In the scorching underground cave, heat waves rolled in, and the crimson magma beneath the platform churned ceaselessly, occasionally bursting into explosive roars.

  Zhang Xiaofan only felt that breathing also seemed to be getting a bit difficult, as if the air he inhaled all the way to his lungs was scorching hot. In this feeling, taking a step forward would make sparks fly everywhere, but the white six-tailed fox in front of him remained quietly lying there, looking like it was enjoying itself.

  He stood still, looking ahead, hesitated for a moment in his heart, and finally walked forward. At the same time, he subconsciously tightened his grip on the fire poker in his hand.

  The platform stretched far and narrow, extending forward to the depths of the magma lake. As Zhang Xiaofan walked closer, the temperature around him became increasingly scorching, almost unbearable.

  It was either the scorching temperature or some other reason that made Zhang Xiaofans throat extremely dry, but he didnt dare to lose focus for a moment. His eyes were fixed tightly on the fox.

  He walked three steps further away from it and stopped.

  The distance had shortened, and the view was even more vivid. He suddenly realized in his heart that this was indeed a beautiful fox, with pure white fur from head to toe, especially in this fiery hell-like place, it was like snow, not to mention a single stray hair, nor even a trace of scorching.

  Its eyes were closed, however, and there was a faint crease between them, as if there was a hint of pain hanging on its brow.

  Zhang Xiaofan looked at it, but in his heart, countless thoughts flashed by like lightning. From Xiao Chi Town to now, he had heard that there was a "Three-Tailed Demon Fox" wreaking havoc here. But looking at the fox in front of him, it was clearly different from the three-tailed demon fox he had fought earlier.

  He vaguely remembered that when he was a child, his senior brother Song Daren had told him that in this vast world, there is nothing strange that doesnt exist. The mountains and rivers are full of spiritual energy, but also have many demons and monsters. According to legend, foxes are the most intelligent species among animals, and many have cultivated into demons. Among the fox demon tribe, there is a particular vein with the most spiritual energy, which has a special characteristic: the higher their cultivation, the deeper their Taoist practice, the more tails they will have.

  Looking at the six-tailed fox in front of him, Zhang Xiaofans heart skipped a beat.

  At this moment, the six-tailed fox in front of him seemed to suddenly wake up from a deep sleep, its tail slightly swaying and its head gently shaking.

  Then it opened its eyes.

  In the black and profound pupils, reflected was the figure of a slightly tense youth standing before him.

  Zhang Xiaofan was startled, took a step back, held the fire poker horizontally in front of his chest, and concentrated on being vigilant. Unexpectedly, the six-tailed white fox just looked at him, its body still lying in the green stone cave, without any sign of making a move.

  One man, one fox, just staring at each other like this. There was no sound around, only the seemingly eternal lake of magma, still bubbling up with a sound that seemed so distant.

  The air is still scorching, drifting between people and foxes.

  "Hey there, young man." A low, somewhat tired voice came from the foxs mouth, breaking the silence: "What brings you here?"

  Zhang Xiaofan once again confirmed from the voice of this fox demon that it had injuries on its body, so it spoke with such weakness. However, despite this, he still did not dare to be careless and said in a deep voice: "You demons, for harming humans, I am from the Orthodox Sect, today I will eliminate the harm for the people."

  The six-tailed white fox looked at him, its eyes flickering with no anger or mockery, just a faint gaze. After a while, it finally shifted its gaze and said calmly: "Good ambition!"

  Zhang Xiaofan was taken aback for a moment, then furrowed his brow and shouted: "Dont try to trick me, get up quickly, I..."

  "Are you going to kill me?" The six-tailed white fox suddenly interrupted him and asked calmly.

  Zhang Xiaofan did not expect him to say it so directly, and was taken aback for a moment, but immediately came to his senses and said: "You fox demons have caused trouble in the world, harming people greatly. I am killing you on behalf of heaven!"

  The six-tailed white fox turned its head, with a hint of mockery and desolation in its eyes, saying: "Young man, I think youre probably not even twenty years old yet?"

  Zhang Xiaofan hummed and said, "Whats that got to do with anything? Im still going to subdue the demons and evil spirits."

  The six-tailed white fox slightly lowered its head, as if suddenly having a few moments of sentiment. In a low voice, it said: "Yes! You humans are indeed uniquely gifted in your cultivation. Our Fox Clan has been practicing arduously for over a thousand years, but those among you with good aptitude can surpass us in just a few hundred years. Just like that old fellow, Upper Official...". At this point, it suddenly stopped and let out a bitter laugh, shaking its head as it looked at Zhang Xiaofan and slowly said: "Young man, how could you possibly know about the harm our Fox Clan has caused to the world?"

  Zhang Xiaofan sneered and said, "Your three-tailed demon fox companion has been harassing the residents of Xiao Chi Town day and night, taking away countless cattle and sheep, not to mention killing people. Isnt this causing trouble for the world and harming people?"

  The six-tailed white fox fell silent for a moment, then said: "Thats right, Ive heard her mention this before. Indeed, as you said, three days ago when she went to Xiaochi Town, those two father and son actually dared to come out and block her way. Coincidentally, on that day my illness had worsened again, and her mood was bad, so she killed those two ignorant fools who didnt know any better."

  "What else do you have to say?" Zhang Xiaofan said angrily.

  The six-tailed white fox said calmly, "Youre wrong, I didnt distinguish you from others, even if it was me who went that day, I would have killed you just the same."

  Zhang Xiaofan flew into a rage, pointing his spear and shouting angrily: "How dare you still say that its not causing trouble for the world or harming people! You evil creature deserve to die!" As he shouted, the green light of the fire poker shot up, about to break through the air.

  The six-tailed white fox didnt seem to have any intention of moving, still lying there motionless, and said lightly: "What do you mean by the world?"

  Zhang Xiaofan was stunned again, his mind racing with thoughts. Suddenly, he found himself staring at the six-tailed white fox in front of him, listening to its low and husky voice, and inexplicably thinking of that crowded street once more.

  Faintly, as if in some deep part of the heart, there was a mysterious voice calling out.

  The brilliance of the fire poker gradually faded away. However, the white foxs voice continued: "In your eyes, what is known as the world is dominated by humans, right? All living things are born for humans to exploit at will, and any resistance is considered a calamity to the world, harming people greatly, and unforgivable, deserving of death, isnt that so?"

  Zhang Xiaofan looked at it, silent and speechless. He didnt know why the three-tailed demon fox and this six-tailed white fox seemed to like talking to him. But what he couldnt understand even more was that for some reason, these words that sounded heretical and rebellious had such a huge impact on his will?

  "But have you ever thought about the feelings of other species? Those birds and beasts that were killed and eaten by your kind, what did they feel? In the end, its just because your human race is strong, and the birds and beasts are powerless to resist, so they can only surrender. Since thats the case, our fox demon clan is stronger than some of you humans, so killing some of you, whats the big deal? After all, this world has always been about the survival of the fittest." The white fox smiled, looking at Zhang Xiaofan, and said: "What do you say?"

  Zhang Xiaofan stared at it, pursed his lips and didnt say a word.

  "Moreover, even among your human kind, isnt it the same? You cultivate and practice the Tao, yet up to now you still havent achieved longevity, but instead delight in fighting each other. The so-called right and wrong paths are actually just words spoken by yourselves, no more than the strong being king and the weak being bandits."

  He smiled again and looked at Zhang Xiaofan, repeating: "What do you think?"

  Zhang Xiaofan closed his eyes, tilted his head back and took a deep breath. The white fox also fell silent, as if it too felt somewhat exhausted after saying so much.

  Goodbye.

  "What do you want me to say?" Zhang Xiaofan suddenly said.

  The white fox looked at him and saw that he had already opened his eyes. The young mans complex but bright eyes were staring back at it.

  "You all, one by one, tell me this and that reason." Zhang Xiaofan said coldly: "It seems that I am wrong as the orthodox path, and you are right to kill people and make trouble. You evil demons and heretics, what else can you do besides deceiving peoples hearts?"

  The white fox suddenly furrowed its brow, with a glint of light flashing in its eyes, and suddenly said: "How, has anyone else ever said such things to you?"

  Zhang Xiaofan didnt respond, but the dark blue glow of the fire poker gradually brightened again, casting an eerie light on his face. Suddenly, a voice was heard saying, "Monster, make your move!"

  A faint light, faintly coming, actually covered the ubiquitous fiery red light, like a great mountain, horizontally laid down, and empty came.

  The six-tailed white fox gazed at the oppressive cyan light, and in this scorching lava place, it still carried a hint of chilliness. Its entire body suddenly shuddered involuntarily.

  Just then, Zhang Xiaofan suddenly heard a loud rumbling sound coming from the tunnel behind him, where he had just fallen.

  That sound was like a wild beasts roar, and also like the galloping of thousands of horses, iron hooves trampling wildly, with an aura that shook the heavens. Before it had even appeared, its momentum had already arrived. Zhang Xiaofan was greatly shocked in his heart, but he didnt dare to underestimate the six-tailed white fox in front of him either. He could only immediately withdraw the burning fire poker and hold it horizontally across his chest, focusing his spirit to confront it.

  And in a distant place, that six-tailed white fox also slightly furrowed its brow and looked towards the direction of the path.

  Before long, Zhang Xiaofan felt that the heat waves coming from the jade path were getting more and more intense, making breathing even more difficult. It was as if people in this lava cave would be cooked alive.

  Just as he was in a state of extreme doubt, the sound grew louder and more menacing. In an instant, his eyes widened as the dark passageway suddenly burst into radiance, and from the narrow entrance, a gigantic fire dragon emerged with great force. After emerging from the cave, the fire dragon let out a long roar, soared into the air, and brandished its claws. A white shadow flashed across the dragons back, and a white figure floated down, who was surprisingly that extremely enchanting three-tailed fox spirit.

  She fell in front of the six-tailed white fox, her face showing a few strands of anxiety, and her originally clean clothes were torn and dirty in several places. It seemed that she had suffered some losses during the battle outside just now.

  Zhang Xiaofan was stunned for a moment, standing still on the spot, without moving forward. His gaze was attracted by the huge fire dragon that was still wandering in mid-air. The fire dragons entire body was ablaze with flames, burning fiercely, and even its eyes were two large white-hot flames.

  The fire dragon in this huge underground lava cave, as if it had been nourished by something, its momentum became even more fierce. Amidst the dragons roar, the fire dragon suddenly charged down.

  Zhang Xiaofan was shocked and hastily retreated several steps, only to see the fire dragon brush past his side. Under the scorching heat wave, the fire dragon roared as it plunged into the lava lake beneath its feet, disappearing in an instant. A moment later, however, it emerged again, rolling and swimming leisurely in this terrifying lake of flames.

  Suddenly, a faint voice came from the front, it was the three-tailed demon foxs soft voice: "Big brother, are you okay?"

  The six-tailed white fox smiled and said faintly: "This little brother of the Orthodox Sect has not yet made a move against this dying fox!"

  Zhang Xiaofans face turned red and he furrowed his brow, listening to the six-tailed white foxs words, it seemed as if it was dying soon.

  The three-tailed foxs face had a hint of desolation, and he said in a low voice: "Big brother, apart from the two who came with this young man, even Huo Xiang Gu has sent two people."

  The six-tailed white foxs body seemed to tremble slightly as she turned her head to look at her and said, "Is it that old thing from the Upper Palace?"

  The three-tailed demon fox shook its head and said, "No, they are two young disciples of a younger generation, but their Tao is quite deep. I...I am not their match..."

  The six-tailed white fox paused for a moment, let out a faint sigh and said: "Alas! Your cultivation is only three hundred years old. Even with the Xuanhuo Mirror, how can you possibly contend against the outstanding disciples of these renowned sects? Forget it, forget it."

  On the face of the three-tailed fox, which was already extremely gentle and charming, two trails of tears suddenly slid down: "But, big brother, there is no way out in this Fire Dragon Cave now. The entrance above has been sealed off by those four people, and only the Big Black Leech is barely holding them back. But I think their magic treasures are formidable, and Im afraid theyll break through within the time it takes to burn an incense stick. What...what should we do?"

  The six-tailed white fox looked at her, struggling to lift its front paws, as if wanting to grab her, but raised it halfway and then put it down. It gasped for a while before saying: "Havent you figured it out yet? Even if they dont come, I wont make it either."

  The tears of the three-tailed demon fox dripped onto the white foxs pure white fur.

  It was the white foxs voice, which sounded surprisingly calm: "For three hundred years, Ive been running around, spending my days and nights in darkness, afraid of being hunted down by the people from Fengxiang Valley, while also enduring the pain of Jiuhancóngbīng ice poison attacking my body. But today, I still cant escape."

  The three-tailed demon fox said in a cold voice: "Big brother, dont say anything else, Ill take you out of here right now. We still have the Xuanhuo Mirror with us. With your cultivation level, we can definitely..."

  The white fox slowly shook its head and said in a low voice, "I have nearly a thousand years of Taoist foundation, but in these three hundred years, it has been gradually destroyed by the icy poison of the Nine Cold Condensation. Now my whole body is cold, chilled to the bone, and I am no longer myself."

  The three-tailed foxs body trembled, and she couldnt say another word.

  The white fox raised its head, seemingly hesitating for a moment before saying: "I really cant do it anymore, but you dont have to die in vain. You have the Xuanhuo Mirror with you, so wait until they charge down the mountain path. Then drive up the fire dragon and rush upwards against them. Theyll be caught off guard and may not be able to block your way. You...you still..."

  It suddenly stopped talking. The three-tailed fox slowly stood up in front of it, reached into its bosom, and took out a treasure with red silk tassels at both ends - the Xuanhuo Mirror.

  In this fiery and blazing lava cave, the Xuanhuo Mirror was also faintly red, and in its center, the ancient flame totem seemed as if it would ignite at any moment, almost bursting out.

  Three-tailed demon fox, the gentle and charming white-clothed woman in Zhang Xiaofans eyes was now staring at the Xuanhuo Mirror in her hand. Suddenly, a teardrop fell onto the mirror, and after a moment, it turned into white smoke that rose up gently.

  So, foxes also have tears?

  So, demons also have feelings?

  Zhang Xiaofan stood there, motionless.

  "Its been three hundred years, big brother." She said in a low and mournful tone: "Exactly three hundred years, from the day I started cultivating my skills on Fox Spirit Mountain, where I met you. From then on, I followed you everywhere. Weve been to the ends of the earth, through desolate lands, never seeing the light of day again, worrying day and night, being hunted down by people."

  But I have never regretted it...

  Zhang Xiaofan slowly took a few steps closer, standing behind them, and suddenly felt a strange sense of confusion deep in his heart. When he heard the three words "Huli Mountain", he was deeply moved, feeling a little familiar, but couldnt think of it for a moment.

  That gentle womans eyes were already filled with crystal clear tears at this moment: "But today, why are you still asking me to leave?"

  The white fox lowered its head, and at the same time, Zhang Xiaofan noticed that its body was slowly trembling, whether due to cold or excitement.

  "Big brother!"

  That gentle woman suddenly let out a loud cry, the sound was so mournful and desolate. The white fox swiftly raised its head, Zhang Xiaofan was also startled by her, turned his head to look over.

  That awkwardly shaped Xuanhuo mirror was gently placed on her chest, against her softly heaving bosom, emitting a faint halo.

  The white foxs whole body shook violently, and with a strength that seemed to come from nowhere, it propped up its upper body and shouted hoarsely: "No..."

  Bang!

  A muffled sound, yet it was as if a blow had been struck at Zhang Xiaofans heart. He stood behind the gentle woman, staring fixedly at her originally soft back, which now radiated the glow of the Xuanhuo Mirror.

  A single point, a single drop, gathered into a fiery beam that pierced through her gentle body.

  The world around me, all the sounds, in that instant, suddenly became so distant...

  …

  All the killings and obsessions in his heart slowly faded away.

  In the boys eyes, there was only deep red blood flowing from that gentle and beautiful body, dripping onto the ground, transforming into a vibrant red flower, and slowly seeping into the rocks.

  The red land will never fade!

  She fell to the ground in front of the white fox. The white fox let out a hoarse cry, but Zhang Xiaofan couldnt understand what it was shouting, only seeing the white fox crying out, its whole body trembling and struggling to crawl forward, crawling towards the weak and dying figure not far in front. But it was so weak that after struggling for half a day, it had only crawled out halfway.

  Zhang Xiaofan suddenly rushed over.

  He rushed forward, and at that moment, he seemed to have forgotten everything.

  He carefully lifted up the badly injured gentle womans body and placed it in front of the white fox, then silently stepped back a step, standing before them.

  At this moment, a whistling sound came again from the distant aqueduct, followed by a loud crash, and something fell from the aqueduct. It was dry and withered, but Zhang Xiaofan clearly recognized it as part of the giant tentacle that had once trapped him.

  He turned back, staring at the two fox demons in front of him.

  The white fox grasped the gentle maiden, its entire body convulsing violently. Its once beautiful fur was now withering away at a visible rate.

  "You..." He rasped out in a low voice, as if every word was tearing his heart apart.

  A gentle and charming woman, the one people called the three-tailed demon fox, her face was as pale as paper, without a hint of blood color, yet unexpectedly still warm and gentle, as if the fear of death and the pain of tearing apart could not sway her in the slightest.

  Until this moment, she was still looking at the white fox with gentleness.

  "Big brother, now you cant let me go, right?"

  The white fox was choked with emotion and couldnt speak.

  She raised her hand, as if wanting to caress him, but it fell back down halfway. Her blood stained the white foxs chest red.

  Even her voice gradually fell low.

  "Big brother, I will be with you, together in..."

  She closed her eyes and never opened them again.

  The whole world has fallen silent.