Meanwhile, after Emperor Xu Huang temporarily withdrew, he quickly consumed a few healing pills to stabilize his injuries.
"Phew..." He exhaled, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.
If the master's powerful allies hadn't arrived in time, he might never have seen Orion again.
At that moment, Emperor Xu Huang noticed Orion's arrival and quickly moved to his side.
"My lord..." he said, his face pale and his body trembling slightly, but he still bowed respectfully.
Orion quickly helped him to his feet.
"Xuhuang, you did a great job this time! Thank you for your hard work! But... where is Li Sandao? Why haven't I seen him?"
Orion's smile faltered as he looked around, searching for Li Sandao's familiar figure.
"Um..."
Hearing the question, Emperor Xu Huang let out a quiet sigh and lowered his head in silence.
A sense of dread gripped Orion's heart.
"Where is he? Where is Li Sandao right now?" he pressed, fear creeping into his voice.
"Could it be...?"
Orion's eyes reddened, and his voice grew low and hoarse.
Emperor Xu Huang's bitter smile and gloomy expression spoke volumes.
Instead of explaining, he led Orion to a pile of ruins.
"My lord," he began slowly, "the battle was fierce, and I couldn't keep track of Li Sandao. I saw him fall here and thought he couldn't climb out again."
With a gentle wave of his hand, Emperor Xu Huang used his Void power to clear the debris.
Beneath the rubble lay a broken body—Li Sandao.
Orion's heart tightened at the sight of his fallen companion.
Li Sandao lay motionless, eyes tightly shut, but his hand still clutched the long knife, indicating he had fought until the end.
Tremors of panic surged through Orion as he feared the worst.
"Li Sandao... how did it come to this?" he whispered, stunned.
"My lord..."
Upon hearing Orion's anguish, Emperor Xu Huang shook his head and forced a smile.
"With a Martial Saint fighting against an Emperor, it's a miracle he still has a whole body! It looks like Li Sandao is dying."
"Perhaps we should let Emperor Qingyun refine him into a sword slave. He could still protect you!"
Li Sandao: "??? What a nice person!"
Just then, a flicker of movement caught Orion's eye.
"His finger is moving! He's not dead!"
Orion's heart raced with hope. "Quick! I have an elixir. Give it to him now!"
He hurriedly retrieved an immortal elixir he had secured earlier and handed it to Emperor Xu Huang.
The elixir was nothing short of miraculous, surpassing even ninth-grade potions in potency.
As soon as Li Sandao swallowed it, a surge of vitality erupted within him.
Visible to the naked eye, his injuries began to heal at an astonishing pace.
The erratic aura surrounding him stabilized, and his vital signs gradually returned to normal.
Overjoyed, Orion and Emperor Xu Huang exchanged excited glances.
"Wonderful! Li Sandao is alive! This is fantastic!" Orion couldn't contain his joy, shouting in exhilaration.
As the elixir's effects took hold, Li Sandao, who had been unconscious, suddenly opened his eyes, a fierce light flickering within them.
He instinctively gripped his long knife, ready for action.
"Li Sandao, are you awake? Are you okay?" Orion asked, his surprise evident.
"Lord! You need to go! I'll handle things here!"
Li Sandao's voice was hoarse, a remnant of his ordeal, but his determination radiated.
However, as he cautiously scanned his surroundings, confusion washed over him.
"Where are the enemies? Why did they vanish?"
Orion's comforting voice broke through his bewilderment.
"Li Sandao, it's alright now. We're safe! But you need to rest. Your injuries haven't fully healed yet."
"Just take a moment to recuperate. We'll handle the rest," Orion reassured him gently.
Although the elixir was powerful, Li Sandao had brushed too closely with death.
Even if he seemed fine on the surface, he still needed time to recover from the internal wounds he had suffered.