A warm hue was cast upon the world.
Raging and reaching to the sky, a tall flame surged violently. Erupting with shockwaves that shook the district.
"Maiden!"
In the distance, Dawn was approaching Heart Tethering Maiden's location when fire engulfed the area.
'The people will be implicated by this fire, and the wind will help to spread it around. I don't have any means to put out this fire... I want to help snuff it, but I must find Maiden!'
With that thought, Dawn threw herself into the flames.
Wooden buildings set alight, smoke thick in the air.
It was a scene that reminded her of Star Gazing Settlement. Fortunately, these flames were a far cry compared to the Crimson Flames that ravaged her home Settlement.
Through Immersion, Dawn had a clear purview of the chaotic situation around her.
Heat. Fear. Pain.
Dawn filtered those out of her mind and concentrated. Amidst the myriad sensations, she found life desperately holding on to the edge.
With a quick bat of her Iron Lotus, Dawn cleared the debris of this collapsed building.
Within, in the centre of a broken roof, now crashed upon the wooden flooring, was Heart Tethering Maiden.
Most of her robes were burned. The lustrous black hair was now strewn messily, intertwined with flickering cinders.
Her once fair skin is now charred, peeling in flakes, revealing the red bundled underneath.
Although what was revealed was not flesh or muscle, but strings. Red strings replaced what was supposed to be her muscular and nervous system.
"Maiden..."
A frown was cast over Dawn's eyes as she tried to help Heart Tethering Maiden, but her limp, frail body seemed susceptible to breaking apart at the slightest touch.
"Hahaha..."
Dawn was too engrossed in the horrific sight of her fellow Cultivator to notice a man had approached from behind.
Turning, she saw a similarly ruined body.
Punctured with holes. Something was writhing under his skin, like worms, albeit weakly.
He spat out a pained groan.
"How far... the beauty has fallen. Wretch."
"Damn... you..."
Heart Tethering Maiden retorted with her own snarl, while Dawn readied her Iron Lotus in front of her.
The man looked down upon the blade pointed at his face.
Baring his teeth, which were charred black, he laughed.
Laughing madly, weakly, like a smoker on his deathbed.
"I've done what I can. Ah... enjoy... your last few moments. Wretches..."
A low thud hit the floor, and the life was drained from the man's eyes as he collapsed.
Dawn eyed the corpse cautiously.
'The smoke is getting too thick, I must leave this place.'
"Forgive me, Maiden."
Picking up the woman's limp body, Dawn hurriedly escaped the smoky interior of the building.
Dawn escaped the boundaries of the raging fire and stood upon a rooftop, watching as the district was engulfed in heat and an orange hue.
'I don't have any healing Dao Arts... I must bring Heart Tethering Maiden to a medical expert. Then... Wolf King Lan will need my aid.'
'But, there are also these people, the fires aren't dying down. And...'
Everyone within this district was within Dawn's range of Immersion.
'Guards and other capable people are handling the situation. I will leave this situation to them.'
'Heart Tethering Maiden, just where can I take you...? The central district and the Settlement Lord's complex housed most of the medical experts due to Senior Silver's injuries...'
'Can I rely on them? No... the fight between Senior and the Settlement Lord destroyed most of the complex, even now they are rampaging.'
"If there... is no one you can rely on... just flee."
That last, weak voice came from the woman in Dawn's arms.
Heart Tethering Maiden spoke with a husky tone; it would not be surprising if she coughed up smoke with every wheeze.
"What do you mean, 'just flee', Maiden?"
"This Settlement... is a lost cause... You can't expect to win this..."
"..."
"Flee... Preserve yourself."
"That, I can not do."
"...?"
"Maiden. Should I leave now, I would preserve my life at the cost of my beliefs. That is not something I will do. My Way has been nurtured since my youth; it is not something that I will give up."
"..."
"..."
"Fool..."
Saying so, Heart Tethering Maiden's body arose from Dawn's grasp, much to the latter's astonishment.
"I will... find Silver... Wolf King Lan is in your hands..."
The Maiden's articulation was strange, not resembling human movements. It was also filled with strength that belied her physical appearance.
'...'
Dawn watched the doll-like Maiden leave the site, heading towards the Settlement Lord's complex.
Turning the other way, Dawn looked towards the Southern direction, beyond the Settlement's border, and to Iron Mountain Divot's edge.
...
Raising a long blade and cutting downwards, a wolf's head was severed from its neck.
Another swing and another wolf was split in two.
"Hahaha!"
Laughing maniacally, the man's voice cut through the quiet air.
"Wolf King Lan, the last of your wolves stand beside you, you have no chance to survive me. If you get on your knees and prostrate yourself, I might consider letting you live!"
"..."
Breathing the cold air with heavy breaths, the large man, with wolf's fur draped around his body, and dark, lacklustre robes riddled with tears, stared at his enemy.
Wolf King Lan was at his weakest. Suffering a grievous wound from an ambush, and losing most of his wolves.
If his battle strength were to be represented by his wolves, he wields less than a tenth of his original strength.
Protecting Wolf King Lan's back was a large wolf, larger than a horse carriage, and bearing blood-stained grey fur. It was injured, limping on its front left leg.
In front of Wolf King Lan were the rest of his wolves, only numbering twenty in total.
'I can not let this go on further. If I allow this man to push through me, the Settlement is doomed. Not only that, but that Life Taming Monarch has also refused to pursue me...'
'If he is recovering his wounds, then there is nothing we can do to resist him! I must attack him now!'
Wolf King Lan charged forward, his teeth bared, and the large wolf behind him followed his lead.
"So be it! Tonight, I will take your life!"