The moment Guiyecha heard the gasps from Xiaozhi and Youxiang, he froze, his gaze shifting to Lin Luo now laced with twelve parts vigilance. "So you are their Master!"

After all, if the two apprentices were this formidable, then their Master was beyond measure.

Lin Luo remained silent, his gaze sweeping past the demon before settling on the heavily wounded bodies of Xiaozhi and Youxiang. He still said nothing, his expression utterly calm.

Guiyecha frowned, a faint unease stirring within him. If Lin Luo had immediately roared or sworn vengeance upon seeing his disciples’ miserable state, Guiyecha wouldn't have underestimated him, but he wouldn't have taken it too seriously either; after all, the dogs that bark the loudest seldom bite.

But Lin Luo’s composure could only mean two things. First, he was heartless, completely unconcerned with the life or death of his two apprentices, hence his indifference. Second, he simply didn't regard Guiyecha as a threat, remaining perfectly unperturbed.

In Guiyecha’s estimation, the first possibility was clearly impossible. Therefore... even though this internal debate left him somewhat frustrated, caution was the better part of valor. His own vessel had been anchored for ten thousand years; to have it capsized again through carelessness would leave him with nothing but regret.

"Why have you come here?" Thinking this, Guiyecha couldn't help but ask. This space, influenced by his altar, was completely isolated from the present world. Unless he intentionally opened it, ordinary people simply couldn't enter. Of course, since those two young girls could reach this place, it wasn't surprising that Lin Luo, their Master, could follow, but Guiyecha’s motive for asking wasn't to know the answer—it was purely to stall for time and find an opportunity to escape using a secret technique.

He had only just managed to revive, and his strength hadn't returned to its peak. Engaging in battle with an unfathomably deep opponent like Lin Luo was clearly not a wise choice.

Lin Luo’s gaze returned to him, as if oblivious to the demon’s intentions, showing no immediate sign of attacking. He replied calmly, "Oh, about that? It's hardly a secret. As I approached, I happened to see some differentiated soul projections fleeing this way, so I just followed them in. Any other questions?"

Differentiated soul projections... So that was it. He had forced his way through the barrier. Even though the altar was destroyed and the barrier unstable, to traverse space regardless of the chaos required a substantial level of power.

Lin Luo's forthcoming answer did nothing to endear him to Guiyecha; instead, it heightened his wariness, cementing his resolve to find a way out.

Lin Luo paid no mind to what the demon was thinking. He smiled and continued, "Well, I suggest you don't waste too much effort. I don't know what secret art you plan to use, but I guarantee your speed won't match mine. The instant you initiate it, you'll be cleaved in two by me."

At these words, Guiyecha was instantly alarmed. He hadn't expected his intentions to be seen through. Where had he slipped up?

Guiyecha’s expression grew grim, while Lin Luo remained relaxed, creating a stark contrast. Then Lin Luo spoke again, "My two apprentices are gravely injured. Lingering here will only worsen their condition, so my time is also limited. Frankly, based on my personal feeling, you aren't the type of person I deeply loathe. However, since my two disciples have been taken care of by you, I can't pretend nothing happened. So, I've thought of a good solution..."

As he spoke, Lin Luo extended his right hand, and immediately, a sword wreathed in blazing black flames materialized in his grip. He then pointed the tip directly at Guiyecha. "If you can withstand this one strike without dying, I will let you go."

Staring at the Black Flame Sword, Guiyecha felt an immense threat, vaguely sensing the illusion of being utterly annihilated by it. This made him even more hesitant to fight Lin Luo, but his escape plan had been exposed, leaving him trapped. Lin Luo’s words, however, sparked a sliver of hope, prompting him to ask, "Is that true?"

Lin Luo nodded gravely. "Of course. My word is my bond. I will strike only once. Whether you dodge, defend, or even choose to attack me, after this single blow, be you dead or alive, our grievances will be settled. From then on, our paths shall never cross."

"Good." With virtually no hesitation, Guiyecha immediately agreed. After experiencing the terrifying threat of the Sword of Demolition and Slaughter, he had no confidence in blocking Lin Luo’s attack. But if he couldn't even withstand one strike, then nothing else mattered. Rather than contemplating other countermeasures, it was better to gamble everything on this single sword blow.

"Then... look at the sword!"

Seeing his agreement, Lin Luo dispensed with further talk. As his voice faded, the Sword of Demolition and Slaughter descended directly, and in an instant, the black flames shot straight toward Guiyecha.

This strike carried no killing intent, no oppressive aura, and its speed was even within the range of the naked eye to track. It seemed like an effortlessly casual swing, unremarkable on the surface. Yet, facing this single strike, Guiyecha’s face changed drastically. As the blow approached, he finally understood the nature of that terrifying threat.

Because he was locked on completely—there was no escape!

At this moment, he couldn't help but be grateful for having made the wise choice. If he had insisted on using his secret technique to flee earlier, Lin Luo's sword would likely have sent him to the Yellow Springs before the spell was even cast.

Simultaneously, with retreat impossible, he instinctively channeled all his strength, instantly manifesting seven visible layers of defensive barriers around himself, attempting to withstand the descending strike of the Sword of Demolition and Slaughter.

Having regenerated, he could now freely utilize his full current power and abilities; his strength had more than doubled or tripled. If he were fighting Xiaozhi and Youxiang now, he could kill them in moments. Thus, although he lacked confidence in completely blocking Lin Luo's devastating sword, he felt certain he could preserve his life.

But!

The very instant he established his defensive net, Lin Luo’s Sword of Demolition and Slaughter crashed down. Almost at the moment of contact, the first layer of defense instantly disintegrated, and under Guiyecha’s horrified gaze, the remaining six layers were cleanly sliced away as if they were mere tofu.

Before he could react, he felt a scorching wave imbued with the essence of destruction completely engulf him.

"One strike, and we are even." As the black flames rained down, Lin Luo stated faintly, retracted the Sword of Demolition and Slaughter, and walked toward Xiaozhi and Youxiang, sparing the demon another glance.

Guiyecha remained rooted to the spot, as if time itself had stopped, his expression of terror fixed on his face. Only after a moment did his lips move. "How... impossible..."

The words hadn't even finished leaving his mouth when a plume of black flame ignited at the center of his brow, instantly consuming him. Then, when the flame burned out, he too had vanished entirely.

Though he had seized the opportunity presented, the gulf in power between them ultimately meant he could not withstand that single blow.

Seeing Guiyecha instantly slain by one of Lin Luo’s strikes, Xiaozhi and Youxiang were left gaping in shock. They had fully expected a fierce battle, especially given Guiyecha's potent regenerative abilities, but they never imagined he couldn't even block a single strike from Lin Luo, rendering his regeneration utterly useless.

"As expected... Master is the strongest..."

After uttering this phrase, their heads lolled, and both fainted simultaneously.

First, they had endured the oppressive pressure of Guiyecha’s aura, then fought against a hundred demons, and finally clashed with Guiyecha again. In truth, both their minds and bodies had already reached their absolute limit. The only reason they had maintained consciousness was sheer, unyielding willpower. Now that the person they could rely on most was beside them and Guiyecha was dead, their mental defenses immediately relaxed. As the tension eased, the suppressed fatigue surged over them like a tide, and they could no longer hold onto consciousness.

Lin Luo approached them, lifting each of their battered bodies gently. He smiled slightly. "Though you can't hear me now, I must still say... you both did exceptionally well."

Then, Lin Luo’s form flickered, and he vanished from the spot in an instant.

...

Upon returning to their residence, Lin Luo immediately began treating the two girls. Although he couldn't use Healing Arts because the Tome of Contract was sealed, having learned his lesson from the ordeal in the Demon Cannon world, he possessed several healing methods of his own, supplemented by countless miraculous elixirs. Pulling the girls back from the brink of death was easily accomplished.

However, healing the wounds, while not difficult, meant that their complete recovery would likely take a considerable time. They had repeatedly surpassed their physical limits during the fighting, and such transgressions placed an enormous strain on both body and spirit. For an ordinary person, surpassing their limit even once would carry a fatality risk exceeding ninety percent.

If they hadn't undergone continuous training designed to push them past their boundaries, they would never have survived.

Of course, while this battle inflicted heavy damage, it also yielded greater rewards. At least in Lin Luo's view, their potential had been fully unleashed. Once they recovered completely, their strength would advance by at least three or four tiers—like a third-rate master having the Ren and Du Meridians opened, ensuring a smooth path forward thereafter.

"It seems the day you can stand alone is not far off. And when that happens... I should be ready to depart."

After the treatment was complete, Lin Luo gazed at the two girls lying on the bed and murmured these words.

"Leave? Where are you going?" A questioning voice drifted from behind Lin Luo. He instinctively turned back to see Shenqi entering from outside.

On the way back, Lin Luo had already transmitted the news to Shenqi and the Thirteen Taibao; her appearance here was not unexpected.

It was just that Lin Luo hadn't anticipated her timing would be so fortuitous. But he had no intention of hiding anything, smiling, "Shenqi, you've arrived at the perfect moment. There is something I feel is fine to discuss with you."