221: Chapter 219 The Uninvited Guest

Yun Ming was cultivating in the Quiet Room.

In the courtyard,

Xue Ji lay on Yun Ming's bamboo chair, bored out of her mind.

She had dragged the bamboo chair to the sunniest spot, curling herself up in it like a lazy cat.

The sunlight spilled over her, warm and cozy, making her whole body feel soft.

Her eyes were closed, her breathing light, and her long eyelashes cast a small fan-shaped shadow beneath her eyes.

She hadn't been this relaxed in a long time.

When she was by the Second Prince's side, she had to be on edge every day, constantly watching her words and actions, constantly trying to figure out the Second Prince's thoughts, and constantly prepared for any sudden situations.

She didn't dare to relax, and she couldn't. It was different here.

No one managed her, no one demanded anything of her, and no one needed her to please them.

She could do whatever she wanted: lie down when she wanted, eat when she wanted, and sleep when she wanted.

Yun Ming didn't care, Shen Yizhi didn't care, Qin Zhao didn't care, and the Third Prince didn't care either.

She was free.

She opened her eyes and looked at the closed door of the Quiet Room.

Yun Ming was still inside cultivating.

He said he had obtained a new Cultivation Technique and was going into seclusion for a few days to study it.

She didn't know where he got the Cultivation Technique; he had been staying at home lately and had never gone out.

Maybe Shen Yizhi brought it, maybe Zhou Qian brought it, or maybe he had it all along.

She couldn't figure it out, and she was too lazy to think about it.

There were too many things about Yun Ming that she couldn't understand.

His Lifespan, his Comprehension Ability, his Alchemy, and those strange Magic Treasures and Formations.

If she couldn't figure it out, she wouldn't think about it; why care so much?

The weather today was really good.

The sun was warm, the wind was light, and a faint fragrance of flowers drifted in the air.

She stretched, sat up from the bamboo chair, and looked around.

No one was in the yard, the gate was closed, the Formation was running, and a light mist drifted.

She thought about it and decided to change back to her original form.

She hadn't changed back to her original form in a long time.

Ever since she followed the Second Prince, she had maintained her human form because he liked her human form and didn't like her original form.

Now she didn't need to care anymore.

She stood up, walked to the center of the yard, and with a gentle shake of her body, her human form dissipated, and a pure white fox appeared in the sunlight.

It was an extremely beautiful Snow Fox, pure white all over without a single stray color.

Its fur was thick and soft, shimmering with a silver-white luster in the sun, as if covered in frost or snow. Its body was slender and well-proportioned, its limbs delicate yet powerful, and it had nine tails, each fluffy and soft like nine white clouds.

It stood in the center of the yard, nine tails swaying gently behind it like nine white silk ribbons dancing in the air.

It tilted its head back, squinting its eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on its body, and let out a low, satisfied hum.

It shook its body, its fur sparkling in the sunlight.

It ran a few steps in the yard, light as a breeze.

It jumped onto the stone table, then jumped down, rolled on the grass, turned over to reveal its snow-white belly, four legs in the air, and nine tails spread on the ground like an open white fan.

It closed its eyes, enjoying the sun, the freedom, and the tranquility of this moment.

A hand landed gently on its back.

The hand was soft and warm, the fingers long, and the nails neatly trimmed.

Starting from the top of its head, it stroked down along its spine.

The technique was good, the pressure just right, neither fast nor slow, neither hurried nor hesitant.

She squinted her eyes in comfort and even rolled over, exposing her belly for the other person to touch.

She thought it was Yun Ming.

"Nice fur color."

A woman's voice came from above, "Silky and smooth, no stray colors. Nine tails, top-tier quality. A pity it's only a Frost Brilliance Fox; if it were a Qingqiu Fox or a Tushan Fox, that would be even better." Her tone carried a hint of regret and a touch of pickiness, "What Mind-Cultivation Technique are you practicing? How can a Frost Brilliance Fox practice Charm Techniques? What a waste of a good thing."

Xue Ji's body suddenly stiffened.

That voice wasn't Yun Ming's.

This voice was cold and clear, with a metallic quality, like jade beads falling on a tray or spring water hitting stones.

She had never heard this voice before.

She snapped her eyes open, jumped from the stone table, landed on the edge, arched her body, her fur bristling, and her nine tails standing high like nine white fans.

She bared her teeth, a low threatening sound coming from her throat, her eyes fixed on the uninvited guest before her.

A woman stood before her. The woman was beautiful, so beautiful she didn't seem Mortal.

Her features were exquisite, without a single flaw.

She wore a sapphire-blue brocade palace dress that shimmered with light; one didn't even need to look closely to know it was no ordinary item.

She wasn't stepping on anything, yet she hung in mid-air, three inches off the ground, her clothes fluttering, untainted by a speck of dust.

The newcomer was none other than the Princess Royal.

But Xue Ji didn't recognize her; her body swayed as she transformed from her original form back into a human.

crimson cloud flowing smoke emerged from her body; the deep red gauze clothing was as thin as a cicada's wing, with a low neckline revealing a large area of snow-white skin.

Her hair fell loose to her waist, with a few strands hanging over her chest, faintly visible through the gaps in the gauze. The corners of her eyes were slightly upturned, and her lips curled into a charming smile. Her body was slightly turned, one hand on her waist and the other hanging by her side, her posture lazy and seductive. Every frown and smile was full of enchanting charm.

Even though the woman before her was no less beautiful than herself, she still went all out; even if she couldn't charm her, her Cultivation Techniques needed these elements to be strengthened during a fight.

The Princess Royal looked at her and frowned.

It wasn't admiration or being stunned; it was a frown.

Her brow was furrowed deeply, as if she had seen something that made her very uncomfortable.

Her gaze swept from Xue Ji's face to her body, from her body to her face, and then fell back to her body.

"Frost Brilliance Fox, hailing from the Far North Ice Plains, pure white, covered in frost and snow. Those with deep cultivation can freeze a thousand miles; they are solitary and aloof, not approaching humans." The Princess Royal's tone was flat, as if stating a fact. "What do you look like now? Wearing such clothes and striking such a pose, what is the meaning of this? A perfectly good Frost Brilliance Fox has been raised into a..." She didn't continue, but her expression said everything.

Xue Ji's smile stiffened.

She hadn't expected the Princess Royal's reaction to be like this.

She only frowned, as if looking at something that had been ruined.

Xue Ji's anger flared even more.

The Princess Royal didn't look at her again.

She raised her hand and gave it a light toss.

A golden collar flew from her hand, turning into a streak of golden light, heading straight for Xue Ji's neck.

The speed was astonishing, so fast that even Xue Ji, at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, almost failed to react.

Her pupils contracted, and she instinctively raised her hand; a crimson ribbon of energy shot from her palm, striking the collar.

The collar was knocked away, tumbling a few times in the air before flying back to the Princess Royal's hand.

Xue Ji didn't stop; her hand rose again, the crimson ribbon of energy condensing in her palm, preparing for a second strike.

At that moment, the door to the Quiet Room opened.

Yun Ming suddenly walked out, startled by the scene before him.

But he didn't tell Xue Ji to stop, nor did he ask what had happened.

He just glanced at the golden collar, then at the Princess Royal.

He immediately grabbed the cauldron of all things mother qi and, coordinating with Xue Ji, headed straight for the Princess Royal.