36 The Thing About Fox Spirits

She LiangLin didn't like the way his sisters talked among themselves, just out of a hearing distance to him and Lan QingYu. They both were wasted, bedridden the moment they stepped into White Lotus Hall. So depleted from energy, LiangLin's sisters had to carry the two male snakes up the few stone steps to the main hall and all the way to their bedchambers. Ever since then the two had been sprawled out next to each other like two corpses.

Lan QingYu was doing a little better since his snake was still intact. Even though the fox spirit sucked some of his life force by merely touching him, he had enough life force to spare. But LiangLin was practically teetering between death and living – in his opinion at least. Although his sisters only shrugged and called him dramatic as he complained for the last few hours, wailing like a dying cow.

"51, if you keep whining, I will deliver you to death's door myself!" LiAi snapped as she sat down by the side of the bed and pulled up her sleeve before she checked their temperatures. "You're not even close to dying!"

"But I feel like it!" LiangLin groaned as he attempted to crawl up on his elbows, but slumped down again, and surrendered from trying any further. He just rested his head over QingYu's chest.

"You'll be fine after a good night's sleep and some food," LiBai assured by the little table in the middle of the room. LiChun and LiYue were sitting next to her, each rolling a teacup in their hands distractedly.

"But, sister LiBai. What happened? Why would the male fox spirit of all people be the concubine?" QingYu said, his breathing laboured now that LiangLin was crushing his ribs. He would have never thought of it before, but LiangLin had a fat head. Which meant QingYu also had one since they were almost identical. That just made everything worse!

The sisters exchanged knowing glances with each other before LiYue cleared her throat, blushing lightly. "Well, er, the thing is, usually these things are talked upon us girls, and we rarely talk about it with guys, since it is not relevant, to you at least…"

"What sis is trying to say is in simple terms," LiChun chirped, cutting away the roundabout way LiYue was going for. "Is that fox spirits work a little different from the likes of QingYu."

"What?" QingYu heaved, confused how the topic changed to him all of a sudden.

"Just let her talk," LiangLin coughed dramatically, before he let his hand drop over QingYu's abdomen, pushing any remaining air out of QingYu's lunges.

At this rate, the green snake would die from asphyxiation, and not by being sucked dry by a fox spirit here to steal his man. QingYu didn't even know which was worse at this point.

"The thing with the fox spirits, you see, is not just that they are naturally assholes who steal your man," LiAi chimed in.

"They can shape-shift," LiYue hurried to add.

"So can we," LiangLin hissed, still not getting where his sisters were going with this.

"Into a woman," LiBai said gravely.

"And have babies," LiChun chirped lightly, disregarding the horror and confusion battling for control over the two male snakes' visages.

"He can do what?!" QingYu and LiangLin howled in unison.

"Have babies," LiBai repeated, adding more force to her words as if she was talking to a pair of idiots. "Fox spirits can have babies. They have the ability to take either form of the sexes, and even in their male form, when they are, er, like QingYu put it, 'pinned down', they can get pregnant."

"Of course, when the birthing time comes, they are forced to take their female form to push the baby out, but otherwise, it's a win-win situation for Zhang YaYun." LiChun sighed, sounding almost pleased over how everything just lined up perfectly for YaYun.

"Over my dead body!" LiangLin announced, huffing in annoyance over how his plans were just trampled down to the ground like dirt. How could something so convenient just happen? Right as they arrived here, nonetheless!

"With the way you're acting, it shouldn't take long." LiAi snorted, swatting him painfully over his arm.

QingYu was terribly quiet after that, his lids drooping over his clouded eyes. Even though LiangLin was lying on the bed in a way so he couldn't see QingYu's facial features. But he could still imagine the little, sad pout and the 'on the brink of crying, but not quite there yet' teary eyes.

LiangLin had to change the subject. He couldn't stand the sadness rolling off QingYu in waves. He was already feeling like shit, he didn't want to add into it any more than needed.

"It still doesn't explain why and how he did – did this!" LiangLin waved his hands in the air, motioning over himself and QingYu. "How did he do this to us?"

"Ah, that one is a little tricky," LiYue confessed, her sleepy features sharpening as she pondered over the matter. "I have heard of them having the ability to steal life force from touch alone."

"But the way he looked at QingYu," LiangLin said, frowning as he recalled the situation. "He looked so… pleased."

"QingYu is a pretty one," LiAi drawled as she whipped out her fan and started fanning herself idly. "Maybe he likes QingYu?"

"Excuse me? I was closer to that fox," LiangLin snapped, feeling a little hurt over the matter. The two of them were supposed to look identical. How come that fox, Yating, honed all his attention on QingYu? He barely noticed LiangLin during the entire ordeal!

"Indeed, it is a little strange since you two look so identical, it is uncanny," LiBai nodded in agreement.

"Not to mention that guy that was following that fox around, like a damn vengeful spirit," LiAi added, crunching up her nose in disgust. "Just has creep labelled all over."

"Huh?" LiangLin managed as he lifted his head to peer at his sisters. What guy? He hadn't seen any guys besides that damn fox, Yating, and his greedy little fingers trying to feel up QingYu!

"You two were so blinded by that fox spirit to see two feet's ahead," LiYue chastised, shaking her head with disapproval. "See this is why it was good we followed you all the way here, Lin'er."

"Yes, we are like your eyes and ears, while you try and tie that emperor down for QingYu," LiChun said, clapping her hands in excitement. She undoubtedly was thinking of some sort of torture that QingYu wasn't into. But neither of the male snakes pointed that out.

"I think he is a guard of some sort to that fox," LiBai said, but there was slight doubt to her tone. "I couldn't smell anything particular. Most likely, just a mortal."

"Why would a fox spirit need a guard? And a mortal one on top of that?" LiangLin scoffed over the ridiculous scenario.

"I-" LiYue yawned, fanning herself a little more, as she tried to get the sleepiness under control. "I don't know, but I think a little sleep would do us good, it's late."

"We can talk more tomorrow," LiAi agreed, nudging LiangLin to keep his mouth shut or else since QingYu looked like he needed some peace and quiet.

LiangLin settled down and only nodded as his sisters left the room one by one. The silence remained unbroken as LiangLin didn't want to bother QingYu any further. But he couldn't catch any sleep either. Something was going on.

How come the emperor of Jin so happen to have a fox spirit to spare for YaYun? What was with the Zhang bloodline, anyway? And what the hell is wrong with that coughed up hairball, Yating?

But most importantly, when would he get to see that one-eyed bastard of a sorcerer? He had questions, and for sure, that piece of shit might have the answers to them! He was a sorcerer, after all! Yes, that was a perfect excuse – no – reason for LiangLin to want to see the sorcerer!

He just had to find a way to sneak into Crescent Moon Hall unnoticed. But LiAi had promised to help him… He would count on her in this matter.

Feeling QingYu's breath finally turn steady, LiangLin also closed his eyes. He would worry more tomorrow. Now, it was better to gather some strength and plot on some murders later. He still couldn't accept defeat, not even when Yating could push out babies!