The conference hall within Fox Mountain possessed a humble grandeur, a stark contrast to the opulent guest hall of Mayor Lim. This difference laid bare the distinct gap between the ethereal, simple lifestyle of fairies and the extravagant world of human nobility. The hall itself was modest, featuring only a small, solitary throne chair positioned centrally, directly facing the entrance. Flanking it were two rows, each holding ten simple chairs, lining the austere walls.
The group of friends were instructed to wait for the clan leader and other elders. Nearly an hour passed before Xiao Dan, Xiao Hui, and their grandfather, accompanied by other elders, finally walked in.
"Ping'an," Xiao Hui said, a smile on her face, yet surprise in her tone. "Um... you already have a child?" She turned around and looked at Guo Baiyu and Zhao Renshu, bewildered. "Which one of you impregnated her?"
"Sister," Zhao Renshu chuckled, taking Shanquan from Guo Baiyu and holding him up playfully, "this is our disciple, Shanquan."
Then Xiao Huli, the Fox Clan Leader, walked in with four other elders. He took a quick glance at his daughters' human friends, walked straight to his seat, and sat on his throne, his expression stoic.
"Guozhao Hunters. I welcome you all," Xiao Huli said, his voice deep.
"Clan leader, please explain the rules," Guo Baiyu requested, getting straight to the point.
"It is simple," Xiao Huli began. "Each clan picks their finest top three disciples to enter the competition. To make it fair to everyone, we don't know which clan we will face against until the day of the competition. There are only three rules: The current clan leader cannot participate. Your competitors are allowed to use dirty tricks. No one can intervene once the competition starts unless the clan leader forfeits the match or the competitors surrender."
Zhao Renshu smiled, then scratched his chin. "Dirty tricks... heh..."
"When Xiao Hui told me that you three would help, I was very happy," Xiao Huli admitted, a rare hint of warmth in his eyes.
Suddenly, Clan Leader Bee, Zu Fengmi, and Hu Qingge walked in without invitation. "Which clan leader are you helping? May I ask?" Zu Fengmi, the Bee Clan Leader, demanded.
"Clan leader Zu," Xiao Huli replied, recognizing him.
A teenage boy from the Fox Clan rushed in behind them, out of breath. "Sorry, I tried to stop them."
Lang Lirun, the Spider Clan Leader, and twenty different clan leaders followed Zhu Fengmi and Hu Qingge into the conference hall, crowding the space.
Xiao Huli shook his head, a weary sigh escaping him. "I must tell you how many times. We don't have an immortal pill or the magic book."
Xie Shandian, the leader of the Scorpion Clan, dressed in black, scoffed. "Clan leader, this is not what we heard."
"No matter what you hear, it is false information," Xiao Huli insisted.
"Please calm down, everyone," Grandfather Shui, the wise elder of the Butterfly Clan, said calmly. "The leader of the Fox family has shown us this cave. There is nothing but dust and carving tools."
"Grandfather Shui," Guo Baiyu said, a respectful nod.
"Baiyu," Grandfather Shui replied, a warm smile on his face.
"Ping'an, Baiyu, Renshu," Shui Ushi greeted them warmly.
Ping'an smiled. "Brother Ushi."
"I can't believe you three are here," Shui Aichi, another member of the Butterfly Clan, said, surprised.
"Ha...Ha...Ha...." Xie Shandian laughed mockingly. "So, the Butterfly Clan is on the same side with the Fox Clan? Did they promise you one of their daughters to your leader?"
Fei Weifeng, the young, handsome Butterfly Clan leader in his early thirties, said calmly, "Nonsense. We are being realistic. I only believe if there is enough evidence to support the theory." He walked further into the hall. "I don't believe in rumors. I don't believe there is enough evidence to support the Fox Clan possessing immortal pills and magic books. I don't even know that these two items even exist."
All of the other clan leaders stared at the young handsome clan leader Fei Weifeng, surprised by his directness.
"How do you know that the two items don't exist?" Hu Qingge challenged, her voice sharp.
"When Syaoran visited Lord Kaiming five hundred years ago," Xiao Huli explained patiently, "he asked Lord Kaiming to make him two human-like sculptures. I think you all know that Lord Kaiming is a very famous artist in the whole country. For this reason, the two of them stayed in the cave for seven days. After the two clay sculptures were completed, Syaoran teleported back home, which is why no one saw him leave. Lord Kaiming was already sick with an illness; this is why he was isolated in the cave. Lord Kaiming died of his illness shortly afterwards. To prevent the spread of the disease, he asked the clan leader to seal the cave."
"Fox spirits can live up to five thousand years," Xie Shandian scoffed. "Only five hundred years have passed. I believe Lord Kaiming has been hidden."
Many people muttered to themselves in the conference hall, skepticism clouding their faces.
"Lord Kaiming is a human being," Xiao Huli clarified, his voice firm. "Lord Kaiming was an exiled prince. He refused to study politics because his love for nature was too great, so the emperor exiled him, and the exiled prince finally came here."
"We are kind enough to even open the cave," Xiao Hui added. "You can indeed see the human bones on the bed."
"Everyone knows that when us spirits die, we will return to our original form," Xiao Dan added, trying to reason with them.
"Since the stage has been set, we don't have to wait any longer," Xie Shandian declared, his voice cutting through the discussion. "The competition will start tomorrow."
Lang Lirun quickly said, "Since all clans agree to this competition, first, let us make a few changes. No matter which clan wins, that clan leader will become the grand leader of all the fairy clans. The clans must obey the grand leader's orders. Those who don't want to participate don't have to participate."
"I agree," Xie Shandian said, a confident smile on his face. "My three disciples step forward." Two men and a woman stepped up, radiating power.
After Xie Shandian's three disciples stepped forward, the other small clans bowed their heads and shook their heads, signifying their refusal to participate.
"Sister, what's wrong?" Zhao Renshu whispered to Xiao Hui. "Although you said that each clan has three disciples, why don't those clans send people?"
"The three people representing the Scorpion Clan are the sons and daughter of Xie Shandian," Xiao Hui explained, her voice low. "They are the best fighters in the clan. If a clan knows that they can't win the competition, they don't have to participate."
"Then your clan doesn't have to participate," Zhao Renshu suggested.
"That is not an option," Xiao Hui said, her voice filled with despair, "because if any of those higher clans win this competition, we are doomed. They will kill us because they believe we are hiding the immortal pills and magic books."
"Renshu and Baiyu," Xiao Dan pleaded, her eyes wide with fear, "if you really want to save us, this is your opportunity to do so. Otherwise, we will die in their hands."
"Don't tell me, there are no capable men or women from your clan?" Zhao Renshu asked, disbelief in his voice.
"The three capable ones are my father and us two," Xiao Hui explained. "According to the rules, no leader can participate, only their disciples or family members can participate. The Wolf Clan has been hunting us. We are all injured."
Guo Baiyu grasped Ping'an's left arm and, facing Xiao Huli, instructed firmly, "Kneel."
"What?" Ping'an asked, confused.
Guo Baiyu looked at her, his gaze unwavering. "Kneel down."
Ping'an, trusting him implicitly, kneeled down.
Guo Baiyu then addressed the Fox Clan leader. "Fox Clan leader, are you willing to accept Ping'an as your adopted daughter?"
The spirit clans chattered endlessly, a murmur of confusion spreading through the hall. "What's going on here?"
Xiao Huli looked at his two daughters, Xiao Dan and Xiao Hui, and they both nodded, encouraging him. He then looked at Guo Baiyu and, with a slight nod, said, "Yes."
"The first bow is to heaven," Guo Baiyu announced, guiding Ping'an.
Ping'an turned around and bowed deeply.
"The second bow is to the witness," Guo Baiyu continued.
Ping'an bowed to the gathered spirit clan leaders, acknowledging their presence.
"The third bow is the elder of the Fox Clan," Guo Baiyu concluded.
Ping'an bowed to Xiao Huli and the elders of the clan, completing the ceremony.
"Leader Xiao, congratulations on accepting your daughter," Lang Lirun said, a hint of suspicion in his voice, "but who will represent your clan? Or is your clan not participating?"
"I don't have a capable disciple to represent our clan," Xiao Huli said, his voice flat.
"Ha...Ha...Ha..." Lang Lirun laughed mockingly. "Does this mean..."
"The three of us will represent the Fox Clan," Guo Baiyu interrupted, his voice clear and confident.
"No outsiders can participate," Xie Shandian scoffed, dismissing the idea.
Zhao Renshu smirked. "We are no outsiders."
"You are Guozhao Hunters, and you are also human," Hu Qingge interjected, her voice sharp. "You do not belong to any spirit clan."
"We are the son-in-laws of a clan leader," Zhao Renshu retorted, his smirk widening. "How could we not belong to any spirit clan?"
Everyone chattered loudly, a stunned murmur spreading through the hall. "The Guozhao Hunters are the son-in-laws of Leader Xiao?"
"Outrageous! Lies!" Xie Shandian shouted, furious at the deception.
"Maybe all the clan leaders might not have heard clearly," Guo Baiyu said calmly, reinforcing the statement. "Our wife is the daughter of the clan leader."
"Which daughters are the two of you wed to?" Lang Lirun asked, confused.
Zhao Renshu walked behind Ping'an, his arm wrapped around her waist, and his chin rested on her right shoulder. "This is our wife," he announced proudly.
Xie Shandian was confused. "What? You two married her?"
"Yes," Guo Baiyu confirmed simply.
"Is there any problem?" Zhao Renshu challenged, his gaze unwavering.
"No. Humans are strange," Xie Shandian muttered, shaking his head.
"Everyone has witnessed the new members of our family," Xiao Hui said, seizing the moment. "Does anyone deny it?"
"Fang Yaoting is our sworn brother," Zhao Renshu added, gesturing to him. "This means that everyone here is family."
"Which makes us no outsiders," Guo Baiyu concluded triumphantly.
"It doesn't matter. The competition is tomorrow," Xie Shandian said confidently, trying to salvage his pride. Xie Shandian and his disciples left the conference hall, defeated for now.
"We will look forward to this fight," Lang Lirun called out, as he too left.
The other clans began to leave, the hall slowly emptying.
"I must go to meet the members of my clan," Shui Ushi said, approaching the Guozhao Hunters. "We will meet tomorrow. Good luck."
Xiao Dan smiled happily, her face radiant with relief. "Baiyu." She held Guo Baiyu's left arm and rubbed her face on his left shoulder, a gesture of deep gratitude. "You are the smartest person ever." She then kissed his left cheek.
"Xiao Dan, behave yourself," Xiao Huli said impatiently, though a hint of a smile touched his lips.
"I apologize, for us to be able to help your clan and keep our promises to the two sisters, I have to lie," Guo Baiyu said to Xiao Huli.
"I understand," Xiao Huli replied, a grateful nod. "Everyone should rest for tomorrow. It's going to be a tough battle."