Seeing Wenren Sheng still half-doubting, the fox demon tsked darkly and added, “Even if we set that aside, you deceived him. That’s probably what angered him most, right?”
Wenren Sheng faltered. “I didn’t mean to deceive him. I saw he didn’t hate Master or the clan leader, so I thought he wouldn’t hate me either.”
“But he took the barrier around Fragrant Ze Mountain with him when he left,” the fox demon said lightly.
Wenren Sheng hesitated. “Barrier?”
The fox demon gave him a half-smile, then spun its body. It transformed into a nine-tailed fox demon twice the height of a man, standing imposingly.
“Otherwise, how could I use spells?”
That voice suddenly turned thick and eerie, like ghostly murmurs that made one’s scalp tingle.
Wenren Sheng’s pupils shrank as he thrust Color Kill in front of himself.
“What are you going to do!”
The Fox Demon raised its front paw, its sharp claw pointing straight at Wenren Sheng’s heart. The grin on its face stretched all the way to its ears.
“Do you think… why I left the Heavenly Spiritual Root in your body for sixteen years, waiting until today to take it?”
…
Heavenly Spiritual Root?
Wenren Sheng hadn’t even reacted when a tremendous force slammed into his chest. His whole body was sent flying several li, his back crashing hard against the wall of the Divine Temple.
Bang!
“Cough cough!”
Wenren Sheng coughed up a mouthful of blood. He felt as if several of his ribs had snapped, and his breathing immediately grew ragged.
The Fox Demon gave him no time to recover. In the blink of an eye, it closed in on him, its five claws digging into the wall around him, fingertips embedded in the stone.
“The Heavenly Court wants it, so I have to get it,” the Fox Demon snarled viciously at Wenren Sheng. “They won’t allow a Heavenly Spiritual Root to descend into a demon’s body. Don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
The Fox Demon’s face twisted in savagery, its sharp teeth nearly gnawing into Wenren Sheng’s body. The foul stench from its mouth made him want to retch.
Wenren Sheng swallowed down the nausea in his stomach, swung his sword to sever the Fox Demon’s claws, and leaped back several steps.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and snapped, “Are you from the Heavenly Court? You’re a demon yourself—why are you hounding me!”
The Fox Demon didn’t answer his question. Instead, it lunged at him again with terrifying speed. Wenren Sheng could only grit his teeth and fight back.
He had never faced a demon of this level before, and his mind was rattled. His sword strikes came out chaotic and disordered.
With his internal organs damaged and his qi circulation disrupted, Wenren Sheng’s stamina quickly waned, and he was soon forced onto the defensive.
His body slid across the ground for several li before the Fox Demon pinned him down once more under its palm.
The Fox Demon’s goal was clear. It flipped Wenren Sheng over, its claws ripping open his clothes all the way down to where the Heavenly Spiritual Root was located.
Wenren Sheng clenched his teeth, struggling desperately to break free of the Fox Demon’s hold.
But the gap in strength between them was too vast. Soon, a searing pain erupted in his back as the claws pierced his flesh, poised to vivisect the Heavenly Spiritual Root.
Wenren Sheng groaned in agony. He held back his tears, grabbed the hilt of Color Kill, and pressed the blade to his own neck.
As long as he died, the Heavenly Spiritual Root would vanish with him.
He would die before letting this thing have it!
With that thought, he closed his eyes. Color Kill’s edge was about to slice through his neck.
But in the next second, the oppressive force on his back vanished abruptly.
Then came a thunderous crash beside his ear, like some massive object toppling over.
Wenren Sheng struggled to prop himself up and turned to look.
The Fox Demon had been kicked onto the ground by a much larger rabbit. This sudden rabbit was fiercely aggressive, relentlessly pouncing to bite the Fox Demon’s neck.
The two great demons clashed together, tumbling and smashing down several pine trees. Dust and fog billowed in the woods as flocks of birds fled in panic. The battle shook Fragrant Ze Mountain as if the sky were collapsing and the earth splitting open!
Wenren Sheng’s face filled with shock. He staggered and steadied himself against the wall.
“Clan Leader…?”
He immediately wanted to rush after them, but his broken ribs made every movement send shockwaves of pain through his meridians.
Wenren Sheng used Color Kill to brace against the ground, gasping for breath as he anxiously looked toward Wenren Jing.
The Clan Leader was old—Wenren Sheng knew his body was as fragile as paper. Any big movement could fracture his bones, which was why he rarely transformed these past two years.
That Fox Demon was incredibly powerful; Wenren Sheng even thought its strength rivaled a divine graven. The Clan Leader absolutely couldn’t beat it.
But right now, even breathing hurt for him, let alone running over to stop them.
Anxiety burned in Wenren Sheng’s chest. He hurriedly removed the bracelet from his wrist and shouted at it:
“Mountain God, can you hear me?
“A Fox Demon has appeared on Fragrant Ze Mountain. Your barrier is gone for some reason. I can’t beat it—you… please come back soon, okay?”
“I—”
Halfway through, Wenren Sheng suddenly spotted a plume of white mist rising nearby. From it emerged a tall, slender woman.
His eyes lit up. Ignoring everything, he dashed toward her.
“Master!!”
Yi Jinxiang hadn’t yet grasped the situation when Wenren Sheng lunged forward and grabbed her sleeve.
She frowned. “I heard the commotion. What happened?”
Wenren Sheng endured the pain, panting as he said, “The barrier’s gone. Th-there’s a demon from the Heavenly Court. It wants to cut out my Heavenly Spiritual Root. The Clan Leader just started fighting it!”
He finished explaining in a rush, then couldn’t hold back a coughing fit, hacking up several mouthfuls of blood.
Yi Jinxiang’s expression tightened. She pressed two fingers to his wrist, channeling spiritual power into him.
“Don’t panic. I’ll go after them.”
She summoned the Azure-White Jade Fan, cast an Earth Shrinking incantation, and carried Wenren Sheng to where the Fox Demon and Wenren Jing were battling.
As soon as they approached, a gale-force wind blasted toward them, nearly blowing Wenren Sheng back.
Looking up, he saw that the surrounding pines had been toppled in the fight between Wenren Jing and the Fox Demon. The two massive demons stood on opposite sides, glaring at each other.
Wenren Jing’s mouth was full of blood, a fox tail clamped between his teeth as he glared ferociously at the Fox Demon.
The Fox Demon’s face was smeared with blood, its body covered in bruises, two tails severed.
It writhed on the ground, screeching in pain. Its claws dug into the earth as its scarlet eyes fixed murderously on Wenren Jing.
“You old thing!” it roared. “Why do you always have to mess with me!!”
Wenren Jing spat out the fox tail from between his teeth and bellowed, “You’re not allowed to hurt my child!”
The Fox Demon twisted its body, crawling up from the ground in a grotesque pose. It crouched low, glaring at Wenren Sheng and the others.
“Your child…?”
The Fox Demon panted roughly, sneering,
“That child you stole! His real mother died long ago—that she-wolf was killed by me! He and the Heavenly Spiritual Root in him were supposed to be mine from the start!”
Wenren Jing roared in fury, “If you’re sick, go get treated!”
Wenren Sheng’s head spun with dizziness; he could barely follow their words anymore.
The Fox Demon and the Clan Leader knew each other…?
Real mother—again—
Before he could think further, the Fox Demon let out a mad shriek and lunged at Wenren Jing once more.
“The entire Heavenly Court—only I knew where the Heavenly Spiritual Root descended. I watched him being born!”
It screeched as its claws stabbed straight toward Wenren Jing.
“If that damn rabbit hadn’t stolen you to Fragrant Ze Mountain, I wouldn’t have had to scheme for sixteen years. I could’ve taken the Heavenly Spiritual Root the day he was born!”
Yi Jinxiang’s expression shifted. The Azure-White Jade Fan spun in her palm, and with a flick, its edge slashed across the Fox Demon’s raised arm.
Her divine weapon was razor-sharp; it severed one of the Fox Demon’s legs outright. Blood spurted from the stump with a splurt.
“Urgh!”
The Fox Demon grunted in pain and toppled sideways.
Yi Jinxiang didn’t let up. She immediately pursued, clashing with the Fox Demon in a fierce melee.
Meanwhile, Wenren Jing struggled to rise from the ground.
This time, it took great effort; he tried several times before standing. He looked utterly spent.
“Clan Leader!”
Wenren Sheng didn’t hesitate for a second. He rushed over and hugged Wenren Jing, his voice trembling.
“Ch-change back, quick!”
Wenren Jing glanced laboriously at Wenren Sheng, then dispelled his transformation as instructed, reverting to the wizened, diminutive old man.
Exhausted beyond measure, he staggered a few steps before collapsing to his knees.
Wenren Sheng dropped to one knee beside him, supporting his arm. “Clan Leader, why are you so foolish? Don’t you know how old you are now?”
“I won’t die. I’ve had my spirit root cut out once before—it was fine last time. You—”
Halfway through, Wenren Sheng felt a sticky sensation from the hand supporting Wenren Jing.
“…”
His pupils shrank. He slowly withdrew his hand.
His gaze fell on his palm in horror.
Blood.
Wenren Sheng took a deep breath and stiffly looked toward Wenren Jing.
Only then did he notice three bloody gashes on Wenren Jing’s body, nearly piercing clean through his abdomen, blood gushing out steadily.
“Clan Leader,” Wenren Sheng’s voice trembled, “Clan Leader… you…”
Wenren Jing panted heavily. Seeing Wenren Sheng’s ashen face, he belatedly looked down at his own abdomen.
Only then did he realize a pool of blood had spread beneath him, soaking his shoes black.
Wenren Jing stared blankly for a second, then turned back to Wenren Sheng.
The child’s face had drained of all color, his pretty little face smeared with streaks of dark red, looking filthy.
Just like the first time, when he had found that tiny, huddled bundle next to the she-wolf.
Such a pitiful child.
Why did the heavens always have to take away his loved ones?
If there truly was a God of Fate ruling from the Nine Heavens, it was far too harsh on this boy.
Wenren Jing’s expression softened into a helpless smile once more. His withered hand slowly rose to cup the child’s cheek.
“I’m old,” he said weakly. “My legs don’t work well anymore. A few years earlier, and I could’ve ripped off a few more of its tails.”
“The first time your spirit root was cut… it must’ve hurt more than this.”
Wenren Sheng shook his head. He gripped Wenren Jing’s wrist, his hands fumbling to cover the wounds.
But he couldn’t staunch them. Blood surged out like unstoppable springs, quickly soaking both of Wenren Sheng’s hands.
Wenren Sheng felt like he was going mad. He choked up, trembling as he said, “Don’t die… don’t die!! Please don’t die, Clan Leader. Don’t leave me… don’t abandon me…”
Wenren Jing sighed softly, clasping Wenren Sheng’s hand and soothing him in a low voice. “It’s okay, Shengsheng.”
“You have a new family now, people stronger than me who can protect you.”
“There will be many people in this world who love you. No more crying, alright?”
“…………”
After that, Wenren Jing coughed lightly a few times, his voice a faint thread. “Shengsheng, those clansmen of mine…”
But his eyelids grew too heavy. Before he could finish, his consciousness began to blur.
Never mind.
Those children had grown up. They could survive without anyone looking after them.
He would leave Shengsheng a free, unbound life instead.
With those thoughts, Wenren Jing had no strength left to think. He gazed fondly at Wenren Sheng one last time, then slowly closed his eyes.
“No…”
Wenren Sheng’s eyes lost all light. He clutched the Clan Leader’s body tightly, as if to preserve his last trace of warmth.
What nonsense was the Clan Leader spouting?
It was already gone.
The person he cherished, respected, loved more than anyone—his shelter—
From this day on, it was all gone.
