627 Is it my fault that you are so fast?
Bia couldn't help but roll her eyes at Kyle's remarks. She wasn't going to slack, but he had to go and dampen the mood.
"Sure, sure."
She ascended into the sky, allowing her flames to dance freely as she familiarized herself with her newfound power. Kyle cast a quick glance her way before landing on the ground beside Jian and Asher, both captivated by Bia's display.
"Ahem..."
He cleared his throat, and the two men finally snapped out of their daze.
"Jian, I have set up a barrier around this area. Let me know when someone arrives, and I will remove the barrier."
Jian gave him an okay sign and drifted towards Bia to check on the phoenix. Asher gazed at Kyle and sighed.
"You are really catching me off guard. I won't complain though, I mean, having you around has spiced up my otherwise boring life. Guess my final years in this tomb won't be all that bad after all."
He was taken aback when Kyle patted his shoulder, but upon looking at the human face, he saw nothing. The human observed him and re-entered the structure before them, likely to keep an eye on Yue.
"It's the first time he has touched me. Is this a sign that he sees me as a friend now? But why is his body so chilly? It almost felt like ice against me."
Asher brushed his shoulder where Kyle had touched him with a hum and then joined the phoenix and the red-haired man in the sky.
Bia was showcasing her skills, engulfing everything around her in golden flames. So Jian channeled his divine energy to create multiple barriers around her body to gauge her current strength.
The phoenix didn't even use any skill and just simply flapped her wings, and searing wind waves formed in the air, shattering all the barriers. A proud glint flashed in her eyes when Jian gave her a thumbs up.
Asher watched from the sidelines. After both Jian and Bia exhausted their divine energy, they landed on the ground with the half-dragon and began waiting for Yue and Kyle to emerge from the structure.
Bia dozed off on Jian's shoulder. After a while, another portal materialized above them. This time, it was the half-dragon who spoke up instead of the red-haired man.
"Oh, I reckon the elf ascended to the transcendent rank as well."
The first individual emerging from the portal was Nox. He quickly approached Jian, breathing irregularly.
"They are battling! Leave this place!"
Bia was startled awake by his loud voice. Jian and Asher were somewhat surprised by his words. The couple was engaged in a fight? But why? However, they couldn't find out because in the next moment, Kyle burst out of the portal, followed by Yue, her entire body surrounded by an ethereal glow.
Yue drew her bow, releasing an arrow at Kyle that split into multiple arrows infused with spiritual energy. Yet, the silver-haired man skillfully dodged every single one.
The elven woman didn't give up and murmured a few spells, causing multiple earth pillars to rise in the sky and move toward Kyle with lightning-fast speed. But he blinked and vanished before they could even close in. A smile played at the corners of his lips as he reappeared beside Yue and watched the earth pillars collide.
"You have to try harder and maybe a bit faster as well?"
He hissed dramatically when she pouted and playfully hit his shoulder.
"I just achieved the transcendent rank. Is it my fault that you are so fast?"
Kyle chuckled. After Yue's breakthrough, she wanted to test her strength, and he simply suggested a friendly spar.
"You did amazing. Congratulations on reaching the transcendent rank."
Asher and Jian were left speechless, observing the situation. They looked at Nox. The lynx told them that Yue and Kyle were in a battle, but in truth, the pair was just flirting openly!
They wanted to beat him up, but Bia, who had lost sleep thanks to Nox, was a step ahead and told him it was time to train.
Nox began sweating heavily. In Bia's training, it essentially meant him getting beaten up by her.
Both Jian and Asher averted their eyes when he looked at them for help. In the end, he sighed and chose to embrace his fate. But he was taken aback when Bia simply instructed him to fly and circle the broken statue before them a hundred times. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Are you sure that's it? Like, you know, as a divine-rank, it's easy for me."
Bia arched her eyebrow.
-"You want me to add more? How about ten thousand-!"
He dashed off before her words could finish. Just a hundred circles around the statue, that's it, right? He would complete them in just a few minutes.
Kyle and Yue landed before the half-dragon and the red-haired man. Jian let out a smile as he looked at the duo.
"So, you two are going to leave now, right? Just take care, and Yue, make sure to reach out to me or the others if you are in danger or need a hand."
Kyle blinked at his words.
"Just Yue? Can't I reach out to you and the others when I am in trouble?"
Jian's eyebrow twitched at his words, and he patted his shoulder with a wry smile.
"Bro, you are a walking danger in this tomb. Why would you need our help when you can easily take down anyone in your way?"
He almost wanted to smack the silver-haired man when the latter nodded with an expression that was saying their help would probably make the situation worse but controlled the urge.
Jian distanced himself from Kyle and Yue after bidding his goodbyes.
He did not forget to ask Kyle to remove the barrier that the latter had set up around the area before leaving so that everyone Jian had informed about the platform wouldn't have any trouble finding the place.