Chapter 297: Bonfire Feast

After administering the medicine to A Da, Huo La slowly stood up, raised his hand to his forehead and shook it forcefully.

Even though Dai Ouqixisi was suppressing him from the shadows, the dizziness from absorbing Interdimensional Energy remained intense, causing his vision to flicker with darkness.

He steadied himself, looked at the struggling A Er rising, and said loudly, "A Er, we're here to save you and A Da; stop quickly, I can help you."

A Er braced himself on the ground and stood up, his scarlet eyes still locked on Huo La and the unconscious A Da behind him, a low threatening growl constantly rumbling from his throat.

For some unknown reason—perhaps due to the triple deterrence of the claw‑tailed scorpion, Fireburst Beast, and Magic Wall Puppet—its movement froze in place, and it did not pounce immediately.

Huo La paused briefly, then moved his steps slowly, inching toward A Er.

"Huo La, you—" Ming Yao, seeing the scene, couldn't help but utter a low shout, his eyes full of worry.

Huo La shook his head, signaling him to relax, his steps still slow yet unusually firm.

A Er stared at the approaching Huo La, his low growl growing louder, his front paws digging anxiously into the ground, and the violent energy around him surged.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you; we're here to save you." Huo La lowered his voice, approaching while gently soothing, "You have already evolved from a Kati Dog into a Wind Speed Dog; you are the new king of Blowing Fire Island. As king, you won't harm anyone who bears you no hostility."

"I know your current state isn't your true self; it's just being corrupted by external Interdimensional Energy. I'll help you purge all of it. Look at A Da; under my treatment, it's already out of danger, and you can be too."

Hearing the name A Da, A Er's low growl suddenly halted, and his scarlet gaze shifted toward the unconscious A Da beside him.

A Da's breathing was steady; although still asleep, there was no longer any threat to its life.

In that brief lapse, Huo La suddenly exerted force from his feet, lunged forward, and pressed his palm firmly onto A Er's crown, immediately beginning to absorb the raging Interdimensional Energy within its body.

When A Er finally reacted, it did not struggle or resist— it clearly felt the gentle goodwill emanating from Huo La's palm, not malice.

It gradually ceased its whimpering, slowly crouched, and obediently cooperated with Huo La's actions.

When Huo La opened his eyes again, he found himself back on the beach of Blowing Fire Island—this was the Pearl Squad's base, where the sea breeze carried a faint salty scent, gently brushing his cheeks.

He felt his whole body limp and weak, his back leaning against a warm, soft torso; in a haze he opened his eyes to see a smooth mass of black fur lightly covering his chest, its texture delicate.

"What is this…?" Huo La lifted his eyes slightly, gazing along the black fur; he saw A Er calmly lying behind him, its once scarlet eyes now clear and bright, gazing at him with warmth and affection, no trace of the previous ferocity or madness.

Seeming to sense Huo La's awakening, A Er gently nudged its head, extended a moist tongue, and softly licked Huo La's cheek, moving so gently as to fear hurting him.

"Huo La, are you okay?" at that moment, Xiao Zhao's gentle voice came from beside him, carrying a hint of concern.

Huo La turned his head slowly and saw Xiao Zhao sitting on the nearby grass, attentively caring for the still‑sleeping A Da, her fingertips gently combing the hair around A Da's neck, her expression tender.

On the other side, Gua Na led a group of Pearl Squad members, busily piling a massive bonfire wood stack; everyone wore smiles, the atmosphere lively and warm.

"What… is this?" Huo La raised his eyebrows slightly, still leaning on A Er's body without getting up.

First, although he had awakened, the weakness from absorbing too much Interdimensional Energy had not yet faded, leaving his whole body unable to muster strength;

Second, A Er's warm body was especially comfortable to lean against, and that gentle warmth gradually relaxed his tense nerves.

"Oh, the Pearl Squad is preparing a Bonfire Feast!" Xiao Zhao explained with a smile, her tone full of joy, "Everyone is celebrating; Blowing Fire Island finally has a new king!"

"Bonfire Feast?" Huo La repeated softly, using A Er's support to slowly struggle to stand, his steps still a bit unsteady, "That's actually a good idea."

A Er obediently pressed against his side, its head gently nudging his arm, firmly supporting his posture, fearing he might fall again, its eyes full of reliance.

Xiao Zhao looked at his weakened state, a hint of guilt on her face, and softly said, "I'm sorry, Huo La."

"Hm?" Huo La raised his eyebrows slightly, his tone tinged with puzzlement, "Why bring that up all of a sudden?"

"It's my fault for not looking after A Er, for not keeping it, letting it sneak off to find you all." Xiao Zhao lowered her eyes, her tone full of embarrassment and a bit of self‑blame.

Huo La smiled, waved his hand lightly, his tone gentle, "It's fine, don't blame yourself. If A Er hadn't run out on its own, perhaps the new king of Blowing Fire Island wouldn't have been born, and we might not have saved A Da."

As he spoke, his tone shifted, his expression darkening slightly, and he asked, "By the way, what about the Three Bandit Sisters?"

"They ran away." Xiao Zhao replied with a hint of helplessness, "Ming Yao noticed and chased after them immediately, but… I doubt we can catch up."

Huo La heard this, his face showing no surprise, only a slight nod.

Although the Three Bandit Sisters weren't particularly strong, their escape skills and tricks were top‑notch; otherwise they wouldn't have roamed the Hisui lands for so many years without being captured.

He supported A Er's warm back, walked slowly to A Da's side, his gaze landing on A Da, and asked softly, "How's A Da? No serious injury, right?"

Xiao Zhao followed his gaze to the sleeping A Da, her tone calming, and said slowly, "It's nothing serious. Though a dagger pierced its neck, fortunately it didn't damage bone or vital organs, and with the Advanced Healing Medicine you gave it, it now only has some blood loss; a good rest will let it recover."

Huo La exhaled a sigh of relief, nodded lightly, "Good that it's fine. I'll rest over there for a while; the Bonfire Feast has started, remember to call me."

A Er immediately understood, gently grasped his hem, led him to a soft patch of grass nearby, and then lay beside him, acting as a pillow so he could rest comfortably.