31: Leaving the Ruins

Dawn came quickly to the desert, bringing an undeniable heat that dispelled the chill of the night.

Li Ao opened his eyes, a silver-gray sharpness flashing within them before quickly receding.

After a night of Cultivation, using the thin power of the 'Annihilation' Dao to temper his body, his injuries, though not fully healed, had stabilized from the brink of collapse, and he even developed a slight resistance to the encroaching Dao power that eroded his Soul.

The System interface had also recovered more functions; although most of the store was still locked, basic scanning, analysis, and energy guidance were now usable.

He immediately looked to his side.

Medusa had also woken up and was sitting against the sand wall, eyes closed, adjusting her breath.

Her face was still pale, and her aura was weak, but she was much better than her near-death state of yesterday.

Those five drops of Origin essence blood and her own tenacious will to survive had, after all, preserved her last sliver of life.

However, the faint spatial cracks at the edge of the Green Lotus Core Flame mark on her forehead were still shocking, indicating the severe extent of her Origin damage.

As if sensing his gaze, Medusa slowly opened her eyes.

Her colorful gaze was dim but no longer lifeless; instead, it held a settled calmness as she met his eyes.

"Can you walk?" Li Ao asked, his voice slightly hoarse from his injuries.

Medusa tried to move her snake tail, her brows slightly furrowed: "Short distances... I can."

Her voice was still weak, but it carried the resilience of a queen.

Li Ao nodded, stood up, and handed her the waterskin and the last bit of dry food.

"We must leave this area as soon as possible and find a stable water source and shelter.

Your injuries cannot be delayed."

Medusa did not refuse; she silently took them and ate and drank in small sips.

She knew this was not the time to be strong.

After a simple replenishment, the two set off again.

Li Ao walked in front, his steps much steadier than before, but not fast, clearly considering Medusa's condition.

Medusa followed behind him, her snake tail dragging a winding trail in the sand, moving slowly, each step seeming a bit laborious.

Patches of skin were exposed through the torn purple brocade robe, glaringly white under the scorching sun.

Silence was still the main theme, but this silence was no longer cold; instead, it flowed with a subtle atmosphere of shared survival and unspoken understanding.

Occasionally, Li Ao would stop to discern directions or preemptively avoid venomous creatures lurking beneath the sand.

Medusa, relying on her familiarity with the desert, would point out the direction of specific dunes that might indicate underground water veins.

An unspoken understanding, established naturally after facing life and death together, began to form.

At noon, the scorching sun was at its most vicious.

Medusa's speed visibly slowed, her breathing became rapid, and fine cold sweat seeped from her temples, clearly nearing her limit.

Li Ao stopped, looked back at her, and frowned slightly.

He walked to her side and, without a word, extended his hand: "I'll carry you for a bit."

Medusa's body stiffened slightly, her colorful eyes flickered, and she looked at his undeniable gaze and the extended hand, scarred with old and new wounds yet steady and strong.

Finally, she gently bit her lip and placed her cold hand in his palm.

Li Ao held her hand, and with his other arm, he embraced her waist.

Activating Thunder Sound Steps, his speed suddenly increased, transforming into a blurry afterimage as he quickly moved between the dunes.

He deliberately controlled his strength and speed to avoid putting more burden on her already weak body.

Held in his arms, feeling the whistling wind in her ears and the steady heartbeat from his chest through their clothes, Medusa's body was initially stiff, but gradually, enveloped by his reassuring aura, she relaxed.

She even instinctively leaned her head gently on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and conserved every bit of her strength.

Li Ao looked down at the unusually docile queen in his arms; her slightly furrowed brow and weary profile were even more breathtaking up close.

He tightened his arm slightly, holding her more securely, his gaze sharply scanning ahead for a suitable resting place.

Finally, before sunset, Li Ao discovered a small oasis surrounded by several large wind-eroded rocks.

The oasis was not large, with only a murky shallow pool of water and a few clumps of drought-resistant thorns, but it was enough to provide drinking water and a temporary rest.

He brought Medusa to the edge of the pool.

Medusa stepped out of his embrace, her steps somewhat unsteady, and she leaned on a nearby rock to steady herself.

She looked at the murky pool, her brows slightly furrowed; her queenly instincts made her somewhat repulsed by such poor-quality water.

Li Ao said nothing; he walked to the edge of the pool, took out his waterskin, and instead of directly filling it, he joined his fingers like a blade and made a few imaginary slashes at the water.

An invisible, sharp Qi penetrated the water, temporarily pushing away the mud and Impurities at the bottom, and then he quickly filled his waterskin.

He handed the waterskin to Medusa.

Medusa was slightly startled by his actions.

She took the waterskin and could feel that the water quality was much clearer.

She glanced at Li Ao, a barely perceptible ripple flashing in her colorful eyes, then lowered her head and drank in small sips.

Li Ao also took a few sips himself, then walked to the shadow of a rock and sat down cross-legged, continuing to Cultivate to heal his injuries, while also guiding the thin power of the 'Annihilation' Dao.

After drinking water, Medusa also found a place to sit and tried to communicate with the abnormal fire mark on her forehead.

However, the Green Lotus Core Flame remained dormant, and the spatial crack acted like a shackle, hindering her recovery.

She sighed softly, a hint of worry clouding her brow.

Origin damage was no small matter; if she couldn't repair it quickly, her newly advanced Dou Zong Realm might fall, and she might even suffer permanent Dao injuries.

As night deepened, the desert temperature plummeted.

A cold wind blew, and Medusa couldn't help but shiver, instinctively hugging her arms.

Her current state was extremely poor, and her resistance to cold was far worse than before.

A damaged blue cloth outer garment, still warm from body heat, was gently placed on her shoulder.

Medusa's body stiffened, and she looked up, meeting Li Ao's calm gaze.

"Wear it," he said concisely, then turned and returned to his spot, as if he had only done a trivial thing.

Medusa clutched the garment, which still retained his body heat and a faint scent of blood, her fingertips slightly curled.

The garment was coarse and even torn in places, but draped over her, it dispelled the biting cold.

She looked at Li Ao's profile as he sat with closed eyes in the moonlight, adjusting his breath, and at his thin inner shirt, the only clothing he had left.

Emotions surged in her colorful eyes, finally settling into a complex silence.

She pulled the garment tighter around her, not refusing this kindness.

In the latter half of the night, Li Ao suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharply fixed on the darkness outside the oasis.

Almost simultaneously, Medusa also raised her head vigilantly.

"Shasha... Shasha..."

Faint, dense sounds, drawing closer from afar.

It was sand wolves! And from the sound of it, there were many!

Soon, pairs of eerie green eyes lit up in the darkness, like ghost fires, surrounding them from all directions.

Heavy panting and low whimpering sounds were exceptionally clear in the silent night.

They were clearly attracted by the faint water vapor in the area and the scent of blood from the two that couldn't be completely concealed.

If they were in their prime, these sand wolves wouldn't even be worth a second glance.

But now, with one severely injured and the other's Origin depleted, the situation suddenly became dangerous.

Medusa struggled to stand, a cold light flashing in her colorful eyes as she tried to gather strength, but her body was empty, only able to barely condense a small, weak cluster of colorful light in her palm.

Li Ao also stood up, blocking her, his black iron long saber already unsheathed.

The blade was covered in cracks, but it still reflected a chilling glint in the moonlight.

His eyes were cold, and though his aura was not strong, it carried a tragic Evil Qi forged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, causing the approaching sand wolves to hesitate for a moment.

"Roar!"

An exceptionally robust alpha wolf let out a roar, breaking the stalemate.

The pack, as if receiving an order, howled and pounced from all directions!

Li Ao's eyes sharpened, and he stepped forward, unleashing Furious Wind Quick Blade with ferocity!

The saber light was like lightning, precise and ruthless, each strike aimed directly at the sand wolves' vital points!

Although his strength was insufficient, his honed combat instincts and grasp of timing still allowed him to move with ease amidst the pack's encirclement, with sand wolves constantly howling and falling.

Medusa was not idle either; she condensed the faint colorful energy into fine needles, specifically targeting the sand wolves' eyes and joints, and other vulnerable spots.

In conjunction with Li Ao's saber techniques, it achieved considerable results.

However, the wolf pack was too numerous and fearless.

Li Ao, injured, began to have chaotic Qi after a prolonged fight.

The wound on his left arm reopened, and blood stained his sleeve.

While blocking an alpha wolf's pounce, his body swayed slightly, revealing a tiny opening!

A sand wolf from the side seized the opportunity and pounced fiercely at his ribs!

"Watch out!"

Medusa exclaimed, almost instinctively, pulling Li Ao sharply behind her, while simultaneously turning her body, using her back to meet the sand wolf's sharp claws!

"Rip!"

The sound of brocade tearing rang out!

Medusa grunted, a burning pain erupting from her back, but she endured it, not falling, and with a backhand, plunged a colorful energy into the sand wolf's eye socket!

Li Ao steadied himself, turned, and saw the three deep, bone-revealing claw marks on Medusa's back.

Blood instantly soaked through the torn brocade and the outer garment he had draped over her!

A violent crimson instantly surged into his eyes!

"You're courting death!"

He let out a low roar, no longer holding back.

The sliver of power he had just recovered, mixed with a wisp of refined 'Annihilation' Dao power, was fully infused into the blade!

The long saber hummed under the strain, and tiny silver-gray light even burst from the cracks!

A horizontal slash!

Where the saber light passed, the air seemed to be cut open!

The first few sand wolves, along with the robust alpha wolf, were instantly cut in half at the waist!

Mangled limbs and internal organs scattered across the ground!

The remaining sand wolves were terrified by this horrifying strike, letting out frightened whimpers, tucking their tails between their legs, and fleeing in disarray, quickly disappearing into the darkness.

At the edge of the oasis, only the heavy scent of blood and their rough panting remained.

Li Ao leaned on his saber, coughing violently a few times, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of his mouth.

Forcibly activating his power had worsened his already severe injuries.

But he ignored himself and immediately turned to support the swaying Medusa.

"Are you alright?" His voice carried a hint of urgency he hadn't even noticed.

Medusa leaned against him, her back burning with pain, and blood loss made her vision occasionally black out, but she still forced herself to shake her head: "...I'm fine."

Li Ao looked at her pale face and the gruesome wound on her back, his eyes cold.

He helped her sit down, quickly took out the last bit of wound medicine he had previously exchanged from the System space, and carefully applied it to her wound.

The medicinal powder touched the wound, bringing a sharp sting, and Medusa couldn't help but gasp, her body trembling slightly.

Li Ao's movements subconsciously became even gentler.

After treating the wound, he tore off relatively clean strips from his inner shirt and carefully bandaged her.

Throughout the entire process, neither of them spoke.

Moonlight, like water, spilled over them both.

He focused on bandaging her, and she quietly leaned against him, letting him work.

The air was filled with the scent of blood and medicine, but also flowed with an indescribable warmth.

Once bandaged, Li Ao watched her lean weakly against his shoulder, eyes closed, long lashes trembling, as if she had fallen asleep.

He was silent for a moment, then reached out and gently pulled her into his embrace, using his relatively intact right side to shield her from the cold night wind.

Medusa's body stiffened slightly, but she didn't struggle.

Instead, she found a more comfortable position in his arms, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and let out an almost inaudible sigh, filled with weariness and dependence.

Feeling the softness and coldness of the body in his arms, smelling the faint fragrance of her hair mixed with the scent of blood, Li Ao lowered his head, looking at her defenseless sleeping face in the moonlight, his eyes complex and unreadable.

He reached out, his fingertips extremely gently brushing over the flame mark on her forehead with its spatial cracks, feeling the dormant yet violent power beneath it.

This woman, powerful, arrogant, and cold, yet in moments of life and death, had repeatedly made choices that went against her nature.

He saved her, perhaps initially only for the abnormal fire and to verify his own Dao.

But now... Li Ao closed his eyes, holding the cold body in his arms even tighter.

The road ahead was still perilous, his injuries still severe, and the ownership of the abnormal fire was still undecided.

But some things, unknowingly, had quietly changed.

In the moonlight, two figures huddled together, forming a brief and fragile picture of tranquility in this perilous desert oasis.