Please be my partner.

After absorbing this Blood Fiend Stone, by expending power to trace back for a period of time, one might be able to deduce the Blood Sea Divine Power of that Asura, which would be a tremendous boost to Little Red Lotus.

The third item is a fruit called Magic Fruit. It looks like a bunch of purple grapes, but much larger. Each grape is the size of a longan, crystal clear, and resembles a beautiful gem.

The effect of the Magic Fruit is also very simple: it can slightly increase mental strength and cohesion, and enhance resistance to illusions.

After taking a picture of the magic fruit, Mellen fed it to Little Liuli without hesitation.

Although Xiao Liuli is a master of illusion, Qingqiu, the place they are going to, is not a safe place. It is said that those who are good at swimming die in the water, and those who are good at fighting die in battle. Although Melun is not afraid, it is always better to be prepared.

Treasure City is enormous; it's impossible to see it all in three days. Mellen only visited a few landmark locations with Yu Linglong's guidance and purchased some useful resources.

On the third day, Mellen and Yu Linglong arrived at the fifth floor of the Jade Pavilion as promised, where Yu Caicai had already emerged from behind the screen.

This is a stunningly beautiful woman who is unforgettable at first sight. She possesses the innocence of a young girl and the allure of a mature woman.

Her long silk dress changed colors with the clouds, and the gold-embroidered flowers were so lifelike that they seemed to bloom around her. A jeweled belt was tied around her waist, and the gems reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight. It was not vulgar, but rather had a noble and elegant air.

Her skin was as white as snow, and her face was covered by a veil. Although it looked like only a thin layer, it seemed to have a magical effect, blurring her entire face, leaving only a pair of bright eyes that seemed to have captured the essence of time. They were deep and bright, as if they could easily see into the deepest part of people's hearts.

After only a few glances, Mellen looked away. After all, this was a true immortal, and the necessary respect had to be shown.

Yu Caicai said, "I'm ready, let's go."

With a wave of his hand, a magnificent flying boat appeared, and the next moment they were standing on it, speeding away.

Yu Caicai waved to Mei Lun and Yu Linglong and said, "It will take a day to get to Qingqiu. You can rest first, and I will let you know when we arrive."

Mellen and Yu Linglong had no objections.

After entering the cabin, Yu Linglong whispered, "Senior Brother Mei, you should be prepared. Qingqiu won't welcome us. I remember going there with the Ancestor when I was very young, and that experience has been a lifelong shadow for me."

"That's amazing?" Mellen asked with interest. "Tell me more about it."

Yu Linglong shook her head like a rattle-drum and said, "I forgot, I only remember being teased by a lot of little devils, and I was very angry!"

The cabin was very spacious, almost like a small town, and had all kinds of facilities. Mellen didn't feel uncomfortable living there.

The next day arrived quickly, and Mellen keenly sensed that the airship was beginning to slow down. Then, Yu Caicai's voice rang in his ears, telling him to go to the deck.

On the way, Mellen met up with Yu Linglong, and the two walked side by side.

Upon arriving at the deck, Mellen found that they had reached an area with a continuous mountain range, where towering peaks rose into the sky, exuding a primitive and desolate aura.

At a certain point, Yu Caicai suddenly raised her hand, and a beam of colorful light flew out and landed in the void in front of the flying boat. A huge barrier suddenly appeared in the area that was clearly empty. However, under the illumination of the colorful light, the barrier cracked open, and the flying boat flew directly into it.

Upon entering the barrier, Mellen immediately sensed that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was several times denser than that of the outside world. Moreover, unlike the desolation outside, looking down revealed that a large number of spiritual plants and grains were planted here, and it was clear that the area had undergone strict planning.

After the airship entered the barrier, it did not move forward, but stopped and waited. Before long, several figures flew over quickly.

Upon seeing the flying boat, they immediately recognized the visitor, so they stopped as soon as they approached and respectfully said, "Welcome back, Elder Cai."

Yu Caicai gave a soft "hmm" and ignored them. The flying boat transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the interior of Qingqiu.

Having the guards verify her identity was just a necessary procedure; given Yu Caicai's status and position, there was naturally no need to say anything more to them.

As the flying boat moved forward, Yu Caicai waved her hand and summoned a water curtain. A moment later, a languid and beautiful woman appeared on the water curtain. Upon seeing Yu Caicai, she smiled and said, "Little Cai'er, you're back? It's been so long! I've missed you so much."

Yu Caicai said calmly, "You slut, if you want a man, go find one yourself. Don't come here to get horny."

The beautiful woman winked and said with a grin, "Those stinky men can't compare to the fragrant little Cai'er! Come here to your sister and let her give you a hug!"

Yu Caicai finally couldn't hold back anymore. Mainly because there were two younger people around, she couldn't retort with witty remarks, so she could only fall into a disadvantageous position.

Waving her hand, Yu Caicai coughed lightly and said, "Alright, I've come back with important business. Let's convene the elders' council. I'm going to recommend a bloodline descendant to join Qingqiu."

Upon hearing this, the beautiful woman raised an eyebrow and said, "Bloodline descendant? Yours?? You still haven't given up?"

The beautiful woman sighed, her tone returning to its languid state, and said, "Alright, alright! They're both stubborn, I can't control them anymore. Do whatever you want."

"Since you personally recommended him and even alarmed the Elders' Council, your goal must be to become a core member of our Qingqiu Immortal Fox Clan. According to the rules, half of the Elders' Council members need to be present. I'll go and see who's there for you."

After saying that, the water curtain disappeared.

For the rest of the journey, Yu Caicai remained silent, quietly gazing at the scenery of Qingqiu, a hint of reminiscence occasionally flashing in her eyes.

After a long while, Yu Caicai suddenly said, "Qingqiu may look glamorous, but over the years it has accumulated many problems. When I left here alone, I secretly vowed that one day I would change these deep-seated problems one by one."

"Meren, this time I'll recommend you to join Qingqiu, and I guarantee that as long as your little fox can pass the test, she will immediately be able to learn Qingqiu's secret divine power... [Illusory Dream Great Thousand World]."

"But in return, I need you to promise me one thing."

Mellen remained calm; he had long known that there was no such thing as a free lunch in the world: "You may say so."

Yu Caicai said, "I will support that little fox so that it can eventually become a member of the Qingqiu Elders Council. When that time comes, I will need its support to become the Lord of Qingqiu."

Having said that, Mellen understood what Yu Caicai meant; she wanted to fundamentally change Qingqiu.

Agreeing to her request would undoubtedly draw me deeper into the internal power struggles of Qingqiu, but the advantage would be that I could obtain the supernatural powers I wanted in a short period of time.

After thinking for a moment, Mellen asked, "The Qingqiu Elders' Council isn't so easy to get into, is it?"

Yu Caicai nodded and said, "At the very least, one needs to possess the strength of a True Immortal, and in addition, one needs to make sufficient contributions to Qingqiu."

"I can help arrange the latter part, but the former part is up to you."

"How long would it take to make this sufficient contribution?" Mellen asked again.

Yu Caicai smiled and said, "You're so confident! You don't seem to care at all about the requirement of 'having the strength of a True Immortal'? You truly deserve to be a disciple of the Golden Jade Immortal Sect."

"That makes sense. I've heard about the Heavenly Realm that the Golden Jade Immortal Sect and the Yin-Yang Harmony Sect jointly captured this time. It's said that your performance in it was quite amazing."

Faced with Yu Caicai's probing gaze, Mellen remained calm.

Seeing that Mellen was unwilling to say more, Yu Caicai did not press the matter, but said, "Don't worry, with my help, you will definitely meet the contribution target in ten years at most."

Mellen nodded slightly and said, "Okay, it's a deal."

Shortly after the two reached their agreement, the flying boat arrived at its destination, a place that looked like a small town in the mortal world. However, the children playing in the streets and alleys and the adults working in the fields were all members of the Celestial Fox Clan.

The children could switch freely between human and fox forms, but in human form, the fox's tail and ears could not be retracted, while the adults were completely indistinguishable from humans.

As Mellen looked around, everyone else also looked at him with curiosity.

Some of the older fox spirits recognized Yu Caicai and would respectfully bow when she passed by. The children seemed eager to try, but they dared not act rashly because of the aura emanating from Yu Caicai.

Yu Linglong seemed to recall the miserable past when she was tricked, and followed closely behind Yu Caicai, not daring to stray far away for even a moment.

Soon the three of them arrived at a small courtyard in the center of the city, where four people, one man and three women, were already waiting for them.

It must be said that they truly lived up to their reputation as members of the Qingqiu Immortal Fox Clan; everyone present, regardless of gender, possessed unparalleled beauty.

Of the three women, one was the beautiful woman who had previously contacted Yu Caicai, and the other two were equally stunning, except that their gazes toward Yu Caicai were filled with hostility.

The only male elder, however, remained calm, adopting a businesslike demeanor.

Chapter 695: The Way of Illusion

After Yu Caicai entered the courtyard, the five of them did not immediately discuss business. Instead, they began a sarcastic and gloating exchange of insults.

As the saying goes, three women make a drama, but when these four women get together, it's like hundreds of ducks quacking. Compared to that, even the most vulgar street brawls seem child's play.

Yu Linglong seemed to be seeing this side of her ancestor for the first time, looking completely dumbfounded.

The male elder of the Qingqiu Immortal Fox Clan remained quite calm, neither joining nor taking sides, seemingly just a spectator.

During this process, Mellen also learned the names of the others.

The beautiful woman that Yu Caicai contacted earlier was named Yu Lianxue, while the two people who opposed Yu Caicai were sisters named Yu Ningxuan and Yu Ningzhen, and the only male elder was named Yu Yufan.

From their words, Mellen only had a vague understanding of their past entanglements.

It seems that Yu Caicai fell in love with an outsider back then, but that person was unwilling to marry into Qingqiu and insisted on leaving. In the end, Yu Caicai chose love and actually eloped with that person.

You should know that Yu Caicai was a star in Qingqiu back then, a rising star. The older generation in Qingqiu was already against Yu Caicai's relationship with that person, and then this happened.

Yu Ningxuan and Yu Ningzhen originally admired Yu Caicai very much, but after this incident, it was like their idol's image had collapsed. The two sisters couldn't accept it and turned from fans to haters, and they hated Yu Caicai and the person who "kidnapped" her.

However, it is also thanks to this incident that Yu Ningxuan and Yu Ningzhen's idol image was shattered, and their dark side actually stimulated their potential. In addition, the resources within the clan were allocated to them after Yu Caicai left, which led to their current achievements.

It's worth mentioning that since Yu Caicai left, 'that person's' name has become a taboo in Qingqiu, and no one will mention it.

Furthermore, it seems that some additional changes occurred afterward, causing Yu Caicai to deliberately avoid mentioning 'that person' in her speech now.

Therefore, Mellen did not know whether Yu Caicai had finally found happiness with her lover or if some other unexpected event had occurred.

After chatting for a while, Yu Yufan coughed lightly and said, "Elder Cai, you didn't return to Qingqiu this time just for idle chatter and catching up, did you?"

Yu Caicai nodded and, taking the opportunity, said, "That's right, this time I'm here to recommend a descendant to join Qingqiu."

Yu Ningzhen glanced at Yu Linglong, who was following behind Yu Caicai, and sneered, "Is this the little girl behind you? She only inherited a trace of Qingqiu bloodline and is not qualified to become a core member of Qingqiu at all."

Yu Linglong puffed out her cheeks. Although she knew it was true, she was still very angry.

Yu Caicai said calmly, "I'm not talking about Xiao Linglong, but another descendant."

As she spoke, Yu Caicai nodded slightly to Mellen, who then summoned Xiao Liuli.

This made the four men frown and scrutinize Mellen carefully.

Before Mellen revealed his aura, they only thought that Mellen was similar to Yu Linglong, both being descendants of Yu Caicai. However, they did not expect that Mellen would summon a fox, and this summoning method was obviously a contract!

When did the Qingqiu Immortal Fox Clan fall so low as to become someone else's contracted pets?!

More importantly, unlike Yu Linglong, a descendant of Qingqiu with a thin bloodline, they could sense a rich Qingqiu immortal fox bloodline in Xiao Liuli.

Thinking of this, the four elders' gazes toward Mellen turned hostile. In fact, if Yu Caicai hadn't been there, they would have definitely taken Mellen down first and then interrogated her thoroughly.

This applies even to Yu Yufan, who is not involved, and Yu Lianxue, who has a close relationship with Yu Caicai.

Yu Lianxue said solemnly, "Caicai, tell me what happened?"

Yu Yufan also said, "Elder Cai, even if she is your descendant, with such a high concentration of bloodline, you cannot arbitrarily decide her future!"

Yu Ningxuan and Yu Ningzhen glared at Yu Caicai with eyes blazing with anger, their anger stemming from a deep disappointment in her.

After they finished speaking, Yu Caicai said leisurely, "I forgot to introduce him. This is the true disciple of the Golden Jade Immortal Sect... Melon. If you are not too ignorant, you should have heard of his name."

The four of them froze, their gazes toward Mellen filled with surprise and uncertainty. In fact, although Mellen was already well-known in Yuheng Heaven, he was far from being able to spread his fame to Qingqiu in Ziyun Heaven.

Apart from Yu Lianxue, who was more concerned about external affairs and had vaguely heard of Mellen's name, the other three had no idea who Mellen was.

However, the identity of 'True Disciple of the Golden Jade Immortal Sect' itself carries a dazzling aura that is enough to make anyone take it seriously, because this identity represents a weight comparable to that of a True Immortal, and there is a high probability that one will become a strong figure among True Immortals in the future.

Although "arrogant at first, obsequious at second" is not a compliment, the four of them couldn't maintain their composure after learning about Mellen's identity. At the same time, they had to admit that becoming a contracted pet of such a being was not a disgrace, even for the Qingqiu Immortal Fox Clan; rather, it was a rare opportunity.

Thinking of this, Yu Yufan and Yu Lianxue couldn't help but complain about Yu Caicai, who finally revealed Mei Lun's identity, clearly wanting to see them make a fool of themselves.

Yu Lianxue suddenly smiled warmly and said, "So you are a true disciple of the Golden Jade Immortal Sect. Truly, heroes emerge from among the young."

These words helped to ease the previously serious and awkward atmosphere.

Yu Ningxuan said calmly, "Even if they are true disciples of the Golden Jade Immortal Sect, they cannot break the rules of my Qingqiu. Any member of the clan who wants to become a core member must undergo a test."

Yu Caicai said with a smile, "That is precisely the purpose of my return this time."

"Including me, five of the nine elders of the Elder Council have arrived. That should be enough to serve as witnesses. So let's discuss the test for Liuli."

Yu Ningxuan and Yu Ningzhen exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes. Judging from the current situation, Yu Caicai had clearly come prepared, but they were absolutely unwilling to let Yu Caicai gradually take control of the clan's voice.

Thinking of this, Yu Ningxuan suddenly said, "Since it is a test for the core clan members, I think we should follow the usual practice."

Yu Ningzhen's eyes lit up, and she agreed, "That's right, the Illusionary Heart Path is indeed a good method."

Upon hearing this, Yu Caicai did indeed show a look of doubt, because in her opinion, this test was not only not difficult, but it also felt like they were going easy on her.

Illusionary Heart Path is a unique area in Qingqiu, possessing a natural illusion array. When the Qingqiu Immortal Fox Clan first settled in this area, the natural illusion array played a certain role.

Over the countless years that followed, generations of ancestors in Qingqiu continuously improved that natural array, making it far superior to what it used to be. If its power were fully activated, even a True Immortal would be trapped inside, and even some Dao Lords who were not proficient in illusion techniques might be trapped for a short while.

Of course, such a powerful weapon involving the very foundation of a clan cannot be activated casually unless invaded by a major enemy. On ordinary days, only the reinforced natural formations are constantly in use.

Furthermore, the strength of the Illusionary Heart Path's illusionary array varies depending on the depth of its infiltration, making the Illusionary Heart Path also a place for the Qingqiu Immortal Fox Clan to cultivate and hone their skills.

In the past, there had been tests for those who used the Illusionary Heart Path as their core disciples; as long as they delved into it to a certain extent, they were considered to have met the standard.

However, the Illusionary Heart Path is just an ordinary, normal test. If this test is activated, it will be conducted according to past practices, which is completely different from the difficulties that Yu Caicai had anticipated.

However, Yu Caicai soon learned about Yu Ningxuan and Yu Ningzhen's thoughts.

Yu Lianxue said, "No! The current Illusionary Heart Path is too dangerous and cannot be used for testing."

Yu Yufan nodded and said, "That's right. Now that the Illusionary Heart Path has been overturned by the earth dragon and the earth veins are in great chaos, the Illusionary Heart Path has also fallen into chaos. The original gradual progress has disappeared. If you go in, you may even directly encounter the Heart Refining Illusionary Realm at the True Immortal level. It is too dangerous for anyone below the True Immortal level to enter it."

Yu Caicai frowned and said, "The current test of the Illusionary Heart Path is clearly beyond the standard. I have the right to refuse and request a different test."

Yu Ningxuan smiled and said, "Why change? Huanxin Path is the most suitable! There are only six months left until the end of this earth dragon reversal, you can wait a little while."