Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

Night falls early in the Valley of Broken Souls.

The thick layer of green miasma overhead completely blocked out the moonlight, and the bottom of the valley was as black as if ink had been splashed on it.

Only a few bonfires crackled and burned on the rocky beach, barely providing a small patch of light.

The Chen family's collateral descendants sat around the fire, their faces still beaming with excitement.

"Hey, did you guys see that? Brother Chen Xuan's move during the day was absolutely amazing!"

"That's right! That's Ji Wuxie, someone who usually thinks he's all that, but our big brother treats him like a little chick, and he doesn't dare utter a single word!"

"Following Brother Chen Xuan, I feel at ease. Although this Broken Soul Valley is a bit eerie, we haven't encountered a single decent monster along the way. They were all scared away by Brother's sword energy."

Chen Fan held a hard, dry meat pie in his hand, munching on it while gesturing animatedly. The firelight reflected on his young face, revealing nothing but admiration for the strong and anticipation for the future.

The excitement is theirs.

Chen Xuan sat alone on a boulder a few dozen feet away from the camp.

He didn't light a fire.

Darkness engulfed him like a tide, with only the broken sword lying across his knee, occasionally reflecting a cold, hard glint.

He leaned against the cold stone, one leg casually bent, the other dangling in mid-air. His black robe almost blended into the night, making him look like a lifeless sculpture.

Su Chang'an floated in mid-air, watching that lonely figure from afar.

That unfilial son.

He's only in his early twenties, the age when he should be young and carefree, yet he lives like an old man on his deathbed.

Su Chang'an sighed, his figure swayed, and he floated onto the boulder.

She didn't dare get too close, so she found a slightly flatter spot opposite Chen Xuan and sat down cross-legged.

By the faint light of the distant fire, she saw Chen Xuan holding a cloth, wiping the broken sword in his hand very slowly, stroke by stroke.

The movement was very light and delicate, like stroking a lover's face.

However, Su Chang'an's gaze fell on the hand Chen Xuan was holding the sword in.

The wound at the base of the thumb, which had already scabbed over, split open again, oozing dark red blood.

Looking up from the wrist, a strong smell of blood could be faintly seen emanating from the black cuff.

He took Ji Wuxie's Golden Crow Divine Fire head-on during the day. Although he seemed calm and collected, this rebellious son's body was already at its limit, so how could he be completely unharmed?

"Baby."

Su Chang'an rested her chin on her hand, her beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, her gaze lingering on Chen Xuan's shoulder. "Had your daytime bragging gone well? Now you know the pain?"

Chen Xuan paused for a moment while wiping his sword.

He didn't look up, not even lifting his eyelids.

"Get lost."

His voice was as cold and hard as ice shards that sprang from a crack in a rock, "Don't think that just because you pointed me in the right direction, you can boss me around."

Su Chang'an rolled his eyes.

This stubbornness is ingrained in his very being.

"Fine, fine, I'll get lost." Su Chang'an said he was going to get lost, but his body didn't move at all. Instead, he took a step forward and floated forward a little. "But before you get lost, can I take a look at your injury? The blood is almost dripping down to your crotch. You don't mind the stickiness, but I do mind the smell."

Chen Xuan remained silent.

He simply gripped the cloth tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Looking at his stubbornly defiant appearance, Su Chang'an felt that sour feeling well up in her heart again.

That silly boy.

It's been like this since I was little.

He didn't cry when his bones were dug out at the age of three, and he didn't cry when his leg was bitten through by a monster in a secret realm at the age of eighteen.

It was as if the injuries didn't exist as long as he didn't cry out in pain.

"Ugh."

Su Chang'an sighed softly.

She reached out her hand.

The hand, formed from condensed soul power, emitted a faint glow in the night, appearing both ethereal and beautiful.

She wanted to touch Chen Xuan's shoulder, to help him remove the cloth stuck to his wound.

Although she knew she couldn't touch his physical body, even using her soul power to cool him down would be good.

The fingertips drew closer, little by little.

Just three inches away from Chen Xuan's shoulder.

The cool, yin aura belonging to the soul touched Chen Xuan's skin first.

Chen Xuan's body stiffened abruptly.

next second.

"Zheng—!"

A piercing sword cry instantly shattered the silence of the night.

Chen Xuan sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

The broken sword in his hand transformed into a black lightning bolt, carrying undisguised violence and killing intent, pointing directly at Su Chang'an's brow.

"Don't touch me!"

Chen Xuan let out a low growl.

Those once lifeless eyes were now bloodshot, churning with frenzied emotions.

"A fake is still a fake! What's with the pretense of deep affection?!"

His hands were shaking.

The sword was trembling too.

The tip of the sword was less than an inch from Su Chang'an's brow.

If he pushes forward even a little, he can pierce the head of this "inner demon".

"Do you think I don't know what you're up to?"

Chen Xuan gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse, "You want to take advantage of my weakness to possess me? Or do you want me to wallow in your tenderness and become a complete cripple?!"

"Get out! Get back into your sea of ​​consciousness!"

He roared like a wounded, cornered lone wolf, baring his fangs at anyone who approached, just to mask the crumbling fear deep within his heart.

He fears.

He feared he might actually become attached to this false warmth.

He feared that once he got used to people asking him if he was in pain, he would never be able to wield this murderous sword again.

Su Chang'an floated in mid-air, quietly watching the young man in front of him who was on the verge of collapse.

The sword energy tore through the hem of her illusory robe.

The sharp killing intent pierced her soul, causing a dull ache.

But she did not back down.

He didn't even change the expression on his face.

She slowly, little by little, floated towards the sharp sword tip.

"laugh."

A soft sound.

The broken sword pierced through Su Chang'an's chest without any resistance.

No blood flowed out.

Because she is a spirit.

Su Chang'an seemed to feel no pain, letting the sword pierce through his body.

She continued forward until she floated right in front of Chen Xuan, until the two were so close that they could hear each other's breaths.

Chen Xuan was stunned.

His hand holding the sword froze in mid-air, his pupils contracted sharply as he stared at the woman he had "pierced" before him.

Su Chang'an raised his hand.

Those illusory hands gently, almost imperceptibly, cupped Chen Xuan's pale and distorted face.

"So what if it's fake?"

Su Chang'an's voice was very soft.

In the quiet night, it was like a thunderclap, striking Chen Xuan's heart hard.

She looked into Chen Xuan's eyes, and there was no mockery or teasing in those peach blossom eyes, only overflowing tenderness.

"Chen Xuan, look around."

Su Chang'an pointed to the noisy crowd in the distance, and then to the dark night sky.

"Those people respect you, fear you, and take advantage of you."

"They only care about how many people you can kill, how far you can take them, and how much glory you can bring to the family."

"But besides me, the 'fake' one..."

Su Chang'an paused for a moment, his voice choked with emotion.

"In this world, who else will ask you if you're in pain?"

Clang.

A crisp sound.

The broken sword slipped from Chen Xuan's hand and slammed heavily onto the stone.

Chen Xuan swayed slightly.

These words were like a heavy hammer, instantly shattering his hard, thorny shell.

He stared blankly at Su Chang'an.

The violent killing intent in his eyes dissipated quickly, like the receding tide.

Instead, there is a bottomless fragility, and a heartbreakingly greedy attachment.

Yes.

Besides this inner demon.

Besides this hallucination that torments him day and night.

In all these years, has anyone ever asked him if he was in pain?

No more.

The person who would care for him is still waiting for him to save him in the secret realm.

Now all that's left is this demon who wears her face, mimics her tone, and rubs salt into his wounds again and again.

but……

It hurts.

Chen Xuan's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

He slowly, very slowly bent down.

He leaned forward, as if pulled by something, and pressed his forehead against Su Chang'an's forehead.

Although you can't touch the physical object.

Although it only allows one to pass through a void of coolness.

But he still tried his best to maintain that posture, as if he were drawing on the last bit of warmth in the world.

"You damned demon..."

Chen Xuan closed his eyes.

Two lines of clear tears slid down his tightly closed eyes, mingling with the dust on his face, leaving two disheveled marks.

His voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of resigned helplessness.

"Why... do you even imitate this phrase so perfectly?"

Su Chang'an remained silent.

She simply maintained the pose of cupping his face, using her soul power to trace his outline again and again.

"Because I'm your father."

She silently replied in her heart.

You silly brat.

What your father taught you, your father will naturally learn to imitate perfectly.

The night wind howled through the Valley of Broken Souls.

Chen Xuan did not drive her away again.

He leaned against the boulder, his body curled up, like a child who was extremely insecure.

Su Chang'an floated beside him, muttering curses under her breath.

"Aren't you just being pathetic? You only feel comfortable when someone insults you?"

"You're not even going to treat the wound, are you just waiting for it to rot and require amputation?"

"If you dare to get a fever tomorrow, I'll throw you into that green ditch and let you soak in it."

Amidst the incessant noise of "inner demons".

This madman, who was usually on edge and even kept a degree of vigilance while meditating, surprisingly and slowly loosened his clenched fists.

His breathing became steady and long.

He fell asleep.

This was the deepest sleep he had had in three years.

Looking at Chen Xuan, who was still frowning even in his sleep, Su Chang'an's gentle gaze slowly softened and transformed into an extremely sharp, cold glint.

She turned her head and looked in a certain direction deep within the Valley of Broken Souls.

Based on her memory of playing games.

Deep within this Valley of Broken Souls, there is a "Soul-Nourishing Tree" that has grown for ten thousand years.

That is a rare and precious material that can repair the soul and even allow the soul to condense into a physical form in a short period of time.

As long as we get that thing.

She could briefly possess a physical form, truly touch him, and shield him from both open and hidden attacks.

"Just wait and see."

Su Chang'an reached out and lightly tapped Chen Xuan's brow.

"No matter what demons or monsters lie ahead."

"I'm taking this piece of wood."

"Once my soul is stabilized, one day I'll make you, you unfilial son, understand..."

Su Chang'an curled his lips into a malicious smile.

"What does it mean for a father's love to be as deep as a mountain?"