The Nine-Tails’ Awakening and a Fated Encounter

Once Jingmeng had solidified into a sword spirit, she ceased to attract ghosts and monsters. With Skinny Horse’s demonic speed, they would surely shake off their pursuers once they broke through the encirclement.

‘Indeed, this space-time is rather peculiar,’ a thought flashed through Su Mo’s mind. ‘It seems to arrange the strength of the ghosts and monsters according to one’s cultivation level… like a trial, perhaps?’

“Roar!” These irrational ghosts and monsters, generally weak, had only just entered the Qi Condensation realm.

Though their ghostly claws were sharp, they could not breach Skinny Horse’s defenses.

Charging through the horde of ghosts atop Skinny Horse, Su Mo extended her bronze sword and swung it fiercely.

“Om—!” With a single sweep of her sword, a crescent of verdant sword qi swept forth, cleaving through a large swathe of ghosts and monsters.

The bronze sword’s rust began to spread, and wherever the ghosts and monsters were severed, a layer of verdant light covered their wounds, preventing them from healing.

“The power of Foundation Establishment! Fighting feels incredible!” Su Mo swung her sword again. ‘I absolutely love this feeling of mowing them down.’

If she could just lay low in the future, she would become the Sword God of Ten-Mile Slope, then emerge to mow down all enemies with unparalleled might.

‘Crushing them is a man’s true joy!’

“Whinny! Whinny!!” Skinny Horse was utterly thrilled, its speed involuntarily increasing by several points.

This was the feeling of battling on the battlefield, invincible in the world.

“Roar! Roar…” The ghosts and monsters seemed to know no fear, swarming forward, eagerly offering themselves as fodder.

Large numbers of ghostly souls fell, and beneath the oppressive horde of monsters, they slowly dissipated.

Su Mo watched, growing anxious. ‘These are all experience points!’ she thought. ‘Skinny Horse has a chance to become a divine steed!’

In a flash of insight, Su Mo recalled a magical artifact: the Crimson Blessing Resonant Bell.

‘It could greatly enhance soundwave-type attacks,’ she considered. ‘What about the War Bell then?’

Pondering about synergy and bonds, Su Mo promptly pulled out the Resonant Bell.

“Hmm?” The Crimson Blessing Resonant Bell suddenly slipped from her grasp, then zipped through the air to her right ankle, attaching itself naturally.

‘Even mature bells,’ she mused, ‘have learned to find their own homes.’

Her dress had already been torn, and with the battlefield constantly shifting, Su Mo had no time to worry about her clothes.

Her long skirt instantly transformed into a short one, revealing her slender, jade-like feet.

Now adorned with the red-corded bell, it added a unique charm to her appearance.

“Ring! Ring…” The ethereal chime was utterly at the opposite extreme from the War Bell.

“Skinny Horse, do you feel this bond?” Su Mo excitedly patted the horse, and clutching its head, let out a strange whoop.

“Whinny! Whinny…” Skinny Horse suspected a monkey was on its back, a creature reverting to ancient forms.

Yet, a connection indeed surged through its mind. Skinny Horse controlled the War Bell, and it swayed in unison with the Resonant Bell.

The two sounds synchronized, finally merging into one.

“Ring! Ring! Ring!!” Like a mournful lament, the bell’s sound became visibly manifest, as waves of sound swept through the horde of ghosts.

Vast numbers of spectral blue souls were absorbed, injected into the War Bell, and subsequently devoured and digested.

Instantly, Skinny Horse felt its power surge. With an excited stomp, a wave of qi blasted open a path through the ghosts and monsters.

“Whinny! Whinny!” Skinny Horse neighed.

“Huh? What’s coming?” Su Mo asked, confused, looking down at the horse.

“Whinny! Whinny! [Reinforced by feedback!]”

“Clang.” A certain door within her heart opened. Su Mo closed her eyes, and could similarly perceive Skinny Horse’s state.

The dark, ancient gate swung open, and a surge of power flowed forth, injecting itself into Su Mo’s heart.

In a trance, she felt her power strengthen. The spiritual energy throughout her body seemed to boil, increasing significantly.

Clenching her hand, a cluster of spectral blue ghost fire rose from her palm, illuminating Su Mo’s eyes.

Her interest piqued, she decided to test her ultimate strength.

“Nine-Tails.” With a familiar activation, the Nine-Tails bloodline surged forth. Su Mo abruptly opened her eyes, her glabella flashed, and a faint red Nine-Tails mark appeared.

Her crimson vertical pupils reflected the surrounding ghost fire, while her silver hair, tied back, swayed, brushing against her slender waist.

She casually tore an opening in the fabric near her tailbone, and a fluffy white fox tail extended from it, perfectly covering the gap and revealing no skin.

“Boom!” Her spiritual energy surged, rising once more, doubling!

In that instant, she seemed to touch the boundary of the Golden Core realm. Yet, lacking an ‘understanding of the Dao’ in her heart, she hesitated, unable to advance.

“Foundation Establishment Peak!” Joy sparked in her heart as she waved her hand with a casual grace.

“Roar! Roar…” Dozens of ghosts and monsters wailed inexplicably, igniting with fierce ghost fire until they turned to ash.

With a faint smile, Su Mo floated upwards, leaving the horse’s back.

In the air, her jade-like legs were bare, and at her ankle, the Resonant Bell chimed with an ethereal sound.

The bronze sword floated behind her, while numerous ghost fires flickered around her, illuminating her captivatingly beautiful face.

Suddenly lightened of its burden, Skinny Horse halted and looked back at Su Mo.

They saw her leisurely strolling, walking through the air, her silver hair gently swaying in the wind.

“Boom! Boom…” Each time she passed a ghost or monster, ghost fire inexplicably erupted, and spectral blue flames devoured a swathe of them.

Blinking in disbelief, Skinny Horse gazed at the continuous expanse that had transformed into a spectral ‘ocean,’ its mouth agape in astonishment.

“Whinny! Whinny!”

‘My goodness!’ it thought. ‘The master was holding back!’

Watching intently, Skinny Horse neighed excitedly:

“Whinny! Whinny! [Is this truly my destined master?!]”

Su Mo rolled her eyes at it, but in her Nine-Tails form, it only added to her allure.

Fortunately, it was Skinny Horse, not a stallion.

“Whoosh…” Foundation Establishment cultivators could fly on the wind, and Su Mo drifted gracefully towards it.

Her delicate small feet lightly touched the horse’s back. Su Mo turned to gaze at the spectral blue sea of fire, filled with emotion.

“I never imagined I’d become this strong?” she murmured, a slight sense of security blooming within her.

But raising her eyes, she saw the faint, bloody eye in the night sky and fell silent once more.

‘Still too weak,’ she thought. ‘First, a small goal: reach the Nascent Soul realm.’

“Whinny.” Skinny Horse assented, lying down to rest its limbs, its mane flowing freely in the wind.

Drifting down, she seemed to lightly touch the ground, yet in reality, she hovered half an inch above it, untouched by the mud.

Hugging her fluffy white fox tail, she lay on Skinny Horse’s body, looking up at the sky as she asked:

“Skinny Horse, do you think you’ll be able to fly someday?”

“Whinny.” Skinny Horse gave a lazy whinny. After all that action, it felt more a sense of satisfaction than fatigue.

They were truly too strong!

Shaking her head, Su Mo stroked her silver hair, which cascaded over her shoulders, and chuckled softly.

“Indeed, a hard fist is the ultimate truth.” She had never doubted the words of her predecessors.

“Boom…” A distant explosion echoed, a bright flash of fire in the night like fireworks.

Rising, her fox ears twitched. She patted Skinny Horse and looked to the side, saying:

“Let’s go, Skinny Horse.”

“What about me?” The bronze sword floated over, and a tiny Jingmeng, clutching the sword hilt, asked anxiously.

“You’re coming too,” she said with a bright smile, leading Skinny Horse with the bronze sword floating beside her as they walked towards the distant light.

“Jingmeng, why don’t you give your bronze sword a name?”

“No need to name it! It’s already called Jinghao, meaning ‘peaceful and beautiful years’~”

“Hmm, Jinghao.”

After a moment of silence, she asked curiously:

“Jingmeng, where did your Senior Brother, Mo Yu, go?”

“He was dragging me along, then suddenly he disappeared… I even fell and it hurt so much.”

“Is that so…”

Confiding in each other, the person, the horse, and the sword walked towards the distant firelight in the evening breeze.

‘Mo Lian’s Golden Core should be over there, right?’ She felt she ought to find her and ask about the Zhang Estate’s affairs.

But with her Nine-Tails bloodline activated, how would she explain it?

“Ring! Ring! Ring~~” The Resonant Bell on her ankle suddenly chimed, stirring her heart.

She turned back to gaze at the ruined Zhang Estate, her eyes filled with a sense of bewilderment.

‘What’s wrong with me?’ she murmured to herself.

****

At the same time, in the same location but a different space, like a parallel universe, in front of the Zhang Estate, Xu Qingzhu suddenly halted. He turned to look at the dark path behind him.

“Ring! Ring! Ring…” The ethereal bell sound echoed, resounding in his heart.

“Brother Xiaozhu? Is something wrong?” Lu Yanling blinked and asked.

After a moment of silence, Xu Qingzhu shook his head in denial and continued walking towards the Zhang Estate.

“Nothing.”

In that fleeting moment, Su Mo and he passed each other.

In different spaces, due to a single bell chime, they caught a glimpse of the ‘unseen’ you.