Healing at the Abandoned Post Station, Qiu'er Kissed Him Until He Nearly Lost Control

The instant the first layer of the warning formation shattered, Huo Yuhao's Spirit Detection had already pressed deep underground.

This was no simple ambush. Thirty-seven evil soul power fluctuations closed in from every direction, the outer layer like a net, the inner layer like hooks, while every Blood Fiend Formation rune converged toward the top of the slope. From the very beginning, their true target had been Wang Qiu'er alone.

"Qiu'er, don't leave the formation!" Huo Yuhao had barely spoken when a faint beastly cry rang out from deep within the desolate forest. It was not the roar of a fierce beast, but more like the mournful wail of a young beast on the verge of death.

When Spirit Detection swept over, Huo Yuhao's expression instantly turned terrifying—on the other side of the abandoned post road, three evil soul masters had hung several young soul beasts from withered trees. A Soft Bone Rabbit's hind leg had been pierced by a black chain, an Azure Jade Deer's antlers had been brutally broken, and two White-Feathered Spirit Sparrows were nailed beside the formation core by blood fiend spikes, their wings fluttering ever more weakly... The blood fiend energy was slowly draining away their soul power, leaving them in unbearable pain.

Qiu'er's chest tightened. The gold in her eyes turned icy as the Golden Dragon Spear appeared in her hand. Dong'er cried anxiously, "It's bait!"

Of course Wang Qiu'er knew that, but she understood even more clearly the cries of those innocent soul beasts. She could endure being injured herself, yet she could not stand by and watch these pitiful young soul beasts be tortured until their souls scattered. Her grip around the spear tightened, and she had already rushed beyond the safest range of Spiritual Sharing.

"Qiu'er!"

The ground abruptly collapsed, and nine black chains burst from beneath the earth like scorpion tails, lashing straight for Wang Qiu'er's neck and wrists. The Golden Dragon Spear swept across in a flash, its golden edge severing three chains, but the other six curved around the spear and sealed off her retreat from behind.

An aged, chilling laugh drifted from the forest. "The Emperor Auspicious Beast has taken human form. As expected, her weak spot is still Star Dou's soul beasts."

Zhang Peng.

Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eyes shone to their limit. In an instant, Spirit Detection transformed every variable into clear lines, and he rapidly issued orders. The Shrek Squad worked in seamless coordination, throwing the outer evil soul masters' formation into disarray: dark-red evil fire collided with the evil soul masters' blood fiend energy, illuminating the entire desolate forest with flames; the Goddess of Light Butterfly unfolded, sending blue-gold light blades raining down and purifying a gap through the blood runes in the northwest; Xiao Xiao's Three Lives Soul-Suppressing Cauldron dropped before the withered trees, shielding the soul beasts from the second wave of blood fiend siphoning.

Using Xu Sanshi's Black Tortoise Transposition, Huo Yuhao appeared directly behind Qiu'er and pressed one hand against her shoulder. Wang Qiu'er turned back. "What are you doing here?"

Ultimate Ice surged from beneath his feet, forcibly freezing all six chains.

"What a capable little spiritual-type brat. Since you delivered yourself to us, we'll skin you along with her." A Scorpion Tiger Soul Nail hidden within the resentment of the soul beasts bypassed Wang Qiu'er and shot toward the opening at her back. Wang Qiu'er was shoved aside and had no time to bring her spear back.

Huo Yuhao stood in front of her.

Xu Sanshi's Black Tortoise Shield slammed into the rear. "Junior Brother!"

"Yuhao!" Dong'er's cry was heartrending, her voice already broken.

The Scorpion Tiger Soul Nail stopped an inch before his brow, forcibly blocked by the Eye of Destiny. But Zhang Peng's blood fiend energy far exceeded Huo Yuhao's current limit. His spiritual sea felt as if it had been torn open by black claws, and agonizing pain instantly swallowed his consciousness. Blood seeped from Huo Yuhao's lips. He staggered half a step and nearly dropped to his knees, but Wang Qiu'er caught him at once.

At that moment, Xuan Lao's enormous hand descended from the sky. "Zhang Peng, get out here!"

Boom! A collision at the level of Titled Douluo exploded above the old post road, seeming to overturn the entire desolate forest. The outer evil soul masters' formation fell into chaos. Bei Bei shattered the formation with lightning, Xu Sanshi held the rear, and Xiao Xiao's Three Lives Soul-Suppressing Cauldron suppressed the final layer of backlash from the earth veins.

Huo Yuhao staggered half a step and nearly knelt. Wang Dong'er rushed toward him immediately, but after only two steps, the remnant formation beneath the well suddenly flared with a second layer of bloody light. It was not an attack formation, but a transmission mark. Before Zhang Peng had been forced back by Xuan Lao, he had actually nailed Wang Qiu'er's fortune fluctuations into the earth veins.

If that bloody light escaped, even more evil soul masters would come. Wang Dong'er gritted her teeth and turned around. It was not that she did not want to be at Huo Yuhao's side immediately, but she had to watch over everyone's safety first. Ma Xiaotao burned through the retreat route of the final two evil soul masters with one palm. "Dong'er, suppress the formation!" Phoenix Flame crashed down, sealing the bloody light at the bottom of the well together with Dong'er's radiant aura. Xuan Lao pressed down on the earth veins with one palm, and the three forces forcibly pushed the outer blood fiend energy back.

The black mist before the abandoned post station grew thicker.

On the other side, Wang Qiu'er supported Huo Yuhao. His body was frighteningly cold. Although the Scorpion Tiger Soul Nail had been blocked by the Eye of Destiny, the blood fiend energy had already seeped into his spiritual sea. Black-red cracks burned from his brow deep into his Spirit Eyes like a living venomous snake. He tried to steady himself, but only coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The fingers gripping Wang Qiu'er's Golden Dragon Spear slowly turned white. He had been injured like this to save her. She could not wait for everyone else to free themselves and treat Yuhao. If this continued, his spiritual sea would shatter first. With one hand supporting Huo Yuhao and the other dragging the Golden Dragon Spear, she half-supported, half-dragged him into the remaining inner room of the abandoned post station.

The old wooden door hung half-collapsed, moldy cushions lay in the corner, and the air was thick with the bitter smell left by burned blood fiend energy. She released the abundant healing aura of the Emperor Auspicious Beast, using golden light to isolate the evil soul aura outside.

"Look at me." Wang Qiu'er knelt before him, both hands pressing against his shoulders.

Huo Yuhao barely opened his eyes. "Qiu'er... don't worry about me..."

"When you shielded me, did you ask whether I wanted you to worry about me?" Wang Qiu'er's voice was hoarse, yet stubbornly unquestionable. She held his shoulders and pushed her powerful spiritual power through her palms into his torn spiritual sea. That domineering yet pure soul power slowly forced Zhang Peng's blood fiend energy out of his Spirit Eyes.

Huo Yuhao gave a muffled groan. Cold sweat rolled down from his temples, and his body involuntarily leaned forward. Seeing his pain, Wang Qiu'er felt as though something had viciously clenched her heart. She suddenly realized that whenever she drew close to him, his spiritual defenses noticeably loosened; when her aura entwined with his, the tightly wound aura of Ultimate Ice within him also eased.

The floor of the abandoned post station suddenly lit up. Beneath the old planks, a ring of ancient, interwoven gold-and-white Star Dou Altar remnants was awakened by Qiu'er, forcibly pulling the two closer together. Wang Qiu'er pitched forward without warning, and Huo Yuhao instinctively reached out to catch her. Their lips brushed lightly.

In that instant, it was as if lightning had fallen into the heart of the formation, and the gold in Qiu'er's eyes gradually deepened.

She did not pull back. Instead, she raised a hand, seized his collar, and kissed him of her own accord.

This time, it was not an accident.

Her kiss was clumsy, yet resolute. She knew nothing of gentleness, only instinctively pressed forward, as if she wanted to wrap every trace of her aura around him. Her aura poured in wildly with their tangled breaths, golden light slowly enveloping and repairing the cracks in his spiritual sea.

At first, Huo Yuhao still restrained himself, his hand pressing against her shoulder as he tried several times to push her away. But the pain of the blood fiend energy tearing through him, the soothing salvation of her golden aura, and the clean, wild warmth of her body made him draw close despite himself.

After all, he was a man.

His breathing finally turned ragged. He no longer pushed her away.

The old door swayed softly in the wind. The sounds of the remnant formation, explosions, and rustling leaves were all shut outside by the golden aura. The inner room of the abandoned post station was so narrow that there was almost nowhere to retreat. Qiu'er leaned into him against the worn cushion, then immediately reached back to cling to his shoulders, blurring even the last bit of distance between them. Huo Yuhao gently lifted Qiu'er from his embrace, pulling her tighter against himself. Qiu'er tilted her head back slightly and deepened the kiss, her tongue probing in with awkward but stubborn determination, as if demanding more of a response.

Huo Yuhao's Adam's apple bobbed. He let out a hoarse, muffled groan, and his fingers tightened involuntarily.

The old formation completely entwined their auras. Golden fortune and Ultimate Ice fiercely merged deep within the spiritual sea, like ice and fire devouring and possessing one another. Qiu'er kissed him ever more deeply, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck as if afraid he would run away.

Huo Yuhao's breathing grew heavier and heavier. His palm paused against the curve of her hip before tightening. Wang Qiu'er's body trembled slightly, yet she did not retreat. Instead, she pressed closer, straddling Huo Yuhao, and the auspicious beast's aura poured into him more deeply. Zhang Peng's lingering blood fiend energy was gradually forced out, replaced by the scorching heat of their intertwined auras and their chaotic heartbeats.

Only after the final trace of blood fiend energy had been completely expelled from his spiritual sea did the haze in Huo Yuhao's eyes finally recede slightly. He suddenly pressed against Wang Qiu'er's shoulders and forcibly pushed her back half an inch. Qiu'er's breathing was unsteady, her lips flushed red from the kiss, her chest rising and falling violently. She stared at him, her eyes holding defiance, as well as desire that had not yet been satisfied.

She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and continue, but Huo Yuhao said in a voice so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable, "Qiu'er, we can't do this."

"It's not because I don't feel anything."

Huo Yuhao sighed but did not answer.

Qiu'er suddenly reached out and gently pressed her hand against his chest, where his heartbeat remained fierce and chaotic. She said quietly:

"I know."

Her voice was low, carrying a dangerously satisfied note.

"So I won't treat it as an accident."

Huo Yuhao closed his eyes. His chest rose and fell unevenly, and his Adam's apple moved as he swallowed against the dryness in his throat.

He knew it too. It had not been a simple accident.

Outside the inner room, the sounds of battle had ceased, and dawn was about to break.