Moyu's breath hitched.
The fox stepped forward, its gaze steady, voice like silk drawn over a blade.
> "You've already led me there."
Moyu blinked. "What…?"
The fox's smile didn't change.
> "The clan treasury, of course."
Moyu's stomach turned.
> The treasury… That's what it wanted all along. That's why it killed the elders. It broke through our defenses just to reach—
But the fox kept speaking, not giving him the chance to finish that spiraling thought.
> "As long as you comply," it continued, voice smooth and low, "I'll take what I came for and leave. No more lives need to be lost."
The words hung in the air, heavy and cold.
> "But if you resist… if you try anything foolish..."
The lizard on its head flicked its tail once, staring with glowing gold eyes.
The fox didn't need to finish.
Moyu already knew.
They walked in silence.
Moyu led the fox through a narrow corridor behind the inner hall—just a service route to most, but midway through, he stopped.
There was no door. Just bare stone.
He extended two fingers and pressed them against the wall. A light tap of Qi—a specific pattern, passed down only to the clan head.
The air warped faintly. A shimmer.
A concealed formation collapsed with a soft hiss, and a narrow stairwell revealed itself, descending into darkness.
The fox didn't comment. It just followed.
They moved downward—stone steps, worn smooth with age. No carvings. No markings. Just dust and cold air.
At the bottom, Moyu halted before a simple circular slab of stone set into the wall.
He pressed his palm to the center. No light. Just pressure, deep and ancient.
There was a low, grinding sound. The stone shifted, rotating slightly, and then slid aside.
A stale, sealed-in air met them—quiet, heavy, untouched.
The Shen Clan Treasury.
Inside, The treasury wasn't filled with weapons or grand artifacts. Just rows of shelves lined with storage jars, plain pill boxes, bundled spiritual herbs, and sealed cases of spirit stones. Everything was organized, practical—meant for use, not admiration.
The fox's eyes gleamed, turquoise light flickering like flames as it took in the pill bottles, boxes of herbs, and spirit stones stacked neatly on the shelves.
eyes gleaming.
A grin spread across its face—sharp, satisfied.
> "All this treasure…"
It gave a quiet chuckle, tail flicking once behind it.
> "I knew the Shen clan were hoarders, but this…"
> "More than I expected."
It reached out, paw hovering just above a tightly sealed Jade box.
> "Earth-grade high-tier. have You just been sitting on this for decades."
It clicked its tongue, amused.
> "What a waste."
The lizard on its head made a soft clicking sound, eyes wide as it leaned forward to staring at the box.
The fox laughed under its breath glancing over at Moyu.
> "Don't worry, I'll take only what's useful.
After awhile
The fox finished stuffing the last of the spirit stones into its pouch, its face lit with obvious satisfaction. Its eyes still gleamed as it cinched the pouch shut with a flick of Qi, looking almost giddy.
Then it turned toward Moyu.
The smile remained, but there was a shift—just under the surface.
> "Alright. That's that."
A pause.
> "Now… let's get on to the other one."
Moyu's brow furrowed. He tensed.
> "The other one? What are you talking about?"
The fox's smile didn't waver. But its eyes turned flat.
> "There's always a second vault. An inner treasury or Is it called an inner vault. One only the clan head knows."
A pause. Moyu didn't move.
> "You're going to show me that one too, aren't you?"
Silence stretched between them.
Then, softly:
The fox's expression didn't change.
But its eyes did.
The gleam vanished—replaced by something sharp and flat, turquoise turning cold.
> "I told you," it said quietly. "As long as you comply."
> "I get what I want, and I leave—no one else has to die."
A pause. The fox tilted its head slightly.
> "But if you don't…"
The lizard's tail flicked once. Silent. Watching.
The rest didn't need to be said.
Moyu's throat was dry.
A second vault. Of course it would assume there was one. And it was right—there was.
apart of the Elders and Only me the clan head that knew of it there's on one else
That was the true legacy of the Shen.
The first treasury was just that—a treasury. It held the clan's resources, the tools for cultivation and survival. But it wasn't the heart.
But how did
It knew.
And worse, it was patient.
Cold seeped into his bones—not from the underground air, but from the quiet certainty in the fox's voice.
> If I show it the vault, the clan survives… but our foundation is gone.
> If I refuse…
His eyes flicked to the creature on the fox's head—the lizard, watching him with those still-glowing golden eyes.
> No more lives need to be lost, the fox had said.
But it hadn't promised his life.
And it hadn't said what would happen if he complied… and the fox still came back later for more.
He swallowed, heart pounding like fists on a war drum.
> I only need to comply.
> it's not like I has any other option right now.
He forced himself to breathe.
Then turned to face the fox fully.