Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1473: 923: Crisis Under the Night

Unlike Ning Feiyan, Shu Ci harbored no desire for secrets or entanglement with the cycles of karma.

Her sole recollection was being grievously wounded by Demon Lord Arao while attempting to suppress his rampant Demonic Qi at Qing Xiaoshan.

Even after three years, she remained unable to command the Nine-tails' power to revert to her human form.

Mundane sustenance offered no aid; only by consuming the Karma Barrier residing within him could she rapidly regain her strength and once again reign supreme!

However, the ethereal nature of the Karma Barrier presented a unique challenge to Shu Ci's distinct power system.

Her paws were incapable of even grasping the unseen dark mist beneath Baili An, a substance imperceptible to others.

In her diminutive fox form, Shu Ci remained near his side, relying solely on chance to absorb the dark mist Karma Barrier from within his being.

Furthermore, she could only snatch fleeting wisps of the dark vapor, barely enough to sate her profound thirst.

As the foremost demon of the Demon World, the notorious Mohe Shu Ci, this meager remnant was far from sufficient!

After persistent effort, positioning herself beside Baili An and repeatedly extending her wicked paw towards his mouth, she managed to procure a mere five or six portions of the intangible Karma Barrier.

Only then did the gnawing emptiness subside slightly.

She grew weary of merely nibbling on these fragments of dark mist; her true desire was the substantial, original Karma Barrier locked within him!

Shu Ci placed her paw upon Baili An's chest, exposing a sharp fang.

Yet, observing his body blackened as if by charcoal, she was uncertain where to begin her feast.

Consequently, she grasped him by the nape and hastened towards a nearby brook.

Much like preparing ingredients before cooking, she deposited Baili An into the creek for a thorough cleansing.

To prevent the swift current from absconding with her meal, Shu Ci leaned precariously over the bank, her short, sturdy paws firmly gripping Baili An's head, ensuring he wasn't swept away.

The flowing water gradually stripped away the blackened residues from his form, revealing a countenance that was pale and withered beneath.

Baili An's mask fractured, exposing his true visage.

His eyes remained shut, his face ashen and delicate as paper, with blood seeping from the corners of his mouth, a clear indication of severe internal trauma.

Submerged entirely in the water, he bore a striking resemblance to a fractured piece of cold jade.

Shu Ci extended another of her pink paw pads, absently rubbing his form, completely unconcerned by the partially exposed body before her.

Her focus was akin to that of someone scrubbing mud from a potato.

Rustle, rustle…

At that precise moment, a gentle breeze stirred through the forest, carrying with it a subtle aroma of blood.

Shu Ci's fox eyes instantly narrowed, their gleam chillingly sharp, her gaze piercing the dense undergrowth.

Where her stare landed, the foliage, though untouched, rippled as if a wave had passed through a field of wheat.

Beyond the grass, a striking woman leaned against a tree, cradling a young man clad in black robes.

Surrounding them was an expanse of blossoms, and luminous embers of light drifted from the flora, seemingly absorbed into her being.

The woman's complexion was wan, her breathing erratic, and the ground beneath her, stained with blood, plainly testified to her injuries.

Her palm rested upon the man's chest, channeling Spiritual Power into him in a continuous flow.

Had it not been for the restorative Essence Spirit Image drawn from the surrounding flora, she would have surely succumbed already.

Shu Ci immediately recognized the technique as the fox demon clan's revered “Soul Technique.”

This woman was, without a doubt, a Three-tailed Demon Fox.

However…

Shu Ci’s glance held a distinct note of disdain.

One of the demon fox woman’s tails had been severed, leaving only two.

For a demon fox, enduring the humiliation of a lost tail and sustaining such injuries was a profound disgrace.

As the Shouhe of the Demon World, Shu Ci scarcely recalled that she herself had once lopped off all nine of her tails in sheer boredom during practice, with only two having regrown over the subsequent years.

While the fox demon woman concentrated on her recovery, she suddenly perceived an intense killing intent and looked up.

Her gaze swept towards the creek and the scene unfolding there, her eyes flashing with ferocity, her body swaying precariously.

In a flash, she materialized behind Shu Ci.

Standing at the water's edge, her eyes and fangs protruded, her form shifting towards a bestial state due to her severe wounds.

Her appearance was a captivating blend of allure and savage wildness.

The demon fox, Ting Yan, crossed her arms and regarded Shu Ci with a mocking tone: “Who would have imagined encountering one of our own in such a desolate place.”

Desperate Beast Demons rarely adhered to the bonds of kinship.

Her gaze fell upon the two tails emerging from Shu Ci's back, prompting a subtle speculation: if this young fox demon possessed an inner core, might it be worth extracting to bolster her own Spiritual Power?

Shu Ci, observing the mere Three-tailed Demon Fox, an entity barely a few hundred years into her cultivation.

Her fur immediately bristled with rage, daring to harbor such avarice and murderous intent against her!

Ting Yan, the demon fox, offered a chilling grin in response to Shu Ci's fury. With utmost nonchalance, she plucked a verdant leaf and sent it flying with a flick of her finger. The leaf, sharp as a blade, moved with incredible speed.

A sharp whistling sound echoed as the leaf carved a deep, scarlet gash into Shu Ci’s right leg, penetrating right down to the bone.

It was only when the excruciating agony pierced her very marrow that Shu Ci remembered being overwhelmed by the Demon Lord and having her cultivation shattered.

Despite her immortal nature, she was not immune to pain. In her current infant fox form, her power barely exceeded that of common demons.

Facing such a cruel and covetous Three-tailed Demon Fox, resistance was utterly futile.

Shu Ci, far from being naive, perceived the demon fox's true objective from her demeanor: the Demon Core was what she sought.