C11 Day and Night

The thunderous roar of a behemoth successfully captured the little fox's attention, its ears perking up alertly.

"If you pop up like that again, I'll snap your neck, got it, Big Flower Cat..." The little fox, retreating a step, radiated a formidable presence from its slight frame, its voice carrying an air of indomitable authority and command.

Ahwoo, roar...

The massive creature the white fox had dubbed Big Flower Cat was in fact a powerful tiger-shaped Soul Beast, its size rivaling that of an elephant. Yet, upon hearing the white fox's chilling, emotionless words, the great tiger bowed its head and crouched to the ground, a look of sheer terror in its eyes.

Turning gracefully, the white fox moved away from Ye Mo and approached the mountainous tiger-shaped Soul Beast, confronting the beastly monarch now wearing a timorous expression. "He's nowhere to be found in the vicinity," the white fox declared.

"Gu Gu... No, no, he must have left after our battle," the giant Soul Tiger with its yellow hide and black markings stammered in response.

"Good, you've been diligent. Now go and summon all your Soul Beasts. Scour the Forest of Nine Illusions, turn over every leaf if you must, until you find him. Until he's found, I want no Soul Beast within ten miles of here. Understood?" The white fox commanded, exuding the aura of a sovereign.

"I'm on it. You'll have his bear head soon enough!" The Soul Tiger lifted its head, brimming with confidence. It paused, as if recalling something, and added, "Not long ago, on the outskirts of the Nine Illusions, a pack of Windchaser Wolves was mysteriously decimated. It seems the work of a human Soul Cultivator. The Wolf King was slain amidst a potent force. I've seen it myself; the place remains eerily foreboding to this day."

A flicker of concern crossed the white fox's gaze as it looked up toward the towering cliff above. "Is it up there on that precipice?" it inquired slowly.

"Indeed..." The Soul Tiger cast a cautious glance at Ye Mo, still lying unconscious nearby, and responded with a note of uncertainty. Having spent considerable time in the area, the Soul Tiger was well aware of Ye Mo's existence and his significance to the white fox.

"There's no need to look into this matter any further. Your only task now is to find him for me..." The White Fox's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Ye Mo's silhouette.

"At once, my lord!" The Soul Tiger acknowledged the command and rose to depart.

"And leave the water you brought..." added the White Fox.

After the Soul Tiger departed, the day continued in its usual silent, lengthy monotony. The incident with the Windchaser Wolf was undoubtedly connected to the man before her. Reflecting on the terrifying presence that had emerged on the cliff days earlier, the White Fox, despite her grave injuries, could still vividly recall the oppressive sensation.

"What on earth happened up there? And whose fearsome presence was that?" As night fell, the White Fox whispered to herself, nestling into Ye Mo's chest. She extended her pink tongue and tenderly licked his chin. This peculiar habit and the unexplained feeling of dependency filled the snow-white fox with a sense of warmth. Yet, she was as naive about the world as ever, unaware of the lurking dangers.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Suddenly, as the White Fox lay contentedly against Ye Mo's chest, Ye Mo experienced a violent change. His heartbeat thundered through his chest, pounding loudly in the White Fox's ears.

The White Fox was jolted awake, her ears perked as she leaped from Ye Mo's chest. At that moment, Ye Mo's face contorted in agony, his breaths coming in ragged gasps mixed with severe coughing.

"Can he not hold on any longer?" The little fox's spirit trembled at the sight, Ye Mo's final words reverberating in her mind. A pressing question arose: he was dying—the only human she had ever grown close to had, unbeknownst to her, carved out a place in her heart.

In the final moments, witnessing Ye Mo's agonizing struggle, the little fox felt a piercing pain in her heart. Overwhelmed by emotion, she slowly backed away.

"What have I done? Why should his death matter to me? Why does my heart ache? This can't be happening!" The White Fox stared at the convulsing, tormented Ye Mo, her gaze vacant as she continued to retreat. Visions of Ye Mo flashed through her mind, accompanied by an elderly voice that sometimes spoke, "Qing'er, do you know what the most powerful force in this world is? It's not cultivation, Soul Power, or necromancy... it's love. It has the power to destroy anything formidable. Be wary of it in the future."

A gentle breeze swept through, chilling the leaves but unable to carry away the tears welling up in the corner of the white fox's eyes. "Grandma was right; love truly is a poison, and I only realized it at the very last moment... No!"

The white fox, steadfast yet innocent, found herself caught in a quandary. Unsure of how to face everything unfolding before her, she let out a piercing cry to the heavens. In an instant, her body expanded, and with a burst of light, the small fox disappeared, replaced by a beautiful young woman in a long white gown, lying on the grass. Her black hair was elegantly coiled into a bun, and in the moonlight, her tear-streaked face remained unseen.

The night air brushed the strands of hair from the white fox's brow, revealing a visage so stunning it seemed to dim the moon's own glow. Her slightly furrowed brows and the shimmering tears in her eyes evoked a deep sense of compassion.

Lifting her head, she gazed at Ye Mo with eyes filled with reluctance, watching as he writhed in agony.

With a soft sigh, the white fox rose to her feet, brushing away the tears from her eyes. She took measured steps toward Ye Mo, as if making a silent resolution.

Ye Mo's life was ebbing away. His pained growls and muddled thoughts were indistinguishable from a nightmare, despite his eyes being wide open.

In a sudden outburst, Ye Mo's final roar echoed before silence fell. The white fox's hesitant steps halted, and she stared blankly at Ye Mo, who was just a few paces away. In that moment, it felt as though her heart had been hollowed out.

"How can this be..." she murmured, her expression numb. In a flash, she was at Ye Mo's side, gently cradling his body in her arms, tears welling up once more as she silently gazed upon his steadfast features.

Who could have imagined that Ye Mo, now free from his torment, would slowly open his eyes, his pallid complexion giving way to a flush of color? As his eyes met the white fox's, a silent connection was made.

"You... you're still alive..." The white fox, overcome with emotion, could barely articulate her surprise.

Ye Mo's gaze fell upon the white fox's breathtaking face, and though taken aback, he remained wordless. He gradually sat up, taking in the state of his tattered clothes and the surroundings. After a moment, he spoke softly, "It seems I've been asleep for quite some time." Looking up at the sky, he observed the full moon and added, "The moon is full. Today marks my coming of age."

"You... your heartbeat has stopped," the white fox suddenly realized, already standing beside Ye Mo.

"Mmm, it's merely the last flicker of life. My name is Ye Mo. Thank you for your care. Have you seen a wounded white fox around here?"

"Ah... I... That's my friend. Thank you for saving her."

"Miss, take your friend and go. I'm dying," Ye Mo said with a calm expression, then fell silent.

"You..." The white fox found herself at a loss for words.

The night was silent, with the endless chirping of insects echoing around them. Suddenly, a fierce wind arose from nowhere, dark clouds obscured the moon, and the wind swept through, silencing the insects and scattering the moonlight.

Ye Mo's face, once flushed, turned a deathly gray. The transformation was abrupt and swift.

The white fox witnessed the change, holding back her sorrow as she quietly said to Ye Mo, "I don't want you to die..."

Ye Mo's gaze sharpened as he looked into the white fox's clear eyes, seeing something vaguely familiar. His heart skipped a beat. "I don't know you," he said, looking away as if speaking to the void, the image of a woman offering him a handkerchief flashing in his mind.

Ye Mo couldn't fathom why the white fox showed such raw emotion toward him, just as he was unaware of who had been by his side these past ten days, never leaving.

"I can help you extend your life." The pain in the white fox's voice was palpable, but she had made up her mind.

"No need, you should go," Ye Mo responded, his lips curving into a smile of relief. He considered her to be young, like himself, unable to comprehend the Death Curse that hung over him, and he took her words lightly, as if they were a joke.

Watching Ye Mo walk away without looking back, the white fox remained silent. In the next instant, she channeled her Soul Power with all her might, illuminating the surroundings like a brilliant moon. Ye Mo, with his eyes half-closed, was on the verge of death, yet he still sensed the anomaly beside him.

Startled, he turned around to find the enigmatic and beautiful woman radiating a brilliant luminescence from her entire being. "What... What are you doing?"

The white fox paid him no heed, fully engrossed in her actions. A glow enveloped her, converging into a single point at her dantian. From there, the luminous spot began to ascend slowly.

"This is... This can't be!" Ye Mo, well-versed in countless legends and texts from his youth, was reminded of an entry in an ancient tome by the scene unfolding before him.

The radiant point within the white fox's dantian continued its ascent until it came to rest at her throat. Only then did the white fox cease her efforts and open her eyes, which were brimming with tenderness as she gazed upon the astonished Ye Mo.

"You're a Soul Beast! What are you trying to accomplish? You'll die doing this!" Ye Mo's suspicions were confirmed, his face pallid and expression one of utter shock as he slowly shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing.

In that moment, beneath the glow, the white fox appeared as a celestial goddess, exuding a divine and serene beauty. After Ye Mo fell silent, the white fox remained wordless, simply extending a finger towards him. With a mere beckoning gesture, Ye Mo found himself helplessly drifting towards her, his struggles futile against the unseen force.