The White-Robed Assassin looked into Long Xuanye's crimson eyes and finally chose to yield.
He slowly raised both hands, palms facing forward, to show that he meant no harm.
"Long Xuanye, don't do anything rash."
The White-Robed Assassin's tone softened.
"This power isn't something you can control yet. Forcing it will only hurt you."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Saint Cai'er, who stood nearby holding the Sacred Sword, her face full of wariness.
"Cai'er. I swear, as an eighth-step Emperor Assassin, that I won't forcibly separate the two of you."
"Stay right where you are, and I'll help you dispel the blades you created. You should understand that even if you use a forced-control technique on me, you still won't be able to hurt me."
Long Xuanye remained tense.
He hesitated.
After all, Cai'er was far too important to the Assassin's Sanctuary.
Long Xuanye didn't dare take the risk and trust that the White-robed figure would really keep his word.
Most likely, the other man only hoped to take Cai'er away while keeping both himself and Cai'er safe...
Just as he was about to activate the Chaos Spirit Furnace again, a soft little hand gently tugged at his sleeve.
Long Xuanye lowered his gaze and met Saint Cai'er's eyes for a moment.
The girl looked at the White-robed figure, remembering how he had secretly protected them these past days.
A glimmer of trust flashed in her beautiful silver eyes. She gave Long Xuanye a gentle nod.
Long Xuanye fell silent.
He trusted Cai'er.
She was his younger sister.
And she had spent a long time with the White-robed figure.
At last, his tense shoulders slowly relaxed.
A hint of a smile spread across Saint Cai'er's lips.
Good. Xuanye still listened to Mom.
The tense atmosphere finally began to dissipate.
The White-Robed Assassin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward.
At least he no longer had to face that madman who was willing to fight to the death.
A faint purple Spiritual Power gathered at his fingertips, gentle and devoid of any aggression.
Then he bent a finger and lightly touched it to Long Xuanye's brow.
But the instant his fingertip made contact, the White-Robed Assassin's expression suddenly changed!
He felt an extremely strange force surge back along his fingertip!
It was the Shadow Blades that Long Xuanye's domain had devoured and transformed earlier!
They hadn't faded away. Instead, like tamed beasts, they carried a fierce will as they tried to invade his meridians!
What kind of method is this kid using...?
A tempest raged in the White-robed figure's heart. Fine beads of cold sweat gradually formed on his brow.
He couldn't use force.
Long Xuanye's meridians were already dangerously fragile from forcing his power into motion. The slightest mistake could shatter them completely.
Besides, Saint Cai'er was standing right beside them.
Even the slightest leak of Spiritual Power could reach her.
All he could do was slowly use his own refined Spiritual Power to sort out the energy and guide it, as though he were dismantling a Spiritual Power bomb that could explode at any moment. He had to be exceedingly careful.
Long Xuanye remained silent, letting him do as he pleased.
Of course, he knew this was the power of the Chaos Spirit Furnace.
Devouring all things and transforming all things.
It was so overbearing that even with the strength of a third-step cultivator, he could influence the energy casually released by an eighth-step Emperor Assassin...
But there was no way to explain that.
He couldn't exactly tell the other man that this was a God-Tier Spirit Furnace awarded by the system.
After the time it took to burn half a stick of incense had passed,
the White-robed figure finally withdrew his finger. His back was already soaked with sweat.
The rampaging power inside Long Xuanye had finally calmed down.
A powerful sense of weakness followed.
Long Xuanye staggered and dropped to one knee.
"Xuanye!"
Saint Cai'er cried out and rushed over without a second thought, spreading her arms to shield him.
Her beautiful silver eyes stared fixedly at the White-robed figure, like a mother beast guarding her young, full of wariness.
Seeing this, the White-robed figure didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
"You two... do you really think I'm some irredeemably evil villain?"
He shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness.
"By the rules, I have to take the Saintess back to the sanctuary. But I gave my word, and I won't break it."
"I'll leave. That should be all right, shouldn't it?"
Before his words had even faded, he flipped his wrist and drew the short blade from his waist in a flash.
A streak of pale purple energy swept across Long Xuanye's shoulder.
But it didn't hurt him at all. Instead, it transformed into a layer of gossamer-thin fabric that clung to him, radiating a faint, almost imperceptible sense of menace.
"This Hidden Edge can block attacks from anyone below the seventh step. If you run into a pack of magical beasts, it can also carve a path through them."
The White-robed figure sheathed his blade.
"I'll return to the Assassin's Sanctuary and report in. It's my duty."
His meaning was clear: he was leaving, but the Assassin's Sanctuary would send someone else.
With that, the White-robed figure didn't linger. He flashed away and disappeared at the mouth of the cave.
Only after his presence had completely vanished into the night did Long Xuanye and Saint Cai'er feel as though all their strength had been drained away. They collapsed together onto the dry grass behind them.
Saint Cai'er immediately moved closer, gently hugging his arm and resting her little face against his shoulder.
Her voice still trembled faintly.
"Thank goodness..."
"He's gone, and Xuanye is all right."
Long Xuanye turned his head to look at the girl nestled close beside him.
Saint Cai'er's hair was a little messy, a few strands stuck to the sweat on her forehead. Her usually expressionless little face now bore a pure, clear smile, and her silver eyes shone like stars in the night sky.
The relief of surviving the ordeal had brought her to life.
Long Xuanye's heart softened. He couldn't help lifting the hand that still had a little strength left and gently ruffling her hair.
His voice was slightly hoarse, but he had never felt more relaxed.
"Yeah, we're... safe for now... We're safe."
When he finished speaking, Saint Cai'er hugged him even tighter.
Long Xuanye also wrapped an arm around her slender back.
An irresistible weariness surged through every part of him like a tide, instantly drowning out all his thoughts.
He was exhausted.
Truly exhausted.
No matter how powerful the Chaos Spirit Furnace was, he had used his third-step body to pry at and influence the power of an eighth-step Emperor Assassin.
Even though the White-robed figure had held back the entire time, and the Shadow Ball hadn't been meant to kill him, just facing someone of that level had completely drained Long Xuanye's body, energy, and spirit.
He wanted to say a few more comforting words, but his eyelids weighed a thousand pounds. Even opening his mouth felt like a struggle.
Just then, he suddenly felt the petite body in his arms move slightly.
The girl's unique scent, faintly sweet like milk, lingered at the tip of his nose.
A soft little hand gently touched the back of his head.
Once, then again.
Patting him softly.
Then a sweet, tender song filled with a strange soothing power sounded beside his ear.
"Sleep, sleep, my darling..."
It was a lullaby.
The song was childish, and its tune was simple, but it was like a warm light shining into the depths of Long Xuanye's utterly weary soul.
The fear born of the fight to the death, his worries about the future, his wariness of the Assassin's Sanctuary, and his hatred for Long Xingyu... All his tangled thoughts vanished in that moment.
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