"Xue Mingqing!"
With a cry of alarm, Ning Yurong's gaze sharpened. She hurried toward Xue Mingqing as he was flung backward, intending to catch him despite his severe injuries.
Yes, in Ning Yurong's eyes, Xue Mingqing looked like he was badly wounded and close to death.
But what about Xue Mingqing?
Clutching the gash in his chest, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, he flipped in midair!
At the last moment before hitting the ground, he plunged the broken sword in his hand into the earth. It carved a long furrow, bleeding off much of his momentum, and at last—
He stopped in front of Ning Yurong, who was hurrying toward him.
Dropping to one knee, Xue Mingqing trembled as he tried to push himself upright with his broken sword.
But his body and the sword in his hand seemed to have reached their limits. The moment he exerted himself—
The sword, already reduced to half its length, gave a sharp clang.
In an instant, it burst apart, scattering into countless snowflakes wrapped in a gentle breeze.
His Martial Soul, Snow Sword, vanished abruptly, and Xue Mingqing could no longer suppress his injuries.
With a retch, he spat out a mouthful of hot blood, splattering the ground in front of him.
"Cough, cough, cough...!"
Bracing himself with both hands, Xue Mingqing coughed up mouthful after mouthful of blood!
"Xue Mingqing, you... you, are you all right...?"
Seeing this, Ning Yurong could no longer maintain her detached composure. She crouched and held him up.
Her eyes reddened, crystalline tears welling within them. With trembling hands, she took a green pill from her Storage Soul Tool.
The pill quivered between her fingertips, and Ning Yurong's voice caught with a hint of tears.
"Quick, take this..."
Feeling Ning Yurong's whole body tremble, Xue Mingqing didn't protest. He opened his mouth and swallowed the pill.
It melted as soon as it touched his tongue, its potent medicinal energy flowing into every part of his body.
It took effect quickly, healing him without even needing to be refined with Soul Power.
The first thing it healed was the gash in his chest. Flesh rapidly grew across it, closing the wound.
Xue Mingqing's brow lifted as he noticed.
Such a remarkable pill...
This little girl's status was probably far higher than he had expected.
He closed his eyes briefly, putting the thought aside.
Clutching his chest, he stood and looked toward the dark domain as it gradually faded.
There stood a pitch-black fox, about the size of a large yellow dog, with four eyes.
It was the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's true form!
A trace of mockery gradually appeared on Xue Mingqing's pale face.
"You got hurt by a One-Ring Soul Master like me. Looks like you're nothing special."
As he spoke, Xue Mingqing glanced at the fox's tail.
There was a barely perceptible cut there. It wasn't bleeding, but the Four-Eyed Demon Fox had indeed been wounded.
At the realization, a chill deepened in the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's eyes...
It would torture this human to death. Only then would its hatred be appeased!
Its face twisted in a snarl as it advanced toward Xue Mingqing one step at a time. With each step, the deadly glint of its claws grew more menacing...
Xue Mingqing gritted his teeth, his expression taut. That last sword strike had drained every last bit of his Soul Power.
He had no strength left to fight back!
Clutching his chest, Xue Mingqing remained outwardly calm and unyielding. But inside his Spirit Sea, he was already in an uproar.
"Help me, help me, help me! Teacher, save me!"
Hearing Xue Mingqing's repeated cries for help, Feng Qingyang calmly picked at his ear, an unconcerned look on his face. He replied evenly,
"Stay calm. I know what I'm doing. I'll step in when the time is right."
At that, Xue Mingqing closed his eyes and let out a long breath.
He knew it. He knew it!
Though they hadn't known each other long, Xue Mingqing had already figured out that Feng Qingyang was a complete thrill-seeker!
He wouldn't help until Xue Mingqing was pushed to the brink. That was exactly why Xue Mingqing had gambled everything on one last sword strike!
He'd done it to put on a show for Feng Qingyang and make him intervene.
Who could have guessed that even now, with Xue Mingqing at the end of his rope, the old man still wouldn't act!
Taking a deep breath, Xue Mingqing opened his eyes. He looked at the Four-Eyed Demon Fox, now right in front of him, and was about to say something nasty to provoke it even further.
But the words hadn't yet come into play when they caught in his throat. He froze!
Because—
Ning Yurong had actually walked trembling between him and the Four-Eyed Demon Fox!
Xue Mingqing frowned at the sight, unable to make sense of what Ning Yurong was trying to do.
And Ning Yurong?
She stood before the Four-Eyed Demon Fox with her eyes closed, taking a deep breath as if she'd made a decision.
Under the gaze of six bewildered eyes—
She spoke.
"I know you can understand human speech, so..."
She paused, then pressed her lips together and opened her mist-filled yet resolute crimson eyes, staring straight into the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's gaze.
"This all started because of me... Kill me... then leave, all right...?"
At her words, Xue Mingqing and the Four-Eyed Demon Fox both froze.
Xue Mingqing's pupils shook in disbelief.
Once it understood what Ning Yurong had said, the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's four eyes gleamed with cold amusement.
As a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, it had long since gained intelligence and could understand human speech. But—
That was precisely why it found this all the more amusing...
It glanced at Xue Mingqing, unable to hide the mockery in its eyes.
This man wanted to protect this woman, so—
Wouldn't killing her in front of him make him suffer even more?
The Four-Eyed Demon Fox acted the moment the thought crossed its mind. It suddenly raised a paw and swiped at Ning Yurong, intent on killing her first!
At the sight, Xue Mingqing's pupils contracted to pinpricks!
"Stop right there!!!"
As he roared, a gentle breeze happened to sweep across Xue Mingqing's body.
It restored some of his ability to move, though his Soul Power was spent!
He sprang up, a breeze swirling around him as he moved so quickly that he left afterimages.
Reaching out, he seized Ning Yurong by the wrist and pulled her forcefully into his arms without a word!
He moved so fast that even the Four-Eyed Demon Fox couldn't react in time!
When it recovered, the Four-Eyed Demon Fox's pupils shrank. Instinct told it that something had slipped from its control.
It no longer dared to indulge in its cruel amusement.
A flash of blood-red light filled its four eyes. Its sharp claws carved a fatal afterimage through the air as it lunged at Xue Mingqing and Ning Yurong, determined to kill them both on the spot!
Feeling that terrifying attack streak toward him, Xue Mingqing's expression turned cold!
Holding Ning Yurong, whose face was frozen in utter shock, he pushed off with both legs and retreated.
At the same time, he roared in his heart!
"Teacher, help me!!!"
In the Spirit Sea, Feng Qingyang sat with his chin resting in his hand and chuckled.
"At last. I've been waiting for this moment..."
He raised a hand and pointed.
In an instant!
His immense, surging soul power transformed into fierce, domineering Hurricane Force and poured into Xue Mingqing's body!
But this Hurricane Force didn't give Xue Mingqing strength. Instead...
It all sank into the mysterious runes, long dormant, on Xue Mingqing's back!
Crack—!
The sound of something breaking rang out. On Xue Mingqing's back, the mysterious runes, now filled with Hurricane Force, shattered in an instant!
The next moment—
Two exquisite crystalline snow wings unfurled behind Xue Mingqing!
The instant the ice-crystal wings spread, Xue Mingqing knew everything about them, including how to use them!
Holding Ning Yurong in his arms, Xue Mingqing's expression turned even colder. He stared at the Four-Eyed Demon Fox, whose beastly face now showed humanlike shock, and roared!
"Light of the Polar Night!!!!!"
Before you continue