The soul, invisible and intangible, yet its presence can be felt. While ordinary eyes might regard the soul as something profoundly mysterious, for the Yōkai of this era, the soul holds no such enigma.

Because humans and Yōkai, in both their forms of life and methods of survival, are fundamentally different. The size of a soul dictates the capacity for future growth of that Yōkai.

Of course, a soul’s capacity is not fixed; it can be inherently powerful from birth, or cultivated through various environments and experiences over time. It bears no direct correlation to the strength of one's power; its most fundamental manifestation lies in one's will and inner conviction.

If a Yōkai possesses an unwavering will and a powerful inner self, then even if she possesses no strength to even truss a chicken, her soul cannot possibly be weak. If the immense aura that erupted when Youxiang spoke her wild declaration previously shocked the Werewolf and instilled fear due to the power of her soul, then witnessing Youxiang now, burning her soul with her meager strength to unleash a brilliance as scorching as the sun, left him utterly stupefied.

It was like playing a game where a specific skill is only unlockable at level thirty, yet a player manages to use it at level ten without any cheats—how could this fail to astound the other players? More importantly, the Werewolf could now clearly perceive the sheer enormity of Youxiang’s soul!

The Wolf King, the apex among all Yōkai, capable of contending with the Ghost King and the Vampire King, had once demonstrated his soul to the young masters within his clan through secret arts, a sight this particular Werewolf had been fortunate enough to witness. At the time, seeing the Wolf King’s incomparably vast soul had filled him with awe, but now… compared to Youxiang’s soul, the Wolf King didn't even possess half its measure!

The Wolf King, the Vampire King, and the Ghost King—these three represented the absolute peak existence among all Yōkai. For nearly a thousand years, no Yōkai stronger than them had ever appeared.

Theoretically, the strength of their souls should be roughly equal. If we calculate this against Youxiang’s volume… her single soul is equivalent to the combined capacity of all three Kings!

If this were to circulate within Yōkai society, it would be utterly earth-shattering. Youxiang’s earlier assertion that if she survived, she would undoubtedly stand at the absolute pinnacle of the Yōkai world… at this moment, the Werewolf was completely convinced that this was not empty boasting, but a statement of fact!

Possessing such a uniquely massive soul, it would be strange if she didn't become the strongest being. However, Youxiang had already burned her soul; her future had been utterly destroyed by her own hand.

This brought the Werewolf a measure of relief and pride. Relief, because a future powerful enemy was now destined for death; pride, because it was he who had driven such a terrifying Yōkai to the brink of annihilation.

Of course, alongside this, he felt a slight twinge of disappointment, envy, and hatred. "Aaaaaah—!!" Once the soul was ignited, Youxiang could no longer stop the process.

The blazing flames soared heavenward, sharp and incomparably potent like a peerless divine sword, radiating an overwhelming dominance. Her roaring cries shook the very heavens.

Not only did all the nearby birds and beasts flee in terror, but even the plants and trees trembled visibly. Under such astonishing momentum, the Werewolf involuntarily stepped back.

Even though Youxiang’s hands and feet were completely shattered, rendering her almost devoid of combat capability, he instinctively sensed danger… Her inability to stand, yet managing to rise through sheer will… Her weakness, yet inexplicably burning her soul… In less than ten minutes, Youxiang had created miracles that countless genius Yōkai could never achieve. Who was to say she wouldn't create another miracle, capable of unleashing terrifying combat power even in this state?

Ordinary Yōkai burning their souls could, at most, erupt with three times their normal power, but Youxiang, judging by her aura alone, approached thirty times that strength. Such power was more than enough to annihilate him, and he had no desire to capsize in a ditch.

Originally, a Yōkai who burned their soul was undoubtedly doomed to die, so he could leave now without issue. But as there are always exceptions, facing a Yōkai as far outside the norm as Youxiang, he refused to rely on common sense.

Therefore, he would absolutely not leave until he personally witnessed Youxiang’s soul scatter into oblivion! Unable to flee and unwilling to fight, he could only temporarily evade the sharp edge of Youxiang’s might and let her self-destruct… In any case, he resolved firmly never to attack proactively.

Meanwhile, after igniting her soul, Youxiang felt an inexhaustible power surging within her, as if she could shift mountains and overturn seas with a mere wave of her hand. Even the piercing pain had diminished considerably.

Seeing the Werewolf retreating step by step, she immediately understood his intentions. But Youxiang would not grant him his wish.

She stomped hard on the ground, launching herself forward like a cannonball… The slight numbness in her limbs was almost negligible. The Werewolf had been on high alert, and when he saw her move, his pupils contracted instantly.

His body swept forward like the wind, narrowly dodging Youxiang’s attack. However, a small part of the soul fire managed to graze him, causing him intense agony.

If merely being brushed by the soul fire inflicted such damage, the consequences of a direct hit were unimaginable… Realizing this, the Werewolf became even more hesitant to engage head-on. Of course, Youxiang would not forgo the chance to kill him during this opening, so the two engaged in a fierce chase—one like fire, the other like the wind—a vigorous, ground-level pursuit battle.

The Werewolf's speed was already incredible, and Youxiang’s current pace was in no way inferior. As they engaged in this high-speed pursuit, the nearby Chen Xi could not see their figures at all, but her face was etched with anxiety.

Youxiang's previous words kept echoing in her mind. Rationally, she knew she should use this moment to escape quickly through a gap, as the Werewolf was no longer paying attention to her.

Yet, emotionally, she could not bear to leave, unable to stand by and watch her only friend perish. There has to be a way, there must be a way!

Even after burning her soul, there must be a method for rescue… Right! She just needs to stop the burning!

But how could she stop it? In the end, Chen Xi did not heed Youxiang’s advice to flee, instead desperately racking her brain for a way to save her.

Youxiang was willing to sacrifice her life to save her, and Chen Xi, in turn, was willing to risk her own life for Youxiang. She could only think of one solution: stopping the soul burning.

Theoretically, this was sound. The soul was not a fixed consumable; as long as a tiny fragment remained, with time and rest, it could eventually recover completely.

However… in practice, this was impossible because no one had ever managed to halt the soul burning—not even the most powerful Yōkai elders could accomplish it. Otherwise, if one could stop the burning of the soul, wouldn't every Yōkai simply ignite their souls for a temporary power boost of several or even a dozen times their strength?

That would be defying heaven itself! “What should I do?

What on earth should I do?!” Watching the soaring soul fire in the distance appear to be gradually dimming, Chen Xi’s anxiety intensified. She knew her time was short; if she couldn't devise a plan before the soul fire extinguished completely, Youxiang would be dead!

But with Chen Xi’s current knowledge and ability, finding a truly viable solution was beyond her. In the end, she could only place her hope in providence, tears streaming down as she prayed earnestly, “Whether you are a god or a demon, please save Youxiang!

Whatever it takes to save her, I will do anything!” Alas, heaven is not inclined towards loli enthusiasts and wouldn't change its course for the prayer of a young girl… Wait! Perhaps heaven is a loli enthusiast, because at that very moment, a brilliant radiance suddenly pierced the sky.

The sheer brilliance of this light was dazzling even in the daytime, utterly eclipsing the flame of Youxiang’s soul. The moment it appeared, its radiance covered the entire sky, as if declaring itself the protagonist of this world!

Seeing this, Chen Xi was stunned, and before she could recover, the light plummeted rapidly, heading directly towards their location! “What is this?!” Although Chen Xi’s power was weak, and she lacked Youxiang’s massive soul, she possessed keen sensory abilities.

She could clearly feel that the energy contained within that light was unimaginably intense, far beyond anything she could have conceived. Furthermore, that energy emitted two extreme reactions: the extreme of life and the extreme of death, fused together—this was truly… “What terrifying energy!” Chen Xi gasped internally.

“If it crashes down like this and the power of death erupts, everything within a hundred li radius… no, within a thousand li radius, will be reduced to nothingness. But if the power of life erupts, then… there’s hope!

Youxiang can be saved!” The thought excited her, and her sixth sense told her that the ray of light absolutely possessed the ability to revive Youxiang… provided the force of life held sway. “Please, you must save her!” At this moment, Chen Xi’s heart was filled with anticipation and hope.

Then, as the light drew nearer and nearer to the ground, even Youxiang and the Werewolf, engrossed in combat, sensed it. The immense energy pressed down upon them, forcing them to halt their actions, look up, and stare in utter shock before… BOOM!

The light struck the ground with a deafening roar, and the brilliant radiance engulfed everything around them, blinding their eyes to all else. But strangely, despite the violent descent, the resulting destruction was minimal, save for that single massive sound.

Chen Xi knew the reason: the forces of life and death had achieved a perfect equilibrium. Of course, some disruption occurred—for instance, the fight between Youxiang and the Werewolf was brought to an end.

The point where the light landed was precisely between them, forcibly separating the two combatants. “Damn it!

What in the world is this?” the Werewolf roared, eyes closed. He had been too preoccupied with Youxiang’s fierce assault to properly guard himself.

When the light fell, he hadn't closed his eyes in time and was nearly blinded. But more than anger, he felt profound dread… What entity could emit light carrying such terrifying energy?

As the light gradually receded, the Werewolf opened his eyes and glanced forward. That single look instantly froze him, because not far across from him, lying on the ground, was a person—a human male, apparently unconscious.

Did this human emit the light just now? The Werewolf felt a surge of doubt, but he quickly dismissed the possibility.

In this world, no human could possess such power. Although this man descended with the light, he exuded no terrifying aura; on the contrary, he seemed no different from an ordinary human.

“Humble human, daring to frighten me, then perish!” Discovering he had been injured by a human, the Werewolf became enraged. He lunged forward, extending his sharp claws to stab the man’s face, and then… Crack!

“Aaaah!!!” Accompanied by the sound of something breaking, a piercing shriek erupted from the Werewolf’s mouth. His entire face turned green, and then he retracted his hand with lightning speed, discovering that the hardened nails on his five fingers had shattered completely.

Looking back at the man’s face, it was completely unharmed. The Werewolf recoiled in shock, stumbling back several paces.

His claws, once capable of tearing countless human bodies apart, had been repelled by a mere human face. How thick could this human’s skin be?

It was unheard of! “This is what you call reaping what you sow.” A calm voice sounded near the Werewolf’s ear.

Startled, he spun to look and saw the man lying on the ground was now awake, sitting up and staring at him impassively. “You!

Who are you?!” Under the gaze of the man, the Werewolf felt an inexplicable tension in his heart, accompanied by a strange illusion, as if the man before him wasn't human at all, but a primeval fierce beast possessing infinite power. “Before you ask that, I’d like to inquire when Gensokyo acquired a Werewolf,” the man rose slowly from the ground and stated coolly.

This man was Lin Luo. After Qiqi perished and her body reverted to the Contract Book, his permanent seal was broken, and the power of nothingness resurrected him once more.

However, he was completely unaware of what had transpired, nor did he know he had entered a temporal passage, nor that the Contract Book contained the strongest battle spirit in history. Of course, he vaguely sensed that something had changed within him.

Furthermore, due to being forcefully struck down countless times by the Heavenly Dao, his spirit had suffered immense trauma, combined with other unknown factors—the consequence of all this was a massive drop in his power, plummeting from Quasi-Heavenly Tier down to Earthly Tier. It was precisely because of this weakened state that when he felt the Contract Book guiding him forward automatically, he deliberately shut down his consciousness, manifesting the Contract Book and enveloping himself in light, intending to awaken only upon reaching his destination.

However, even though he closed his awareness, it did not mean he was defenseless against danger. Even though he had been beaten back to the early Earthly Tier, the Yi Jing (Intent Realm) he already possessed was entirely intact; in fact, it had turned misfortune into blessing, as deeper, more profound concepts had entered his consciousness.

With his current strength, manufacturing a minor defensive measure was effortless. This Werewolf, though strong, was only so in relation to ordinary Yōkai.

To break Lin Luo’s defense was merely, to borrow a phrase from Brother Egg, the ultimate self-destruction! The Werewolf, naturally, knew nothing of Gensokyo and thus couldn't comprehend Lin Luo’s question.

But Lin Luo hadn't expected an answer. As the words left his mouth, his gaze shifted elsewhere.

Then, upon seeing Youxiang standing motionless in place, his expression drastically changed, “Youxiang, why have you become a loli…? Huh?!” Although this loli before him differed vastly from Kazami Youxiang—not just in stature, but also in her rustic attire—Lin Luo instantly recognized her as the loli version of Kazami Youxiang and gasped.

In the next instant, he noticed another crucial detail. It was the soul fire burning on Youxiang’s body!

As the soul fire gradually weakened, her life force was also slowly draining away. As for Youxiang, she remained frozen in place.

Her current power was too low; even though she had activated soul burning, seventy percent of it was wasted, worsening the burden on her body. While fighting, she hadn't noticed it, but Lin Luo’s interruption brought the consequences to the fore immediately; she found it incredibly difficult to move even an inch.

However, upon hearing Lin Luo’s words, a flicker of confusion crossed her bright eyes. From his speech, she sensed this human seemed to know her, yet she was certain she knew no human companion.

Just then, Chen Xi quickly rushed over. Ignoring who Lin Luo was, she pleaded tearfully, “Please, save Youxiang!

She burned her soul to save me; she is my only friend. If you can save her, I will do anything!” “Chen Xi?!” Seeing Chen Xi, Lin Luo was surprised again.

By this point, he was beginning to grasp the situation. Knowing Youxiang was in mortal peril, he wasted no words, nodding as he said, “Alright, I will do my best.” Lin Luo was well aware of soul burning; it was a technique leading to certain death for most powerful beings.

But for someone like him, a Quasi-Heavenly Tier expert, burning the soul did not equate to death; it was a rather common combat tactic… He had burned his soul during his battles against two successive Evil Kings. The first time, due to insufficient power, he only survived thanks to the Contract Book.

The second time, he simply ignored the consequences. Although his power had regressed again, and even the Contract Book was sealed, rendering his healing magic unusable, saving Youxiang was still feasible… Though, some side effects would be unavoidable.

“Thank you!” Hearing Lin Luo agree so readily, Chen Xi was overjoyed. Where there is joy, there is sorrow.

The Werewolf, conversely, was consumed by terror. He was on the verge of outlasting Youxiang’s soul burn when Lin Luo suddenly intervened.

That might not have been an issue in itself, as Youxiang was no longer fighting—meaning victory was his—but! From the current circumstances, this freakishly powerful human appeared to know the two little Yōkai?!

The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend, but the friend of my enemy is certainly my enemy… The Werewolf immediately understood he had provoked someone he shouldn't have. Seizing the moment while Lin Luo’s attention was elsewhere, he prepared to retreat.

But as soon as his feet moved, a chilling voice cut through the air behind him. “Stop, who said you could leave?” Hearing this, the Werewolf’s heart pounded with fear.