Chapter 659: Tiger Demon Emperor's Cave Residence

She remembered.

She had been lazy the previous night, undressing and getting into bed without lighting a lamp. So, saying she had climbed into Jiang Fan's bed... seemed accurate.

But women are never wrong.

"Then what about last time, when you peeped at me bathing?" Consort Yunxia glared at Jiang Fan in anger. "Despicable, shameless, lewd!"

"I..."

Jiang Fan had no retort. That incident was impossible to explain away. He waved his hand. "Then we're even! I accidentally stumbled into your spirit pond, and you accidentally climbed into my bed. No one is at a disadvantage. Put away your demon core."

Consort Yunxia moved her wrist, which Jiang Fan was still gripping tightly, and said, "Then aren't you going to let go?"

Only then did Jiang Fan realize he was still pressing Consort Yunxia firmly beneath him. His face flushed, and he quickly released her. He then rolled to the side and swiftly dressed himself.

Consort Yunxia's face also reddened. With a slight parting of her rosy lips, she took the large demon core into her mouth. Then, with her back to Jiang Fan, she rustled as she dressed.

However, the more she thought about it, the more something felt wrong. What did he mean by "even"? She was clearly the one who had been at a disadvantage both times! That scoundrel Jiang Fan even dared to act aggrieved?

She gnashed her teeth and fumed, "I don't care how you got here. While my clan members are still asleep, leave immediately! And never let me see you again!"

If her clan members found out that she had spent a night with a man, she wouldn't be able to explain it even if she jumped into the Yellow River!

Jiang Fan pursed his lips. "I don't want to see you either. If it weren't for expediency, he wouldn't have come to this godforsaken place!"

"You!" Consort Yunxia's teeth ground together audibly.

Knock, knock—

Just then, the knocking sound that made her heart pound began without warning.

"Yunxia, are you in there?" A frail old woman's voice drifted in.

Consort Yunxia jumped, saying, "Clan Elder? You... why are you here?" Her heart immediately plunged into chaos. Her scream must have alerted the Clan Elder, who had come to investigate.

"It's nothing, just came to see if you rested well. Is it convenient for me to come in?" the Clan Elder, leaning on her staff, spoke hoarsely.

Jiang Fan's scalp tingled. Through the stone door, he felt as if a pair of incredibly deep eyes were fixed on him. It gave him a strong sense of suffocation. This Clan Elder was likely no simple person!

Without waiting for Consort Yunxia to urge him, he donned his Tortoise Breath Cloak, even without fully dressing, and stood motionless by the wall.

Consort Yunxia secretly panicked. If the Clan Elder found out about this, the consequences would be unimaginable. She glanced at Jiang Fan, who was still invisible. Although his form and aura were concealed, the blood energy surrounding him could not be hidden.

Having no other choice, she unleashed streams of demonic power, filling the room. This would interfere with the presence of the blood energy.

"Yunxia?" the Clan Elder inquired again.

Consort Yunxia quickly responded, "Oh, I'm coming." She stepped forward and opened the stone door. Outside the door stood a hunched old woman with white hair, wrinkled skin, and a black dress, leaning on a staff. Her expression was rigid and humorless. She exuded an air that warned others to keep their distance.

"Clan Elder," Consort Yunxia said, feeling deeply uneasy.

The old woman showed a flicker of concern. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Consort Yunxia's heart fluttered even more, but she showed no outward signs of unease. "Quite well, thank you."

The old woman stepped inside the room and said, "Come in, I have something to discuss with you."

Consort Yunxia's heart eased. She had thought the Clan Elder discovered something. She glanced around, saw that the other clan members were still asleep, and completely relaxed. Closing the stone door, she turned and re-entered the room.

"Clan Elder, what are your instructions?" Consort Yunxia asked, looking at the Clan Elder seated on the stone stool. Her heart gave a slight flutter. Jiang Fan, still invisible, was hidden only a body's length away. The Clan Elder could easily touch Jiang Fan with a casual stretch of her arm.

The old woman said, "It's time for you to visit the Tiger Demon Emperor's cave abode. If you miss it, you'll have to wait another five years."

Consort Yunxia's expression darkened, and she gave a bitter smile: "My last attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul stage failed, and I'm plagued by karmic energy. Even if I encounter another opportunity to break through, it will be useless, unless I can completely cleanse myself of this karmic energy."

The Tiger Demon Emperor's cave abode only opens briefly every five years due to a flaw in its array formation. Only then can one seize the opportunity to enter and seek fortune. In a few days, the flaw will reach its maximum extent. This is the only chance to enter.

The old woman gently tapped her staff, saying meaningfully, "You must strive for things; don't wait. Life is like a journey. You complain that a carriage is too crowded and want to wait for the next one. The next one is also crowded, so you wait again. By the time you finally board a carriage and start moving, others have already reached their destination and enjoyed the scenery. Cultivation is even more so. Opportunities are never waited for; they are seized!"

Consort Yunxia bowed slightly. "Yunxia has been enlightened. Yunxia will depart for the Tiger Demon Emperor's cave abode soon."

In her heart, she felt nothing but bitterness. The Tiger Demon Emperor's cave abode is divided into an outer and an inner dwelling. Anyone can enter the outer dwelling. It has opened over ten times in the past fifty years. She entered once when it opened five years ago, but she quickly retreated. She found that the stone lions along the path had been touched so much by previous visitors that they shone. Evidently, countless people had entered during the past fifty years. How many useful resources could possibly be left inside? Indeed, this was the case. In the last twenty years, it had opened four times. No one had ever been heard to gain any fortune in the outer dwelling. All important resources were in the inner dwelling.

But the inner dwelling... they couldn't enter. Only the twenty-four Silver Pill Scrolls forged by the Tiger Demon Emperor could open it. A Silver Pill Scroll would disintegrate after a single use. Over the past fifty years, ten Silver Pill Scrolls had been used. The remaining ten had long since gone missing amidst the historical upheavals of a sixty-year cycle.

The old woman nodded slightly. She took out an object wrapped in red cloth from her robes. "Man's will can conquer nature. If you dare to try, this item will not be buried in obscurity. Take it."

Consort Yunxia paused, then took the object. It felt surprisingly heavy in her hand. She unfolded the red cloth. What met her eyes was a shimmering silver metal plate! It was palm-sized and radiated a brilliant silver light! Demon script was etched upon it. What else could it be but a Silver Pill Scroll?

"A Silver Pill Scroll?" Consort Yunxia said, her voice filled with disbelief: "Clan Elder, how can there be a Silver Pill Scroll among our clan? Who gave it to us?" This Silver Pill Scroll absolutely did not belong to the Silver Fox Clan. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been left sighing in despair when the abode opened five years ago.

The old woman said hoarsely, "A venerable person from the Demon Imperial Court."

Consort Yunxia immediately became wary. "Which venerable person? Why would someone give our clan such a precious item?" If used well, a Silver Pill Scroll could change a clan's destiny. If a heaven-defying fortune were found, it might lead to the resurgence of a Demon Emperor, just like in ancient times. A second Demon Emperor could appear among the demon race!

The old woman's ancient eyes were calm and profound. "Don't worry, he bears no ill will towards our clan. Of course, he has no particular goodwill either. Just take it and use it."

Consort Yunxia considered this, then, filled with excitement, placed it into her robes. This was not merely a Silver Pill Scroll. It was also her hope for a second attempt at the Nascent Soul stage!

Cough, cough...

The old woman suddenly began to cough violently, spitting out faint traces of blood.

Consort Yunxia's expression changed. "Clan Elder, wait a moment! I'll go to your room for your medicine right away." She departed swiftly.

The old woman watched her back disappear into the distance. Then she slowly turned her head, fixing her gaze on the empty air beside her, and said hoarsely: "Now, it's time for us to talk. Young man."