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

Gu Xiang bit his tongue and spat his blood onto the brush in his hand. He attempted to forcefully communicate with the remaining righteous energy of heaven and earth to write the ultimate killing incantation. Bai Yin ignored the ruptured wound on his back and his fading life. He forcefully activated the long-depleted Geng metal evil energy in his dantian, causing dark red light to re-condense at his fingertips.

These two world-destroying forces had just begun to shine when the damage caused by Su Chang'an's previous release of bloodline suppression and the stripping of his true fire erupted in full force.

Gu Xiang's exquisite heart within his chest contracted and stopped abruptly. His body, deprived of the Phoenix True Fire's support, couldn't withstand the backlash of forcibly unleashing the power of words becoming law. His brush couldn't even draw a single stroke in the air. The righteous energy gathered at the tip of the brush dissipated instantly. Gu Xiang's knees slammed heavily into the icy snow. A mouthful of black blood gushed from his cracked lips, staining his tattered blue robe crimson.

Bai Yin's condition was equally dire. The surging Geng metal aura within him, upon colliding with the residual bloodline pressure of the seventh tail of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, immediately reversed course and flooded his internal organs. Bai Yin's tall body swayed violently. The dark red light at his fingertips extinguished. He lost his balance and collapsed forward, kneeling heavily on the rubble of the ruins. He gasped for breath, each breath carrying a strong, metallic stench of blood.

At this moment, the two peerless experts, renowned throughout the world, completely lost their unparalleled cultivation.

Even after losing all their power, the obsessive possessiveness in their eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

Bai Yin abandoned the dignity of a Great Sage. He pressed his hands directly onto the frozen earth. On all fours, relying solely on his physical strength, he crawled forward through the ruins strewn with sharp stones. The rubble tore at his palms and knees. Blood gushed from the deep, bone-revealing wound on his back, leaving a glaring red trail in the snow. His crimson eyes were fixed on the greyish-white remnant soul ahead. Heavy breathing escaped his lips.

Gu Xiang tossed the calligraphy brush aside. He braced himself against the ground with his withered elbows. Dragging his completely numb legs, he moved forward inching through the snow, relying on the strength of his upper body. Rough ice shards tore through the fabric at his elbows, piercing his skin and revealing his stark white bones. He paid no heed to the physical pain. His bloodshot eyes remained fixed intently on Su Chang'an's location.

Two men, in the most primitive and wretched state, vied for the right to approach her in the ruins of this far northern land.

They moved extremely slowly, yet their actions were driven by a desperate madness. When they were still three feet away from Su Chang'an, the unexpected happened.

The black broken sword, which had been lying dormant in the snow, let out a high-pitched sword cry. The blade sprang straight up from the snow, blocking Bai Yin and Gu Xiang's path. Pure black killing intent erupted from the bone-like blade, forming a cold, black barrier. Chen Xuan's remaining will within the sword's bones fully awakened, displaying extreme exclusivity. The tip of the broken sword moved back and forth between Bai Yin and Gu Xiang. The blade emitted a series of hostile hums. It was warning these two men, who had appeared out of nowhere, to stay away from the remnant soul behind them.

The act of wielding the broken sword completely ignited the suppressed anger in Bai Yin and Gu Xiang's hearts.

Bai Yin stared at the sword blade lying across his face. The muscles around his eyes twitched violently. He raised his right hand, which was covered in dirt and blood, and slammed his five fingers into a claw, striking the black blade hard.

Gu Xiang stared at the sword bone blocking his view. A deep disgust surfaced on his gaunt face. He grabbed the broken brush handle beside him and smashed it against the hilt of the broken sword with all his might.

The two displayed astonishing teamwork in that instant. The tiger's claw and the pen handle struck the obstructing broken sword simultaneously.

Without the support of spiritual energy, the murderous intent on the broken sword was utterly powerless against the pure physical strength of two peerless experts. The sword let out a mournful cry and was sent flying by the combined force. The broken sword tumbled hundreds of feet through the air before crashing heavily into the depths of distant ruins, raising a cloud of dust mixed with snow.

"How dare a piece of junk get in the way!"

Bai Yin and Gu Xiang uttered these words in unison.

Having eliminated the interference of the broken sword, the two moved to the left and right of Su Chang'an's remnant soul.

When the distance closed to less than a foot, they finally saw Su Chang'an's true state. Cut by the laws of absolute power, her already illusory body had become completely transparent. Large sections of her greyish-white skirt disintegrated, turning into faint specks of light that vanished into the air. They could even clearly see the howling snowstorm behind her through her body.

The hostility and murderous intent in Bai Yin and Gu Xiang's eyes were completely extinguished the moment they saw what was happening. A deep sense of panic filled their eyes.

Bai Yin frantically reached into his robes, his fingers groping inside the blood-stained fabric. He pulled out the bottle of Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Elixir that Tianpeng had given him earlier. Bai Yin's hands trembled uncontrollably, and he couldn't pry open the small wooden stopper several times. He finally brought the bottle to his lips and bit off the stopper with his teeth. He spat the stopper onto the snow beside him.

He held the bottle of medicine, emanating a strong demonic aura, in his blood-stained hands. He brought the medicine to Su Chang'an's illusory lips. Bai Yin's voice was tinged with a clear sob, filled with a humble plea.

"Xiao Jiu, drink it!"

"If you drink it, it won't dissipate. Please drink it!"

Gu Xiang smelled the violent demonic aura. His withered face twisted with rage. He grabbed Bai Yin's wrist and forcefully pushed the bottle of medicine away.

The medicine bottle slipped from his hand and fell onto the snow. Dark red liquid spilled out, corroding the snow and producing a pungent white smoke.

With red eyes, Gu Xiang angrily rebuked Bai Yin.

"The Demon Court's potent medicine will only hasten the dissipation of her soul!"

"Get out of my way, nourish me with the blood of my noble heart!"

After Gu Xiang finished speaking, he opened his mouth. He bit his index fingertip hard with his teeth. He forcefully activated the seven-aperture exquisite heart within his chest, squeezing a drop of blood containing pure and righteous energy onto his fingertip. He raised his hand, attempting to place this drop of blood, radiating a warm red glow, onto Su Chang'an's illusory brow.

Bai Yin saw the drop of blood exuding a Confucian aura. A surge of violence resurfaced in his eyes. Without hesitation, he swung a fist, slamming it heavily into Gu Xiang's arm. The force of the blow knocked Gu Xiang's arm away. The drop of blood veered off course and landed on the nearby open ground.

"Your sour, righteous air will only scald her!"

Bai Yin's voice became hoarse with rage.

The two peerless experts, who had lost their cultivation, completely abandoned all decorum in front of Su Chang'an. They started fighting again.

Bai Yin threw himself on top of Gu Xiang, his hands gripping Gu Xiang's shoulders tightly. Gu Xiang rammed his elbows into Bai Yin's ribs, his hands twisting Bai Yin's wrists behind his back. They rolled around in the muddy, icy snow. Fists slammed into each other's cheeks, fingernails scratching flesh. Their tattered clothes were torn to shreds. Blood mixed with mud stained their faces.

They held each other tightly, neither daring to let the other's strength touch their beloved. They were both afraid—afraid that any external force would be the final straw, causing irreversible damage to that fragile, remnant soul.

Su Chang'an stood rooted to the spot. The chilling winds of the Absolute Spirit Law relentlessly pierced her soul. Each cut brought excruciating pain that penetrated to the very marrow of her bones. The tearing sensation emanating from her soul left her without even the strength to roll her eyes.

She looked down at the two peerless masters at her feet, fighting each other like street thugs in the mud. She then turned her head to look at the broken sword in the distant ruins, still struggling to reach her.

Utter silence overwhelmed the pain in my soul at that moment.

Su Chang'an weakly opened her mouth. Her ashen lips trembled slightly. With the last bit of clarity in her mind, she looked at the two people wrestling in the snow. She uttered two words filled with disgust.

"Shut up"