Chapter 322: Ten-Second Suppression

"You've thought it through; this connecting spacetime fissure, I can't suppress it for long," Dai Ouqixi Si's cold voice rang in Huo La's Heart Lake, its tone carrying a barely perceptible weight.

It had clearly already PiercingSight Huo La's thoughts, knowing he intended to use the Interdimensional Energy within itself to interfere with the fissure's suction.

"Alas, there's nothing I can do," Huo La sighed inwardly, his gaze subconsciously sweeping over the Ke Lei Se Li Ya clutched by the spacetime fissure, then lifting his eyes to the Stone Tablet on the Stone Platform, his tone firm, "Whether it's the Ke Lei Se Li Ya before me or that Stone Tablet on the platform, I can't abandon either."

He knew that Stone Tablet's appearance intimately—it was unmistakably one of A Er Zhou Si's tablets—but at this moment he could not tell which one exactly.

"Since you're courting death, I can't stop you," Dai Ouqixi Si's voice remained cold, utterly unruffled, pausing briefly before adding, its tone bearing a hint of compromise and probing, "But you must think it through: in my current state I can only suppress the spacetime fissure's suction for ten seconds. After ten seconds I can no longer maintain it, and the spacetime suction will become stronger than before."

As soon as the words fell, it added another line, its tone carrying a measure of certainty: "Also, if you release me, I can help you rescue Ke Lei Se Li Ya without taking such a great risk."

"Release you? Don't even think about it… I don't want to die," Huo La thought not at all, refusing outright in his heart without hesitation, his tone resolute, not a hint of doubt.

He knew Dai Ouqixi Si's power and temperament too well; once released, its destructive force might first annihilate this space and then turn against him, a gamble he wouldn't dare take.

After Huo La's blunt refusal, Dai Ouqixi Si fell into complete silence; the Heart Lake was dead quiet, no further sound came, evidently angered by Huo La's determination yet helpless.

Huo La ignored the Dai Ouqixi Si in his heart, turning to the still restless Da Ke Lai Yi beside him: "Da Ke Lai Yi, later I'll find a way to sever the spacetime fissure's hold on Ke Lei Se Li Ya. Then you must rush forward at top speed to rescue her, absolutely no hesitation."

Da Ke Lai Yi slowly turned his head, his cold gaze landing on Huo La, his eyes bearing a hint of scrutiny and uncertainty, as if confirming whether Huo La truly could accomplish it.

Huo La met his stare, nodding heavily, his eyes steadfast, not a flicker of doubt.

"Also, let's set this straight first," Huo La switched his tone, his gaze again on the Stone Tablet on the Stone Platform, "After Ke Lei Se Li Ya is safely rescued, I need you to help me obtain that Stone Tablet on the platform as exchange. If you refuse, I can only give up and watch Ke Lei Se Li Ya be completely devoured by the spacetime fissure."

Da Ke Lai Yi followed Huo La's gaze, looking up at the Stone Tablet on the Stone Platform, the black mist around him rippling slightly, as if weighing pros and cons.

It remained silent for a moment, then its gaze returned to the restrained Ke Lei Se Li Ya, the urgency in its eyes ultimately outweighing caution, and it gave a barely perceptible nod, effectively accepting Huo La's terms.

"Huo La, you…" Ming Yao, standing nearby, looked at Huo La, his lips moving as if to speak, but when the words reached his mouth only a warning remained, "Be careful, don't push yourself. If the situation turns bad, we'll retreat first and think of another way."

"It's fine," Huo La replied lightly, his tone revealing little emotion, only his eyes growing ever clearer and more resolute.

As the words fell, he no longer hesitated, slowly raising his right hand again.

The speck of Interdimensional Energy in his palm now flickered wildly at a staggering frequency, expanding from a faint glow into a palm-sized, ghostly blue aura, strands of Spacetime Turbulence winding and drifting around his fingertips.

He stepped forward—one, two, three steps…—slowly walking toward the all‑consuming spacetime fissure.

The closer he got, the more intense the disturbance in his palm became.

The fissure's terrifying suction, like an invisible giant hand, clawed at his body, his bones creaking faintly, the stones beneath his feet being sucked straight into the crack, vanishing instantly.

Several times Huo La was nearly flipped by that massive force, forced to clench his teeth and barely keep his balance using his leg strength.

Just as he was about to lose his footing, the Dai Ouqixi Si within him finally withdrew the last suppression.

In an instant, a massive surge of Interdimensional Energy erupted from Huo La's body.

His body seemed to instantly become another miniature spacetime fissure, centered on his palm, also emitting a strong outward suction.

"Bzz—!" Two suction forces of identical nature but opposite direction collided loudly in midair.

There was no expected explosion, only a sharp buzzing of energy.

The mutually repelling fields formed an invisible barrier, forcibly canceling the fissure's pull on Huo La.

This strange equilibrium gave Huo La a chance to breathe.

He moved like a man walking through raging seas, bearing two opposing colossal forces, step by step, finally trudging to Ke Lei Se Li Ya's side, his back to the pitch‑black spacetime fissure, shielding her behind him.

Ke Lei Se Li Ya squinted her weak eyes, her previously scattered gaze suddenly focusing the instant she saw Huo La.

She watched the human youth, his whole body enveloped in spacetime energy, his complexion as pale as paper, yet still standing upright before her, a flash of complex emotion crossing his eyes.

"Now!" Huo La snapped his head back, shouting loudly at the poised Da Ke Lai Yi nearby.

That shout drained most of his strength, his voice hoarse.

At the same time, Dai Ouqixi Si's cold voice exploded in his Heart Lake, delivering the final countdown: "Ten! Nine! Eight…"

The fissure's suction, reinforced by Interdimensional Energy, suddenly weakened at that moment.

The restraints around Ke Lei Se Li Ya instantly loosened, her pink, ring‑shaped wings, which had hung limp, immediately burst with a faint yet steadfast glow.

Da Ke Lai Yi, having waited impatiently, at the instant Huo La spoke, the black mist around him suddenly coalesced, without any extra movement, transforming into a jet‑black lightning that surged toward Ke Lei Se Li Ya at a speed beyond limits.