Gongsun Yarou finally arrived at the Dragon Clan altar, her face growing serious as she saw the demon saints battling the ancient dragon elders. Though the elders were no longer at their peak, their resilience made it challenging for the demon saints to defeat them outright.
Her gaze shifted to another sight that filled her with both amazement and concern—Long Xiaoxiao, whose power was surging dramatically. The nutrients from the Dragon Pool were propelling her to unimaginable heights.
However, the aura Long Xiaoxiao emitted was violent and frenzied, like that of a mindless, savage beast. It was clear she had lost herself completely.
Gongsun Yarou sighed. Despite their contentious relationship, she had not wished for Long Xiaoxiao to end up like this.
But where was Xiao Fan?
Ever since arriving at the altar, she had been searching for him.
"Xiao... Xiao..."
A faint voice came from the blood pool in the center of the altar.
"Xiao Fan?" Gongsun Yarou was startled and rushed towards the pool. She finally found Xiao Fan, his body almost indistinguishable from the surrounding blood.
Xiao Fan was barely recognizable, his bones shattered and his body limp like a pile of flesh. His breath was so faint that she hadn't noticed it before.
Gongsun Yarou's lips trembled as an overwhelming sense of despair hit her. She knelt beside him, her face pale and sweaty, struggling to bear the pain.
She looked at Xiao Fan, wanting to cradle him, but her hands shook. She feared any movement might further harm him.
What's happening to me?
Gongsun Yarou questioned herself. Initially, she was intrigued by Xiao Fan's ability to easily break her illusions. Later, her rivalry with Long Xiaoxiao had been entertaining. But now, she felt something deeper.
This kind of pain was new to her.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she carefully tried to lift Xiao Fan from the blood pool. However, her heart sank further when she touched his limp body.
Xiao Fan lay in her arms, his body a broken mess. Yet he continued to murmur Long Xiaoxiao's name.
Seeing this, Gongsun Yarou felt a surge of anger. Even now, all he cared about was that damned disciple!
If not for his profound cultivation, which had protected his heart, he would have already been dead. But with his meridians shattered and his qi sea broken, he would be crippled for life, unable to cultivate again.
Sensing that Xiao Fan's remaining energy was about to dissipate, Gongsun Yarou quickly infused him with her own qi, stabilizing his heart. She then used elixirs from her storage ring to repair his body.
After some time, Xiao Fan's broken bones were mended, though he remained unable to move. At least he no longer looked like a pile of flesh.
Meanwhile, Long Xiaoxiao had absorbed the nutrients from the Dragon Pool, her power reaching an unimaginable level. But she was far from satisfied. Her gaze turned to the dragon elders, her eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
She lunged towards them, her massive form blotting out the sky. The demon saints, sensing her terrifying aura, quickly backed away. Even they felt fear in her presence.
The dragon elders, horrified at Long Xiaoxiao's rapid power surge, had no choice but to transform into their true forms to fight her. However, under the suppression of the True Dragon bloodline, their power diminished instead of increasing.
In the end, under the horrified gaze of the demon saints, Long Xiaoxiao devoured the elders one by one.
With each elder consumed, her power and violent aura grew even stronger.
Xiao Fan, slowly regaining consciousness, did not look at Gongsun Yarou but at the now completely out-of-control Long Xiaoxiao. He knew that if nothing was done, she would lose her sanity entirely and become a monstrous beast.
He was her last hope.
"Gongsun Yarou, please take me to her, to Xiaoxiao," Xiao Fan begged.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Gongsun Yarou was furious. Not only did Xiao Fan fail to thank her, he was still obsessed with his disciple. Anyone could see that Long Xiaoxiao was beyond saving, and approaching her was suicidal.
"Please..." Xiao Fan pleaded humbly.
Gongsun Yarou's hands trembled with anger. She had gone through so much to save Xiao Fan, yet all he cared about was his disciple.
Despite her frustration, she couldn't bring herself to hit him.
"Fine, but on one condition. You must never see her again!" Gongsun Yarou demanded, partly out of spite.
"Okay." Xiao Fan agreed without hesitation. This response clearly violated the promise he had made to Long Xiaoxiao, but the situation left him no choice. He didn't even know if he would survive.
Even if he managed to restore her sanity and survive, he was now crippled, unable to protect her anymore. But Long Xiaoxiao, having absorbed so much power, had reached unprecedented heights and no longer needed his protection.