At the boundary between the inner and outer circles, the atmosphere was tense.
Dongfang Yuechu, leading the Taoist priests of the One Qi Dao League, stood side by side with Tu Shan Honghong and the Fox Spirits of Tushan. Together, they prepared to defend against the incoming wave of shadow foxes from beyond the circle.
Ever since Lucas informed him of Tu Shan Honghong's desire to coexist peacefully with humans, Dongfang Yuechu had gone to great lengths to promote harmony between the two races. Thanks to his efforts and Tu Shan Honghong's support, the One Qi Dao League and Tushan Fox Spirits were able to join forces. Yet it wasn't just diplomacy—this alliance was also born of necessity. The growing threat of the shadow foxes pressing in from outside the circle had forced former rivals into unity.
But just as their combined forces were on the verge of collapse, a surge of flame lit up the sky.
Lucas stepped out of the void, his figure appearing as if woven from light itself. With a casual wave of his hand, a torrent of black and white flames surged forth, spiraling with strange energy and devouring the sky-darkening swarm of shadow foxes in an instant. The creatures shrieked and vanished into nothingness.
"Lord Lucas!"
Dongfang Yuechu breathed a deep sigh of relief. He immediately stepped forward, bowing along with the others in greeting.
Lucas glanced over the battlefield calmly. "I think I understand why the shadow foxes are attacking now. Don't worry—I'll take care of it."
With a faint smile, he looked briefly at the Tushan Fox Spirits before vanishing once more.
In the Chat Group:
Howard Stark: [curiously] "That red-robed one is Tu Shan Honghong, right? I remember the Group Leader mentioned her before… wasn't he completely uninterested in her?"
Sebastian Shaw: "I think I get it now. Tu Shan Honghong hasn't changed her expression once since Dongfang Yuechu started the livestream. She's practically frozen."
Sword God Ryuma: "Group Leader said she accidentally killed a young Taoist who once saved her. Since then, she stopped speaking. I thought that meant she just gave up talking—but apparently, she even froze her expression."
Thomas Wayne: "She still has expressions, but they're mostly neutral. If I recall correctly, isn't Dongfang Yuechu's grandson involved with this Fox Spirit?"
Lucas: "Yep. In the original timeline, Dongfang Yuechu's youngest daughter's son ended up with Tu Shan Honghong."
Dongfang Yuechu: [sighing] "Love between species… Tu Shan Honghong's probably older than I am. Thankfully, the Tushan clan has the ability to renew and traverse time. Otherwise, this would've been a straight-up tragedy."*
Howard Stark: [curiously] "I'm just wondering—how did she even fall for a kid? She seems so emotionally distant."
Lucas: "It started when she accidentally killed a little Taoist who tried to protect her. That guilt turned into unspoken love. Later, Dongfang Yuechu's grandson, Dongfang Yueyue, fled to Tushan territory to escape Taoist priests… who, by the way, were chasing him because they wanted him to be their father-in-law."
Dongfang Yuechu: "..."
Xiao Xuan: [stunned] "Wait, what?"
Howard Stark: "The women in the Dongfang family can pass down their spiritual power to their children. The Taoist priests wanted Dongfang Yueyue to father a whole new generation of daughters to strengthen their sects."
Sebastian Shaw: "Exactly. His daughters would inherit both spiritual power and the pure Yang Flame from the Dongfang bloodline. No wonder they wanted him."
Lucas: "So he escaped into Tushan territory and ended up falling for Tu Shan Honghong at first sight. From there, he began his pursuit of her."
Dongfang Yuechu: [speechlessly] "After all that trouble, he didn't focus on training… he went chasing a Fox Spirit instead?"
Lucas: [helplessly] "Pretty much. Love stories between humans and demons are common here, but this one? It started with love at first sight and just kept going. And back then, Dongfang Yueyue was still really young—like a teenage talisman-user who understood arrays, but not romance."*
Dongfang Yuechu: "So what happened?"
Lucas: "A group of Taoist priests entered the Tushan territory trying to capture him. Tu Shan Honghong personally went out and captured them instead. Dongfang Yueyue gained her favor by restoring the magical tools seized from those captives, and that earned him long-term residence with the Tushan clan."
Dongfang Yuechu: [thinking] "Maybe it was Tu Shan Honghong's strength that impressed him. She's the backbone of the Tushan clan—probably the only one who can really fight."*
Lucas: [pondering] "That makes sense. Most human-demon romances in this world start with the classic 'hero saves beauty.' In this case, it was more like 'beauty saves hero'—and that flipped everything."*
Sebastian Shaw: "I've got another theory. Maybe he just didn't want to work hard anymore after seeing how powerful she was."
Han Fei: "Relying on a strong woman? Honestly, it checks out."
Lucas: "When you meet a good person, you start a family. When you meet someone noble, you build a legacy. But when you meet a rich and powerful woman—you start a family and a business. Tu Shan Honghong isn't just strong, she's the leader of the Tushan clan. In the Fox Spirit World, she's one of the top figures."
Dongfang Yuechu frowned. "Are you saying Dongfang Yueyue really relied on her? The descendants of the Dongfang family aren't that weak."
Lucas: "That's right! With the spells he learned from the Tushan Fox Clan and the magical power inherited from his mother, Dongfang Yueyue later became the number one Taoist in the world. He returned triumphant, hunting shadow foxes outside the circle like it was nothing."
Irisviel von Einzbern: [speechlessly] "So after all that... the reason the Group Leader isn't interested in Tu Shan Honghong is just because she's expressionless?"
Lucas: "Isn't that a perfectly good reason? If I were Dongfang Yueyue, I wouldn't have chased Tu Shan Honghong either. Doesn't she have two younger sisters? Both of them are pretty great."
One was a mischievous little loli with a fierce streak—cute as a child, but a cold queen once grown. Sadly, she too would become expressionless in the future... though thankfully, that fate hadn't arrived yet. There was still a chance to change it.
The other was a wide-eyed girl with a thousand faces, capable of transforming into anyone. Like a softer, prettier version of Mystique—without the off-putting alien figure. A true shapeshifting beauty.
Senju Tobirama: [speechlessly] "As expected... the Group Leader hasn't changed one bit."
Lucas: [grinning] "Of course not. I'm still the same boy I used to be!"
Just as the chat group collectively facepalmed, Lucas, in the outside world, arrived at a mysterious island.
Aolai Country, Huaguo Mountain—
The area surrounding Aolai Country pulsed with spiritual pressure. Several powerful figures floated around the sky, maintaining a massive formation that completely sealed off the land below. A translucent energy shield covered the entire country.
Within the formation, a man radiating golden light stood firm, wielding a gleaming golden staff as he struck the barrier repeatedly, trying to shatter the seal.
"Third Young Master, give it up."
"Even if you break the formation, what then?"
"By the time you manage that, we'll already be finished here."
"Why waste strength? Let's all just stay calm and save ourselves some trouble."
Hovering just beyond the formation, a plump middle-aged man with the aura of a wealthy merchant smiled down at the Third Young Master of Aolai Country, speaking with fake kindness.
Traverser?
Lucas's eyes sharpened. He had arrived just in time—and already encountered a group of r traversers interfering with this world.
BOOM!
Without hesitation, Lucas raised his palm. From between his fingers surged a searing flame beam, cutting through the air like divine judgment. The beam tore toward the traversers holding the formation.
"Who's there?!"
The Traversers sensed danger and scrambled to defend themselves, conjuring shields and barriers of all kinds.
But it was useless.
Under the crushing force of Lucas's flames, their defenses melted like wax under a torch. The beam cut through them cleanly, incinerating their bodies into ash.
"Congratulations to Host for successfully killing four Traversers. Four Traverser Seals obtained."
The system's calm prompt echoed in Lucas's mind, but his face remained cold and unreadable.
BOOM!
With the death of the four traversers, the formation collapsed. The Third Young Master of Aolai Country struck one final blow and shattered the remaining barrier. His golden figure now floated before Lucas, eyes wary.
"Who are you?"
The Third Young Master eyed him cautiously. He had once traveled to the world of the Fox Spirits, but Lucas was a complete unknown—and the four Traversers were strangers as well. Their sudden appearance and overwhelming power made him uneasy.
Lucas: "Relax. I'm not your enemy—and I won't bring harm to this world."
Without waiting for further questions, Lucas vanished from sight.
He reappeared in the region known as "outside the circle," a place long sealed off by the Third Young Master of Aolai Country. It was the birthplace and haven of the shadow foxes—creatures that fed on emotions and sought to control the Fox Spirit World.
At that moment, deep in their territory, the Shadow Fox Empress was locked in conversation with a traverser.
The traverser's mission was clear: assist the Shadow foxes in breaching the circle and claiming the inner world. In return, the Shadow Fox Empress would lend her power to push back the forces of Aolai.
As with the Traversers in the Pirate World, they had no intention of cleaning up their mess. After trapping the Third Young Master and aiding the invasion, they planned to escape immediately—leaving the Fox Spirit World in chaos. Whether the Third Young Master eventually killed the Shadow Fox Empress or not was none of their concern.