The Fox Elder’s strategy had been excellent, draining the magical power of three branches of the Five Immortals Alliance. Just as he was about to finish off the branch members and present them as vital sustenance to the Demon Emperor of Light for his birthday celebration, and when his pincer movement seemed unstoppable, a pitch-black longsword pierced the Fox Elder’s body. Had it not been for the Elder’s instinctive flicker of movement, that strike would have certainly ended his life.

The old man who struck from behind the Fox Elder tore off his mask, revealing an equally aged countenance.

Lu Yuan’s entire frame trembled violently. This person was actually his Master.

Indeed, it was his Master, the Draping Curtain Sword Immortal Li Yuanbai, and the black longsword plunged into the Fox Elder’s chest was none other than the Draping Curtain Spirit Sword. A myriad of questions immediately entangled Lu Yuan’s mind: Why was his Master here? What enmity did he hold with the Fox Elder?

The shift occurred in an instant; the Fox Elder had no time to react. However, renowned for his "Thousand Changes of the Fox," he instantly left behind a fox pelt while his true form flickered to another location. This was the Fox Elder’s ultimate technique: "When a Fox Dies, Its Pelt Remains," allowing him to instantly shift position and escape death. Nevertheless, the injury sustained from that initial strike could not be undone.

All these changes unfolded with astonishing swiftness, and as both Li Yuanbai and the Fox Elder were experts at the Longevity Stage, the onlookers were momentarily silenced, allowing these two supreme masters to duel.

The Fox Elder was utterly shocked. Known as the Fox Elder with the moniker of "Thousand Changes," such a person was inherently cautious. He had forged a layer of Fox Fire Great Armor beneath his skin that would automatically manifest upon encountering danger. Yet, that single sword strike had effortlessly shattered his Fox Fire Armor. After a moment’s thought, he realized he was facing Li Yuanbai, the Draping Curtain Sword Immortal. If the latter lacked even this degree of capability, he hardly deserved the title. This flicker of doubt vanished instantly: "So it is Brother Li. It has been many years since we parted ways at Qili Valley. I must congratulate Brother Li on taking on such a fine disciple."

Li Yuanbai gave a slight nod. "Elder Fox, long time no see." As he spoke, the Draping Curtain Spirit Sword struck again. The Draping Curtain Sword Technique flowed through his hands—this was the first time Lu Yuan had witnessed his Master fight. Blackness rapidly permeated the surroundings, threatening to engulf the Fox Elder entirely. Truly worthy of being one of the Ten Great Elders of the Demon Horde, the Fox Elder displayed unique prowess; despite his severe injury, the Fox Fire he wielded blazed fiercely, crackling and igniting the area, preventing the blackness generated by the Draping Curtain Sword Technique from achieving a complete encirclement.

The Draping Curtain Sword Technique, once unleashed, spread like ink staining paper, aiming for a moment when the world would descend into utter darkness, naturally leading to the opponent’s defeat when enveloped by endless shadow. The Fox Elder and Li Yuanbai, having been rivals in the past, naturally knew this. Hence, the Fox Fire erupted continuously, incinerating the encroaching darkness.

Their figures flickered incessantly, both moving with phenomenal speed.

At this juncture, there were no fixed moves; one mastered the Sword Intent of Twilight, the other the Sword Intent of Fire. The scene became a collision between black and crimson; if the blackness ultimately claimed the field, Li Yuanbai would win; if the crimson fire dominated, the Fox Elder would prevail.

The Fox Elder burst into laughter. "I heard you are near death, and indeed, you are. Your magical power has receded so far; you are a long way from your peak. Now it seems, even though you wounded me first, bringing about my demise and avenging your friend is unlikely." He spoke these words specifically to undermine Li Yuanbai’s confidence.

The contest between masters is decided by numerous factors:

Timing, terrain, and human connection.

And, the state of one's own heart.

A weak heart breeds weakness; a strong heart fosters strength. If a psychological opening is created through words, one’s momentum falters. The Fox Elder intended to shatter Li Yuanbai’s spirit this way.

Li Yuanbai paid him no mind, raising his hand to draw his sword.

This time, the sword movement seemed slightly slower than before, yet the speed at which the inky blackness spread accelerated significantly. Li Yuanbai now appeared to be painting, striving to stain the entire canvas with ink. The Fox Elder cried out in terror: "Damn it, Splashed Ink Grand Sketch! How can you use Splashed Ink Grand Sketch?"

Both Li Yuanbai and the Fox Elder had comprehended the level of Sword Intent. However, neither could fuse multiple Intents into a single strike like Venerable Yuanyuan or Venerable Yuanling. Yet, the world held strange and wondrous secret methods. For instance, the Splashed Ink Grand Sketch and the Leaving White Minor Inscription were two supreme techniques created by an ancestor of Mount Hua. The Splashed Ink Grand Sketch, notoriously difficult to master, could amplify the power of Intents like Shadow Intent or Twilight Intent once perfected. The Leaving White Minor Inscription, conversely, was a method designed to boost Intents such as Morning Sun Intent or Great Sun Intent.

That ancestor of Mount Hua, with his singular genius, created the Splashed Ink Grand Sketch and the Leaving White Minor Inscription, truly an unparalleled talent of his generation.

This was the advantage of having an ancient, profound Immortal Sect. Too many astonishingly brilliant figures had arisen from the Mount Hua Immortal Sect; even those who dominated the entire Jin Dynasty possessed several figures of that caliber, not to mention countless other talents. It was only natural that such a wealth of cultivation methods remained behind.

Of course, the Splashed Ink Grand Sketch and the Leaving White Minor Inscription were exceedingly difficult to master.

The Fox Elder never imagined that Li Yuanbai had actually mastered the Splashed Ink Grand Sketch.

Even with his Thousand Changes and myriad abilities, the Fox Elder could not resist. The Splashed Ink Grand Sketch, trailing layers of inky blackness, enveloped him. Li Yuanbai was also momentarily within this profound darkness—a realm of pitch-black ink where nothing could be discerned. A moment later, the blackness dissipated, revealing a world returned to light.

However, the Fox Elder now lay upon the ground, his eyes fixed in an expression of utter shock, undeniably dead.

Li Yuanbai, leaning heavily upon his sword, gasped for breath. From the very beginning, he held the advantage and killed the Fox Elder without sustaining injury himself. This was because he was already too close to death to deploy much magical power; the entire series of battles had consumed nearly the last vestiges of his life force.

"The Fox Elder has been executed. My old friends, you may now rest in peace," Li Yuanbai murmured.

Li Yuanbai then gestured toward Lu Yuan. "Yuan'er, walk with me for a while."

"Yes, Master..." Lu Yuan nodded.

Master and disciple walked away from the scene, one preceding the other. At this point, Song Jianji finally spoke, "Senior Brother Li, your spoils of war..." The Fox Elder was one of the Ten Great Elders of the Demon Horde, possessing strength at the Longevity Stage. The treasures he carried were likely immense, and since the battle was fought entirely by Li Yuanbai, the spoils naturally belonged to him.

Li Yuanbai waved dismissively behind him. "The Fox Elder was famed for his Thousand Changes. His storage pouch would undoubtedly destroy itself upon his death; no one could obtain it. Otherwise, he wouldn't be called the Thousand Changes." It seemed Li Yuanbai had thoroughly researched the Fox Elder to deal with him, understanding every nuance of his character.

They moved away, receding into the distance...

Following his Master, a coldness began to settle deep within Lu Yuan’s heart.

His Master had only about a month left to live, yet he engaged in this desperate fight with the Fox Elder at this moment. His remaining lifespan must be negligible now. Looking at his Master, Lu Yuan felt he was already shrouded in the aura of death, devoid of any spark of vitality. A sharp pain gripped his heart; the feeling was indescribable.

Li Yuanbai walked ahead, heading towards the direction of Pengzhuohua. "In my life, I have had one wife, a group of friends, and one disciple. My wife, your Master’s wife, loved me deeply. But her cultivation was limited by her innate talent, preventing her from breaking through major realms, and she reached the end of her natural lifespan, passing away without regret..."

"I took on one disciple. Initially, you were the one I worried about most, fearing that after my passing, you, sitting upon such vast resources, would be surrounded by circling wolves. Now, seeing the talent you display, I no longer need to worry. You already possess the combat strength of a Branch Leader, surpassing even my own achievements back then."

"Concerning you, I am also at ease," Li Yuanbai said, his hands clasped behind his back, walking step by step. "However, the vengeance for that group of friends—that is what I have never been able to achieve. To die without accomplishing that would leave me unwilling to rest..."

"Many years ago, I had a circle of truly fine friends, with whom I shared a close bond. That was long ago. Among these friends was a man named Ye Hu; he was straightforward and a decent companion. Back then, a group of us, including myself, planned to confront the Red Wing Demon King, one of the Four-Colored Demon Kings. Most of my friends possessed considerable strength, comparable to mine, and the Red Wing Demon King was nearly as powerful as Martial Uncle Yuanyuan. That battle—we actually had a chance to win. But it turned out that Ye Hu—none of us suspected it—was working for the Demon Horde. In Qili Valley, he used every means available, leveraging our trust as friends, to secretly harm many of us. When the Red Wing Demon King finally arrived, we were routed utterly; nearly everyone perished in that conflict. Only I escaped with grievous wounds, barely clinging to life. Even so, surviving meant I wouldn't live much longer. Otherwise, given my cultivation, why would I be fading away before reaching five hundred years of age?"

The story of years past unfolded from Li Yuanbai’s lips.

As Li Yuanbai’s disciple, Lu Yuan had heard the name Qili Valley before but never knew the full story. Now that his Master was speaking of it, he finally understood the truth behind the Qili Valley incident.

So that was it!

Lu Yuan knew his Master was currently settling his final affairs. He couldn't quite place his feelings, but he continued to walk behind Li Yuanbai.

Li Yuanbai continued, "Defeated openly by the Red Wing Demon King—we had nothing to say against that. If one enters the battlefield, one must accept the possibility of death; the moment the sword leaves the sheath, one must be prepared to die by the sword..."

"However, Ye Hu using the guise of friendship to assassinate his comrades one by one—that is a betrayal I cannot let go of unpunished. If I die without dealing with him, I fear I will never find peace," Li Yuanbai stated, his hands behind his back. "Sending you here today also had a reason, which I will now explain to you..."