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

Gu Xiang was not fooled by the old man's words.

He stared at the withered sycamore tree, then looked at the dark red runes on the surrounding rock walls.

"Self-destruction?"

Gu Xiang repeated the word.

He released Su Qing's hand, took two steps forward, and stood on the edge of the deep pit.

The pile of bones at the bottom of the pit was very thick; some had weathered into powder, while others still gleamed with a pale light.

"Ancestor, you just said that monsters lurk deep within this Forsaken Land, greedy and bloodthirsty, with a mad thirst for life."

Gu Xiang turned around, his gaze falling on the old ancestor's deeply lined face.

"If this tree sealed itself away to escape the monsters, why is it releasing vitality?"

"If it were to protect itself, it should completely conceal its aura and become a dead tree or a stone."

"But now, while it is withering, it is also constantly emanating its essence, nourishing your Mountain Moving Sect's Spirit Absorption Array."

"This doesn't make sense."

Gu Xiang's voice echoed in the empty cave.

"Unless, those so-called monsters weren't actually after it at all."

"Or rather, it radiates vitality to feed something so that thing won't harm others."

A glint of light flashed in the old ancestor's cloudy eyes.

He gave Gu Xiang a deep look, and tapped his cane lightly on the ground.

"Prime Minister Gu is indeed a scholar; he is very thoughtful."

The patriarch did not directly answer Gu Xiang's question.

He turned around, looked at the withered tree, and his voice became somewhat ethereal, as if it were drifting from a very far place.

"Prime Minister Gu, have you heard the story of the 'loving mother' in 'Tales of Mountains and Seas'?"

Gu Xiang frowned.

"I would like to hear the details."

The old ancestor spoke slowly, his tone becoming ancient and weathered, not like he was speaking normally, but more like he was reciting an ancient scripture.

"Once upon a time, there was a goddess who was pregnant for ten months, just as a great calamity befell heaven and earth."

"Demons roam freely, devouring human flesh and blood. The goddess knows she is no match for them and is powerless to protect her child."

"With her due date approaching, the goddess did something against the will of Heaven."

"She used her own blood essence as a guide to create a cage, locking the fetus in her womb tightly inside her body."

"She doesn't want to have children."

"For to be born is to die."

"The outside world is hell, but the inside is paradise."

"The goddess suffers day and night from the pain of being struck by the fetus and from the depletion of her essence and blood, yet she still refuses to loosen that seal."

"Until the goddess's life force is exhausted, her flesh and blood turn into withered bones, and her soul dissipates into ashes."

"The fetus also died in the womb, never to see the light of day."

After the old ancestor finished speaking, he turned his head and looked at Su Qing.

"Your Majesty, did you understand?"

Su Qing stood there, her red dress like fire, yet she felt a chill run through her body.

She looked at the withered tree.

The tree trunk was withered and the branches and leaves were gone, much like a mother who had exhausted all her efforts.

"You mean...?"

Su Qing's voice trembled slightly.

"Did it mistake me for that fetus?"

"It felt that the outside world was a land forsaken by God, a place devoid of spirits, inhabited by man-eating monsters."

"So it would rather wither and die, rather lose all its vitality, than let me...be born?"

The old ancestor nodded.

"All things have a spirit, and sacred trees especially so."

"It sensed the return of the goddess's spirit, and it also sensed the danger of this land abandoned by the gods."

"It's afraid."

"I fear that once the Empress merges with the original body, her aura will leak out, attracting the great terrors from the depths of the Burial God Abyss."

"So it sealed itself off, and also sealed off the Empress's true form."

"It's using its own life to buy time."

Even if this time is gained by gradually withering away.

Su Qing suddenly rushed forward a few steps.

She jumped into the deep pit without hesitation, stepping over the stark white bones, and rushed to the withered tree.

"Who needs your protection!"

Su Qing shouted.

She reached out her hand, her palm surging with immense demonic power, and tried to press it against the tree trunk.

"I am the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox! I am Su Qing!"

"I've killed more people than you've ever seen a leaf!"

"Would I be afraid of those monsters?"

"Open it!"

Su Qing slammed her palm heavily against the tree trunk.

There was no earth-shattering noise.

There was also no clash of spiritual energy.

Just as her palm was about to touch the bark.

A faint golden light emerged from beneath the cracked bark.

The light was very faint, even somewhat dim.

But it is exceptionally resilient.

Su Qing's palm struck it, as if she had patted a ball of cotton.

The golden light did not retaliate and did not harm her in the slightest.

It gently but firmly pushed Su Qing's hand back.

It's like a mother gently pushing away a child who wants to play with fire.

Su Qing was stunned.

Unconvinced, she channeled her demonic power once more and slammed it down hard.

"Bang!"

The golden light reappeared.

She remains as gentle and tolerant as ever.

It endured all of Su Qing's attacks and rage, and then gently pushed her away.

Su Qing wants to fight again.

Gu Xiang had already jumped into the deep pit and grabbed her wrist.

That's enough.

Gu Xiang's voice was somewhat low.

Su Qing turned her head, her eyes slightly red.

"Why should it make decisions for me?"

"Who does it think it is?"

"It's just a tree! A tree!"

Gu Xiang looked at her and reached out to wipe away a tear from the corner of her eye.

"It really is just a tree."

"But now, it is also a mother."

Su Qing's body stiffened.

She looked at the withered tree.

The leaves rustled gently in the breeze.

It sounded like a whisper, or perhaps a soothing reassurance.

That feeling plunged Su Qing into a non-existent memory.

She seemed to have transformed into a little fox, sleeping under the trees on Luofeng Slope.

The sun was blazing, but the leaves always provided just the right amount of shade, leaving only a cool respite.

The rain was heavy, but the tree canopy always blocked out all the wind and rain, leaving only a dry area.

It was protecting her, just like a loving mother protecting her child.

Su Qing slowly lowered her hand.

Looking at the faint golden light, she felt a pang of sorrow she had never felt before.

This feeling of being protected to the point of suffocation.

This obsession with protecting her, even at the cost of his own life.

This made this heartless vixen feel lost for the first time.

"So what do we do now?"

Su Qing turned around and looked at the old ancestor standing by the pit.

"If it doesn't open the door, I can't get in."

"If I can't get in, I can't get my original body back."

"Am I just going to watch it die?"

"Watching it exhaust itself to death trying to protect me?"

The old ancestor leaned on his cane, looking at the two people at the bottom of the pit.

"Your Majesty, please don't be anxious."

"All things in this world are mutually dependent and mutually restraining."

"Since it's a lock, it must have a key."

"But this key..."

The old ancestor's gaze passed over Su Qing and landed on Gu Xiang.

That look in his eyes was full of meaning.

To the Tune of Linjiangxian: A Loving Mother

The withered bones lie buried in the deep pit, the ancient stories remain; the sacred tree locks itself in the towering building.

I fear that the wind and rain will damage my gentleness.

Bearing countless calamities, I forbid myself from seeing sorrow of parting.

Who can fathom the depth of this meaning? Life, once scattered, is hard to recover.

My unwavering devotion is solely for protecting the returning boat.

She pushed her delicate hand away through the wall, tears welling in her eyes.