After uttering her curse, the Empress Consort's soul light rapidly dimmed.
A dark glow emerged from her body, enveloping all the vengeful spirits.
This glow slowly merged into the surroundings.
The once beautiful and captivating Empress Consort now looked ghastly and terrifying, with black blood streaming from her seven orifices.
Her entire body was engulfed in the flames of her origin.
The girl in the white dress collapsed to the ground, overcome with grief, spitting out a large mouthful of blood, staining her veil red.
Chu Yang arrived just in time to witness this scene after killing the Demon Emperor's offspring.
However, he was unafraid of the curse.
Turning away from the Heavenly Demon Palace, he sought Xiao Qi's body.
Chu Yang recalled a message Xiao Qi had mentioned in her final words.
Her mother was still alive.
It was through Xiao Qi's mother that the Demon Emperor could sense Xiao Qi's situation.
Xiao Qi had returned to die for her mother, dying for her sake.
Yet, mysteries remained.
Why did Xiao Qi's mother send her information? Was she coerced by the Demon Emperor, or did she have her own agenda?
If it was just coercion, Chu Yang could quell his anger somewhat.
But what if Xiao Qi's mother intentionally lured Xiao Qi to the Heavenly Demon Mountain? For what purpose?
These uncertainties needed answers.
Xiao Qi's life had been tragic enough. If her own mother had abandoned her and schemed against her, it was unimaginable.
If true, Chu Yang would ensure she suffered a fate worse than death!
As a quasi-emperor, Chu Yang's soul was immensely powerful. He extended his divine sense, covering the entire Heavenly Demon Mountain.
Every movement, every place, was clear in his mind.
He arrived at a dry, desolate land.
The temperature was extremely high, suggesting it had once been a sea of fire.
Not far away was an inconspicuous cave entrance.
Chu Yang sensed a skeleton within the cave.
It was Xiao Qi's.
With a complex mix of emotions, Chu Yang entered the cave.
Inside, the bare rock walls greeted him. In the center was a wooden plank, with a body covered by a white cloth.
Step by step, Chu Yang approached.
He crouched down slightly.
His hand, reaching to lift the cloth, trembled uncontrollably.
Finally, he lifted the white cloth.
A dried skeleton appeared before him.
Though the body was devoid of blood and as dry as bark, Chu Yang recognized it instantly as Xiao Qi's remains!
His heart was filled with boundless sorrow.
Tears fell from his eyes.
Even now, he could hardly believe Xiao Qi was truly dead.
The innocent, kind-hearted fox girl, whose life had been so miserable, was really gone...
Chu Yang's voice was hoarse, his hands trembling uncontrollably, unsure of what to do.
He had never trembled even when facing supreme emperors, but now, seeing these remains, his body shook!
Outside the Heavenly Emperor Mirror.
The cultivators sighed.
The little fox had indeed died. Now, seeing her remains, they could finally accept this reality.
This explained why the Emperor Lord had never had her presence beside him in later years.
However, Bai Xiaoqi, who witnessed this scene, felt bewildered.
She was utterly confused.
What connection did this Heavenly Demon Fox, who looked exactly like her and even had the same name, have with her? Initially, she speculated that this fox might be her mother.
But now, that seemed incorrect! If it was her mother, who had the Emperor Lord suppressed later on?
As for herself? That was even more impossible. The little fox in the mirror was dead, but she was very much alive! If it wasn't her or her mother, then who was this little fox?
It was an unexplainable puzzle.
For a moment, Bai Xiaoqi felt a splitting headache. Clutching her head, her face contorted in pain.
It seemed that many sealed memories in her mind were slowly surfacing.
Those memories were like broken pieces of a puzzle, gradually coming together to form a complete picture.
Beside her, Ye Fan felt equally troubled.
A bad premonition had taken root in his heart.
"Damn it, that little fox can't really be Bai Xiaoqi, can it? Damn, if it is her, this is beyond insane!"
Ye Fan's thoughts were complicated. He couldn't believe it. If this was indeed the case, how would he handle the situation?
He could only keep reassuring himself.
The little fox was dead, while Bai Xiaoqi was alive and well. They couldn't possibly be the same person.
But even if they weren't the same person, the little fox likely had a significant connection to Bai Xiaoqi.
This realization left Ye Fan feeling even more unsettled.
...
In the depths of the cave, a woman slowly emerged.
Her clothes were tattered, her eyes vacant, her face full of sorrow. She gazed at the remains with profound grief.
Chu Yang could see the despair and sadness in her eyes, her pupils bloodshot.
The woman looked very much like Xiao Qi, and she was likely her mother.
Expressionless, she looked at Chu Yang and said, "Xiao Qi told me that after she died, someone would come looking for her. She hoped I could persuade you."
She sighed heavily, "Xiao Qi's life was filled with hardship. From the moment she was born, she never had much happiness. Then the Demon Emperor purged the Heavenly Demon Fox clan and cursed our bloodline."
"She managed to break the curse and could have escaped her miserable fate, but she ended up like this because of me!"
Her tears had long dried up, her expression one of deep sorrow.
Chu Yang, moved by the sight, had all his suspicions dispelled.
She seemed to be another unfortunate soul forced by the Demon Emperor.
As a mother, her sorrow was genuine.
Chu Yang looked at Xiao Qi's corpse, now colorless and shriveled like a mummy, and felt immense pain.
Memories of his time with Xiao Qi flashed vividly in his mind, like a series of images replaying over and over.
Chu Yang couldn't accept this outcome.
Xiao Qi shouldn't have fallen like this.
He was filled with rage at such a cruel fate.
Squatting down, Chu Yang held Xiao Qi's body in his arms.
His eyes showed determination and fierceness.
The skies changed, terrifying laws of nature spread across the heavens, as an apocalyptic scene unfolded.