The girl, Zhou Yu, had a quiet and serene look—one that didn't match her age—on her face.

"I just thought of coming over. Sorry to disturb you, Big Sister Mei Ji."

After giving a calm and serene response, she walked over and shifted the rock aside. Then, she took out some posters, news articles, and photographs and started to look at them quietly.

Moonlight spilled down from above onto the little girl, making her seem even lonelier.

It was a kind of loneliness that one would think she had been abandoned by everything in the world.

Mei Ji narrowed her eyes. A chilly look flashed across her countenance, though she ultimately still chose to pretend as if nothing had happened. She didn't say anything but continued to conceal herself as she stood under the moonlight with the girl.

After some time, the girl's dejected voice suddenly rang out. "Big Sister Mei Ji, I'm going to the Western College of Martial Arts."

Mei Ji looked at her and asked aloofly, "Is it your parents again?"

The girl stayed quiet. Mei Ji snorted coldly inwardly. After interacting with her for a few years, Mei Ji had naturally already come to know and understand a lot of things about her.

Apart from her parents, who else could make such an amazingly talented, emotionally tough, and exceptionally smart little girl behave like this?

However, the humans had a saying that made sense: 'Not even good officials could settle family troubles.'

They were her parents that had given birth to her and raised her.

No matter how poorly they treated her, as long as it didn't go beyond a certain threshold, how could outsiders possibly interfere?

She lifted her eyes a little unhappily and looked at the bright moon, choosing to remain quiet.

The girl didn't say anything either. She merely stared blankly at a photograph—one of an enormous tiger—in her hand.

After some time, her dispirited voice rang out once more. "He's ultimately my father that gave me life and raised me. He had doted on me when I was young."

She sounded as if she was talking to Mei Ji, yet it was also as if she was talking to herself. She looked very serious.

After a moment's pause, she added in a murmur, "Who else would I be left with if I lose even them?"

Mei Ji's gaze flicked toward her. After casting the girl a glance, her gaze shifted to the moon again. She didn't say anything. Neither did she know what she should say.

She didn't know how to console others.

Besides, the little girl didn't need anyone's consolation either.

In that young heart of hers, she was someone that very much had views of her own.

True enough, a short while later, there was no longer any desolation or sadness on the girl's countenance, and she resumed her usual bright and cheerful demeanor.

She put the posters and photographs away properly. Then, she said with a smile, "I've been a bother for coming over so late at night, Big Sister Mei Ji."

Mei Ji didn't say anything.

The girl wasn't bothered. She understood Mei Ji very well; Mei Ji was cold on the outside but softhearted inside. She bowed slightly to express her gratitude.

"I'll make a move first, Big Sister Mei Ji."

She waved at her and started to walk back home.

It was only after Mei Ji waited until the familiar figure disappeared that she turned around and took a look. Then, she vanished from sight.

…

In the Tiger King's Cave…

Joyous news came one after another. During the two months after Ling Shuang and Jun Wen's breakthroughs, at last, the third person that would soon break through suddenly appeared.

She was none other than Su Ling.

On this day, Wang Hu sat in the hall and watched the cowardly fox who was trying her best to keep her emotions under control. In spite of that, her expression was nevertheless filled with delight and smugness. She was just short of openly saying 'quick, praise me'. Wang Hu was rather amused by the sight.

The cowardly fox was about to break through!

Even though he hadn't really seen her cultivating that diligently, she was actually about to break through.

Yet, that was exactly what was happening. The cowardly fox was indeed about to break through.

He could tell that the aura within the cowardly fox's body was currently giving off a unique wave of energy fluctuation. This was a sign that one was about to break through.

Her speed…!

One could only say that the second-generation rich simply had it easy. Moreover, the cowardly fox wasn't even one's typical second-generation rich.

Even if she wasn't a second-generation rich of the highest class, she was still undoubtedly one of the really powerful ones.

Wang Hu cast a glance at the area outside the cave. If Old Second and Old Third knew that the cowardly fox was about to break through…

It was likely that even Old Second wouldn't be able to sit still anymore.

As he thought about it, he also found it rather funny.

However, this situation was instead one that he was happy to see.

It was only right that the Tiger King's Cave be a place filled with competition.

He would spread the news later. Now that even the cowardly fox was about to break through, how would the other animals possibly not cultivate and attempt to break through as if their lives depended on it?

His lip corners curled upward slightly, and he placidly praised her, "You did pretty well. Keep up the good work."

Su Ling, who had transformed into her Dao form, had a big smile on her stunning visage.

While nodding repeatedly, she said with some slight smugness and hope, "My lord, I'm going into seclusion to break through very soon. What kind of rewards will I get?"

Wang Hu's eyelid twitched. That cowardly fox was really someone that forgot her place the moment she became smug. She was even using the pronoun 'I' instead of 'this subordinate'. On top of that, she even had the guts to straight-up ask him for rewards.

His expression turned into one of displeasure, and he scoffed sternly, "Rewards are only given to the first two. You're the third one, yet you're asking to be rewarded?

"Hurry up and break through instead. If you fail… hmph."

He let out a loud and cold snort, causing the cowardly fox to instinctively shiver all over. A great half of her smugness disappeared and turned into dejection. Then, she lowered her head and answered with disappointment, "Yes, my lord."

As though she had wilted, she walked back to her place of residence, terribly disappointed.

Wang Hu secretly shook his head and started to reflect upon his actions. Had he ultimately still been too lenient on the cowardly fox after all?

From back then all the way to the present, why did it feel like that cowardly fox hadn't changed at all?

Not only did she have all sorts of little ideas in her head, but she was also timid, afraid of trouble, and a huge chicken. On top of that, she even easily got carried away.

It looked like he would have to be stricter on her in the future. It was time that he properly disciplined her.

Or perhaps he should let Silly Girl do it instead? That cowardly fox feared Silly Girl the most.

Wang Hu temporarily suppressed the thought. Then, he started to spread the news that the cowardly fox was about to break through.

True enough, the tense and competitive atmosphere in the Tiger King's Cave became even more intense.

All the numerous peak-level Second Realm animals gritted their teeth and swore to break through to the Third Realm as soon as possible.

Even Wang Liang couldn't sit still anymore and developed an urge to go into seclusion and refuse to come out until he broke through.

The news of the cowardly fox breaking through soon had simply brought them even more shock and pressure than the news of Ling Shuang and Jun Wen breaking through.

After all, all of them knew what Ling Shuang and Jun Wen were like.

They had always been faintly a step further than everyone else. Although the animals were astonished that they were the first and second to break through, they were nevertheless able to accept it.

However, what kind of person was Su Ling?

All the animals also knew very well what she was like. Yet, that fox was actually going to break through soon!

She was breaking through earlier than all of them. They simply couldn't accept this.

Wang Liang and Wang Shan were all the more so.

For a while, it became rare to catch sight of the peak-level Second Realm animals.

More than ten days later, a Third Realm aura started to spread in the Tiger King's Cave, which alarmed Wang Hu and Di Baijun.

Wang Hu smiled and remarked fairly approvingly, "Not bad. Her bloodline has leveled up and evolved further. On top of that, she even underwent eight rounds of metamorphosis. Apart from you and I, there's probably no one in the whole of the Tiger King's Cave that can surpass her."

Di Baijun raised her slim brows slightly and scoffed fairly disdainfully, "Given her personality, she's still a useless piece of trash even if she goes through eight rounds of metamorphosis.

"The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox bloodline is really such a waste on her."

As she spoke, a feeling as though she found the matter such a pity even crept into her voice.

"The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox bloodline?" Wang Hu's gaze shifted slightly as he looked at Silly Girl.

Di Baijun nodded slightly. She sounded regretful as she said, "It's a type of top-class bloodline. The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox bloodline in that trash of a fox hasn't completely awakened yet.

"If she can fully awaken the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox bloodline, she won't be the least bit inferior to most White Tigers, True Dragons, and True Phoenixes."

Wang Hu nodded. At once, he also found it quite a pity.

That was such an impressive bloodline. Had Old Third or the others been the ones with it instead, an expert that could undertake responsibilities by themselves would have appeared in the Tiger King's Cave very soon.

Yet, it had appeared in the cowardly fox, of all people. Wang Hu didn't even dare to pin any hope of having her become an expert that could undertake responsibilities by themselves on her.

He sighed softly. That was really such a pity.

The more he thought about it, the unhappier he became. What a pity this was.

It was all that cowardly fox's fault.

He glanced at Silly Girl, who was just as unhappy, out of the corner of his eye. A look flashed across his eyes, and he said contemplatively, "Since a bloodline like that exists within the Tiger King's Cave, then we mustn't let it go to waste.

"How about this? I'll bring her around with me in the future and temper her endurance. How does that sound?

"It just so happens that she can also handle some trivial matters for me. It's just like the secretaries in the human world."

Di Baijun originally didn't think much of it. However, when she heard the word 'secretary', alarm bells rang in her head.

The words that she had seen on the Internet surfaced in her mind.

She turned to Wang Hu and saw that he was still lost in his thoughts. It seemed like he was contemplating the issue.

She thought of the rumors about the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox, upon which a fierce look flashed across her eyes. Then, she said serenely, "We certainly shouldn't let a bloodline like that go to waste. Let me train her instead."

"You? Didn't you dislike Su Ling, Baijun?" asked a somewhat surprised Wang Hu.

"Although I dislike her, she's ultimately still a subordinate of the Tiger King's Cave. I'm the one that she's embarrassing if she's too useless," replied Di Baijun haughtily.

Wang Hu didn't agree with it. Instead, he seemed rather hesitant.

Di Baijun's eyes narrowed slightly. She asked dispassionately, "What's the matter? Is there a problem?"

Wang Hu sighed softly and replied, "Su Ling is very timid. I'm worried that it'll turn out badly if you're too strict with her."

Di Baijun raised an eyebrow. Her voice turned cold. "What's wrong with me being strict with her? If I'm not strict with her, how am I going to train her?

"What is it? Is your heart aching?"

Wang Hu reacted as though Di Baijun's words had shocked him. Then, he faced her honestly and openly. He looked at her dryly, and then—as though he had been rendered speechless—said, "Alright, my heart is indeed aching. My heart aches at the thought of you worrying too much about this. Moreover, that cowardly fox is a disappointing one that doesn't live up to expectations, which ends up causing my precious wife to tire herself out."

The look in Di Baijun's eyes softened a little, and she said proudly, "I'm just training a fox. No matter how much of a disappointing one she is, I'll still be able to train her into someone capable. What's there to worry about?"

"Alright, then. I await the fruits of your labor," an amused Wang Hu said.

Di Baijun snorted lightly as though she was saying 'just wait and see'.

Wang Hu didn't say any more. He glanced in the direction of the cowardly fox's room and silently gave her his blessings.

Let's hope that you can become someone capable. I've already done everything I can for you.

A while later, Wang Hu and Di Baijun arrived at the hall and summoned Su Ling, who had just broken through.

She wore a pale yellow gauze outer robe and a white inner robe and looked rather quaint.

Her stunning and flawless appearance was very beautiful.

There was even a sense of natural charm and innocence of the highest quality around her, causing men's gazes to converge onto her without themselves even realizing it.

Her every little action and every slightest facial expression carried an infinite amount of charm.

Even Wang Hu's gaze lingered on Su Ling for a moment longer without him even realizing the matter. He was fairly surprised.

Even though the cowardly fox's appearance was the same as when she had still been in the Second Realm, the feeling that she gave him then and now was utterly different.

As though one was the clouds and the other was mud, there was no comparability between the two at all.

She was as if a piece of rotten wood back then, whereas she was now a piece of beautiful jade.

She was astonishingly charming.

However, after being with Silly Girl for such a long time, Wang Hu's immunity to beauty had already reached a level that was hard for even one to imagine.

He instantly recovered a moment later.

Even Di Baijun, who had been secretly observing him the whole time, didn't realize anything. She was fairly satisfied.

Her gaze shifted to Su Ling and sized the fox up a little.

She didn't feel anything about the fox's beauty, though. She had never been one to care about whether a woman was beautiful or not.

In the past, she had never taken any notice.

Ever since the rascal came into her life, even though she had started to take a little more notice, she was nevertheless confident enough in herself.

She proudly overlooked everyone from high up above.

With regard to this, Wang Hu held the biggest say.

His Silly Girl's arrogance reached all the way from her soul into her bones.

If one really had to put it into words, then it would be like this: 'I'm the most beautiful in the world. No one can compare to me. Everyone else is a lousy piece of trash.'

Silly Girl herself didn't think that way, but that was simply the mindset that she held.

It was precisely because of that arrogant mindset of hers that she would never care about whether other women were beautiful or not.

She straight-up overlooked them from above.

It was just like how Wang Hu's current level of combat power and invincibility made him view every other cultivator on Earth—including Zhu Hongming and Liu Jixiu—with a high and mighty attitude, such that he would never compare himself with them.

As for the fact that Silly Girl was awfully wary of beautiful women going near him…

It had never been because she was worried that those beautiful women would take her place.

She was purely just being territorial.

One could only put it this way: tigresses were simply so bossy and domineering.

What was hers could only be hers. No one was allowed to take even the slightest bit away. No, it was more like no one was allowed to even touch it at all.

"Greetings to the King and the Queen," Su Ling said with a bow as she took a look at that person out of the corner of her eye. She suppressed her delight and tried her best to show how calm and steady she was.

"Not bad, I suppose. You weren't completely useless after all," Wang Hu spoke first.

Su Ling felt rather aggrieved. Which part of her was useless?

Out of the first ten to break through that the demon lord had specified, she had even been the third to break through.

Wasn't she just a teeny-weeny bit timid? Wasn't it very normal for foxes to be a little timider than most?

That loathsome demon lord…

She thought to herself. On the surface, however, she kept her head lowered and refrained from revealing even a hint of grievance. She remained standing like she was in a well-behaved manner and listened.

In the end, she even said primly, "This subordinate has disappointed the King and the Queen in the past. This subordinate will definitely work even harder in the future and will not disappoint the King and the Queen ever again."

Wang Hu nodded slightly. He didn't take her words seriously, though. In front of Silly Girl, that cowardly fox had always been quite the actress.

He said serenely, "It's good that you're being so thoughtful. How about this? From now on, you'll stay by the Queen's side. The Queen will guide you well. That way, your talent won't go to waste."

Su Ling was stunned. At once, she raised her head and looked at the demon lord before she then looked at the vicious tigress. She wanted to object, yet she simply couldn't say anything despite the words being right on the tip of her tongue.

"What is it? Are you unhappy about it?" Di Baijun's aloof and indifferent voice rang out.

Su Ling shivered and hastily lowered her head again. She felt as if there was no longer any hope in her future. A wave of dizziness even came over her, yet she replied very smoothly, "No, this subordinate is very honored."

A faint hint of a smile surfaced at the corners of Wang Hu's lips. That cowardly fox…

She's still as cowardly as ever.

Then, he said dispassionately, "It's good that you feel honored. Since the Queen is willing to personally guide you, then you must cherish the opportunity. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Su Ling, who felt like crying, replied. At last, she mustered the courage to defeat her mouth's instinct, and she asked cautiously, "My lord, what about the things that this subordinate has been in charge of?"

"You can just put them aside if it's possible. It's not like you're the only one that can do it," replied Wang Hu calmly.

Su Ling was in utter despair.

Di Baijun spoke at this point. In a tone that brooked no dispute, she said, "You've just broken through, so I'll give you three days to stabilize your cultivation. Three days later, I'll personally guide you."

"Thank you, my Queen," Su Ling's mouth automatically replied smoothly again.

"You may go." Wang Hu waved.