Chapter 78: Memory

Seeing Su Li getting closer and closer to her, Liu Qiu grew nervous, afraid that the little ghost by her side would notice Su Li.

This little girl had followed the Daoist for more than a decade and was probably very powerful.

Although the girl’s past was tragic, Liu Qiu’s pity lasted only a brief moment, because she could barely take care of herself right now.

“Big sister, what are you looking at? You’ve been staring for so long.”

The little girl’s giggling voice came from behind her.

Liu Qiu took a deep breath and tried not to let the girl detect anything strange in her voice.

“Nothing. I’m just looking outside a bit more. Staying inside the room all the time feels stuffy.”

Su Li stared at Liu Qiu and licked her nose, planning to leap straight through the window.

There was no trace of the Daoist’s aura in this room, only the presence of a single little ghost.

Just a little ghost—she wasn’t afraid.

But that ghost likely carried some spell left behind by the Daoist.

If she made a move against it, the Daoist might return immediately.

Su Li halted her jump and stood motionless on the eaves, thinking about how to take Liu Qiu away without being discovered.

If her heart hadn’t been injured, she wouldn’t have feared any of this.

That Daoist was insidious, ambushing her on the path where she went hunting after somehow learning of her movements and striking her by surprise.

In a fair fight, the Daoist definitely wouldn’t have been able to defeat her.

No, she couldn’t keep waiting like this.

She might as well forcibly take Liu Qiu away.

Thoughts raced through Su Li’s mind as she made up her decision.

She bent her limbs, her brilliant golden eyes fixed on Liu Qiu, preparing to leap in, subdue the little ghost, and take Liu Qiu away.

But just as she jumped and was about to touch Liu Qiu, the window suddenly slammed shut.

Su Li crashed into it and bounced back to her original position.

Because of her injury, even her reflexes had dulled; she hadn’t shifted her movement in time.

Unwilling, Su Li bared her teeth.

The Daoist had set up a barrier—she had struck the barrier, not the window.

Otherwise, how could she have failed to shatter such a crudely made human window?

Inside the room, Liu Qiu stared blankly at the closed window.

She had heard the heavy thud of the little fox colliding with it.

Stiffly turning her head, she met the little girl’s smiling eyes.

“Big sister, you’d better tell that little fox to leave quickly. Otherwise, when Daoist returns, you might really see her being skinned and dismembered.”

Liu Qiu clenched her fingers involuntarily.

So the little ghost named Xiao Chan had known all along.

Liu Qiu bit her lip hard.

What should she do?

She didn’t want to stay here, but she wanted even less for Su Li to be seen by the Daoist.

Turning back to the window, she pressed close and called out, “Su Li, don’t worry about me. Hide yourself properly.”

After speaking, she stepped back slightly, her unhappiness plainly written across her face.

But it didn’t last long.

A few seconds later, she watched as the window was forced open, and a snow-white paw reached in through the gap.

Liu Qiu’s eyes slowly widened.

“Human, grab my paw.”

Su Li’s voice sounded from outside the window.

Liu Qiu’s hand moved faster than her mind.

By the time she reacted, she had already reached out and grasped the fluffy fox paw.

In an instant, the gap in the window widened, and a white figure darted inside.

Su Li landed steadily on all fours.

She hadn’t shattered the barrier entirely; she had only torn open a small opening, using something inside the barrier as a medium to slip through.

She had considered that if the barrier vanished completely, the human’s soul might return to the wooden puppet.

She had no idea what kind of barrier the Daoist had set up to trap a soul like this.

Xiao Chan looked at the fox before her, her smile fading slightly.

Her childish voice carried undisguised killing intent.

“So it really is you, fox demon.”

Su Li bared her sharp fangs as her body rapidly grew larger, until she became a fox bigger than an adult human.

Channeling her demonic power caused her body to expand.

With her ears flattened, she stared at Xiao Chan and let out a mocking chuckle from her throat.

“Just you alone, little ghost? Do you think I’d be afraid of you? If you know what’s good for you, leave now.”

She had absorbed quite a bit of blood essence; dealing with a ghost that had cultivated for only a little over a decade was more than manageable.

But if she could conserve demonic power, she would.

Her heart couldn’t bear too much strain at the moment.

Xiao Chan clasped her hands together.

The baleful aura around her grew so dense it almost took form, like black mist.

Liu Qiu could see it.

Though she didn’t understand much about ghost cultivation, she could tell the little girl was not easy to deal with right now.

“Su Li…” Liu Qiu called softly.

Su Li flicked her large tail, brushing it across Liu Qiu’s cheek.

“Human, don’t worry. I don’t even put this little ghost in my eyes.”

The little girl laughed lightly.

“Fox, I remember your heart was injured not long ago, wasn’t it?”

“After barely escaping, has it healed so quickly? How many human hearts did you eat, or how many people did you sleep with?”

Hearing such words come from the mouth of a little girl made Liu Qiu feel uncomfortable.

But she knew the girl only looked like a child; in reality, this ghost had existed for over a decade and had followed the Daoist through many things.

Her mind was likely far more mature than her appearance suggested.

Su Li’s breathing grew heavier.

Without another word, she suddenly turned her head toward the little girl, opened her jaws wide, and lunged forward with a powerful kick of her hind legs.

The room wasn’t large, and Xiao Chan couldn’t dodge in time.

She was bitten squarely, half her body swallowed into Su Li’s mouth.

Su Li bit down fiercely, her sharp canines piercing through the girl’s body.

From Liu Qiu’s perspective, it looked as though a child’s body was being torn apart.

It was somewhat cruel, but the being in Su Li’s mouth wasn’t human.

Liu Qiu turned her head away, unable to watch the pitiful scene that stirred her sympathy.

[Huh, Host, I thought you’d tell the fox spirit to stop.]

[In the previous world, you even gave bread to the person who tried to kill you. Did what I said about not being too kind finally sink in?]

Liu Qiu sighed helplessly.

[System, last time that woman had completely lost her fighting ability, and I only gave her a piece of bread because I was afraid she wouldn’t survive until the police arrived.]

[In this situation, stopping Su Li wouldn’t be kindness. It would be stupidity.]

She believed kindness was the basic moral foundation of a person, but it couldn’t be applied blindly without regard for circumstances.

The system made a small noise.

[Looks like I need to upgrade my emotional module. I keep misanalyzing human nature.]

Xiao Chan’s body did not dissipate into black mist.

After being bitten in half, both pieces fell to the ground.

Su Li lifted a paw and pressed it down heavily on one half.

“Little ghost, I’ll make your soul scatter into nothing.”

Xiao Chan smiled and turned her head to look at the other half of her body.

Because she was a soul, her interior was empty.

“Fox, once I die, Daoist will immediately return. I’ve always wanted to disappear anyway, but by then, you and big sister won’t be able to escape.”

She had nothing to fear, which was why she remained so calm.

The fox was indeed strong; even with an injured heart, she was no match.

Su Li narrowed her brilliant golden eyes.

A crimson aura overflowed from her body, wrapping around Xiao Chan and pinning both halves of her body tightly to the ground.

She wasn’t afraid of the Daoist, but she wanted to conserve her demonic power to take Liu Qiu away.

After confirming that the little ghost couldn’t break free, Su Li turned back to Liu Qiu.

Lowering her head, she nuzzled Liu Qiu’s cheek gently.

“Don’t be afraid.”

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“I won’t let you be away from me for too long.”

Her fur was soft and smooth, brushing against Liu Qiu’s cheek warmly.

Liu Qiu couldn’t resist hugging her head and nuzzling back, whispering softly, “Su Li, I’m sorry.”

In the cave before, she had cried and made a fuss, yet Su Li still dared to come save her despite her injured heart.

Su Li’s ears perked up.

“I’m not like other fox spirits.”

“I’ve only slept with you. I don’t eat human hearts. I only drink blood essence.”

Liu Qiu released her and pressed her lips together in a faint smile.

“Is that human you brought back still around?”

Su Li rubbed her head against Liu Qiu’s face again.

“I sent her back.”

“Did you hear what I said? I’ve only slept with you.”

Though her body was as large as a tiger’s, she was gently nuzzling her like this, her tail swaying behind her.

So adorable.

Liu Qiu nodded.

“I heard you.”

Su Li seemed dissatisfied with her reaction.

She extended her thick tongue and licked Liu Qiu’s cheek, a low rumble sounding in her throat.

“Do you humans care that much about fidelity?”

“…Never mind. I’ll take you away first.”

She didn’t even know why she was saying these things to a human.

Better to leave as soon as possible.

Since completely discarding her pitiful disguise in the cave, Su Li had no intention of pretending anymore.

Speaking to Liu Qiu now felt much more relaxed.

She turned her attention to the barrier, preparing to break it from the inside out.

After three consecutive impacts without success, on the fourth attempt, the door suddenly burst open.

A teasing voice rang out.

“Fox and ghost, where do you think you’re going?”

Liu Qiu grabbed a fistful of fur and looked tremblingly toward the door.

Fu Ling stood there lazily, holding a sword made of copper coins, smiling at them.

The moment Su Li saw her, she bared her teeth.

“Wretched Daoist! You captured my wife, and you still dare ask where we’re going?”

She had returned so quickly.

Fu Ling let out a soft laugh, her gaze flicking to the fox fur in Liu Qiu’s hand.

A dark glint flashed in her eyes.

So this little ghost trusted the fox that much.

“Pretty Ghost, do you know why I want to kill this fox?”

“It goes around sucking human blood. One careless moment, and people could die.”

As she spoke, she sliced her finger and smeared the blood onto the copper coin sword, clearly preparing to attack.

Liu Qiu bit her lip and suddenly spread her arms, shielding Su Li behind her.

“She’ll only drink my blood in the future. She hasn’t harmed anyone. You can’t be so unreasonable.”

Fu Ling raised her sword, her eyes curving gently as a soft smile bloomed on her lips.

“You’re already dead. Where would she drink your blood?”

“And how do you know she’s never killed anyone?”

Su Li was furious.

“I haven’t killed anyone!”

Liu Qiu stared at Fu Ling intently.

“I believe Su Li. She definitely hasn’t killed anyone.”

“Can you let her go?”

Fu Ling’s smile faded slightly.

“Xiao Chan, trap her to the side.”

“Yes.”

With the little girl’s voice sounding again, Liu Qiu’s eyes widened.

At some unknown moment, her limbs had been bound, and the little girl who had been lying on the floor was now standing elsewhere.

Looking down at the black mist binding her body, Liu Qiu struggled with all her strength, but she couldn’t break free.

She could only watch as she was dragged aside against her will.

Her breath hitched as she shouted, “Su Li, run!”

Su Li’s fur bristled completely.

This Daoist was utterly detestable.

Fu Ling withdrew her gaze from Liu Qiu’s anxious face and advanced slowly with her sword.

She had once thought this fox merely an eyesore.

Now she regretted letting her escape before.

Su Li let out a threatening growl, retreating step by step.

She wanted to take the human with her.

But she was no match for the Daoist now.

A direct confrontation would bring her no advantage.

Fu Ling raised her hand and lunged forward.

Su Li dodged the first strike, but she couldn’t evade the copper coins flying from behind.

They sliced across her back, and bright red blood instantly soaked her pristine white fur.

But that was only the beginning.

The copper coin sword split apart, each coin flying toward the fox from different directions.

Su Li tried to shield herself with demonic power, but the coins were magical artifacts infused with spiritual energy.

They tore through her protective aura and left wound after wound across her body.

Realizing her large size made her an easy target, she shrank down and began darting about, but the coins were too fast.

One after another, they carved injuries into her.

Liu Qiu’s heart twisted painfully as she watched.

This couldn’t continue.

She had to help Su Li escape.

The thought of breaking free grew stronger and stronger in her heart.

Unnoticed, black mist began to creep into her eyes again.

Xiao Chan saw it and frowned slightly.

The next moment, the ghostly aura binding Liu Qiu suddenly dissipated.

Startled, Xiao Chan watched as Liu Qiu floated toward Fu Ling, wrapping her arms tightly around her and pressing her to the ground with surging black energy.

With no one controlling them, the copper coins attacking Su Li fell to the floor one by one.

Fu Ling’s eyes darkened.

“Let go.”

Only then did Liu Qiu speak.

“Su Li, leave now!”

As soon as she finished, she lowered her head and fiercely pressed her lips against Fu Ling’s, roughly forcing her way in and sucking on her tongue.

She wanted to drain Fu Ling’s yang energy and make her faint.

[Green Hat Value +5]

Su Li, covered in wounds, stared at the scene before her, her heart aching unbearably.

She knew Liu Qiu was doing this to help her escape, but why did it have to be this way?

Still, she couldn’t stay any longer.

She had to leave.

If she remained, she would die at the Daoist’s hands, and then she wouldn’t be able to save the human at all.

Her tail drooped low.

Channeling her demonic power, she hurled herself toward the window.

Xiao Chan reacted a moment too late to stop the fox from smashing through and escaping.

Pinned beneath Liu Qiu, Fu Ling felt the icy lips against hers.

Suddenly, intense pain exploded in her mind as a flood of memories surged in, turning her face pale as paper.