Drip... drip... drip...
Red blood slowly dripped onto the ground, staining the earth. The vivid crimson pooled together, forming a small, brutal painting—a kind of bloody beauty.
Swish!
After thrusting the dark spear into Bonanus's chest, the sinister figure pulled it out with another sharp sound. Feeling the blood spray, he trembled with excitement.
In the pool of blood lay a small, slumped figure. Her appearance was so beautiful, but her deep blue outfit was now soaked with a striking red.
She lay there, her fair skin also stained red. Her eyes were half-closed in pain, her voice as faint as an ant's—heartbreaking.
The pain didn't make her pass out, but her mind had gone completely blank.
Bonanus's eyes began to dim, but only she knew that the so-called system was forcing her to cling to life by a thread.
This is pure torture...
...
Not far away, Xiao had been fending off Menogias's attacks. The moment he heard the commotion behind him, he turned in panic.
When he saw the one he loved pierced through, his eyes widened in disbelief.
He froze for a second, then horror and fury flooded his gaze. Without hesitation, he charged.
Impossible! It's not real! It has to be fake!
His reaction was foolish—he had lost control of his emotions.
With nothing to block them, the elemental stone spears shot toward him. Of three or four, one pierced his left shoulder.
Black smoke and blood seeped from the wound, but Xiao couldn't care about that now. He clamped down on the injury, gritting through the pain.
All he wanted was to reach his sister's side and kill that grotesque figure!
"BONANUS!!!" Xiao screamed with all his heart, hoping she would answer, tell him this wasn't real—just a nightmare.
...
On the other side, Menogias—already maddened by karmic debt erosion—froze at the scene. His entire body went rigid, the Geo energy he had been forming gradually dissipating.
His hands drooped. An unexpected emotion flickered in his eyes. He clutched his head and roared.
It seemed like he was fighting against something. He looked to be in agony. Beneath his mask, his face would be flushed red, veins bulging on his forehead.
Cracks had begun to appear on Menogias's mask. His bloodshot eyes were terrifying. No one knew why.
...
Xiao rushed forward and thrust his weapon at the sinister figure, putting all his strength into killing the enemy.
Clang!
The figure blocked Xiao's attack, shaking his head slightly with an excited grin. He didn't counterattack—instead, he quickly retreated.
Xiao immediately hurled his Primordial Jade Winged Spear with all his might. As it flew, Anemo energy coiled around it.
Boom! Boom!
The moment it neared the figure, the elemental energy on the spear transformed into razor-sharp wind blades, viciously slashing at the enemy.
The thrown spear missed its mark and struck into the ground, still erupting with elemental power, refusing to give the enemy a moment's respite.
The figure raised an eyebrow. This Yaksha had already been fighting for a while yet still had this much power left.
Ha, as expected of Morax's dog—his strength is undeniable. With that thought, the figure quickly dodged with his spear, not daring to be careless.
But it's just a futile struggle.
Seizing the gap as the enemy dodged—
"Sister Bonanus!"
Xiao rushed over and knelt before her, scooping her up in his arms.
Feeling her dying breath, he still couldn't believe it. Tears fell from his eyes—the first time he had ever cried.
Tears streamed down beneath his mask. His whole body trembled uncontrollably, his voice cracking.
"Don't... please, don't!"
He removed Bonanus's mask. Seeing her deathly pale face, despair consumed him.
"This is fake... I must still be dreaming! Haha, what a realistic dream!" Xiao buried his masked face into Bonanus's chest, wishing it were all a nightmare.
But the cooling temperature of her body, the hot blood—the vivid sensations—forced him to accept the truth.
It's all my fault! I couldn't protect her. Because of my carelessness, that bastard got to her.
He hadn't forgotten—in this dangerous region, Liyue's enemies were everywhere. Why had he strayed from her side? Let that mongrel sneak up on the one he loved.
We finally reunited... she finally came back...
Xiao broke down. He howled—a sound so miserable, so agonizing. Please, no more! Don't give me hope only to take her away!
Just as despair threatened to swallow him, Bonanus's body twitched slightly. It was subtle, but Xiao felt it.
Immediately, he pressed his ear to her pierced chest. He could still hear a faint heartbeat. Sister Bonanus was alive!
Had the blow missed her heart? The heartbeat was weak, but it was there. Looking closely, he could see her faint breathing.
He turned to her face, gently stroking her now-cold cheek. He noticed her lips moving slightly.
She seemed to want to say something, but her voice was too soft to hear.
Right! Rex Lapis! Get out and find Rex Lapis! He will know what to do! Yes, the mighty God of Contracts must have a way to save her!
But first, he had to kill the enemy before him, or they wouldn't leave alive.
With that thought, Xiao gritted his teeth. His eyes behind the mask turned bloodshot. He gently laid her down.
He stood up, reached out, and the Primordial Jade Winged Spear—still attacking the enemy—returned to his hand.
Seeing this, the figure who had been dodging laughed loudly.
"Morax, bet you didn't expect this! Today, your underling will die by my hand."
"You filthy scum. You killed my wife and slaughtered my kin. When I get the chance, I'll come for you myself. But first, let me have fun tormenting your dogs."
As he finished speaking, black smoke suddenly billowed from his body. When it cleared, a monster covered in spikes was revealed.
This monster was a great beast named Pheroth. Once, he had a massive body, immense power, a beloved wife, and obedient kin.
In that chaotic era, many beasts took advantage of the unrest to seize territory, burn, kill, and plunder. Eventually, they set their sights on Liyue.
But they failed. Morax punished them. The adepti hunted them. Until only he remained of his entire race.
His gigantic body had been weakened by Morax's judgment, most of his power sealed. Yet he had miraculously survived.
For a beast to survive the God of contracts, Pheroth had some skill.
He was the sole survivor of his clan, filled with endless rage and hatred. He believed that one day, Morax would grovel beneath him, and he would avenge his people.
He had gone mad. Hatred had robbed him of reason. He spouted impossible fantasies. But before that, he would feast on some appetizers.
Pheroth raised his arms, shouting with excitement:
"How I long to see the agony on Morax's face!"
Seeing this, Xiao's expression grew cold. But only he knew the raging inferno inside him.
"Are you done? Then die."