The Crazy Fox Demon Devours My Heart - Chapter 22

Qingyu slowly closed her eyes. The pain she had expected never came. Instead, she heard a muffled, restrained groan beside her. She looked in surprise at Fox Yan, who was holding her in his arms. He had used his own body to block the whip’s blow.

His exquisite face was drained of color, the terrifying markings had vanished. His black hair, unbound, fell loosely over his back, slightly disheveled. A deep, bloody wound marked his back, yet he seemed utterly unaffected by the pain. His enchanting eyes gazed deeply at her.

“Yan’er!”

“Why come here in such a weakened state?”

Grandmother, noticing the whip marks on Fox Yan’s back, was concerned for his wellbeing.

Fox Yan helped Qingyu to her feet and untied the ropes around her. A red welt marked her delicate wrist. His cold gaze swept over everyone in the hall before settling on Niu Er.

Niu Er trembled, glancing nervously at Grandmother.

“Yan’er, step aside.”

Today, she was determined to punish this human girl!

Grandmother looked at Fox Yan, stubbornly guarding the girl, and gave Niu Er a subtle signal.

Niu Er, responsible for punishments and skilled in underhanded methods, tried to whip Qingyu again. He thought he could bypass Fox Yan’s guard with precision.

But as the whip lashed out, Fox Yan caught the tip mid-air. The whip began breaking inch by inch, and the force reverberated through Niu Er’s entire arm, crushing it.

His heart-wrenching screams echoed through the hall, terrifying everyone.

“Yan’er! What have you done?!” Grandmother could hardly believe her eyes.

Niu Er had been following her orders, punishing this human girl, yet Fox Yan had destroyed his arm in front of everyone — openly defying her! She, the ruler of the demon realm for thousands of years, had raised him to eventually inherit her position. And now, for the sake of this human girl, he had confronted her publicly. How could the clan leaders trust him with the realm?

Fox Yan truly did not care about anything for the sake of this girl.

Clutching his severed arm, Niu Er rolled in pain, bl00d soaking his body.

Fox Yan advanced step by step. The aura of a nine-tailed fox pressed down; Niu Er shuddered uncontrollably. This was the suppression of bloodline!

Fox Yan raised his long, powerful hand, gripping Niu Er’s neck mid-air. His fingers slowly closed. Niu Er’s face turned purplish-red. With a sudden twist of Fox Yan’s hand, his neck collapsed with a crisp “click,” chilling everyone in the hall.

The hall was shocked at the severity of his actions.

Grandmother seemed to see the image of the world-destroying fox from millennia ago. She collapsed in her chair — mad! Truly mad!

The elders of the Heavenly Palace glared angrily. “Yan’er! Are you rebelling against the heavens?!”

Grandmother knew Fox Yan’s actions were meant to send a message: to let everyone in the hall understand that he valued this human girl and that no one should dare harm her.

But did he know what peril he had placed himself in?

Qingyu, still recovering from the shock, looked at Fox Yan, who stubbornly guarded her. Her clear eyes trembled slightly.

Fox Yan had killed his own subordinate in front of everyone — this could not end well.

Grandmother stared at him, her voice trembling, filled with grief. “Guards, lock the Young Lord in the water prison!”

The demon soldiers glanced at each other, too afraid to move. This was the Young Lord — how could they fight him?

Fox Yan did not resist. Instead, he bowed respectfully to Grandmother, his gaze firm. “Grandmother, Ayu is my future wife. Protecting one’s wife is the duty of a husband. For this, Yan’er is willing to accept any punishment.”

Fox Chu, watching Fox Yan surrender, saw through the charming exterior to the resolute face beneath. Today had indeed been a spectacle.

Qingyu and Fuyin were locked in the small lake courtyard. Without Grandmother’s orders, no one could release them.

No one visited or brought food for two days.

Fuyin picked some lotus seeds and placed them in Qingyu’s hand. “Princess, for now, this is all we have. Eat a few to fill your stomach.”

Hearing the rumble from Fuyin’s stomach, Qingyu took only two, returning the rest to her. “I’m not hungry yet. You’re always afraid of hunger, so eat some first. I’ll think of a way for the rest.”

Fuyin rubbed her stomach, nearly hollow from hunger. “Princess, they won’t just leave us like this, right? They won’t starve us to death?”

Qingyu’s fingers traced the wooden whistle in her hand, her face thoughtful.

She had sent word to her senior brother some time ago. By now, she should have received a reply. Originally, she had planned to act during Fox Yan’s and Guan’s coronation, when everyone’s attention would be focused on the ceremony, allowing them to slip away unnoticed.

Now, given the situation, they might have to act sooner — though it would be risky.

Locked in the lake courtyard, summoning the giant eagle would attract attention, possibly leading to capture before leaving the demon realm.

Should she take the risk?

While she pondered, scratching sounds came from outside the courtyard.

The strange noise made both look up. No one dared speak.

The sound resembled sharp claws scraping, impossible for a human to make.

Fuyin, holding a wooden stick, shakily approached the door.

A massive white figure crouched and leaped inside, landing steadily.

“Ah! Ah! Ah!” Fuyin screamed, dropping the stick.

The white wolf transformed into human form, covering her mouth with one hand, ears with the other. “Quiet!”

Fuyin finally saw — it was Cangya.

“Cangya, why are you making a scene in the middle of the night?!”

Cangya sighed, handing a basket to Fuyin. “The Young Lord is worried that Grandmother might trouble you during his punishment. He specially instructed me to take care of you.”

“Even though he himself was injured so badly…”

“The Young Lord is hurt!” Fuyin glanced at her princess. “Is he alright now?”

“Alight? Earlier, to spend more time with the princess during the day, he handled demon affairs tirelessly, never sleeping. Then he was injured gathering medicinal herbs for the princess.” Cangya scowled at Qingyu’s indifferent expression. “And yet she shows no gratitude, not even a thought for my Young Lord!”

Fuyin opened the basket and ran to Qingyu. “Princess, there’s food now!”

Qingyu looked at the food in the basket. The usually impassive expression on her face shifted slightly.

A breeze stirred the lake, rippling the surface before it settled once more.

Seeing that Qingyu still had no reaction after all Cangya had said, he felt indignant on behalf of the Young Lord.

“Your Highness, these are not my words to say, but today I must. The Young Lord suffered grievously gathering herbs for you. That’s why he became so ill. He forced himself to use his demonic power to suppress the agony tearing at his soul. Now, he’s imprisoned because of you. Do you truly not care for the life of my Young Lord?”

Qingyu caught the implication behind Cangya’s words. She raised her cold eyes slightly, her usual clarity intact. “And you want me to do what?”

“The Young Lord forced his power. Now, he may suffer further backlash. Please, Your Highness, go see him!”

Qingyu stared at the wooden whistle in her palm. It suddenly felt heavier, almost too heavy to hold.