Li Meirong stayed tight-lipped and arched one eyebrow. She was beginning to question Snowball's sincerity. Was it all an act?
Noticing the girl needed further persuasion, Bai Qingyue appeared more pitiful than ever, curling up into a ball in her arms as his "trembling" paws clasped her light blue sleeves. He was the very image of a falsely accused opposition, and thus, commenced the waterworks.
"Uwuuwuu...I was just trying to help!" He exclaimed as he faked his weeping.
Seeing her little Snowball looking so aggrieved, how could Li Meirong's heart not soften? Her eyes turned gentle once more. To wrong the people you care for was the worst thing to do in her book. She patted Snowball's shaking head, tweaking his ears playfully.
"Alright, alright! I believe you, it was an accident…" Li Meirong affectionately hugged Snowball against her chest and patted his back, causing his small body to press against her breasts.
"Y-you have to always believe Snowball!" The little fox demanded between pitiful sobs.
Shamelessly, Bai Qingyue completely disregarded his pride as a high god and waited to be babied by his wife. The more she indulges him now, the easier it would be to make her listen to his demands in the long run!
Just as he predicted, Li Meirong only spoiled Snowball further, her motherly instincts kicking in. She coddled the fox cub, "Always! I'll always believe you, so stop crying, alright?"
Sniffles. Sob. "A-alright…"
Feeling his favourite steamed buns against his muzzle, Bai Qingyue felt too content to continue his fake crying even if he wanted to. He rubbed his snout fervently against the soft "pudding" like surface, enjoying every moment.
If Chou were to be by her side right now, surely the man-eating plant would have warned her of the evil fox's plan of gobbling her up!
However, Chou remained in the dimension and Bai Qingyue was left to play around to his heart's content!
Finding the plant's absence peculiar, Bai Qingyue decided to ask Li Meirong if the plant turned into a crispy fried dish in the lava. He sniffed and imitating the vegetable dish, asked sweetly, "Master, your plant spirit...Did he disappear?"
"Oh no, turns out your master is not so useless! I have a dimension of my own now! I left Chou there along with Feng Huang, your new sibling. I'll let you meet both of them in the dimension after we reach my sect. After all, you are all like my babies, I need to take good care of you!"
"..." Snowball stayed silent. All his good feelings fluttered away like the wind.
There was too much to digest. Bai Qingyue needed a moment. The plant spirit is still alive. Simply wonderful. Now there's another pest? He just reunited with his wife, why are the nuisances accumulating?!
And what do you mean babies? We haven't made any babies yet, I should know, I'm your godd*amn husband!
"You..!" Snowball nearly growled out. After processing all the information, it was difficult to remain calm. Bai Qingyue inhaled and exhaled deeply, curbing his rage.
Adorable. Act adorably.
Li Meirong looked at the little fox in her arms, his sudden outburst made her focus on him as she kept walking through the forest. She was still so far away from her hut, but luckily she had an aura preventing most animals and spirits from approaching.
She asked in surprise, "What is it, little Snowball?"
"Can you explain to me what happened? Who are my new...siblings?"
Li Meirong provided a lengthy explanation, mentioning Chou's lost limb and his coma. Her meeting with Feng Huang after falling into the volcano, the dimension, her connection with the blue flame and her cultivation ascension. She ended the story with the blood contract she had made with Feng Huang, making her a familiar in the same manner Chou was.
Bai Qingyue couldn't believe his ears. He knew that Li Meirong did not have knowledge of cultivation before, but the girl was utterly clueless! How did she even survive all this time? A mix of emotions coursed through his little body. On one hand, he was delighted she managed to connect with his inner energy and on the other hand, a sharp thorn pricked his heart. Li Meirong's jeopardy was nearly a fatal mistake and he was to blame. Bestowing his girl with a god's cultivation when she was nought but a mere mortal. Bai Qingyue felt grateful Li Meirong managed to overcome the challenge and absorb the Foxfire as her own.
His absence and haste have wronged his wife. He had to hurry and finalize their bond, as to ensure that she would always be kept under his careful watch.
As Li Meirong finished her tale about the blood contract with Feng Huang, a brilliant idea brewed inside of Bai Qingyue's calculative mind.
Snowball's voice was thick with honey as he asked, "Master, I'm a spirit too. You need to make a blood contract with me!"
Li Meirong stopped on her tracks as she realized her mistake. She walked for so long in the darkness that she hadn't even noticed the dawn of a new day and the dim rays of light filtered through the crowded trees.
Snowball was right! And not to mention the way Feng Huang and Chou kept chattering about how helpful her blood was to them, wouldn't it benefit Snowball and help heal his wounds?
"Yes! Let's make the contract right away." She nodded enthusiastically as a beautiful smile bloomed across her jade-like face.
Bai Qingyue felt his heart melting in his chest. His golden eyes were glued to her dimpled grin. He felt as though his breath got stolen just from seeing her smile.
His desire to make her his own only grew stronger.
Even if he had to lie.
The end will justify the means!
Coughing to clear his thoughts, Bai Qingyue continued with his plans, knowing that his bride was unknowledgeable of the heavenly rules and proceedings only made it that much easier.
Faking a cute behaviour, he said, "Ahem. With fox spirits, the contract has to be done differently. We must first begin by bowing to the heavens and earth…"