The sight from Zhongli Wu's perspective was merely a brief moment. He had been so focused on controlling the battle situation that he had only noticed Ma Xiaotao's actions when everything was already over.
He let out a long sigh, and the complex emotions in his heart were beyond words. This is also fine.
Huo Yuhao's team, under the leadership of the beast tide, was about to rush out of the encirclement.
"Huo Yuhao!" Zhongli Wu's body instantly appeared before him. "You stay here. The others can leave."
"Pontiff?" Huo Yuhao was puzzled, but his spiritual perception had already felt Zhongli Wu's killing intent. He hurriedly used his Ice Empress's Wings and tried to break through.
"Roar—"
A deafening roar suddenly came from the sky. A huge beast's figure descended, blocking Huo Yuhao's path.
It was the Beast God Di Tian!
Di Tian's golden pupils stared at Huo Yuhao, his voice low and deep. "Human, you have desecrated the dignity of my soul beast lineage. Today, you must die!"
Huo Yuhao knew that today was probably going to be a fierce battle. He gripped his Soul-Slaying Blade tightly, his battle intent soaring.
And in a corner that no one noticed, a wisp of a black shadow quietly slipped away.
...
In the quiet room, Huo Yuhao was lying on the bed, his body covered in wounds. The battle with Di Tian had consumed all his soul power. He had even, in order to save Ma Xiaotao and the others, been heavily injured by Di Tian.
"Why..." Huo Yuhao's consciousness was a little blurry. He didn't understand why Di Tian would so desperately want to kill him.
Just as his consciousness was about to sink into darkness, a gentle power had quietly flowed into his body, repairing his damaged meridians.
Huo Yuhao struggled to open his eyes and saw a beautiful face.
It was Ma Xiaotao.
"Xiaotao... why..."
Ma Xiaotao's beautiful pupils were full of tears. She choked, "It was I who had harmed you... it was I who had harmed you..."
Huo Yuhao smiled weakly and raised his hand to wipe away the tears on her face. "Silly girl, what does it have to do with you?"
Ma Xiaotao shook her head, her voice full of self-blame. "It was I who was useless, to have been controlled by them, and to have almost..."
"It's alright, isn't everything fine now?" Huo Yuhao comforted her softly.
Ma Xiaotao nodded, but the tears still couldn't stop from flowing down. She leaned down and gently kissed Huo Yuhao's lips.
"Yuhao, let me... compensate you..."
The room was filled with a charming atmosphere. The two of them were tightly embracing each other, as if to pour all their feelings for each other into this one moment.
...
In the depths of the Holy Spirit Hall, in an unknown secret room.
Zhongli Wu was looking at the unconscious Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao on the bed, his face full of a sinister smile.
"Huo Yuhao, oh Huo Yuhao. You are indeed a peerless genius. But in the end, you have still fallen into my hands."
He slowly walked to the side of the bed and looked down at the two. His gaze was full of greed and desire.
"Such a perfect body. It would be a pity to just kill it."
He stretched out his hand and gently caressed Ma Xiaotao's smooth skin. A satisfied look was on his face.
"From today on, you will be my puppets. You will, for the great cause of my Holy Spirit Cult, offer up everything."
As he spoke, a black qi had emerged from his palm and had poured into the bodies of the two.
Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao's bodies trembled slightly, and then had become completely still.
On their foreheads, a faint, black mark had appeared.
Zhongli Wu let out a satisfied laugh. He turned and left the secret room.
"Enjoy it well. My darlings..."
The door of the secret room slowly closed, plunging the room into darkness.
In the darkness, the two people on the bed slowly opened their eyes. In their eyes, there was only an endless coldness and emptiness...