The Three-Tailed Demon Fox

The Black Stone Cave was located within a rocky ridge ten miles north of Little Pond Town.

The entrance was concealed by massive boulders and vines, making it appear extremely hidden.

Before they even drew near, Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi could smell the stench of blood and demonic aura wafting from within the cave.

The two landed at the entrance and exchanged a glance, both seeing gravity in the other's eyes.

"This demonic aura is very strong."

Lu Xueqi said softly, the Tianya divine sword in her hand already emitting a series of low hums, sensing the danger inside the cave.

"Mm."

Li Xiaoyu replied in a deep voice.

He could feel that although this demonic aura was powerful, it was laced with sorrow and despair.

This left Li Xiaoyu feeling somewhat puzzled.

"Let's go in, but be careful."

Li Xiaoyu walked in front with Lu Xueqi following closely behind; the two moved one after the other, cautiously entering the Black Stone Cave.

The light inside the cave was dim, and the path was rugged.

Unlike the damp and cold Ancient Bat Cave, this place felt dry and warm.

The scent of blood in the air was not heavy; instead, there was a strange fragrance of medicinal herbs.

This only deepened their confusion.

They walked for about a hundred paces before a wide stone chamber suddenly appeared ahead.

In the center of the stone chamber, a bonfire was lit, its glow illuminating the entire room.

Beside the bonfire, a figure sat cross-legged with their back turned toward them.

The figure appeared to be a woman, dressed in a fiery red long dress, with a head of raven-black hair cascading down like a waterfall.

Behind the woman, three fiery red tails swayed leisurely.

It was a fox demon!

And a Three-Tailed Demon Fox with extremely high cultivation!

The moment the two discovered her, the fox demon also sensed their arrival.

The fox demon slowly turned around.

It was an extremely beautiful face, one that could even be described as bewitching to all living things.

The fox demon's eyes were long and narrow, her gaze shifting with a mix of languor and vigilance.

Her lips were crimson, and the corners of her mouth were curled into a faint, enigmatic smile.

"I didn't expect someone to come knocking so soon."

The fox demon's voice carried the magnetism of a mature woman, lazy yet dangerous.

"Are you disciples of the Green Cloud Sect?"

She looked at the attire on Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi and asked.

Li Xiaoyu shielded Lu Xueqi behind him, his Autumn Water Sword already unsheathed.

"You have been stirring up trouble here and harming living beings; today, we have come to put an end to you!"

Li Xiaoyu shouted coldly.

However, upon hearing his words, the Three-Tailed Demon Fox did not show fear; instead, she let out a light chuckle.

"Hehehe, put an end to me?"

She stood up, her fiery red dress outlining her graceful curves.

"Just with the two of you, mere children of the Jade Purity Realm?"

A flash of contempt crossed the eyes of the Three-Tailed Demon Fox.

"If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn't even have had the chance to step into this cave entrance."

Her words were filled with confidence.

Li Xiaoyu felt a shiver in his heart, knowing that what she said was no lie.

Given this fox demon's strength, if she had set an ambush outside the cave, they would truly have been in grave danger.

"Then why do you consume the essence and blood of humans and livestock?"

Lu Xueqi's cold, clear voice rang out, the blue light of the Tianya divine sword in her hand flickering as her sword intent locked directly onto the Three-Tailed Demon Fox.

The Three-Tailed Demon Fox's gaze fell upon the Tianya divine sword in Lu Xueqi's hand; a flash of wariness crossed her eyes, which then shifted into sorrow.

"I don't want to either, but I have no other choice."

Her voice carried a sense of helplessness.

"Enough talk! Monster, die!"

Li Xiaoyu stopped wasting words with her; he knew there was no reasoning with a demon.

He let out a low shout and launched the first attack.

The Autumn Water Sword transformed into a streak of light, carrying a fierce sword aura as it thrust toward the Three-Tailed Demon Fox.

Lu Xueqi struck at the same time, the Tianya divine sword glowing with a brilliant blue light as a cold sword aura followed closely behind.

The moment they moved, they went all out, their coordination seamless.

However, facing their fierce onslaught, there was no panic on the face of the Three-Tailed Demon Fox.

She merely raised her slender hand, and streaks of crimson demonic power coalesced before her into a shield of flame.

"Clang! Clang!"

The two divine weapons struck the flame shield, only to be easily blocked, emitting the sound of clashing metal.

"What?!"

Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi were both shocked.

They had not expected the fox demon's power to be so profound that she could block their combined strike with her bare hands.

"I told you, you are no match for me."

The Three-Tailed Demon Fox said.

She flipped her wrist, and the flame shield instantly exploded, turning into a rain of fire that surged back toward them.

Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi hurriedly retreated, swinging their swords to parry.

But the rain of fire contained immense demonic power, numbing their arms and causing their blood to churn.

"So strong!"

Li Xiaoyu was horrified.

The fox demon's strength was even greater than he had imagined.

"Xueqi, use that move!"

Li Xiaoyu shouted to Lu Xueqi.

Lu Xueqi understood and nodded.

The two stood side by side once more, driving the spiritual energy within them without reservation.

"Divine Sword Thunder Control!"

"Heaven and Earth Borrowing Method!"

They simultaneously unleashed the ultimate technique they had used to defeat their enemies in the Abyss of the Dead.

A fused sword aura, containing both thunder and the essence of the Dao, took shape once again!

Compared to the last time, the power of this sword aura was even greater, and its aura was more harmonious.

"Go!"

Li Xiaoyu swung his sword, and the sword aura, carrying the power to destroy the heavens and the earth, crashed toward the Three-Tailed Demon Fox.

Facing a strike that would make even an ordinary expert of the Upper Purity Realm change their expression, the Three-Tailed Demon Fox finally wore a solemn look.

She knew she could no longer handle this strike as casually as before.

The Three-Tailed Demon Fox quickly formed mysterious hand seals before her chest.

"Nine-Tail Celestial Fox, True Fire Scorching the Plains!"

She let out a sharp cry, and the three massive tails behind her instantly ignited with raging crimson flames.

These were no ordinary flames, but her life-bound demonic fire, cultivated for nearly a thousand years; its temperature was high enough to melt gold and iron.

The three streams of demonic fire converged before her, transforming into a ferocious dragon of flame that opened its blood-red maw to meet the fused sword aura.

"Boom--!"

The entire Black Stone Cave trembled violently.

The sword aura and the fire dragon collided in the center of the stone chamber.

A violent shockwave of energy swept wildly in all directions.

The walls of the stone chamber were cracked with massive fissures, and countless rocks fell from the ceiling.

Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi were forced back repeatedly by the shockwave, their faces pale.

The Three-Tailed Demon Fox opposite them was faring no better.

The fire dragon before her was split down the middle by the sword aura, and the violent sword energy broke through her defenses, leaving a deep gash on her fiery red dress.

A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

She was injured.

However, just as Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi prepared to press their advantage and completely subdue the fox demon, Li Xiaoyu's movements suddenly came to a halt.

A flash of confusion crossed his eyes.

"Something's wrong."

He whispered.

"What is it?"

Lu Xueqi looked at him, puzzled.

"She has no killing intent."

Li Xiaoyu said solemnly.

He realized that from the moment the battle began until now, although this Three-Tailed Demon Fox was powerful and her moves were fierce, she had never once gone for the kill.

All of her attacks were merely intended to force them back, not to take their lives.

Furthermore, what Li Xiaoyu saw in her eyes was not the cruelty or bloodlust of a monster.

It was a profound sense of sorrow and despair.

This was not normal.

There was something strange going on.