The Demon's cold snort was like cold wind from the ninth hell, instantly freezing the just-kindled hope. The strengthened pressure was like invisible chains, not only heavily suppressing the struggling-awakening consciousness within Xu Zhan, but also like a tide crashing against that floating jade pendant, trying to extinguish that sorrowful, stubborn call.
The blue-green light emanating from the jade pendant dimmed visibly, flickering, as if about to extinguish at any moment. That soft light trembled violently under the demonic will's assault, like the final candle in a storm.
Xu Zhan's head-clutching motion became rigid. The painful growl in his throat was forcibly suppressed. That clarity just emerging from the pitch-black demonic abyss, full of pain and confusion, was like being poured with thick ink, quickly covered again by spreading darkness. The chaotic, wildly escaping demonic energy around him, under the Demon's will's forced intervention, began re-organizing, becoming orderly and solid, emanating even more dangerous aura.
Those eyes--the struggling light grew weaker, cold killing intent like winter ice, covered over again.
No... father! Hold on! Xiao Qi lay on the cold ruins, watching his father's eyes' final clarity about to extinguish, heart like being cut by knives. He reached out, uselessly trying to grasp that thread of light, wanting to pass more power to that precarious jade pendant.
However, he was empty inside. The Purification Origin was dormant from backlash and severe injury. The Red Flame Sword Intent was also depleted. He could do nothing, could only watch his father slide again toward complete possession.
Despair, like an icy venomous snake, coiled around his neck.
At that moment when clarity was about to be thoroughly devoured by darkness, Xu Zhan's eyes' final human color about to perish--
The abnormality came, not from external, but from Xiao Qi himself, from that most primitive, most unbreakable blood depth!
A burning sensation exploded in his heart without warning! Not the pendant's scalding, but another more profound, more surging throb! As if some ancient mark sleeping in his blood was triggered by his father's soul on the verge of complete downfall, and by the jade pendant's sorrowful call!
His heart beat with unprecedented power. Every beat pumped scalding blood containing some mysterious connection! That blood flowed through his depleted meridians, through his broken body, finally, resonating unprecedentedly, deeply with that jade pendant about to extinguish!
Hum---!
The originally dim jade pendant, as if injected with new life source, suddenly erupted unprecedented brilliant blue-green light! That light was no longer merely soft and sorrowful, but also carried a blood-origin-sourced, undeniable authority and penetrability! Blue-green light condensed like substance, transforming into an even thicker, more stable beam, forcefully breaking through the Demon's pressure obstruction, again precisely covering Xu Zhan!
This time, the effect was completely different!
That blue-green light was no longer external call, but transformed into a bridge, a soul bridge based on blood kinship, surpassing all spell and demonic energy seals!
Er ah---!
Xu Zhan let out an even more mournful yet seemingly carrying a trace of relief scream! He raised his head sharply. Those eyes almost thoroughly occupied by darkness, upon contact with blue-green light containing blood resonance, like being thrown into ice water with burning branding iron, reacted violently!
Dense demonic energy writhed and scattered frantically, as if meeting a natural nemesis!
Struggle, pain, confusion... various emotions like a carousel flashed rapidly through his eyes. Ultimately, all chaos was replaced by an even larger, more profound emotion--
It was unbelievable shock, longing spanning life and death and time, relief seeing flesh-and-blood kin had grown, and even more--extreme pain and... guilt toward his current demonic puppet appearance, toward forced weapon-turned-hostility!
Under the dual action of jade pendant light and blood connection, Xu Zhan's soul corroded and bound by demonic energy for unknown years actually forcefully broke through the Demon's strengthened suppression, gaining much clearer, more stable... moment of clarity!
He saw clearly.
He saw clearly this disciple lying in the ruins, covered in blood and dirt, face pale as paper, yet still stubbornly extending his hand, eyes containing blood-tears looking at him.
Those eyebrows and eyes faintly had his wife's shadow. Those contours, seven parts similar to his young self. Those eyes full of determination and pain made him instantly understand--this was his son! Xu Xiaoqi! The infant he desperately sent out on that night of destruction! He was... already so big!
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Xu Zhan's eyes that had regained clarity,weathered by countless years and painful, deeply, greedily gazed at Xiao Qi, as if wanting to carve his appearance into the deepest part of his soul, to take into eternal darkness.
Thousands of words blocked in his throat, yet not one could be spoken.
All concerns, all guilt, all love and reluctance ultimately transformed into two lines of turbid, mixed with pitch-black demonic energy... bloody tears!
Those bloody tears, from his cleared eyes' corners, slowly fell, leaving two shocking traces on his blue-gray cheeks.
He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to call his son's name, wanting to pat his head, wanting to ask, like an ordinary father, how he was doing.
But the demonic energy's counter-assault was already coming! The Demon's will in his consciousness roared furiously!
The clarity in his eyes began flickering violently, like an unstable light bulb. Pain surged again. That pitch-black demonic color like a tide, madly trying to re-submerge this brief clarity.
He ground his teeth tightly, using all strength from this clear moment, fighting that boundless darkness and erosion, yet gaze never left Xiao Qi's face.
That gaze was full of endless grief, deep longing, and a kind of... farewell resolve.
He was using this final clarity to tell his son: I recognize you. I'm proud of you. Sorry. Live well... survive.
Blood resonance pierced through demonic seals, bringing this brief yet precious reunion. However, this clarity was like a flower blooming in moonlight--fleeting, a greater storm was rapidly brewing in this reunion's grief.