The taut, tender skin of her lower abdomen seemed to be breaking down under the influence of some bizarre force.
A grain-sized purple speck of light drifted down.
Sizzle—
A soft hiss sounded as it dissolved a small hole in the ground.
Li Ke furrowed her brows. A glow of magical energy lit up her hand, and she gently brushed it over the wound.
By the time she lifted her hand, the gruesome injury had vanished, leaving only a smooth, taut, fair-skinned abdomen.
At Li Ke's level, only the most severe injuries could leave scars.
After treating the wound, she lowered the hem of her clothes. Her silver armor, which had fallen off earlier, automatically reassembled and fitted itself back onto her.
"Damn old bastard."
He hadn't made a move in thousands of years, yet now he'd suddenly struck, catching her completely off guard...
Was it because Master had emerged from seclusion and the world had begun to shift dramatically, so he could no longer sit still?
But she quickly dismissed the thought.
No.
It couldn't be only that.
If that were the reason, she wouldn't have survived today.
That old bastard must have some other scheme.
"Li Ke!"
A black-clad man strode inside with long, confident steps. His presence was steady and contained, his tall figure straight as a pine, his features rugged.
"Jing Hai?" Li Ke frowned. "What are you doing here?"
The newcomer was Absolute Killing Sword Master Jing Hai, who had previously switched posts with Li Ke.
"You should call me Senior Brother," Jing Hai corrected her gruffly.
"Yeah, sure." Li Ke was unmoved. "Get to the point."
"Return to the Central Continent. I'll continue as Guardian Envoy here. Come back to relieve me in fourteen years."
By his calculations, with Master's help, Li Ke's injuries