"Let her go," Damian Black said again.
"Sure! A life for a life. You die, she lives. How about that?"
Damian Black replied, "Fine. Release her first."
"If I let her go, what if you run away?"
"I can hand over my weapon," Damian said. "Without it, I’m no match for you—and I couldn’t escape even if I tried."
Riftsky thought for a moment, then agreed. "Alright! She’s so weak now—killing her would be boring anyway. Hand over your weapon!"
"Don’t do it! If you give him your weapon, we’re really doomed!" Little Fish sound-transmitted to Damian.
Damian ignored her, summoned a sword, and sent it flying to Riftsky.
Riftsky took it and inspected the sword with obvious satisfaction.
So Damian’s weapon was a sword.
Wait, that’s not the ‘Tenfold Oblivion Arrow’?
Riftsky released Lily Bai and shoved her toward Damian.
Damian grabbed her and pulled her straight into his Life-pouch.
Little Fish: "..."
She thought Damian would be able to send her out, just like that.
But then he started fighting Riftsky.
Even inside the Life-pouch, Lily could sense just how brutal the battle was.
She was freaking out.
When Damian finally let her out, she saw that Riftsky had reverted to his true form, body scorched black—dead.
The grand barrier had already been broken open.
All four balancing scales had been smashed—Azure Flame, Baxa, and the others must’ve broken the formation from outside.
But Damian... was covered in blood.
Three long claw marks gouged across his back, deep enough to show bone.
Expression unchanged, he picked up his sword and stowed it away.
"Damian, are you okay?" Little Fish asked, worry written all over her face.
Damian shook his head. "I’m fine."
"You killed Riftsky..."
"Once you’re inside, no one can leave unless the array is broken from outside. So the only option was to kill it," Damian said. "Besides, it committed plenty of atrocities—it deserved to die."
"Oh..." Lily nodded. "But why could I enter the barrier, and Azure Flame and Baxa couldn’t?"
Damian didn’t answer. He turned to look at Blood-Eye.
Blood-Eye: "I... I didn’t mean to push her in! I had no idea she’d slip right through!"
"Blood-Eye, go guard the Lark Mountain outpost," Damian said. "Don’t come back to the Primeval Demon Wilds without my orders."
"Huh? But..." He glanced at Lily Bai. "Can I take Lily Bai with me?"
"Go. Alone." Damian replied.
Blood-Eye eyed Damian’s wounds and smirked, "You got a thing for her too, huh? Just admit it! I already said I’m not competing with you."
"Out!" Damian’s sword flashed from its sheath.
Blood-Eye bolted.
Little Fish let out a sigh of relief. "Damian, let me go with you to Bones for healing?"
"No need." He turned and vanished.
Little Fish stood there, frowning and dazed.
"Senior Sister," Nine Li sound-transmitted. "Riftsky was terrifying! Several times, Damian nearly died fighting it—good thing he had that lightning-charged arrow."
Lily Bai glanced at him.
"So, if a man’s willing to risk his life for you, what else could it be but true love?" Nine Li teased. "Senior Sister, go chase after him! Be brave!"
Lily Bai swallowed hard.
She didn’t go back right away. Instead, she made a special trip to White Cloud Manor to ask Bones for medicine, then went to find Damian.
This time, he didn’t avoid her.
When Lily Bai walked in, Damian was soaking in the tub again, healing his wounds in silence.