Quentin looked at Hannah with displeasure, about to speak when the gray-robed elder gave him a look. Then, the woman in red spoke, “Master, even if Princess Hannah agrees to give you the spirit herb and maguey flower, we don’t have them here.”
“How about this, consider it a promise from the Spirit Fox Clan. If you ever need anything in the future, just let us know, and we will certainly help you.”
The woman in red spoke politely, giving Leo a way out. Her implication was clear: if he knew what was good for him, he should leave; otherwise, things could get unpleasant.
Leo stood up from his chair and looked at the woman in red. “Elder, let’s not beat around the bush. I’ll be straightforward.”
“I can do without the spirit herb and maguey flower, but you must let me enter the secret realm to explore. How about that?”
“No way!” The woman in red, Quentin, and the gray-robed elder almost spoke in unison.
The other foxes in the hall began to stir, some even making peculiar fox sounds to express their discontent.
The secret realm was the most important place in Greenmount, guarded by the Spirit Fox Clan for generations. How could they allow an outsider to enter?
Leo calmly looked at the three foxes who had taken human form.
“The secret realm must have been mentioned to you by Princess Hannah. It’s a place our Spirit Fox Clan has guarded for generations. Our ancestors decreed that no outsiders are allowed to enter, so we can’t let you in,” said the gray-robed elder with a grim face.
“What if I insist on entering?” Leo asked.
“How dare you! Do you even know where you are?” Quentin scolded angrily.
The foxes in the hall began to surround Leo, ready to act at any moment.
“Elder Quentin, I heard from Hannah that even you don’t have the right to enter the secret realm. Is that true?” Leo suddenly asked.
Quentin’s eyes flickered, and he forced himself to stay calm. “Whether we have the right or not is a matter for our Spirit Fox Clan. There’s no need to tell you.”
Leo smiled and turned his gaze to Hannah. The clever girl knew how to respond.
“Elder Quentin, the secret realm is already broken and filled with unpredictable dangers. Don’t you also want to know what’s inside? Why not let him go in and take a look?”
After exchanging glances, Quentin looked at Hannah and said, “Princess Hannah, you are the last bloodline of the White Fox. You should be well aware of the current situation of the Spirit Fox Clan. The secret realm is crucial for our clan’s survival.”
“If you want to break our ancestors’ rules today, then open the secret realm completely and let all Fox Clan members enter.”
“Elder Quentin, your words are inappropriate. Since the birth of the Greenmount Spirit Fox Clan, only our White Fox Tribe has been allowed to enter,” Hannah retorted.
Quentin became agitated. “Hannah, this is not the time to talk about bloodlines!”
“Look around this hall. More than half of these foxes haven’t even awakened their intelligence. In this era of declining magic, cultivation resources are extremely important. With them, our Spirit Fox Clan can rise again. Otherwise, we face extinction. Do you understand?”
“Elder Quentin, I understand what you’re saying. My mother told me that even when the secret realm was intact, it was filled with various dangers. Now that it’s broken, it’s even more perilous.”
“Although I can guide you inside, I can’t guarantee you’ll all come out alive,” Hannah said, glancing around the hall before sighing.
Quentin’s eyes were resolute as he replied, “Princess Hannah, for the future of the Spirit Fox Clan, I must enter the secret realm! If you let this human in, then I must go too. My mind is made up.”
Hannah fell silent and looked at the woman in red.
“Your Highness, I share Elder Quentin’s thoughts,” said the woman in red.
As an observer, Leo could see that there were significant internal issues within the Greenmount Spirit Fox Clan.
It should have been that the White Fox Tribe led the other clans. However, it seemed these foxes had no faith in Hannah.
Though she was the last bloodline of the White Fox Tribe, her strength was too weak.
Just then, Leo’s expression changed slightly. He formed a hand seal with his right hand and struck a certain spot in the hall.
A golden talisman hit a stone pillar in the hall. With a loud bang, a purple shadow darted out from behind the pillar and then transformed into a purple light rushing towards Leo.
Leo remained calm and quickly formed three more seals.
Three beams of golden light shot towards the purple light from different directions.
The purple light suddenly split into three.
Three loud bangs echoed in the hall as both purple and golden lights disappeared.
In the next second, a woman appeared before Leo.
She was an exceptionally beautiful woman dressed in purple. Her eyes sparkled with charm.
Even someone like Leo, who had seen many beauties, was momentarily stunned.
“Aunt Xena!” Hannah exclaimed joyfully.
After a brief moment of distraction, caution crept onto Leo’s face.
This suddenly appearing woman in purple was formidable.
The purple-clad woman’s eyes swept over Leo before she smiled seductively and spoke in a melodious voice, “Handsome man, impressive skills.”
The natural allure of a fox was irresistible to most men.
Leo’s heart skipped a beat twice; he didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
“Aunt Xena, I missed you,” Hannah said sweetly as she hugged the woman in purple with delight.
The woman’s eyes softened as she gently patted Hannah’s head and smiled. “It’s only been a month since we last met, but you’ve grown taller and even more beautiful.”
Hannah stuck out her tongue playfully. “Aunt Xena is the most beautiful!”
“Such a sweet talker,” Xena said as she lightly pinched Hannah’s cheek before turning her gaze back to Leo. “Hannah, is this Cultivator your chosen protector?”
Hannah winked mischievously at Leo and replied, “Yes, Aunt Xena. What do you think of him?”
“He seems honest enough and his strength is decent. But entering the secret realm is no small matter. According to our rules, only you can enter.”
Hannah immediately put on a pitiful expression and pleaded, “Aunt Xena, I know the rules well. But now that the secret realm is broken and filled with unpredictable dangers…”
“If I go in alone, I might never come out again and never see you again.”