Chapter 63: Learning from the Beasts

“What are those four doing?” Although shrouded in mist, Lu Sheng, relying on his keen eyesight, quickly spotted Zhou Weiqian, Duanmu Xiong, and the others as soon as he entered the snowy valley. As he watched them pacing in circles, Lu Sheng felt a wave of confusion. “Could they have been bewitched?”

Unlike the four, Lu Sheng had always suspected that the Heart Fox King had been here moments before. Considering its mastery of mental manipulation and the dense fog around him, he grabbed a handful of snow, packed it into a ball, and hurled it at Duanmu Yun.

“Who’s there?” Duanmu Yun dodged easily, shouting, yet he seemed not to see Lu Sheng at all, and together with Zhou Weiqian, Duanmu Xiong, and Duanmu Qun, he broke into a frantic run in the opposite direction.

“They really are bewitched!” Lu Sheng sighed as he watched, now certain of his suspicion. Gazing into the mist, he was convinced this was the work of the Heart Fox King. That he remained unaffected was likely due to the protection of the Ruyi.

“Well, since I’m immune, I should explore thoroughly—” He wondered why his Mind-Control Bug had been left behind. Following its direction, Lu Sheng proceeded cautiously.

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A guttural cry echoed—he hadn’t gone far when the Mind-Control Bug drew nearer. Before he could hide, he saw a white jade elephant charging toward him, trumpeting. Perched on its back was Quartz, but Murong Yu was nowhere to be seen.

“So that’s it!” Lu Sheng tried to recall the Mind-Control Bug, but failed. He swiftly deduced the reason: the Heart Fox King, being a sixth-tier beast and a master of mind control, must have discovered it and handed it to Quartz for safekeeping.

“But where has Murong Yu gone?” The question flashed through Lu Sheng’s mind, but now was not the time for contemplation—Quartz, atop the white jade elephant, was closing in fast!

“Brother Lu, you’ve hidden yourself well!” Quartz called out, clutching a tightly sealed insect—Lu Sheng’s Mind-Control Bug, now caged. After the Heart Fox King found the hidden bug on Murong Yu, it sealed it and passed it to Quartz. From it, Quartz deduced the true identity of “Lu Hun,” along with the rumors about the dragon corpse he carried.

“Brother Lu, hand over the dragon corpse obediently and I’ll spare you some pain—otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Though Quartz was surprised to see Lu Sheng unaffected by the mist, his confidence remained unshaken—after all, he not only controlled the valley’s fog but possessed the strength of a Grand Martial Master and the aid of his fourth-tier white jade elephant. Failing to subdue Lu Sheng would be truly remarkable!

“Where is Murong Yu? Where have you taken her?” Lu Sheng’s gaze was sharp, ignoring Quartz’s words and pressing him instead. Once Quartz had seized the Mind-Control Bug, Lu Sheng knew his true identity would be exposed, but it mattered little—he could assume another persona at will. What mattered now was Quartz’s purpose in bringing Murong Yu to this place. In the mist-laden valley, with the elephant as escort, there was no reason to fear Zhou Weiqian or Duanmu Xiong; Murong Yu need not hide. The circumstances clearly hinted at a hidden agenda.

“What does purity of purpose matter?” Quartz replied, his tone laced with pride. “I’ve fulfilled all my teacher’s instructions. This mist is the weapon bestowed upon me.”

Six years ago, Quartz was rescued by Stone Yin Jian and brought to the snowy mountains. By chance, he met the reclusive Heart Fox King. Their deep exchanges left him profoundly moved, and he became its disciple. Having learned from humans while disguised as a pet, the Heart Fox King was well-versed in martial arts and secret techniques. With its sixth-tier expertise, it easily guided Quartz. As the domain’s strongest, its resources were immense; with its help, Quartz not only regained his health but achieved Grand Martial Master status within five short years.

A year ago, while seeking vengeance in the lowlands, Quartz, obeying the Heart Fox King’s orders, established ties with Murong Yu of the Fire God Cult. This time, at his teacher’s command, he used Stone Yin Jian to lure Murong Yu to Snow Eagle City and then into the snowy mountains. Once they entered the valley, the Heart Fox King took control of Murong Yu and awaited the arrival of Zhou Weiqian and the others in pursuit. The events outside the valley, involving Zhou Weiqian and Lu Sheng, were observed clearly by the Heart Fox King and Quartz. To mislead others that Murong Yu remained here, the Heart Fox King only departed with her after Zhou Weiqian sent the golden sword signal. Quartz and the white jade elephant remained to deceive Zhou Weiqian and Duanmu Xiong.

All went smoothly, except the Heart Fox King and Quartz had not anticipated that Lu Sheng, though entering the mist, seemed utterly unaffected, forcing Quartz to confront him directly.

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“Teacher?” Lu Sheng’s expression grew odd. “Don’t tell me you’ve taken the Heart Fox King as your master? If that’s true, you’ll be reviled throughout the martial world!”

Though beasts and humans might exchange guidance, whether a beast apprenticed to a human or vice versa, such things were unheard of in this world. Beasts—especially those with full intelligence—were always formidable foes of humanity. If signing a contract was barely acceptable, apprenticing to a beast would never gain recognition from other martial artists! Especially for Quartz: if word spread that he was a beast’s disciple, his reputation among humans would be instantly ruined. At just twenty-six, ranked ninth on the Elite List and eighty-seventh on the Earth List, such conduct was sheer folly!

“Why not? Is it forbidden?” Far from ashamed, Quartz seemed proud, as though relieved to finally reveal a secret he’d long kept hidden, now that Lu Sheng was about to die by his hand.

“When I was in dire straits, who dared take me in? Besides Uncle Jian and my teacher, who ever lent me a hand? By apprenticing to the Heart Fox King, I gained all the martial arts and secret techniques it learned among humans and even forged a contract with the white jade elephant. Had I apprenticed to a human, could I have seized these opportunities? You people, fixated on racial divisions, squander your great chances!”

“Just wait—when the Snow Eagle King is reborn, we will dominate the entire western region!”

Growing ever more exuberant, Quartz revealed a hint about the Snow Eagle King. Lu Sheng, listening and piecing together what he knew, quickly unraveled the connection.

“The Snow Eagle King!” he exclaimed. “So that’s it—the Snow Eagle King became a snow lotus by choice! Murong Yu was lured here so the Snow Eagle King could seize her body!”

The thought of Murong Yu, a human, about to be possessed by a beast ignited Lu Sheng’s fury. “Quartz, do you feel no shame using a woman who loves you in such a way? If I were you, I’d have no face left to live!”

He spoke righteously, hoping to stir Quartz’s emotions. Yet, someone who could do such things had long since justified them to himself. Quartz spat, sneering, “She loves me? She loves only my looks. When she met you, wasn’t she instantly drawn to you? The women of the Murong clan are fickle, none have truly loved anyone in centuries!”

Staring at Lu Sheng’s handsome face and recalling Murong Yu, Quartz felt an inexplicable surge of resentment. He pointed at Lu Sheng and shouted, “Lu, today you’ll meet your end here!”

With that, he spurred the white jade elephant forward, charging straight at Lu Sheng.