Bai Yijun approached Ye Chen, the White Snow Divine Sword resting on her back, emanating a faint, gentle radiance. She bent low, peering at him, and saw that Ye Chen’s eyes were gently closed; he had fallen unconscious.

The dark energy that had been hovering near his brain had vanished, seemingly having retreated into the core of his cerebral center. The Youhei Tower grew even more desolate.

Bai Yijun’s face was stark white, her lips devoid of color, and the hand gripping the White Snow Divine Sword trembled slightly. The soft glow of the entire sword flickered intermittently.

Her eyes, like autumn water, reflected Ye Chen’s face. After gazing for a long time, she suddenly raised her delicate hand and lifted Ye Chen into her arms.

In that instant, the body in her grasp felt as heavy as a ten-thousand-pound mountain. Time seemed to halt.

After what felt like an age, she slowly stood up, turned silently, and walked toward the passage leading to the ninth level. …… -0986 Star Fragment, Central Area.

Within the deep beast lair, two streams of light materialized out of thin air, as if passing through a rift from the netherworld. As the light faded, two figures emerged: a woman in white, carrying a snow-white longsword whose blade resembled autumn frost, gleaming with a pale, soft light.

In this woman’s arms was a man enveloped in golden flames. He had thick, sword-like eyebrows, a chiseled face, a high, proud nose like a mountain ridge, and a wild, sorrowful cascade of black hair.

Bai Yijun kept her head bowed, her expression unreadable. She moved swiftly, flashing away into the distance, vanishing in a few blinks and leaving the deep, dark cavern behind.

This Star Fragment, designated 0986, was classified as a S-rank celestial body, possessing a diameter of one hundred million kilometers! To the northeast, within the jungle, Bai Yijun darted like the wind, leaping between ancient, towering trees.

Mottled spots of blood-red light filtered through the dry branches, casting the land beneath in a sanguine hue. The trees on this star fragment were hundreds of feet tall, standing like formidable peaks.

Their intertwined roots formed a dense thicket at the base of the towering giants, where weeds flourished in the scarce light, making the area quite dim, vaguely permeated by whiffs of bloodlust, with the occasional sight of one or two stark white skeletons. Suddenly, where Bai Yijun passed, the jungle floor shook violently, and a ferocious demonic beast erupted, opening its gaping maw.

A foul, wind rushed out, aimed at devouring her. Bai Yijun’s cheek felt a slight chill.

Without any apparent preparation or even drawing the White Snow Divine Sword from behind her, she merely raised a finger. A golden beam shaped like a sword shot out, piercing and shattering the beast’s skull.

Blood and brains splattered as the corpse tumbled down, flung far aside by Bai Yijun. After flying only a short distance, Bai Yijun suddenly felt the Ye Chen in her arms stir slightly.

She paused in surprise, then a surge of joy filled her heart. She quickly lowered her head to look, her eyes brimming with cautious anticipation and a touch of nervousness.

Under her gaze, Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes. As his slightly weary eyes fluttered open, a delicate and breathtakingly beautiful face came into view, as if he were in a dream.

He was momentarily stunned until the roar of the rushing wind hit his ears, bringing a wave of coolness that gradually brought him back to awareness. A quick glance confirmed his surroundings.

Bai Yijun urgently said, “I’m taking you back immediately, don’t worry. Once we reach the gathering point, I’ll send a message for the transport ship to meet us.

In just five more hours, it can carry you back to the Thunder Square. You must hold on!” Ye Chen gazed at her, his eyes dimming, and he slowly shook his head weakly.

He whispered, “I know my condition. I can last ten minutes at most.

When I begin to transform into a ‘Soul-Lost,’ you must kill me, then find a place to bury and preserve my body.” Bai Yijun bit her lower lip tightly, a trace of crimson blood trickling from her red lips into her mouth. Her eyes shimmered with crystal tears, and she choked out, “You can definitely hold on!

You still need to see your sister; you need to see her one last time. You must stay with me!” Ye Chen suddenly felt a cool dampness on his face.

Looking up, he saw a few crystalline droplets sliding down the girl’s fair chin. He paused for a moment, and his eyes softened.

He said gently, “There’s no need for that. Afterwards, take a keepsake from me and go see my sister.

Tell her I’m in seclusion, cultivating in a very distant place, and that I might be gone for a long time. Once my cultivation is complete, I will go to her…” As he spoke, a sharp pain suddenly pierced him, and his throat felt itchy.

He couldn't help but cough, immediately spewing out a mouthful of dark, thick blood, as pure as ink. A few droplets spattered across Bai Yijun’s pristine white clothes, a shocking sight.

Bai Yijun grew extremely anxious. “Don’t talk!

Just hold on a little longer; we’re almost there!” Ye Chen felt his vision blurring as his life force drained rapidly. This sensation was eerily similar to the time before his rebirth, only then, he had been alone… “Can you sing?” Ye Chen suddenly asked.

Bai Yijun froze, then widened her eyes, looking at him in astonishment. “What—what are you doing?” Ye Chen couldn't see her expression, but he could detect the surprise in her voice.

He smiled faintly. “Sing me a song, so that in my final moments, the last thing I hear is your voice.” Bai Yijun paused, then fell silent.

After a moment, she murmured softly, “I only know one. It’s from the Tianyin Civilization, called ‘Farewell to My Lord.’” (Note: The Tianyin Civilization is one of many prehistoric civilizations, specializing in music.

Their combat methods often involve musical instruments and sound as offensive attacks, which are terrifying, specializing in illusionary flows and focusing on cultivating spiritual power.) “Mm,” Ye Chen responded quietly. Bai Yijun bit her lip, slowly opening her mouth to softly hum.

Melodies, beautiful yet sorrowful, sounded out in the deathly still forest of towering trees, echoing outward to encompass the entire sky. Only the blood-red moon remained unchanged, like a cold eye, looking down upon the vast earth.

Bai Yijun continued to hum, tears streaming down her face, as she traversed the forest. Before long, she reached a majestic mountain peak and stopped, leaping up to the very top of the lonely spire.

Thin wisps of mist coiled around the mountainside. A biting cold wind swept the summit, and looking out, all that could be seen were clouds, through gaps in which one could glimpse the rivers and mountains tens of thousands of feet below.

The familiar singing did not cease, echoing in Ye Chen’s ears. He nestled in Bai Yijun’s embrace, his expression serene, a faint smile still playing on his lips, his eyes gently closed, immersed in the distant melody.

For a long, long time… Her hands fell. The song that had never paused suddenly ceased, and the entire mountaintop fell into a terrifying silence.

After an unknown duration, the stopped song began again, like the trill of an oriole, carrying a mournful sadness that brought tears, echoing across the solitary peak… The clouds hung low. The world was silent, save for the low, lonely song slowly droning on… Ten minutes later, the melody was brutally broken by a roar like that of a wild beast.

Bai Yijun suddenly stood straight up, staggering back ten feet. Before her, Ye Chen, who had been lifeless moments before, was now standing, his expression violent and ferocious, his eyes blood-red and crisscrossed with vessels, staring bloodthirstily at Bai Yijun.

In whose eyes was this face reflected? Bai Yijun tightened her delicate fingers, biting her lower lip gently as she looked at the familiar yet alien face.

She could no longer find any trace of familiarity in that expression. After a moment of silence, she slowly raised her hand.

Reaching behind her, she gripped the hilt. Clang—!

The White Snow Divine Sword shot out like an icy dragon of snow, its drawing sound echoing across the wilderness, shaking heaven and earth, seeming to slice the very mountain wind into stillness. Holding the White Snow Divine Sword, Bai Yijun stared at the “Soul-Lost Ye Chen.” Her eyes flickered slightly, but finally, she gritted her teeth and charged forward.

The long sword moved like a rainbow. It cleaved downward, aiming directly for him.

The colossal sword energy, imbued with chilling cold, tore through the void, ripping the sky as it struck toward Ye Chen’s face. In that instant, time seemed to stop flowing.

The two gazed at each other. Who shed the final tear?

Puff! The sword energy, like a surging tide of snow and ice, collided and exploded.

In front of Ye Chen, an invisible barrier suddenly materialized to obstruct it. Bai Yijun paused in shock, pulling back the White Snow Divine Sword, and looked ahead.

Standing before the violently aggressive Ye Chen was a tiny, fluffy figure, its fur snow-white, with two long ears—it was none other than Little White Rabbit! At this moment, the little rabbit’s dark eyes had turned faintly crimson, looking as if blood was about to drip from them.

It bared its teeth at Bai Yijun, bearing an air of deep, mortal hatred. Bai Yijun was startled.

She had seen this little rabbit before and knew it was Ye Chen’s pet. She never imagined that this seemingly harmless little creature possessed such immense power, capable of blocking her attack!

She had to remember that the sword energy she unleashed, though delivered casually, was enough to slay a late-stage Demigod expert! Seeing that Bai Yijun had stopped attacking, Little White Rabbit glared at her, then awkwardly turned around.

Its four small paws gathered strength, and it suddenly dashed forward, leaping onto Ye Chen’s neck, instantly knocking the “Soul-Lost Ye Chen” to the ground. Soul-Lost Ye Chen struggled a few times but could not break free, as if his entire body was governed by an invisible force, pinned down and unable to move.

The little rabbit settled on his chest, and a pair of sharp fangs extended from its mouth, aiming for Ye Chen’s chest. Its teeth were like sharp knives, instantly puncturing the Soul-Lost Ye Chen’s skin, drawing two bloody holes.

Strangely, no blood flowed from these two holes, only a faint, dark, frothy liquid seeping out. The little rabbit stared at the two small openings with a look of profound concentration.

After a moment, it slowly opened its mouth wider. From the base of its sharp fangs, two golden points of light gradually emerged, dripping down along the tips of the teeth, sinking into the two small wounds.

Bai Yijun watched with rapt attention, a faint glimmer of hope in her heart, her expression exceedingly tense and cautious. After a short while, the Soul-Lost Ye Chen, who had been struggling wildly, suddenly stiffened, then closed his eyes, tilted his neck, and stopped moving.