"Incense Burning Valley..."
Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi both fell silent.
Their hearts filled with sympathy for the two fox demons and anger at Incense Burning Valley's overbearing conduct.
They had always believed that Incense Burning Valley, like the Green Cloud Sect and Heavenly Sound Temple, was a righteous and prestigious sect—a leader among those who protected the common people.
They had never imagined that behind closed doors, they too engaged in such deeds as imprisoning souls and wiping out entire families.
"So this is what you call a righteous and prestigious sect!"
The Three-Tailed Demon Fox looked at the two silent disciples and spoke with grief and indignation.
"You claim to uphold Heaven's justice, yet your methods are even more cruel than those of the Demon Sect!"
"What difference is there between you and them?"
Her questions left Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi speechless.
They looked at the Six-Tailed Demon Fox, lying on the bed and barely clinging to life, and at the Three-Tailed Demon Fox, overcome with grief beside him. Their hearts were a tangled mess.
How, exactly, should righteousness and evil be defined?
By the sect one belonged to, or by the good and evil in one's heart?
In that moment, the convictions that had been rooted deep within them began to waver.
"I'm sorry."
Only after a long while did Li Xiaoyu manage to speak.
"Although we can't speak for the entire righteous path, we'd like to apologize to you for Incense Burning Valley's actions."
Li Xiaoyu bowed deeply to the two fox demons.
Lu Xueqi bowed as well.
Their actions left the Three-Tailed Demon Fox and the Six-Tailed Demon Fox both stunned.
They had never expected these two Green Cloud Sect disciples to apologize to them.
Much of the hatred in the Three-Tailed Demon Fox's eyes faded, replaced by complicated emotions.
"Let it go. Let it go."
The Six-Tailed Demon Fox sighed weakly.
"This has nothing to do with you."
"Cough, cough..."
As he spoke, he began coughing violently again, dark blood clotted with frost spilling from the corner of his mouth.
The Six-Tailed Demon Fox's breathing grew even fainter.
"Don't speak anymore!"
The Three-Tailed Demon Fox hurriedly supported him, tears welling up once more.
"It's no use. None of it is any use. You're going to leave me..."
She held the Six-Tailed Demon Fox and wept like a helpless child.
Watching this scene of lovers facing a cruel parting, Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi felt their hearts pierced.
They could sense the profound love between them, a bond that crossed the boundaries of species and death.
No.
He couldn't just stand by and watch him die.
An idea took root in Li Xiaoyu's heart, growing wildly.
He had to save him!
No matter what it took, Li Xiaoyu couldn't let these two who loved each other be separated by death!
"Maybe I can try."
Li Xiaoyu looked at the Three-Tailed Demon Fox and spoke in a low voice.
His words made the sobbing Three-Tailed Demon Fox freeze.
She raised her tearful eyes to him.
"What did you say?"
The Six-Tailed Demon Fox, barely clinging to life on the bed, also struggled to open his eyes and look at this astonishing Green Cloud Sect disciple.
"I said maybe I can save him." Li Xiaoyu repeated himself, his voice firm.
Lu Xueqi stared at him in surprise, unsure what Li Xiaoyu could possibly do to save a fox demon whose life force was nearly extinguished and whose very essence had been damaged by the deadly Nine Cold Freezing Thorn.
"What can you do?" The Three-Tailed Demon Fox rose from the floor and hurried over to Li Xiaoyu, grabbing his arm as she asked urgently.
Hope rekindled in her eyes.
"As long as you can save him, I, Three-Tail, will do anything for you—even become your servant for life, with no hope of rebirth!"
She spoke with fierce emotion.
Li Xiaoyu looked at the hope in her eyes, feeling the immense pressure of her plea.
He wasn't at all certain it would work. He had only thought of his Immortal-Slaying Gourd.
This mysterious gourd could devour the spiritual energy of all things, then purify and transform it.
Could it also devour the domineering cold poison inside the Six-Tailed Demon Fox? Could it even transform that extremely yin and frigid energy into pure life force?
It was a reckless idea, but it was also the only option he had.
"I need you to trust me completely."
Li Xiaoyu looked at the Three-Tailed Demon Fox, his expression grave.
"While I'm treating him, don't interrupt me, no matter what happens."
The Three-Tailed Demon Fox looked into his resolute eyes, then at her companion, whose breathing was faint on the bed. At last, she nodded firmly.
"Fine. I trust you!"
"As long as you can save him, I'll do whatever you say!"
With her consent, Li Xiaoyu didn't hesitate any longer.
He went to the bedside, looked at the weakened Six-Tailed Demon Fox, and said solemnly, "Forgive me, senior."
Then Li Xiaoyu sat cross-legged and pressed his palm against the wound on the Six-Tailed Demon Fox's chest.
A terrifying chill, cold enough to freeze his soul, surged through his hand, threatening to turn his arm into ice.
Li Xiaoyu grunted and immediately circulated the Taiji Profound Clarity Path to protect his heart.
At the same time, he sank his consciousness into his dantian and made contact with the restored Immortal-Slaying Gourd.
"Little fellow, it's up to you," he thought.
Hum!
The Immortal-Slaying Gourd trembled slightly. A suction force rose from Li Xiaoyu's palm and seeped into the Six-Tailed Demon Fox's wound.
The domineering cold poison entrenched in his body began to churn violently the instant it touched the suction force.
But it couldn't break free. The pull dragged it out of the Six-Tailed Demon Fox's body.
"Roar!"
The Six-Tailed Demon Fox let out a pained growl, his body trembling violently.
"Don't be afraid. Just bear with it!" Li Xiaoyu shouted, increasing the suction.
Streams of frost-white chill threaded with black streaks flowed up his arm and poured into the Immortal-Slaying Gourd inside him.
The Three-Tailed Demon Fox and Lu Xueqi watched tensely from the side, their hearts in their throats.
They could feel the Six-Tailed Demon Fox's aura growing weaker and weaker as the cold poison was drawn out.
The flame of his life could go out at any moment.
Several times, the Three-Tailed Demon Fox wanted to rush forward, but remembering her promise to Li Xiaoyu, she forced herself to hold back and could only pray anxiously from the side.
Time passed, second by second.
Li Xiaoyu's face turned pale, and sweat beaded his forehead.
Drawing such a vast amount of yin-cold poison into his body and then letting the gourd transform it was an enormous ordeal.
His meridians felt as if the frigid energy would freeze them until they cracked.
Still, he gritted his teeth and endured.
At last, after the time it took an incense stick to burn, the last of the cold poison inside the Six-Tailed Demon Fox had been completely drawn out.
Li Xiaoyu let out a long breath and withdrew his hand.
Drenched in sweat, he slumped weakly to the floor.
The cold poison had been removed from the Six-Tailed Demon Fox, but his life force was almost completely gone.
His breathing was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.
"Why is he still like this?" The Three-Tailed Demon Fox looked at her companion, who showed no sign of improvement, and cried out in despair.
"Don't panic. It's not over yet," Li Xiaoyu said weakly.
He closed his eyes again and sank his consciousness into the Immortal-Slaying Gourd.
The space inside the gourd had now undergone a tremendous transformation.
Alongside the original golden and purple clouds, there was now a mass of frost-white clouds formed from the transformed cold poison.
The three sources of power—gold, lightning, and ice—surged inside the gourd, yet maintained a remarkable balance.
And at the center of the three clouds, a wisp of green energy, brimming with life, was beginning to form.
Before you continue