Chapter 140: Bai Xi is genuinely depressed

Ignoring the others, Bai Xi stared directly at Chen Dali, pronouncing each word distinctly: "Are you trying to make me take a bath in bull's blood?"

Chen Dali nodded. Before he could speak, Bai Xi shouted angrily, "Insolent!"

Drinking water infused with bull's heart blood and bathing in bull's blood—needless to say, the bull's heart would have to be eaten as well. What utter nonsense! She was, after all, a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox.

This sharp outburst startled those who had only walked halfway up, yet it also secretly gladdened their hearts. This method seemed to be working, judging by the fact that the Great-aunt had regained some spirit and color in her tone.

Bai Xi demanded, "Little Liu, have you grown tired of living?"

The moment her voice fell, Xiao Hei immediately sprang up, pacing around Chen Dali. Although there was not a trace of ferocity on its face, Chen Dali could clearly sense that in the next second, Xiao Hei could easily take his life.

Thud! Chen Dali dropped to his knees right in front of Bai Xi, kowtowed three times, and then began, "Great-aunt, please do not be angry. Hear me out. This is a last resort. You are unwell, and everyone is anxious, burning with worry, unable to eat or sleep well. No matter how reluctant you are, please consider your own health and bear with this grievance, won't you?"

Hearing this, Bai Xi stared at Chen Dali in disbelief: "You want me to bear a grievance?"

"Audacious! Do you realize that from the day I was born until now, I have never once been wronged?!" Her soft, sweet voice was filled with intense anger.

Bai Xi meant that she had been a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox since birth and had never suffered any grievances. However, to Chen Dali's ears, it sounded as though she had never been wronged since childhood, and that ever since Grandfather Bai passed away, the Great-aunt had been subjected to hardships.

"Great-aunt..." Chen Dali panicked and kowtowed several times hastily. "Great-aunt, it is our fault for being useless..."

Had they not wronged the Great-aunt? Finding fine grain to eat was difficult, and eating meat relied entirely on Xiao Hei. Yet they still depended on the Great-aunt to reward them with meat, and even after all that, they claimed they would dutifully care for the Great-aunt. If word got out, they would die of shame.

Xiao Hei crouched right in front of Chen Dali, its fierce tiger eyes burning as it stared straight at him, making Chen Dali shiver involuntarily. Hardening his resolve, he said in a deep voice, "Great-aunt, as long as you drink the water and take the bath, I will have no complaints even if you let Xiao Hei eat me."

Li Jia hurriedly knelt down beside him, gently persuading, "Great-aunt, please don't be angry. Listen to the village chief explain the reason first. Everyone is just thinking of your health. If you are truly unwilling, please don't lose your temper—mind your health."

Chen Dali glanced at Li Jia without refuting her. Although her words weren't entirely proper, if the Great-aunt was truly unwilling, no one could force her anyway. Besides, the Great-aunt was in no condition to fly into a rage anymore.

Losing one's temper harms the body!

Seeing how terrified Chen Dali was, yet how stubbornly he still insisted on her taking the bath, Bai Xi felt a mixture of anger and exasperation. She truly had no idea that Chen Dali could be this stubborn when he set his mind to something.

Bai Xi could also see that this stemmed from their deep concern for her, even though the method they chose was completely wrong.

Xiao Hei grunted from the side, as if to say: *You're underestimating your Lord Xiao Hei. I'm not lacking in discernment either.*

Rolling her eyes dramatically, Bai Xi said unhappily, "Scram, scram, scram! Take it away. Whoever wants to wash in it can wash in it themselves."

To kill a village ox over some baseless method—Bai Xi couldn't figure out whether she should punish Chen Dali or that babbling Taoist priest.

"Don't you know the ox is the village's primary labor force? Without the ox, are you going to plow the fields yourself? To think you're the village chief; if you pull a stunt like this, how are the villagers supposed to live their lives from now on?"

"Great-aunt, I know I'm in the wrong, but right now, your health is what matters most to everyone. Great-aunt, please..." Chen Dali looked like he was about to wail again, but the moment he started, Bai Xi impatiently cut him off.

"Stop howling at me! Don't you all know what I'm capable of? Fiddling with these things is completely useless to me. I know my own physical condition best." Since the villagers always thought she was mighty and blessed, Bai Xi felt she would be doing herself a disservice if she didn't make use of that reputation right now.

She definitely was not going to take a bull's blood bath.

"But, Great-aunt, that Taoist priest said..." The ox had already been killed; they couldn't just give up halfway, could they?

"Am I the Great-aunt, or are you the Great-aunt?" Bai Xi glared with her round eyes, her fair little face puffed out in displeasure.

If Bai Xi weren't feeling unwell and if Chen Dali and Li Jia weren't both consumed with worry, they might have actually laughed out loud at her cute and adorable expression.

"As for that damn quack of a priest, you'd rather listen to him than me? Does this mean you no longer acknowledge me as your Great-aunt?"

These words were devastatingly harsh; throughout the entire Niu Luo Village, who would ever dare harbor such a thought?

Everyone in Niu Luo Village held Bai Xi in the utmost reverence and respect—how could anyone ever conceive of such a notion?

Chen Dali shook his head frantically, his head swinging back and forth like a rattle-drum.

"Great-aunt, no! Great-aunt, you are our Great-aunt, our very own Great-aunt! It's just that..."

"I don't want to hear your 'just that.' In short, however you brought these things in, you get them out of my sight right now, and don't push me to lose my temper."

Hearing this, Chen Dali lowered his head immediately. *Great-aunt, you are already losing your temper right now.*

Of course, Chen Dali only dared to mutter this inwardly. He secretly exchanged a glance with Li Jia, who quickly understood and quietly slipped away.

Bai Xi hadn't missed the little exchange between the two, but she didn't stop them. She had no intention of doing this anyway, and no matter what anyone said, it was useless.

The few people holding the basins of bull's blood were still waiting under the tree for news. Hearing the muffled conversation from above and seeing Li Jia hurry down, they immediately swarmed around to ask about the situation.

"Sister Li, how is it?"

"That's right, Sister-in-law Li, we could only hear voices from up there and couldn't make out the words. The Great-aunt seems displeased."

"Displeased? Far from it! When the Great-aunt found out that an ox in the village was killed for her sake, she refused to bathe in it and threw a massive fit."

Li Jia said to the group, "Here is the situation: the village chief told me to have you all go call the villagers here so we can put our heads together. Otherwise, not only will the bull's blood bath fail, but we might actually anger the Great-aunt into falling seriously ill."

Hearing this, the others nodded immediately and bolted off to gather the people.

Li Jia stood anxiously waiting below, while up in the treehouse, Chen Dali remained kneeling rigidly in place. Bai Xi leaned against Xiao Hei, closing her eyes to shut out the sight of him.

Soon, the sound of chaotic footsteps echoed through the area, and Bai Xi didn't even need to look to know that most of the villagers had arrived.

Shortly after, cautious footsteps sounded on the ladder, followed by Li Jia poking her head in to check the situation.

Seeing that Chen Dali was still kneeling, Li Jia instantly realized he had failed to persuade the Great-aunt. She turned to head back down, and as she did, her gaze inadvertently crossed paths with Xiao Hei glaring at her, nearly causing her to trip and fall flat on her face.

Dragging her weak legs back down to the ground with great difficulty, Li Jia had barely regained her footing before the crowd swarmed around her, bombarding her with questions.

"How did it go?"

"Yes, tell us quickly, how is the Great-aunt doing now?"