Chapter 60: Yunhua Enters the Capital

The Cloud Fox possessed an incredibly sharp nose and acute hearing, making it the perfect sentinel for the wilderness; furthermore, few ordinary beasts could truly best it in a fight. This was likely the very reason Liaochen had insisted Yunhua bring the creature along on her travels—when her internal energy was insufficient or it was inconvenient to set up a defensive formation, the fox could serve as a guard dog. In winter, it doubled as a scarf, and in any other season, it was simply a pet.

By the time Yunhua awoke from her meditation, it was already the middle of the night. The fox’s eyes glowed in the darkness like two small night-pearls, shining with an intensity that was almost absurd. Fortunately, the creature knew exactly when to behave properly and when it could afford to be coquettish or roguish; otherwise, Yunhua would have grabbed it by the ears and taught it how to conduct itself as a proper fox in no time.

"Alright, thank you for your hard work. I'll buy you some chicken later," Yunhua said with a smile, looking at the Cloud Fox, which was maintaining a solemn, soldierly posture. In truth, the fox had known she was awake for some time; it had been holding that diligent pose precisely to wait for those very words. Immediately, its snow-white fur bristled, and it lunged into Yunhua’s arms, its large, fluffy tail wagging back and forth. One might even suspect it had canine blood in its ancestry—other foxes didn't wag their tails when excited.

"Master promised to make me a flying sword. Once I have it, we won't have to toil so hard on the road anymore. Wouldn't you agree, Junior Brother Cloud Fox?" Yunhua cradled the drowsy fox as she continued her journey through the nocturnal mountain forest, showing no fear of the venomous snakes or wild beasts lurking within. If she couldn't handle such trivialities, how could Liaochen have let her leave the mountain to wander?

Three days later, a travel-worn Yunhua finally arrived at the gates of the capital. It had been six years since she last visited with her master; back then, she was just a scrawny little girl, but now she had traveled thousands of miles on her own. Freed from Liaochen’s strict supervision, Yunhua held her fox, gazing left and right, and all her weariness vanished in an instant.

"Boss, give me a few pieces of osmanthus cake." For Yunhua, fasting was one thing, but gourmet food was another. If life lacked such simple pleasures, what was the point of pursuing immortality? She didn't share her master's grand, lofty ideals. As long as her master was there to provide food and shelter, wasn't that already a divine life?

"Ah, it's the little priestess! Wait a moment, I'll have it wrapped for you right away." The shop assistant was nimble, quickly fashioning a beautiful paper box for her. Just as Yunhua happily prepared to take out her purse to pay, her expression shifted slightly. After a long moment, she fished a small silver ingot from her sleeve and handed it over. Without even waiting for change, she stormed out of the shop in a fury.

Yunhua had been pickpocketed. Her purse had been snatched away without a whisper, right under her and the fox’s noses. It was a disgrace to both her and her master. Even if her cultivation wasn't high, and the fox only had eyes for food, being robbed so easily was something Yunhua simply could not stomach.

"You won't get away with this!" Yunhua whispered through gritted teeth. Her belongings were marked; once she set her mind to it, she could track them for dozens of miles. Carrying the fox, she wove through the crowd, traversing alley after alley, until she finally spotted her embroidered pouch at a small stall. That pouch, along with the gold and silver ingots inside, had been a gift from the Empress herself—a treasure Yunhua cherished dearly. The fabric was top-tier palace silk, and the embroidery was the work of the Imperial Household Department. There was no way she could be mistaken. She immediately perched the fox on her shoulder, lunged forward, pointed at the pouch, and shouted at the stall owner, "I've caught you now! That pouch is mine. You thief!" Her outburst quickly drew a crowd, which gathered in tight, multi-layered rings to watch the spectacle.

"Don't talk nonsense! Whose pouch? Is your name written on it? How would a little priestess like you get your hands on such a fine bag? I spent good silver to acquire this from the seamstresses at the Yipin Pavilion. If you keep babbling, don't blame me for dragging you to the magistrate's office!" The stall owner was a tall, burly man in his thirties. Hearing Yunhua’s accusation, he turned bright red and retorted loudly, refusing to admit a thing.

"Fine, if you claim you bought it yourself, then let's go to the magistrate. Whether you bought it from the Yipin Pavilion or not, the authorities will find out soon enough," Yunhua declared, unafraid of official scrutiny. She knew her own possessions; they were not items one could find on the common market. She would make sure this fellow regretted his actions.

"Are you crazy? Don't hold up my business. Who goes to the magistrate for no reason? You say that pouch is yours? Then call out to it and see if it answers you!" Seeing that Yunhua seemed so confident, the stall owner grew nervous. He rolled his eyes and resorted to being a rogue. She was just a slip of a girl; what could she possibly do to him?

"Oh," the crowd murmured. No one was a fool; hearing the stall owner's absurd challenge, they knew the pouch must belong to the girl. However, since it was none of their concern, they were content to watch the drama unfold without interfering. The capital was a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers; the last thing one wanted was to stick their neck out for a stranger.

Yunhua was so incensed she could barely speak. Since he was being shameless, she decided to play along. She gestured toward the pouch and called out, "Pouch, come back!" As the words left her lips, the pouch truly seemed to hear the summons; it hopped across the stall and leaped into Yunhua’s hand.

The crowd fell into an instant, deathly silence. The stall owner turned pale, unable to believe his own eyes.

"Now, can we confirm that the pouch is mine? And what about the money inside? Hand it over!" Yunhua said loudly, feeling the flattened pouch. That was the gold and silver she had been saving for so long. To have it all gone was simply unacceptable.

"What gold and silver? I don't know what you're talking about!" The stall owner finally regained his senses. This little girl might have some street-performer tricks, but so what? If he didn't admit it, he didn't admit it. He stood up, exchanged a few glances with neighboring vendors, and they all stepped forward, surrounding Yunhua. The implication was clear.

"Playing street tricks on me? You have a death wish." The stall owner no longer cared about his business. If he let this little priestess continue to pester him, he might actually end up at the magistrate's office. Seeing that she was quite beautiful, he decided to simply kidnap and sell her. The money he made from her would be far better than selling trinkets here.

"Scoundrel!" Yunhua didn't know exactly what they were planning, but it was clear they were no good. She lunged forward and delivered a swift kick. The stall owner, never expecting such "viciousness" from a delicate young girl, failed to react in time. A piercing pain shot through his leg, and he collapsed to the ground, rolling in agony. His leg was clearly broken.

"Hiss!" Not only did his accomplices gasp, but the onlookers also turned pale. What a ruthless girl!