Over the next ten-plus days, Zheng Dong, with Yin Xue and the cooperation of Jin Heng Chuan Qi and others, took control of several other cities.
Subsequently, Yin Xue established the Eastern Fox Kingdom.
Upon hearing the news, the Nine-Tailed Fox Empress remained calm, her thoughts unreadable.
Her few confidantes by her side dared not even breathe loudly.
The Nine-Tailed Fox Empress had returned to Qingqiu City and, through this incident, had completely consolidated her control over the remaining cities of Qingqiu Country.
It could be said that she could now do whatever she pleased.
No city lord dared to oppose her.
If not for her fear of Yan Huang's divine forbidden bombs, she would have truly wanted to lead the Nine-Tailed Fox Legion for a counterattack.
Now that she was injured, she did not wish to openly break ties with Yan Huang for the time being.
Moreover, several neighboring totem countries that were at odds with her seemed to be stirring, appearing ready to make a move against the Qingqiu Totem Country.
After much deliberation, the Nine-Tailed Fox Empress decided to temporarily ignore this matter.
She would pretend it never happened.
Concurrently, she instructed her subordinate cities to remain vigilant against further actions by Yan Huang.
She did not want to cause trouble for Yan Huang, and she hoped Yan Huang would not force her hand.
Thus, Yin Xue became the Queen of the Eastern Fox Kingdom.
Of course, only the Yan Huang Kingdom acknowledged her status.
The surrounding totem countries had not made any statements, neither acknowledging nor denying.
Yin Xue was quite pleased.
Having become Queen, her next goal was Empress, then Empress Dowager.
One day, she would surpass her mother.
In the following period, with the help of Jin Heng Chuan Qi and others, Yin Xue integrated the Nine-Tailed Fox Legion within the Eastern Fox Kingdom, effectively gaining complete control over these cities.
Although Yan Huang did not station any Beast Taming Legions in these cities, they established a Beast Taming Legion base near the defensive fortresses of the secret realm.
Furthermore, plans were made to connect the cities of the Eastern Fox Kingdom using high-speed rail.
The status of humans was also continuously elevated, and Beast Tamers could now enter the Yan Huang Beast Taming Academy.
As for these matters, Zheng Dong had no time to get involved.
Modu University had already been in session for over two months.
It was now May, and he had not attended a single class.
Long Zhen Chuan Qi had assigned him a mission: to complete the contract with Yin Xue as soon as possible.
For this purpose, he was specially permitted to cultivate within the Emperor City's Abyss Ruins.
He was not allowed to leave until he reached the Grandmaster level.
Moreover, the resources required for his cultivation could be provided.
This was a prime opportunity to "reap benefits."
Zheng Dong readily agreed.
His cultivation required a considerable amount of Ethereal Stones.
In addition, he was to be rewarded with a legendary-grade resource.
If his clone obtained valuable information in another world, he could also receive a legendary-grade resource.
Zheng Dong hoped to obtain a time-element resource.
Unfortunately, the Yan Huang resource library did not have any time-element legendary-grade resources in stock.
In the end, Zheng Dong received a death-element legendary-grade resource: the Necrotic Cage.
The Necrotic Cage resembled a black birdcage.
A strange skull sat atop it, its eyes glowing red. Long, black, strip-like bones extended from the skull's neck, forming the birdcage structure, with two three-toed feet at the base.
It had two functions: sealing and imprisoning the undead, and extracting elemental energy from them.
Zheng Dong decided to give it to Youyou for refinement and fusion.
After obtaining the Necrotic Cage, Zheng Dong proceeded to the Abyss Ruins.
This was his third time cultivating there.
The staff at the Abyss Ruins had all remembered him.
After all, it was difficult enough for others to visit even once.
Not only had he returned, but he was also allowed to cultivate continuously until he became a Grandmaster Beast Tamer.
This was an unprecedented privilege.
"What exactly did you do, kid, to get Long Zhen Chuan Qi to specially approve your cultivation here?" the person in charge of the Abyss Ruins, a gossipy legendary-level old woman, asked.
"Nothing much, I just ran off with a beast-eared girl!" Zheng Dong replied with a smile.
The old woman glared at Zheng Dong, thinking he was joking with her.
Zheng Dong offered no further explanation and went straight into the Abyss Ruins.
He noticed that there were fewer Beast Tamers cultivating there this time compared to the previous two occasions.
Finding his previous cultivation spot, he began to cultivate diligently.
Only by continuously increasing the level of his Beast Taming Space could he contract more pets, and the growth level cap of his pets would also increase.
However, progressing from a Master Beast Tamer to a Grandmaster Beast Tamer was still very difficult.
Zheng Dong cultivated in the Abyss Ruins space for over four months, which was equivalent to over five years of cultivation outside.
Originally, after about a month of cultivation, he felt he had touched the threshold of becoming a Grandmaster Beast Tamer.
But breaking through that threshold was incredibly difficult.
It was as if an insurmountable chasm stood before him, and no matter how he cultivated afterward, he made no progress.
For this reason, he forced himself to calm down, abandoned the idea of breaking through, and began to continuously improve his mental strength and other attribute powers.
Slowly, he felt the chasm shrinking, and finally, he successfully broke through to become a Grandmaster Beast Tamer.
Currently, his Beast Taming Space level had reached level 6, allowing him to contract 6 pets.
Of course, excluding Youyou and Ling'er, he could contract 3 more pets.
Furthermore, his Beast Taming Talent skill, Domain, could now be stacked six times, further increasing the speed of pet cultivation, and it was even capable of assisting pets in cultivating quasi-divine skills without any issues.
He could assist pets like Xiao Zi in cultivating quasi-divine skills from beginner to masterful level within three months.
Additionally, he could combine any five skills to form an ultimate technique.
The number of quasi-divine skills he could imprint had also increased to six.
With this, Zheng Dong could now contract Yin Xue.
Meanwhile, during Zheng Dong's cultivation period, pets like Xiao Zi were also cultivating.
Xiao Zi's growth level had finally advanced to the General level.
Xiao Qing had also advanced to the Lord level.
What surprised Zheng Dong the most was that Youyou had also advanced to the Monarch level.
Youyou's refinement and fusion of the Necrotic Cage were easier than Xiao Zi's Star Core.
After all, the Star Core was a mythical-grade resource, while the Necrotic Cage was only a legendary-grade resource.
After refining and fusing the Necrotic Cage, Youyou not only increased her growth level but also acquired a new skill, Cage Barrier.
Any extraordinary creature trapped within the Cage Barrier would continuously weaken and have its elemental energy drained until death.
Next was to complete the contract with Yin Xue.
Yin Xue was still in the Eastern Fox Kingdom.
As the ruler of the Eastern Fox Kingdom, she had many matters to attend to.
Of course, Zheng Dong was not afraid that she would go back on her word.
If she wanted to secure her position as ruler of the Eastern Fox Kingdom, she had to rely on Yan Huang's assistance.
To gain Yan Huang's trust, she had to contract with Zheng Dong.
Moreover, Yin Xue firmly believed that Zheng Dong could change her destiny and would not go back on his word.
Therefore, after leaving the Abyss Ruins, Zheng Dong piloted the warship transformed by Jingjing and flew towards Fox Heart City.
Fox Heart City was now the capital of the Eastern Fox Kingdom, and Yin Xue had established her royal palace there.
Since Zheng Dong's departure, Yin Xue had been constantly busy.
Whenever she had a moment of free time, she would think of Zheng Dong.
It seemed that with Zheng Dong's departure, her good fortune had also left with him.
Her management of the Eastern Fox Kingdom over the past few months had been plagued by unexpected events and troubles.
It had not been as easy or smooth as she had planned.
At this moment, after a busy day, she was taking a bath.
Two personal maids were carefully attending to her.
She picked up the communication device Zheng Dong had left behind and couldn't resist sending a message.
"My husband, when will you return?"
She had lost count of how many times she had asked.
Each time she asked, there was no response.
She even suspected that the communication device Zheng Dong had left her was fake.
This time was no different; after waiting for a long time, there was still no reaction.
Yin Xue sighed, tossed the communication device aside, and after finishing her bath, returned to her palace.
As the palace gates opened, Yin Xue entered as usual.
She soon discovered that the pastries on the table had been half-eaten.
Who dared to be so bold as to steal food under her nose?
Just as Yin Xue was wondering, a familiar figure appeared before her.
"I say, what are you bathing for so late at night? I've been waiting for you for ages," Zheng Dong complained.
He just wanted to complete the contract quickly and imprint Yin Xue's mastered skills: Fate Calculation, Life Identification, and Luck Perception.
Yin Xue's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed excitedly:
"My husband, you're finally back! If you hadn't returned, I thought you'd abandoned me."
Zheng Dong also appraised Yin Xue.
He had to admit that after a few months apart, Yin Xue exuded more and more queenly demeanor.
After her bath, she was even more beautiful and captivating, stirring one's heart.
Of course, Zheng Dong had not forgotten the purpose of his visit.
After a brief chat with Yin Xue, Zheng Dong completed the contract with her.
He also obtained Yin Xue's relevant information.
[Name] Yin Xue (Nine-Tailed Fox)
[Attributes] Spirit, Life, Time
[Race Level] Medium Overlord
[Growth Level] Monarch
[Energy Value] 3,562,608
[Skills]:
Low Tier: Scent Perception, Telekinetic Exploration, Spiritual Communication, Rending Claw, Tail Severance and Rebirth
Mid Tier: Slow Healing, Berserk Rage, Life Burn, Immunity to All Poisons
High Tier: Telekinetic Control, Spiritual Storm, Infinite Charm
Super Tier: Luck Perception, Fate Calculation, Life Identification
Zheng Dong immediately understood why the longer he spent with Yin Xue, the harder it was to suppress his inner stirrings, and he felt an urge to push her down.
It turned out Yin Xue possessed the high-tier skill, Infinite Charm.
Infinite Charm was a passive skill that continuously increased the affection of people around Yin Xue, causing them to fall under her spell and be unable to extricate themselves.
Zheng Dong decided to imprint this skill.
If he mastered Infinite Charm, he wondered who would fall first when they were together.
Yin Xue was also very happy.
Having completed the contract with Zheng Dong meant that her future destiny would be intertwined with his, her luck would improve, and her fate would be completely changed.
"My husband, you won't leave this time, will you? Just stay with me in the Eastern Fox Kingdom."
"You should change your address. If you keep calling me that, I feel strange." Zheng Dong said.
He didn't have a girlfriend yet, and if he found one in the future, hearing Yin Xue call him that would make her think he was a pervert.
"My husband, do you prefer the title 'Master'? I am the Queen of the Eastern Fox Kingdom. Calling you Master, wouldn't that make you particularly satisfied!" Yin Xue said with a playful smile.
Zheng Dong was too lazy to argue further, knowing that if they continued, it would likely be endless.
"Yin Xue, I want to know, what is the Nine-Tailed Fox Empress collecting faith power for? Why do almost all totem countries collect faith power?"
This question surprised Yin Xue.
"My husband, you don't even know this? Of course, it's to condense a divine spark and become a god."
Become a god!?
"After reaching the Totem level, one needs to collect faith power to condense a nascent divine spark. With a nascent divine spark, one can be called a quasi-god.
When the divine spark is fully formed, one can become a god!" Yin Xue continued.
"Then how is faith power collected and used to condense a nascent divine spark?" Zheng Dong asked.
Yin Xue did not know the answer to this question. She shook her head.
"Everyone's method of condensing a nascent divine spark is different and requires personal enlightenment. I haven't reached that realm yet, so I don't know.
Collecting faith power is quite simple: build temples, have people believe in you and worship you, and you can collect faith power.
My husband, do you need to collect faith power? I can change the temples in the Eastern Fox Kingdom to feature statues of you and me, so that the citizens of the Eastern Fox Kingdom only believe in us." Yin Xue said.
Zheng Dong was willing to try.
But he was a Beast Tamer.
He didn't know if becoming a Mythical Beast Tamer required collecting faith power.
Regardless, trying wouldn't hurt.
After discussing with Yin Xue.
Zheng Dong decided to first change the temple in Fox Heart City to feature his statue.
In addition to himself, statues of pets like Xiao Zi would also be erected.
Thus, a few days later, the temples of Fox Heart City were completely renovated.
In the main hall of the temple, Zheng Dong's statue stood tall. On his shoulders and hands, and other positions, were statues of pets like Xiao Zi. To the side sat Yin Xue's statue.
Yin Xue had a bit of ulterior motive; she had no intention of allowing statues of Zheng Dong's other pets to be placed at the same level as hers.
"My husband, are you satisfied?" Yin Xue asked.
Inside the temple, besides Zheng Dong and Yin Xue, there were also a few of Yin Xue's trusted guards.
Zheng Dong looked at his statue, which indeed looked quite imposing, sacred, majestic, and inviolable.
"My husband, statues alone are not enough. You need to stay in Fox Heart City and manifest yourself often, otherwise, no one will truly worship you," Yin Xue continued.
Of course, this was also her small wish to keep Zheng Dong in Fox Heart City.
Zheng Dong was indifferent. He possessed multiple clone skills, so he could leave a clone not only in Fox Heart City but also in the other cities of the Eastern Fox Kingdom.
Therefore, Zheng Dong condensed a death-element clone and placed it within the statue, leaving behind numerous separation body seeds.
The death-element clone had a high growth cap and was suitable for such deceptive acts.
Of course, Zheng Dong also had pets like Xiao Zi leave behind clones.
This move caught Yin Xue somewhat off guard.
Damn it, why don't I possess a clone skill?
If I could master the clone skill, I wouldn't have to be busy with the affairs of the Eastern Fox Kingdom all day.
"I'm going back to Yan Huang to attend school. Do you plan to come with me, or stay in the Eastern Fox Kingdom?" Zheng Dong asked.
In Yin Xue's eyes, he looked like a scoundrel who, after getting what he wanted, was preparing to run away.
Immediately, Yin Xue felt a bit dejected.
If she had known, she would have had them slow down the renovation of the temple, perhaps delaying its completion by a month or two, wouldn't that have been better?
Yin Xue frowned and said:
"I would love to be lazy, but who will manage the affairs of the Eastern Fox Kingdom?"