After crushing their last resistance, the true spirits of numerous sea-race powerhouses were corroded under the black flames, finally collapsing with thunderous finality.
"You did well! You killed a great number of the Eye of Judgment's worshippers — I shall reward you!"
The chaotic power of the Filthbird was projected directly into Leilin's will through some unknown channel, and a torrent of chaotic energy descended upon him.
[Ding! Large quantity of chaotic rule-power detected. Absorb?]
"No. Store all of it!" At Leilin's command, the massive amount of chaotic power crystallized into grey stones, which he covertly collected.
The black flames gradually died out, revealing an island that now bore not a single trace of life.
"Hehehe... Did they all die so easily? I thought they'd provide me with more entertainment..."
Leilin instantly appeared behind her, a flash of light crossing his hand.
"What are you doing?" Belinda cried out, then her eyes rolled white and she collapsed unconscious.
"Hmm. The bloodline is severely depleted — even her spiritual power is on the verge of exhaustion." Leilin shook his head. In this state, the other party was practically half-mad. Otherwise, even though his collection of chaotic power had been extremely covert, she would certainly have noticed.
...
"Mm..." With a soft groan, Belinda slowly opened her eyes.
What greeted her gaze was a sky full of brilliant stars, and the flickering campfire nearby.
Crackling sounds came from the fire, and several roasted fish were skewered on branches and planted in the ground beside it. Droplets of grease mixed with the savory aroma of food dripped steadily from the fish.
"You're awake? Want some?"
Leilin smiled faintly from the other side, holding out a skewer of freshly roasted fish.
Belinda took it reflexively, her eyes still dazed. Then, memories flooded back — the sea-race's betrayal, the headquarters' verdict, even the severing of her connection with the Supreme Judge's worship...
"Ah!" The half-snake woman gasped, and the fish skewer dropped from her hand onto the ground.
"Was all of that real?" Belinda rolled up her sleeve, gazing at a small sacrificial magical array branded into her skin. The Eye of Judgment symbol on it had gone completely dim, even showing cracks. She fell silent.
The weakness in her body spoke of the frenzy of slaughter she had unleashed, and a bitter smile crept onto Belinda's lips.
"I thought my convictions were strong enough, but they shattered so easily!"
"Actually, I think you did remarkably well!" Leilin smiled and handed over another skewer of roasted meat.
"Regardless of everything else, you're alive — that's the greatest fortune of all."
"..." Belinda sank into a long silence before finally taking the meat skewer from Leilin's hand. "Thank you."
Her voice was so faint it was like a mosquito's buzz — only Leilin's exceptional constitution allowed him to hear it.
"Why did you save me? Hoping I'd become your 'mate'?"
After finishing the food, the usually reserved Belinda asked bluntly, leaving Leilin momentarily stunned.
"Mate? Well, they are a different race after all — serpentine ones, at that. Their customs might differ somewhat!"
Thoughts flashed through his mind, but Leilin kept his composure and nodded. "That's only part of it. You're also of my kind — half-bloods of the White Devil are becoming rarer by the day. I couldn't just watch you perish like that."
"My background is extremely complicated, and now I'm a traitor to the Supreme Judge. If we were to pair up, it would bring you a great deal of danger!"
Belinda seemed to have recovered from the blow, transforming back into the strong woman she had been before.
Snap! She broke the branch in her hand, seeming to have reached some decision. She exhaled a long breath, and her entire bearing relaxed noticeably.
"Since we've already offended the Lord of Order, our only option is to head deep into the Heil Continent and hide..."
Belinda analyzed calmly. "Although the Mother of Dominion and the Eye of Judgment are allies, they wouldn't issue a bounty over something this minor. And with our bloodlines, going to another continent would only bring more discrimination — my past experiences are proof enough."
"I have no objections. I've been traveling through the ocean archipelagoes all along, and I've been wanting to visit the Heil Continent recently anyway."
Leilin appeared to strongly agree with Belinda's decision.
In truth, this had been his main objective all along. Otherwise, why would he have gone to such lengths to save Belinda?
"We'll land first at the nearest stretch of coastline, then cross the Plain of Ten Thousand Snakes and reach the
Belinda stood up. "And as repayment for your help, I'll find you a mate with bloodline purity equal to or greater than mine. Of course, if you still insist on your own choice, that's fine too."
"Alright!" Leilin rubbed his nose, looking somewhat embarrassed.
In truth, he found Belinda's simplistic method of repaying debts rather exasperating.
"Beast Soul Technique — Summon Gudolik!"
After they had rested, Leilin stood at the shoreline, and a layer of blue tattoos surfaced across his body — the spectral image of a nimble Gudolik. However, it appeared somewhat listless from the damage sustained in the earlier battle.
How to repair a beast soul was an extremely advanced technique. In the Purgatory World, only a handful of high-level Beast Soul Masters had mastered it. Therefore, even if Leilin had other means to restore the beast soul, he couldn't reveal them now.
"Moo! Moo!" The enormous Gudolik beast soul transformed into a stream of light and spread its massive membranous wings over the sea surface. Its broad back was as flat as solid ground.
"Let's go!" Leilin jumped on first, and Belinda followed.
Her crimson pupils swept over the Gudolik beast soul, and she shook her head with a look of pity. "A Gudolik reaches fourth-rank strength upon maturity, but they're extraordinarily difficult to control. Those merchants simply capture juveniles, seal them, or even extract their souls... It's truly despicable..."
Then she turned to Leilin. "I notice your beast soul collection seems rather sparse... Don't you have any healthier ones? A beast soul in this condition will only worsen when summoned — I'm afraid even a Beast Soul Healer couldn't do much..."
"I'm only a third-rank Beast Soul Master myself!" Leilin rubbed his nose somewhat sheepishly. This Gudolik was purchased at the port as a temporary substitute — he had no intention of repairing it, and planned at most to squeeze one last bit of use from it.
"What I'm actually better at is racial talents and the manipulation of dream power."
"Mm." Belinda nodded, clearly recalling the astonishing skill Leilin had displayed when wielding dream power.
"Now that we've become temporary companions, we should be more open with each other. Let me reintroduce myself — I'm Belinda! A fourth-rank Beast Soul Master, and a third-rank worshipper. Well, the worshipper title is useless now..."
The Gudolik soared swiftly across the sea, leaving a long white wake behind it.
Belinda tidied the loose strands of hair by her face and smiled at Leilin.
"A fourth-rank Beast Soul Master? I don't think I've ever seen you use a beast soul!" In her frenzied state before, she had even begun burning her bloodline essence, yet she still hadn't summoned her own fourth-rank beast soul — something that greatly surprised Leilin.
"My beast soul is... special. If I can help it, I'll never use it in my lifetime..."
Belinda forced a smile, the muscles on her face somewhat rigid, as if recalling something unpleasant. Leilin tactfully chose not to press further.
"I'm Nick! A third-rank Beast Soul Master! I'm quite skilled in physical combat and in using the White Devil's bloodline powers!"
Leilin spoke with complete sincerity.
"So — which port should we land at?"
"Although the Heil Continent doesn't have frequent outside contact, many ports will likely have our wanted notices posted by now. We'll probably have to choose an uninhabited stretch of coastline or something similar. Fortunately, since we're using a beast soul, there's no need for docking or repairs."
When it came to the Heil Continent, Belinda was clearly the more knowledgeable one. No matter how diligently Leilin had gathered information, it was all just surface-level — nothing compared to a native's understanding.
With the Gudolik's deep, resonant calls echoing around them, the two gazed toward the distant coastline, both wearing expressions of contemplation.
...
Two days later, beside a barren wasteland.
Black rocks jutted directly from the earth, their surfaces giving off a strong, acrid smell.
Leilin leaned idly against a boulder, waiting quietly.
In his field of vision, a massive port city gradually came into view. White marble statues and lighthouse-like landmarks radiated a beauty beyond compare.
The entire harbor was bustling with activity, and one could spot numerous non-human races entering and leaving along the roads at regular intervals.
After stealthily reaching the Heil Continent, Leilin and Belinda — lacking critical intelligence, maps, and supplies — had quietly made their way to the vicinity of a port. Belinda had volunteered to go gather information.
Knowing she was more experienced and familiar with the area, Leilin had wisely refrained from objecting.
"Here!"
With a whooshing sound, a linen sack flew through the air.
Snap! Leilin reached out and caught the bag in his hand. "What's this?"
"Maps! And some other essentials!"
Belinda was now wrapped in a thick cloak, concealing all traces of her half-snake features. She was being extremely cautious.
"Well? Any news?" Leilin asked, sounding somewhat eager.
"Oh, so you are capable of worry after all?" Belinda replied with a hint of amusement.