"Hu!~ Long!"
The Flaming Earth Dragon and the Lightning Serpent froze, the predatory fury in their eyes instantly replaced by a primal terror. The aura emanating from the cave wasn't just powerful—it was sovereign, an overwhelming pressure their demonic bloodlines instinctively recognized as superior.
"Sou!~" The wind seemed to split.
Before they could even process the idea of retreating, a white, ethereal shadow passed through them. The sound was nearly nonexistent—a mere slice through the air, a whisper of wind that promised death.
"Bang!~ Crack!~" The grotesque sounds of impact and shattering echoed out.
In the next moment, the massive body of the Flaming Earth Dragon was violently thrown aside. A white, immaculate claw—sharp as obsidian and pale as snow—had pierced through its chest, tearing through rocky plates like paper and destroying its sternum in a burst of blood and bone.
The armored giant didn't even have time to let out a final roar before the light vanished from its eyes. With a thunderous crash, its lifeless body hit the ground.
"Sii!~"
The Lightning Serpent, witnessing the instant death of its temporary ally, felt such a deep chill that the electricity along its scales faltered. Its beastly mind, once consumed by greed, now echoed a single command in every fiber of its being: RUN.
HISSSSSSS!
Hissing in panic, it turned around, its body becoming a blue blur as it slid across the ground in a desperate attempt to escape the white nightmare.
But Xiao Xue, the mother fox, would not give it the chance.
Kyuuun~
A soft sound, almost a melodious cry, echoed. With a movement that defied logic and space, she vanished from where she stood. In the next instant, she materialized directly above the fleeing serpent. It seemed almost like teleportation, but it was merely her mind-breaking speed.
A massive yet elegant paw descended with deadly grace, landing on the Lightning Serpent's head.
CRUNCH!~
The sound was muffled and sickening. The serpent's head was reduced to a pulp of blood and crushed scales. Its long body twitched one last time before going limp, leaving behind only a purple demon core that pulsed with lightning energy—now free of its master.
"What the fuck?"
Long Chen, on the brink of death, watched everything unfold with wide eyes. The shock of the scene kept him conscious a moment longer. He recognized her clearly. It was her. The fox he had helped. A smile crept onto his lips. A wave of genuine relief and happiness flooded him, briefly outshining his pain.
"Xiao Xue..." he whispered, voice a bloody gargle.
At that moment, she was magnificent. Her body, once large, was now colossal—almost eight meters tall when standing on her paws. Her white fur seemed to glow with its own light, and behind her, not six but seven long, fluffy tails waved through the air like white flames tipped with vibrant orange. And on her forehead, where there once was nothing, now shone a silver, ethereal symbol: the half of a crescent moon. The aura she emitted was overwhelming—calm, yet filled with ancient, commanding power.
But Long Chen didn't have much time to admire her new and majestic form. The reality of his situation hit him like a cold wave. His vision was darkening, the sensation in his limbs fading. His life, on this third incursion into the Ancestral Spirit World, was coming to an end.
A bitter, resigned smile formed on his bloodied lips. "Looks like I'm walking away empty-handed again," he murmured into the void. "No profit, no cultivation... what a waste."
But then his gaze softened as he saw Xiao Xue approach the corpses of the beasts. At least she and her cubs would be safe now. He had bought her enough time to recover and evolve. With that final thought, he felt he could depart in peace this time.
His consciousness began to fade, the world becoming a dark blur...
However, just as he was about to be pulled back into the void, Xiao Xue moved. With a speed he couldn't register, she stopped above his broken body, blocking the faint light of the clearing with her massive form.
A tired smile touched Long Chen's lips. 'So this is it? She's going to finish the job? Wouldn't be unexpected. In the end, a demon beast, no matter how intelligent, is still a beast...' He sighed internally.
He waited for the final strike—the crushing of a paw, the bite of fangs. But what came next left him utterly stunned.
"Kyuun"
Xiao Xue lowered her massive head. Her eyes, now a deep blue like the lake he had seen earlier, stared into his. Surprisingly, there was no malice in them—only gentle curiosity and something he could only describe as... gratitude.
"She's thanking me?" he thought. But he didn't have much time to reflect, because her next move perplexed him even more.
Xiao Xue closed her eyes.
The crescent moon on her forehead glowed brightly. With visible concentration, a single, perfect drop of golden blood—shimmering like liquid gold—emerged from the center of the symbol. It floated in the air for a moment, defying gravity, before gently descending and landing in his open mouth, sliding down his throat before he could even think to react.
The taste was indescribable. It wasn't metallic like normal blood, but warm, sweet, and overflowing with overwhelming vitality.
Cough! Cough!
"W-what... did you give me?" he managed to choke out, his mind struggling to process what had just happened.
The answer didn't come in words, but in sensation. The moment the golden blood entered his system, his body began to convulse violently. An ancient, powerful energy exploded from within, its life-filled aura repairing his body at a miraculous pace.
Crack!~
His broken bones snapped back into place with painful precision. Torn muscles and tendons regenerated, knitting together again. Burned and torn skin peeled away, revealing new, flawless flesh beneath. In a matter of seconds, his mortal wounds—ones that would've killed him ten times over—vanished completely, as if they had never existed. He wasn't just healed; he felt stronger, more vibrant than ever before. Even his cultivation was showing signs of progress again.
But the transformation wasn't just physical. In his mind, a new connection blossomed. It was a bridge of pure emotion and understanding that extended from his soul to Xiao Xue's. He could feel her thoughts—not in words, but in feelings. He felt her overwhelming gratitude, her relief for her cubs' safety, and a sense of debt to the strange being who risked his life for them.
Along with this connection, new knowledge flooded his mind.
— [Skill Acquired: Presence Concealment (Innate from Spirit Fox)] —
— [Skill Acquired: Fox's Charm (Innate from Spirit Fox)] —
A contract.
The blood she gave him wasn't just a healing agent; it was a pact. A soul contract—her way of expressing gratitude for his earlier sacrifice, binding them through their souls. Now he could feel her presence at any time, anywhere—and she his. Apparently, she could even share the innate abilities she had awakened upon evolving.
He could also sense her strength level now. Three-Star Black Gold!
Stunned, Long Chen sat up—his clothes completely destroyed, but his body entirely restored. He looked at Xiao Xue, who now watched him with unmistakable intelligence and affection in her blue eyes. He could understand her, and even feel the purity of her intentions.
Kyuuun~
With the same gentle sound as before, she lowered her head again. This time, she nudged him softly with her snout—a gesture of affection and acceptance. Then, her rough, warm tongue passed over his face, cleaning away the dried blood and dirt in a gesture so maternal and intimate it left him breathless. She was treating him like one of her own.
Long Chen—the boy who had reincarnated into a fantasy world, who had fought, bled, and died—was now sitting on the forest floor being cared for by a seven-tailed demon fox. It was far beyond anything he had ever imagined in this world.
With a hesitant gesture, he slowly raised his hand and stroked the soft fur of Xiao Xue's snout. So soft.
A genuine smile—the first since he had arrived in this world—spread across his face.
"I guess... I just gained an ally," he laughed, feeling the bond between them grow stronger. His third chance seemed to have just taken a turn he could never have predicted—even in his wildest dreams.