Chapter 488: Fox Woman's Cunning

The old beggar believed Tu Siyan would not awaken for at least six months to a year. Ji Yuan, however, knew that a fox demon like Tu Siyan couldn't be judged by normal standards. Still, having been injured and suppressed under the mountain, she would certainly remain contained for a while.

However, on the afternoon of the third day after they departed, signs of activity began to stir beneath the great mountain suppressing the fox demon, deep within Pozi Mountain.

"Drip... drip... drip..."

Inside the mountain's dark, confined space, a single drop of water fell from the ceiling at regular intervals. Although only a little over two days had passed, the days of accumulating clouds and mist in the mountains had caused dew to begin seeping into the cavity where Tu Siyan, the fox demon, was confined.

This dew would continue to drip indefinitely, maintaining the same consistent frequency regardless of how heavily it rained outside.

The mountain spring, formed by these dripping dewdrops, pooled in front of Tu Siyan, and splashes of water landed on her forehead. At one point, her eyelashes fluttered, as consciousness slowly returned.

Tu Siyan's eyelids felt incredibly heavy. She struggled to rise but felt the immense power of the mountain pressing down on her, making even the slightest movement difficult.

Even though her shoulders and one hand were visible within the small space inside the mountain, they were still subjected to the mountain's sealing power, making it incredibly strenuous to lift her hand.

After a prolonged and arduous struggle, Tu Siyan finally opened her eyes. Darkness surrounded her, save for a narrow, bright slit of light in the distance.

"Wh-where am I? What is this place? I... *hiss*..."

A sharp pain shot through Tu Siyan's head as memories from the past few days flooded her mind, bringing back her battle with the old beggar and Ji Yuan.

"I'm... I'm suppressed under the mountain? Is this *that* mountain?"

She tried to lift her head but felt an overwhelming pressure. The oppressive sensation of her surroundings had intensified multifold in the short time since she awoke, sending a shiver through the fox demon, who rarely knew fear.

'A hundred years... a hundred years! No, this can't be, I won't, I refuse!'

"I don't want to be here for a hundred years!"

Tu Siyan began to try every method to escape. However, her demonic power was sluggish, and the surrounding spiritual energy was scarce, with no sunlight or moonlight penetrating the mountain. It was fine as long as she didn't use her magic, but the moment she did, the mountain-suppressing spell instantly reacted, and immense pressure bore down on her from all directions.

"Agh..."

Crying out in pain, Tu Siyan no longer dared to carelessly wield her demonic power. Yet, the agony in her body only intensified, as the mountain-suppressing spell did not cease; instead, it seemed to be punishingly escalating.

"Crack... crunch..."

It was the sound of rock pressing against rock and her own bones creaking under the strain.

"Ah... stop, stop... I won't do it again, I won't... ah!"

After about fifteen minutes, the agonizing and despair-inducing pressure finally began to subside. Tu Siyan was drenched in sweat, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"Hmph... that old, old beggar... how ruthless you are..."

Amidst this pain and despair, Tu Siyan suddenly felt a slight sweetness in her throat, followed by a subtly spicy yet mellow aroma. It trickled down her throat into her abdomen, and waves of warmth spread through her limbs and bones.

After the intense pain she had just endured, the warmth's comfort was amplified, even alleviating her injuries and helping to restore her vital energy.

This was precisely the Dragon Saliva Incense that Ji Yuan had flicked into the mountain cavity earlier, finally taking effect at this moment.

"Hoo... hoo... hoo... Is this... wine? Ji Yuan's?"

Tu Siyan wasn't entirely sure about the old beggar's identity, but she was deeply wary of Ji Yuan and had made an effort to learn about him. She knew he loved wine and appreciated unique brews, regardless of their origin, be it common or divine. He was a true connoisseur, not a mere drunkard.

Such a devotee of wine, though not particular about what he drank, would undoubtedly carry some extraordinary, fine spirits. It seemed highly probable that this wine was Ji Yuan's.

Despite her immense hatred, Tu Siyan, at this moment, utterly lacked the willpower to spit out the wine. Instead, she had to mentally guide its potency throughout her body, alleviating her pain while simultaneously restoring her vital energy.

After a long while, Tu Siyan finally exhaled slowly.

'I never imagined this wine could be so miraculous. If it were mine, I'd never part with it for outsiders...'

While her body felt somewhat better, it did not diminish her fear of the confined environment. Although some cultivators might seclude themselves for decades, the psychological impact of forced confinement was entirely different.

In a short span, Tu Siyan had regained her composure. Sweat beaded on her face, and her expression, deep in thought, appeared alluringly cold.

She was unwilling, and indeed unable, to be suppressed under this mountain for a hundred years. She *had* to find a way out. Perhaps her ancestor already knew of her predicament, or perhaps not.

If her ancestor remained unaware, Tu Siyan would have to devise her own escape.

Moreover, even if her ancestor arrived, while the old beggar might not be a significant threat, confronting Ji Yuan might not end favorably.

After a period of silence, Tu Siyan began to shout loudly once more.

"Old beggar, old beggar, let me out! Ji Yuan! Ji Yuan... come out, both of you...!"

"Old beggar! You old vagabond! Ji Yuan!"

The fox demon's shrill cries echoed within the confined space, with only faint sounds escaping. Yet, she knew that if Ji Yuan and the old beggar were nearby, they would undoubtedly hear her. So, having confirmed that some sound could penetrate, she gathered a bit of her demonic power, condensed a vocal line, and continued to shout towards the direction where sound might carry.

The woman's piercing screams spread faintly outwards. While ordinary people might not hear them, some animals with acute hearing could. For instance, bats and other creatures in the mountain caves darted around nervously, some even flying out while the sun was still high.

Ji Yuan and the old beggar were by now far from the area and naturally couldn't hear her. However, her cries did attract the mountain god of Pozi Mountain.

A wisp of smoke rose from in front of the mountain suppressing Tu Siyan, coalescing into a spirit clad in a simple cloth shirt.

Shi Youdao, the mountain god, listened intently, confirming a woman's voice emanated from within. Under this vast mountain, who else could it be but the suppressed eight-tailed fox demon? Thus, the mountain god became acutely alert. He glanced around, hoping to see the golden-armored divine general who had not even deigned to reveal his name, but the general remained unseen.

After much deliberation, the mountain god decided it was best to ignore the demon. Just as he prepared to vanish into the mountain, Tu Siyan, somehow sensing an presence outside, cried out with a voice full of surprise.

"Who's out there? Old beggar? Ji Yuan? Is that you? Are you out there? Answer me! Please answer me! I'm going mad, please answer me!"

Tu Siyan, who had clearly regained her composure, deliberately cried out in a voice steeped in painful madness and despair, almost like a plea.

This made the mountain god pause once more. He looked back at the mountain wall, realizing he hadn't actually seen what the female demon looked like, or how extravagant eight tails truly were.

As a mountain god, he touched the mountain wall and felt carefully, quickly locating the crevice. He peered inside but saw nothing, only pitch-black darkness.

"Who are you? You're neither Ji Yuan nor the old beggar! May I ask which esteemed master is out there?"

Tu Siyan's voice, laced with both anticipation and apprehension, carried forth. Anyone could sense the disquiet within her words.

Given the demon's apparent fear, Shi Youdao's own courage naturally bolstered.

"Please, talk to me, I beg you, just talk to me, I'm almost going mad..."

The female demon's pleading voice emerged, melodious yet with a hint of a sob.

Shi Youdao initially intended to ignore her, but he found himself imagining Pozi Mountain's future expansion, transforming from its already considerable size into a truly grand peak. As its righteous mountain god, he felt he could now, perhaps, sample the taste of divine authority. Combined with his self-perceived cleverness, he reasoned that merely conversing with the demon couldn't possibly allow her to escape; that would render the immortal's seal far too trivial.

"Ahem! I am the righteous god of this mountain, appointed by the immortal's decree to guard you, fox demon! Do not play any tricks, or I will certainly report you to the immortal, and you will suffer greatly!" Shi Youdao tried his best to make his voice sound more majestic as he projected it into the mountain's depths.

The moment Tu Siyan heard these words, a smile immediately appeared on her face.

"Playing tricks and reporting to the immortal? So, he's only capable of tattling..."

'Wait! Ji Yuan would never leave such a minor figure in charge of the guard!'

"So it is Lord Mountain God! This humble one offers her respects. It is just that this lowly one is pressed beneath the mountain and cannot perform a bow in person. Please, Lord Mountain God, do not blame me, and certainly do not punish me..."

Shi Youdao smiled, thinking, "With such a vast mountain pressing down, it would be extraordinary if you *could* bow!" At the same time, he was quite pleased with Tu Siyan's demeanor. The title "Lord Mountain God" resonated deeply with him; it was, after all, an eight-tailed fox demon addressing him!

"Hmm, this mountain god naturally understands you cannot bow. Stay peacefully, and as long as the mountain spring flows continuously, the spiritual energy circulation will not be cut off."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a voice, full of both surprise and gratitude, immediately emanated from within.

"Thank you, Lord Mountain God, thank you, Lord Mountain God! This humble one bows her head to you... *thud*... *thud*..."

There was indeed the sound of someone bowing.

"But, regarding this guardianship, can Lord Mountain God make decisions alone? This humble one asks for nothing lavish; I only beg that this spring water is not cut off, so I may drink and wash occasionally."

The woman's hesitant and anxious voice emerged, leaving the mountain god momentarily speechless. He subconsciously glanced around, still finding no sign of the golden-armored divine general.

He mused that the presence of the mountain spring inside must have been a natural seepage from the great mountain, likely part of the immortal's arrangement. The divine general, he reasoned, should have no objections.

"Ahem, you needn't worry. The divine general will have no objections to such a minor matter."

Inside the mountain cavity, Tu Siyan's eyes flashed. 'Indeed!'

After a moment's thought, she spoke with a mournful voice.

"Hmm... that's good, that's quite alright... Although I don't believe I was in the wrong, things have come to this, and I can only bear it silently. Perhaps I should have listened to Ji Yuan's words back then..."

After uttering such an ambiguous statement, Tu Siyan fell silent. She knew well that one shouldn't reveal everything at once. She had, in any case, already gotten a preliminary sense of the mountain god's character; he didn't seem too difficult to manage.

Outside, the mountain god frowned, a flicker of curiosity rising within him. But he restrained himself from inquiring further. After waiting for a long time and hearing no more sounds, he lingered for a moment before vanishing back into the mountain.