The Bull Demon King, upon witnessing the formidable power of his strike, felt somewhat embarrassed and said, "Old Bull didn't intend to kill anyone."

Bi Moon Crow, seeing the celestial soldiers harmed, shouted, "Audacious demon bull, how dare you slaughter the celestial troops!"

Looking down from his vantage point, the Bull Demon King, far from angry, laughed in response, "Do you think I should just surrender without a fight when you come to capture me? Ha-ha, celestial troops? You consider yourselves superior, but I see you as nothing more than insects and shrimp. What do you think about that?"

To the side, Wukong was secretly amazed. The Bull Demon King had improved both his aura and cultivation during his eight years of seclusion, truly embodying the principle of strengthening oneself through combat.

Meanwhile, Wei Fire Tiger and Ji Fire Leopard, unable to contain their anger, attacked the Bull Demon King from both sides. Wei Fire Tiger wielded a steel bone soft whip that moved unpredictably, while Ji Fire Leopard held twin wrist-mounted steel claws, their tips shimmering with a dark purple luster, a clear sign of deadly poison.

Having worked together for many years, their coordination was impeccable. Wei Fire Tiger led the frontal assault, while Ji Fire Leopard waited for an opportunity to launch a surprise attack from the side. Wei Fire Tiger's whip, a weapon he had clearly put much effort into, allowed him to exchange blows with the Bull Demon King, who was known for his immense strength.

The Bull Demon King, grinning widely, was pleased to find an opponent worthy of his strength. Known for his formidable power, it took him no more than a couple of exchanges to send Wei Fire Tiger's whip flying and leave his arms so numb he could hardly lift them. Ji Fire Leopard, on the other hand, found no openings in the Bull Demon King's tight defense and circled around fruitlessly looking for an opportunity.

Enraged, Wei Fire Tiger yelled, "What are you waiting for?"

Xin Yuehu and Fang Xin Rabbit joined the fray, one wielding a pink silk ribbon and the other a black jade medicine pestle. Along with Bi Moon Crow and Wei Tuzhi, they surrounded the Bull Demon King, forming a tight circle.

Unfazed, the Bull Demon King fought back vigorously, swinging his iron staff so rapidly that the six attackers dared not come close, hoping instead to exhaust his strength before making their move.

Wukong, watching from afar, understood their tactics and, wanting to prevent the Bull Demon King from falling into a disadvantage, stealthily approached with his golden cudgel in hand. He particularly disliked Ji Fire Leopard and struck him from behind. Despite Ji Fire Leopard's sudden sense of danger, he couldn't escape Wukong's premeditated attack. With a thud, Ji Fire Leopard was struck down, his life ending in an instant.

A wisp of Ji Fire Leopard's soul fled from his body into Wei Fire Tiger's arms.

The remaining five, shocked by the destruction of Ji Fire Leopard's physical body, realized the severity of their situation. Although Ji Fire Leopard's soul survived, capable of reincarnating with a new body in the celestial realm, this defeat cost him a millennium of cultivation.

Wukong revealed himself, laughing, "Brother Bull, how was that for a strike?"

The Bull Demon King retorted with a laugh, "You monkey, where were you hiding just now? You gave me quite the scare!"

Fang Xin Rabbit's pale face turned blood red with rage. After a quick exchange of plans through telepathy with the others, he, Xin Yuehu, Wei Fire Tiger, and Bi Moon Crow engaged Wukong and the Bull Demon King in battle. Meanwhile, Wei Tuzhi led several hundred celestial soldiers towards the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, causing the lesser demons to scatter in panic. Only the Four Marshals and the Seventy-Two Cave Demon Kings, along with a few brave demons, dared to confront the celestial troops.

Wukong sighed, realizing the celestial forces' intimidation was too great for ordinary demons to resist. He knew it was time to change their mindset.

Near the sea, on a cliff, Hu Yu and Hu Zhi enjoyed a quiet moment watching the sea, holding a plate of fresh fruits. Hu Yu always felt that her years on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit were the happiest of her life.

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As a young fox, she had lived a life of constant fear and hiding, always with one eye open even while sleeping. She witnessed her mother being captured by a demonic eagle and her father torn apart by a demonic wolf, which then looked at her with disdain, not even bothering to kill her.

Orphaned, Hu Yu struggled to survive in the wild, relying on decaying carcasses for food. As she grew, she learned to hunt small animals, her body became robust, and her fur glossy.

She realized she was no longer invisible to predators. Hunted and trapped, she endured countless dangers, including encounters with fierce beasts and cunning hunters.

Despite receiving advances from male foxes, she remained alone, questioning the point of companionship in a life so fraught with peril.

Then, one day, when she was cornered by two demonic leopards with no escape, she closed her eyes, resigned to the fate that had claimed her parents. At that moment, she was tired of the constant fear and chaos of her life.

Just when all seemed lost, he appeared, standing tall and majestic, his presence like a refreshing breeze, his eyes sparkling with vitality. He was her destined savior. Without any apparent effort, he drove away the two demonic leopards and saved her. To her utmost surprise and delight, he, too, was a fox.

His name was Hu Zhi, a fox demon of no small cultivation. He confessed, "From the first glance, I fell for you. And after the second, I knew I never wanted to part from you."

Hu Zhi, oh Hu Zhi, did you know? Just one look from you, and I was utterly defenseless.

Hu Zhi took me to his den, named me Hu Yu, and said, "Yu, you're so beautiful. If you could transform into a human, your skin would be as smooth and fair as jade, surpassing the snow in its purity."

That night was the most peaceful and sweetest sleep I had ever had in my life.

From then on, Hu Zhi taught me the ways of cultivation, hoping I could transform into a human form soon, eager to see me at my most beautiful.

Yes, humans do look beautiful, but they are even more cunning than us foxes.

I practiced with a fervor not aimed at transformation but at becoming stronger, to live a stable life.

Hu Zhi remarked on my intelligence, noting it took him five hundred years to reach his current level of cultivation, whereas I might achieve it in just two or three hundred. He spent his days gathering herbs and refining elixirs to aid my cultivation, and I did not let him down. On the 206th year, I finally achieved human form.

That night, we became husband and wife.

I could see in Hu Zhi's infatuated gaze that his love for me was genuine, and of course, I loved him just as deeply.

A woman in love is the happiest, and we spent our days in blissful affection, oblivious to the world.

This idyllic life was short-lived. One day, Hu Zhi returned from gathering herbs with deep wounds. He had been pursued by celestial soldiers and had barely escaped.

I had always thought of Hu Zhi as invincible, a mountain that could never fall. The sudden return of a long-forgotten sense of crisis overwhelmed me.

I realized, despite being infinitely stronger than I once was, living in peace was still an unattainable dream. Is it really so difficult to simply live?

That night, we changed our abode, leaving behind the den we had lived in for over two hundred years, an unforgettable night indeed.

After a few years of tranquility, I became pregnant.

Hu Zhi said, "Our child, being born of two fox demons, will be a hundred times more powerful than an ordinary fox."

A demonic fox fetus requires a great deal of spiritual energy, necessitating an increasing need for spiritual herbs. Hu Zhi ventured out daily to gather them.

Every day he left, I worried he would encounter a formidable enemy and never return...

Half a year later, my fears materialized. Hu Zhi messaged me in our unique way, saying he was injured and being pursued, advising me not to go outside and to find a new dwelling place after the danger had passed.

He also said, if he didn't return, I shouldn't wait for him...

How could I give up on Hu Zhi? Without him, what purpose would my life have?

I ran out desperately to find him, knowing all too well the loneliness of fleeing alone. If so, let me accompany you.

This time, our adversaries were too strong. Despite hiding for a day and a night, we were found. Hu Zhi, in a final act of desperation, self-detonated his inner alchemy, hoping to secure my escape. The bitterness in my heart was indescribable; against such power, all our efforts seemed futile. Even with a thousand reasons to live, they needed only one to refuse us that chance.

Indeed, though Hu Zhi severely injured our pursuers, we couldn't escape their grasp.

Then, the Bull Demon King appeared. Never had I seen such a powerful creature. Just one glance from him, and I was profoundly shaken.

He was a titan among titans, saving Hu Zhi and me with a mere thought. However, Hu Zhi, having lost his inner alchemy, reverted to his fox form.

It was then I realized, foxes really aren't as beautiful as humans.

We were brought to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, a paradise where demons lived in harmony, never fighting among themselves. They descended the mountain to capture humans with their magic, which seemed like great fun.

Now, the roles were reversed; I gathered herbs daily for Hu Zhi. Fortunately, the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit was rich in spiritual herbs, sparing me much effort. The quality of these herbs was excellent, and the baby in my womb grew stronger by the day, soon to be born.

After living here for eight or nine years, we hadn't faced any intrusion. The Bull Demon King and the Monkey King were incredibly powerful, besting even celestial generals. How did they cultivate to such strength? If only I could achieve that...

Today, hundreds of celestial soldiers dared to challenge the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. In the past, we would have been terrified, but now, we could sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

Indeed, the Bull Demon King was formidable, holding his own against six opponents. That mischievous monkey, launching a surprise attack from behind, actually killed a celestial general!

Trouble is brewing as a celestial general leads hundreds of soldiers our way. Hu Zhi, let's find a safe place for you.

Annotations:

Bull Demon King: A mythological figure often depicted as a powerful demon with immense strength, commonly featured in Chinese folklore and tales, especially in the "Journey to the West". The Bull Demon King is known for his rivalry with the celestial kingdom and his complex relationship with other demons and celestial beings.

Celestial Soldiers: In Chinese mythology, these are heavenly troops under the command of the Jade Emperor, tasked with maintaining order in the heavens and on earth. They are often depicted battling demons and other malevolent forces.

Wukong: Better known as Sun Wukong or the Monkey King, a central character in the "Journey to the West". He is known for his incredible strength, magical abilities, and rebellious nature against the heavenly order.

Mountain of Flowers and Fruit: The home of Sun Wukong, located in the East Sea. It is a place where many demons and spirits reside, often portrayed as a paradise for these beings.