Chapter 365: Revisiting an Old Place

"Yes, I’m sure." Yu Zhizhi had already made up her mind. She wouldn’t be staying in the Underground City for much longer and would have to leave soon.

The time limit for her main mission was still generous, but to be safe, it was better to find her target sooner rather than later.

Yu Zhizhi went to the first floor of the small tavern for breakfast.

She also brought some for the fox.

Yu Zhizhi sat by the sofa, preparing to perform a final healing session for it.

Thanks to her treatment over this period, the Purple Fox’s injuries were gradually improving, and its stamina had recovered considerably. However, its spiritual power was returning very slowly, so Yu Zhizhi wanted to check its Beast Bone again.

She brought her fingertips together, and a pure white light began to flow from them. Bathed in the warm healing energy, Yu Zhizhi carefully examined the fox’s Beast Bone.

The Purple Fox sensed something.

Its lavender eyes lifted, gazing toward the lop-eared rabbit.

’...Hm?’

’This Miss Rabbit seems to be touching my Beast Bone.’

’Before, when my body was so weak, my consciousness was muddled. I couldn’t clearly perceive what she was doing.’

’Healing and Evolution are similar in some ways, and her aura is almost identical...’

It was then that the Purple Fox realized she seemed to be using an Evolution Ability.

It took a closer look at the Rabbit Clan girl before it.

’She’d seemed familiar from the very first time I saw her. As my condition improved, my five senses grew sharper... and now, considering the Talent Ability she’s using...’

The Purple Fox seemed to have seen through her disguise.

’...Zizhi?’

’Or Zhi Zhi?’

’It seems this rabbit isn’t from the Land of Prophecy, but from the Valoran Empire.’

The Purple Fox recalled their first meeting in the Divine City. The image and voice of that little rabbit gradually superimposed onto the lop-eared rabbit before it. Its exhaustion had kept it from seeing through her disguise Spirit Art at the time. Thinking back carefully now, she was almost identical to how she’d been when they first met.

’Things are starting to get interesting.’

The Purple Fox averted its gaze, not planning to expose her identity just yet.

’What surprised me, though...’

’...was that this little rabbit actively wanted to meet the Crown Prince.’

Yu Zhizhi found that there was nothing wrong with the Purple Fox’s Beast Bone.

’Once its physical condition improves, its spiritual power should also gradually recover.’

’It probably won’t be long before it can take human form.’

After another ten-odd days in the Underground City, it was finally time for Yu Zhizhi to leave. She went to say goodbye to the Little Snow Eagle.

The Snow Eagle chick let out a WAAAH and burrowed into her embrace, whimpering softly as its small wings trembled uncontrollably.

"Sob... I want to leave with Mama, too..."

Tears streamed down the Little Snow Eagle’s face, but it knew in its heart that it couldn’t leave the Underground City.

Yu Zhizhi held it gently, comforting it in a soft voice, "I’ll come back and visit you in the future."

"Mama, when do you think I’ll get to see the outside world? I’ve never even seen the sun... Is it really bright and golden?"

After Cang Mountain’s fall, the royal bloodline had been living in the Underground City ever since.

Returning to the surface was the long-cherished wish of all the Cang Mountain Beast Clan.

"...You will," Yu Zhizhi said, hugging the chubby little Snow Eagle tightly. "One day, you’ll live under the sun."

"Sob..."

The Snow Eagle chick whimpered pitifully.

As a female sparrow led it back to the Royal Palace, the chick kept looking back, unable to bear parting.

「The small tavern.」

The young Vulture remarked, "I really thought Ms. Zizhi would stay here until Zero returned."

He’d thought they had it all planned out.

Zero would go to Demon Hunting City alone, while Miss Rabbit waited for him in a safe place.

Once Zero was done, he would come back and rendezvous with her.

They could go to the Land of Prophecy together.

He never expected Miss Rabbit to be leaving the Underground City already.

Yu Zhizhi smiled at him, her gaze sweeping over the cozy tavern. Her time here had been so relaxing and carefree.

The thought of leaving made her a bit wistful.

"I hope we’ll have the chance to meet again," she said with sincerity.

"We will." The young Vulture offered his well-wishes. "Have a safe journey."

Yu Zhizhi returned to her room to pack her bags.

The Little Octopus was already ready to go.

It strapped the mechanical wings to its body, grabbed her bags with a few tentacles, and started carrying them downstairs.

The Purple Fox was also moving with newfound agility.

There was a cable car station not far from the small tavern. After Yu Zhizhi and her companions boarded, it carried them steadily upward, soon arriving at the entrance to the Underground City.

From there, they could rent a carriage whose driver would take them to the ferry terminal at the Cang Mountain Domain’s seaport.

Traveling by ship was the most convenient way to get to the Moon Rising Empire, offering a direct route to the Divine City.

Yu Zhizhi noticed that the former lands of Cang Mountain were completely desolate; beastkin were a rare sight.

’It seems most of the Beast Clan have either moved to the Land of Prophecy or entered the Underground City.’

The driver stopped the carriage by the docks. "Ms. Zizhi," he said gently, "we’ve reached the seaport. The boarding area is just over there."

"Thank you." Yu Zhizhi got down from the carriage.

The seaport was noticeably more crowded.

The Little Octopus pressed a button, and its silver mechanical wings slowly took flight. It circled around Yu Zhizhi, gliding at a low altitude.

The Purple Fox kept pace beside her.

The crowd quickly noticed them—

A female from the Rabbit Clan, traveling with a little octopus and a Purple Fox?!

Many people looked astonished. This seaport had many citizens from Moonrise. In the Moon Rising Empire, Purple Foxes held an incredibly high status, and males in particular rarely appeared in public in their full Beast Form.

Yu Zhizhi bought their tickets and boarded the ferry with the fox and the Little Octopus.

It wasn’t until the Purple Fox was on the ship that the restraints on its body began to ease.

The closer it got to the Moon Rising Empire, the faster its spiritual power would recover.

It paid little mind to the stares, instead turning to gaze at the sea outside the window. As the ferry set off, the vast, boundless ocean stretched out before them.

And it knew they were getting closer and closer to the Divine City...

Yu Zhizhi was also looking outside. She couldn’t help but ask, "Are we going straight to the Imperial City?"

The Purple Fox replied, "First, we’ll go to the Fox Clan in the Divine City. We’ll need to make some preparations before you can meet the Crown Prince."

’The Divine City, huh...’

’Does that mean I might see some familiar faces?’

The Little Octopus had scampered out onto the deck to play in the water. It stared at a few dolphins in the sea below, which followed the ferry for a good while before swimming away.

In less than three days, the ferry docked at the seaport in the Divine City.

Seeing the familiar sights, Yu Zhizhi thought to herself that she’d never expected to return here one day.

’The Fox Clan...’

The Purple Fox was already ashore, seemingly waiting for her.

Yu Zhizhi followed.

Arriving in the Divine City was like entering the fox’s domain. It moved expressionlessly through the crowd, and onlookers stared in astonishment upon seeing a Purple Fox. Many pedestrians even stopped in their tracks to bow.

Not far from the seaport, several servants rushed forward to greet them.

"Lord Li Yuan! You’ve finally returned!"

"We couldn’t believe it when we received the news! Sob... Lord Li Yuan, it’s so wonderful that you’re safe!"