Aiden hunched over with his eyes tightly shut. He was in immeasurable pain as his throat let out a hoarse cry.
The true fire burned furiously and his body convulsed. Even his flesh sizzled with crackling sounds as his flesh was burnt black in a terrifying sight.
In the fire, Aiden's face was faintly visible and he was in such deep pain that his features were contorted to an unrecognizable degree.
Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva's heart ached when she saw the state he was in and her eyes misted.
"Cough!"
Her internal injuries acted up and she coughed out another two mouthfuls of black blood; there were even pieces of her ruptured organs and it looked terrifying.
"To think that I would still end up dying here!"
Sylvie Deva's eyes dimmed and she sounded wistful.
Her organs were severely damaged after receiving the full blow of a Guardian Elder and her vitality was rapidly draining. Unless she was in possession of some supreme methods, she would be dead for sure.
However, in the grand wide world, Martial Grandmasters were already the mightiest figures in existence. How could anyone possibly save her
"How could that be?"
Suddenly, a soft exclamation filled with disbelief sounded not far away.
It was the voice of Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder.
Instinctively, Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva followed the Guardian Elder's gaze and looked towards Aiden once more.
Nove l B(in).C OM
At that moment, the true fire burning him had grown much smaller than before and was even showing signs of extinguishing!
Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva's mouth was slightly agape and her eyes were filled with shock.
Although Aiden was almost charcoal black by now and was billowing with smoke, the flames surrounding him were indeed getting weaker.
Or rather, much more shockingly they were reversing!
The ancient flames trembled slightly as if they were directed towards a certain spot, the center of Aiden's chest by some mysterious force, entering his body seemingly out of nowhere!
Apart from Aiden, no one else knew or could explain what was happening to him.
Initially, his injuries were way too severe that they exceeded his regeneration capabilities. As such, he could not recover and was bleeding the entire time.
If not for the true draconic fire, he would have died of blood loss.
However, the flames of the draconic fire had cauterized his wounds and stopped the bleeding temporarily, saving his life!
At the same time, a mysterious change was happening inside his Primal Core under the burn of the true draconic fire.
It was as though a seal had been undone, summoning a hidden power within Aiden that was devouring the true fire on him and turning it into a pure stream of energy without any care!
Before the true draconic fire could threaten Aiden's life, his Primal Core had already consumed a large portion of it!
It could be said that through some freak turn of events, the true draconic fire had instead saved Aiden's life.
A terrifying aura was growing, shrouding around the blood-bone palm.
…
*Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!*
The sound of footsteps filled with killing intent surged over in a suffocating manner!
Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva's heart sank.
The elderly, bearded monk Guardian Elder was already dead, vanished by the mystical tear in the void, and the Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder was the only one left.
The flames on Aiden's body had yet to extinguish and he stood on the spot like burnt charcoal; his eyes were shut and his aura was weak.
Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva grit her teeth and pushed herself up with her trembling arms. After multiple failures, she finally struggled to stand up before staggering in front of Aiden.
Although it was a simple motion, she had expended the final bit of her strength.
Her body swayed unsteadily as if a single gust of wind could knock her over.
However, when she raised her head and looked towards Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder who was striding over murderously, her eyes were filled with unprecedented resolve!
She knew that her injuries were already beyond the point of no return, but it was not the case for Aiden.
,m The Ancient One's Palace!
That might be the burly man's only chance!
Multiple signs had already indicated that Aiden was this generation's successor for the Ancient One's Palace. As long as he entered it, he might be able to survive.
Of course, that was only a possibility.
Nobody knew what was inside the Ancient One's Palace.
The footsteps vanished.
Arriving in front of Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva, Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder paused with a cold expression.
"The way you're protecting him… don't tell me that this b*stard is really your mate?" Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder asked slowly; the way he looked at Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva was filled with mockery and ridicule.
"So what if he is?"
Her face turned darker and grimmer and the vitality exuding from her body was almost negligible.
If not for her thread of determination that was keeping her going, she would have collapsed long ago.
"Hahahaha!"
It was as though the Guardian Elder of Illusion Fiend Cult had just heard the greatest joke in the world.
Even the Guardian Elders of Overlord Sect and Cloud Rain Sect frowned, looking at Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva in disbelief.
"Foolish, how utterly foolish!"
After laughing, he shook his head regrettably. "To think that this generation's Holy Maiden of the Pure Maiden Sect would be such a lovelorn fool, picking an ugly martial artist as her partner. How laughable."
Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva pursed her lips and her eyelids were getting heavier.
She could no longer hear the Guardian Elder clearly; it merely felt as though her ears were buzzing with noises close and far as her consciousness faded.
"The reason why you're fighting with your life is to buy time for this little b*stard to enter the Ancient One's Palace."
Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder sneered. "However, it's a pity that both of you will have to die! Today, I'll kill you so that you don't bring about disgrace for Pure Maidens Sect as well as the rest of our sects!"
The moment he said that the Guardian Elder's eyes shone with killing intent and he whipped out a shimmering flexible sword from his waist.
*SWOOSH!*
With a fling, the sword turned straight!
Even against two helpless Martial Knight realm martial artists who were on the brink of death, the Guardian Elder had no intention of showing mercy as he burst forth with his power as a peak stage Martial Grandmaster and thrust forward.
That attack was enough to skewer both of their heads together!
The sword force was extremely cold and possessed wild might.
Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva could hold on no longer as she collapsed to the side.
Suddenly, an arm reached out and held up her body.
The next moment, Holy Maiden Sylvie Deva caught sight of a figure through her blurred vision.
Although he was burnt charcoal black and was disfigured, she could recognize him.
Those eyes burned with a bloodshot gleam as though they wanted to devour someone!
Suddenly, the charcoal-like figure, Aiden reached out with his right arm.
Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder's eyes constricted in shock.
There was still no flesh on his palm and it was just a golden bone that was burning with the very same draconic flames, emitting a terrifying aura that seemed as though it could incinerate the heavens and oceans, annihilating all living beings!
It was as though it was the hand of a divine spirit that let out a shuddering aura.
Even the Guardian Elders who were watching from nearby as well as the itinerary martial artists watching from afar felt chills run down their spines, let alone Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder.
Some of the martial artists could not endure that might and fell to the ground on the spot, shivering in fear.
A feeling of inferiority grew in the hearts of many martial artists.
The golden bone palm reached out for the flexible sword.
*Pitter-patter!* *Pitter-patter!*
Before it could reach the golden bone palm, the sword was melted into liquid steel and dripped onto the ground.
A perfect-grade artifact weapon was instantly destroyed just like that!
The Guardian Elder had nowhere to run with the space-time tear appearing behind his back. In his eyes, he could only see a burning golden palm arriving with a flame that grew more and more intense…
Right in front of everyone, that burning blood bone palm penetrated the Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder's body with ease.
It did not pause at all, similar to how a blazing steel sword would pierce a thin veil.
In the blink of an eye, Illusion Fiend Cult's Guardian Elder was devoured by the flames.
The next moment, he turned into ashes!
A peak stage Martial Grandmaster realm powerhouse of this world was incinerated to ashes by that terrifying flame in less than a second without any corpse left!