Here lies a vast and immense underground hall, shrouded in cold and darkness. The floor and walls are etched with an array of runes that shimmer in hues of ethereal blue and pale purple.
Countless runes converge to form a colossal magical circle, at the center of which—a young girl is encased in ice.
Above, it seems that some gem-like object emits a faint, ghostly light, converging into a beam that resembles a spotlight, illuminating the girl with a breathtaking and sorrowful beauty.
Yet, apart from this shaft of light, the surrounding space is engulfed in profound and desolate darkness, as if the encased girl might be consumed by the surrounding abyss at any moment.
The girl appears to be around eighteen years old, her flowing white hair tied back in a ponytail. She is adorned in a bodice and short skirt crafted from the pelts of unknown beasts, accentuating her delicate curves and revealing her slender waist.
Her skin, a captivating blend of sun-kissed wheat and pristine snow, glistens under the blue light, casting an enchanting sheen. The girl, lightly closed-eyed, emanates a serene aura that seems to dispel even the surrounding darkness.
Beside her, the lifeless body of a massive cracked-furred magical leopard sprawls across the cold floor, a few drops of dried blood splattered upon the ground, congealing into a repugnant dark red. More blood has pooled within the magical circle, comprising a third of the pale purple runes.
The bloodless body of the leopard twists unnaturally, its once-lustrous fur now dull and devoid of life. Its enormous head contorts grotesquely, and within its slightly parted jaws, sharp fangs are faintly visible. Its dim eyes, wide open in death, seem to convey a sense of regret and tranquility—yet no one can decipher the meaning behind the gaze of this once-mighty ninth-tier magical beast in its final moments... No, it is not that no one can understand.
At the very least, there remains one person in this world capable of interpreting the expression left by the king of beasts in its dying breath—if he can still be considered "human."
In a shadowy corner, where the dim light fails to reach, a man named Xiao Muyu slumps against the cold wall, utterly powerless.
His once jet-black hair has now become a mingled shade of gray and white. He keeps his head bowed, allowing his tangled strands to obscure his face, rendering his expression indecipherable. His hands grip the hem of his clothing tightly in the darkness, veins bulging as if he were enduring unspeakable agony, his body occasionally convulsing in pain.
Yet, he remains eerily silent, as if the suffocating darkness has swallowed him whole.
Sitting coldly in the corner, he endures the torment of the demonic curse without uttering a single groan or cry, merging seamlessly with the frigid and lifeless shadows at his side.
"Tap... tap..."
Hesitant footsteps echoed at the entrance to the hall, the sole passage to the outside world. In the next moment, a colossal figure emerged beneath the dim glow.
With sharp fangs, an elegantly streamlined body, and limbs brimming with explosive power and grace—this was a magnificent Spirit Cat King, whose two-meter height barely allowed it to squeeze through the passage.
Its enormous eyes, glowing faintly in the darkness, gazed in astonishment at the scene unfolding within the hall.
"Roar..." A low, muffled growl escaped the Spirit Cat King, revealing a flicker of disbelief and fear within its gaze.
As its attention shifted to the profound darkness, it spotted a man seated against the wall.
With a gentle stride, the Spirit Cat King approached Xiao Muyu, extending its massive head with a look of concern for the silent, downcast youth.
"Spirit Cat... is that you?" The man kept his head lowered, allowing his hair to obscure his face, rendering his expression unreadable. Only a calm voice slowly emerged from his lips, "I suspected it would be you. After all, among the ninth-tier magical beasts in the Winter Embrace Forest, apart from Xiaoxue's mother, you are the only one small enough to fit through here."
"Roar..." The Spirit Cat King emitted a deep, rumbling growl, extending its tongue to gently lick the man's face, as if offering comfort.
Xiao Muyu slowly raised his left hand, placing it atop the Spirit Cat King's massive head, gently pressing down, causing the great feline to obediently rest in his embrace.
"Do you know what I am thinking right now, Spirit Cat?" He rested his chin on the Spirit Cat King's head, his left hand languidly draping over its neck, while his right hand softly caressed its plush belly, murmuring low, somber words, "I am contemplating... this should not be the conclusion. None of this should be the way it is."
"Look, Xiaoxue has been possessed by a demon. Her mother sacrificed every drop of her blood to inscribe the magical circle in an attempt to save her, yet ultimately failed to rescue Xiaoxue, sealing the demon's soul within her. Do you think her mother's sacrifice, your sovereign's sacrifice, was worthwhile?"
With a muted tone, Xiao Muyu slowly lifted her head, her gaze misty, resting upon the mother and child illuminated by a ghostly blue light in the center of the hall. Her expression was one of sorrow and melancholy. "So much has been sacrificed, and in the end, it amounted to nothing. Do you think... such sacrifice was worth it?"
A low, guttural sound came from the spirit cat in her arms, and Xiao Muyu let out a bitter laugh. "Should I blame you? Perhaps I should. After all, if not for your presumptuous interference, I might have had the chance to save Xiaoxue before the demon fully took over her body. But... your intervention made me miss that final chance. Tell me, should I resent you?"
Once more, the spirit cat emitted a mournful growl, laden with apology, sorrow, and regret.
"Regret, is it?" Xiao Muyu's smile was radiant yet tragically hollow. "Regret that you didn't trust me? But what use is regret now? The tragedy has already happened, and no amount of remorse can bring Xiaoxue back. Nor her mother... Ah, forgive me. Perhaps I misjudged you."
"Or perhaps," she continued, a cold smile flitting across her lips, "you feel no guilt or regret at all. After all, with Xiaoxue's mother, your king, dead, the Forest of Winter Embrace is left without a ruler. For you ninth-tier beasts oppressed under her reign for over sixty years, it's finally your chance to seize the throne."
Chuckling, as if amused by some dark joke, Xiao Muyu's hand gently stroked the soft belly of the spirit cat king. "And you, my dear spirit cat, are one of the strongest among the ninth-tier beasts. Your chances of becoming the next king of the Winter Embrace are high, aren't they, my beloved friend?"
A nervous shudder coursed through the spirit cat as a sharp sense of dread gripped its instincts. It struggled to break free from Xiao Muyu's hold, but when it tried to lift its head, it realized, in horror, that an icy, malevolent force had bound it, leaving it utterly paralyzed.
"Oh, what's wrong, my dear friend?" Xiao Muyu whispered sorrowfully, sensing the creature's futile struggles. "Are you abandoning me now? You, who were once my closest companion? Have you forgotten our bond?"
The spirit cat roared, its dread intensifying as it found itself trapped, unable to budge. In a frenzy, it thrashed against the invisible force binding it.
"Surprised, are you?" Xiao Muyu softly caressed the creature's fur, smiling with a dark, unsettling warmth. "Surprised that someone as ordinary as I once was now wields such power? This strength comes from the curse I embraced, a demonic power I consumed. Impressive, isn't it? Even you, a ninth-tier beast, cannot resist."
A feral growl erupted from the spirit cat as the suffocating sensation grew sharper with each word Xiao Muyu spoke, like a blade hovering inches above its head. The spirit cat screamed in terror, struggling madly—but then...
A chilling "shik" sound cut through the air.
Blood sprayed, and the great beast's body tensed, then fell limp and silent.
Gently, Xiao Muyu cradled the lifeless head of the massive spirit cat, her left hand tenderly stroking its now lifeless body. Meanwhile, her right hand, which held a worn sword, was plunged deep into the spirit cat's belly. With a faint shift of her wrist, her hand sank almost entirely into the wound, allowing her to feel the beast's fading warmth and slowing heartbeat through the dying pulse of its insides.
"See? I'm still so kind," Xiao Muyu murmured with a serene smile, gazing at the blade tip protruding from the creature's back. "You were my dearest friend here, and Xiaoxue's beloved uncle. Now that she and her mother are gone, I'm sure you miss them. So, though it pains me, I decided to help you—to send you to them myself. This way, you'll never be separated from them again."
"Am I not kind?" She beamed softly, her expression bright and gentle as she watched the beast's body grow colder beneath her.