A spurt of black blood splattered out as the tree python's body fell from the tree, convulsing like a bundle of rope. However, Su Chen's attack was not over. He descended from the tree, flipped with the wind, and inverted himself, slamming towards the python's head. This time, his hands transformed into blades, and he stomped down with the force of a thousand pounds, as the green-bladed edge was about to pierce into the massive head of the python!

Whoosh!

The dazed tree python suddenly quivered violently. Its previously motionless head abruptly lifted high, dodging the fatal blow. Its entire snake body seemed to be grasped by an invisible giant hand, instantly contracting together!

Su Chen had not anticipated the tree python having this move, and without time to pause, he was immediately bound tightly. The tree python howled to the sky, its serpentine body coiling into a ball, completely wrapping Su Chen inside.

Phoenix was startled, staggering back a few steps, barely supporting her trembling body. Her complexion turned ashen, and a complex expression of fear and hesitation flashed in her eyes.

Back when she was in the most danger, he saved her life without regard for his own, yet she stabbed him in the back. Now that he survived the calamity and appeared suddenly, saving her twice again, with him on the verge of despair, could she heartlessly leave him and flee alone?

She shook her head vigorously, then bit her silver teeth, drew a sharp dagger, and rushed toward the python!

But just as she was about to stab the python, an unexpected change occurred!

The tree python let out a roar, its coiled body twisting violently, stirring up a cloud of dust. A mass of black flame burst out from its belly, immediately turning the bloody snake abdomen into nothingness!

The python screeched endlessly, its body erecting in pain, revealing a ghastly missing part. Su Chen leapt out from beneath it, his left palm burning with a strange black fire. He shouted with an icy anger, "Fiery Flame Heart-Burning Palm!"

Bam!

As he rose to a certain height, his left palm suddenly thrust out, and a mass of black flame imprinted onto the python's massive head. The struggling tree python suddenly froze, the fire directly burning through its head as it fell straight backward...

Phoenix opened her mouth but was horrified to find she couldn't utter a sound, only able to stare with wide eyes, watching Su Chen squat down to retrieve the Spirit Pearl, then turn to walk towards her.

The mass of black flame was etched like a nightmare deep into her mind. Even as Su Chen stood before her, she was completely paralyzed.

"You..."

"What's wrong?"

Su Chen wiped the bloodstain off the Spirit Pearl and said indifferently.

"Are you okay?"

Phoenix's body was rigid.

"Thank you for your concern, I'm fine."

Su Chen curled his lips woodenly, put the cleaned Spirit Pearl into the Canghen Crystal, then wiped the short blade again and reattached it to his waist. Throughout, his gaze never lingered on Phoenix for more than five seconds.

Phoenix was stunned for several minutes before the dazed expression on her face slowly faded away, replaced by guilt. In front of such a Su Chen, she suddenly felt so insignificant. Selfish, cold-blooded, cowardly, pathetic—as if all the flaws suddenly surfaced within her, displayed in their full, vile crudeness.

A bitter smile appeared on her lips, and she shook her head, saying to herself, "You were just testing if I would run away, weren't you? You... you still remember attacking you that day."

Su Chen paused, his brow chilly, and said indifferently, "So what if I do?"

"No matter what, it started because of my mistake, and whatever punishment you give, I have no complaints," Phoenix said solemnly.

Su Chen suddenly chuckled with a hint of amusement in his tone, "A mistake? You think you just made a mistake? Because of that sword of yours, I nearly fell to my death down the mountainside. Do you know the kind of struggle I endured for survival at the base of the mountain, more agonizing than death? Just from that mistake of yours, I almost lost all my dreams and lived in regret for life?"

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to avenge my deceased companions at the time..."

Phoenix didn't know why, despite her usual stone-hearted self, her emotions were so violently agitated after hearing these words, even her eyes slightly red. Bowing her head, she waited like a child who had made a mistake, awaiting punishment.

Su Chen, unable to suppress the grief and anger inside, continued, "Your companions wanted to kill me; did that mean I should just stand still and let them do it? Are only your lives precious, and I, Su Chen, doomed to live as a cheap life, to be slaughtered by anyone without resistance? If that were so, then I should have been torn to pieces at birth!"

Recalling the scenes from his youth, despised by others, a profound desolation suddenly filled his heart, all sorrow surfacing at once, his voice trembling with anguish in the end...

Phoenix, as if struck by lightning, slowly raised her head to look at Su Chen's face, filled with endless sorrow, her eyes gradually welling with tears of regret. She had never seen anyone with such a forlorn expression. How much bitterness, how long must one endure such grievances and accumulated resentment?

Two streams of tears slid down as she clenched her jade hand, saying in a lost voice, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault. If you are willing, let me follow you for life, as your servant to make amends..."

"No need. Who could be sure, driven by a whim, you wouldn't suddenly stab me from behind again? I'm afraid when that happens, I won't be so lucky again."

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