Pretending To Be A Boss-Chapter 381 - 48th Chapter: The Queen Without a Crown_3

Exhaustion filled her eyes, but suddenly they widened with disbelief as Qing JiuYu stared at the ancient ape.

Her huge form even tried to struggle free from the shackles of the flames at that moment.

However, she was just too weak now, and all she gained was the pain of being scorched.

She kept shaking her head, unable to believe the words of the ancient ape.

Because only she herself knew how difficult it was to give birth to a nine-tailed creature, she had wanted to retire early on, but there was simply no one in the fox tribe suitable to take her place.

The ancient ape asked:

"It seems you have doubts about this?"

Then, the steward-like ancient ape turned its head and respectfully posed a question to the Ash Dragon in the Dragon language.

Qing JiuYu couldn’t understand, but she had a foreboding feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

It wasn’t long before the ancient ape turned back around and said:

"This was originally a secret of the court, but Lord Ash Dragon is merciful and wants you to die with understanding, so it has decided to tell you."

"Our Court of Ten Thousand Beasts has offerings from all tribes; these offerings are the most outstanding young of each species. The fox tribe indeed does not need to offer anything to the court, but the body of the previous generation’s fox tribe leader is in the custody of the court."

Fear crawled through Qing JiuYu’s consciousness like ants swarming from all directions.

Although she didn’t know why the Court of Ten Thousand Beasts would possess her father’s body, it certainly wasn’t for anything good.

"Among the experimental young of all the finest species in the Court of Ten Thousand Beasts, approximately nine percent of the species have evolved into advanced forms through the efforts of our ancient ape clan, including the fox tribe."

"You should know, many arrogant creatures, just like you, rely on their status as tribe leaders and steadfastly refuse to submit to the court."

"For this reason, we plan to prepare better quality, more obedient heirs for these tribes."

"Just a few months ago, when you were battling the Nvwa Snake leading the six-tailed ones, a six-tailed fox was captured by us unnoticed by your tribe.

Erasing its memory and establishing a new one is our specialty.

But completing evolution is a difficult task.

Even if we can expedite the evolution unnaturally, the process is still agonizing for that six-tailed creature.

It nearly died several times, but just when we were afraid that we would waste the material, it managed to survive and evolved into a nine-tailed fox demon. It was like the gods were helping us."

Qing JiuYu could not imagine such an outcome, which was too shocking for her to comprehend.

"The evolution project progresses slowly; we currently control sixty percent of the world’s species, but fewer than seven percent have successfully evolved. And these successes cannot be replicated, so of course, we have reasons to foster the successfully evolved puppets as the new kings as early as possible."

"It just so happens that you, Qing JiuYu, stand in opposition to the court, which is simply perfect for us. I believe the new nine-tailed fox demon leader will be willing to lead the fox tribe to bow down to the court."

Only then did Qing JiuYu finally understand the ambition of the Court of Ten Thousand Beasts.

The leader of a tribe is generally the highest evolved form of their species.

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Just like how the leader of the Hell Flame Wolves and the Cerberuses of Hell is the Great Tengu.

But this highest form of evolution is exceedingly rare, so most beast tribes have a succession line; as soon as a younger member of the highest evolved form appears, they are presumed to be the next leader.

Often, a leader doesn’t easily find a suitable heir until they are dead.

The Court of Ten Thousand Beasts, however, seized on this fact, ready to use various sinister experiments of the ancient apes to cultivate the highest evolved species, thus furthering their dominance over the beast tribes through brainwashed puppet evolutions.

These monsters seated upon thrones are not content with serving as the court of all beasts; what they want to be—

is the king’s court of all beasts.

"Lastly, let me say one more thing, honored former queen of the fox tribe. I’ve heard there is an impure presence in your tribe, a nine-tailed little girl who unfortunately is not able to succeed you. It’s a pity indeed. After your retirement, she might have been despised by the fox tribe, yet she was the only qualified heir. But now, that’s no longer the case."

"Did you know, when Lord Xuan Niao of the court told the fox tribe elders that the court had discovered a purebred, untainted nine-tailed fox at the foot of the sacred mountain, the excitement of your tribespeople? They practically forgot about you. You no longer have any support or pillar to rely on, and our puppet will soon become the king of the fox tribe."

Despair loomed over Qing JiuYu like the mountains outside the castle, pressing down layer upon layer upon her heart.

All this time, she felt she owed Qing Jiuyun and Xiao Ni.

One day in the future, she hoped that Xiao Ni would ascend to the fox tribe’s throne and become the next fox tribe queen after her.

But all of that was now shattered.

The Court of Ten Thousand Beasts detested humans even more than she did, and more than the elders of the fox tribe.

Xiao Ni is destined to become the strongest nine-tailed fox, but she will never gain the acceptance of her clan.

Qing JiuYu let out a piercing and unwilling fox howl, the prolonged howl filled with intense sorrow.

The ancient ape said,

"But there is still a way to save all this, as long as you now spill everything you know. As long as you tell the two lords what creature killed Lord Shiling and where it hides. Although you can no longer be the queen of the foxes, you at least can save your life. You might even return to your clan."

This was a true interrogation of the soul.

Qing JiuYu didn’t decisively give an answer; at this moment, she was indeed deeply tempted.

She began to seriously consider whether to reveal all of Tang Xian’s secrets or not.

The importance of Tang Xian’s life and her own, which mattered more?

The answer should have been obvious.

But at the end of her thoughts, Qing JiuYu saw Xiao Ni’s smiling face.

That six-year-old child, who had never smiled so happily before.

Because she looked human from birth, Xiao Ni’s childhood was filled with cold stares from her clan members. It was only after she encountered humans that anyone genuinely cared for her.

If she lost even those humans... How tragic would that be?

Suddenly, she remembered Tang Xian’s words— "There are two kinds of people in this world. Some are healed by the luck of their childhood for a lifetime, while others spend their lives healing the misfortunes of their childhood."

This stubborn woman still didn’t trust humans, still harbored hostility toward them.

But she believed in Tang Xian.

Tang Xian would surely give Tang Xiaojiu a childhood capable of healing a lifetime.

Light flared in Qing JiuYu’s weary eyes, and shaking her head, she said,

"I don’t know who he is, nor do I know where he has gone."

The ancient ape was puzzled. How foolish was this fox?

Not wanting to waste time anymore, after asking the Ash Dragon and the Plaguebringer, it then said,

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"Let the trial commence. Lord Ash Dragon will use flames, purging your contempt of the court with fire punishment."

The four fiery chains binding Qing JiuYu suddenly became violent.

As flame creatures, foxes naturally resist fire, but resistance does not equate to immunity.

There were many ways to kill her, yet the Ash Dragon chose the least efficient one.

It was simply to torment this fox.

Qing JiuYu, enveloped by the terrifying flames, let out a heart-wrenching, agonized howl.

The ancient ape, the Ash Dragon, and the Plaguebringer quietly watched the scene of a top-tier fire creature being burnt to death by flames.

But the fire that was becoming more ferocious suddenly froze for a moment.

In that instant, a cold wind swept through the great hall, whose temperature had surged dramatically.

The Plaguebringer and the Ash Dragon abruptly stood from their thrones, their gazes filled with vigilance.

A dragon’s roar shook the heavens, and the grand hall, comparable to the Dragon Palace of the deep sea, trembled slightly.

The hot flames cooled in an instant, and countless ice crystals, like sprouting seeds, began to grow incessantly, climbing over every column of the grand hall.

The great hall, scorching just a second ago, felt bone-chillingly cold the next.

The flames surrounding Qing JiuYu were also extinguished immediately.

As Qing JiuYu, covered in burns, saw the familiar face, she finally could no longer hold on. Her huge beastly form collapsed to the ground, and she said in a weak voice,

"Tang Xian... I haven’t betrayed you... They know nothing..."

As the snowstorm dispersed, a man and a dragon stood proudly in the center of the great hall.

Tang Xian stood beside Qing JiuYu, his expression tender as he softly said,

"Rest well. Everything you lost today, I will retrieve it all for you."