Inside the barrier forged by Sen Zhuo and Tong Men, a deafening blast shook the arena.
Yellow flames surged skyward, staining the night with a molten glow. Smoke rolled thick and heavy, shrouding everything—hiding the battlefield from Yun Sha and Ruler Dog's anxious eyes.
Outside the barrier, Sen Zhuo's pupils shrank as he glimpsed the moment Gao Tian had detonated his own arm. His knuckles whitened against the barrier's edge.
"That fool… he really blew off his own hand," he muttered under his breath, awe mixing with disbelief.
Tong Men's face mirrored the shock. He swallowed hard, a shiver racing down his spine.
That crazy kid… he's braver than I'll ever be.
Within the smoke-choked arena, Shu Yu collapsed to her knees. Tears streamed unchecked down her cheeks, soaking the ground beneath her. Her voice cracked with anguish as she cried out,
"Why? Why didn't you listen to me? You could have run—you should have run!"
Beside her, Ruler Dog sat silently, gaze fixed on the swirling smoke. The loyal beast's thoughts burned with quiet certainty.
Stubborn fool… master given her heart to you completely. And yet… you think you can die. You're alive, bastard—I know it.
Then—a flicker of light.
Through the haze emerged a figure wreathed in golden flame. His entire right arm was gone, the wound cauterized by the very fire that now danced across his battered body.
Gao Tian's unconscious form drifted downward, his remaining strength spent.
Ruler Dog bolted toward him, claws skidding across the cracked earth. He called out urgently through mind transmission, his mental voice sharp and desperate.
Quickly, master Shu Yu—he's only unconscious!
The words struck Shu Yu like a jolt of lightning. Her tear-streaked face lifted, red-rimmed eyes wide with hope. She scrambled to her feet, but in her haste, her foot caught on a jagged rock. She stumbled, pitching forward—her face scraping the dirt.
She winced but pushed herself up immediately, heart pounding like a war drum.
Please… stay alive. I don't know why—but please. My chest feels like it's breaking. Please, Gao Tian. Please.
She sprinted the final steps, dropping to her knees at his side. Carefully, she lifted Gao Tian's head, cradling it against her lap. Her trembling hands brushed his sweat-matted hair from his face.
"H-hey… hey, wake up. Don't do this to me," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Don't scare me like this."
Ruler Dog settled beside them, watchful and calm despite the chaos.
His breathing is steady, the beast thought, relief softening his fierce expression. He won't die—not tonight.
Shu Yu's hands trembled as she pulled a small jade bottle from her space ring. She uncorked it with a sharp twist and slipped a single Third-Tier High-Grade Healing Pill into her palm. Without hesitation, she placed the pill between her lips.
Above the arena, the smoke thinned, unveiling a lone figure amidst the devastation.
A chill swept through Shu Yu as she glanced upward—Ao Liuzi still stood. His right leg and left arm were gone, flesh scorched black where the flames had devoured him. Fury twisted his face, but his spiritual energy was spent.
With a guttural roar, Ao Liuzi spun toward the arena's edge. Drawing on the dregs of his strength, he struck the shimmering barrier maintained by Sen Zhuo and Tong Men. The barrier shattered like brittle glass.
Outside, both elders gasped as backlash surged through them. Blood spilled from their lips as they staggered mid-air.
So the lunatic finally fled… they both thought, their eyes narrowing in grim understanding.
The two descended swiftly toward the arena floor. As they reached Gao Tian's side, their gazes caught on a startling sight—Shu Yu bent low, her lips against Gao Tian's, breath flowing into him. For a heartbeat, shock rippled through them. But then the truth registered—she was helping him swallow the pill.
Ruler Dog crouched nearby, his sharp eyes never leaving Gao Tian. The beast's tail flicked once in restrained worry as the elders landed.
By then, Shu Yu had fed Gao Tian the healing pill. She sat silently on the shattered ground, Gao Tian's head resting on her lap. Her usual frosty expression was unchanged, but her tears—bright as crystals—continued to fall unchecked. She did not bother to hide them.
Sen Zhuo's gaze lingered on the unconscious boy, awe etched across his worn features.
"He's not just a monster at alchemy," he murmured, voice roughened by disbelief, "but also a monster at fighting."
Tong Men stroked his beard slowly, his tone heavy with reluctant admiration.
"Hmph… This young one has astonishing potential. But after what he's done tonight—" his eyes flicked to the stump of Gao Tian's arm, "—I doubt it can ever grow back."
Ruler Dog gave his paw a slow, deliberate lick, amber eyes flashing.
It's possible, the beast mused, if he reaches Mahayana someday.
Suddenly, two shadows blurred into existence with silent, deadly grace. Sen Shu and Sen Ren stepped from the darkness, their movements as fluid as ghosts.
Sen Shu approached without a word, kneeling beside Gao Tian's battered body. She examined the ruined limb with cool precision before remarking quietly, "So… this is the price when someone dares to blast off his own arm."
Her tone was calm, but Shu Yu's heart clenched at the words. She said nothing, her eyes fixed on Gao Tian's pale face.
Sen Zhuo's voice cut through the tension, sharp but tinged with curiosity.
"Where have you been all day, Shu Shu? And why come here at midnight?"
Sen Shu didn't flinch. Her crimson robes swayed as she stood, her gaze steady.
"Father, I was investigating something."
Sen Zhuo studied her for a long moment, suspicion flickering across his face. But at last, he sighed.
"Very well. Sen Ren—arrange a room for the boy and fetch the best Divine Physician in the city."
Sen Ren bowed low. "Yes, Lord." In a blink, she vanished into the night.
Shu Yu gathered Gao Tian carefully into her arms, her expression as cold as ever—but the tears still glistened on her cheeks, betraying her grief.
One by one, the figures within the broken arena began to leave, their silhouettes melting into the shadows.
Far across Sen City, distant lights glimmered in the sky—massive ships slowly rising. Ao Clan's warships sailed into the darkness, their departure a silent promise of vengeance.
Inside the City Lord's mansion, in a quiet guest room, Gao Tian lay upon the bed. His face was pale, his body weakened, and the sheets beneath him were stained with the fresh crimson of his blood. His right arm, blasted away during the fierce battle, had finally stopped bleeding thanks to the healing pill Shu Yu had forced him to swallow.
By his side, Shu Yu sat silently, her cold expression betraying none of the turmoil in her heart. Yet her slender hand tightly gripped Gao Tian's remaining left hand, as though afraid that if she let go, he might slip away forever.
Behind her stood Sen Zhuo, Tong Men, and Sen Shu, their gazes heavy with different thoughts.
At that moment, the door opened, and Sen Ren stepped in with an elderly man following her.
"City Lord, I have brought the best Divine Physician in the city," Sen Ren said, bowing respectfully, her palms pressed together in salute.
Sen Zhuo turned slightly, his sharp eyes falling on the old man beside her. "So you've brought someone. Then tell me, can you help that boy?"
The old man's cultivation aura revealed him to be at the Golden Core Fourth Layer. He stroked his beard as he approached the bedside, glancing at Gao Tian's still form.
"Hmmm… he has suffered heavy injuries," the physician muttered. "And yet, he also has the guts to blow apart his own arm. Remarkable."
He leaned forward, placing his fingers gently upon Gao Tian's wrist, preparing to probe his condition. But the moment his spiritual sense entered Gao Tian's body, he froze.
A golden flame coursed through Gao Tian's veins, burning silently but fiercely. Its energy was not destructive—instead, it brimmed with vitality, repairing torn flesh and knitting broken meridians. It was as if the boy's very blood carried the essence of divine fire.
This flame… it heals him both inside and out, the old man thought, his eyes widening in disbelief. Yet, when his gaze fell upon the ruined stump of Gao Tian's arm, he sighed inwardly. But his cultivation is not yet sufficient. The flame lacks the strength to restore what was completely destroyed. His arm will not regenerate at this stage.
The old man pulled his hand back and straightened.
"Don't touch him," he said firmly, glancing at the others. "This boy needs no healer. His body is mending itself. He will awaken in six or seven days. All he requires is rest."
Without waiting for argument, the old man clasped his hands behind his back and walked toward the door, his robes fluttering as he departed the chamber.
Silence lingered in the room. Shu Yu lowered her gaze, her pale eyes softening as she brushed a strand of hair from Gao Tian's brow.
"Wake up," she whispered, her voice trembling despite her cold facade. "You still have to protect me. Are you going to break our deal?"
Her fingers tightened on his hand as though she could anchor him back to consciousness, unwilling to let go.