"In the end, we still have to fight it out?" Feixiao flexed her wrists. "Conveniently, I'm too lazy to reason with you anyway—you don't deserve to hear it."
"Feixiao, you really think you can crush me like you do out there now?" Hoolay said: "In the mental world, it's a clash of wills. When it comes to will, you're definitely no match for me!"
Feixiao: "Where does your confidence come from?"
Hoolay sneered: "Heh, the punishments I've endured over nearly a millennium are proof enough of my will's tenacity, right? Yaoqing's General?"
"Heh, words are pointless—let's fight! Hoolay!"
"For the fate of the tribe, I won't lose!"
—Ding ding clang clang! (Battle sound effects)
...
Outside world.
With the crimson moon's influence gone, everyone returned to normal. Several people sat in a circle around Feixiao. Her current state was downright eerie—face turning bluish-purple, body twitching sporadically, throat emitting incomprehensible low growls...
Huaiyan looked her up and down, stroking his chin: "From my observation, General Feixiao is currently adapting to the crimson moon within her body. They say that thing is a sacred relic of the Borisin tribe, containing berserk energy. General Feixiao is suppressing it!"
Jing Yuan shook his head: "But why would suppressing the crimson moon turn her face bluish-purple? That doesn't add up."
Qingque thought for a moment: "I get it—Hoolay must've done something to the crimson moon, probably some kind of wolf poison, poisoning General Feixiao severely."
Jing Yuan shook his head: "No signs of poisoning visible, and General Feixiao turned like this right after swallowing the crimson moon. Even the deadliest poison needs time to take effect, right?"
Stelle weakly raised her hand: "Do you guys... not think General Feixiao looks a bit like she's suffocating? Could she be choking on the crimson moon?"
Everyone: ...
Qingque waved her little hand: "Quick! Call Lingsha over to save her!"
"Can't! Feels like General Feixiao's about to suffocate—no time!"
Huaiyan hoisted Feixiao upside down with one hand and started shaking her vigorously up and down. "Don't worry—watch this old man!"
"No!"
Jing Yuan immediately stopped him: "Shaking her like that would just make the crimson moon fall out, right? Then General Feixiao's efforts would be for nothing!"
"We have to make her swallow it!"
Huaiyan thought about it and figured Jing Yuan had a point, so he flipped Feixiao upright and started shaking her up and down again...
"It's bad! This isn't working—General Feixiao's rolling her eyes!"
At that moment, Yanqing's sharp eyes spotted the fact and quickly reminded everyone.
Everyone panicked again: "Who knows the Heimlich maneuver? Save her, save her!"
Jing Yuan: "But wouldn't that make her spit it out again? Can't spit! She has to swallow!"
"Then what do we do?"
"..."
—"Enough, everyone calm down! I have a way!"
At that moment, a calm voice suddenly rang out. Stelle, who had been silent all along, spoke up to halt everyone, then said to Huaiyan: "Elder Yan, please lay General Feixiao flat on the ground."
Stelle's eyes were steady and composed at this moment, exuding a sense of reliability she'd never shown before. If not for the marks on her neck, it'd be perfect.
"What method do you have?" Huaiyan laid Feixiao flat on the ground and asked.
Stelle smiled faintly: "Just watch."
With that, Stelle suddenly leaned down. Under everyone's bewildered gazes, her mouth pressed firmly against Feixiao's lips, and she blew a massive breath in!
Everyone: ?
"Ah! So that's it!"
Jing Yuan was the first to react. He clapped his palm, his words laced with unmistakable admiration and praise: "So Miss Stelle plans to blow the crimson moon down from General Feixiao's throat. Such wisdom—truly something I couldn't think of."
"Oh oh oh, so that's how."
"The Nameless Guest is the Nameless Guest—ideas straight out of [Trailblaze]!"
"As expected of Miss Stelle! Coming up with what we couldn't think of so easily!"
"..."
Unlike the crowd's praise, March 7th ground her silver teeth in extreme displeasure at the sight. But she also knew the situation was dire—this was a necessary measure.
Hmph... fine, whatever. Anyway, things got satisfying during the crimson moon phase earlier. Fine, fine.
—"Whoosh!"
However, what no one expected was that Stelle's several consecutive breaths actually backfired. Feixiao suddenly furrowed her brows, her throat contracting as she uncontrollably vomited—
Pfft!
The crimson moon mixed with Feixiao's saliva, and through the intimate contact between the two, it surged straight into Stelle's mouth!
"Cough cough—cough—!"
Stelle instinctively started coughing and dry-heaving, hands clamping her neck desperately. But even so, she couldn't stop the crimson moon. She only felt something slimy slithering down her throat, then straight to her stomach in one go.
Stelle's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the ground on the spot, just like Feixiao had moments ago.
Everyone was shocked. March 7th was the first to rush forward: "Don't move! I'm familiar with this routine—let me handle it!"
...
Stelle's inner world.
Looking at the endless darkness stretching out, Stelle: ???
What the hell is this?
"Feixiao! Die!"
At that moment, a fierce gust of wind assaulted from behind, aiming straight for Stelle's vulnerable spot at the back of her head!
This voice... Hoolay?
The thought flashed through her mind. In the next second, Stelle's body shot out like a cannonball, slamming heavily a hundred meters away.
"You've grown weak, Feixiao!" Hoolay mocked: "You suddenly vanished just now—I was really worried for a bit. But now it seems you were just bluffing."
Just as Feixiao had vomited out the crimson moon, in the mental space, Hoolay had felt the other party disappear abruptly. He'd thought it was some big move's wind-up at first, but now it looked like he'd overthought it.
That strike just now was enough to keep this guy down!
"Hiss—ow ow ow, can we finish talking before fighting..."
A hundred meters away, Stelle rubbed her head as she climbed up from the ground. Amber-colored light shields shattered piece by piece around her. In that split-second peril, she'd pulled out her fire lance and timely blocked the blow with her battle skill.
Stelle looked toward the attacker, only to be surprised to find the person looked exactly like herself. In that instant, she realized something: Wait, how did Feixiao's boss fight turn into mine?
"Hm? Wait, you're not Feixiao!"
Hoolay had noticed the issue too by now. He stared at Stelle in bewilderment: "Why are you here? Where's Feixiao? How did you enter her mental space?"
Stelle was silent for a moment, deciding honesty was probably best: "Actually, it's like this: just now Feixiao got stuck with the crimson moon, and I... (omitting five hundred words of explanation)"
After hearing it, Hoolay: What the hell is this guy talking about?
"...Damn it. Though the plan's changed, I'll possess whoever I can."
After a long silence, Hoolay raised his claw: "Still the same words: I, the so-called fate of the Borisins, will never submit! Never!"