The scene shifts again, still in Exalting Sanctum, inside Borisin's 'temporary stronghold'.
Hoolay struggled to his feet, rubbing his still-confused head, and looked at Borisin Li Lang Zu, who was also lying on the ground convulsing and foaming at the mouth.
Hmm, judging from their glances, they seem to have lost a portion of their Remembrance. Judging from the intensity of their physical pain, could it be that they fought the Cloud Knights here? And lost?
No... if he had lost, he should have been back in the Prison of Deep Seclusion when he opened his eyes again. How come he's still lying here? What on earth happened...?
As Hoolay was pondering this, he caught a glimpse of Jiaoqiu, whose face was still deathly pale, out of the corner of his eye, and seemed to understand something.
"In the end, it was my negligence that Modu."
With a glance from Hoolay, Modu immediately understood, quickly stepped forward, searched Jiaoqiu thoroughly, and took out a bottle of medicine that had already been opened.
"[ Stumble Powder ]... Physician, you actually carry such a deadly poison with you."
Upon hearing this, Jiaoqiu frowned slightly. He had underestimated the knowledge level of these Borisin; they even knew about [ Stumble Powder ].
"When was this done?!"
Jiaoqiu smiled helplessly; he had overestimated the knowledge level of these Borisin.
"Brother Borisin is joking. This medicine at most slows down metabolism, causing blood to flow erratically and loss of the five senses... How could it possibly be related to Remembrance?"
"Moreover... this medicine is for internal use. Since I was abducted from the Prison of Deep Seclusion, I haven't eaten anything. How am I supposed to complete the difficult step of [poisoning]?"
The tall, muscular Foxian didn't say much, but simply extended a finger and touched Jiaoqiu's shoulder blade with a movement so fast it was almost invisible.
It felt as if a piece of flesh had been ripped away with a dagger, the pain carving deep into the bones...
It seemed that the power of this point was too great. It took Jiaoqiu a few seconds to react. He was unable to stand up for a moment, staggered backward, and finally collapsed helplessly against the wall.
"From this moment on, every hour that passes, I will crush your hands, the hands that heal and save lives, then your kneecaps, then your spine..."
I will tear you to pieces, inch by inch, leaving only your incorrigible tongue.
Hoolay looked at Jiaoqiu, "But now, we have plenty of time, and it seems they don't want my escape to become public knowledge."
"This is not surprising; fear is more deadly than claws... especially during festive occasions like the [ Wardance ]."
"What's here now isn't a pack of prisoners hiding in hiding, but wolves that have wandered into a flock of sheep. My wolf cubs are starving; they crave to devour flesh and blood, using your fear as their meal."
" Jiaoqiu, your strong and composed exterior seems utterly vulnerable to me, just as I could tear your flesh open at any moment, revealing the pitiful bones beneath. Before me, you have nowhere to hide."
"Now, let's talk about the Yaoqing Foxian General you serve. Modu said she came for me, which means she will personally hunt me down."
"Before the hunt begins, I need to understand my opponent. You may refuse, showing me your mettle; or you may cooperate, saving time for both of us, medic."
Jiaoqiu was silent for a moment, then her voice trembled. "... I can tell you everything about her, but only in exchange for an answer."
"What misconception makes you think you're still qualified to negotiate with me?" Hoolay sneered.
"You can torture me until I talk, or... save us both some time, Chief."
"There's a question that's always bothered me: why are you still alive and well after being tortured for seven hundred years? No Borisin should have such a long lifespan... nor such a tenacious ability to recover."
"Is this why the Yaoqing Xianzhou wants to take me away? To some, I may be a hostage in their hands. But to others, what they want are the secrets I hold..."
"I still remember those early Years when I was imprisoned, the Foxian came and went... They extracted my blood and marrow, trying to unravel the cause of [ Moon Rage ], to get rid of their fear of the Borisin, and to take control of their own bloodline."
"Unfortunately, they couldn't decipher this secret, and could only inflict the most vicious tortures on me that they could think of."
"Some people pursue power to Destruction their enemies, while others pursue power to become their enemies... Jiaoqiu, which one are you?"
Seeing Jiaoqiu's complicated expression, Hoolay understood. "Ah... I understand! Yaoqing's healer, you are the most pathetic kind of person—you pursue power so that you can share it with others and use it to do good."
"Then let me tell you the answer you want to know. In ancient legends, the ancestor of the Borisin Du Lan, was dissatisfied with his limited life force; he longed to dominate the sky and become the master of the stars."
"For this, he sacrificed countless lives of Borisin and Foxian, pouring them into the spring water bestowed by the Lord of Longevity. Under the impetus of genetic magic, a miracle was conceived in the water—the [ Womb of the Moon ]."
"After climbing onto the [moon]'s birthing bed, Du Lan obtained what she had always dreamed of: a [heart] shaped like a crimson full moon. Du Lan cut open her own chest and replaced her heart with this Crimson Moon."
"It's truly a myth with Borisin mythical quality..." Jiaoqiu commented.
" The Ambrosial Arbor is also a fantastical myth. But you Xianzhou native understand that it is real."
Hoolay looked down at his heart, " This Heart-Moon has been beating in the bodies of the Borisin Zhan chieftains for generations."
"Because the ritual for the Borisin to determine the leader of the battle is that the successor cuts open the chest of the former leader, eats this flesh, and allows the strongest to possess it!"
"[Eating] is the true essence of life's continuation and growth. It embodies the life essence of the prey we devour, and it makes us stronger!"
"After enduring seven hundred years of torture, I thought all hope was lost, but now, my heart is beating again."
Hoolay's eyes were icy cold. "Alright, it's your turn to tell me... everything about this [ Merlin's Claw ]."
At the same time, in the Central Starskiff Haven, opposite the [ Sleepless Earl ] teahouse, the excited voice of the priest, Qi Li, was the first to be heard.
"As expected of Lord Yite, to teach those bastards of Bu Li who tainted [ Destruction ] Borisin, he chose to erase all their [ Remembrance ] afterward, making it easier to continue fighting next time... cough cough, truly brilliant!"
Inside the milk tea shop, Saileni looked at Ye Yan with adoration. This was the legendary Great Remembrance Vanishing Technique!
Then, a virtual projection of Silver Wolf appeared beside him, but with a puzzled expression.
"Sigh~ Come to think of it, that Borisin Zhan Shou was specifically left for them to deal with. If we end it hastily here... [ the Script ] will completely fall apart."
Silver Wolf comforted himself in this way, knowing that the Xianzhou Alliance would be an indispensable part of the upcoming [ War of the Aeons ].
"But is it really a good idea to let that doctor take all the blame?" Silver Wolf asked.
Ye Yan didn't answer, but instead took out a cup of milk tea and shook it.
"Tsk, I knew it..."