Chapter 237: Charming Fei Zhao 2

Chapter 237: Chapter 237: Charming Fei Zhao 2

The aircraft soared through the clouds.

Fei Zhao leaned against the window, his fingertips tapping intermittently against the pendant of his necklace.

A crisp chiming sound echoed through the cabin, yet it carried a strange, somber undertone.

Su An’an lowered the intelligence Light Screen in her hands and looked at him thoughtfully.

"The Fox Clan cubs who’ve gone missing recently are all mixed-bloods."

Fei Zhao’s movements abruptly froze.

"And," Su An’an continued,

"before they disappeared, they all visited the clan’s Blood Purification Spring."

"The Blood Purification Spring."

Fei Zhao’s voice deepened, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"That place should have been filled in long ago."

Su An’an keenly sensed the shift in his emotions and placed her hand over the back of his.

"What do you know?"

Fei Zhao closed his eyes, his tail twitching in irritation. His voice was low and suppressed.

"The Fox Clan values bloodline purity. After mixed-blood cubs are born, they’re all taken to the Blood Purification Spring for a baptism."

A cold arc formed on his lips. "They call it a baptism, but it’s just a screening in disguise."

Su An’an’s pupils constricted slightly.

"Are you saying the clan elders are involved in these disappearances?"

"It’s very likely!"

Fei Zhao clenched the pendant of his necklace, his knuckles turning white.

"My mother was the guardian of the Blood Purification Spring back then. She helped many cubs who didn’t pass, and later, for my sake..."

He didn’t continue.

’My mother was a noble Holy Female. If it weren’t for protecting a half-breed like me, she wouldn’t have met such a fate, her body never to be found.’

’It was a wound in his heart that would never heal, one that would bleed profusely at the slightest touch.’

Su An’an gently patted the back of his hand, not pressing him further.

The aircraft landed at the border of the Fox Clan’s territory. The moment Fei Zhao stepped out of the cabin, he smelled a familiar scent of medicinal herbs.

It was the exact same smell from beside the Blood Purification Spring all those years ago.

His tail instantly tensed, and he unconsciously moved to stand in front of Su An’an.

"Master Fei Zhao!"

A Fox Clan guard hurried to greet them, but his gaze was shifty and uncertain.

"The elders have been waiting at the altar for a long time."

Fei Zhao narrowed his eyes as Phosphorus Powder silently drifted from his fingertips. "Lead the way."

The guard’s pupils abruptly lost focus, and he turned mechanically to lead the way.

Su An’an quietly squeezed Fei Zhao’s palm. "Did you use an Illusion Technique?"

"Mhm."

Fei Zhao’s voice was low. "He has mud from the Blood Purification Spring on his sleeve."

The two of them followed the guard through the dense forest. The closer they got to the altar, the heavier Fei Zhao’s breathing became.

Su An’an noticed his distress and was about to speak when a cub’s heart-wrenching cry came from ahead!

"Let me go! I want to go home!"

Fei Zhao’s pupils constricted sharply.

’That voice was identical to his own when he was dragged into the Blood Purification Spring as a child.’

They exchanged a look and instantly sped forward!

By the altar, a chubby little fox was rolling all over the ground.

Its tail was covered in mud, and its sobs were loud enough to shake the heavens.

"I don’t wanna take a bath! The water’s so cold!"

Several elders were fussing around it in a panic.

One of them looked up and saw Su An’an and Fei Zhao, immediately putting on a perfectly timed expression of surprise.

"Oh my, we’ve disturbed you two! This is my cub, just throwing a tantrum!"

Fei Zhao’s tail fluffed up slightly as he narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings.

The ground of the altar was excessively clean, without even a single fallen leaf. It had obviously just been swept.

Su An’an’s expression remained neutral. She smiled and knelt down, gathering a wisp of Divine Light on her fingertip and gently tapping the little fox’s nose.

"Such a pretty little one. It’s a shame to let tears ruin that cute face."

The cub’s crying stopped abruptly. It stared blankly at the Golden Light sparkling on the tip of its nose.

The elders exchanged a glance.

"We’ve made a spectacle of ourselves."

Elder Bai Xu bowed and led the way.

"Please, follow me. Come see our newly built Blood Purification Spring facility. It’s fully automated for purification and completely safe!"

The spring water was crystal clear, and its edge was embedded with glowing crystals.

A few female foxes were drying medicinal herbs on the bank. Upon seeing Su An’an and Fei Zhao, they all bowed in greeting.

Fei Zhao’s fingertips quietly grazed the surface of the water, and Phosphorus Powder seeped in silently.

’There’s something at the bottom of the spring.’

Under the guise of straightening Su An’an’s cloak, Fei Zhao subtly leaned close to her ear.

"Something’s wrong with the water. It’s been purified with Bone-sucking Grass."

A flicker of understanding crossed Su An’an’s eyes, but she maintained a poised smile.

’Bone-sucking Grass!’

’A medicinal herb that only grows in the remote Qingshi Tribe of the Fox Clan.’

’How did it end up in the elders’ Blood Purification Spring?’

On the way back, Fei Zhao’s tail remained pressed against Su An’an’s waist, its fluffy tip occasionally brushing the back of her hand.

The two chatted and laughed with the elders the entire way, their tone so relaxed it was as if they were on a casual stroll, showing no sign that anything was amiss.

The moment the door to their residence clicked shut, Fei Zhao immediately pulled a damp handful of Bone-sucking Grass from his sleeve. "Look."

He crushed the leaves, revealing the blackened veins within.

"This isn’t ordinary Bone-sucking Grass. It’s been fed with blood."

"The people of the Qingshi Tribe couldn’t possibly know this technique."

Fei Zhao’s nails extended slightly, glinting coldly. The tip of his tail twitched in irritation.

Just then, the Smart Brain Ring on Su An’an’s wrist lit up, and Little Pink’s voice sounded.

"Master, I’ve detected trace mechanical residue on the leaves. It seems to be marks left by some kind of extraction device."

"An extraction device?"

Su An’an frowned, her fingertips unconsciously stroking her Smart Brain Ring.

"Yes!"

Little Pink projected a set of data, the Light Screen shimmering slightly in the air.

"The characteristics of these marks are an 87% match with equipment from the Rebel Army’s labs!"

Fei Zhao’s tail shot straight out, every hair on it standing on end. "So it really is them."

Outside the window, a crow landed on a branch. Its crimson eyes darted about, reflecting the solemn figures of the two people inside.

Its bean-black beak gently preened its feathers.

"The Qingshi Tribe is crawling with spies. Going there in the official attire of the Crown Princess is too conspicuous."

Fei Zhao leaned against the doorframe, his tail tip curled around a pink and white lace dress, which he dangled playfully.

"Change into some casual clothes. You can pretend to be an orphan girl searching for her relatives."

Su An’an frowned, tapping her fingers on the table. "I’ve already had two children. What’s the point of pretending to be a young girl? Besides, this dress..."

She glanced at the layered ruffles. "It’ll be so cumbersome to move around in."

Fei Zhao’s tail wrapped around her wrist, its fluffy tip stroking her gently.

"It’s precisely because you’re the Crown Princess that those lower-class female foxes won’t dare to tell the truth."

He took half a step closer, his breath ghosting over the tip of her ear. "But what if you were a poor little female fox who failed her fertility test?"

"They’ll let their guard down."

"Absurd!"

The roots of Su An’an’s ears burned, but she forced herself to maintain her authoritative air. "I can fight off a Mutant Beast while holding a cub. Who would believe this disguise?"

"You’re perfect for it, Master!"

Little Pink suddenly pulled a pair of sparkly diamond butterfly clips from the luggage and held them up in front of her.

"Look! I even have the hair accessories ready!"

Su An’an stared at the large butterfly clips glinting in the sunlight, her mouth twitching.

"When did you buy these? Why don’t I know about this?"

"Last time we were at the market."

Little Pink displayed the shopping record from that time.

"Master Fei Zhao paid for them! He said they’d come in handy sooner or later!"

The tip of Fei Zhao’s tail curled up smugly, and he deliberately rubbed it against her wrist again.

"See? Even Little Pink thinks it’s a good fit."

He picked up the butterfly clips, his voice husky and his eyes dark. "Try them on?"