Chapter One: The Fox Immortal

Drowsy and half-awake, Xie Ying suddenly felt a cold chill on her neck—a sharp sword intent pressed against her throat. Her eyes flickered with confusion, and she froze for a moment. The icy sensation swept through her whole body, and as she looked up, she never imagined the one holding the sword to her neck would be a man so beguiling that she couldn’t look away.

Xie Ying narrowed her eyes; this man felt more like a seductive demon than anything else.

He wore splendid purple robes, half loosened at the waist, and beneath them a thin, gleaming white tunic showed faintly through. The amber candlelight cast crystalline shadows across his snow-pale jaw, and half his face was hidden behind a gold filigree mask—a beauty too profound to be dismissed as merely handsome.

Such a man was indeed a feast for the eyes, but…

If only he weren’t holding a sword at her throat, Xie Ying might have enjoyed the view. As it was, the situation allowed no such idle pleasure.

Suddenly, Xie Ying felt as though her mind had been forcibly stuffed with something, and a mechanical voice echoed in her head.

“Congratulations on entering ‘The Demon Emperor and the Young Sovereign,’ binding to the role of Xie Yingying.”

“The Demon Emperor and the Young Sovereign” was a male-oriented novel. Bai Shengyun was its protagonist, endowed with extraordinary luck and intellect far beyond ordinary men. He grew through countless life-and-death trials, ultimately becoming a legendary genius known throughout the world, attracting the love of innumerable beauties.

Xie Ying could never have imagined she’d experience the fabled phenomenon of transmigrating into a novel.

In fact, not only had she paid to read the entire book, she’d repeatedly written long, glowing reviews for the author. She’d only occasionally griped about certain plot points in her heart—so how could she have ended up inside the story? Surely, she wasn’t the only one who’d ever complained.

Xie Yingying’s silence caused Bai Shengyun—the man whose face was at once alluring and faintly disdainful—to darken completely.

He spoke with a cold, thunderous voice: “What are you trying to do?”

The masked beauty’s deep voice rang in Xie Yingying’s ear, laced with anger yet irresistibly seductive, the timbre so pleasing it was almost intoxicating…

Xie Yingying was a total cannon fodder character, occupying a single chapter, the first to die.

She was a member of the evil sect and the renowned beauty of the cultivation world, nicknamed “Xie No Cultivation” for her unconventional ways after following the Path of Passion—never cultivating for strength, beauty, or virtue.

Alas, cannon fodder remains cannon fodder, no matter how lovely. Her sole purpose in the original story was to serve as a backdrop for the male lead’s demon-slaying act, facilitating his encounter with the heroine and highlighting her pure, ethereal charm.

Recalling the plot, Xie Yingying’s eyes clouded with thought. Her jade-like fingers curled fiercely, nails digging into her palm out of sight.

Her expression remained calm, striving to maintain the original heroine’s persona.

“Hmm?” The masked demon man was oblivious to Xie Yingying’s inner turmoil. He regarded the silent woman coldly, his deep voice betraying his anger.

This man, of course, was Bai Shengyun, the male lead of “The Demon Emperor and the Young Sovereign.”

And what else would you expect from a protagonist? Even his anger was wickedly domineering.

Bai Shengyun—just listen to that name: Shengyun, meaning brighter than sunlight. Clearly a peerless beauty, blessed with heaven-defying prowess and legendary skill, yet he’d long ranked among the most unpopular male leads, thanks to his dark, cold-hearted persona.

He’d allowed himself to be captured by cannon fodder for two reasons: to lull the immortal sect into letting him infiltrate their ranks, and to weaken the evil sect from within.

He hadn’t killed her yet—he was waiting for the immortal sect’s useless disciples to rescue the dual cultivation materials she’d seized. As soon as the signal came, his sword would fall without mercy.

Xie Yingying took several deep breaths and spoke in the gentlest voice she could manage: “Wait, let’s talk this over. If I’ve done anything wrong before, I admit my fault! If you’re dissatisfied, I still have many treasures on me.”

Feigning weakness, Xie Yingying carefully observed her surroundings, searching for a chance to escape.

From what she knew of the original novel, this male lead would never let her go.

Her priority was to stall for time—if she could drag things out, maybe she’d have a chance to run.

After all, in the original, she was a cannon fodder destined to die within a chapter.

The Xie Yingying who’d just been sweet and tender now babbled incoherently, prompting Bai Shengyun to raise an eyebrow, expressionless. “Have you overdosed on medicine?”

Speechless, Xie Yingying couldn’t find an answer.

She quickly searched her memories—she’d seduced many from the Sword and Medicine sects, and even kidnapped the male lead, rumored to be the Immortal Lord of the Immortal Sect. For fun, she’d taken some aphrodisiac.

The original was truly a butterfly in a field of flowers, leaving only dew and rain behind.

Xie Yingying’s lips twitched, then she hit upon a clever idea.

Facing the sword, she lifted Bai Shengyun’s mask and said, “They say the Young Sovereign of the Heavenly Fox Clan is a beauty who brings calamity. May I see the Immortal Lord’s true face?”

Beneath the mask was a mesmerizing demon—fox eyes shimmering with starlight, ink-dark brows, and at the center of his brow, a crimson beauty mark.

Bai Shengyun was caught off guard by Xie Yingying’s unexpected move; she pressed him down, and now they lay on a bed, one atop the other, the air thick with ambiguous tension.

She locked fingers with him; his hands were long, pale, and dryly cool in her palm.

In a flash, their eyes met. Xie Yingying gazed down at Bai Shengyun; his fox eyes held too many emotions, and in that moment, she lost herself once more.

Driven by impulse, she lowered her lips—this kiss was both intoxicating and fresh as spring water.

She already knew words would never sway Bai Shengyun—her bold action was meant to disarm him and snatch away his sword.

Almost instantly, Bai Shengyun kicked her off, donned his outer robe, spat harshly, and even rinsed his mouth three times before he was satisfied.

“How did you see through my identity?” Bai Shengyun’s long, deep fox eyes locked onto Xie Yingying, though his trembling lashes betrayed his surprise.

“I’ve cultivated the Path of Passion since childhood, but I’ve read many ancient texts, especially those detailing forbidden secrets.” Xie Yingying lied fluently, edging toward the window. “I discovered the secrets of the Heavenly Fox Clan in my master’s journal.”

“Don’t try to fool me. You were just a whining fool before, and now you suddenly call me Heavenly Fox Young Sovereign? Clearly something tipped you off, and you’re babbling to pique my curiosity and buy time. You know I could kill you in an instant.” Bai Shengyun set down his cup, steam curling from the rim.

He smiled wickedly. “But if you tell me the truth, I might let you die with your body intact.”

Bai Shengyun possessed all a fox’s cunning; if not for her bizarre transmigration, his explanation would have been perfectly logical.

Whether in the original or now, he was ever wise and ruthless.

“Thank you for your kindness, Young Sovereign, but we’ll meet again never.” Xie Yingying, who had been waiting for her chance, had already reached the window and opened a crack.

Below, the street stretched wide—a chance for escape lay before her.

She stood at the window, glanced back with a smile—her unique allure matched the peerless confidence of the moment. The night wind stirred her hair, painting a vivid, sensual scene.

At that moment, Bai Shengyun looked at the sly and triumphant Xie Yingying with a flash of disdain. In an instant, powerful demonic energy surged forth.

He descended on her like a phantom, pinning her shoulder, the force gathering beneath his hand—he could turn her vibrant life to bones in mere moments.

But then, Bai Shengyun abruptly halted his attack, his face registering disbelief. He froze for a moment, then the struggle in his gaze gave way to resolve, as if he’d made some momentous decision.

The next instant, his eyes bore into Xie Yingying—dark and unreadable, leaving her uncertain of his thoughts.

He withdrew his attack, and with a leap, transformed into a white fox, pinning Xie Yingying beneath him.

She fought desperately, hands, feet, even teeth, until she glimpsed herself reflected in the fox’s eyes—her cheeks flushed like spring blossoms.

As a fox, Bai Shengyun had shed all his human allure and menace, resembling a fluffy, warm, ordinary dog. His soft fur revealed pink pointed ears, his large wet eyes blinked innocently, and his bushy tail swept back and forth.

Heaven knew she had no resistance to such creatures; she laughed and reached out to stroke the fox’s head.

The white fox not only didn’t bare its teeth—it nuzzled her palm affectionately.

Could it really be a dog?

Yet soon, Xie Yingying changed her mind. The drugs she’d taken earlier began to take effect, her body burning as if surrounded by a thousand furnaces, scorching her to the bone.

“Don’t move. Let me help you neutralize the effects,” Bai Shengyun’s cool voice murmured at her ear, like a feather brushing her skin, lulling her into a daze.

The white fox let out a muffled cry, shaking its wind-blown fur, its form bathed in moonlight—a strange, haunting beauty.

Xie Yingying was entranced by the fox’s unique charm, her mind growing hazy, her last coherent thought—

This plot is all wrong. In the original, the male lead would never kindly help her—so what has changed?