His remaining cheek, which could barely be called intact, was gently poked by a fingertip, yet the icy sensation slowly faded away.
The mangled chunks of flesh pieced themselves together, granulation tissue writhing as it healed into new flesh.
The flames he had been born with gave him an unimaginable tenacity for life, but even so, the speed at which his body was recovering now was still faster than he himself had expected.
The voice by his ear carried a faint sense of distance and reproach, yet it also made him unable not to pull himself together.
"Ha..."
Xiao Se unconsciously drew a soft breath, then lifted his eyes with some effort and looked at the slightly aloof woman before him.
"...Mother?"
"You really do start acting recklessly the moment I'm not around... Forget it, I suppose I'm not exactly qualified to say that as your mother."
Yao Wan looked at that gradually healing face, one that carried features of both her and Xiao Yan, yet somehow always made her feel a little uncomfortable, and unconsciously let out a deep sigh.
"But for now, just lie there obediently and heal. Leave the rest to us."
"...I understand."
Xiao Se nodded, then watched as she slowly rose beside him. The wind pressure created by the approaching Black and White Tornado weakened considerably along with it.
The intense pressure that belonged solely to the Saint Grade was receding like a tide, and the strange silence over the battlefield was swept away as well.
"Zi Yan too. You held on for so long. You've all worked hard."
She gently patted Zi Yan on the shoulder. Along with that brief physical contact, a wisp of green light sank into Zi Yan's body, swiftly repairing her injuries.
"Yao Wan Jie... you came out of seclusion?"