Though Yu Ji's expression remained gentle, her eyes were filled with tension. She was deeply afraid that she wouldn't be able to protect Roy from the nine-tailed fox before them, fearing that Roy might be injured or even face mortal danger here.
Since arriving in this world, Roy had never displayed power beyond mortal limits in his quest to uncover the flaws in human order. Though his feats on the battlefield already surpassed ordinary humans, for beings like Yu Ji, they were still within acceptable bounds.
Yu Meiren was ultimately shackled by her blood-sucking impulses, unable to unleash her full strength. Her current power was but a fraction of her prime—less than one-tenth—which was why she couldn't perceive the world-destroying magical energy Roy concealed within himself.
Because Yu Ji neither cared nor was curious about such things, she had never asked, and Roy had never explicitly told her. This wasn't deception.
Had Yu Ji truly asked, Roy would have told her everything without reservation.
Seeing Yu Meiren so concerned for him, Roy was deeply moved. He placed a hand on her delicate shoulder and spoke earnestly, "...Yu Meiren, you needn't worry about me. I'm confident I can protect my own life."
Hearing Roy's words, Yu Ji hesitated for a moment before choosing to trust him.
Roy didn't know exactly how strong the nine-tailed fox was, so he didn't speak too arrogantly. Even if the fox possessed power comparable to Scáthach of the Land of Shadows beyond this world, Roy's current strength was enough to escape with Yu Ji. That was why he remained so composed.
And since Yu Ji claimed she could preserve her life even with less than a tenth of her strength, thanks to her unique nature, Roy felt even more at ease—Yu Meiren would never lie to him.
Having come all the way to the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor, how could Roy possibly flee without even meeting the tomb's guardian? For a Campione like him, who had once ruled unchallenged in another world, that would be far too shameful.
'Besides, if this fox truly is a goddess, wouldn't that make her the perfect match for a Campione like me!'
His teacher, Scáthach, was a god-slayer—one who had erased even the existence of the ancient gods of this moonlit world. Inheriting Scáthach's techniques and power, along with the authorities of a Campione from another world, Roy no longer held any reverence for the word "god."
"Oh?"
The bewitching voice expressed surprise, as if intrigued by the interaction between Roy and Yu Ji. It rang out melodiously yet devoid of emotion, "...How curious. I wondered why Yu would bring a human to the Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum. Given your way of existence, you shouldn't interact with humans at all. To think Yu has actually fallen for a human—what a rare tale indeed."
Yu Meiren ignored the fox's words, listening as her voice echoed from all directions. Her silky, smooth hair fluttered without wind, and a terrifying amount of magic power—so vast it seemed connected to the entire world—boiled within her delicate frame. If real danger arose, she was prepared to unleash her full strength to protect Roy's life. This was precisely why she had agreed to let him stay here—because she had the power to safeguard him.
Though the consequences would be severe for Yu Ji, bringing her unbearable pain, it was all worth it. As long as her king remained unharmed, it was worth any sacrifice!
Such were her thoughts.
Yu Ji merely kept a cold expression, paying no heed to the fox's words, though her flawless, jade-like cheeks faintly flushed. Her silence was an implicit admission—she had indeed developed feelings and fallen in love with Roy.
"I thought Yu was the same as me, but it seems we're different after all."
Seeing Yu Ji remain silent, the voice soon lost interest but quickly giggled teasingly, "...Yu, you probably don't understand the affairs between men and women, do you? Why not let me teach you the arts of the bedchamber? It's a secret technique passed down from the Yellow Emperor himself~~"
Hearing the fox's words, Roy's interest was piqued. The later Medicine King Sun Simiao once wrote in Supplement to the Art of the Bedchamber: "In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor mastered twelve hundred women and ascended to immortality, while ordinary men exhaust their vitality with just one woman. The difference between knowing and not knowing—is it not vast? Those who understand the Way find that mastering women is not about quantity!"
From this, it was clear that the techniques created or passed down by the Yellow Emperor must have been an extraordinarily powerful form of sexual magic—akin to the sexual magic Roy practiced to acquire knowledge from others. It was likely the highest-grade secret art.
Roy was genuinely intrigued by this technique.
The moment his thoughts stirred, the fox sensed it. Her seductive voice giggled, "...Yu, your king seems quite interested."
Yu Ji was by nature hot-tempered. Hearing the fox's sultry tone and detecting traces of desire-stirring 'magic' in her words directed at Roy, she immediately burned with fury, "...Aah!! How infuriating! Where are you hiding, you fox? Come out so I can tear you to pieces!!"
"If Yu wishes to see me, then I suppose I must oblige."
No sooner had the words been spoken than Roy and Yu Ji saw a bewitching figure appear not far ahead. She wore a form-fitting palace gown, her tall figure curvaceous and alluring—especially the pronounced swell of her chest, so prominent it seemed ready to burst free, the exposed milky skin inviting thoughts of its softness.
The fox had long pink hair, elegantly pinned up, and golden eyes like dazzling gemstones. Her narrow, phoenix-like eyes narrowed further, exuding a dangerous aura—like a fox smug after a successful theft, hiding cunning and deceit.
Anyone who saw this woman would instinctively feel wary, yet she radiated an indescribable allure and sensuality, ensnaring those who gazed upon her in her carefully woven trap, captivated by her charm, forever sinking into the abyss.
Yu Ji's eyes flickered with doubt and suspicion, her expression seeming to tell Roy that she had never seen this fox before—this one was different from the one she remembered.
Then, both Roy and Yu Ji's gazes fell behind her, where they spotted a tail swaying behind the graceful figure of the woman.
That's right—only one tail!
....
"You're lying to me!"
Yu Ji erupted in fury. "...So she had already split her tails! You're just one of the tails she separated!"
Yu Ji now treated the woman before her and the true nine-tailed fox as two entirely different beings.
At the same time, she whispered quickly into Roy's ear, "...My lord, there's no need to worry. Since she has split her tails, she's no longer a threat! The nine-tailed fox is only a true goddess when she possesses all nine tails. Once she divides them, even if one retains eight tails, its strength would be roughly on par with mine!"
Her words made Roy realize—'Nine' was the ultimate number. The legendary nine-tailed fox was only at full power when all nine tails were intact. Once divided, whether it was an eight-tailed or one-tailed fox, their strength would be drastically reduced.
If the nine-tailed fox's power was at 100, then after splitting, whether it was an eight-tailed or one-tailed fox, their strength would likely be less than a tenth of the original. That was why Yu Ji said they were now comparable.
Their power had been reduced to less than a tenth!
The thought of being deceived by the fox's words and nearly fleeing in fear filled Yu Ji with shame and even greater fury. Without hesitation, the enraged Yu Ji lunged at the one-tailed fox, her intent clearly to tear it to pieces.
The fox smirked seductively, its figure vanishing like mist, leaving Yu Ji grasping at air.
Yu Ji's expression changed drastically as she cried out, "...My lord, be careful!"
Sure enough, the fox reappeared right beside Roy.
"Yu's way of thinking is still too naive!"
The fox reached out, intending to seize Roy and use him as leverage against Yu Ji.