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The victory of the war brought great joy, and people dressed in their best clothes, waiting for a miracle to happen.

Ying and the others met Kinichi, who had also arrived, in the crowd. "Looks like I managed to catch up. The timing is just right."

After the four of them reunited, they tacitly worked together to squeeze to the top of the arena - they wanted to let Katsina see familiar faces as soon as she returned!

The solemn "resurrection ceremony" began.

Chapter 63: The Holy Fire failed to keep its promise, and someone took refuge in the abyss?

The fire goddess Mavica sits high above the sacred fire altar, majestic and solemn.

Under the guidance of Entotia, tens of thousands of people in the entire arena sang the ancient "Resurrection Poem" in unison. The singing was solemn and powerful, converging into a heart-shaking torrent, praying for the return of the fallen warriors.

Ying, Paimon, Malani, and Kinichi also sang with all their heart, placing all their hopes on the song.

The song ends, and the lingering sound echoes.

Everyone's eyes were focused on the blazing sacred fire in the center of the altar, holding their breath, waiting for the familiar figure to walk out.

However, the sacred flame only swayed violently a few times and did not leave Katsina's figure as expected.

Mavica on the altar frowned slightly, and a hint of subtle confusion and solemnity flashed in her eyes.

She raised her hand, as if sensing something. After a moment, her calm yet slightly strange voice spread throughout the arena:

"I have not seen Katsina and her ancient name in the Kingdom of the Night God."

"How could this happen?!" "What's going on?" "Kazina didn't come back?" Great astonishment and doubts spread quickly among the crowd like ripples.

The originally solemn and expectant atmosphere was instantly broken, becoming somewhat noisy and uneasy.

Confusion and doubt began to spread among the crowd. At this moment, a harsh voice emerged like a venomous snake, full of malice and incitement.

"Isn't this simple? Isn't it because they didn't actually win at all?"

"Just think about it, the 'Resurrection Poem' can rekindle the spirit of all the victors. This is a scene we have witnessed countless times."

At this moment, another questioning voice was raised, "Since Lord Vulcan couldn't find that Katsina in the Kingdom of Night God, doesn't that mean there's something fishy about this victory?"

The two speculated on the facts at will and even wanted to deny the victory brought by the entire team.

Even in the face of Chaska's explanation, the two men tried their best to argue, "Even if the mission was completed, there are many ways, right? For example, the little girl was too scared and didn't make any contribution?"

"In short, even if she's on the winning team, she won't be recognized by the Great Spirit."

This vicious slander and questioning is like a sharp knife stabbing at the dignity of the victim, and it is also a blatant provocation to the foundation of the God of Fire and Nata!

Ying felt a surge of anger rushing to her head. Almost without thinking, a golden light flashed in her hand, and [Prototype Rock-Slashing] was already tightly grasped in her hand!

The sword pointed in the direction of the sound, his eyes sharp as a knife: "You two! Shut up! How can you tarnish Katsina's bravery?!"

Paimon was so angry that she was shaking all over, her fists clenched tightly, and the air behind her was distorted, and it seemed that a strong shadow was looming.

It seemed as if he was going to rush out and give those two bastards a real beating up in the next second, teaching them a lesson that heroes cannot be defiled.

"Paimon is so pissed! If you dare to talk nonsense again, Paimon will use the Paimon Star to beat you up into the sky!"

Ying and Paimon's intense reactions, especially the visually impactful stand-in shadow behind Paimon, instantly quieted the crowd around them.

The two people who spoke arrogantly were also frightened by the sudden murderous aura and subconsciously shrank their necks.

Mavica on the high platform had a panoramic view of it all.

She did not get angry because of the questioning, nor did she stop Ying and Paimon because of their impulsiveness.

Her gaze swept calmly across the room, finally landing on the two doubters. Her voice remained steady, yet it carried a power that cleansed people's hearts.

"Okay, calm down!"

Just a few simple words made the noisy arena quiet again.

"Everyone's victory is unquestionable, including Katsina. She should be a hero we respect and support. But it is also true that she was unable to successfully rekindle her love affair this time. I am still investigating the specific circumstances, and I apologize in advance for this."

"No one can predict everything and eliminate all mistakes, including me." Mavica frankly acknowledged the existence of the unknown.

She changed the subject, her dignified gaze fixed on the two men. "Questioning is a means of seeking the truth, not a weapon to attack others. If you have anything, just ask me directly. It's okay to question my answer. Is there anything else you want to know right now?"

Mavica's powerful words were like a magic needle that stabilized the situation in an instant.

Her frankness, responsibility and protection of the victims have won the hearts of the vast majority of people.

Under the gaze of the God of Fire, the two questioners' arrogance disappeared completely. Their faces turned pale, and they lowered their heads and dared not say another word.

These two shameful fellows, let alone glory, don't even have the courage to face the God of Fire directly. They just want to elevate themselves by slandering Katsina.

The more Paimon thought about it, the angrier he became. The Paimon Star behind him seemed to sense Paimon's emotions and disappeared...

Suddenly, the two men were like being hit by an invisible battering ram. They screamed and flew backwards, smashing heavily into the stone wall, with gravel flying everywhere.

The whole place fell into dead silence in an instant. Everyone stared with their eyes wide open, completely unable to comprehend the extraordinary scene before them.

Everyone present was bewildered, and just when some were about to think that it was Lord Fire God who took action.

Ying suddenly jumped out, "These two are truly despicable. Even at this moment, they still want to slander our Nata heroes and frame the God of Fire. They might have been bewitched by the Abyss. Catch them now and don't let them get away!"

Paimon was a little scared and worried that he was in trouble, so he hid behind Ying and didn't dare to show his face. He said in a very low voice with a tearful voice, "Ying, have I got into big trouble?"

Ying naturally knew that this was probably done by the Paimon Star, because although the Paimon Star could be visualized for everyone to see, it was in an invisible state most of the time, guarding Paimon at all times. Only people with exceptional mental power could see the Paimon Star.

Moreover, the two of them have been wanted by five countries. This time, they must not be wanted again, otherwise her title of executioner will be confirmed, so she must come out to provide cover.

To be honest, everyone present was confused and couldn't understand why the two people who questioned Lord Vulcan seemed to be suddenly knocked away.

The only thing they could think of was that Lord Vulcan was angry, so he personally taught these two people a lesson.

But Naihe Ying jumped out first to define the matter and pointed out a direction for people to think about.

In fact, the more people there are, the more the herd effect is manifested. Without thinking, everyone shouted angrily, "Catch those two people who have fallen into the abyss!"

The guards present finally reacted and stepped forward to arrest the two men. They also said they would strictly investigate and monitor them, temporarily alleviating Lord Vulcan's public relations crisis.

In fact, even Mavica only saw a shadow rushing out from behind the traveler's floating companion. It looked a little transparent, but the attack was powerful and heavy, and it seemed that no one else saw the shadow.

Mavica couldn't help but sigh, "I've heard so much about the Traveler, but I didn't expect her companions to be so strong!"

Just when everyone thought the storm was about to subside.

Marani rushed forward, her voice urgent but resolute: "Lord Vulcan! Please let me join the investigation! Katsina is my friend and Nata's hero! I must find her!"

Mavica nodded approvingly. "Then please come to my office. By the way, this is a rare opportunity. If your schedule allows, I'd also like to spend a few moments with the travelers to chat."

Chapter 64: Everyone's Determination, the Battle at the Holy Fire Arena

The atmosphere in the Fire God's office was tense. Mavica cut straight to the point without further ado.

"The situation is more complicated than expected. Unexplained unrest has occurred in the Kingdom of Night God. Some targeted force from the abyss has disrupted the rules."

"Katsina lost contact with us during this turmoil, and her ancient name was obscured or shifted by abnormal forces. I can't accurately locate her."

She paused, her expression more serious than ever before: "The Abyss... seems to have found a new way to deal with Nata."

"No longer content with outward erosion and destruction, they've turned their attention to something more fundamental—our rules themselves, particularly the rules of resurrection that maintain the principles of 'sacrifice' and 'return.'"

"They intend to break the rules, create chaos, undermine our trust in the rules, and ultimately tear apart Nata's unity from within. Katsina's disappearance may be a test and attack by them."

This analysis made everyone present gasp in shock. The methods of the abyss could actually become so insidious and deadly!

Ying said in a deep voice, "So, their goal is to destroy the foundation of the Holy Flame, so that people will no longer believe that unity can overcome everything, and turn hope into despair?"

"That's right." Mavica confirmed Ying's speculation.

"Therefore, we face a dual challenge: we must maintain the stability of the sacred flame, protect the rules from being further undermined, and maintain the confidence of the people; and we must quickly recover Katsina, thwart the conspiracy of the abyss, and prove the power of the rules!"

"Then...what should we do?" Although Paimon understood the seriousness of the situation, his little face was full of anxiety.

Mavica looked at everyone. "There's a plan worth trying. I need you to go to the 'Smoke Riddle Lord'. There's a technology that can extract the ancient name from the earth veins. Then I can use the connection between the two to locate Katsina's location in the Kingdom of the Night God."

“What happens after we locate it?” Malani asked.

"After positioning..." Mavica's eyes swept over Ying, Malani and Chaska.

"The next step is the most difficult—you must personally travel to the Kingdom of the Night God and bring her back. You will face the erosion of the abyss and face numerous dangers."

Malani's response was a resounding "No problem for me!"

Ying did not hesitate: "I'll go." She had promised to take care of Katsina, and this was her little apprentice.

Paimon floated to Ying's side, hands on his hips. Although his small body didn't look very imposing, his eyes were extremely serious. He even patted his chest and said, "And Paimon! I'm very powerful now! I'm not afraid of the abyss!"

Although her words trembled a little, her determination was unquestionable.

Ying reached out and gently patted Paimon's shoulder, giving Paimon an encouraging look.

Mavica looked at the fearless warriors in front of her, a hint of relief and admiration flashing in her eyes.

"Smoke Master Xitela once made an item called the 'Spiritual Marrow Stone'. You need to find her and borrow it."

At this time, Kinich said, "This prop is no longer with the Smoke Riddle Master. I sent it to the Hanging Woodman a few days ago. I didn't expect it to be useful now."

"When the time comes, you can go directly to our tribal leader, Vaina. He will tell you where the 'Spiritual Marrow Stone' is."

Afterwards, after a brief exchange between Mavica and Ying, they prepared to have everyone set off to quickly resolve the matter. After all, every minute of delay would increase the danger for Katsina.

Before leaving, Marani took out an amulet from her bosom and held it out to Mavica with both hands: "Lord Fire God, this is what Agaya asked me to give to you. She said, 'My thoughts and will are placed in it.' I hope it will bring you good luck."

Mavica took the amulet and felt it was warm in her hand.

She closed her eyes and gently brushed her fingertips across the surface of the amulet. A familiar and majestic breath of life flame surged into her perception, warm and full of resilience.

She opened her eyes, a gentle smile in them. "Agaya... her flame seems even purer and brighter. Thank her for me, and tell her that once the matter of the Holy Flame is settled, I will definitely come find her. Don't let her forget me, her 'spring friend'. We should enjoy a good soak together and reminisce about our experiences over the years."

Mavica understood that Agaya did not come in person at this moment because she wanted to protect the people of Liuquan and also did not want to distract her attention at this time.

Malani nodded vigorously. "I'll definitely tell you!"

After bidding farewell to the God of Fire, Ying, Paimon, Marani and Chaska, with firm beliefs and concern for Katsina, set out on the journey to the "Hanging Woodman".

They had just walked out of the arena and climbed up the mountain road for a while when they were startled to stop by the sudden loud noise and vibration in the arena behind them!

"Boom——!!!"

A dull explosion sounded, accompanied by a slight shaking of the building. Immediately afterwards, two dazzling streaks of light shot up into the sky from the center of the arena like retrograde meteors!

One was a deep, inky blue, dragging an ominous black trail. Wherever it passed, the air seemed to be frozen, and several huge pieces of black ice were left suspended in the air.

He seemed to be transforming the battlefield into the environment that best suited him.

The other was the color of blazing flames, pure and domineering, with the power to burn everything.

"What is that?!" Paimon was so scared that he hid behind Ying, pointing his little hand at the sky.

I saw the two streams of light colliding and entangled violently in the sky!

As the deep blue light swung, huge black ice spikes condensed and smashed towards the flames with a biting chill.

The flames turned into meteors with an even more violent attitude, smashing the ice spikes into pieces!

Every collision erupted with a deafening roar and sparks and ice fragments flying all over the sky. The powerful energy shock wave even caused smoke and dust to rise from the arena below.

"Look over there at the arena!" Maranie exclaimed.

Standing on a high place, everyone could clearly see a huge energy storm vortex forming in the central area!

The pitch-black power of frost and the sky-burning flames intertwined, tore, and annihilated each other crazily in it!

The energy fluctuations coming from the center of the storm made the four people feel palpitations even though they were far away from the battlefield.

"This feeling..." Chaska frowned, feeling the familiar and majestic power of fire. "It's the Lord of Fire! She's fighting! That deep blue power is filled with extreme cold!"

"Another powerful being? Who would attack the Holy Fire Arena, where the God of Fire reigns, at this time? Isn't the Abyss quite intelligent? Would they do such a thing? Could it be that the Fatui are taking advantage of this opportunity to stir up trouble again?"

Ying's casual guess hit the nail on the head.

The battle in the air was fierce, but it didn't seem to last long.

After another earth-shattering collision, the sky-burning flames suddenly surged, like the rising sun, bursting out with unparalleled light and heat!

The black ice field condensed by the deep blue light melted and disappeared quickly like spring snow in front of the pure flames!

Finally, the flames completely overwhelmed the black ice, burning away any remaining icy aura, leaving only scorching hot air and slowly dissipating energy waves.