Yudu City.
In a discreet, yet luxurious guesthouse far from the holy mountains, utter contentment reigned. Dabai was impeccably dressed in a robe of the purest white silk, her hair cascading like a waterfall of midnight over her shoulders. She looked the picture of serene, intellectual beauty. Cradled securely in her famously warm arms was Lord Pig, currently deep in a restorative slumber.
He had achieved a perfect balance: four out of the five volumes of the Heavenly Book were safely recorded in his consciousness, secured with varying degrees of chaotic drama.
Only the final, and most elusive, volume remained—hidden in the legendary Heavenly Emperor's Treasure House deep within the southwestern Death Swamp.
Since the Treasure House had yet to materialize or reveal its location, Lord Pig was in no hurry. He had all the time in the world, and he harbored a profound, almost spiritual conviction that when his system finally synthesized all five volumes of the ultimate cultivation scripture, the resulting power-up would be so catastrophic and glorious that the entire world would have to momentarily pause its rotation just to acknowledge the majesty of Lord Pig.
A slender, exceptionally fair jade finger gently descended from Dabai's hand and began to rhythmically poke Lord Pig's exquisitely round belly.
"Mmmph… stop it… what are you doing?" Lord Pig mumbled, his little snout twitching in irritation. "Shush! Lord Pig is engaged in a very important game of magical hide-and-seek with a stunningly pretty girl in his dreams!"
He waved a tiny paw vaguely in the air, attempting to swat the disturbance, and immediately resumed his profound, contented snoring.
Dabai chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling with amusement. He is utterly incorrigible, even in his unconscious state. She pinched a single, long strand of her own snowy-white fur and tickled the sensitive tip of Lord Pig's nose.
"Ah… Ah… A-CHOO!"
Lord Pig exploded upright in her arms, sneezing with the force of a minor magical explosion. He rubbed his sleepy eyes with his paws, looked around the room with large, blinking black eyes, and grumbled with theatrical dissatisfaction.
"Truly! Why does every beautiful woman in the cosmos feel the need to weaponize their hair or fur against Lord Pig's delicate snout? It is disrespectful to his sensitive biological engineering!" He then focused on their location.
"Have we arrived at Jinxiufang? Splendid! Come, Dabai! Lord Pig will personally guide you. I shall introduce you to the cutting edge of haute couture—the finest clothing designs created entirely by my own genius. If anything catches your eye, simply point. Consider it a gift from your generous Lord. Do not, under any circumstances, feel obliged to decline my boundless beneficence!"
With the arrogance of a newly minted tycoon, Lord Pig waved his paw toward the entrance of the renowned fashion and silk house.
"Ping'er! My dear apprentice! Emerge and prepare a magnificent reception! Your patron, Lord Pig, has arrived!" Lord Pig bellowed, his voice echoing before they even crossed the threshold.
The response was immediate and effusive. Jin Ping'er, looking even more radiant than usual, rushed out, followed by her loyal attendants, including the star-struck Ding Ling.
"It is the most profound honour, Lord Pig, to have you grace my humble establishment! Please, enter, enter!" Jin Ping'er exclaimed, her smile blinding. News of Lord Pig's sensational thunder-raid on Tianyin Temple and his casual taming of the most fearsome beast in existence had cemented his reputation across the land. Jin Ping'er felt her loyalty—and her future—was secured entirely by this tiny, golden, powerful being.
"Mmm," Lord Pig grunted, acknowledging her praise as simple fact, and waddled inside, followed by the supremely graceful Dabai.
Inside the main salon, the clothes Lord Pig had commissioned were hung for display. The room looked less like a traditional silk merchant's shop and more like a bizarre, brilliantly lit gallery of anachronistic fashion. Sleek, tailored items with sharp lines and impractical silhouettes hung alongside flowing silks—a fusion of the Heavenly Realm and a 21st-century runway show.
"Lord Pig, the collection you requested is complete. All the designs you personally dictated are ready. Please, inspect them and indicate any necessary final adjustments!" Jin Ping'er introduced them proudly.
"They are perfectly acceptable, of course. Lord Pig's vision is flawless," he said, gliding past the displays with a critical, appreciative eye. "They truly capture the essence of modern, superior aesthetic."
Dabai, however, was hesitant. She gazed at the displays, particularly the items with exposed shoulders, tightly constrained waists, or hemlines that seemed alarmingly short.
"Lord Pig," she asked delicately, an eyebrow arched. "Are these the peculiar styles you personally designed? They look… so unusual! Some of them, especially those that reveal so much leg, seem only suitable for wearing when one is entirely alone, in the deepest seclusion." Even a millennium-old nine-tailed fox, whose true form was naked, felt a slight, mortal blush when faced with a mini-skirt.
"Nonsense! They are the pinnacle of style! They enhance the natural elegance of the female form. I shall select the perfect ensemble for you immediately, Dabai. You must try the masterpiece!"
Lord Pig hopped out of her arms and began meticulously selecting items: a tiny, complicated garment of lace; a smooth, crisp white shirt; a structured black skirt; and, most importantly, a pair of shiny, black, intimidating footwear.
"Dabai, come here! Lord Pig will now instruct you on the proper sequence and methodology for wearing these sophisticated pieces!" he declared, holding up the garments and puffing out his chest.
The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox gave him a look that could have curdled milk.
"Be gone, you wretched opportunist! Do you truly think three hundred years of spiritual imprisonment has made me forget how to dress myself, or, more likely, that I would allow you to take advantage of the situation?" Dabai scoffed, gently pushing him away. She ushered Jin Ping'er to help instead. "Ping'er, please assist me. This creature is too bold for his own good."
Lord Pig landed on a nearby antique console, looking genuinely wounded.
"Hmph! Taking advantage? Why would Lord Pig ever think of such a thing? Lord Pig is an entity of profound propriety and high moral fiber! I simply wished to ensure the High Heels were correctly adjusted!" he muttered to himself, trying to sound offended, though his eyes betrayed a hint of mischievous disappointment.
He settled his gaze on Ding Ling, who was nervously observing the scene.
"What is your business, little rat?" Lord Pig asked, noticing her furtive movements.
"Oh, Uncle Pig," Ding Ling whispered, her large eyes fixed on him with almost unbearable yearning. "Could I… could I perhaps have just a small embrace?"
"You do look rather pathetic," Lord Pig conceded, struck by her expression of desperate hope. "Very well. Your loyalty is commendable. Lord Pig shall permit a quick, ceremonial embrace." He jumped directly into her waiting hands.
"I have held Lord Pig!" Ding Ling shrieked in silent ecstasy, tears welling in her eyes, drawing envy from every single woman in the room, who now viewed her as the luckiest person in the world.
A moment later, the dressing room door opened, and Dabai emerged.
"WHOA! Those legs! The sheer, devastating length of those legs!"
Lord Pig's attention immediately snapped to her.
Dabai was magnificent. She was wearing the ensemble Lord Pig had selected: a pair of black, ultra-high-heeled shoes, shimmering white stockings that contrasted sharply with the black, pencil-thin hip skirt. Her naturally graceful, straight legs, which were already the envy of the spirit world, now appeared like two impossibly long, flawless pillars of ivory jade—even more slender and startlingly beautiful.
Gasps of horror, admiration, and utter envy swept through the shop.
"She is more beautiful and elegant than any fairy of the Jade Palace!" "My celestial soul is wounded by such perfection!" "I think I have suddenly become exclusively interested in women!"
Dabai was already a breathtaking, enchanting goddess; the ensemble added a layer of cool, controlled sophistication. The two temperaments—the wild, enchanting fox and the cold, elegant professional—merged perfectly.
Lord Pig's eyes continued their slow, appreciative ascent. Her figure was flawless, the curves perfect, every inch a masterpiece. The tight hip skirt defined her slender waist, which, he noted clinically, was narrow enough to be encircled by two small paws. Above, the crisp white shirt was stretched taut across her chest, the buttons protesting audibly, threatening immediate, catastrophic failure.
"Exquisite! Absolutely exquisite! It truly enhances your natural gifts!" Lord Pig praised, his voice thick with unreserved admiration. "The delicate collarbone, the perfect, flawless face, the unparalleled aura! It is utter perfection!"
WHOOSH!
Lord Pig leaped from Ding Ling's arms and soared directly into Dabai's magnificent cleavage, burrowing in for a moment of celebratory rest.
"Well? Was I not correct? Is Lord Pig not a transcendent genius?" he asked, poking his head out from the silk.
"Indeed, Lord Pig is a true genius, unparalleled in his vision," Jin Ping'er confirmed with a delighted smile.
"Excellent. Ping'er, please package every single item of clothing you possess. Lord Pig is returning to the mountain immediately."
"As you command!"
The clothes were packed instantly and efficiently. Lord Pig stored the voluminous bags in his space ring, and with Dabai transformed into her most efficient, swift-moving human guise—albeit one now wearing a hip-skirt and high heels—he began his supersonic journey back to Qingyun.
The Grand Return and the Martial Arts Festival
Qingyun Mountain stood majestic, its towering peaks piercing the clouds, the epitome of spiritual grandeur. The ethereal, solemn air was infused with the powerful energy of the world's greatest righteous sect.
"What a place! As befits the world's foremost sect, Qingyun Mountain is truly the ultimate spiritual convergence, a paradise of beautiful mountains and pure water," Dabai remarked, her eyes full of genuine awe. Even after centuries of cultivation, she recognized the incredible spiritual significance of the mountain range.
"It is a respectable hill, yes," Lord Pig acknowledged from his warm perch, nodding sagely. "It has been approved by Lord Pig."
Suddenly, the pair were intercepted by several wary Qingyun disciples flying near the perimeter.
"Halt! This is consecrated territory of the Qingyun Gate! Unauthorized entry is strictly forbidden!" one disciple yelled, his gaze fixed nervously on the impossibly beautiful woman in the strange, alluring attire.
The disciples, as fate would have it, were from Longshou Peak, led by Cangsong's chief disciple, Qi Hao.
"You tiny rats! What are you doing? How dare you obstruct the path of Lord Pig?" Lord Pig roared, sitting bolt upright in Dabai's arms. "Move aside immediately, or Lord Pig will be forced to administer a severe, embarrassing beating!"
Qi Hao recognized the voice and the golden blur immediately. His eyes widened in panic.
"Ah! Lord Pig! Disciple Qi Hao humbly greets you! My profound apologies, Lord Pig! I did not see you clearly. Please forgive my unforgivable transgression!"
Qi Hao had been so entirely captivated and distracted by Dabai's otherworldly beauty and her bizarre, stylish clothes that he had completely failed to notice the tiny, all-powerful golden being nestled in her arms.
"Get out! Move!" Lord Pig commanded with a wave of his paw, dismissing the frantic disciple.
Dabai accelerated, carrying Lord Pig directly towards the familiar peak of Xiaozhu Peak.
"LORD PIG HAS RETURNED!" Lord Pig's roar echoed across the valleys of Qingyun.
Xiaozhu Peak instantly erupted into joyous pandemonium.
"It's Lord Pig! He's back on the mountain!" "Look! Who is that with him? She is stunning!" "Shameful! Why is she wearing such short clothes on the sacred mountain?"
The female disciples were a blend of ecstatic delight at the return of their charismatic mascot and judgmental curiosity regarding the appearance of his new companion.
Shuiyue, Lu Xueqi, and the other senior disciples of Xiaozhu Peak flew out immediately to greet them.
"Xiao Yueyue! Xueqi! Did you miss Lord Pig dreadfully?" Lord Pig asked, jumping from Dabai's arms into Shuiyue's, rolling once or twice in her embrace, his large eyes full of exaggerated affection.
"Oh, we missed Lord Pig terribly, and the Sect Master has been practically beside himself with pride, talking about you non-stop!" Wenmin chirped, smiling widely. Shuiyue merely rubbed Lord Pig's tiny head, a serene, uncharacteristic smile on her face.
Suddenly, several streaks of light descended from the sky. It was Daoxuan leading the other Peak Masters—Tian Buyi, Cangsong (looking deeply unhappy), and the others.
"Disciple Daoxuan pays homage to Lord Pig and respectfully welcomes Lord Pig back to the mountain!" Daoxuan declared, bowing deeply with a reverence that was entirely genuine. Tian Buyi and the others followed suit.
Lord Pig nodded regally. "Mmm. Acceptable. Now, allow Lord Pig to make an introduction. This is Dabai. She is now a loyal follower of Lord Pig."
Daoxuan and the Peak Masters looked at Dabai. Her sheer, undeniable beauty was instantly apparent, but their spiritual senses quickly locked onto her enormous, formidable cultivation—a power that rivaled, and perhaps exceeded, their own. They knew instantly who she was: the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox who had escaped from Fenxiang Valley.
Their expressions of astonishment were quickly masked by perfect calm.
"We offer our most sincere congratulations, Lord Pig! To subdue a creature of such profound spiritual cultivation is a testament to your divine power!" Daoxuan stated, bowing again.
The truth—that Lord Pig had likely orchestrated the fox's escape, used the Zhu Xian Sword to cut the Mysterious Fire Chain, and then publicly 'tamed' her as a means of acquiring the Heavenly Book and humiliating Fenxiang Valley—was transparent to them all. But the result was a colossal win for Qingyun's status, so Daoxuan wisely chose to ask no questions and accept the official narrative.
"Lord Pig," Daoxuan continued, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Today marks the beginning of the Semi-Finals of the Seven-Pulse Martial Arts Competition for the disciples of Qingyun Sect. Would Lord Pig do us the supreme honour of attending and witnessing the talent of our young generation?"
"The Seven-Pulse Martial Arts Competition? Semi-finals, you say?" Information instantly flashed through Lord Pig's massive memory bank. He looked directly at Lu Xueqi, who was standing nearby, the Heavenly Maiden of Xiaozhu Peak.
"Xueqi, is it your day to compete?"
Lu Xueqi looked utterly surprised. "How could you possibly know that, Lord Pig? You have only just returned to the mountain moments ago!"
"How does Lord Pig know? Ha! Lord Pig possesses great magical powers and sees all things, little Xueqi! Of course I know!" he scoffed, puffing out his chest. "Do not fear! Lord Pig shall attend and provide all necessary support. Come! Let us proceed immediately to Yunhai Square!"
With Lord Pig directing the massive entourage, the entire group, including the beautiful, stylishly dressed Dabai, proceeded with great fanfare towards the immense, circular Yunhai Square—the location of the most important tournament in the cultivation world.
The atmosphere there, already electric with anticipation, was about to be completely overshadowed by the arrival of the sect's legendary, thunder-controlling, fashion-designing golden pig.