His fiery wings also sent energy toward the top of Kurumi's head. Even the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame that enveloped Huo Ao was drawn into the flaming blade shadow that Kurumi held high.
Kurumi took a deep breath, and apart from the flaming longsword she held aloft, it seemed as though the entire world had come to a halt.
The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame around Huo Ao was wholly sucked away, leaving only traces of the milky-white divine flame on him. He looked highly messy, like a defeated dog.
The dragon formed from the Eight Desolation Annihilation Flame roared, and Kurumi, feeling the wind behind her, narrowed her eyes!
"Boom!——"
The extremely violent airflow dispersed the clouds in the sky—the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, burning the divine-grade bloodline, slightly distorted space. The fierce blade light, moving at lightning speed, slashed towards Huo Ao!
Kurumi knew that the Yan Clan Dou Zun would certainly lock the space to intervene, but the seemingly violent Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame was just a secondary means.
The golden pupils were focused to the extreme, and the hurriedly attacking Yan Clan Dou Zun didn't even sense the spiritual power.
Three colorless, tasteless, and intangible soul needles nearby pierced Huo Ao's mind one after another!
"Hiss—"
A puff of white smoke emerged from the scattered flower formed by the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame inside Kurumi's body. The highly concentrated divine-grade blood droplet was burned into nothingness.
The scattered flower disintegrated, forcibly ending the 'Golden Emperor Transformation.'
The flaming longsword in Kurumi's hand reverted to the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame and returned to her body.
The 'Flaming Transformation' ended forcefully.
Her night-black hair, which had grown to her waist, quickly shortened to her hips. The eyes, which symbolized supreme authority, gradually reverted to wine red.
The secret technique 'Chasing Wind' ended forcefully.
A third of her divine-grade bloodline evaporated, and even the stored waste blood in her body was utterly burned as fuel by the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame.
With only a wisp of Dou Qi left in her body, Kurumi's face turned pale, and she began to fall freely.
This time... she honestly had no strength left.
Cross-level combat was never easy, especially when facing the Yan Clan's young master, who was nearly unbeatable in his realm.
Fortunately, Huo Ao's practical combat experience was "perfect," and he did not have time to use his secret techniques. Ancient Su Jin's double-layered secret technique stack was indeed perverse, allowing Kurumi to gain an advantage.
If it had been an experienced Dou Wang, Kurumi might not have been able to defeat them.
She clenched the jade pendant in her right hand. If Yan Clan Dou Zun dared to harm her, he would face the full force of a nine-star Dou Sheng peak attack!
That would be the precursor to a war between the two clans.
The Yan Clan Dou Zun's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, but he maintained essential rationality, carefully catching Huo Ao and taking healing pills to protect his heart.
Lin Bai also caught Kurumi, guiding her to Xun Er's side and using his abundant Dou Qi to stabilize Kurumi's injuries.
Apart from being exhausted and suffering from the backlash of the double-layered secret techniques, Kurumi had almost no injuries caused by Huo Ao.
On the contrary, Huo Ao was charred black, especially the final three soul needles, which would make him wish he were dead rather than alive!
The first needle directly targeted the soul, the second disrupted the nerves, and the third disordered the meridians.
Even if Huo Ao managed to return from hell, he would likely have a disability unless the Yan Clan went all out to heal him.
But was that possible?
Kurumi didn't ponder it. The heavy backlash made her faint. She faintly heard Xun Er's cries before she lost consciousness.
Lin Bai took out a gentle healing pill, which Xun Er accepted, carefully prying open Kurumi's lips.
The pill entered Kurumi's mouth but showed no signs of dissolving and entering her stomach.
Lin Bai shook his head, saying, "Miss Xun Er, Miss Muer has no Dou Qi left in her body, and the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame is dormant. She has lost consciousness. The pill's potency can only be fully utilized if it's dissolved and transferred to her through the mouth."
Xun Er nodded, took another pill from the jade bottle, and held it in her mouth.
The girl in the white dress knelt beside Kurumi, lowered her head, and slowly moved toward Kurumi.
Lin Bai turned away and looked at the sky, noticing that the Yan Clan Dou Zun had left with their young master without saying a word!
Today's events were significant. Even though Lin Bai used his soul power to seal off the entire Wu Tan City, he couldn't guarantee that no strong individuals were observing from the outside.
After thinking it over, Lin Bai decided it was best to report back to the clan.
With three thousand strands of black hair hanging down, Xun Er kissed Kurumi's cherry lips, gently prying open her white teeth with her soft tongue. The sensation made her blush.
But thinking of her sister's injuries, Xun Er became severe.
The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame slightly ignited within her mouth, turning the pill into liquid. A shallow layer of fire enveloped the liquid to ensure the medicine's potency wouldn't scatter.
Blushing, the girl carefully transferred the gentle medicine into Kurumi's mouth.
Xun Er breathed heavily. Thinking of another pill in her sister's mouth, her cheeks reddened.
Her small tongue entered Kurumi's mouth, pushing the pill. The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame quickly dissolved it into liquid.
To ensure the liquid didn't choke her sister, the girl gently lifted Kurumi, pressing a hand to her nape.
From a bystander's perspective, it looked like an intimate couple sharing a passionate kiss!
Lin Bai, who stood to the side, marveled at how long it took to administer the medicine this way. When he was an ordinary soldier in the Black Abyss Army, fighting savage magical beasts, he would just crush the pill and shove it down his comrade's throat!
Now, he wondered if those grueling traditions of the Black Abyss Army had changed.
Xun Er, blushing, stood up. "Lin Lao, please trouble you to take my sister back home."
"Miss, you must be joking." Lin Bai turned, seeing the girl's red-rimmed eyes, and offered comfort. "Miss Muer is just suffering from the backlash of the secret techniques. With half a month of rest, she'll recover. There's no need to worry. With me around, nothing will happen to her."
"Thank you, Lin Lao."
The girl lowered her head, her voice muffled. Lin Bai shook his head, thinking Xun Er was overly frightened.
Two days later, despite Lin Bai's best efforts, he couldn't alter the memories of everyone in Wu Tan City.
To say nothing of the fact that many mercenaries had fled the city during the battle, spreading rumors far and wide, turning the events into tales fit for a trashy romance novel.
Lin Bai, however, managed to alter the memories of the city's residents, making them believe that the Xiao family's market had only experienced a fire.
A fire where only a few were injured, and no one died. This became the talk of Wu Tan City's small traders.
Everyone in the Xiao family had their memories altered except for Xiao Yan. Protected by Yao Lao, Lin Bai's methods had little effect on Xiao Yan.
Over the past two days, Xiao Yan had become unusually quiet. Although the casual space-tearing by the Gu family elder left him in awe, the fight two days ago shocked him even more!
"Smack!"
He threw a stone to the ground, the force shattering it.
"I want to see Muer!"