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

As dawn broke, the mist of Yunmengze seeped into the cave entrance.

Bai Yin finished combing the last strand of Su Xiaojiu's long hair, wrapping the old hairband around twice and tying it very lightly. He put the bone comb back on the stone platform, but his hand did not leave immediately; his fingertips lingered on the end of her hair for a moment.

Su Xiaojiu looked at him in the bronze mirror.

"You're still standing so close after you've finished combing your hair, are you afraid I'll run away?"

Bai Yin looked away and said in a low voice, "Things are not stable outside."

"Then let's go out and take a look."

Su Xiaojiu got up and pushed open the half-collapsed stone door.

Morning mist seeped in through the cracks in the door, passing over the rubble and spreading into the depths of the cave. Most of the reeds outside were charred, their black stalks standing in the shallow water. A broken demon-locking chain lay submerged in the mud, its links still bearing the runes of the Demon Court. Further away, several old skeletons lay beside the ruins of the water fortress, unclaimed.

The nonchalant look on Su Xiaojiu's face faded.

This was once their hiding place. Three thousand years have passed, but the wounds left by the Demon Court have yet to heal.

Bai Yin walked to a section of chain and ran his finger along the runes. Dark golden demonic energy rose from the rust and extended outwards along the marshland.

"The aura of the Demon Court's imperial power." His eyes darkened. "The pursuers haven't completely withdrawn. Someone has occupied the outer water fortress, driving away the scattered lesser demons, and is still extracting spiritual energy from the Yunmeng Marsh."

The moment the murderous aura of Geng metal rose from his wrist, a hand pressed down on the hilt of the knife.

Su Xiaojiu stood beside him, her fox ears twitching slightly in the morning breeze.

"What's the rush?"

"Lead the way first. We'll settle old scores and unresolved issues together."

Bai Yin looked down at her hand that was covering the back of his hand, and the murderous aura slowly receded back into his meridians.

"Stay close to me."

"That's what I should be saying to you."

The two followed the watercourse out of the reeds.

The old water fortress was built between three shoals, with dilapidated wooden buildings connected by iron chains. Dozens of demon soldiers guarded the fortress, with mined spirit stones piled under their banners, and several chained little demons dragging wooden crates.

The demon soldiers on the gate were taken aback when they saw the two, and then blew their bone whistles.

"Another one slipped through the net."

A leader wearing the old demon court armor walked down the wooden building, his gaze sweeping over Bai Yin's pale face before landing on Su Xiaojiu.

"He concealed his aura well. Capture him, and we can exchange him for a reward by sending him to the Demon Court."

The demon soldiers threw out the Demon-Locking Rope.

The leader crushed a black talisman and sneered, "Back then, under the Heavenly Fox's command, I personally captured seventeen fox demons. This cowardly creature from Yunmengze dares to play tricks on me?"

The black talisman fell into the water, and a deathly gray aura spread rapidly along the roots of the reeds.

The mud churned, forcing several young demons out. Covered in mud, they huddled behind the dilapidated water house, their eyes filled with terror. One of the little fox demons caught a whiff of Su Xiaojiu's scent, raised its head, but dared not approach.

They remembered the scent of the celestial fox.

I also remember when Yunmengze was trampled by the Demon Court, the ground was covered with the blood of the fox clan.

Bai Yin looked at the young demons, his grip on the knife tightening little by little.

The malevolent energy of metal climbed onto the blade, its blinding white light illuminating the water's surface. The surrounding demon soldiers gasped, and cracks simultaneously appeared on the wooden planks beneath their feet.

The leader's expression changed slightly, then he shouted sharply, "Form the Swamp Trapping Formation!"

The battle flags fluttered in unison, and deathly aura pressed in from all directions. The Demon-Locking Ropes crisscrossed into a net, half of them wrapping around Bai Yin, and the other half aimed straight for Su Xiao Jiu's heart.

"Protect her, and he won't dare move." The leader retreated into the center of the formation. "Today, we're not just capturing this fox demon; not a single one of the scattered demons in Yunmeng Marsh will escape!"

The little demons in the shadows and the demon soldiers in the stronghold all looked at Bai Yin at the same time.

Bai Yin did not rush towards the center of the formation.

He held his sword horizontally in front of Su Xiaojiu, stepping into the densest part of the deathly aura along the old waterway. Gray mist enveloped his waist as he looked down to examine the underwater array patterns, quickly spotting the remnants of the restrictions left by the demon court's warship.

"Using old restrictions to set up an array, no wonder the death aura dissipated so quickly."

He then used his other hand to drive the knife into the water.

boom!

The malevolent energy of Geng metal exploded from the bottom of the water, precisely piercing through the seven demon-locking ropes. The iron ropes did not shatter; instead, they were firmly pinned to the spot. The leaking death energy abruptly stopped, and the array flags simultaneously sank inward.

The leader's expression changed drastically.

"How do you recognize this formation?"

Bai Yin raised his eyes, his murderous intent causing the surrounding water to sink.

"Because back then, it was this thing that burned down my house."

Su Xiaojiu walked out from behind him.

Bai Yin instinctively reached out to stop her. Su Xiaojiu gently pressed her fingertips against his wrist, not pushing him away, but simply slipping her fingers under his arm.

"You fasten the chains, and I'll handle the rest."

She stepped barefoot into the water.

The crimson essence of the celestial fox spread out beneath his feet, and nine phantom fox tails unfurled in the morning mist. Scattered water veins were drawn together, gathering anew from beneath the silt and broken wood.

She did not burn the marshland.

They only managed to force the deathly aura back to the battle flags little by little.

The gray-white mist rose against the current, and the runes of the Demon Court went out one after another. The chains used to bind the demons suddenly snapped back, binding the hands and feet of the demon soldiers who were manipulating the formation, and dragging them into the shallow water.

Deep within the reeds, clear water begins to flow again.

The hidden demons peeked out and looked at Zexin's white-clad figure.

The leader, bound by chains around his waist, continued to roar: "Yunmeng Marsh belongs to the Demon Court! All demons must obey the Demon Court's orders! If you dare to rebel, you are traitors!"

Bai Yin drew his sword and rose to his feet.

The blade flashed past the broken chain, shattered the token at the leader's waist, and then split the last battle flag in two.

"From this day forward, Yunmeng Marsh will no longer be anyone's hunting ground."

He stood before the ruins of the water village, sword in hand, his voice echoing across the entire marshland.

"Anyone who uses the name 'Demon Court' to bully homeless people and demons will be killed by me."

The formation completely collapsed.

Su Xiaojiu stood on the surface of the marsh, the aura of the nine-tailed celestial fox piercing through the morning mist, sweeping across every reed and swamp. The scattered demons hiding in various places all looked up, but they did not feel any coercion from their bloodline.

"Those who wish to stay can settle down here."

She looked at the little demon in the ruins, her tone calm.

"Those who do not wish to stay may leave at any time. Human refugees who have nowhere else to go may also seek refuge in the swamp."

There is only one bottom line to the rules.

"Humans are not allowed to bully demons, and demons are not allowed to harm humans. Anyone who uses their cultivation to eat people will be kicked out."

Bai Yin walked to the stone wall next to the cave and carved out the rules with his knife.

Stone chips fell to the ground with a soft rustling sound.

The first rule, however, is not about prohibiting transgender people.

One must not exchange one's life for loyalty, nor should one arbitrarily go to one's death for anyone.

Su Xiaojiu walked behind him and looked at the deep knife mark.

"Who was it written specifically for?"

Bai Yin paused, his hand gripping the knife.

"Everyone."

"Including you?"

Bai Yin remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Including me."

Su Xiaojiu then raised her palm and pressed the Heavenly Fox's essence into the stone wall. Dark red light traveled along each character, the rules merging into the mountainside.

Bai Yin expelled the remnants of the demon court from Yunmeng Marsh, while the remaining death energy sank into the earth's veins and was sealed away under Su Xiaojiu's guidance.

The wandering little demons emerged from the reeds and ruins.

Some moved the broken wood, some retrieved old bones, and some cleared the waterways blocked by silt. Several young demons surrounded the half-collapsed water house, using thin vines to re-tie the beams and pillars.

Bai Yin sheathed his sword and stood in front of the cave.

Su Xiaojiu raised her hand to straighten the crooked stone door, then turned to look at him.

"What are you standing there for?"

"The roof is leaking, and the drainage ditch is blocked. Didn't you say you'd live with me?"

Bai Yin walked over and took the stone from her hand.

"Which part should we fix first?"

Su Xiaojiu looked at the Yunmeng Marsh where the morning mist was gradually dissipating.

"First repair the house."

The sound of water once again echoed through the reeds in front of the dilapidated cave where people used to hide from disaster.

Humans and demons have not yet truly arrived, and the new houses have only a few wooden pillars erected.

But this marshland, which had been used as a hunting ground for too long, finally began to take shape, allowing them to survive.