To be honest, Bai Xia should’ve been grateful their opponent was the Lava Colossus. Had it been another monster of equal tier but faster? Even with Tianzheng’s help, they’d have stood zero chance—getting caught meant instant death.

True, the Lava Colossus packed devastating offense, terrifying defense, and a massive health pool. But its speed and movements were fatal flaws. Bai Xia relied on speed and agility; Tianzheng wasn’t far behind. In a way, they perfectly countered it.

Still—even a clay figurine has a temper. Let alone a Lava Colossus oozing molten lava from head to toe. Its rage was obvious.

After enduring relentless tag-team attacks, even its legendary durability showed heavy depletion. And the fury it had suppressed finally erupted!

“About to use another skill?” Bai Xia muttered, attacks uninterrupted as she watched the suddenly frozen Lava Colossus. She readied to interrupt—then froze. Something was wrong.

The beast, roaring skyward moments ago, now glowed crimson like a branding iron forged in hellfire. Thin wisps of smoke curled steadily from its body.

Ambient temperature spiked. Even shielded by frost, Bai Xia took escalating fire damage.

“What is this…?”

Seeing the Lava Colossus’s unnatural state, she broke off instantly. “Run! This bastard’s unleashing its ultimate!”

Recalling the “Flame Storm” skill details, she frowned slightly, shot Tianzheng a sharp glance, and retreated further. Though the monster stood motionless and seemingly vulnerable, ultimates like this were unbreakable. Attacking now was pure suicide.

Tianzheng clearly thought the same. But the moment they gained distance—the Lava Colossus erupted.

Endless flames burst from its core, twisting like frenzied serpents of fire. Soon, even the scorched earth beneath ignited.

Post-ultimate, it was no longer the same creature. Before, stony flesh peeked through flowing magma. Now? Only searing lava and roaring flame remained.

Rivers of molten rock poured down, setting the ground ablaze—yet the flames, pulled by invisible force, spiraled back toward it. In an instant, fire surged ten meters high, a towering tsunami of flame blotting out the sky.

“ROAR!!”

The Lava Colossus bellowed triumphantly—then vanished into the inferno.

One second later, the rising flames coiled violently, morphing into a colossal fire tornado poised to devour everything in sight.

With a core diameter of five to six meters, it swept toward Bai Xia, trailing pure annihilation.

As a tornado, the Lava Colossus moved incomparably faster, its range vastly wider. Bai Xia barely registered the threat before scorching heat licked her back.

She tried to flee, but the vortex’s pull dragged at her limbs, crippling her speed. Even Shadow Flash could only buy seconds—not salvation.

The crisis hit too fast. She never imagined it could move this quickly. This speed dwarfed hers. The coverage was overwhelming.

No escape. No evasion. Survival meant enduring ten seconds—but lasting three seemed impossible.

“Damn it, this is insane! How is anyone supposed to survive?!”

Flames inches away, Bai Xia activated Shadow Flash, putting five meters between her and doom—temporarily.

But five meters meant nothing against a six-meter-wide tornado. It pivoted instantly, sweeping back.

Worse, fireballs scattered with every rotation. Each impact triggered mini-explosions and lingering flames.

Dodging projectiles while fleeing the tornado, Bai Xia pushed her limits—despair creeping in.

Tianzheng was closing in. Useless. If caught together, they’d be obliterated instantly. Zero chance.

So why the hell are you running *here*?!

As the tornado closed in again, Bai Xia gritted her teeth, mind racing for a solution. She’d assumed Flame Storm could be kited from afar… Who knew?

“Snap out of it!”

Tianzheng’s stern voice cut through the chaos.

She calculated instantly—they’d both be swallowed. Her frown tightened. “Are you insane? Run *away*! Wait out the ultimate! Why come to *me*?!”

She knew she couldn’t outrun it. It was locked on her. A death sentence.

But Tianzheng? He could flee the opposite direction. Even if Bai Xia fell, he could survive on distance alone. Flame Storm lasted ten seconds—over half was already gone.

She’d pinned her last hope on him. Qingcheng sent him to help—surely the trial continued if he lived. Yet he ran *toward* her?!

“I’m never getting married.”