Mu Chen and others watched as Fang Tian and Mu Changhsou disappeared into the forest. The direction they chose was roughly the same. Mu Chen assumed they were headed in the direction of the treasure.

Mu Chen relaxed once he was certain the troublemakers had gone.

"Thank you, guys." Mu Chen sighed. "If not for you coming here, I would have lost my new friend." Mu Chen looked at the little fox that had curled up inside his robes.

"If not for us, you would have already lost it!" Liu Fengying snorted. "When are you going to thank us?"

"Cough!" Mu Chen choked. "I was just going to do that."

"Hmph!" Liu Fengying said. "There is no sincerity if you say it now."

"Don't worry," Mu Chen moved closer to Liu Fengying and whispered, "I will thank you sincerely later...in private."

"Who needs that kind of thanks!" Liu Fengying snapped, her face red. "Keep it with yourself."

Mu Chen's face twitched while Li Kun and others did their best to suppress their laughter.

"Then what else do you want?" Mu Chen asked, helpless.

"Do you need to ask?" Liu Fengying looked at the bulge in Mu Chen's robes with a grin and reached out with her hand.

"What? No way!!" Mu Chen smacked away Liu Fengying's hand, and distanced himself from her, clutching his robes.

"You―" Liu Fengying stood stunned for a moment, her eyes wide as she stared at Mu Chen. Her hand where Mu Chen had hit, had turned red. "I...was just kidding." She said with a pained expression.

Mu Chen felt guilty seeing Liu Fengying's expression. "Fengying, I―" Mu Chen began, but couldn't find words.

"Don't bother." Liu Fengying turned around. "Everyone, let's go."

"I...I want to talk...with Brother Ren..." Ye Lanlan said.

"Then, you can stay here." Liu Fengying said. "Everyone else, get going." She was no longer in the mood to stick around.

Liu Fengying quickly disappeared into the trees. Other girls soon followed. Liu Ru scowled at Mu Chen before rushing behind. Only Ye Lanlan stayed behind, nervous like a lamb among wolves.

"Excuse me." Gao Ren took Ye Lanlan to the side to chat.

"Brother Chen," Li Kun whispered to Mu Chen who stood stiff like a pole. "You shouldn't have done that. It looks like you hurt Miss Lu's feelings."

"Yes, Brother Chen." Xia Ping sighed. "Miss Lu has been well-meaning to you."

"You both think I overreacted?" Mu Chen asked. Li Kun and Xia Ping glanced at each other and nodded.

Mu Chen frowned. Even he himself was surprised at his own reaction. He and the fox had just met. The fox being attached to him was one thing. But Mu Chen realized he had somehow become attached to it—maybe a bit too much. But even if he found it cute, he wouldn't hurt someone he was close to over it. But when Fengying tried to grab the fox, he panicked and acted without thinking. When did he become so muddled?

The more he thought, the more unbelievable he felt. Mu Chen felt his head had been covered with a thin layer of fog and the moment he realized it―he was wide awake. Mu Chen looked at the fox that had turned his robe into its burrow, and couldn't help but become suspicious.

"Xia Ping, can a monster beast charm a human?" Mu Chen asked.

"Ah?" Xia Ping thought for a while, "I haven't heard of snow foxes having such an ability before...But some mutated beasts can have unique abilities. And...it's not like we know everything about monster beasts..."

"Mutated?" Mu Chen muttered looking at the fox once again. "I need to go!" Mu Chen said to Li Kun and Xia Ping and hurried behind Liu Fengying and her group.

Li Kun and Xia Ping looked at each other. "Brother Ren, let's go." Li Kun called out to Gao Ren.

#

"Sister Fengying! Could you slow down a bit? We can't keep up with you." Liu Ru shouted from behind.

"Yes, Sister Fengying!" Su Rong also pleaded.

Liu Fengying sighed and slowed down, letting others catch up.

"Sorry!" Liu Fengying said. "I lost my temper."

"Sister Fengying, it's alright." Su Rong said, "We didn't mean to blame you."

"Hmph!" Yi Hanying said. "It's all that guy's fault. How dare that b―"

"Shut up!" Liu Fengying glared at Yi Hanying, scaring her.

"Hanying!" Su Rong pulled Yi Hanying. "Can't you keep quiet for a moment?"

"Sister Fengying." Liu Ru said with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine."

"Sister Fengying," Liu Ru said, "you don't have to be so nice to him. I didn't think he would hurt you over some monster beast."

"Let's not talk—"

"Fengying! Wait!" Mu Chen caught up with Liu Fengying and others. Liu Fengying was surprised Mu Chen was able to keep up, but her surprise soon turned into anger.

"Liu Ru, tell him to go back." Liu Fengying said and increased her speed.

"Mu Chen, you heard Sister Fengying?" Liu Ru said.

"Yes." Mu Chen shrugged but continued to follow.

"Then why are you still following us?" Liu Ru said.

"Who's following you?" Mu Chen said, "Isn't this the direction to where the treasure is?"

Liu Ru was speechless. The direction they were headed was the same as the one in which Mu Changshou and Fang Tian had gone.

Hearing Mu Chen's words, Liu Fengying sighed. "You should go back. Mu Changshou and Fang Tian could be waiting for an ambush."

"And you would stand by and let them ambush me?" Mu Chen said, without a hint of worry.

"Give us some space." Liu Fengying said to the other girls and stopped. Liu Ru, Su Rong, and Yi Hanying left Liu Fengying and Mu Chen alone and stopped further away.

Mu Chen moved closer and grabbed her hand. It had become swollen. "Does it hurt?" Mu Chen asked.

"Hmph!" Liu Fengying pulled her hand back. "As if you care!"

"Fengying, I was wrong." Mu Chen circled in front of her and held her shoulders. "I'm sorry. But it's not entirely my fault—I was muddled."

"Excuses!" Liu Fengying turned her head sideways, not looking at him.

"Look, I brought the culprit along." Mu Chen said, pulling the little fox outside of his robes. "You can punish it as you want."

The fox was still drowsy and attempted to clutch onto Mu Chen's robes, but Mu Chen caught it by its scruff and dangled it in front of Liu Fengying.

Liu Fengying's eyes brightened on seeing the fox, but then she frowned. "It's not about the fox—I don't want it!" She said looking straight at Mu Chen. "Although it's cute, you need it more than I do."

"I know." Mu Chen sighed. Liu Fengying liked the little fox very much, but she didn't have any intention to take it from him. "I didn't mean to hurt you—I was muddled by this little guy."

"What are you saying?" Liu Fengying frowned.

"This little guy was up to some mischief."

Mu Chen said. Then he poked at the little fox's belly with his finger. "Little rascal, how long are you going to pretend to be asleep?"

The fox slowly opened its eyes and yawned. It looked at Mu Chen and began to whine, wiggling its legs trying to get back into his robe, but Mu Chen didn't let it.

"Listen!" Mu Chen said to the fox in a stern voice. "Because of you, there is now a big misunderstanding between me—" Mu Chen pointed towards Liu Fengying. "—and her. I am not sure what you did to me, but I am no longer under its influence."

"I don't know why you came to me, but I am sure you need my help." Mu Chen said. But the fox still kept struggling, trying to get back into his robe. "Fine! You can continue to pretend you don't understand me. I will just throw you away." Mu Chen said. He wasn't sure if the fox could understand his words, but he had to try. "Oh! Wait! That would be such a waste. I should peel off your skin and turn it into a scarf. If I gift it to Fengying, she will forgive my rude behavior?"

The little fox froze.

Even Liu Fengying was shocked. If Mu Chen really did like that, she would be mortified. "Mu Chen, you wouldn't—" She began but paused on seeing the fox's reaction. "It—it can understand what you said?"

"Finally done with pretending?" Mu Chen said to the little fox who stared back at him with its bright blue eyes. The fox growled and bared one of its tiny claws at Mu Chen. It seemed very indignant that Mu Chen had thoughts of skinning it.

"Are you in the position to threaten me?" Mu Chen said with his brow raised. The fox's ears drooped and it lowered its paw, and instead looked at him with upturned eyes, but Mu Chen was unmoved.

Instead, it was Liu Fengying who seemed uncomfortable. "Mu Chen, aren't you bullying it too much? Look at it—it looks so pitiful."

"Fengying, this little rascal is cunning. Don't fall for its tricks." Mu Chen said. "Did you forget what I said? This little fox had confused me!" Mu Chen glared at the little fox, "Did you put me under some spell when we just met? Will you admit it? Or do I have to skin you?"

The little fox stared at Mu Chen, then it looked at Liu Fengying and then…

It nodded.

Mu Chen looked at Liu Fengying, but she was too stunned to speak. "Fengying, you saw the fox's acknowledgment. It was not my fault. I was under its spell. I became overprotective of it and ended up hurting you. I'm sorry!" Mu Chen said. He held Liu Fengying's hand and kissed where he had hit her.

Liu Fengying recovered from her shock and smiled at him, no longer aloof. Mu Chen heaved a sigh of relief.

"What about the fox? Are you going to get rid of it?" Liu Fengying asked. The fox was small, but it could confuse people―it was dangerous. "Or should I brand it with my spiritual imprint?"

"Spiritual imprint?" Mu Chen looked at the little fox. The fox shook its head hastily and stared back at him. It seemed to be pleading—it didn't want an imprint. "I see." Mu Chen had a thought. "You were hurt. You were afraid that some cultivator would find you in this condition and they could use this opportunity to brand you? So you came looking for me? You knew I was a mortal and couldn't use divine sense?"

The fox lowered its head in reply.

"But," Mu Chen frowned, "how were you so sure I wouldn't kill you at first sight?" Even if the fox could charm him, the situation was dangerous. It was evident from how the fox collapsed soon after their meeting. It must have used all its remaining strength. Under such situations, it couldn't be sure that its spell would work. It was one thing if the spell worked. But what if it hadn't? So there was something else that convinced it to seek him. But Mu Chen only recently knew about companion beasts from Xia Ping. If not, he wouldn't have approached the fox so easily―

"You." Mu Chen stared at the fox. "You were eavesdropping on our conversation?"

The fox looked at Mu Chen and raised both the paws showing pink pads and digits. It was a face full of innocence.

Mu Chen's face twitched. This little fox was sure crafty. Its intelligence was no less than a human's, perhaps it was even a notch higher than the average person.

"You know," Mu Chen sighed and raised the fox to his eye level, "you are rather smart. So smart, I can't treat you as a monster beast." Mu Chen paused. "You used your skill on me—I can understand your situation. Since there was no lasting damage, I won't hold it against you."

The little fox looked at Mu Chen and blinked, waiting for him to continue.

"You are free to go." Mu Chen said. "Although you still owe me dozens of blood essences, I am not a petty person. You can consider them as a gift from me." Mu Chen lowered the fox on the ground, but the fox began to wriggle.

"What?" Mu Chen lifted the fox once again. "You don't want to go?" The fox snorted and wrinkled its little nose and even crossed its arms in denial.

"You want to stay with me?"

The fox nodded and looked at Mu Chen.

"Mu Chen, maybe we should keep the fox, after all?" Liu Fengying said.

Mu Chen looked at the fox. He understood its intentions. For whatever reason, it was hurt and defenseless. It couldn't stay in the forest or it would just end up becoming food for other beasts.

But the question was, could he trust it? Mu Chen thought for a while and then almost facepalmed himself. Since the fox was so smart, he could just treat him like an individual.

"I can take you out of the forest." Mu Chen said to the fox. "But there is no free lunch. I believe you understand this truth?"

The little fox nodded.

"I won't restrict your freedom. I will even do my best to help you recover your strength. But in return, you must also help me. In a few days we will be going to a secret realm, you will help me find what I need." Mu Chen said.

The fox nodded. When Mu Chen mentioned the secret realm, the little fox's ears perked but ever so slightly. Mu Chen would have missed it, if he hadn't been observing it carefully.

"Moreover, as long as you are with me, there will be some rules. First, you won't harm any people around me, which includes using that skill of yours that could influence them. Second, you will have to stay close to me so that I can keep an eye on you. Third, you will not act without my permission. After our trip from the secret realm is over, if you feel like leaving, you can leave and I won't stop you."

Mu Chen waited till he was sure the fox had understood what he had said. He left the decision to follow him in the paws of the fox. He even left a way out for it in case it felt like leaving him. Mu Chen thought this way, the chances of the fox betraying him would be minimal.

"Deal?"