[Vol. 6] Chapter 257: The Revealed Trump Card
By the time the white fox girl unveiled her hidden forces and stepped out of the small ceremonial hall, the entire area outside had already been surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of Spirit Veil Tribe members, leaving no room to pass.
The moment the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden returned, her supreme divine consciousness instantly took control of the "island". A task that would normally require thousands of followers working together just to manage. With this burden lifted, all the Spirit Veil Tribe members were free to move and, without exception, immediately gathered at the scene.
"Welcome home, Young Lady!!!"
As she looked at the countless figures with fox ears kneeling in unison before her, Violet, who had already absorbed Dawn’s memories regarding this, was not surprised. Any slight discomfort was hidden behind her mask. After a long pause, she simply let out a faint, helpless sigh and gave a small nod.
"You've all worked hard. You did well. Leave the rest to me."
“Wahhh... Young Lady...”
The girls embraced each other, crying tears of joy, while even the usually composed male tribe members wiped their eyes with excitement. These followers, created by Dawn using her own bloodline as a template, not only possessed strength equivalent to mythical beings but also viewed the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden as their mother, adoring her with pure admiration and unwavering loyalty.
A thousand years might not be considered long for the immortal Spirit Veil Tribe, but it was still the first time they had been separated from their beloved "young lady" for so long, enduring the painful uncertainty of whether she would ever return. Yet, despite everything, they had continued to carry out the mission she left behind to the best of their abilities.
It would be a lie to say Violet felt nothing. Even though she was no longer Dawn, in some ways, she was another version of her, having inherited everything she left behind.
Although the Spirit Veil Tribe officially worshiped and followed the "Supreme Sacred Fox God," in reality, it was the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden who was their true leader. Violet had come to understand this deeply through various experiences.
Meanwhile, the lower world was still engulfed in a brutal war. While Violet had used her newfound memories and powers to summon the Celestial Guardian Army. Warriors created and trained by Dawn for this very battle a thousand years later, including Lucas and his subordinates, this force could only stabilize the situation and minimize casualties. To truly turn the tide, she needed to strike at the root of the problem.
She turned to the Spirit Veil elders standing at the front and casually asked,
"Did you retrieve it?"
"Yes, Young Lady. As per your instructions before you left, we recently sent people to the Xianxia Mountains, unsealed the hidden item, and brought it back. Oh, and we also happened to catch someone lurking near the entrance."
"?"
Violet was briefly startled but quickly understood.
There were almost no people in the [Ancient Spirit Realm] who would purposely go to such a place. Only one person came to mind.
"It doesn’t matter. Bring him along with the item."
"Understood."
The elders swiftly turned and left. Meanwhile, the white fox girl shifted her gaze to the only figure in the crowd who hadn't kneeled. A hint of amusement crept into her voice.
"It’s been a long time, Wu."
"For me, it really has been a long time. But for you, a thousand years is just a small fragment of your long life. After all, from what I remember, you’ve never changed."
"Heh, how rude. You’re still as terrible at conversation as ever~"
The speaker was a short-haired girl clad in vibrant armor, a crimson cape billowing behind her. Though she appeared mostly human, she had four arms and a third eye on her forehead. Despite holding no weapon, an overwhelming aura radiated from her. A presence so fierce and unstoppable it felt as if no one in the world could rival her.
Her name was Wu, a name given to her by Dawn.
Wu was not a native of the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. She was a survivor that the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden had rescued from another world on the verge of collapse. That world, known as the Martial Realm, thrived on combat. Battles were a way of life, and aside from the divine beings, its overall strength had once surpassed even the peak era of the [Ancient Spirit Realm].
However, uncontrolled power eventually led to disaster. The greatest warriors, manipulated by an unknown force, waged war against each other in pursuit of the path to true godhood, resulting in countless deaths.
That battle lasted for months, tearing mountains apart and shattering the land. The Martial Realm, already pushed to its limits by reckless energy consumption, finally collapsed. Natural disasters and strange calamities surged forth, leaving even the strongest warriors powerless to stop the downfall.
In less than a century, the once-prosperous world rapidly declined, eventually becoming nothing more than ruins.
When the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden arrived, guided by her intuition, the world was already at the brink of destruction. In the end, she found only one remnant of the Martial Realm. A divine embryo, still in the process of developing, yet never fully formed.
Wu inherited all the remaining power of the Martial Realm, along with its unparalleled warrior’s will. Dawn brought her back to Spirit Veil Immortal Island and personally raised and cared for her.
Now, she is known as [Wuqu], the strongest among the [Seven Hidden Stars], second only to the Supreme Sacred Fox God and the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden. She exists in a unique state. Not yet a god, but powerful enough to take on low level gods and still stand a fair chance.
During Dawn’s disappearance and Xiao Kong’s seclusion, Wu shouldered the responsibility of protecting the island. She was also one of the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden's most trusted confidants.
The girl called Wuqu stepped forward and casually bumped her elbow against Violet’s shoulder, grinning widely. The force was strong enough to send an ordinary person flying off the island in pieces, but for Wu, this was her unique way of greeting those she truly respected.
“The situation’s urgent, so I’ll skip the small talk. Now that you’re back in the [Ancient Spirit Realm], what’s the plan?”
Violet absorbed the heavy impact, silently grumbling that Wu still didn’t know how to hold back. She responded with a question of her own.
“Konghen is already fighting that guy, isn’t she?”
Even Wu wasn’t aware that the Fox God had split into two separate entities, but she did know her true name, a secret known to only a few. She nodded.
“You and she have both returned, and the war that was forcibly halted back then has resumed. A new Final Creation has already begun taking root in the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. A god needs to stop it.”
“I see… A new creation, huh.”
Something similar to the Taotie. A so-called [Sustainer] of the world. But something still didn’t add up. If these creatures were born from the power of the [Apocalypse], why did they call themselves Sustainers of the world?
Wu had no idea what Violet was thinking, but since she always followed the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden’s lead, she hesitated for a moment before asking cautiously.
“Should we go help? Or should I go while you stay and guard the island?”
The white fox girl shook her head.
“Konghen’s power is on par with those creations, and battles between gods aren’t something that ends in a day or two. Right now, we have something even more important to take care of.”
"Are you talking about... the evil spirits?"
"Yes. Is my music chamber still there?"
Without hesitation, the three-eyed, four-armed girl nodded, then smirked playfully.
"Of course. We've been taking good care of it all this time... Looks like, after a thousand years, we’ll finally get to hear the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden's celestial music again. How nostalgic~"
"You... since when did you start saying such weird things? Just go make the arrangements."
"Alright."
The Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden’s music chamber was the most important place on Spirit Veil Immortal Island, or rather on [World-Class Floating Shuttle Model 017]. It had another, more well-known name in the outside world, [The Supreme Sacred Fox God Shrine].
Why did the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden go to such lengths to create Spirit Veil Immortal Island, an enormous and magnificent construct with power rivaling that of a god when fully activated? Was it to establish a stronghold and build her own faction?
That was part of the reason, but the true purpose of Spirit Veil Immortal Island was something far more personal and critical. Something that served Dawn alone.
"It's been a while, old friend."
Standing in a vast, solemn hall adorned with intricately carved statues of nine-tailed fox god, Violet lifted her mask slightly, revealing part of her face. She smiled as she greeted the empty space before her.
A faint, ethereal response drifted from the void.
This was the very entity that had been revered by the world for a thousand years as the "Supreme Sacred Fox God." In a way, it could indeed be considered a god.
Spirit Veil Immortal Island was alive.
While it could not move of its own will, it had a consciousness. Just like how sacred artifacts possessed spirits of their own. Over the centuries, the island itself had played the role of the Fox God, issuing divine decrees and maintaining stability in the absence of the real Konghen, until now.
Actually, Ming Lianxin's understanding of the Spirit Veil Immortal Island was also limited to a one-sided view. It was not some special life form comparable to a deity...
This island was something the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden had personally created. Her own, exclusive divine artifact.