The girl yawned, stretching her slender waist with abandon. The slime clinging to her body rapidly evaporated, revealing the delicate form hidden beneath.
Just as Zhao Bai had expected, her body was not human, but a combination of tough branches and leaves. Roots ran from her lower abdomen through her body like vigorous azure dragons. Her hair was made of long, sturdy vines, while her lips were gorgeous petals.
Her face was full of mockery. "Blindly confident in your own strength, so blindly arrogant... Do you really think the obstruction you encountered was because I was afraid to let you get close?"
What else could it have been?
The Heavenly Fire Judgment in Zhao Bai's hand went out, sputtering awkwardly. Without changing his expression, he put it back into his subspace as if nothing had happened. Supporting the poisoned and unconscious Kiana, he kept feeling around with his right hand, trying to find a divine weapon that could hold the scene together.
First, it had to be big enough.
Second, even without attacking, it had to look powerful.
You, then.
Under the girl's mocking gaze, Zhao Bai brought out his ultimate weapon: an enormous cross three meters tall and weighing several tons. It was entirely golden, covered in intricate and magnificent patterns, with the Apocalypse family crest engraved upon it, as though proclaiming the righteousness of destiny.
Along with Judah came a faint yet unmistakable aura of suppression. Within the Botanical Garden, the previously rampant Honkai fluctuations gradually calmed. Zhao Bai gently stroked Judah, feeling its intricate patterns beneath his palm. Even without unfolding, it shone so brilliantly, like a lighthouse.
Clang, clang~
Thirteen spears wrapped in chains appeared, radiating an aura of destruction.
Zhao Bai said softly, "Actually, you're the one who was blindly confident. You lured us here, impatient to test the strength you gained through devouring, never realizing that everything you did only brought death upon yourself."
He did not act immediately.
Once Judah unfolded, it became like a sturdy shield protecting them within. The ever-present neurotoxin in the air was repelled. Judah's appearance cleared out a clean space. Zhao Bai carried Kiana to the side of the cross and began considering his options.
The first step had succeeded.
The girl born from the petals had never been so terrified. Those thirteen spears were like swords that could pierce the heavens. Her tiny soul trembled beneath the immense pressure. She had completely lost her initial composure and began thinking about how to escape.
But it was not over yet. Zhao Bai looked at her with a faint smile and actually left Judah's protective range, walking toward the girl in the flower. With his every movement, every leaf in the Botanical Garden trembled, and the vines began twisting uneasily, revealing the girl's fear.
At some point, a knife had appeared in Zhao Bai's hand.
The blade was as transparent as glass, displaying different colors depending on the light. Hazy iridescent hues flowed across its entire surface, dreamlike and unreal. Every reflection made the girl feel one step closer to death.
"Y-You... don't come any closer!"
The girl panicked, but Zhao Bai did not slash at her. He merely cut off a bundle of twitching vines, then turned and retreated.
This knife was called the Void Blade. It was neither metal nor wood, only a weightless mass of nothingness. Zhao Bai used it only when handling the most precious ingredients, but this time, it was not for processing precious ingredients. It was to save Kiana's life.
Having handled countless poisonous ingredients, Zhao Bai had long seen through their essence. The antidote was inside this plant.
However, it required exceptionally skillful processing to completely remove the plant's toxicity. Zhao Bai happened to be an exceptionally skilled chef. He took out a heavy laser cannon, stuffed the vines into its muzzle as if preparing an everyday meal, then ignited it and fired.
The high-energy laser beam was like the sun, illuminating the greenhouse obscured by vines. In an instant, it tore open a huge gap.
Crystal-clear liquid rose from the vine ashes. Zhao Bai skillfully collected it and let it drip into Kiana's mouth. Her neural poisoning symptoms immediately eased. She slowly opened her eyes, but there was no light in them.
"What... happened?"
Kiana's lips were cracked. Her poisoned body had consumed a great deal of water. "Why... can't I see anything?"
"Nothing happened. I've already cleaned up the scene. You can't see anything because it's an aftereffect of the poisoning. Your optic nerves may need some time to recover. Don't overthink it. Just rest peacefully."
Before you continue