Chapter Fourteen: Out of Control

Celestial foxes, recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, are said to possess supernatural powers capable of reaching the heavens. At fifty years of age, a celestial fox can transform into a woman. At a hundred, she becomes a beauty; at a thousand, she communes with the heavens. The celestial fox is also known by another name, passed down through generations: the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox. Legend holds that with every century, another tail appears, and when all nine tails are complete, after yet another hundred years—that is, a thousand years in total—the nine-tailed celestial fox may transcend tribulations and become an immortal.

Lin Wei Yan is precisely the legendary nine-tailed celestial fox, though how many tails she possesses now remains unknown. Yet that is not my concern at the moment; what matters most is how to deal with the black shadow before us. I suspect this shadow is none other than the one Feng Zi Mo spoke of—Black Third Master.

Lin Wei Yan, gripping her white jade sword, faces the formidable shadow without a trace of fear. She speaks coldly, “Release him.” At that moment, Old Stubborn Mule and Feng Zi Mo stand beside her, forming a four-against-one standoff.

Even so, the shadow remains arrogant, sneering, “Heh, if you wish to die, I won’t stop you.” Old Stubborn Mule, never one to tolerate such indignity, curses loudly, “You’re the one who’ll die, damn you!” The shadow, enraged, lets black energy surge from his body. With a furious shout of “Courting death!” the mortal battle begins, each displaying their unique abilities.

The fight rages with earth-shattering ferocity. Old Stubborn Mule, desperate, sacrifices his own life force and unleashes his ultimate move—the Heaven-burning Art. Flames rise ten meters high, trapping the shadow within. Lin Wei Yan sweeps her jade sword, sending a torrent of sword energy toward the shadow, swift as a storm of pear blossoms. Feng Zi Mo employs his uncanny illusion technique, forcing the shadow back whenever he attempts to escape the burning flames.

I refuse to be outdone, forcibly channeling the second stage of the Nine Palaces Nether Art, forming a blue sphere of energy in my palm and hurling it at the shadow. Even with our combined efforts, we only manage to restrain the shadow for a brief moment.

“This can’t go on,” I say to the others. They know it too, but there seems to be nothing else we can do. “I can’t hold out much longer,” Old Stubborn Mule grits out.

By the flickering light of the flames, I see Old Stubborn Mule’s face aging rapidly before my eyes. Once as smooth as an infant’s, it soon becomes lined and withered. In the span of a single cup of tea, the shadow lets out a furious roar and breaks free. He appears before each of us in an instant, striking me with such force that I feel as if I’ve been hit by a train, sent flying several meters away. As I struggle to rise, blood pours from my mouth.

Lin Wei Yan and the others fare little better, each badly wounded. Old Stubborn Mule seems worse, lying motionless, his fate uncertain.

The shadow stomps me underfoot, snarling, “No one’s coming to save you now.” I glare at him, thinking that death is the worst that can happen; there’s no need to beg this monster for mercy. I say, “Even if I die, I won’t let you succeed. Believe me, I’ll destroy these eyes right now.”

The shadow laughs. “I’m afraid you no longer have a choice.” He holds his hand close to my face, and a powerful suction grips me. Pain explodes in my eyes, as if the eyeballs are being torn from their sockets. It is the most excruciating agony I have ever known.

“Ah....” A muffled thud and a scream echo in the air. The shadow is knocked to the ground by a beam of red light from my eyes; his cry is unmistakable. Though I see everything clearly, terror seizes me: my body is suddenly beyond my control, my blood-red eyes glowing fiercely. I walk slowly to the shadow, lips curling upward.

I say nothing, but the shadow is clearly terrified. He trembles as though beholding a demon far more dreadful than himself, his voice quivering with fear. “You... you... I was wrong! Spare me! Please, spare me!”

The shadow’s demeanor shifts utterly; his earlier arrogance and ferocity vanish. Ignoring his pleas, I thrust my hand through his body and pull out his heart, still beating and dripping with blood.

Revulsion churns within me, my stomach heaving. Yet I am powerless to discard what I hold; I can only watch helplessly as the unimaginable unfolds. I devour the shadow’s heart alive, then turn toward the gravely wounded Lin Wei Yan and the others.

I approach step by step, stopping first before Lin Wei Yan. They have just witnessed me devouring the heart, and fear grips them. Lin Wei Yan edges backward; this is the second time she has seen me in such a state. The first time, I was not so crazed, so she was not so afraid. This is the first time I have ever seen Lin Wei Yan frightened, and I wish I hadn’t.

I stand before her, saying nothing, slowly raising my blood-stained hand. “No, please!” I scream inwardly, but no matter how I shout, my body remains unresponsive, poised to pierce Lin Wei Yan’s heart.

Feng Zi Mo lunges at me, but he is thrown back several meters before touching me. My body turns slowly toward him. Watching Feng Zi Mo struggle on the ground, I reach out my blood-soaked hand once more.

None of this is my will, yet my body moves without my command. In a heartbeat, my hand thrusts mercilessly toward Feng Zi Mo’s chest.

“Brother Chu Yun, don’t!” Just as my hand is less than a centimeter from his chest, the words reach my ears.

To my surprise, my uncontrollable body instinctively turns toward the source of the voice—Lin Wei Yan. I stare blankly at her for a long moment.

Suddenly, darkness falls over me, and I collapse stiffly to the ground. What happened next, I do not know.

………………

When I awaken again, I find myself draped over the back of a fox. This fox is enormous, its body a meter long, its fur pure white, and its nine fluffy tails trailing behind.