It was pure life energy, born from the collision, transformation, and final refinement of three primordial forces.
Wood Vitality!
"It worked!" Li Xiaoyu rejoiced inwardly.
Without hesitation, he drew this precious wisp of Wood Vitality out of the gourd.
Then Li Xiaoyu pressed his palm against the Six-Tailed Demon Fox's chest once more and infused this life force into his body.
A miracle happened.
The green wisp of Wood Vitality entered the Six-Tailed Demon Fox's withered meridians like rain falling after a long drought.
His heart, which had stopped beating, miraculously throbbed once more.
At the same time, warmth began to return to his cold body.
His faint breaths also grew steady and prolonged.
Though the Six-Tailed Demon Fox remained unconscious, his life had been dragged back from the gates of death by sheer force.
"His heartbeat is back!" Feeling her mate's change, the Three-Tailed Demon Fox was so overwhelmed that she could barely speak.
She looked at Li Xiaoyu, her eyes brimming with gratitude and astonishment.
Lu Xueqi stared blankly at it all, stunned.
He'd brought someone back from the dead!
He'd actually done it.
After accomplishing all this, Li Xiaoyu could no longer hold on. His vision went dark, and he fainted.
In the last moment before losing consciousness, he felt his body fall into a cool, soft embrace.
A faint, delicate fragrance clung to it, soothing him.
When Li Xiaoyu woke again, he found himself lying on a bed of grass.
A delicate fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, calming his mind.
He moved his body and found that the weakness caused by forcibly activating the gourd had vanished, replaced by a sense of fullness and strength.
Li Xiaoyu could feel that, after being pushed to his limits and then recovering, the spiritual energy within him had become purer and more abundant.
His Cultivation had also reached the peak of the Jade Purity Realm Seventh Layer, just one step away from the eighth.
"You're awake?" A cool voice sounded beside him.
Li Xiaoyu turned his head and saw Lu Xueqi sitting by the bed, her eyes full of concern.
She was holding a bowl of steaming herbal medicine.
"How long was I out?" Li Xiaoyu struggled to sit up, took the bowl from her, and asked gently.
"You've been asleep for a day and a night."
Lu Xueqi answered softly, reaching out to naturally smooth the disheveled hair on his forehead.
"Drink your medicine. Sister Three-Tail specially prepared it for you. It'll help restore your vital energy."
Li Xiaoyu nodded and drank the medicine in one gulp.
A warm current flowed into his stomach, making him feel more comfortable.
He looked around and realized he was still in the cave, but the Six-Tailed Demon Fox was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is he?" Li Xiaoyu asked, puzzled.
"He's all right now." A smile appeared on Lu Xueqi's face.
"Your life force couldn't completely heal him, but it saved his life and stabilized his essence."
"Now Sister Three-Tail is tending to him at a spirit spring deep inside the cave. Given enough time, he'll slowly recover."
Hearing this, Li Xiaoyu felt relieved too.
"That's good."
Just then, footsteps sounded from the cave entrance.
The Three-Tailed Demon Fox hurried in. When she saw Li Xiaoyu awake, her face immediately lit up with gratitude and joy.
"Benefactor, you're awake!"
She hurried to the bedside and was about to kneel before Li Xiaoyu.
"Please, don't!" Li Xiaoyu quickly got up and stopped her.
"Senior, what are you doing?"
"You saved my husband's life. You're the savior of us both! Such a great kindness—I, Three-Tail, have no way to repay you, so I can only offer you this bow!" Tears shimmered in the Three-Tailed Demon Fox's eyes.
"Senior, you honor me too much." Supporting her, Li Xiaoyu spoke earnestly.
"We cultivators ought to uphold justice, draw our swords when we see injustice, and help those in need."
"Besides, Senior and I are fated to meet. It was only right that I lend a hand."
Looking into his sincere eyes, the Three-Tailed Demon Fox was deeply moved.
She knew that this young man before her was righteous at heart, utterly unlike those hypocritical self-proclaimed orthodox cultivators.
"Benefactor, your noble spirit has my admiration." She straightened and spoke solemnly to Li Xiaoyu.
"I dare not thank you enough for saving his life, but my husband and I will never forget your kindness."
The Three-Tailed Demon Fox paused, as if she had made up her mind.
She carefully took something from her robes.
It was a round object about half the size of a palm.
Around its edge was a verdant jade ring.
Set in the middle of the ring was a thin, crimson sliver that was neither quite a mirror nor quite something else, with an archaic flame emblem carved into its center.
A red tassel, three inches long and made of soft, flexible material, was tied to each side of the ring.
It was none other than the treasure that guarded Incense Burning Valley—the Mystic Fire Mirror!
"This is..." Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi both saw this legendary divine object, and their pupils contracted.
"Benefactor, this object is called the Mystic Fire Mirror. It's Incense Burning Valley's supreme treasure, and it was also the culprit behind my husband's grievous injuries."
Hatred flashed in the Three-Tailed Demon Fox's eyes.
"My husband risked his life to take it from Incense Burning Valley, hoping to rescue an elder of our clan who was imprisoned there."
"Unfortunately, he was not strong enough and was instead ambushed."
"Today, I give this object to you. My husband asked me to do this as well."
She solemnly held the Mystic Fire Mirror out to Li Xiaoyu.
"I can tell that you possess a remarkable treasure capable of devouring the spiritual energy of all things. The Mystic Fire Mirror is the essence of myriad flames, and the power of fire within it should greatly benefit your Cultivation."
"Also," the Three-Tailed Demon Fox continued earnestly, "my husband and I have another favor to ask."
"We hope that if you ever get the chance, you'll take this object to Incense Burning Valley's Mystic Fire Altar and rescue my husband's mother, my mother-in-law—the Nine-Tail Celestial Fox, who is imprisoned there."
The Nine-Tail Celestial Fox!
At the name, Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi were stunned once again.
Accepting the Mystic Fire Mirror meant taking on a heavy responsibility—and making an enemy of the mighty Incense Burning Valley.
Li Xiaoyu looked at the pleading Three-Tailed Demon Fox, then down at the Mystic Fire Mirror in his hand, and fell silent.
He wasn't afraid of trouble, but this matter was of great consequence. He had to consider it carefully.
Lu Xueqi could see his hesitation.
She came to stand beside Li Xiaoyu and said softly, "Whatever you decide, I'll support you."
Her words warmed Li Xiaoyu's heart.
Li Xiaoyu raised his head and looked at the Three-Tailed Demon Fox, resolve flashing in his eyes.
"Very well," he said.
"I accept your request."
Li Xiaoyu took the weighty Mystic Fire Mirror from the Three-Tailed Demon Fox.
"I, Li Xiaoyu, swear here and now that in my lifetime, I will go to Incense Burning Valley, rescue Senior Nine-Tail Celestial Fox, and reunite mother and son." His voice rang out with unshakable conviction.
Hearing his promise, the Three-Tailed Demon Fox was overcome with emotion and wept.
"Thank you, Benefactor!" She bowed deeply to Li Xiaoyu once more.
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