Chapter 501: Determined to Break Free

Ji Yuan and the old beggar quickly flew to Pozi Mountain, landing on the summit of the great mountain that suppressed the fox demon. Below, the Golden Armored Divine General appeared, bowed towards the direction of the lightning, and then vanished again.

Unlike Ji Yuan and the old beggar who could sense things, Tu Siyan was unaware that they had returned. At this moment, she was still racking her brain for a way to escape her predicament.

Tu Siyan had to consider the possibility that no fox from the Jade Fox Cave Heaven knew she had been suppressed by the immortal and that no external help would arrive. She genuinely didn't want to be suppressed for a hundred years, a period longer than a human lifetime and quite significant even for a fox demon.

The mere fact of being unable to move, with even the slightest movement causing extreme pain, was unbearable for anyone. After just a few days, Tu Siyan could no longer endure this oppressive situation, yet her rationality compelled her to remain calm.

There must be a way, there must be a way. The mountain god is easy to deal with, but that divine general is too troublesome. He never speaks to me, nor does he show any emotion; it's impossible to guess what he's thinking. And the mountain god is so afraid of him. He's unyielding and indifferent, the most difficult kind of person to handle...

Or should I beg Ji Yuan and the old beggar for mercy? They will surely return; they wouldn't just leave me here for a hundred years, but it's unclear when. It's a pity that the ancestor's hair was taken by Ji Yuan. If it were still here, none of this would have happened...

Tu Siyan felt some remorse. She regretted her bravado in challenging the old beggar to a fight; it would have been so much better to have held back. She blamed herself for underestimating the old beggar who had suddenly appeared.

No, that's wrong! What good is it to underestimate the old beggar? This was clearly a setup by Ji Yuan. My underestimation wouldn't have changed anything!

On the mountaintop, Ji Yuan and the old beggar looked down, as if they could see Tu Siyan through the mountain.

"She's awake, as expected. An eight-tailed fox demon indeed, not to be judged by ordinary standards. Mister Ji, let's go down and meet her quickly, and then head to Nine Peaks Mountain to find a quiet place to continue our discussion. We also need to find suitable earth spirit items and refine the Five Elements first. We have a lot to do!"

"Let's go down and see first."

Having said that, Ji Yuan took the first step, slowly floating down from the mountaintop like a falling leaf. He landed at the foot of the mountain that suppressed Tu Siyan, right in front of the crack in the rock.

The mountain god, Shi Youdao, had been observing the situation of the great mountain and naturally noticed the arrival of Ji Yuan and the old beggar. After appearing and bowing, he retreated again. Seeing that the divine general also bowed and withdrew, he abandoned his intention to try and get close, fearing he might displease the esteemed cultivators.

"Miss Tu, are you awake?"

Ji Yuan's voice echoed into the mountain, startling Tu Siyan. After a brief moment of panic, she quickly calmed down and responded with her characteristic seductive voice.

"Yes, with such a massive mountain pressing down, I'm almost crushed to a pulp. How could I not be awake? Sir, you truly have a cruel heart and a heavy hand. That sword strike caused Siyan agonizing pain..."

Tu Siyan's voice grew increasingly sorrowful, but Ji Yuan and the old beggar merely watched the mountain's interior with a smile, showing no other reaction.

Ji Yuan had previously explained Tu Siyan's situation to the old beggar, including their encounter in Da Zhen and the other fox demon they met, who was also suspected to be from Jade Fox Cave Heaven.

The old beggar also understood the cause and effect. The relationship was straightforward: not friends, definitely not. As for enemies, she didn't seem qualified to be Ji Yuan's foe; it was more like a mild disciplinary action.

"Hmph, still true immortals, yet both are heartless! Speak, what do you want to ask? As long as you promise to release me, Siyan will tell you everything she knows without reservation."

Before Ji Yuan could speak, the old beggar answered with a chuckle.

"The questions are for Mister Ji, but this mountain was left by me, the old beggar. He asks his questions, I maintain my seal. Even if you answer, I can't just release you directly. How about this: if Mister Ji agrees, I won't suppress you for a century, but reduce it to sixty years?"

"What?! Old beggar, don't go too far!"

Tu Siyan cursed him with resentment.

"Enough, Tu Siyan. I, Ji, ask you this: why did you give such a malevolent talisman to Young Master Xiao in Da Zhen? Do you know that if left unchecked, it could have plunged the imperial court into chaos and shaken Da Zhen's human order?"

Tu Siyan did not answer immediately. After a few breaths, she spoke in a lazy tone.

"Oh, Mister Ji is referring to that young couple. Siyan had to think for a moment to recall them. I was truly touched by their sincere affection and simply lent them a hand. As for that talisman, aren't you exaggerating its power, sir? It wasn't that potent... Even if it did have some influence, I merely had good intentions that led to an unfortunate outcome. My original intention was good. I even willingly served those men on the pleasure boat in the brothel on behalf of that woman, but..."

At this point, Tu Siyan chuckled.

"However, had it not been for that, I wouldn't have met Mister Ji on that pleasure boat. Although our time together was brief, the memory is still fresh."

Hearing this, the old beggar glanced at Ji Yuan. Knowing the old beggar was feigning ignorance, Ji Yuan could only respond with a helpless shake of his head.

"And that day, they were the first to harm my fox clan. Well, at least that's what I saw, so I was angry, and my methods became a bit extreme. If both immortal sirs are displeased, I apologize here."

Ji Yuan smiled and spoke calmly.

"Such eloquent sophistry is typical of someone like Miss Tu. Stop trying to twist the facts here. You impersonated a deity to mislead Young Master Xiao and left a malevolent blood curse. Ordinary mortals with weak wills can hardly resist using such a blood curse. That blood talisman of yours was taken by the true Righteous God of Tongtian River. Any common person using it would likely have their vital essence drained. Then you transformed into a courtesan to drain people's vitality and even tried to steal my Azure Vine Sword. Furthermore, I, Ji, also encountered a fox in the Land of Zuyue. That fox recognized me on sight, which must be due to information you spread. Jade Fox Cave Heaven is far away in Lanzhou of the Western Regions, yet two foxes from your cave have appeared consecutively in a remote place like Da Zhen. Do you, or rather, does Jade Fox Cave Heaven, have some grand scheme?"

"You wrong me, Mister Ji! That's too large a hat to place on my head. We were merely traveling afar for leisure. Immortal swords are wondrous, and I've been fascinated by swords since childhood, so I just wanted a look. After inadvertently offending you, I even fled to Hengzhou in the northern reaches. The Xiao family incident was also an accident. I've lived in a secluded cave heaven for a long time and am unfamiliar with human affairs; how could I know mortals are so frail? As for what happened on the pleasure boat..."

Tu Siyan's voice became soft and charming.

"Mister Ji, do you truly believe that spending intimate time with me, at the cost of a small amount of their Yang essence, is not worth it for mortals?"

The old beggar couldn't help but let out a cold snort.

"Hmph, you brazen vixen!"

"Mister Ji, I don't think she'll say anything useful. There's no point wasting more time with her. Let's talk again in a hundred years."

With that, the old beggar also cast a cold gaze at Tu Siyan.

"You brazen vixen, don't try any tricks. Let me tell you plainly, even if the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox herself came, you wouldn't be able to escape!"

Tu Siyan, who had originally planned a gentle, evasive response, instantly flew into a rage upon hearing the old beggar mention her ancestor.

"You stinking beggar! A single strand of my ancestor's hair was enough to overwhelm you, so don't boast here!"

The old beggar simply closed his eyes to rest, no longer bothering to argue with Tu Siyan.

"Mister Ji, please return my ancestor's hair. Otherwise, the ancestor will surely be displeased. My punishment is a small matter, but it would be a serious problem if the ancestor misunderstood that you bear ill will towards my Jade Fox Cave Heaven. The previous incidents were all misunderstandings, and I am willing to patiently clear things up..."

Tu Siyan spoke not a single reliable word. Ji Yuan and the old beggar exchanged glances, and the latter transmitted, "Let's curb her arrogance."

"It's good to see you so energetic under the mountain. We'll talk after the Immortal Dao Conference concludes."

After Ji Yuan said this, a gentle breeze swept around them, and he and the old beggar slowly rose from the ground and ascended into the sky.

Only then did the Golden Armored Divine General reappear, bowing towards the direction Ji Yuan had ascended. The mountain god, Shi Youdao, naturally followed suit.

Tu Siyan frowned slightly, realizing Ji Yuan was playing hard to get. But a moment later, it suddenly dawned on her that she was speaking to true immortals whose minds were clear and whose hearts were at peace. Such individuals are unfettered and act as they speak, so if they said they were leaving, they probably genuinely were.

"Ji Yuan? Old beggar? Ji Yuan? Come back! Come back!"

Tu Siyan cried out several times but received no response. Infuriated, she slammed her fist onto the ground.

"Ugh! I'm so mad!"

The duration of the Immortal Dao Conference was entirely unpredictable; it could conclude within a few months of its official start or continue for several years if discussions became spirited.

As soon as Ji Yuan left, Tu Siyan, still fuming, saw a pair of indifferent, scornful eyes appear in the mountain crack. This made her teeth itch with hatred, and she muttered resentfully, "Like master, like servant."

While still feeling indignant, Tu Siyan suddenly felt a stir in her heart. She faintly detected a somewhat familiar scent and was immediately delighted. It wasn't demonic or spiritual energy, but simply a very faint odor.

This was the scent of the gray fox from before. Tu Siyan had cast a spell to send that fox away prior to her battle with the old beggar. She had thought the little beast had run off by itself, but unexpectedly, it had the nerve to return.

The sun gradually set, and the sky grew darker. Beneath the sealed mountain deep within Pozi Mountain, faint strains of a song could be heard.

"Moon shadow grooming in the water, facing the bright moon, hand caressing the moon in the water. The ripples are like my heart, lonely, mournful, heartbroken..."

The mountain god listened quietly from underground, finding the song beautiful yet melancholic.

However, the singing didn't last long. The Golden Armored Divine General appeared directly, turned sideways, and delivered a punch towards the mountain.

"Thud..." "Crackling..."

The mountain's seal pressed down even harder.

"Ugh... You dog servant, just you wait, ugh..."

The pain from the seal was temporary. Looking at the shallow crack, Tu Siyan revealed a cold smile in the darkness; the fox's scent had disappeared.

Now, Tu Siyan was no longer worried that her suppression would remain unknown. Whatever happened, she was sure to escape.