Chapter 115: Crimson Rosy Pearl Tree

Shi Ran's fingertip-bursting thunderfire talisman blossomed with a blinding light at the critical moment! Her slender fingers' trajectory in the void suddenly ignited, golden runes twisting and swelling like living things, instantly turning into a cluster of fierce thunderfire.

「Boom——! 」

Thunderfire and bone blades collided in midair, erupting in a deafening blast! Golden flames and purple lightning intertwined, forming a violent energy vortex. Those sharp bone blades instantly turned red-hot in the high heat, then with a "Crack!" shattered into countless burning fragments, scattering everywhere.

Shi Ran was shaken back several steps by the explosion's shockwave, her chest feeling tight, but she had no time to catch her breath, immediately lifting her gaze toward Ling Xiao's direction.

Ling Xiao's situation was even more perilous! He had just finished using the Dragon Chant Sword's ultimate technique, his spiritual power not yet recovered, and now he was surrounded by dozens of Soul-Eating Vines and countless White Bone Centipedes. Those demonic creatures seemed to sense his weakness, their attacks growing ever more ferocious!

「Master! 」 Shi Ran's heart tightened, and without hesitation she rushed over.

However, the moment she stepped forward, the "ground" beneath her feet suddenly shuddered violently! The Blood Marsh Maw, previously heavily wounded by Ling Xiao's sword, rose again, even larger and more hideous than before! The viscous blood plasma along its edge writhed like a living thing, rapidly spreading outward, trying to devour the two of them completely.

"It's too late……" Shi Ran gritted her teeth, a flash of resolve in her eyes. She ran her hand over the Ice Stream Sword, blood instantly dyeing the blade red. Shi Ran once again pressed her bloodied fingertip to her forehead, where a brilliant, dazzling seven-colored radiance suddenly burst forth!

That light was holy and fierce, carrying the magnificent power to purify all evil, forming an intense contrast with the foul demonic realm she inhabited!

Seven-Colored Fire Lotus Mark! Self-protection for the master!

Hum!

A layer thin as a cicada's wing yet containing terrifying energy, the seven-colored light flame instantly spread outward from Shi Ran as its center, forming a spherical shield about a zhang in diameter! On the shield, the seven-colored light flowed ceaselessly, faintly forming the phantom of a lotus bud about to bloom.

Sizzle——!!!

Soul-Eating Vines, White Bone Centipedes, and even the Blood Marsh—the intense deathly aura and resentment clinging to these demonic objects melted and evaporated like ice meeting sunlight! Under the sustained scorching of the seven-colored light flame, the bone blades visibly disintegrated into ash at a visible speed!

The White Bone Centipede creatures surging forward were even more like striking an invisible wall of fire, vaporizing directly amid their shrill hisses!

The surging rift of the Blood Marsh was forcibly pressed back, yet it continued to churn restlessly, awaiting the moment the seven-colored light flame would pass.

The seven-colored light flame shield lasted only a brief instant before swiftly retracting, re-concealing itself in Shi Ran's brow, leaving a faint lotus mark.

Shi Ran's complexion instantly turned deathly pale, her body swaying; evidently, forcibly activating this mark placed an enormous burden on her, nearly draining her remaining spiritual power. Yet this bought her a precious respite and intimidated the surrounding restless demonic creatures.

"Go!" Ling Xiao seized the brief opening, grabbing the exhausted Shi Ran in one arm, his voice hoarse yet utterly resolute. He no longer lingered in battle, the Dragon Chant Sword again sweeping out several smaller azure sword qi, repelling the demonic creatures surging from the side; simultaneously, his eyes blazed like torches, locking onto the relatively "quiet" path revealed ahead where the Blood Marsh Maw had collapsed.

"Hold on tight!" he growled, taking Shi Ran and pushing their speed to the limit, like two meteors struggling through the foul blood sea, rushing toward the area briefly cleared by the Dragon Chant Sword's qi. Behind them, the Blood Marsh began to surge and coalesce anew, more demonic creatures were provoked into angry howls, and the swaying corpse trees exuded even stronger malice.

The fleeting brilliance of the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus, though it repelled the deadly attack, also shone like a lighthouse in the night, revealing their presence. The malice of the Bone-Eating Wasteland had been utterly ignited; a deeper, more frenzied crisis now closed in from all directions.

Ling Xiao carried Shi Ran in a frantic sprint; along the way they saw not a single demon, let alone a person. The Bone-Eating Wasteland offered no escape; Ling Xiao gritted his teeth, lifted Shi Ran, and flew on his sword into the northern edge of the Bone-Eating Wasteland—the Maze-Trace Demon Forest.

They had originally intended to go to the opposite side of the demon forest, the Gloom Shadow Rift, but the route shifted at once; however, that doesn't matter—what matters is Shi Ran!

This was the second time in just a few days that she had forcibly used the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus, both times to save him! Ling Xiao tightened his grip on Shi Ran's arm, lowered his head, and gently imprinted a devout kiss on her forehead.

The lotus mark flickered, Shi Ran's eyelashes twitched, she she she… she was simply too exhausted, so she merely closed her eyes; how… Master, so cold a person… would… Shi Ran's mind ran wild, her eyes not daring to open even a crack, fearing Ling Xiao would notice something, probably because she was utterly worn out—she would truly fall asleep in a moment.

Ling Xiao set Shi Ran down, secretly also letting out a breath of relief; he, possessed by some impulse, actually… Ling Xiao blushed as he touched his own lips, as if that tender sensation still lingered, a touch and then gone—no no… he couldn't think further, they had not yet escaped danger.

Ling Xiao silently recited the Pure Heart Mantra; after a while, his gaze regained clarity.

The Maze-Trace Demon Forest lies between the Bone-Eating Wasteland and the Gloom Shadow Rift; going straight from the Bone-Eating Wasteland to the Gloom Shadow Rift would obviously be nearer and more convenient, but now that they've entered the Maze-Trace Demon Forest, they'll have to spend extra time!

Ling Xiao looked up; the pines in the demon forest towered skyward, all he could see were thick trunks and a dense canopy of shadows, no sky in sight.

The gloomy pines were like silent sentries, layer upon layer of branches and leaves blocking the daylight completely. Ling Xiao carried Shi Ran through them; the decaying leaves underfoot emitted a faint rustle, the air thick with damp mist, as if even the atmosphere had congealed.

Shi Ran, in her drowsy sleep, slightly furrowed her brows; the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus mark on her forehead flickered on and off, as if responding to something. Ling Xiao sensed the anomaly, lowered his gaze, and saw the mark suddenly emit a thread of seven-colored light as fine as a hair, like a swimming snake drilling deep into the mist.

"This is……" Ling Xiao's eyes narrowed, and without hesitation he followed the light forward. After passing through a tangled mass of ancient trees, the scene before him abruptly changed—

A wholly crimson strange tree took root in the rotting soil, its trunk translucent like glazed ware, inside flowing with molten-lava-like golden veins. Its crown bore a cherry-sized fruit, bathed in rosy light, like a treasure condensed from the afterglow of sunset.

"Crimson Rosy Pearl Tree?!" Ling Xiao's breath caught. This is the legendary holy object said to grow only in the utmost yin and evil places, feeding on devoured demonic qi, bearing fruit once a century. The Shi Ran in his arms suddenly let out a soft "Mm," her Seven-Colored Fire Lotus mark flaring bright, actually resonating with the tree's golden veins.