“Lord Lixin, the order was to keep an eye on the Mizumi Clan. Hitting them on our own seems… unwise, right?” a Dark Demon muttered, voice thin as smoke.

“It’s just a test of their strength. What’s there to fear?” Lixin’s eyes cut like cold glass. She flicked a glance to Vikza and Saikusha. “Well? Care to join us in ‘teaching’ the Mizumi Clan a lesson?”

“Of course! If not for the Mizumi Clan, our Beastfolk wouldn’t be this miserable!” Their rage smoldered like embers in dry grass.

“They dared curse us. That debt must be paid.” The two chiefs bared teeth, jaws tight like trapped steel, their decision set like stone.

“Good answer.” Lixin nodded, lips curved like a blade’s edge. She looked down on her own people. “And you? Gonna play the coward?”

“We’ll act with Lord Lixin!!!” Their shout cracked the air like a whip. In their hearts, the blame would fall on her like a storm.

Without warning, a tiny sprite popped from thin air, wings flickering like dew-lit moths, and whispered into Lixin’s ear.

“So that’s it. The Mizumi folk came because the poor Foxfolk are on the brink of extinction. They want to help. How ‘kind.’” Her laugh was a flick of frost.

“That blue dragon’s supposed to escort the Foxfolk to a new home. Chief Vikza, Chief Saikusha, send some bruisers to hassle them. Keep that blue dragon from returning quickly.” Her words fell like baited hooks.

“Harass a dragon?!” Their faces went pale, like mist under a rising sun.

“That task’s… difficult.” Doubt crept like cold water down their backs.

“What, you dare oppose the Mizumi Clan but fear a single dragon?” Lixin’s tone cut like sleet. “I’m not telling you to fight the Dragon Kin. Just send a few of your divine-tier elders to stall them. If they lack a divine-tier dragon’s might, they’re easier to crush.”

“…Then we’ll do as Miss Lixin says.” Their voices steadied like a drawn bowstring.

“Please suppress our curses quickly. If it drags on, our strength will falter.” Their plea hung like damp cloth.

“Of course.” Lixin slipped a herb from her spatial bracelet, fingers reluctant like parting with gold. “This is a high-grade Divine Elixir, the Illusory Heartfruit. The method to refine it is… forget it. With your conditions here, you won’t manage. I’ll do the refining myself.”

Extracting the heartfruit’s essence wasn’t simple. A divine-tier potion needed equipment, skill, and seasoned hands, like forging a sword in winter. Around her: musclebound beastmen and black-robed watchers, useless for alchemy. No gear, no furnace—only Lixin’s patience like a lone lamp.

“Then we thank you, Miss Lixin. To use such a precious heartfruit for us—if you need the Wolf tribe one day, just command us.” Saikusha bowed, gratitude warm as firelight.

“As repayment, the Tiger tribe will aid you fully against the Mizumi Clan.” Their promise rang like a war drum.

“Lord Lixin… we’ll go all out too!!” Dark Demon voices rose like a dark tide.

Her gesture won the Tigers and Wolves at once; goodwill bloomed like red camellias. The sacrifice of the heartfruit felt worth it, even if it had cost her sweat like rain.

…

Excitement sharpened work like a whetstone. In a single night, the Foxfolk packed everything, migration-ready like a flock at dawn.

We’d barely washed and dressed when we saw, through the window, the Foxfolk lined at the gate with bundles like little hills, air buzzing like bees.

We headed downstairs. After a few words with Akura, we had Lingxiao hand them several space pouches—travel’s easier when weight vanish like mist.

“Um, Lord Mizumi, this slave…” Elaya shuffled over, nerves like a fluttering sparrow, just as Lanxia shifted back into dragon form, scales blue as a clear lake.

“Elaya, do you still have something?” I kept my voice calm, like shade under bamboo.

“I was bought by Lord Mizumi, so I… I belong to Lord Mizumi. If I leave like this…” I cut her off, heart steady like a stone in a stream. “I bought you out of sympathy. I have no intention beyond that. Remember, you belong to yourself.”

“Lord Mizumi…” Her face fell, disappointment soft as rain. Why? Freedom should shine like sunlight, not weigh like chains.

“Hey! Are you leaving or not? This dragon wants to get back to Mizumi-kun fast!” Lanxia’s impatience flashed like lightning.

“Lord Lanxia, please don’t be angry! Elaya, hurry back! Don’t trouble Lord Mizumi anymore!” Vice-chief Likos rushed over, tugging her gently like pulling errant silk. He bowed to me, apology deep as a well. “Lord Mizumi, Elaya’s young and thoughtless. Please don’t mind it. We’ll depart now!”

“Mizumi-kun, this dragon will return soon!” Lanxia’s tail swept like a banner.

“I’ll assist Lord Lanxia and escort the Foxfolk to their destination. Mizumi-kun, see you.” Nalu’s smile was a crescent moon.

“Alright. Safe travels.” My words drifted like a blessing on wind.

With quick farewells to Lanxia and Nalu, the Foxfolk thanked us as one, then moved after the blue dragon like a silver river.

So many Foxfolk migrating would draw eyes like moths to flame. But with Lanxia there, it should be fine. Akura, Likos, and several elders were saint-tier—like old pines against winter. They’d be alright.

Watching Lanxia and the Foxfolk grow small on the road, my heart unknotted like rope in warm hands.

The Foxfolk matter settled cleanly; the tribe hollowed to four shadows—me, Lingxiao, Lingsaki, and Lixue.

“Then, let’s make breakfast.” The air smelled of rice and calm like morning steam.

…

Around eight, we ate as sunlight spilled like honey.

“Dear brother, the curse magic I put on the Dark Demon and Tiger folk got suppressed by some potion. It’s not dispelled.” Lingsaki spoke lightly, eyes like frost.

“Same for mine. Looks like they noticed the curse. Also… they plan to come bother us this afternoon.” Lingxiao chewed, voice steady as a metronome.

“Lingsaki, how do you know they’ll come this afternoon?” I asked, curiosity a quick flame.

“My curse tracks and relays info. If their potion hadn’t suppressed it, I’d know more.” Lingsaki’s pout was a winter plum, stubborn and cold.

“I see. Do you know how many will come? What tiers?” Lixue’s gaze was a quiet lake.

“Mm… Dark Demons, both Tiger and Wolf chiefs, plus all divine-tier elders. And the ally from another world will come too—she proposed this whole thing. Count it… fourteen or more divine-tier powerhouses.” Her words fell like stones.

“Someone from another world will come? How strong?” Heat flickered in my chest like a spark wanting tinder.

“Not sure. Likely far stronger than those chiefs. Brother, be careful.” Lingsaki’s tone cooled like shade.

“Not a great situation.” The odds felt like running uphill through sand.

Facing fourteen divine-tier alone was hard as iron cliffs, and there was someone stronger.

“Emperor, do we run?” The thought passed like a shadow across noon.

“No way we run!” Lingxiao snapped, spirit rearing like a white horse. “We represent the Mizumi Clan outside. How can we fear mere Beastfolk and Dark Demons?”

“Same here. I haven’t fought in a while. They’ll make good practice.” Lingsaki’s smile was a knife wrapped in silk.

“Lixue, it’s unrealistic to repel so many divine-tier—but I feel the same as Lingxiao and Lingsaki.” My blood stirred like storm tide.

Since my last fight with Lixue, I hadn’t trained. No battles, no drills—rust gathers like moss. That won’t do.

“Mm. Then I’ll fight with you. Honestly, no battles lately—my sword’s slipping.” Lixue’s fingers traced her blades like snow tracing pine.

Her mood matched mine. In cultivation, if you don’t advance, you slide like loose gravel. No more laziness.

“After breakfast, let’s hold a strategy meeting!” Excitement bubbled, more than worry, like drums before a charge.

“Okay!!” The chorus was bright as dawn.

…

After we ate and cleared the bowls, back in the room, the air felt sharp as steel.

“Lingxiao, Lingsaki, set a barrier around the Foxfolk tribe. One that predicts movement, defends, and strikes back. Lay trap magic too.” Plans unfurled like maps.

Preparing before battle was steady rain before spring—necessary and patient.

“Understood! We’ll go now!” Their voices rose like twin swallows.

“We’ll complete Brother’s task perfectly.” Their resolve rang like chimes.

In a blink, the sisters vanished like sparks. Through the window, they floated in the air, opened the Dual Daynight Tomes like twin moons, and chanted, words weaving like threads.

“Emperor, what should we do?” Lixue looked at her twin short blades, Ice Illusion Moon, each a piece of winter art, cold as river light.

“Later, we’ll use Sword Aura to reinforce their barrier. But first…” I gathered Sword Aura, compressing light until a golden orb formed, fist-sized, humming like a bee in amber.

“Look, Lixue.” The glow warmed my palm like a small sun.

“What is it?” She peered, eyes curious as cats. “It’s packed with strong Sword Aura. Emperor, what’s the plan?”

“Simple.” I stepped to the window and tossed it. The orb faded, turning transparent as air, merging with sky like a ghost.

“I thought of this a few days ago. It’s called the Sword Aura Bomb. Pre-condense several and hide them in the air. When the fight starts, drop them quietly onto enemies. If it lands, it’ll hit hard.” My explanation ran smooth as oil over steel.

“Nice move. Should I make a few too?” Her grin flashed like ice under sunlight.

“Do it. The more we prep, the more we catch them off guard.” My answer was a steady drumbeat, already counting the bombs like stars.