The elixir was gently fed between her lips and teeth.

Never in his wildest dreams did Xie Wuji expect that the massive serpent would suddenly choose him as its prey, pursuing him with frenzied determination. With no time for hesitation, he seized a vine and, like a child on a swing, leapt through the air to land atop a tree.

But the millennia-old Fire Python seemed to have fixed its sights on Xie Wuji. Its body coiled tightly around the tree, crushing the trunk to splinters before their very eyes.

With a thunderous hiss, the Fire Python opened its enormous jaws and lunged at Xie Wuji.

The disciples and elders of the Fire Dragon Sect stood frozen in shock. At last, an elder spoke: "Sect Master, should we try to rescue Young Master Xie?"

"We Fire Dragon Sect are but a humble sect—we cannot afford to provoke a millennia-old Fire Python. Now that the Eastern Gate Sect Master's daughter is safe, we'll say Young Master Xie died heroically protecting her. He’s drawing the python away for us. We must seize this chance to retreat, or we’ll squander his noble intentions!" said Huo Chilian.

"But—"

"No buts! We dare not offend the Danxia Sect, but saving their young lady is already a great merit. Losses are unavoidable in such matters. Blame their own Sect Master—Danxia Sect has three hundred golden core disciples, yet sent only four expendables to face the Fire Python. Do they think it’s an earthworm?" Huo Chilian snapped, glancing around. "How many have we lost?"

"Forty disciples are dead, and over a hundred and sixty more are wounded to varying degrees," replied an elder.

"Forty disciples..." Huo Chilian gritted his teeth, tears welling in his eyes. "All children from poor families, seeking to learn a craft in our sect. How will we face their families? Hurry, let’s go—no more needless sacrifice!"

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Meanwhile, Xie Wuji swung through the air like Tarzan, gripping a vine, circling again and again to keep his distance from the relentless Fire Python.

"How can I be so unlucky? No matter where I go, I always get beaten up! Damn it!" Xie Wuji cursed, realizing to his dismay that the Fire Python was truly obsessed with him, pursuing him with dogged determination.

Little did he know, the Fire Python, being a demon beast, had sensed the Phoenix Spirit within him. To demon beasts, devouring a spirit of a higher rank could allow them to ascend in power, leaping several grades in an instant.

The Fire Python’s earlier rage was due to a failed breakthrough—it was simply a brute, lacking human intelligence, so its path of cultivation was fraught with obstacles.

Now, with the tenth-ranked spirit among the world’s twelve great demon spirits appearing right before it—and its host as feeble as an ant—the Fire Python would not let this chance slip by.

Compared to Xie Wuji, the Fire Dragon Sect disciples were insignificant. So the python pursued him relentlessly, every attack aimed at swallowing him whole.

As he fled, Xie Wuji studied the terrain, searching for a way to escape, but the Fire Python gave him no respite, hounding him at every turn.

Eventually, the serpent seemed to lose patience. Suddenly, it began to spew forth its fury.

From its jaws, molten lava erupted.

A single blast toppled swathes of trees, flames bursting everywhere.

With no other choice, Xie Wuji ducked into a narrow cave, barely large enough to enter hunched over. The great serpent smashed headlong into the mountainside, its head spinning in confusion.

"Brother Xie..." came a faint voice not far from him.

Xie Wuji looked up, nearly cursing aloud. "Why haven’t you left? What are you doing here?"

It was none other than Dongmen Qianyun, curled up with her knees to her chest inside the cave. "I sent Fat Dragon and Thin Tiger away first. I... I decided to wait here for you... so I hid in this cave."

Xie Wuji could only marvel at fate’s perverse sense of humor. Running into an old friend on the street was normal enough, but to find Dongmen Qianyun waiting for him in a random cave while fleeing for his life—he was left speechless.

He could scold her, but she’d stayed behind to leave with him. Praise her, but clever as she could be, at times she was hopelessly naïve.

"We’re not far from the exit now. Once the serpent leaves, we can escape," Dongmen Qianyun said softly.

Xie Wuji sighed. "If only it would leave! The way it’s chasing me, you’d think I’d stolen its eggs—but I didn’t! And yet it just won’t let me go. I know I’m handsome, but this is ridiculous!"

As he grumbled, the serpent slithered up to the cave, a blazing eye peering inside, spitting fire with intimidating ferocity.

Suddenly, the python’s jaws opened wide, aiming directly at the entrance.

Xie Wuji knew trouble was coming—the beast was about to spit lava again.

"Qianyun, get down!" he shouted.

Before Dongmen Qianyun could move, Xie Wuji leapt to his feet, spreading his arms wide. In that instant, searing lava and scalding heat surged into the cave.

A blood-curdling scream tore from Xie Wuji’s throat as the molten rock splattered against him. Though the amount was not great, he shielded Dongmen Qianyun with his own body, his back taking the full brunt of the scorching assault.

Skin sizzled and smoked, layer after layer of flesh burning away, until the congealing lava, fused with his raw flesh, began to drop off in chunks.

His back was a ruin.

Before long, the flow of lava ceased. Outside, the sun was rising, and the Fire Python suddenly grew lethargic. Coiling itself into a dense knot, it began to recuperate, apparently disliking the sunlight.

Inside, Xie Wuji collapsed to his knees, then crumpled forward to the ground, sprawled out, arms and legs akimbo.

Dongmen Qianyun was stunned. Covering her mouth, she stared in horror—Xie Wuji’s back was flayed of flesh, bone and spine laid bare to the air.

The gruesome sight nearly made her faint. "Brother Xie!"

With a wail, she burst into tears.

Xie Wuji’s life was hanging by the slenderest thread—his breath barely fluttered, but he no longer inhaled, only exhaled. Death hovered near.

Suddenly, Dongmen Qianyun grasped a sharp-edged shard of stone, tears streaming down her cheeks. "If Brother Xie dies, what meaning is there in going on? Brother Xie, I’ll go with you!"

She pressed the stone to her throat, ready to end her life.

Her tears dripped onto Xie Wuji’s body as she wept.

Just then, a pill slipped from her sleeve. Her heart jolted—she remembered Xie Wuji’s words: this pill was powerful enough to remake one’s meridians.

If that were so, and he hovered so close to death, could she not pull him back from the abyss?

Clutching the pill, she thought, If Xie Wuji dies, there’s no joy left for me. She wiped the dust from the medicine and pressed it to his lips.

But Xie Wuji, unconscious, could not swallow.

Gritting her teeth and wiping her tears, Dongmen Qianyun put the pill in her own mouth, chewed it to pulp, then leaned over and pressed her lips to his. As their mouths touched, a jolt ran through her, as though struck by lightning.

Yet she passed all the medicine into Xie Wuji’s mouth. Only after a long moment did she reluctantly pull away, giving him water to help him swallow.

And then, a miracle unfolded—before her eyes, the terrible burns on Xie Wuji’s back began to heal. Flesh regrew, inch by inch, knitting together anew. Dongmen Qianyun watched, astonished.

She realized the priceless value of this pill. Yet Xie Wuji, fully aware of its worth, had given it to her without hesitation. Moved and bewildered, a strange ripple stirred in her heart.