513: Having weathered all the tribulations, we'll share the same boat through frost and snow.

Yao Delong opened his eyes with difficulty. What met his gaze were two stunningly beautiful faces filled with worry and concern.

The icy lake in Lin Qingxue's eyes could not hold the liquid light of heartache, and the slight trembling from Liu Rumei's delicate body pressed close conveyed her lingering fear and the relief of surviving a disaster.

The intense pain in his body and the tearing sensation in his Primordial Spirit were still clear, but looking at the vivid faces before him,

feeling his arm being held by cold, soft hands, and his chest being soaked by warm breath and tear stains,

within his withered and desolate Origin core, an unprecedented warm current quietly emerged, flowing through his entire body and suppressing the pain and fatigue.

He struggled to curl the corners of his mouth, attempting to pull out a smile that could reassure them, his voice dry and hoarse:

"Why... do you all have expressions like you're about to cry? Seeing me, are you... happy... or sad?"

His tone carried a hint of forced teasing, which instantly broke the girls' strained mental defenses.

Lin Qingxue's tears finally rolled down as she gripped his arm tightly, her voice carrying a sob of lingering fear:

"What time do you think it is, and you're still joking!"

Liu Rumei raised her beautiful face, which was covered in tears, her eyes filled with both anger and resentment,

but even more so with a flow of indescribable and complex emotions: "You still say that!

It was all because we sought that Heart-Burning Away Fire of the present world, sigh, and the result..."

As she spoke to this point, thinking of how everyone had almost been wiped out here because of her obsession, she was both afraid and guilty, her voice choking up.

Lin Shishi, who had been silent on the side, quietly clenched her fingertips, her nails sinking deep into her palm.

Yes, they had actually all come on this trip to seize that Heart-Burning Away Fire of the present world,

to repay Yao Delong's long-term care, but the Essence Fire was not found, and they had instead gotten themselves into trouble.

Xiao Huohuo also took a deep breath, his eyes full of regret, blaming himself for his lack of strength to protect his Senior Sister and Junior Sisters.

Yao Delong's heart shook violently! Heart-Burning Away Fire? It was actually for him?!

They had taken such a huge risk and almost paid the price with their lives, just to help him Cultivate?!

He looked at the tearful Liu Rumei in his arms, at Lin Qingxue who was gripping his arm with her icy eyes full of tears yet deep affection,

and at Lin Shishi and the dejected Xiao Huohuo who were suppressing their shame nearby... An unprecedented boiling warm current instantly flooded his heart, washing away the fatigue in his Sea of Consciousness and the pain in his body.

His heart let out a humming sound deep in his chest, as if ignited by this pure and sincere human emotion.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his churning blood, and gently patted Liu Rumei's back, which was trembling slightly from sobbing,

then with the other hand that Lin Qingxue was holding, he laboriously lifted it,

and gently scraped her cold, wet cheek, his gaze as deep as a starry sky that encompasses all things:

"A group of... silly girls, silly boy..."

His voice was still hoarse, but it strangely steadied everyone's spirits,

"In my, Yao Delong's, eyes... ten or a hundred Heart-Burning Away Fires,

how could they ever compare to any of you being safe and happy... and unharmed?"

"You all... are the most precious treasures in the world!"

These words were like a warm current washing through the frozen and trembling heart-lakes of the four people.

Xiao Huohuo suddenly looked up, a blazing light erupting from the young man's eyes.

Lin Shishi's tightly clenched hands quietly loosened, and as she looked at Yao Delong, her long-standing admiration and hazy affection

finally wove into an unspoken, unwavering trust.

Liu Rumei trembled all over, falling into Yao Delong's arms again as if all her strength had been drained,

tears flowing heavily, but this time they were full of the joy of surviving a desperate situation and the immense happiness of finally being so cherished by someone, more than any heavenly treasure.

Lin Qingxue felt the warmth of the rough fingertip that scraped away her tear stains,

and her frozen heart quietly melted, a touch of red finally suppressing her paleness as she softly called out: "Senior Brother..."

The sunset tore through the demonic miasma embers rolling at the top of the valley, pouring golden light onto the messy battlefield and the four people embracing each other.

Traversing the calamity, frost and snow in the same boat. In the depths of this rift valley that had just swallowed countless lives,

because of this deep friendship tempered by blood and forged by the fires of calamity, a gentle warmth of Rebirth after the disaster actually emerged.

Ji Yanshuang stood in mid-air, her blazing divine flames retracted into her body, leaving only the proud silhouette of the Phoenix Divine Armor.

She quietly watched the four people embracing below after the disaster, her gaze sweeping over Yao Delong's pale but resolute and deep profile,

and over the several Disciples who had survived and were deeply moved.

On that face that was the most beautiful in the world, the previously tense frost quietly melted, and a rare softness and relief flitted through the depths of her Phoenix eyes.

The setting sun melted like gold, the last ray of sunset brushed over the top of the black military tents in the camp, finally sinking beneath the ancient and desolate frozen soil at the border of the Demon Realm.

In the distance, several damaged flying ships stained with black blood and scorch marks, engraved with the emblems of different Sects,

dragged heavy Escape Lights as they slowly merged into the deep purple horizon, heading in different directions,

the atmosphere far more solemn and painful than when they arrived. Those were the remaining Cultivators from other Sects leaving.

Coming for the fire seeds of greed, returning with blood-stained icy rivers. This price was too tragic.

The relief of surviving the disaster was ultimately covered by the desolation of burying comrades in the Demon Valley and the panic of being unable to explain to their Sects.

In contrast, rows of Vermilion Bird Heaven-Burning Ships were neatly suspended above the Yin Yang Sect's temporary camp.

The fiery red Formation Flags fluttered vigorously, and the scars on the ships' hulls corroded by Devilish Qi were slowly being repaired under the halo of the Formation, emitting a subtle hum.

At the edge of the main warship's wide deck,

Ji Yanshuang's fiery Crimson Phoenix-Patterned Battle Armor retracted its dazzling brilliance in the twilight,

becoming as dark as clotted blood, yet still outlining a breathtakingly tall and straight silhouette.

She watched those distant Escape Lights, with not much pity in her Phoenix eyes, only a cold indifference from having experienced blood and fire.

In this Northland frozen soil, misplaced mercy would only bring more white bones.

She withdrew her gaze and let it fall on Yao Delong beside her.

He had changed into a clean set of Black Sect True Inheritance Daoist Robes, the paleness remaining on his face from the massive exhaustion had not yet faded,

his tall and straight figure in the night wind revealed a hint of imperceptible fatigue, but those calm and deep eyes

had already recovered their usual coolness and restrained sharpness.

Like a resting Dragon, he had retracted his claws and teeth, accumulating strength for the next time he would tear through the firmament.

"Delong,"

Ji Yanshuang's voice had less of the heaven-burning slaughter from the battlefield and more of the resonance of a Sect elder,

"In this battle, you destroyed the ancient Demonic Formation that the Demon Sect had painstakingly operated, and broke the fangs of Old Ghost Hundred Refinements that were taking root in the Northland.

If you hadn't accidentally damaged their Foundation, once that Demonic Formation was completely controlled by Old Demon Hundred Refinements,

absorbing the Earth Vein Devilish Qi of the entire rift valley... humph!"

She snorted coldly, Evil Qi flashing between her brows,

"Even if the Sect Head Senior Brother had come in person, it would likely have taken some effort; it wouldn't be like now, where it could be uprooted entirely, requiring only the clearing of some lingering poison."

She spoke very quickly, with the precision and unquestionability unique to a military commander:

"I have already sent a message to Senior Brother Lei. He will lead people to completely sweep away and erase the last trace of the Demonic Rune Remnants. This contribution,"

Ji's Phoenix eyes swept over Yao Delong's face with a hint of genuine approval,

"cannot be erased. Once the war has settled a bit, I will personally report your merit to the Sect Head!"

Yao Delong bowed slightly, his posture steady:

"This Disciple accepts with shame. It was also just a chance encounter, and I do not dare to be arrogant about my contributions.

I must also thank you, Senior Martial Uncle, for your timely assistance, otherwise this Disciple would have already become dry bones under that Old Demon's claws."

The words were humble, but the tone was neither haughty nor humble.