Chapter 18 Who is the Little Fox Spirit with the Most Bells

Chapter 18: Which Little Fox Spirit Has the Most Bells?

"You know it's dangerous, but you still wanna go see?" Rong Jue reached out and wiped his tears away.

Xie Huanxiang nodded. "Yeah, I wanna see."

Then he snuck a peek at the guy's face, buried his head in Rong Jue's chest and nuzzled him. "I knew it, Big Senior Brother's the best."

Rong Jue tried to keep a straight face and said, "Just one look, got it?"

Xie Huanxiang nodded like crazy. Before he could say anything else, he eagerly hiked up his robe, tiptoed around the talismans on the floor, and stopped in front of the figure in white.

The World-Ending Demon was still sleeping. Xie Huanxiang didn't dare make any sudden moves; he gently pushed aside the hair at the demon's temple, only to be disappointed.

It wasn't his brother.

He saw a plain, forgettable face—totally different from the handsome, strong brother he remembered.

He pursed his lips, looked down, pulled his hand back, and turned to go back to Rong Jue.

"Big Senior Brother, let's go."

Rong Jue took him back to the cabin on his sword.

The whole way, Xie Huanxiang was quiet, his reddish-orange tail hanging limp behind him, not wagging once.

Outside the cabin, a tall guy was sitting on the steps. No one knew when he'd shown up or how long he'd been waiting.

"What are you doing here?" Xie Huanxiang asked, tilting his head.

He didn't think he'd blown the Bone Whistle.

Wu Liu didn't say anything. Xie Huanxiang followed his gaze down and saw the new little fox jade pendant on his waist.

"These two Ghost Bells—you gave 'em to him?" Rong Jue stepped in front of Xie Huanxiang, pinched the two bells between his fingers and tossed them at Wu Liu's feet.

"Yeah, so what?" Wu Liu looked up, glanced past Rong Jue at the kid behind him. "You don't like 'em?"

"Big Senior Brother said these are Liu Wudao's," Xie Huanxiang said, puffing out his cheeks, his voice fierce. "How could you give me something from that jerk? It's all your fault—now I reek of that jerk! I hate it!"

"I'll make Huanxiang a new one," Wu Liu said, stepping forward slowly.

Rong Jue pulled out his sword to block him. "No need. I'll make Huanxiang's belt myself. And you—an outer disciple—how do you have Liu Wudao's stuff? What's your connection to the demon clan? What's your angle for getting close to my junior brother?"

"If you don't fess up today, you're not going anywhere."

"Yeah, what's your real deal?" Xie Huanxiang hid behind Rong Jue and chimed in fiercely.

Wu Liu stepped forward, letting the sword tip touch his throat, his eyes locked on Xie Huanxiang. "Does Huanxiang not like the bells, or the jade pendant?"

"I..." Xie Huanxiang bit his finger.

Actually, he liked 'em both.

But this Ghost Bell was way too scary for a fox.

Rong Jue said coldly, "Huanxiang, don't mind him. He's dodging the question 'cause he's guilty."

"Hear that? You're guilty! I'm not talking to you!" Xie Huanxiang snorted.

Wu Liu finally turned to Rong Jue. "Do you have any proof that this is a Ghost Bell?"

"A Ghost Bell rings three times with each step. Soak it in spiritual spring water, and you can hear ghostly wails in the water." Rong Jue turned his storage ring, produced a bottle of spiritual spring water from his palm, and poured it over the bells.

Xie Huanxiang crouched down, curiously leaning in to listen.

"Big Senior Brother, there's no sound."

Rong Jue frowned and poured another bottle of spiritual spring water. Clear droplets dripped down the edges of the bells, but nothing else happened.

He flipped the bell to check the clapper—it was just an ordinary one.

Wu Liu stood still, calmly wiping the blood from the cut on his throat caused by the sword.

"Big Senior Brother, we wronged Wu Liu," Xie Huanxiang pursed his pink lips and muttered softly. "And Big Senior Brother broke my fox jade pendant."

Rong Jue: "..."

He could be absolutely certain that this man had ulterior motives for approaching Huanxiang.

But faced with the naive youth still lamenting over that fox jade pendant, he was at a loss for words.

"Didn't Big Senior Brother give Huanxiang a new one?" Rong Jue said.

"But that one was a fox hugging its tail while sleeping," Xie Huanxiang reasoned, pouting unhappily. "The one Big Senior Brother gave me is a drunken fox sticking out its tongue—they're completely different."

"I'm sorry, it's my fault," Rong Jue crouched down, mimicking the way Xie Huanxiang usually tugged at his sleeve when acting spoiled. "But I really did sense another man's scent on Huanxiang. Have you met any outsiders recently?"

Xie Huanxiang thought of the demon in his dream.

Both were demons—maybe the scents were similar.

Perhaps that man had left his scent while combing his tail fur for too long. When their kind groomed each other, it was easy to leave traces.

"Big Senior Brother, I haven't," Xie Huanxiang blinked innocently, guiltily touching his own perky nose.

"If Huanxiang remembers, you must tell me," Rong Jue said seriously.

Xie Huanxiang nodded perfunctorily. "I know, I know. Big Senior Brother, you're so naggy."

Rong Jue affectionately smoothed the wind-tossed lapels of his robe, then looked up to meet Wu Liu's cold, deep-pool-like gaze.

The wind eerily stilled.

Unaware, Xie Huanxiang pushed Rong Jue away. "Big Senior Brother, you should go back and tend to your injuries."

Once Rong Jue left, he glanced back at Wu Liu. "What do you want with me?"

Wu Liu bent down, picked up the bells from the ground, carefully wiped off the dust, and stared at him with unwavering black eyes. "Do you still want the bells?"

Xie Huanxiang instinctively stepped back.

Wu Liu stepped forward, lowering his voice. "Huanxiang, do you still want my bells?"

"But Big Senior Brother said he'd make me a new one," Xie Huanxiang glared at him irritably, even stepping on his foot. "It's just a bell—why are you acting all ghostly when you talk?"

Wu Liu whispered, "Huanxiang can wear bells from two people."

"I'd have too much stuff hanging on my waist—it's heavy," Xie Huanxiang pushed open the door and entered the cabin, his floating hair brushing past the man's nose.

He huffed and plopped down on the bed. "Come over and take off my boots for me—I'm exhausted today."

Wu Liu silently crouched down, his knuckles brushing the boot's fabric as he gently clasped the youth's slender ankle.

Though his face and legs had soft flesh, the ankle in his palm was so thin that any man could easily grip it with one hand.

"Actually, the bell doesn't have to be tied around the waist," Wu Liu said abruptly.

Xie Huanxiang lay barefoot on the bed, resting his chin on his hand. "Then where can it go?"

Wu Liu stood by the bed, watching him as he re-threaded the bell with a red cord.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

Xie Huanxiang's long, slender thigh slipped out from under his robe. He couldn't help flicking the bell tied to his leg.

Two legs, one bell on each.

The red cord the man had woven was intricately patterned, gently pressing into the flesh of his thigh without leaving marks or slipping off, jingling with each step.

"Like this, from now on, Huanxiang, you can tie your senior brother's bell on the outside and mine on the inside," Wu Liu said, lowering his head, his high-bridged nose brushing the youth's fair thigh as he placed a soft kiss. "Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

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