Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

The flesh and blood on Bai Yin's body began to burn.

That wasn't fire, but a dark red, malevolent aura that seeped out from between his bones, enveloping him in a fireball.

The three-pointed double-edged sword in his hand groaned, its blade unable to withstand the resolute force, cracking open with fine fissures.

Tianpeng's expression changed.

The veins on the back of the hand holding the staff bulged.

Indra wanted to retreat, but found that his energy had been locked.

This mad tiger is going to drag the entire Lingxiao Palace, along with the three half-step Great Saints, to their deaths.

"Give her back to me!"

Bai Yin roared, his voice no longer recognizable as human, filled only with the cracking sound of bones grinding together.

The blade fell.

Space is like a thin sheet of paper, easily torn apart.

The black crack swallowed the surrounding light, carrying an aura of destruction, pressing down on the three of them.

Unstoppable.

This thought flashed through Tianpeng's mind.

This strike was something Bai Yin risked his life for; it was a sacrifice that involved burning his three souls and seven spirits into the blade.

Just as the blade was about to touch Tianpeng's brow.

"Foolish child."

A sigh.

It's very light and faint.

It's like the wind blowing through withered leaves, like snow falling into a cold pool.

But the moment that sound rang out, the sword that was powerful enough to cleave through the nine heavens stopped.

It's not that it's blocked, it's that it's frozen in place.

Bai Yin remained in the stance of wielding his sword, his bloodshot eyes filled with madness, but he couldn't move.

Even the burning malevolent energy froze at that moment.

A hand reached out from the void.

The hands were thin and bony, covered with age spots, and the nails were neatly trimmed.

The hand gently rested on the back of the knife.

There was no sound.

That devastating power was like a bowl of water poured into the ocean; it vanished without even a ripple.

The fire on Bai Yin's body went out.

He felt as if his spine had been removed, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

The withered hand caught him and laid him flat on the ground.

Ripples spread across the void.

An old man wearing a gray cloth robe came out.

He was too old; his hair was thinning, his face was full of wrinkles, and his back was severely hunched.

He looks like an old farmer basking in the sun in a village.

But as he stands here, the winds and clouds of the Nine Heavens must all detour around him.

"Master!"

The three men, Tianpeng, Juanlian, and Dishitian, knelt down the moment they saw the old man.

His head hit the ground with a dull thud.

Even Di Shitian, the Demon Emperor, had his head bowed low and his body trembling slightly.

That was a reverence etched into one's very bones.

The Demon Ancestor, Taiwei.

This demon court is the true heaven, a living fossil that has lived for countless years.

Taiwei ignored the three kneeling figures.

He simply looked at Bai Yin lying on the ground.

Bai Yin hadn't fainted yet; his eyes were still fixed on the front, and he was still muttering, "Give it back to me."

"A promising talent."

Taiwei coughed twice, his voice sounding somewhat hoarse.

"Unfortunately, my mind is in turmoil."

He stretched out his finger and tapped Bai Yin's forehead.

A gentle force flowed into Bai Yin's body.

That wasn't domineering demonic power, but rather an aura that was almost like the "Tao".

The ruptured wounds on Bai Yin's body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The severed meridians were reconnected, and the broken bones grew back.

Even the demon core that was almost burned to ashes was forcibly gathered together by this power and regained its luster.

Bai Yin could no longer feel the pain.

But he didn't want to live.

He struggled to get up and reach for the knife.

"Don't move."

Taiwei pressed down on his shoulder.

That withered hand felt as heavy as Mount Sumeru.

"If you die, who will bring her back?"

Bai Yin's body suddenly stiffened.

He raised his head, and for the first time, his cloudy eyes regained focus.

"What...did you say?"

Taiwei sighed and sat down next to Bai Yin.

He didn't mind the dirty ground or the bloodstains on Bai Yin's body.

"In this world, there is a kind of fox that has nine tails and understands the principles of Yin and Yang."

Taiwei spoke slowly, as if telling an ancient story.

"Ten thousand years ago, a powerful being emerged from the demon race, who was also a nine-tailed celestial fox."

"She was exceptionally talented and once wanted to lead the demon race out of this world to see the outside world."

"Unfortunately, she broke a taboo."

Taiwei pointed to the top of his head.

"Those guys up there won't tolerate her."

"She is sealed away in a forbidden area in the Northern Region, bound by Five-Colored Divine Iron, never to be freed."

Bai Yin couldn't understand any of this.

He didn't want to listen either.

He stared intently into Taiwei's eyes, a hoarse voice escaping his throat: "Xiao Jiu... is dead."

"That's an incarnation."

Taiwei shook his head.

He raised his hand and made a grasping motion in the direction of the Moon Palace.

The corpse lying on the altar floated over and hovered between the two.

Bai Yin's eyes widened instantly.

He struggled desperately to get up, wanting to hug that figure.

"Look carefully."

Taiwei's voice suddenly became serious.

He flicked his finger.

A beam of golden light shone on the corpse.

There were no scenes of blood and gore.

The seemingly lifelike corpse, under the golden light, looked like a shattered mirror, instantly disintegrating.

Countless white specks of light scattered and then recombine in the air.

Finally, it turned into a crystal the size of a fingernail.

The crystal was completely transparent, containing a drop of bright red blood and a faint scent of gardenia.

Bai Yin was stunned.

He stared blankly at the crystal, his mind completely blank.

What about people?

Where is the flesh and blood?

How did it turn into a stone?

Bai Yin stared at the crystal.

He didn't dare reach out to take it.

He was afraid it was fake, afraid it would break at the slightest touch.

"An incarnation?"

Bai Yin muttered to himself.

"How could it be an incarnation..."

"She will cry, laugh, cry out in pain, and complain that the food is not good."

"She has body temperature and a heartbeat."

"How could it be fake?"

Tai smiled slightly, her face crinkling into wrinkles.

"Who said it's fake?"

"An incarnation is still a body, and so is emotion."

"She came into this world through this body and met you."

"Now that the body has disintegrated, the memories and the feelings will return to the original body."

Taiwei stuffed the crystal into Baiyin's hand.

"Take it."

"This is your travel permit."

"If you have the ability in the future, you may cultivate to the level of a Quasi-Emperor or even a Great Emperor."

"With this, you can find her true form."

Bai Yin held the crystal in his hand.

It's very cold.

But he could sense a familiar aura within it.

That's the scent of gardenias.

It tastes like Xiao Jiu.

His hands began to tremble, and tears welled up again.

He didn't die.

He really didn't die.

"Master..."

Indra raised his head, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

He wanted to say that the heart's blood was real, and the life-saving medicine was real too.

If it's an incarnation, how could it possibly have such miraculous effects?

Taiwei glanced at him.

"Her heart's blood was indeed useful, but do you think my old bones were saved by that little bit of blood from someone who hasn't even reached the Cave Profound Realm?"

Indra was stunned.

"That's the trigger."

Taiwei said calmly.

"It was that great being who, through this incarnation, bestowed upon me a great fortune."

"She's setting things up."

"I, you, and this little tiger are all pawns in her game."

At this point, Taiwei looked at Bai Yin, his gaze becoming somewhat complicated.

"I can manage these next few years."

"I can hold out against this demon race for a while longer."

"But later..."

Taiwei patted Bai Yin on the shoulder.

"It's up to you now."

"Someone has to fill that hole."

"Since that powerful being has chosen you, then you are the future hope of this demon race."

Bai Yin remained silent.

He simply clutched the crystal tightly, pressing it against his heart.

As long as she lives.

He'd do it even if it meant tearing the sky apart again, let alone filling the hole.

Just then.

A chewing sound came from behind.

Smack, smack.

In the deathly silent square, the sound was particularly jarring.

Everyone turned to look.

There was a disheveled old Taoist priest squatting on a stone lion not far away, holding a greasy roast chicken in his hand, gnawing on it with oil all over his mouth.

He had a gourd of wine hanging from his waist, and his straw sandals had a hole in them, revealing his dark big toe.

"Master?"

Bai Yin was stunned for a moment.

The old Taoist priest casually tossed the chicken bones aside and wiped his hands on his Taoist robe.

"What kind of behavior is this, crying and sobbing like this?"

The old Taoist priest jumped down, walked up to Bai Yin, and slapped him on the forehead.

"I trained you in the far west for nine years, and this is all you've accomplished?"

"He'd be willing to die for a woman."

Bai Yin did not dodge.

He looked at the old Taoist priest with a questioning look in his eyes.

The old Taoist priest rolled his eyes.

"What are you looking at?"

"What that old geezer said is true."

The old Taoist pointed to Taiwei.

"That fox spirit isn't dead; she's still incredibly clever."

"Only a fool like you would be sold out and still help the seller count the money."

Taiwei looked at the old Taoist priest, a helpless smile on his face.

"Junior brother."

"It's been years, and you're still the same."

Junior brother?

Tianpeng and Juanlian exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

This disheveled old Taoist priest is actually the junior brother of the Demon Ancestor?

Doesn't that mean...?

Is this mad tiger the grand-nephew of the Demon Ancestor?

Their seniority is frighteningly high.

The old Taoist priest pursed his lips, took off his wine gourd, and took a swig.

"Don't try to get too close to me."

"I'm here to see my disciple, not to reminisce."

The old Taoist looked at Bai Yin, his gaze unusually serious.

"Kid."

"The road has been paved for you."

"The person didn't die."

"What you do next is up to you."

"Should I go back to Yunmengze and become a coward, or should I continue practicing my sword skills until one day I can stand proudly in front of her?"

"You choose."

Bai Yin got up from the ground.

He gripped the cracked, three-pointed, double-edged knife.

He carried a straw figure in his arms and clutched a crystal in his palm.

He glanced in the direction of the Moon Palace, then looked at the hazy sky above.

"Practicing swordsmanship."

Bai Yin uttered two words.

The sound wasn't loud, but it had a metallic quality to it.

It's good that he's not dead.

Since they're not dead, there's still a chance.

Even if she is a celestial being, even if she is a chess player who sets up the strategy.

I just want to see her one more time.

He became a pawn in this game.

Taiwei nodded, and his figure began to fade.

"Go."

"Come see me again when you've fixed this knife."

The wind rises.

The clouds dispersed.

The oppressive feeling that had been weighing on everyone's hearts disappeared.

Bai Yin stood there, the bloodstains on his body already dried.

He looked at the crystal in his hand and a smile spread across his face.

That was a very ugly smile.

But it was the most genuine one in the past nine years.

"Xiao Jiu".

He silently recited it in his heart.

"wait for me."

Su Mu Zhe: A Startling Dream in the Demon Court

Blood flowed like a river, and the knife was broken.

The mad tiger and his foolish son shed tears upon the heavens.

A sigh startled the wind and the clouds and mist.

Withered hands brought back to life, rekindling the bond of the past.

Is it true or false? Is it really true?

Originally an incarnation, it only resulted in the heart being torn apart.

Years have passed, but my heart remains as hard as iron.

We await the restoration of the heavens, to gaze together upon the moon over the distant mountains.