"Uh... Well... One Azure Flame is worth ten thousand Giant Spirit Beasts or Violet Spirit Sharks!" Bai Xiaoyu said. "I helped you save Azure Flame; doesn't that count as making up for it?"
"No, it doesn't."
Bai Xiaoyu: "..."
"Remove the talisman," Damian said.
Azure Flame was already waiting there, shrunk to the size of a bat, standing atop the clouds.
Hearing this, she shifted into human form, her face expressionless as she stared at Bai Xiaoyu.
Bai Xiaoyu waved her hand and said, "The Moonbound Ice Curse borrows the power of the moon—it's a divine spell, not something you can just pull out whenever you want."
"So?" Damian stepped forward, his aura pressing down.
"Uh..." Bai Xiaoyu leaned back slightly. "You need to find a suitable Dragon's Nexus and borrow its power to pull it out."
"Azure Flame, go."
Azure Flame transformed into a Flying Demon Drake, and the two of them climbed onto her back once more, heading west.
Bai Xiaoyu sat against Azure Flame's spine, gazing at Damian, her thoughts a jumble.
Actually, there used to be no such thing as 'Demon Slayers' on this continent.
It was all because of the Demon Emperor, Damian Black.
A hundred years ago, he gathered the demon beasts, seized the Wildlands, and crowned himself emperor.
Over the century, demons and gods clashed in war after war.
And the demon realm only grew stronger with each battle.
Demons rampaged everywhere, bringing disaster to the mortal world.
To slay demons and exorcise evil, the great clans and immortal sects formed the Demon Slayer Alliance.
Members of the alliance are called Demon Slayers.
The Divine Realm issued a heavenly decree, choosing the twelve strongest Demon Slayers in the mortal world, granting them magical artifacts and seals. They were named Heaven-Bestowed Demon Slayers, leading the immortals to slay demons, exorcise evil, and protect the realm.
Bai Xiaoyu is one of those twelve Heaven-Bestowed Demon Slayers.
And when the Divine Realm gave her the seal, they implanted an array inside her body: the Dragon-Coiling Heavenly Gang Array.
This array was designed specifically to capture the Demon Emperor, Damian Black.
In other words, she herself is a walking trap.
As long as they reach a Dragon's Nexus, Damian... won't be able to escape, even if he sprouts wings.
...
But just now, if it weren't for Damian, her little brother definitely wouldn't have survived.
Kind-hearted Bai Xiaoyu can't help but feel that doing this... goes against her conscience.
Maybe... she'd better just find a way to run for it!
The Eastern Luo Kingdom and the Sigil Sect both have the protection of the Divine Clan. If she escapes, Damian probably wouldn't dare retaliate recklessly.
Yes, that's settled then.
But the problem is... her spiritual power is sealed.
Without spiritual power, she can't even fly—how is she supposed to escape?
Bai Xiaoyu rolled her eyes, thinking for a moment, and decided to try using the Demon-Binding Net.
Her Demon-Binding Net was a magical artifact given to her by her master, and it doesn't require her own spiritual power to use.
This artifact is powerful—so far, it's never failed to catch any demon.
Of course, the demons she's caught before weren't nearly as strong as these two.
Still, she thinks it might at least hold them for a little while.
If she uses a few Escape Talismans, maybe she really could get away.
...
Bai Xiaoyu stood up and walked behind Damian.
With a flick of her forefinger and thumb from her sleeve, it turned into an invisible net, flying toward Damian.
But unexpectedly, Azure Flame, who had been flying smoothly, suddenly braked hard.
Caught off guard, Bai Xiaoyu lurched forward.
At the same time, Damian, who had his back to her, sensed something was wrong and turned around.
She crashed right into Damian's arms.
Worse yet, the Demon-Binding Net, upon touching living beings, instantly materialized and bound them tightly together.
Uh...
How awkward.
She looked up at Damian.
He lowered his gaze to her, his pitch-black eyes utterly calm. "What are you doing?"