"Be that as it may."
Chen Ye pulled his thoughts back, tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop, making a crisp sound that drew everyone’s attention back.
"If the sky falls, there’ll be taller folks to hold it up. One way or another, it’s not our turn to worry about that... when the time comes, just let things run their course."
Zhiwei nodded silently.
But she still couldn’t set her mind at ease.
If the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.
Right now the four of them—master and disciples—were cultivating in Lingyin Sect; it was hard to stay out of this.
If the Ruins Country really intended to meddle in the Yan Kingdom, even to the point of fighting the sects of Yan, the impact would be far greater than the Lingyin–Duqing conflict.
After all, Emotion Crossing Sect was, at the end of the day, only a Golden Core sect, its strength a bit inferior to Lingyin’s.
Whereas the Ruins Country possessed strength at the level of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
What’s more.
Right now, infighting among the various sects of the Yan Kingdom was already frequent; how could they possibly unite against an external enemy?
Just as Zhiwei was filled with anxiety, Chen Ye’s gaze suddenly shifted and fell on the little white fox lying in Qing Jun’s arms, looking somewhat guilty.
His eyes narrowed slightly. He suddenly reached out, grabbed the fur at the back of the little white fox’s neck, and hoisted it up before his eyes, saying with a half-smile:
"Let’s set those sect-level matters aside for now."
"Little White, oh Little White, haven’t you been hiding a lot of things from us?"
"For example... just how many secrets are crammed into that little head of yours?"
The little white fox’s body went rigid; its foxy eyes instantly went round as saucers, all four paws flailing helplessly in the air.
It’s over!
Could this guy have figured out its identity?!
No way! Absolutely not!
If he found out that the number one Cultivator in the Yan Kingdom had turned into this state, and had even been treated as a pet and toyed with by him for so long...
Then how was it supposed to keep any face?!
As long as no one knew its identity, it was as if nothing had ever happened!
The little white fox’s heart was at war with itself; cold sweat was about to soak the fur on its forehead.
It let out two bewildered little "jiji" cries, putting on a look of "I’m just a dumb fox, I don’t know anything," all innocent.
But in its heart it was ruthless:
Dammit!
This Chen Ye is way too sharp!
If worst comes to worst... this seat will just unleash the cultivation I’ve only just recovered and beat these few people into amnesia on the spot!
Although that would severely damage its Primordial Qi, might even worsen its injuries, and would definitely draw True Man Dongshan over...
But for the sake of its good name, it was worth it!
The little white fox secretly gathered Spiritual Power, ready to fight to the death!
It was just that the more it thought about the consequences of unleashing its power, the more it hesitated to act.
Everything else could be dealt with.
But if True Man Dongshan discovered it, with its current cultivation, it was no match for that person at all!
Qing Jun, at the side, also leaned in.
She blinked her big eyes, pinched her chin, and stared suspiciously at the little white fox, nodding very seriously as she said:
"Master is right! I’ve long suspected there was something off about Little White Fox’s identity!"
The little white fox’s heart gave a heavy thump.
Qing Jun stared into its eyes and said in a low, eerie tone:
"This fox is sneaky as hell, can understand human speech, and can even make expressions... Qing Jun’s always felt something wasn’t right. Don’t tell me she’s... someone who transformed into a fox?"
The little white fox was in despair.
Even this silly girl, who didn’t seem very bright, had seen through it?
Fine then!
Since that’s how it is...
A sharp glint flashed across the little white fox’s eyes.
Even if that old ghost Dongshan discovered it, that was still better than dropping dead of social embarrassment on the spot!
"Smack!"
Qing Jun suddenly slapped her thigh, pointed at the little white fox as if she’d been struck by sudden enlightenment, and shouted:
"Damn it! Master, I know who Little White Fox is now! It has to be her! I suspect Little White Fox is that bad woman Bai Susu in disguise!"
"She must’ve used some Secret Technique to turn into a fox, like some kind of external incarnation, splitting off a wisp of Divine Thought to seize the body of a little fox. Then she deliberately lurked at our side, just waiting to sneak some cuddles from Master when I’m not paying attention! How shameless!"
The little white fox, who was about to explode: "???"
Bai... Bai Susu?
That True Inheritor Bai from Lingyin Sect?
This damned girl, is her brain filled with nothing but petty jealousy and bickering?! Can’t she store anything else in there?!
Chen Ye’s mouth twitched as well; he brought a hand helplessly to his forehead.
He’d really thought this little girl had noticed something, only to realize she was worrying herself sick over nothing again.
"Stop fooling around."
Chen Ye knocked Qing Jun on the head.
"True Inheritor Bai is in Black Cliff City right now; how would she have the free time to split off a Divine Thought to become a fox... just to cuddle with your Master?"
"You never know..." Qing Jun muttered under her breath, clutching her head, "Master’s charm is that great..."
In her mind, there was simply no one in this world who could resist her Master!
As for that bad woman Gu Tangyin, she was just blind—like a hill pig that doesn’t know good grain when it sees it!
Chen Ye couldn’t be bothered with her and turned his gaze back to the fox in his hand, who was obviously breathing a sigh of relief.
His expression grew a shade more serious; his tone lost some of its teasing and gained a bit of firm conviction:
"Little White Fox, if I’m not mistaken... you and that missing True Man Ye have quite an extraordinary relationship, don’t you?"
At these words.
The heart the little white fox had just managed to lower shot back up into its throat.
Dammit!
It felt its cheeks burning, shame flooding it to the core.
So it’s been guessed after all...
Well, of course.
Just now, when it heard Wang Fu mention True Man Ye’s failed Nascent Soul Formation, its emotional reaction had been too intense; there was no way it could fool an old fox like Chen Ye.
What to do?
Admit it? Or keep playing dead?
The little white fox pawed twice with its claws, then finally drooped its head in silence.
That amounted to... silent acknowledgement.
Seeing this, it was Qing Jun who was shocked first:
"Wha—aat, True Man Ye?!"
"That number one Cultivator of the Yan Kingdom? How could Little White Fox have anything to do with her?"
Even Zhiwei looked surprised; her gaze toward the little white fox took on a bit more scrutiny.
Chen Ye nodded, a glint of understanding in his eyes:
"As expected."
"When it heard news of True Man Ye just now, this little thing got both furious and aggrieved; its reaction was far too abnormal. And its level of Spirituality is absolutely not something an ordinary Demon Beast could possess."