Chapter 133: Doubts

Hu Mo spoke these words with effortless ease. He recalled his past life, or rather, the life before that, which he considered his most badass moment. Back then, relying on his numbers, he had stepped on a henchman who had betrayed the organization, smiling as he said, "Brother, what goes around always comes around!"

Thinking back on it now, he still found it incredibly satisfying.

Hu Baimei’s sobbing gradually subsided. She grabbed Hu Mo’s sleeve and wiped her face haphazardly, smearing her rouge until she looked less like a little fox and more like a little tabby cat. She didn't seem to care, smearing her tears and snot all over Hu Mo, which made him smile bitterly to himself.

She slowly moved away from him, calmed her emotions, and continued, "I held the lowest status among my siblings, mainly because of my father. But I never hated him, because he was just a pathetic man. After he had relations with the Matriarch, he was captured by the clan elders and executed using the clan’s most brutal punishment—the Devouring of Ten Thousand Souls. I was still in the Matriarch’s womb at the time, but I could clearly feel that heart-shattering pain."

"After I was born, I was immediately distinguished from my siblings. My strength was pathetic, mainly due to my innate talent; the royal bloodline I inherited was practically negligible. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't raise my cultivation. For over a thousand years, my peak strength was only that of a first-tier Level 7 War Beast. Once my energy dissipated, I became even weaker than others, and recovery took much longer." Hu Baimei gave a bitter laugh and shook her head; clearly, in her own eyes, she was already a failure.

"At that time, the only two people who were truly willing to get close to me were Xuejiao and Qiurou." Hu Baimei’s voice suddenly turned cold. Compared to the madness she displayed when she first mentioned those names, she was now eerily calm.

Hu Mo frowned, a chill settling in his heart. His intuition told him that those two foxes had certainly caused Hu Baimei immense harm.

"Don't be surprised at why my hatred for them is so intense and bone-deep; it is precisely because they were my best sisters. You surely haven't experienced this kind of pain. When you trust someone with all your heart and soul, only for them to stab you in the back, that feeling is truly unforgettable."

"Xuejiao and Qiurou were exactly like that. They were born a year before me, twin sisters, and my sisters in name. Their father’s status in the clan wasn't very high—in other words, he was among the lowest of the Matriarch’s male concubines. Because of this, these two sisters also held a low status in the clan. Perhaps because we shared the same plight, the relationship between the three of us was always very good." A faint smile appeared on Hu Baimei’s face, as if she had returned to that moment—the happiest time of her life.

Suddenly, her expression darkened, and she said coldly, "But these two sisters, whom I valued so much, colluded to ruin me!"

"In our Nine-Tailed Fox clan, no one except the Matriarch is allowed to enjoy men. If this taboo is broken, the most cruel punishment follows. I once stumbled upon something, and that event became my death warrant. That time, I went to visit those two sisters as usual. Before I even reached their quarters, I sensed a strong masculine aura. The women of our Nine-Tailed Fox clan are always very sensitive to men, especially men from other races; that feeling is even more pronounced. When I walked into the room, I saw a completely naked man lying on the floor, and my two sisters were preparing to absorb his primordial yang energy to satisfy their desires and boost their own strength."

Hu Baimei seemed to return to that day. With a bitter laugh, she continued, "When I discovered this, they begged me not to tell the Matriarch, as it would invite her wrath and lead to their total disgrace within the clan. Naturally, I agreed and kept it hidden. But the bitter fruit I reaped was this. The man remained unconscious, and they were afraid someone would discover him in their room, so they begged me to hide him instead, because of my status and the fact that few people visited my quarters."

"Sigh, come to think of it, I was also attracted to that man. Even though he was unconscious, the aura he radiated made one want to get close to him, despite him being human. I was possessed, and I agreed to hide him in my quarters. Who would have thought..."

"Who would have thought that within a few days, someone would raid your quarters and find him, right?" Hu Mo, who had been silent, suddenly held his forehead and let out a long sigh.

"I’m stupid, aren't I? You didn't expect a member of the Divine Beast clan to be so foolish, to be framed and played in the palms of others, right?" Hu Baimei said with a bitter smile, her self-mockery plain to see.

Hu Mo shook his head and said lightly, "It’s not that you’re stupid—that goes without saying; 'stupid' is practically your middle name. However, I think I should thank them. If not for them, you might still be that naive, which would be truly terrible."

Hu Baimei glared at him fiercely and snapped, "Talking to you is a waste of time. Anyway, I have no hope of revenge now, so what’s the point of talking about the past? I had originally intended to absorb your Wood-Fire Chaos battle power to raise my strength to a level where they would be forced to acknowledge me, and then return to the Nine-Tailed Fox clan. Now that all is lost, I can only serve as a slave by your side for the rest of my life, hoping for your mercy."

After letting out her inner thoughts, her earlier irritability and resentment had dissipated significantly. She held little hatred for Hu Mo; at the very least, he was the first person to listen to her heart’s troubles. Since she was willing to confide in him, it proved she no longer held much hostility toward him.

Hu Mo scratched his head, looking at Hu Baimei with some embarrassment, and laughed, "That’s truly a shame; I really should have surrendered my life to you. Sigh, I really owe you an apology!"

Hu Baimei burst into a laugh, a smile that could truly topple kingdoms.

Hu Mo froze, reacting with sudden vigilance as if recalling something. He asked softly, "Then, after you were expelled from the Black Demon Forest, what happened to that man? Do you know his identity, and how long ago did this happen?"

A strange feeling stirred in Hu Mo’s heart. Although it seemed absurd, the sensation grew increasingly intense.

Hu Baimei frowned, thinking for a long while before saying, "If we count from the time I saw that man, it’s been about sixteen years. I’m not entirely sure when he was brought into the clan. Later, after I was sentenced, the Matriarch took him away. I don't know how she disposed of him. But I doubt he lived long; his injuries were too severe—internal and external. If not for that, he would have been drained dry by those two sluts long ago."

She still felt that the slur was the most natural way to address them.

"Sixteen years ago? It can't be that much of a coincidence, surely not..." Hu Mo muttered to himself, causing Hu Baimei to frown in confusion as she watched him.

"Hey, what’s wrong? What do you mean by 'coincidence'? Do you know something?" Hu Baimei stared at Hu Mo, as if trying to pry the answers from his mouth.

Hu Mo shook his head and smiled, "Nothing, just letting my imagination run wild. Don't worry, I said I would help you get your revenge, and I will, but only when I have sufficient strength. The reason I claimed your soul essence was purely for self-preservation. After all, you know some of my secrets; if you were to spread them, I and the entire Hu family would be doomed. I hope you can understand that. You’re tired, so cultivate well here. Once your soul settles, I will unlock the seal in your body; it’s no longer needed, after all."

Hu Mo spoke casually, then walked toward the door with a slight frown. His heart felt heavy, as if something were stuck in his chest, which made him feel quite uncomfortable.

Hu Baimei watched Hu Mo’s retreating back with a look of confusion. After he left the room, she sighed softly and muttered to herself, "Help me get revenge? Can you really do it with your strength? Heh, just empty comfort."

When Hu Mo left the room, it was already pitch dark. He suppressed his doubts and unease, checking his internal state. His forced suppression of the charm technique had caused varying degrees of strain on his meridians and soul. However, with the addition of Hu Baimei’s soul essence, his soul injuries were healing quite rapidly. His meridians, nourished by the Three Treasures, were also repairing quickly. In just this short time, his injuries were mostly healed.

The moonlight spilled over him like flowing water, causing his battle power to hum with a sense of immense pleasure.

"A Level 3 Slaughter War King—that’s not an overly exaggerated jump," Hu Mo muttered to himself.

If anyone else had heard this, they would have had the urge to beat him into a pulp. An eighteen-year-old Level 3 Slaughter War King—this record simply shattered all genius benchmarks on the War Continent.

He walked forward a few steps and suddenly stopped by the pond. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he said calmly, "Uncle Fu, do you need something?"