Imprisoning an Ascetic, Gis's Fury, and Departure

Xianda Feed Factory.

It had become an Asura Battlefield.

Outside the Feed Factory, the ground looked as though lava had swept across it. Scorch marks were everywhere.

The two Mechanical Augmenters left behind by the Mechanical Vanguard Society lay on the ground, their bodies charred. The metal on them showed varying degrees of scorching and even melting.

Inside their mechanical bodies, the damage was worse. Both had specialized heat-insulation systems, but against the Ascetics, those precautions had clearly been nowhere near enough.

Near the Feed Factory, the Black-armored Soldiers, Tanks, and Armored Vehicles had all been charred as well.

Every Mechanical Vanguard Society member stationed at the Feed Factory was dead. The losses were horrific.

Inside the Feed Factory, meanwhile...

Yu Yuan looked at the Ascetic bound tightly by the Imprisoning Bramble, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

He had only expected the Imprisoning Bramble to buy him a little time.

After all, the Ascetic's flames and heat were natural counters to Thorn Vines.

Yet by absorbing blood and energy to strengthen and repair itself, the Imprisoning Bramble had endured the Ascetic's flames. It had not only survived the burning but had now drained his flames until they sputtered.

If Yu Yuan had not still seen faint red lines on the Ascetic's body, he would have believed the Imprisoning Bramble had drained him dry.

After absorbing so much of the Ascetic's blood and energy, the bramble's thorns had grown longer, too.

It continued to coil slowly around the Ascetic, apparently intent on draining him to the last drop.

Yu Yuan immediately ordered the Imprisoning Bramble to stop absorbing the Ascetic's energy and return to his side.

With the bramble gone, Yu Yuan saw that the Ascetic had fallen unconscious. His already charred body was now painfully gaunt.

He was