River Goddess showed no sign of leaving. A Biao was consumed by terror, and now he could only hope for a miracle—or that the door in front of him might hold her back.
But ideals were lofty, reality was harsh. As River Goddess raised her hand, the already flimsy door shattered in an instant.
The tremendous force sent A Biao flying. He first crashed into the table and chairs, then slammed hard into the wall.
His new injuries aggravated his old ones. A coppery sweetness filled A Biao's throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Driven to desperation, A Biao's viciousness surfaced. How many lives had he taken over the years? He even had the blood of several disciples on his hands.
"I'll take you on!" A Biao sprang to his feet. Gray mist poured outward from every scar on his body. He was willing to risk being consumed by the door if it meant driving River Goddess back.
As he drew on his power without regard for the consequences, the swarm of insects gathered with unprecedented force, then surged toward River Goddess.
The swarm's explosive power, combined with the feeling that his body was about to overflow with strength as the door consumed him, convinced him that even if this attack couldn't seriously injure his opponent, it would at least drive her back.
But what happened next was completely beyond A Biao's comprehension.
River Goddess didn't move, yet the swarm seemed to receive some kind of command. The insects quickly gathered into a stream and burrowed into the sleeve of her robe.
At once, the faint connection he'd felt in his heart vanished.
He could no longer sense the swarm at all.
Then a butterfly emerged from her sleeve, crawling along River Goddess's pale arm.
It was