Chapter 231: Chapter 212: Mount Veridia

Luna Sutton was stunned, forgetting to continue her fake crying.

She hadn’t expected this madman to relent so easily, and she stared at him warily: “What are you up to?”

Mael Valerius chuckled softly, pressing closer: “Does Luna not trust me?”

Suddenly, he leaned in, their noses nearly touching, “That fox lost three tails and now might not even cross the threshold of Mount Veridia. Even if they let him in, in the name of fellow disciples, he’d be mercilessly mocked.”

Luna Sutton’s heart was gripped with panic instantly. She pushed him away forcefully and sat up: “What do you mean?”

“The Nine-Tailed Fox reveres its tails.”

Mael Valerius leisurely played with her strands of hair, “Losing one tail weakens you by thirty percent, losing three tails leaves your power at less than twenty percent, and…”

He deliberately prolonged his tone, watching Luna Sutton’s face turn pale, “A fox with three lost tails… in Veridia, even the cubs could stomp on him.”

Luna Sutton clenched her fingertips tightly, her knuckles turning white, her heart felt as if it was being squeezed harshly, unbearably.

Suddenly, she flipped over, straddling Mael Valerius’s waist, staring intently at him: “Take me to Mount Veridia, right now.”

“Luna’s way of asking favors is indeed special.”

Mael Valerius’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his large hand encircled her waist, pulling her tightly.

Suddenly, he caught the back of her head, pressing down, their noses touching: “Kiss me first.”

“You…”

Luna Sutton ground her teeth in anger, glaring at Mael Valerius’s close lips, she steeled herself and closed her eyes to kiss him.

A fleeting touch like a dragonfly skimming the water.

Yet her head was caught by a dragon claw, deepening the kiss.

Her expression was a bit dazed, stubbornly she bit hard, the taste of blood spreading in her mouth.

Mael Valerius released her, licking the bloodstains at the corner of his mouth, laughing maniacally: “Luna’s biting habit hasn’t changed…”

Suddenly, he embraced her, transforming into a dragon.

Luna Sutton hadn’t even reacted when she was tossed onto the dragon’s back.

The sky-covering black dragon soared into the sky, shattering the vast clouds.

Meanwhile, atop Mount Veridia, miles away.

Kian Sterling stood quietly in front of a great hall, the wound at the severed tail had already formed a scab, but the agony of losing three fox tails was like a festering sore.

A young red-haired fox stood before him, nine red tails spread out like a fan behind him.

“A tail-less waste from the Lower Domain dares request to see Elder Radiant?”

The red fox’s gaze was contemptuous, his voice filled with mocking disdain.

Kian Sterling didn’t even lift an eyelid, he simply revealed the Nine-tailed Order: “Please report.”

“You…”

The red-haired youth’s expression changed slightly, raising his hand to knock down the token.

“Logan, who’s outside?”

A venerable voice came from within the hall.

Red fox youth Logan’s hand froze in mid-air, his expression unpredictable.

The hall doors suddenly opened without a breeze, and a venerable silhouette stepped out.

Kian Sterling looked up, his pupils slightly contracting upon seeing the newcomer.

Behind the elder floated nine snow-white fox tails, three of which glimmered with an eerie purple gold hue.

This is a sign of bloodline purity atavism, indicating the elder’s formidable power.

Indeed, worthy of the Main Sect of Aetheria, in terms of strength, bloodline purity, even the intensely rich Spiritual Energy in the air, it couldn’t compare to the Lower Domain.

“Elder Radiant.”

Logan hurriedly saluted respectfully.

The elder ignored him, slowly approaching Kian Sterling, his gaze fixed on Kian’s severed tail, suddenly speaking: “The three severed tails have Dragon Blood aura…”

He paused, squinting at Kian Sterling’s face, “Have you met that mad boy from the Valerius Family?”

Kian Sterling’s fingertips paused momentarily, he calmly put away the Nine-tailed Order: “Indeed, I encountered a Mad Dragon in the Lower Domain; that dragon abducted my female counterpart, we had a fight, not sure if it’s the one elder mentioned.”

Before his voice fell, the red fox youth Logan suddenly laughed disdainfully: “A low-class citizen from the Lower Domain deserves to fight with the Dragon Clan’s young master? Probably can’t even handle a single Dragon Scale—”

“Noisy.”

Elder Radiant’s fox tail swept lightly, sending the red fox youth flying several meters.

The elder’s skeletal fingers suddenly grasped Kian Sterling’s chin, his murky eyes flickering with purple-gold patterns: “You said the Mad Dragon abducted a female… is she extremely ugly?”

Kian Sterling’s heart moved slightly, yet his face showed no indication: “Does elder know Luna?”

Elder Radiant suddenly released him, chuckling, “It’s not that old man knows that girl; just that mad boy from the Valerius Family rejected the Phoenix Clan’s marriage proposal for a Lower Domain female, nearly becoming a Frenzied Beast, causing quite an uproar in Aetheria, and Veridia enjoyed quite the gossip because of it.”

Every time he remembers the Phoenix Clan’s old geezer’s ashen face, it brings a peculiar joy.

Hahaha…

Kian Sterling’s fingertips tightened, yet he continued to smile gently: “I see.”

Suddenly, he knelt on one knee, a sincere attitude: “I implore the elder to help me regain my strength, I wish to seek her.”

“You’re quite devoted.”

Elder Radiant’s fox tail swept over the ground, stirring up dust: “The Sacred Pool’s quota has been already divided among the bloodlines, but…”

He suddenly leaned close to Kian Sterling’s ear: “If you can win against the main sect’s disciples at the ceremony three days from now, the old man will make an exception and give you an opportunity.”

Kian Sterling’s pupils shrank abruptly.

The Veridia Ceremony is the Fox Clan’s highest-ranking competition, participants must endure nine waves of Heavenly Tribulation.

Given his current condition…

“What’s wrong, afraid?”

Elder Radiant straightened up, eyes full of sarcasm.

Kian Sterling suddenly chuckled softly, the Nine-tailed Order spinning in his palm: “Does the elder keep his word?”

“I have always been a man of my word.”

The old man turned and walked into the hall, his fox tail paused at the threshold: “Forgot to tell you, this ritual… life and death are irrelevant.”

“Logan, find him a place to stay. After all, he is Arthur Sterling’s grandson, don’t neglect him.”

The old man’s voice drifted from afar, as he had already crossed the threshold and entered the grand hall.

Kian Sterling stared at the old man’s disappearing silhouette in the hall, his gaze dark and unreadable.

He certainly understood this was Elder Radiant’s test, and was well aware that with his current state, participating in the ritual would be tantamount to suicide.

However, this was the only chance to restore his severed tail, even if it meant flirting with danger.

Logan Sterling crawled up, clutching his bleeding mouth, nine red tails exploded instantly: “A Lower Domain waste dares to covet the Sacred Pool?”

He suddenly lashed out with his tail, “Since you’re bound to die sooner or later, why not let me send you off now…”

As the red tail swept in, Kian Sterling’s palm suddenly ignited with a cluster of Purple Gold Fox Fire.

The moment the flame touched the fox tail, a scorching heatwave erupted.

Logan Sterling screamed in agony, tumbling backwards, his entire tail charred and curled.

“Purple Gold Fox Fire?”

He staggered to his feet, eyes filled with shock and horror, “How could a scum from the Lower Domain have Purple Gold Fox Fire?”

His aptitude within The Fox Clan’s main sect was considered decent, yet his Lifebound Fox Fire was still purple, not having evolved to the exalted Purple Gold…

A strong surge of envy arose in his heart.

A lowly wretch from the Lower Domain deserves to own Purple Gold Fox Fire?

Kian Sterling effortlessly extinguished the flame, the blood droplets sizzling as they burned on the bluestone slab.

He bent down to pick up the Nine-tailed Order, smiling slightly at the jealousy-twisted Logan: “Lead the way.”

Logan Sterling’s face was ashen, forced to lead the way with a sullen expression.

Inside the grand hall, Elder Julian Sterling naturally felt the commotion outside, chuckling softly, “A rather spirited one, actually awakening the Purple Gold Fox Fire, quite a remarkable talent. Pity he was born in the Lower Domain, and lucklessly encountered that mad Valerius boy…”

…

Kian Sterling followed Logan Sterling through the winding mountain path, Veridia’s Spiritual Energy was so dense it almost materialized, seeping along the hair into the body, soothing the mind and body.

Veridia not only boasted concentrated Spiritual Energy, but also stunning scenery.

“We’re here.”

Logan Sterling suddenly stopped, impatiently pointing his red tail towards a precariously perched bamboo house by the cliff edge.

The bamboo house hung in mid-air on three sides, the only wooden bridge connecting to the mountain path was long decayed, creaking in the wind.

Kian Sterling glanced at the swirling poisonous miasma below the cliff, the corner of his lips curved into a familiar gentle arc: “Is this the main sect’s hospitality? I am, after all, of the same clan.”

“A guest from the Lower Domain? Who’s to say you, a broken tail…”

Logan Sterling recalled his opponent’s Purple Gold Fox Fire, the word “trash” stuck deeply in his throat.

He snorted coldly, swinging his tail to break the last intact plank of the bridge, “Either stay here, or go down the mountain to feed the venomous insects.”

Suddenly, Purple Gold Fox Fire leapt from Kian Sterling’s fingertips, flaring up the red fox tail.

Logan didn’t notice his movement, suddenly leaping madly trying to extinguish the flames, but the fire behaved like a living creature, burrowing into the fur.

“Take me to Elder Radiant’s private residence.”

Kian Sterling spoke softly, his voice gently yet sinisterly persuasive: “Or I’ll throw you off the cliff now, I hear Veridia’s miasma specializes in eroding The Fox Clan’s tails?”

Logan Sterling’s face was iron-blue, begrudgingly taking him to Elder Radiant’s private residence and arranged a relatively clean guest room.

“Here it is.”

He rudely kicked the door open, pointing to the accommodation ahead, his expression foul.

Kian Sterling’s beautiful fox eyes glanced around, seemingly satisfied with the living conditions.

He dusted off his robe and walked in, suddenly chuckling as he passed Logan Sterling: “I heard the Red Fox lineage excels in brewing tea?”

His fingertip brushed over the opponent’s charred fox tail, “Remember to bring me a pot of Snow Ruo Chun tomorrow.”

Logan Sterling’s face turned extremely unpleasant as a discarded waste from the Lower Domain dared to savor Snow Ruo Chun?

Just as he was about to lash out.

Kian Sterling had already slammed the door shut with a “bang”.

In the dust falling from the door, a teasing voice faintly emerged: “Forgot to mention, I only drink freshly picked tender buds.”

“Lower Domain scum!”

Logan’s red tail lashed out, claws left deep marks on the porch pillar.

But remembering the marrow-burning pain of the Purple Gold Fox Fire, he ultimately didn’t dare to kick down the door.

Turning, he felt something sticking to his tail, cold like liquid.

He turned to look at his own tail, discovering a sticky black substance was seeping along the fur into his body, spreading through the blood.

“You actually carried snake venom…”

He gnashed his teeth, glaring at the tightly shut door before him, furious.

“Shh.”

Kian Sterling opened the door, pressing his fingertips to his lips, “Remember to bring the tea before the poison kicks in.”

…

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