The leader of the cultivation alliance has a crush on me.

Before Rong Xiu could even process the look Feng Xun gave him, he watched in astonishment as his master made the bed and pointed to the door, saying, "Go outside and gather some more firewood."

Rong Xiu was puzzled. People who cultivate, especially those who have reached their level, generally do not feel cold or have poor vision.

He was curious but didn't ask. When he brought in some firewood, Feng Xun told him to start a fire not far from where the bed was made.

Rong Xiu paused for a moment, then glanced at the fox spirit statue and asked, feeling somewhat offended, "Master, if we really light a fire, won't that offend the owner of this place?"

Feng Xun listened and said calmly, "Does this place still have an owner?"

“I’m afraid even that statue is a case of usurping power.” Feng Xun didn’t continue after saying this, but simply said, “Once the fire is lit, let’s rest. Tomorrow we’ll go into the Western Kingdom to take a look.”

Rong Xiu listened and nodded. Before going to sleep, he felt strange again. Feng Xun had clearly made the bed, but he didn't lie down. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the side and began to rest with his eyes closed.

Rong Xiu didn't slack off either. He sat cross-legged near the door, closed his eyes, and began practicing his martial arts.

Song Ke watched Rong Xiu walk away and asked with a strange look, "Why did you send him so far away? The door is broken and doesn't block the wind. It must be cold at night."

Feng Xun said indifferently, "No."

"You're the only one here who gets cold easily."

Song Ke touched his nose, knowing the reason himself: "I know, my cultivation level is the lowest, you don't need to remind me."

Feng Xun retorted mercilessly: "You call this low cultivation level?"

Do you know how to control the simplest objects?

Song Ke was stunned, shook her head dejectedly, and simply lay down. She stared at the fox spirit statue, feeling that its gaze was a bit strange. When they entered the gate, they could look up and meet the statue's gaze, but now, even though they were on one side of the main hall, they always felt that the fox spirit's gaze was looking directly at them.

"I told you not to look at her," Feng Xun whispered a reminder.

Upon hearing the sound, Rong Xiu shouted back, "Master, I didn't see it."

"I didn't say anything about you."

Rong Xiu muttered, looking completely bewildered, "Is there someone else here?"

"No...person???" He raised his eyes slightly, only to meet the fox spirit's gaze. Rong Xiu quickly lowered his head and continued meditating with his eyes closed.

This place is deserted; even today's teahouses are some distance away, and it's at the foot of the mountain. The night wind makes the branches tremble, adding a touch of eeriness and gloom to the sound.

Rong Xiu suddenly frowned. He seemed to hear a voice, a familiar voice, calling him.

"Brother, save me."

"Brother, help me, I'm in so much pain."

"Brother...brother...royal brother...royal brother, help me, I'm in so much pain."

Rong Xiu was suddenly shaken awake. He opened his eyes and looked around, but he was not in the Fox Fairy Temple.

The scene before him seemed somewhat familiar. He suddenly remembered that this was the royal palace of the Western Kingdom. Rong Xiu subconsciously looked around and, just as in his nightmare, there were corpses everywhere and demons roaming freely.

Before him stood Rong Ling, who was clutching his sleeve, his face contorted with fear and pain. Rong Xiu followed his gaze downwards and noticed that one of his legs was covered in blood, with the exposed bone clearly visible. The sight made him instinctively feel like gagging.

Because the leg was such a horrific sight, it looked as if it had been gnawed on by a vicious dog or wild beast, but not completely cleaned. There were still bits of flesh, bone, and tendons attached, and the stench of blood was overwhelming. Just looking at it made his leg ache terribly.

Rong Xiu felt something was off. Yes, he was a little older than Rong Ling and clearly remembered that when the Western Kingdom was in trouble, Rong Ling was only a seven or eight-year-old child, not like the one in front of him, who was already an adult.

He looked at himself and saw that he was the same; even the clothes he was wearing were the same ones he had worn at the Fox Fairy Temple earlier that day.

But how did he end up in the Western Kingdom's palace? And what about his master? He couldn't possibly not have noticed that he was missing, could he?

"Brother, why are you ignoring me? I told you I'm in so much pain, I'm going to be eaten by monsters. They're gnawing at my legs, and they might even bite at my face and head. I don't want to die like this, it's so horrible to die like this."

"Brother, say something! I can't find Father and Mother. Can you see them?"

Rong Xiu listened to Rong Ling's words, looked at him, opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

The sight before him sent a chill down his spine, while the wailing and crying around him made him feel an overwhelming sense of guilt.

Because looking around, it seemed that everyone except himself was in bad shape. They were covered in blood and gore, filled with fear, resentment, and even hatred, having been devoured by those demons. Even the air seemed to be soaked in blood, sticky, damp, and smelling of blood, creating a suffocating feeling that made it hard to breathe.

"Brother, was it you?" Rong Ling, who had just been clinging to Rong Xiu for comfort, suddenly changed his expression and stepped back a little, staring at him with a gloomy look as he asked.

"What?" Rong Xiu asked, looking puzzled.

But as soon as he uttered the question, he saw Rong Ling's hand instantly turn into white bone, piercing his heart in an instant.

He suddenly woke up from the nightmare, looked around at his surroundings, and stared blankly for a few seconds, his face full of inexplicable surprise.

Because the place he was in wasn't the Fox Fairy Temple, but a magnificent golden palace, which gave him a strange sense of familiarity and warmth.

Before he could savor the moment, he heard a commotion at the door and a figure ran in. As the figure drew closer, he recognized Rong Ling immediately, despite the different attire. It was Rong Ling as a child.

No, this is still the Western Palace, otherwise why does it feel both familiar and strange?

He already knew that part of his memories had been sealed away when Feng Xun brought him back to the Xuanshang Palace.

But Rong Ling, thinking of this, touched his face again. Rong Ling looked at Rong Xiu and pouted innocently.

"Brother, please don't be angry with me. I really didn't mean to forget your birthday by going to the Temple of the Goddess."

Rong Xiu looked at him blankly, then heard him say, "I heard from Mother that you waited for me for half the night before going to sleep. It was my fault. I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time."

As he spoke, his eyes darted around mischievously, and then, with a self-assured air, he covered himself with his hands, rummaged around in his pocket for a while, and pulled out a chubby, adorable, fiery red Nian beast doll.

"Look, this is a Chihuahua that I specially brought back for you. I heard from the palace servants that there are many demons causing trouble outside, and many people are going to the Goddess Temple to ask for Chihuahuas."

“I asked around, and they said if you encounter a monster, just drop a drop of blood into the Chihuahua’s eye, and it will immediately grow bigger to protect you.” After saying that, he chuckled and scratched his head: “I also brought some for my father and mother.”

At this point, the corners of his mouth turned down, and he said somewhat unhappily, "But Father Emperor didn't like it and threw it away."

After listening, Rong Xiu realized something: he seemed to have returned to the Western Kingdom where he was a child.

Now that the Temple of the Goddess has been built, it means that at this time, the Imperial Uncle Rong Jing is willing to stay outside the city to guard the Temple of the Goddess for the sake of the little fox by his side.