"Miss, don't act impulsively. Although the young master was at fault, some of the things you said were also inappropriate. Charging in like this won't help,"
A Dian advised earnestly.
Yun Xi snorted coldly: "A Dian, are you my maid or my big brother's maid? You should stand by me unconditionally."
"But…"
"No buts! Move!"
Yun Xi's tone was commanding.
"Yes, Miss."
Eventually, A Dian yielded to Yun Xi's dominance, swiftly helping her change into her new clothes. She picked up a jade comb to fix her hair, but Yun Xi stopped her.
"No need to fuss, just braid it. No hair ornaments either."
A Dian felt a bad premonition but followed instructions. After the time of a single incense stick, Yun Xi was ready.
Looking in the mirror, Yun Xi's face seemed somewhat unfamiliar. She touched her cheek, paused for a moment, her eyes flickering, and then stepped away from the dressing table: "Let's go meet my big brother."
"Miss…"
A Dian tried to protest one last time, but Yun Xi ignored her, pushing open her bedroom door and heading straight to her brother's courtyard.
A Dian ran after her, a grimace on her face. She knew a scolding was unavoidable.
When Yun Xi arrived, she saw her brother walking in the courtyard with his wife, completely unbothered.
Yun Xi's eyes narrowed dangerously. She strode straight toward them.
Both of them saw her. Her brother looked guilty, while the young mistress seemed slightly smug.
Yun Xi stopped in front of her brother, looking at his delicate, almost feminine features: "You're really something, daring to attack me. Did I give you too much face?"
"Little sister, this was a misunderstanding. You were in a frenzy," he tried to explain.
The woman beside him added: "Yes! You acted like a possessed spirit, spouting nonsense and lunging at us. We were terrified."
Yun Xi flicked her sleeve, sending the woman aside: "Shut up! We'll settle this later."
Then she punched her brother in the face, leaving him stunned.
"Little sister, you…"
"Hmph! Who's your little sister? You probably don't even remember who you are. Daring to repay kindness with harm? Looks like I need to wake you up!"
Yun Xi kicked him to the ground and rained punches down, leaving the woman beside them frozen in shock.
A Dian shouted from the side: "Miss, stop! Stop!"
The little maid's protest was all noise; she made no effort to interfere and subtly blocked the young mistress from running for help. Only the man's cries filled the courtyard.
"Little sister! Little sister! Stop! I was wrong!"
He begged repeatedly, but Yun Xi ignored him, beating him until he lay helpless. Then she finally stopped and asked: "Do you know your own name?"
"I-I am…"
He stuttered and frowned, trying to recall.
Yun Xi then looked at her sister-in-law, twirling her fist threateningly: "Will you reveal your true form yourself, or should I force it?"
"You dare?!"
The woman shouted, trying to intimidate but clearly uneasy.
Yun Xi blew on her fist, leapt, and struck her in the face.
"Ah!"
The woman screamed. In the next instant, her clothes fell away, and she transformed into a large, beautiful butterfly. Flapping its wings, it prepared to leave the courtyard, leaving A Dian dumbfounded.
"Fei Xia, come back!"
Yun Xi commanded naturally.
The butterfly's wings glimmered with iridescent light, flapped twice, then shrank obediently onto her shoulder.
"Ah! A monster!"
This time it was A Dian who screamed.
"Dian Dian, shut up! Are you addicted to acting? Come here! Do you want me to hit you too?"
A Dian froze, then jumped and transformed into a small black-eared mouse, diving into Yun Xi's arms, muttering: "Good, good! That was close!"
After recalling her spirit companions, Yun Xi turned to the man on the ground: "Big Brother, still can't remember your name?"
He struggled to his feet: "Do you know your own name?"
"Of course."
"Then you should know mine, right?"
Yun Xi shrugged: "I really don't. I picked you up along the way."
The man's eyes widened in shock: "Picked up?"
"Yes! Hurry up and remember, or the illusion won't break."
Yun Xi's patience thinned, but she reminded him: "I only know you are an beast cultivator."
Suddenly, his eyes gleamed, shifting into sharp fox-like eyes. He smiled faintly at Yun Xi: "My name is Hu Yingjun."
As he spoke, four red tails emerged from his back. Everything around them blurred and slowly dissipated.
Yun Xi closed her eyes, paused, then opened them to find herself cocooned. Threads sapped her spiritual power, draining her dantian.
The Xianling Grass in her sleeve pressed against her arm, injecting energy to prevent her complete depletion.
"Zi Yan!"
She summoned the Mystic Thunder Violet Flame from her dantian. Purple flames enveloped her, crackling audibly, and the bindings disappeared instantly.
The cocoon shattered. Yun Xi landed gracefully, the flame returning to her dantian.
She shook the spirit beast pouch, releasing the red fox. The fox somersaulted in the air and transformed into a handsome man in red robes upon landing.
Hu Yingjun stared at her familiar yet strange face, a peculiar feeling returning. He cupped his hands:"Thanks, Daoyou, for helping me break the illusion."
Yun Xi scanned her surroundings, somewhat disdainful: "Your fox clan can see through illusions. Why did you need me to help?"
Hu Yingjun blinked, slightly indignant: "That is the innate skill of the illusion foxes. I am not an illusion fox."
Yun Xi glanced at him, then looked at the floating cocoons. Each contained a person trapped in the secret realm, clearly unable to break the illusion.
"Tsk, if these people cannot escape the illusion, the cocoon will slowly drain their spiritual energy, turning them into nutrients."
Hu Yingjun assessed the situation aloud.
Yun Xi noticed a cocoon already broken. Someone had escaped before her. Feeling uneasy, she turned and left.
Hu Yingjun, seeing her go, hurried after her.
Shortly after Yun Xi and Hu Yingjun departed, another cocoon formed. This time it contained two people: Wei Yunqing and Sheng Yuhong.