Amidst the Corpse Demon Forest, numerous attendants lined the approach to the Fox Demon Palace, wielding long whips as they watched the trees. The Fox Demon Palace was a rare structure in the forest, exuding an aura of royalty at all times.

"Swish..." A streak of white sword light passed, and the guards at the gate collapsed. The newcomer had disheveled purple hair, resting his Great Bone Sword on his shoulder. His eyes were bloodshot, bearing a ferocious look—this was Yan Shangcheng.

"Who goes there!" From atop the Fox Demon Palace, guards rushed out, leveling their blades and halberds to stop Yan Shangcheng. "How dare you wreak havoc in the Fox Demon Palace! Seize him!"

"Seeking death!" Yan Shangcheng's words were brief. He walked calmly through the ranks of attendants. With a single strike, countless glints of sword light erupted, instantly separating countless Fox Demon attendants from their bodies. "Hand over the Three Innate Needles, or die!"

The Fox Demon attendants were startled by the rising dust, but they did not retreat. Clashing once more, they managed to trap Yan Shangcheng within the central courtyard of the Fox Demon Palace. "Murderer! Seize him!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." Yan Shangcheng's gaze unleashed several more streaks of sword light. He leaped and flipped, dodging the attacks of several figures. When his feet found purchase on their heads, several severed skulls were already rolling on the ground. "I said, if you don't want to die, hand over the Three Innate Needles."

"Hoo..." At this moment, Master Sky Needle sensed the intrusion and leaped up, shooting his Flying Needles toward Yan Shangcheng. The needle struck precisely at one of Yan Shangcheng’s vital points, freezing his movements. "You purple-haired brat, stop your insolence! The Fox Demon Palace is not a place for you to run wild."

Yan Shangcheng attempted to raise his great sword again, but the moment he took a step, his entire body seized up. He couldn't even lift his hand. "My body... why can't I move?"

Master Sky Needle, an expert in the meridian points, chuckled softly and walked before Yan Shangcheng. "How can one move when their vital points are sealed? No matter how high your cultivation, it is useless."

"Hoo..." Just then, the Fox Queen, a crimson figure, descended in a flurry of movement. Her long sleeves draped over her shoulders, her skirt exquisitely beautiful as she landed directly in front of Yan Shangcheng. "Who exactly are you? To dare enter the Fox Demon Palace and cause violence."

Yan Shangcheng struggled to twist his body, but the piercing power of Master Sky Needle's needles was extraordinary; his own rush of anger had made him overlook such a measure. "Hmph, don't bother asking who I am. I only demand two of the Three Innate Needles you possess—the Reversing Fate Needle and the Life-Extending Needle."

"Mother... Mother..." At this moment, Qi'er also hurried over upon hearing the commotion. Seeing the man's purple hair, suspicion dawned. "I've seen these purple locks and this sword style before. He must be the murderer who killed Sister Abi!"

"What!" The Fox Queen fixed her gaze, and killing intent ignited in her eyes. She waved her hand, and a torrent of green energy flowed out. "Whether he killed Abi or not, trespassing in the Fox Demon Palace has only one outcome: Death!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." Countless streams of Fox Demon power surged forth, surrounding Yan Shangcheng in the center. Several currents of demonic energy swept through, completely encircling him. "Kill him!"

Yan Shangcheng saw the dire situation and tried to activate his cultivation to evade, but at this critical juncture, his very movements were controlled by Master Sky Needle. The demonic energy invaded his body, blasting him until blood streamed down him. After that blow, he was clinging to half a life. "Hoo... I didn't expect the power of the Fox Demon Palace to be so insignificant!"

The Fox Queen, having witnessed Yan Shangcheng's cultivation, sensed his power was strangely potent. "Who are you? What feud does my Fox Demon Palace have with you that you would seek to kill Abi!"

"Feud? Hahahaha!" At the mention of the word 'feud,' Yan Shangcheng instantly thought of Jiaye. His entire being was dedicated to revenge, and that source of hatred was Jiaye. "Feud? What do you know of true hatred? Do you know what it means to have one's entire family slaughtered? Do you know how a lonely child claws his way onto the path of vengeance! You don't know; you know nothing!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" At this moment, streams of sword light erupted from Yan Shangcheng's broken body. These lights, mixed with his blood, scattered in all directions, slaughtering the Fox Demon Palace personnel without mercy.

"Clang, clang!" The Fox Queen exerted her demonic power, wrapping everyone in a yellow glow that blocked the blood-swords emanating from Yan Shangcheng's body. "Who is this person? Master Sky Needle sealed his vital points, yet he can still wield his cultivation!"

Master Sky Needle also found it strange. He observed Yan Shangcheng’s body; it was entirely blackened, save for a single point of crimson malevolence on his forehead. "Fox Queen, this fellow's body is abnormal. His use of cultivation does not seem to pass through his own body."

"How is that possible? Does he have other power residing within him?" The Fox Queen gasped, immediately thinking of Ye Xiu. "If that’s the case, how can we restrain him?"

"Die!" Yan Shangcheng's eyes glowed brightly. A black mist wreathed his purple hair as he moved, step by agonizing step, toward Master Sky Needle. "Hand over the needle in your hand obediently, or all of you will perish!"

"Whoosh, whoosh!" Master Sky Needle circled around Yan Shangcheng, constantly striking his vital points with the Life-Extending Needle. However, this action did nothing to halt the man's movement. "Bad! Everyone, retreat quickly!"

"Go!" Yan Shangcheng leaped up, his sword aimed at Master Sky Needle. His eyes flashed with a powerful killing intent approaching. "Die!"

"Hoo..." The Fox Queen’s face shifted from green to red. She swept her skirt forward and met Yan Shangcheng’s sword strike with a palm. The power in that palm was augmented by the Eye of the Fox Demon, allowing her to see the entire flow of energy within Yan Shangcheng’s body.

"There is only one outcome for trying to stop me: Death!" Yan Shangcheng intensified his power. The crimson mark on his forehead grew clearer, and he grinned, plunging the Great Bone Sword directly into the Fox Queen’s palm. "No matter the Fox Demon Palace, nothing can stop me! I want all of you dead!"

"Aiya..." The Fox Queen was injured by the brute force, but her power did not recede. She gritted her teeth, intensifying her demonic energy, and a sphere of red light enveloped Yan Shangcheng. "Master Sky Needle, can you clearly see the energy inside him?"

"This... How is this possible..." Master Sky Needle was momentarily stunned. Before him was not just Yan Shangcheng, but a vast, deep-black silhouette brimming with rage. "This fellow harbors... harbors the legendary..."

"Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot!" The Fox Queen, relying on the Eye of the Fox Demon, had already grasped the situation. She drew a sharp breath and sighed. "Hasn't the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot long been hidden in the Boundless Realm? How could it be inside a youth's body?"

"Aaaah!" Trapped by the Fox Queen's power, Yan Shangcheng became more agitated. He gritted his teeth, trying desperately to break free, but the Fox Queen's strength was not weak. He impacted the red sphere again and again but could not break through completely. "Wahaha! Ah!"

The Fox Queen resisted with all her might, already somewhat exhausted. She called out to Master Sky Needle, "As long as the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot is not fully erupted within a person, it should still be suppressible. Master, have you found a way to suppress it?"

"Not awakened, not awakened!" Master Sky Needle, whose medical skills were profound, began applying the Life-Extending Needles to Yan Shangcheng's body. However, there were three divine needles in existence, and relying on just one type could not isolate the power. "Qi'er, quickly use the Reversing Fate Needle to assist me."

"Understood!" Qi'er responded immediately, launching several Reversing Fate Needles. She spoke coldly as her entire body shot toward Yan Shangcheng’s head. "A needle to the temple can completely seal his frenzy."

"Qi'er, be careful!" The Fox Queen called out to Qi'er. By this time, the black mist inside Yan Shangcheng was nearly overwhelming her own crimson demonic energy. Looking again with the Eye of the Fox Demon, she fully understood the trajectory of the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot within him. "Master, thrust all the needles into his face! The Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot controls the power transfer to all parts of the body through his brain. If we can stop that point, there might still be hope."

Master Sky Needle leaped up and cooperated with Qi'er, controlling all the acupuncture points on Yan Shangcheng’s face. After several attempts, the black mist outside Yan Shangcheng’s body gradually dispersed, and the deep-red mark on his forehead also began to fade. "Is the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot controlled just like this?"

"Still looking!" Yan Shangcheng grinned, his purple hair whipping wildly as the air stirred with fury. He roared, triggering an explosion that blasted Qi'er and the surrounding Fox Demon guards away. "Revenge! Revenge!"

"Be careful!" The Fox Queen discerned the energy within Yan Shangcheng and sent a beam of sword light directly toward Master Sky Needle. She leaped forward, intercepting the attack for Master Sky Needle, and the sword struck her arm, causing heavy bleeding.

"Fox Queen!" Master Sky Needle caught the Fox Queen to evade Yan Shangcheng’s strike. He turned and retreated, launching several more Life-Extending Needles. They aimed for Yan Shangcheng’s vital points again, but this time it was far less smooth. "What! How is this happening?"

Yan Shangcheng slowly moved his body, his expression utterly desolate. He ignored the attacks from the surrounding Fox Demon guards, dragging his bloodied form toward Master Sky Needle. "Sky Needle, I want the needle in your hand."

"Hoo..." Master Sky Needle gasped, attempting to shoot the Life-Extending Needle into the crimson mark on Yan Shangcheng's forehead. But not only did he fail, but his neck was suddenly gripped tightly by Yan Shangcheng.

"Master!" Seeing Master Sky Needle in danger, the Fox Queen disregarded everything else, looking at Yan Shangcheng with desperate appeal. "Don't hurt him! We will give you the needles you want!"

"If the heavenly needles fall into the hands of a villain, they will only enhance his power adjustments." Master Sky Needle refused to yield, but the grip on him was astonishing. His face was turning red, struggling for air. "I... I..."

Yan Shangcheng did not look up at the Master in his grasp. He merely extended his free hand, palm open, toward the Fox Queen. "I only want the needles! Give them to me!"

"Qi'er!" The Fox Queen glanced sharply at Qi'er, who immediately understood her mother’s intention. She tossed all the needle pouches she carried toward Yan Shangcheng.

The Fox Queen pointed to the needle on the ground. "This is the Reversing Fate Needle. You can release the Master now!"

"Crack!" Yan Shangcheng inhaled the Reversing Fate Needle from the ground expressionlessly, looking vaguely unsatisfied. "What about the other one? Isn't there another type of heavenly needle in the Fox Demon Palace?"

"The Life-Extending Needle set is not entirely here!" The Fox Queen knew that the energy within Ye Xiu was controlled by the Life-Extending Needles, so the full set was not with Master Sky Needle. "The rest of the Life-Extending Needles are with the Master. If you release him, he will surely give them to you!"

"Hurry up and call them out..." Yan Shangcheng had no intention of engaging in a fair trade. He snatched Qi'er's Reversing Fate Needles and slammed them all into Master Sky Needle’s body, causing the old master to writhe in silent agony. "Old man, since that's the case, just hand over the needles you have."

"Here!" Master Sky Needle still held one needle. Taking advantage of Yan Shangcheng’s lapse in attention, he thrust the needle directly into the crimson mark on Yan Shangcheng’s forehead. "Even the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot must suffer immensely when facing a seal."

"Waaaaah..." Struck by the needle, Yan Shangcheng threw his head back and let out a wild shriek. Instantly, countless wisps of smoke billowed from his back, and the red mark on his forehead flickered faintly. In that instant, his Great Bone Sword flew wildly, impaling the surrounding Fox Demon attendants who had closed in. "Ah..."

"Be careful!" The Fox Queen pulled Qi'er back to evade. When she focused on Yan Shangcheng again, she saw that Master Sky Needle’s head was hanging low. "Master!"

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" Yan Shangcheng skewered Master Sky Needle’s body with a sword thrust, his eyes bulging fiercely. "You think one needle can shatter my Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot? That's just dreaming!"

"Master!" Qi'er wept, helpless, as she watched Yan Shangcheng toss Master Sky Needle’s corpse into the air, unable to approach.

Yan Shangcheng retrieved the Life-Extending Needle from his forehead, licking his lips with satisfaction. He surveyed the ruins of the Fox Demon Palace. "The Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot has no weakness. Thinking of defeating me is a pipe dream!"

"Swish..." The Fox Queen was consumed by grief and rage. Her Eye of the Fox Demon was opened to its limit. She seized her long whip and wrapped it around Yan Shangcheng. "Murderer!"

"What can a mere Corpse Demon Forest do to me!" Yan Shangcheng looked down disdainfully at everything around him. Having no will to linger in battle, he slashed the Fox Queen’s whip and turned to leave!

"Kill him!" The Fox Demon people were enraged. They swarmed him, but they could not inflict the slightest harm on Yan Shangcheng. Their whips and demonic energy crisscrossed uselessly.

"What's next? The Life-Seizing Needle too!" Yan Shangcheng’s sanity was already slipping; his body was completely controlled by the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot. The attacks from the Fox Demon people were not light, and his wounds were beginning to bleed profusely, yet he paid no heed, muttering to himself. "Tianyun Ji, that woman said there is a Life-Seizing Needle above Tianyun Ji in the territory of the Sun-Blind Tribe. With the Three Innate Needles, I can roam the Boundless Realm! Kill! Kill! Kill! Hahahaha!"

The wind howled mournfully through the desolate forest. After Yan Shangcheng departed, the Fox Demon Palace was left in utter devastation.

The Fox Queen looked upon the dead body of Master Sky Needle and her fallen clan members with profound sorrow, a grief that further ravaged her proud countenance. "The appearance of the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot means difficult times ahead for the entire Boundless Realm. The fate of the Fox Demon Palace is just the beginning. Next..."

Qi'er cried inconsolably over Master Sky Needle’s body. "That brute killed so many people. I swear I will find him for revenge. At a time like this... where could Ye Xiu be right now?"

The Fox Queen sighed heavily. The Fox Demon Palace once had a peerless genius, the Fox Shadow of a Thousand Years, but he was gone. Did this signify the decline of the Fox Demon Palace? "The strength of Military Advisor Fox Shadow should be able to counter the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot, but now that chaos has erupted, who knows where Ye Xiu is. Qi'er, often, we must learn to rely on ourselves."

"Hoo..." At that moment, a gust of wind swept through, stirring the fallen leaves into a rising tide. A streak of black light passed by, and Ye Xiu, accompanied by Old Liu, descended at the entrance of the Fox Demon Palace on Ghost Execution.

"How could this be?" Ye Xiu’s eyes widened. The bloodstains around them were as crimson as that day in Desolate Bone City. City after city had been washed in blood—something he had never anticipated. "Fox Queen, Qi'er! What happened here?"

"Brother Ye Xiu..." Qi'er saw Ye Xiu and felt a surge of hope. She rushed forward and cried, "It was that blue-haired fellow, the one who killed Sister Abi."

"Yan Shangcheng!" Ye Xiu exclaimed, looking toward the Fox Queen. Her beauty was marred by the bloodstain on her arm, making her look even more vulnerable. He walked over with concern. "Fox Queen, why did Yan Shangcheng come looking for the Fox Demon Palace?"

"Master Sky Needle is dead," the Fox Queen said flatly, tinged with sadness. "As you can see, Yan Shangcheng came for the Life-Extending Needle and the Reversing Fate Needle."

"The Three Innate Needles." Ye Xiu felt deep respect for Master Sky Needle. Now that he was dead, Ye Xiu was overwhelmed with emotion. "That brute Yan Shangcheng stops at nothing, destroying all of Desolate Ancient City and now killing so many innocents just to obtain the Three Innate Needles."

Old Liu also sighed, observing the desolate scene. "You mentioned the Three Innate Needles can suppress the various powers within your body, right? What use do they have for Yan Shangcheng?"

"The Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot!" The Fox Queen had grasped the essence of Yan Shangcheng's goal. She analyzed, "The Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot within Yan Shangcheng has always been unstable. I believe he wants to use the Three Innate Needles to suppress the power of the Mad Vein Heavenly Pivot, preventing him from being controlled when it awakens."

"Oh ho, so it seems the Reaper has competition," Old Liu teased Ye Xiu. "If he gets the needles first, your life might not be safe."

"Damn it! We should have arrived sooner!" Ye Xiu angrily struck his own head, filled with remorse.