"S-Seventh Sister."
Dongfang Minghui's hair stood on end. She did not even realize she had fed her hand straight into Uncle Wood's mouth. Through the swirling haze, she could see something pale flickering in and out of sight. She widened her eyes, trying to make it out.
Toothless paced around the golden-red flames, occasionally letting out low growls at that spot, visibly agitated.
The golden-red flames crackled, carrying a foul, bloody stench, as though something was being roasted by Toothless's true fire. The white thing gradually took shape and rose to stand like a person. No, perhaps it actually was a "person." Dongfang Minghui held her breath, staring wide-eyed at its every move.
"Ah!"
Just as her nerves were stretched taut, pain shot through her wrist. Coming to her senses, she discovered that Uncle Wood had his teeth clamped firmly around it. All her earlier pricking had drawn only a little blood, but his bite sent it gushing out. Dongfang Minghui gritted her teeth. "Uncle! Wood!"
"Qian Ziyan!"
Qian Wanyu finally managed to snap the falcon's neck and tossed its thoroughly dead body out of the air. The golden-red flames instantly swallowed it. From high above, she had already seen the white thing clearly: a skeleton. Threads of black matter writhed across the surface of its bones, making it look rather horrifying. More horrifying still, the skeleton seemed to possess a mind of its own and was assembling its own frame.
After one glance, she swiftly flew down, intending to separate Ninth Sister from Qian Ziyan.
Qian Ziyan stubbornly refused to release Dongfang Minghui's wrist. He had even taught himself to drink her blood, instinctively craving more. Blood he had not managed to swallow stained the corners of his bluish-purple lips, making him look like a vampire.
"Uncle Wood, don't