Chapter 9

Xueli’s steps with the basket inadvertently halted.

The large box of radishes was specifically left for her by her aunt before her departure, intended to ensure a balanced diet. However, since her aunt had left, Xueli hadn’t touched a single radish from the box.

She glanced at the contents of her basket, which contained her usual food, and not a single radish.

Thus, Xueli stood there momentarily conflicted. She then turned around and dashed back into the house. Expressionless, she opened the box, climbed inside, and retrieved the two largest radishes before placing them in the basket.

The basket suddenly appeared much fuller.

It was the first time Xueli had done something like this, and she felt a bit guilty and her heart raced nervously.

But she quickly consoled herself. Radishes were nutritious, and a balanced diet was a good thing. Moreover, even if she didn’t like them much, the large snow wolf might really enjoy them. It couldn’t possibly be considered a bad thing.

When her aunt returned, she would surely check how Xueli had been living during her absence and notice that not a single radish had been eaten. If Xueli explained that she had given the uneaten radishes to the wolf, who had accidentally come into the divine realm, her aunt would surely understand. The reason was quite justified.

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Ekvb vbkp kd xkde, Dwlzk nsdqkeldvzu yeele ydsvbla zyatl ayekpb vs vbl cypjlv.

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…

Hkzyd oykvle yzsdl kd rzynl.

Gqvla bkp pvsxynb tasozle, vbl zkvvzl Lkdl-Mykzle Wsm pweeldzu eypble yoyu. Bdyczl vs wdelapvyde bla zydtwytl yde wdpwal sq obyv bye byrrldle, Hkzyd nswzed’v nbypl yqvla bla ewl vs bkp nwaaldv kdfwaklp. Tl ydmkswpzu zyu vblal, osaakle vbyv bl bye qaktbvldle vbl qsm, bkp xkde ps wdplvvzle vbyv bl nswzed’v lhld vbkdj pvayktbv.

Mbl zkvvzl qsm bye clld awddkdt qsa iwkvl psxl vkxl. Jwv fwpv vbld, Hkzyd blyae y qykdv awpvzkdt pswde qasx vbl cwpblp dlyacu. Gzlav, bl rlajle wr bkp lyap yde zssjle kd vbl ekalnvksd sq vbl pswde. Fssd, bl pyo y vyzz cyxcss cypjlv lxlatl qasx ycshl vbl cwpblp, pzsozu xshkdt vsoyaep bkx.

Rd vbl dlmv xsxldv, y qzypb sq xshlxldv kd vbl cwpblp alhlyzle vbl zkvvzl Lkdl-Mykzle Wsm, rwzzkdt vbl cypjlv okvb talyv lqqsav yp kv lxlatle qasx vbl qszkytl. Mbl cypjlv yrrlyale iwkvl blyhu, yde pbl eayttle kv yzz vbl oyu wdvkz pbl alynble bkx.

Mbld vbl cypjlv vkzvle, zspv kvp cyzydnl, yde vsrrzle shla okvb y “nzyvvla.” Rvp nsdvldvp prkzzle swv sdvs vbl taswde, nalyvkdt y pnldl alxkdkpnldv sq vbl Ykzju Eyu pralyekdt swv clvolld vblx. Mbl taswde oyp iwknjzu nshlale kd aswde, obkvl ayekpblp.

These radishes were plump and lush, with vibrant green leaves. They even emanated a strong divine energy, indicating their high quality. Among the numerous radishes, a few stray vegetables and fruits of different varieties were scattered, appearing sparse in comparison to the radishes.

When the little fox dashed out with the basket, she was full of excitement. But now, she seemed a bit shy, shifting her paws awkwardly and glancing at the snow wolf.

“Ao!” With a gentle sound, the little fox carefully entered the bamboo basket, retrieved a tender green fruit, and placed it on the ground. She gave it a gentle nudge toward the snow wolf before pulling back reluctantly with her head.

Xueli felt guilty for bringing so many radishes for the big snow wolf. To express her apology, she thought for a moment and decided to include some of her favorite things as a form of compensation. Among those items was a type of fruit she really enjoyed. While there were only a few, she was hesitant to part with them. But when the time came to actually give it to the snow wolf, she found it difficult to let go.

She nervously moved around the food and said, “These are all for you. I brought them from home. If you’re hungry, you can try eating them. If you don’t like raw food, I can cook them for you. Please don’t hesitate. I have more at home.”

She glanced anxiously at the snow wolf, wondering how he would react, but her gaze met his wolfish eyes. She quickly averted her gaze, feeling a bit flustered.

Zilan was astonished by the large quantity of radishes Xueli had brought for him. He realized he had never seen so many radishes in his life. And the fact that she brought them to him right after his stomach growled didn’t require any explanation.

However, the realm didn’t seem to be rich in food, and these radishes were clearly of exceptional quality, carefully selected and brimming with divine energy. Zilan couldn’t help but suspect that these radishes were all Xueli had saved up. Her quick response in bringing him this large basket made him wonder if these radishes were her most cherished possessions, and that she might really enjoy eating them.

As Zilan looked towards Xueli, who had pushed the radishes towards him, he noticed that she hung her ears slightly, trying to conceal her feelings of reluctance. Although she tried not to show it, her expression hinted at a sense of longing and attachment. Zilan’s suspicion grew stronger.

Recalling how elated the little fox had been when she brought the radishes over, Zilan’s heart softened. His emotions were complex, leaving him with a mixed feeling he couldn’t quite place.

Luckily, he wasn’t seriously injured, and he could still move. He gently pushed the radishes back towards Xueli and said, “These are your favorite foods that you’ve worked hard to gather. How could I casually eat them? You should eat them yourself. My cultivation is sufficient, and I can go without food. Don’t worry about me.”

However, Zilan’s attempt to return the radishes was met with an unexpected reaction. The little Nine-Tailed Fox suddenly became alarmed. She took a big step back, frantically shaking her head and even backing away cautiously, as if she wanted to hide behind a tree.

Seeing the fox’s resolute response, Zilan stopped his actions.

Then, he noticed the little fox’s tense posture as she looked at him. Though he might have imagined it, her eyes seemed filled with anticipation.

Under the fox’s hopeful gaze, Zilan eventually lowered his head, opened his mouth, and lightly took a bite of the radish that she had brought close to him. He then swallowed it.

In an instant, the little fox’s eyes lit up, sparkling like a sky full of stars. She excitedly jumped up, letting out joyful “ao ao” sounds and bouncing around in place.

Zilan couldn’t help but smile as he watched the little fox’s joyful reaction.

Seeing how delighted the little fox was with just one bite of radish, Zilan felt a softness in his heart.

He couldn’t bring himself to eat all of the little fox’s offerings alone. He noticed that Xueli’s gaze kept drifting towards a small green fruit among the radishes. After some consideration, he pushed the small fruit back in her direction.

Considering that Xueli had arrived early in the morning and might not have eaten anything yet, Zilan guessed that she might be hungry.

As expected, when Xueli saw Zilan pushing the fruit towards her, she didn’t resist it as she had with the radishes before. She glanced at him unexpectedly, then hesitated for a moment before reaching out her small paw to push the fruit back towards him. Finally, she hugged the fruit to her chest with a surprised “woo” sound, nuzzling it affectionately against her cheek.

The wolf and the fox enjoyed their breakfast together.

However, as Zilan continued eating, he noticed his brow slightly furrowing.

While he didn’t dislike radishes and found them quite enjoyable—crisp and slightly sweet—he was more accustomed to cooked food. The experience of eating raw radishes felt a bit odd to him.

Meanwhile, Xueli was nibbling on the fruit. She was feeling guilty about giving the radishes she didn’t like to the snow wolf. Now that Zilan had returned her the little fruit she couldn’t bear to eat, she was touched and even more guilty. Observing Zilan’s expression, she quickly explained, “I hurried over because I was afraid you would get too hungry. I didn’t have time to prepare something fully cooked in the morning. I’m also eating raw food. By lunchtime, I’ll make sure the food is cooked before giving it to you.”

Zilan had been watching the little fox eat. With her snow-white fur and soft white ears, her cheeks moved while she ate, and he found it adorable, even though he couldn’t understand her muttering sounds.

Sincerely and gratefully, Zilan said, “Thank you for preparing food for me and helping with my injuries. Once I’ve recovered and find a way back to the Nine Heavens, I will surely repay you.”

Xuelu tilted her head, looking at him with curiosity. When Zilan’s howling subsided, she thought for a moment and responded happily, “Ao woo, ao woo!”

When the white deer, the rabbit, and the sparrows came to find Xueli, they were met with the sight of her and the big snow wolf eating together while communicating with their howls.

They had come to the forest to play with Xueli as usual, but since they hadn’t found her at the cabin, they returned to the forest and assumed she might be with the wolf that had fallen from the sky. However, they didn’t expect to witness this scene.

Xueli and the snow wolf were howling back and forth. Even though no one present understood what they were saying, they seemed to be getting along very well. Moreover, the radishes Xueli brought were quickly being eaten by the snow wolf.

The white deer hurriedly approached and asked, “Xueli! What are you doing? Doesn’t this wolf not speak?”

Xueli had been chatting happily with the snow wolf, not expecting anyone to arrive. She felt caught off guard by the white deer’s arrival, which made her a bit embarrassed.

However, she quickly explained, “Well, when I heard him speak, I felt like there were some similarities between our forms. A few of his pronunciations sound somewhat like our language, so I tried speaking more to him and imitating his calls to see if he could understand a little.”

After listening to Xueli’s explanation, the white deer didn’t understand exactly what had happened, but it seemed impressive. He asked, “So, can you understand what he’s saying now?”

Xueli replied with confidence, “Wait a moment, let me try again.”

With that, Xueli turned back to the snow wolf and continued speaking, “Ao woo woo woo, ao woo! Ao woo ao woo!”

The big snow wolf replied, “Ao woo—woo—”

Xueli turned back seriously.

The white deer nervously approached, asking, “Did you understand?”

Xueli replied confidently, “Not at all.”