After hearing Qiuqiu's account and realizing that the little one had endured the impact of two self-detonations, Mo Lian was left almost stunned.
A surge of impulse coursed through him, making him want to scoop her up and thoroughly examine her. How could she have taken such self-detonations so lightly? It was no wonder she had coughed up blood immediately after opening her mouth with internal organ injuries!
This mischievous little one, if she weren't still groggy and asleep, he'd be tempted to drag her out and give her a good scolding. How could she act so capriciously and recklessly? She could have allowed others to help her, right?
But then, considering her personality, he understood. She always became more resolute when facing formidable opponents and never backed down. She had always been so unyielding.
Mo Lian fell into silence for a long moment, then turned to look at Venerable Peach Blossom Immortal, who was by the bedside, and met the gaze.
Qi Xuanxuan remained by Qiao Mu's side, attending to her needs, while the rest of the group followed Mo Lian out.
Feng Chen walked alongside Mo Lian, furrowing his brows as he spoke, "I have a feeling that there might be something amiss with the little lady's condition at certain times."
Mo Lian halted in his steps, and the others also paused, their gazes fixed on Venerable Peach Blossom Immortal.
Feng Chen continued, deepening the crease in his forehead, "At the beginning, when the little one was confronted by those sacrificial soldiers, her reactions were perfectly normal."
He took a moment to recollect before his expression darkened. "It was only when the leader of those sacrificial soldiers, the one you saw in the dining hall, appeared just now that her behavior became unusual. Until then, she had been putting up a fierce fight against the sacrificial soldiers."
"From the moment that sacrificial soldier leader left a white mark on her hand…" The little one's behavior had become somewhat erratic.
Indeed, she seemed to have lost herself.
From the instant she was ensnared within the array formation to the point where she utilized all her methods to break free, her ferocity had escalated to its zenith.
"That middle-aged leader lashed her arm with a whip. After breaking loose, she was confronted by an onslaught of countless spiritual beasts. She wouldn't even allow us to intervene," Venerable Peach Blossom Immortal elaborated.
Mo Lian was increasingly unsettled as she heard Venerable Peach Blossom Immortal delve into the details. She found herself questioning why the little one hadn't permitted a.s.sistance in such a perilous situation.
Why had it been so dangerous? Venerable Peach Blossom Immortal was absolutely right. What could have compelled her to refuse help in such a precarious moment?
The answer lay in the fact that during that period, she had completely surrendered herself to the idea that there was no one to rely on—no friends, no family, n.o.body.
In her view, her world, and even her heart, there was no one left but the unyielding determination to eliminate her adversary.
"Until she was blasted away by someone through self-detonation, at that point, the little one had completely lost her grip on reality," Feng Chen explained somberly. "I couldn't even seize her."
"Have you any idea how many purple talismans she unleashed back then?"
"She probably exhausted all of her offensive and supportive purple talismans."
"Did you observe that Qiaoqiao possesses an almost twisted mindset when it comes to injuries?" Venerable Peach Blossom Immortal astutely pointed out, casting a shadow over everyone's hearts.
All of them began to piece together the fragments of their encounters with Dottie.
Crown Prince Mo, in particular, found that Venerable Peach Blossom Immortal's insights had rekindled his memories.
He recollected that fateful encounter in the Qiaotou Village square when the little one had been scratched by the hyena Dottie had released.
'How had she responded?'
She had dispatched the hyena and, in a cruel fas.h.i.+on, disemboweled it. She had even inflicted six deep gashes on the creature.
And during the Three Sects Compet.i.tion in Xixia Valley…