinary woman of modest grace.

“My daughter thanks you for your care.”

Gong Ning nodded.
“She’s quite mischievous.”

“More than that—downright rebellious.”

The woman chuckled awkwardly.
“Lately, she insisted on becoming your disciple. Your Majesty and I discussed it… sent her to you. I thought you’d refuse. Yet here you are, researching texts.”

“You flatter me. I’ve always loved unraveling mysteries. This is just curiosity.”

“I’m deeply grateful. This child… her birth was difficult. We feared she wouldn’t survive. But Your Majesty said—even if a mistake, we must bear responsibility, no matter the cost. Years passed… yet it feels longer than a century…”

Gong Ning gave an awkward smile.

She was sharing family matters.

If she had time, chatting would be fine.

But with knowledge in hand and urgency in heart—ordinary distractions couldn’t reach her.

Yet the woman was an old fox—she saw through her discomfort.

“I’m disturbing you, aren’t I?”

“Not at all—”

Before Gong Ning could protest, the woman stood, walked to the shelves, and pulled out several books.

“I’ve read these. But as a demon, I only grasp the surface—not the depths.”

Gong Ning’s eyes lit up. She took them eagerly.
“You’ve helped immensely!”

“It’s you who helped us. Qiaohuan is special. And with Your Majesty as Sect Master, we can’t easily ask others. Take these home. I won’t disturb you further.”

As she turned to leave, Gong Ning called out:
“Wait, Madam. One question.”

The woman smiled curiously.
“Someone like you has something to ask me?”

“Just… are fox bodies more sensitive than human ones?”

She wanted to confirm if Tang Qiaohuan had been faking yesterday—but couldn’t ask directly.

“Yes, slightly. Foxes absorb ambient energy slowly, but our control over spiritual energy is unmatched by most demons—only rivaled by specialized human cultivators. That’s why illusion arts have always thrived among us. Why do you ask?”

“Just… trying to cure Qiaohuan’s condition…”

“Oh. Then it’s rather awkward.”

Gong Ning returned to Tome of Demon Calamities, finally finding the entry on the demon that fed on human children.

Yaoguli—shaped like a red fox, with bone spines on its back. Lurked in graveyards, feeding on infants’ innate qi.

The record detailed horrors.

It pierced a child’s abdomen with its spine—sucking life essence like nectar, greatly enhancing its demonic power.

The text was brief, but Gong Ning deduced the principle.

The spine was its demon bone. The abdomen, its dantian.

She’d expected a complex method—turns out it was simple.

Brutal. Well, few demons were scholars. Even the fox madam, spending days in the library, couldn’t grasp deeper meanings.

Learning without thinking leads to confusion.

The demon bone could directly use innate qi.

But without a spiritual root, the dantian couldn’t sense it—so the qi remained trapped.

And innate qi’s main role was triggering the infant’s first cry—opening the lungs, awakening the roots.

Now she needed to find how to link dantian and demon bones.

Night fell. Gong Ning prepared to return.

At Qiyun Ferry, she summoned her flying vessel—when another landed first, blocking the spot.

Who’d come so late?

She moved to another spot—when the disciple glanced at her.

Instantly, her instincts flared.

She pulled a talisman from her System space and turned—just as the disciple charged.

No weapon—just a Detonation Core Talisman in hand.

He meant to self-destruct.

This was the most devastating explosive talisman—its multi-stage burst and soul-incinerating power could overwhelm most defenses.

She only had a basic Life-Preserving Talisman.

But in a flash, a graceful figure darted before her—effortlessly deflecting the blast.

Gong Ning saw her clearly—her white fox ears, her fluffy tail unfurled.

But she didn’t feel relieved—because she recognized her.

The Sect Master’s wife.

With such a spectacle, her identity…

The woman turned, placing a finger to her lips:
“Shh. They can’t see.”

This was the fox clan’s true form—no disguise.

If Tang Qiaohuan could grow ears and tail… she’d probably be adorable.