“Tell me little fox,” Jin continued his interrogation. “Do you hate the Evil Sects and Clans that killed your parents?”

Mei Hua gaped at him for asking such an insensitive question. Jin shrugged slightly in response.

The fox instantly swallowed her grief and exclaimed with a vicious, but adorable expression; “Yes, I hate them to bits!”

“Do you hate all Evil Factions, even the ones that didn’t kill your parents?”

“Jin!” This time Mei Hua smacked his arm.

Jin only rubbed the spot where she’d hit, but otherwise ignored her. He needed to make sure this fox understood who the real enemies were, regardless if his son was really involved or not.

The white fox wasn’t upset by the question but she was slightly confused. Her wet eyes blinking furiously as she seriously thought through what he’d asked. The World Tree had been very clear: the Fairy Emperor would determine whether her clan would have a new home or not. She did not dare to take anything he said lightly.

It was not in the nature of animals to hate things that did them no direct harm. If they were not attacked, they did not attack. Typically there was no benefit in being the aggressor unless it was for food or mating. That had been her clan’s thinking for eons, and was why they were counted a Neutral Clan in Jianghu.

But thinking more deeply on it, how had such beliefs benefited her clan in the end? Not a single adult in her clan had survived. Many children had died too. If the Evil Sects and Clans were just as likely to attack those who ignored them as those who gave them trouble, why ignore them? It was better to take the stance of the Righteous Clans and attack anyone aligned with Evil on first sight. At least that reduced their numbers.

The white fox paused. She suddenly realized if more Factions were aligned Righteous rather than Neutral, her parents likely would not have died. Her parents were very strong, and if they hadn’t been caught by surprise and overwhelmed, they would have surely survived.

It was only because so many Evil Clans and Sects attacked at once that they’d been beaten. And those Evil Factions only existed because there were many more cultivators who aligned Neutral rather than Righteous. Many ignored the Evil Factions, and so they flourished in the darkness.

After thinking all this, the white fox felt that the Fairy Emperor was much smarter than the World Tree had originally suggested. If the Imperial Consort was kind, then the Fairy Emperor was shrewd, and that made for a good balance.

“Imperial Majesty is indeed en—enlightened above all others! All the Evil F-Factions are bad! This humble one d-definitely hates all those who side with the Evil Factions. This one will bite them to d-death rather th-than look at them!” She paused, ears drooping further. “Though this humble one l—lacks the str—strength. Hopes the Great Emperor will for—forgive this one for her f-faults in this area.”

All the little foxes below nodded in agreement with their leader.

Jin paused for a moment, eyes narrowed, “Do you truly believe this Emperor is great and powerful?”

“This humble one would never think otherwise!” The fox declared staunchly.

“Then tell me, who do Evil Factions respect most in the world? What makes an Evil Sect or Clan or Association strongest in Jianghu?”

The white fox immediately crouched in a cower at his question, as did all the little ones below. They knew the answer but did not want to say it out loud. Even those from Neutral Clans such as themselves knew who to fear, and mentioning such beings was like asking for them to appear and cause trouble.

“I see. You don’t really believe I’m great or powerful. Yet you think I should trust you to serve my Imperial Queen Consort…”

Mei Hua frowned, disliking how Jin was treating these baby foxes.

“I don’t think—”

Jin reached out and slid his fingers across her face gently, making her jump in surprise and stop talking. Even though his expression was soft, his eyes were cold.

“I will not allow anyone here who fears a superstition more than they fear me. I will not allow those who are weak-willed and weak-hearted serve you.”

“They’re children, of course they’ll be afraid of scary things and lack the courage of an adult!” Mei Hua said in exasperation, swatting his hand away. “And why should they fear you anyway? Did they do something to you that you need to threaten them? Jin, I’ll say it again, they’re children! Have some compassion!”

“They’re strangers first, Mei. And I don’t care about their age, I’ll treat all strangers the same. If they want to stay, they must prove they’re worth it. They must give me a reason to allow them here. You know me. There is always a price. I am being compassionate by not demanding anything more.”

The fairies in the crowd nodded in agreement, while the Tree Spirits rolled their eyes. The humans and beasties could only think: this is the Fairy Emperor they were used to dealing with.

Mei Hua clamped her mouth shut, furious but also well aware that he was staying true to his own beliefs. When she was a child, she had to give him something to get safe haven. All these years later that part of him had not changed. No matter how she argued with him about it, he wouldn’t budge in this area.

The white fox’s body stiffened. More than those scary beings, she feared having no home, no safe place to go to. If she let her Clan starve to death or get eaten by some wild thing, how could she face herself, much less her ancestors?

“Replying to F-Fairy Emperor!” The fox kit stood up, tails raised bravely. “Th-this humble one apologizes most s-sincerely! This humble one d-definitely kn-knows your reputation! Even in Jianghu th-they talk a-about you! The a-answer to your Imperial Highness’ qu-question is D-D-Devils and Demons. D-Devil are the Patrons, Demons the Te-Teachers. If an Evil F-Faction has a P-Patron Devil, it is u-universally feared and respected by the rest. If a D-Demon teaches it, the faction g-gains power by l-leaps and bo-bounds.” She turned, looked at the other foxes, and said in as harsh a tone as her adorable voice could allow, “Say it too!”

“Yes, yes, it’s D-D-D-Devils choose them!”

“Demons teaches them bad stuff!”

“Scary monsters! Eat us! Very bad!”

The child-foxes all spoke up at once, some simply yipping loudly, apparently unable to speak as humans do. After they each acknowledged the Devils and Demons as the answer, they huddled together and became very still. They were clearly still afraid.

But the seconds passed into minutes and nothing happened.

“No matter how many times you speak of them, they can’t hurt you here.” Jin explained to them. “The World Tree was wise to recommend my territories as your new home. Though Devils and Demons play little games and tricks against me, they have no power on my lands. I dare them to come here directly and pick a fight with me the cowards.. In all the world, you are safest from them here.”

The foxes all stared at him with wide eyed wonder. Not even their now-dead revered Chieftain, a nine tailed fox, would say something like that out loud for any passing Devil to hear. Devils, and their servants Demons, were said to be very proud and made anyone who spoke ill of them suffer dearly for it.

But the Fairy Emperor stood proud and without any fear at all in his eyes.

“D-does his Imperial Highness hate D-D-Devils and Demons? Are they his Highness’ enemies?” The fox kit asked after a moment of awe. All she knew about the Fairy Emperor was that he was very strong and many were afraid of him.

Jin smiled in a very unfriendly sort of way, his eyes sharp and shadowed.

“What do you think, little fox?”

The Little Fox trembled slightly and then said with conviction, “Th-then this humble one will be their enemy too! This one will b-bite them, e-even though th-this one will s-surely die doing so.”

At this, Jin’s smile relaxed and became genuine. What a truly polite, respectful, and honest fox, he thought. Though their Clan was small and young now, if raised properly… yes, they could be quite useful in the future. And if they were truly loyal to Mei, then that was even better.

“What’s your name, little fox?”

“This humble one goes by Bai Yan.”

“And what is your Clan’s name?”

The fox, Bai Yan, straightened her body, puffed out her furry chest, tails raising in pride.

“We are the Huxian Clan, descendants of the Fox Goddess Hushen, Servant of the Jade Empress!”

Jin had never met a God, much less a Goddess, so his view of them was ambivalent to skeptical. He could not help doubting the fox’s claim of clan divinity. But the fox clearly did believe it, whatever the truth of the matter.

“A lofty Clan indeed.” Jin said with a raised eyebrow and then nodded, “En, your Clan is worthy. Be my Queen Consort’s servants, obey her whole heartedly, and I will count that as your fee. You may stay.”

Bai Yan bowed deeply to Jin and then to Mei Hua, “Thank you Imperial Majesty! The Huxian Clan will serve your Queen Consort through life and death! May the Goddess Hushen bless your Imperial Majesties with prosperity and wealth!”

The other little foxes bowed along with Bai Yan, some repeating the line: “Goddess Hushen bless your Imperial Majesties.”

Hearing this, Mei Hua rubbed her forehead. Honestly, she didn’t want child servants, even if they were magical foxes that could talk. She’d been a child servant once and didn’t approve of such practices. But they were so adorably earnest about it. It was clear this was a matter of Clan pride for them too, so she didn’t dare tell them no.

After some thought, she lowered her hand. It’s not like she had to treat them as servants just because they called themselves such. She would consider them adopted members of the family and snuggle and cuddle their soft fluffy bodies until they forgot all their worries.

Yes, yes, she really like that idea. That’s what she would go with, most definitely!

Mei Hua coughed lightly and then asked the little fox, “May I hold you?”

The Fox Bai Yan tilted her still bowed head and peeked up with a slight smile.

“It would be this humble one’s greatest honor!”

The words had barely come out of the fox’s mouth before Mei Hua reached out and grabbed her. As if she were touching something fragile, she gently stroked the fox’s head and back. Jin, Shuya were the only ones who heard her murmur, “Mm. As expected. Soft, hehe.”