The remaining, barely intact cheek was gently poked by a fingertip, its icy touch slowly fading away.
The mangled chunks of flesh fused together, fresh tissue writhing as they healed into newly formed flesh.
The flames he had been born with granted him an unimaginably tenacious vitality, but even so, the speed at which his body was repairing itself now exceeded even his own expectations.
The voice by his ear carried a hint of distance and admonishment, yet it also made him unable to help but pull himself together.
"Hah..."
Xiao Se unconsciously drew a light breath, laboriously raising his eyes to gaze at her somewhat cold expression.
"...Mother?"
"You really do like to act recklessly whenever I'm not around... Forget it. As a mother, I'm hardly qualified to say that myself."
Yao Wan looked at the face that was gradually healing, bearing features shared by both herself and Xiao Yan, yet somehow always making her feel vaguely uncomfortable. She let out a deep sigh without realizing it.
"But it's fine for you to lie down and recover now. Leave the rest to us."
"...I understand."
Xiao Se nodded, watching as she slowly rose beside him. The wind pressure generated by the approaching black-and-white tornado also weakened considerably.
The intense pressure unique to the Saint Grade receded like a tide, and the eerie silence over the battlefield was swept away along with it.
"Zi Yan too—you've held on for so long. You've all worked hard."
She gently patted Zi Yan's shoulder. With that brief contact, a streak of green light entered Zi Yan's body, rapidly healing her injuries.
"Big Sister Yao Wan... you've emerged from seclusion?"
Zi Yan murmured softly without realizing it.
"Mm... But that was only because of your efforts, wasn't it?"
"No... It was all my fault.