Di Tian's aura completely dissipated into the sky, and the stagnant air in the valley finally began to flow again. Yet the bone-deep tremor still gripped everyone's hearts tightly.
Dugu Bo knelt on the ground, his fingers digging deeply into the soil beneath him until his knuckles turned white.
He raised his head and stared in the direction where Di Tian had vanished. In his usually defiant emerald vertical pupils, only bloodshot red and boundless emptiness remained.
He had lost his father in childhood, his wife in youth, and his son in middle age. He had protected Dugu Yan all his life, and after finally taking in Dugu Long, he had cured the backlash from his family's Martial Soul poison and even transformed his Martial Soul into a Tool Martial Soul. At last, he had experienced the warmth of a different kind of grandfather-grandson companionship.
Yet in the span of mere moments, someone had taken away the grandson he treasured before his very eyes. Even the herb garden he had guarded his entire life had been stripped completely bare.
"Grandfather..."
Dugu Yan crouched beside him, her voice choked with tears as she gently patted his back, but she had no idea how to comfort him.
She had also long regarded the soft, cuddly Dugu Long as her own little brother. Yet before that terrifying Black Dragon, even her courage to draw her sword had nearly been crushed.
Dugu Bo said nothing. He merely slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the emptiness in his gaze had been replaced by bone-piercing cold.
He braced himself against the ground and slowly rose to his feet. He staggered, but a strand of golden Blue Silver Grass reaching from beside him gently supported him.
Tang San stood at his side, the