The Jade Blade sliced the fox demon apart. Xu Zhiqiu ran somewhere less foul-smelling and stopped, but before she could catch her breath, the severed fox restored itself.
At the same time, an even more chilling voice rang out. "You actually cut away the cultivation of one of my tails! You'll pay with your life!!" The fox's aged voice seethed with rage, as though it wished to tear Xu Zhiqiu into ten thousand pieces.
Xu Zhiqiu raised her arm to shield herself from the fierce demonic wind. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that one of the fox demon's tails had fallen off, leaving seven.
She had almost forgotten something: fox demons were said to become immortals once they had nine tails. Not long ago, this fox demon had possessed eight, just one short of immortality. No wonder it had said it was still a little short.
But so what? Since it had chosen to attain immortality through slaughter, it would have to endure punishment from those who upheld justice!
Xu Zhiqiu tightened her grip on the Jade in her palm, planted her feet in the demonic wind, and unleashed a Jade Cutting Technique stronger than before at the Eight-Tailed Fox. As she used it, the Jade grew hotter and hotter, but she could no longer afford to worry about that.
Before the Eight-Tailed Fox could react, the Jade Blade shredded it once again.
After reviving again, the Eight-Tailed Fox spat Foxfire from its mouth, engulfing Xu Zhiqiu in flames.
Several places on Xu Zhiqiu's body were burned. She gritted her teeth against the searing pain and continued using the Jade Blade.
Once, twice, three times.
The Eight-Tailed Fox died again and again, launching a different attack each time it revived.
When it had only one tail left and saw that the human was still alive, it immediately sensed trouble. If this went on, it would surely die, so it blew mist toward her and prepared to flee.
Seeing the Eight-Tailed Fox revive, Xu Zhiqiu, her clothes in tatters and her body covered in blood, used the Jade Blade one final time.
"Ah! No!" The Eight-Tailed Fox's body was sliced into fragments. This time, it could no longer revive. Its shattered remains instantly turned to ash and vanished into the air.
At the same time, the Barrier fell.
A light rain suddenly began to fall from the sky.
The pattering rain dispersed the thick mist hanging in the air.
Utterly drained, Xu Zhiqiu collapsed into a pool of blood.
The Jade in her hand shone and drew her entire body inside, leaving only a piece of green jade in the blood-filled hollow.
In her hazy state, Xu Zhiqiu heard a little girl's soft, childish voice.
"Master, I thought you wanted to live in the Great Ming, so I sent you here. I never imagined the Great Ming would be more dangerous than we thought, and your constitution isn't that of an ordinary person, either. If I'd known, I wouldn't have transported you to the Great Ming."
"Mm, you've almost exhausted all my spiritual power now. I may have to sleep for fifty or even sixty years. Once you've recovered inside the Jade, it will transport you wherever you want to go."
Hm?
Xu Zhiqiu's consciousness sank, until she finally fell into endless darkness.
After the wind and rain of the previous night.
Gu Weny an ran into the woods beneath an umbrella. She did not know why, but she felt this was the place. Quickening her pace, she reached the spot and saw blood all over the ground, along with scattered scraps of gray cloth.
Her eyes misted over, and tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. Just as she was about to leave, something glimmered in a hollow filled with bloody water.
Gu Weny an walked over, bent down, and picked up the cord. Attached to it was a piece of jade-the Jade Sister Xu had carried.
Excitement lit her face, and she turned to look around, only to freeze again. Why was Sister Xu's Jade in this pool of blood? Could it mean...
She clutched the Jade tightly in her palm. Remembering how Xu Zhiqiu had spoken of its importance, she resolved to keep it safe.
Later, Gu Weny an returned to these woods several times, but never found that familiar figure. She married into a family nearby and bore a son and a daughter, devoutly making offerings to the Jade every day.
When her daughter married, she gave her the green Jade and told her to pass it down with care.
Meanwhile, back in Inuyasha's timeline.
Xu Zhiqiu had vanished without explanation, and nothing in her room had been disturbed.
Inuyasha smelled a demon's scent in the courtyard and deduced that the demon was Naraku.
But they had no way of knowing where Naraku was.
Apart from Xu Zhiqiu being taken away by Naraku, Kikyo and the others faced an even graver situation.
The Leopard Cat Clan invaded. The demons all wanted the Shikon Jewel to enhance their powers, so they attacked repeatedly and relentlessly, wearing Kikyo and Inuyasha down.
As it happened, the Shikon Jewel was nearly purified. The sunset that day was especially red. The two stood on the shore and embraced, their gazes full of love. At that moment, they had eyes only for each other.
Not far away, Naraku took in the scene. Heh, what a tender scene. So tender it made one want to destroy it.
Kikyo and Inuyasha agreed on a time to meet.
The scene from the original story played out once again.
"Inuyasha!!"
"Kikyo..."
Standing in a tree, Naraku watched the lovers turn against each other under his "inadvertent" probing. One was sealed away; the other, determined not to let the Shikon Jewel fall into another demon's hands, burned with it in a great fire.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, forming a cold, heartless smile.
Then, draped in the Baboon Skin, he disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Qiu, where are you now?
Before you continue