Bao Gu raised her head to look at the Guardian Granny and asked, “Granny, can you help me?”
The Guardian Granny replied, “You have been at Lingyun Peak for some time now, and after all that has happened, I have come to understand you somewhat. If you can agree to two conditions, I am willing to help you.”
Bao Gu responded, “Please tell me.”
“Treat your demon servants well.”
Bao Gu nodded and smiled, “I treat them as fellow disciples.”
The Guardian Granny shook her head and said, “No, as demon servants, they must follow your commands. I only ask that you treat them well, do not send them to their deaths lightly, do not kill them for materials when you lack ingredients for crafting or alchemy, and if they make mistakes, give them a chance to correct their wrongs.”
Bao Gu saw a hint of tears in the Guardian Granny’s eyes, realizing that many demon servants must have suffered such fates, perhaps even the Granny herself.
Bao Gu nodded and replied, “I promise you.”
The Guardian Granny said, “This must be written into a blood oath contract. If you break your promise, the contract will be void.”
Bao Gu nodded and said, “Agreed! And the second condition?”
The Guardian Granny explained, “Once a blood oath contract is formed, if you die, your demon servants will also perish. If you are in danger, they will naturally risk their lives to save you. If one day you are on your deathbed, please… give your demon servants a way out, whether by binding the contract within a mountain range to imprison them forever like I have done. Do not let them die with you.”
Bao Gu stood frozen, then asked with a heavy heart, “Why would anyone want to form a blood oath contract with cultivators under such tragic conditions?”
The Guardian Granny explained, “Cultivators are everywhere in the world, and wherever there are demons, cultivators will relentlessly hunt them down. Even if they hide in deep mountains and forests, they cannot escape from cultivators seeking materials for cultivation. Becoming a demon servant, though subservient, is still a way to survive. If lucky, like this old servant, whose master confined me to Lingyun Peak before passing away, I was given a place to live. The disciples of Lingyun Peak treat me well, and others dare not trouble me due to the sect rules. Living here in the mountains is quite free and easy. Being part of a cultivator sect, I also receive some cultivation resources. If there is a chance in the future to cultivate to the level of an earth immortal and achieve the fruit of a demon immortal, it would be much better than living in constant fear of losing my life and being used as materials for cultivation.”
Moved, Bao Gu called out, “Granny!”
How tragic it is to be a demon!
The Guardian Granny looked at Bao Gu and asked, “Bao Gu, can you agree to my second condition?”
Bao Gu nodded and said, “I agree to both of your conditions.”
The Guardian Granny nodded and said, “I believe you.”
She then called out, “Ling’er, come out!”
Bao Gu was surprised by the call and quickly looked around, only to see a small white fox emerging from a nearby bush.
The fox was not yet fully grown, about the size of a puppy.
As the little white fox ran towards the Guardian Granny, Bao Gu stared in astonishment and asked, “Is this Ling’er? A fox? A fox demon? Such a small fox demon? Granny, you just mentioned taking in a demon servant, and you call out such a small one?”
The Guardian Granny explained, “She was adopted by me from birth and has now reached the initial stage of forming her inner elixir. I heard you are going to the ancient ruins; could you take her with you?”
She looked eagerly at Bao Gu, who stood with her mouth agape, and asked, “Do you think her cultivation is too low?”
Bao Gu felt a surge of tears.
Not only do I think her cultivation is low, but she’s also so small!
How is this the same as wanting to recruit a powerful demon beast as a follower?
Where have all the fierce beasts in these mountains gone?
Where are the tigers, wolves, and leopards that once hunted me?
The Guardian Granny said, “If we consider her cultivation level, she is equivalent to the early Foundation Establishment stage of a human cultivator, slightly higher than yours.”
Bao Gu closed her aching mouth and reluctantly praised, “She’s really beautiful.”
I really want to spit blood!
How majestic would it be to bring out a tiger demon or wolf demon?
The little white fox is pretty, but so tiny.
Even if it has good potential, what use is it if it can be kicked away with one foot?
The Guardian Granny asked, “Shall we form the blood oath contract now?”
Bao Gu silently and reluctantly nodded.
A white fox is a white fox, at least it’s pretty.
She asked, “Can she speak?”
The Guardian Granny replied, “She will be able to speak when she cultivates to the equivalent of the Golden Core stage in humans. However, once the blood oath contract is formed, you can communicate with her through spiritual sense.”
Bao Gu silently wept.
The Duobao Spirit Monkey perched on Bao Gu’s shoulder looked disdainfully at the white fox.
The Guardian Granny, fearing Bao Gu might change her mind, quickly helped Bao Gu and the white fox form the blood oath contract, then handed Bao Gu the blood oath token, saying, “This token contains a strand of her life essence and has space inside. You can keep Ling’er inside the token. I understand your intentions and will make sure it’s taken care of.”
Bao Gu took the blood oath token, bid farewell to the Guardian Granny, and walked back with the white fox.
She silently wept in her heart: The acting sect leader gave her a tricky task, and the Guardian Granny, under the guise of offering a demon servant, had given her a white fox to take to the ancient ruins…
As if she was going on a leisurely outing.
The white fox followed Bao Gu closely, matching her steps perfectly.
As Bao Gu pouted and stepped into her house, she saw her senior sister and Little Martial Aunt waiting for her.
She said, “I’ve taken in a demon servant whose cultivation is equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivators.”
Yu Mi burst out laughing, “Guardian Granny really did a number on you! After taking so much from you, she gave you a white fox. Bao Gu, congratulations on acquiring your first demon servant. Look, even your senior sister doesn’t have one,” she laughed mischievously.
Zi Yunshu was also laughing, but habitually sent out her spiritual sense to check the details of the white fox.
She was shocked and stood up abruptly, exclaiming, “A celestial fox cub!”
Yu Mi’s laughter stopped, and she exclaimed in surprise, “A celestial fox cub? How is that possible? Although there were rumors that a celestial fox once roamed Lingyun Peak, it’s been many years since anyone has seen one. Could it be a mistake?”
Zi Yunshu said, “Look at its forehead. It’s still young, and the celestial eye hasn’t opened yet.”
Bao Gu stared at Zi Yunshu and asked, “One of the nine-tier demon beasts, a celestial fox? A celestial fox cub?”
After Zi Yunshu re-examined the white fox and confirmed it, she said, “Indeed!”
She turned to Bao Gu and exclaimed, “Where did you get such incredible luck? You always manage to find good things!”
She then exclaimed, “Where did Lingyun Peak get a celestial fox cub from? No, I need to ask the Guardian Granny!”
Bao Gu slapped her face, almost bursting into tears: My cultivation is already difficult enough, and the costs are already so high, and now they’ve given me a cub of a ninth-tier demon beast.
How am I supposed to raise it?
How can I afford to raise it?
I’ve been handed a hot potato by the Guardian Granny!
I can imagine the Guardian Granny rolling around on her bed at home, laughing her head off with the storage bag I gave her.
Yu Mi swallowed, moved closer to Bao Gu, and smiled warmly while massaging Bao Gu’s shoulders, “Bao Gu, has your senior sister been good to you?”
Bao Gu pursed her lips as she looked at her senior sister, tears welling up in her eyes.
She nodded and said, “Senior sister, I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier. It was my fault.”
Yu Mi laughed, “I won’t hold a grudge. After sisters fight, they’re still sisters, right?”
Bao Gu sniffled and said, “Senior sister, just say what you need to.”
Yu Mi clapped her hands and said, “Then good, let me take care of your celestial fox cub. You already have the Duobao Spirit Monkey, and it’s not quite suitable for you to raise a celestial fox.”
Bao Gu exclaimed, “You want to raise it?”
Her eyes widened, clearly overjoyed.
Great, someone is willing to take this hot potato.
The Duobao Spirit Monkey also chirped happily, nodding its head as if it couldn’t wait for Yu Mi to take the white fox away.
Yu Mi nodded, about to persuade further, but before she could speak, Bao Gu immediately picked up the celestial fox and stuffed it into her arms, handing over the blood oath token as well.
Bao Gu said, “Senior sister, I have a lot on my plate, and I need to cultivate, so I don’t have time to take care of it. Please take care of it for me. Oh, its name is Ling’er.”
The celestial fox in Yu Mi’s arms stared at Bao Gu, its irresponsible owner, then rolled its eyes at her.
Bao Gu pretended not to see and quickly ran outside, looking up at the sky and muttering, “Why hasn’t Little Martial Aunt come back yet? Wasn’t she supposed to go to Xuan Yue Ancient City? It’s almost dark!”
Yu Mi looked at Bao Gu, then at the celestial fox in her arms, and couldn’t help but laugh and cry.
She exclaimed, “A ninth-tier demon beast that others can’t even beg for, and you just…”
Bao Gu didn’t turn her head, pretending not to hear.
She hummed in her heart, “The higher the tier of the demon beast, the more it costs to raise! Since the celestial fox and I have formed a blood oath contract, it can’t run away. I’ll let you raise it until it’s grown, then take it back.”
Zi Yunshu found the Guardian Granny and asked directly, “Granny, where did the celestial fox cub come from?”
The Guardian Granny, knowing that giving Bao Gu the celestial fox cub would lead to Zi Yunshu’s inquiry, said, “Has Fairy Yunshu heard the rumors that a celestial fox once roamed Lingyun Peak?”
Zi Yunshu replied, “I thought it was just a rumor, but seeing the celestial fox cub today, there must have been some unknown events back then.”
The Guardian Granny said, “Indeed, a celestial fox once sneaked into Lingyun Peak, with profound and unfathomable strength. She captured me with just one move.”
Zi Yunshu knew that must have been an adult celestial fox with deep cultivation.
She quietly waited for the Guardian Granny to continue.
The Guardian Granny said, “That celestial fox broke into the old site of Lingyun Peak and then came down.”
Zi Yunshu was shocked beyond words, exclaiming, “She actually broke into the old site of Lingyun Peak and came down alive?”
The Guardian Granny confirmed, “Yes, unscathed. She told me her days were numbered and had heard that there were treasures at the old site of Xuan Tian Sect’s Lingyun Peak, so she came to investigate and had now found out. Afterwards, she handed a small celestial fox to me, forcing me to take care of it. I was bound by a blood seal of the demon race, and she repeatedly assured me that it did not conflict with my duties, so I agreed to her request.”
Zi Yunshu asked, “What did the adult celestial fox ask you to do?”
The Guardian Granny explained, “She said that under the Xuantian Sword of Lingyun Peak, a spirit monkey was sealed. Once the seal was broken, the spirit monkey would seek its master. She asked me to unseal the small celestial fox and find a way to entrust it to the spirit monkey’s master after the spirit monkey’s seal was broken. At the time, I didn’t understand why, and when I asked her, she refused to explain, only asking me to follow her instructions. The day I handed the small celestial fox to the spirit monkey’s master was the day my blood seal was lifted. Looking back, she probably saw that the Duobao Spirit Monkey possessed many rare treasures of heaven and earth and wanted the Duobao Spirit Monkey’s master to raise her offspring.”
Zi Yunshu muttered to herself and asked, “There haven’t been other demons breaking into Lingyun Peak over the years, have there?”
The Guardian Granny said, “Xuan Tian Sect and Lingyun Peak both have protective formations. If any demons could break through, their strength would be profound and far surpass mine, beyond my ability to detect. If such powerful demons came and went quietly, it would be difficult for me to notice.”
Zi Yunshu suddenly thought of the Nine-Rank Holy Lotus!
She felt there was more to the Guardian Granny’s words.
She suddenly remembered something and asked, “The celestial fox didn’t ask you to make her offspring Bao Gu’s demon servant, did she?”
The Guardian Granny seriously said, “Yes, but naturally, I couldn’t be coerced for years for nothing. Moreover, once the celestial fox reaches adulthood, its strength will be so great that perhaps no one in the entire sect could contend with it. I dare not leave such a hidden danger for Lingyun Peak. The celestial fox might have anticipated that I would do this, but she was dying and had requests, so she might have had to accept this arrangement.”
Zi Yunshu asked, “Did the celestial fox say anything else?”
The Guardian Granny shook her head and said, “I also tried to inquire about her background and even asked why she didn’t directly take the spirit monkey instead of entrusting the small celestial fox to me, but she refused to speak.”
She apologized, “Fairy Yunshu, I didn’t intentionally hide this; I was compelled by the blood seal and dared not reveal anything before the seal was lifted. I did this out of necessity, and it was the best and most harmless course of action for everyone.”
Zi Yunshu smiled and said, “Granny, don’t take it to heart. I just wanted to understand the origins of this small celestial fox.”
The Guardian Granny said, “The small celestial fox is named Ling’er, naturally intelligent and endearing. I hope…”
She smiled and said, “Entrusting Ling’er to Bao Gu, I feel at ease. That child is straightforward and honest, and she will not mistreat it.”
Zi Yunshu chuckled and said, “Straightforward? Don’t be fooled by her young age; she’s full of schemes and plans, though she does have some honesty.”
The Guardian Granny replied, “That’s enough. If one is only honest and lacks cunning and intelligence, they won’t survive long in the world of cultivation. At such a young age, daring to think and act, she will be someone with prospects.”
Zi Yunshu asked, “Did Granny really agree to help her cultivate demon cultivation?”
The Guardian Granny said, “I accepted her generous gift, and she helped me lift the demon race’s blood seal, so I should repay her. I’m getting old and would like to leave some legacy. Helping her won’t harm me, and I’m sure she won’t mistreat the demon servants who follow her. Why not do it?”
Zi Yunshu replied, “That’s good.”
She bowed to the Guardian Granny and turned to head back to the small courtyard.
It’s been delayed for so long; it’s time to set off.
