Chapter 829: Promise
Xue Zhao nodded and took out a talisman, injecting her own Spiritual Power, transforming the talisman into a beam of light that shot towards the Energy Baryte.
As soon as the talisman touched the crystal, it was immediately shattered by a formidable energy, clearly indicating that the defenses here were tighter than before.
Ye Qingchen took a deep breath, channeled his entire body’s Spiritual Power, and condensed it into a sharp Sword Qi directed straight at the Energy Baryte. The Sword Qi penetrated through the protective barrier and fiercely struck the crystal.
At the same time, Xue Zhao also fully deployed her technique to assist Ye Qingchen’s attack.
Their combined attack finally broke through the crystal’s protective layer, the Formation’s energy began to become chaotic, and the surrounding space shook violently, as if it would collapse at any moment.
"Quick, break the formation while we have the chance!" Ye Qingchen shouted.
Xue Zhao quickly formed hand seals, chanting spells, as streams of complex runes danced in her hands, finally converging into a powerful Spiritual Power that struck the core of the Energy Baryte. Under the impact of the Spiritual Power, the crystal finally shattered, dissolving into countless specks of light that dispersed into the air.
With the shattering of the crystal, the Formation’s energy completely dissipated, the surrounding darkness and heat gradually retreated, replaced by a bright glow.
Ye Qingchen and Xue Zhao let out a long breath of relief, any later...
Their energy could have been fully absorbed by the Formation, and by then, they would have been completely trapped.
Ye Qingchen turned his gaze to Xue Zhao.
Due to the effort to break the Formation, Xue Zhao had expended a lot of Spiritual Power, making her body somewhat weak, and her complexion slightly pale.
Seeing Xue Zhao’s condition, Ye Qingchen felt a tightness in his heart and hurriedly stepped forward to express his concern, "Xue Zhao, are you alright?"
Xue Zhao managed a smile and softly said, "I’m fine, just a bit over-exerted, I’ll be okay after resting. Ye Qingchen, are you concerned about me?"
Ye Qingchen held Xue Zhao’s shoulders, helping her sit down to rest, as he carefully checked her injuries, speaking softly, "Of course, with our relationship now, I can’t let anything happen to you!"
Xue Zhao slightly raised her head, looking at Ye Qingchen’s earnest eyes, she laughed aloud, "Ye Qingchen, if you like me, say it outright. I have feelings for you too, if you can join our Xue Family, you won’t be short of benefits."
Ye Qingchen gently held Xue Zhao’s arm, transferring his energy to heal her wounds.
"Xue Zhao, that’s absolutely out of the question, but if you insist on marrying me, I’d be more than happy to oblige, haha!"
Listening to his words, Xue Zhao gently leaned on Ye Qingchen’s shoulder, pretending to be aggrieved, glaring with wide eyes, "Brother Qingchen, is what you say true? I just don’t believe it."
Ye Qingchen gently patted Xue Zhao’s back, his voice tender, "Sister Xue Zhao, if you truly dare to marry, I genuinely dare to wed."
The two of them nestled close to each other, the surrounding glow illuminating their silhouettes; just by looking at them from afar, one would feel a particular warmth.
As Xue Zhao leaned into Ye Qingchen’s embrace, feeling his broad chest, a sense of reassurance arose inexplicably.
This was a feeling she hadn’t experienced since waking up.
This feeling even made her want to keep it forever.
Meanwhile, Ye Qingchen breathed in the faint fragrance on Xue Zhao’s body from his embrace, falling silent for a moment.
Their eyes met, as if time stood still at this moment.
Ye Qingchen slowly lowered his head, Xue Zhao gently raised hers, eyes full of tenderness. Their faces grew closer, breaths mingling, seeming to feel each other’s heartbeat.
Just as they were about to kiss, Xue Zhao suddenly remembered something and stepped back slightly, her face flushing with a hint of red, "Brother Qingchen, you haven’t promised to join our Xue Family, doing this might not be right."
Ye Qingchen realized too, clearing his throat as he pushed away from Xue Zhao and stood up.
"Alright, quit pretending, your injuries will heal on their own soon, it’s getting late, we can’t linger here any longer."
As Ye Qingchen moved away, Xue Zhao felt a sudden emptiness in her heart, a newfound sense of loss.
But she did not dwell on this sudden wave of emotion.
"Indeed, let’s go, this is not a good place, better leave quickly."
Just as they were preparing to leave, a rune unexpectedly fell out from the broken core of the Formation.
The rune spun a few times in mid-air, slowly descending to the ground, emitting a faint glow.
Both Ye Qingchen and Xue Zhao halted, their eyes attracted by the rune. Ye Qingchen stepped forward, cautiously picking up the rune and examining it closely.
The rune was about the size of a palm, deep blue, covered in intricate ancient patterns. The patterns resembled some ancient symbols, or perhaps winding rivers, interwoven with faint blue light.
At the center of the rune was a complex design, seemingly portraying a phoenix ready to soar, carrying a mysterious power. The surrounding air subtly distorted from the rune’s presence, appearing extraordinary.
Ye Qingchen felt the energy emanating from the rune, ancient and deep, filled with boundless power and secrets. He couldn’t help but frown, "This rune... the energy on it feels quite unusual."
Xue Zhao leaned over, also taking a moment to scrutinize it, nodding in agreement, "Indeed, the energy fluctuation of this rune is intense and carries a peculiar rhythm. Perhaps it has something to do with the earlier Formation, it might even hide some secret. I haven’t seen anything like this in the Xue Family before, looks like Xue Wei got it from somewhere unknown."
Ye Qingchen thought for a moment, holding the rune in his hand, feeling its rhythmic energy, a vague premonition arose in his heart, "Though I don’t know exactly what this rune is for, since it appeared here, it must be significant. Best to take it for later study."
Xue Zhao nodded in agreement, "Ye Qingchen, I can’t make use of this, perhaps you’ll find it useful someday, keep it for yourself."
Xue Zhao quickly refused as Ye Qingchen was about to give her the rune.
Ye Qingchen didn’t say much, pocketing the rune, nodded to her, and they both headed outside.
And the moment the news of their exit from the Formation reached, Xue Wei became aware.
Xiao Xiao hadn’t left yet.
Ah San was about to speak on this matter, but upon seeing Xiao Xiao there, he quickly signaled to Xue Wei with his eyes.
"Xiao Xiao, it’s getting late, if you don’t return soon, others might start worrying." Xue Wei smiled gently at Xiao Xiao.
Xiao Xiao only then remembered, quickly rising, "Xue Wei, sorry for the inconvenience, rest assured, your matters are my matters from now on. I’ll take my leave, you handle your affairs."
After seeing off Xiao Xiao, Xue Wei called Ah San forward.
"What’s the matter? Are those two gravely injured within the Secret Realm?"
But Ah San gravely shook his head, "Master, no, they’ve broken through the Formation."