Volume 5 Chapter 96

Volume 5 + Chapter 96: The Moment of Fate

Xia Yi could truly feel it now, the possibility of defeating the evil manifestation.

If things truly unfolded as Little Red had described, if they could trigger the eruption of the curses within it and force it into a weakened state, then victory would finally be within reach.

“My nemesis, what is the Fox God saying?” the little fox asked curiously. “My nemesis, please tell me, I still can’t hear the Fox God’s voice.”

“It’s about how to defeat the evil manifestation…”

Xia Yi continued acting as a messenger, faithfully relaying Little Red’s words to the little fox.

After listening, the little fox became visibly excited.

“So the evil manifestation can be defeated! Then we must seize this opportunity no matter what!!”

“However, controlling the magical power of the Sealed Land is no simple matter. It requires a controller to guide the flow of that power,” Little Red said gravely. “In a very short time, you will have to endure an immense influx of magic. It will bring great strain to both your mind and body. At the same time, you must remain conscious and maintain your will, deliberately using that power to alter the celestial flow of this land.”

“Then… how about I try?” Xia Yi suggested. “I’m of the Silver Dragon royal bloodline, my capacity for magic is far beyond that of ordinary beings.”

She wasn’t boasting, it was simply the truth. Even Gran, a master mage of the dragon race who had devoted his entire life to magic and reached its pinnacle, still possessed less magical power than Xia Yi.

That was the natural advantage of the Silver Dragon royal lineage.

“No. This task must be carried out by my shrine maiden. An outsider cannot activate the formation I set in place,” Little Red explained. “Moreover, when such a vast amount of magic enters her body, it can break the sealing technique placed upon her by the Azure Fox shrine maiden, restoring her strength. This is also a trial, a test I have left for my descendants.”

“Then… it seems this is a stage meant for you, Fox Radish.”

Xia Yi relayed Little Red’s words to the little fox.

“…Understood. Since I am the Fox God’s shrine maiden, I will shoulder this responsibility,” the little fox replied firmly.

Little Red leapt down from the pillar and had the armored shikigami lead the way to the very center of the shrine.

There, Xia Yi saw a massive formation etched into the ground, covered in intricate fox clan runes and complex patterns she could not comprehend. Around it stood numerous ritual banners.

Though she couldn’t fully understand it, she could sense the profound and ancient mystery contained within the formation.

Yue Liu stepped into the very center of the formation. The surrounding banners lit up, beams of light sweeping across her body, as if verifying her Nine-Tailed Fox lineage.

Once confirmed, the runes carved into the formation activated, like a key perfectly fitting into its lock. Now, all that remained was for the formation to run.

“It’s about to begin. Success or failure will be decided here,” Little Red said, her gaze fixed on her shrine maiden.

“Little Red, I need to confirm something, is there only one chance?” Xia Yi asked.

“That’s right. Failure is not an option. Once the formation is activated, regardless of success or failure, the evil manifestation will sense the flow of magic and discover the existence of this shrine in the great cavern. This place will be exposed. If we fail to trigger the curse eruption, it may even draw her here directly.”

What would happen if the evil manifestation arrived here at full strength… Xia Yi already knew the answer.

The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her.

“Outsider, tell my shrine maiden this.”

“…Alright.”

Xia Yi nodded and relayed the message.

“Failure is not an option…”

After understanding the situation, the little fox felt the immense pressure bearing down on her.

If she failed to withstand the torrent of magic, then they would not be able to defeat the evil manifestation. And if that happened, no one in the fox clan would be able to resist Bai Lian’s illusion techniques. Fox Hill would fall into the hands of the White Night Cult, and in the end, the fox clan would face annihilation under the madness of its leader.

It was a chain reaction, one failure leading to total ruin.

She felt as though she stood upon a narrow bridge of fate, a single misstep would send her plunging into an endless abyss, beyond redemption.

At the thought, sweat beaded on her forehead, and her body began to tremble.

“…”

Seeing this, Little Red remained expressionless. She said nothing, offering neither encouragement nor pressure.

“Hahaha… hahahahaha!”

Suddenly, the little fox burst into laughter.

“So this is it, the moment of my destiny has finally arrived! Yes, my body trembles from tension, but that is also the thrill of it! I have waited for this day for far too long!!”

Her declaration surprised Xia Yi, yet at the same time, it felt entirely in character. After all… this was her chuunibyou little fox.

As for Little Red, she seemed deeply satisfied. Her previously expressionless face softened into a smile.

“Fox God, once I leave this Sealed Land, I will defeat all enemies and become the sovereign of the Nine-Tailed Foxes! The future of the fox clan, I will bear it upon my shoulders!”

The little fox proclaimed boldly to the deity she worshipped.

“Excellent! As expected of my descendant, such courage pleases me greatly. Then let it begin! This is the moment that will decide the fate of the fox clan!”

The instant Little Red finished speaking, the formation activated.

Xia Yi could clearly feel the surrounding currents shifting. It was as though this place had become the center of the world, drawing in all the magic within this space, funneling it into the formation, and then channeling it entirely into the little fox.

At first, the little fox could endure it. But as more and more magic poured in, the formation began to shine with blinding light, overwhelming even the glow of the plants and illuminating the entire cavern. Her expression began to twist in strain.

The terrifying concentration of magic converged into a single point, like a colossal whirlpool in the ocean. The sheer force made the shrine tremble violently.

The surging magic cracked the surrounding stone walls, jagged fissures spreading as rocks fell continuously, threatening to collapse the shrine entirely.

“Ghh, AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!”

The little fox let out a scream of agony.

Within the overwhelming light, Xia Yi could see nothing. In this moment, there was nothing she could do, only trust that Yue Liu could endure it.

But then… from the center of the formation, the little fox’s voice began to fade. Even her cries seemed to disappear.

A sense of dread rose in Xia Yi’s heart. What was happening?

Watching everything unfold, Little Red’s expression suddenly changed.

“…This is bad. Could it be…?!”

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