Gift of the Mystic Fire Mirror

It was pure life energy, born from the collision, transformation, and final refinement of three primordial powers.

Wood Vitality!

"It's done!" Li Xiaoyu felt a surge of great joy in his heart.

Without a moment's hesitation, he drew this strand of precious Wood Vitality out from the gourd.

Immediately, Li Xiaoyu pressed his palm against the chest of the Six-Tailed Demon Fox once more, channeling this breath of life into his body.

A miracle occurred.

As that strand of green Wood Vitality entered the Six-Tailed Demon Fox's withered meridians, it was like sweet rain falling after a long drought.

His heart, which had ceased its beating, miraculously gave another throb.

Following that, his icy body began to regain its warmth.

His faint breathing also began to stabilize and lengthen.

Although the Six-Tailed Demon Fox remained unconscious, his life had been forcibly dragged back from the gates of hell.

"His heartbeat has returned!" Feeling the changes in her companion, the Three-Tailed Demon Fox was so excited she could barely speak coherently.

She looked at Li Xiaoyu, her eyes filled with gratitude and shock.

Lu Xueqi also stared at everything in a daze, her heart filled with astonishment.

Bringing the dead back to life!

He had actually managed to do it.

After finishing all this, Li Xiaoyu could no longer hold on; his vision went black, and he fainted.

In the final moment before losing consciousness, he only felt his body fall into a cold, soft embrace.

That embrace carried a faint, lingering fragrance that made him feel at peace.

When Li Xiaoyu woke up again, he found himself lying on a bed of grass.

A faint fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, calming his mind.

He moved his body and discovered that the weakness brought on by forcing the gourd had vanished, replaced by a sense of fullness and strength.

Li Xiaoyu could feel that the spiritual energy within him had become more refined and robust after this extreme depletion and recovery.

His cultivation had also touched the peak of the seventh level of the Jade Purity Realm, only a single step away from the eighth level.

"You're awake?" A cold, clear voice sounded by his ear.

Li Xiaoyu turned his head and saw Lu Xueqi sitting by the bedside, her eyes watching him with concern.

In her hands, she held a steaming bowl of herbal soup.

"How long have I been asleep?" Li Xiaoyu struggled to sit up, took the bowl from her hands, and asked softly.

"You have been asleep for a day and a night."

Lu Xueqi answered softly, reaching out to naturally tidy the messy hair on his forehead.

"Drink the medicine quickly; it was brewed especially for you by Sister Three-Tail, and it is good for restoring your vitality."

Li Xiaoyu nodded and drank the medicinal soup in one gulp.

A warm current surged into his stomach, making him feel comfortable.

He looked around and found that he was still in the cave, but the Six-Tailed Demon Fox was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he?" Li Xiaoyu asked in confusion.

"He is already fine." A smile appeared on Lu Xueqi's face.

"Although your life force could not fully restore him, it successfully saved his life and stabilized his origin."

"Right now, Sister Three-Tail is taking him to recover in a spiritual spring deep within the cave. As long as there is enough time, he will surely recover slowly."

Hearing this news, Li Xiaoyu felt a weight lift from his heart.

"That is good."

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from the cave entrance.

The Three-Tailed Demon Fox walked in briskly. Seeing that Li Xiaoyu had awakened, her face immediately filled with gratitude and joy.

"Benefactor, you're awake!"

She hurried to the bedside and moved to kneel before Li Xiaoyu.

"You mustn't!" Li Xiaoyu quickly stood up to support her.

"Senior, what are you doing?"

"You saved my husband's life; you are the second parent to us both. Such a great kindness is something I, Three-Tail, can never repay, so I must offer this great gesture!" Tears shimmered in the eyes of the Three-Tailed Demon Fox.

"Senior, you speak too heavily," Li Xiaoyu said sincerely as he helped her up.

"We cultivators should naturally act with chivalry and righteousness, drawing our blades to help whenever we see injustice."

"Besides, I have a bond with you, Senior; helping out was only right."

The Three-Tailed Demon Fox looked into his sincere eyes, her heart moved.

She knew that the young man before her possessed a benevolent heart, standing in stark contrast to those hypocritical righteous practitioners.

"Benefactor, your righteousness is admirable; I am in awe," she said, standing straight and speaking solemnly to Li Xiaoyu.

"I dare not speak of thanks for saving my life, but my husband and I shall never forget this debt of gratitude."

The Three-Tailed Demon Fox paused, as if she had made a firm decision.

She carefully withdrew an object from her bosom.

It was a circular item about half the size of a palm.

The outer edge was a vibrant, verdant jade ring.

Embedded in the center of the jade ring was a crimson, mirror-like thin plate, carved with a primitive flame totem.

Two red silk tassels, three inches long and supple in texture, were tied to either side of the jade ring.

It was none other than the treasure of Incense Burning Valley—the Mystic Fire Mirror!

"This is..." Both Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi's pupils constricted upon seeing this legendary divine artifact.

"Benefactor, this item is called the Mystic Fire Mirror. It is the supreme treasure of Incense Burning Valley and the culprit behind my husband's grievous injuries."

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

"My husband risked his life to bring it out of Incense Burning Valley, hoping to rescue our clan's elder who is imprisoned within."

"Unfortunately, he lacked the strength and was ambushed instead."

"Today, I gift this item to you, Benefactor, as my husband requested."

She solemnly held the Mystic Fire Mirror out toward Li Xiaoyu.

"I can see that you possess a unique treasure capable of devouring the spiritual energy of all things. The Mystic Fire Mirror is the essence of all fires, and the flame power contained within will surely be of great benefit to your cultivation."

"Furthermore," the Three-Tailed Demon Fox's tone became earnest, "my husband and I have one more presumptuous request."

"We hope that if you ever have the opportunity, you will take this item to the Mystic Fire Altar in Incense Burning Valley and rescue my husband's mother—my mother-in-law, the Nine-Tail Celestial Fox—who is imprisoned there."

The Nine-Tail Celestial Fox!

Hearing this name, Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi were shocked once again.

Accepting the Mystic Fire Mirror meant accepting a heavy commission and becoming an enemy of the behemoth that was Incense Burning Valley.

Li Xiaoyu looked at the pleading eyes of the Three-Tailed Demon Fox, then at the Mystic Fire Mirror in his hand, and fell into silence.

He was not a man who feared trouble, but this matter was of great significance and could not be taken lightly.

Lu Xueqi, standing to the side, sensed his dilemma.

She walked to Li Xiaoyu's side and whispered, "Whatever decision you make, I will support you."

Her words warmed Li Xiaoyu's heart.

Li Xiaoyu raised his head, looked at the Three-Tailed Demon Fox, and a flash of determination crossed his eyes.

"Very well," he said.

"I accept this commission."

Li Xiaoyu took the heavy Mystic Fire Mirror from the hands of the Three-Tailed Demon Fox.

"I, Li Xiaoyu, swear here that in my lifetime, I will go to Incense Burning Valley to rescue the Nine-Tail Celestial Fox and reunite her with her son," his voice rang out, firm and powerful.

Upon hearing his promise, the Three-Tailed Demon Fox was moved to tears.

"Thank you, Benefactor!" She bowed deeply to Li Xiaoyu once more.