In this Flame Realm, the highest tier for the younger generation is Tier Three.

After reaching Tier Three, it's very difficult to progress further. Breaking through to Tier Four generally requires reaching thirty years of age.

After Andrew reached Tier Three, he felt a significant surge in the fire extinguishing value needed for further advancement, precisely because of this.

This law on the cultivation path is essentially part of the underlying rules of the plane, a natural law, much like life and death, which cannot be violated.

Even Andrew, in essence, did not violate this law. The reason he could withstand a strike from the female assassin was partly his own, as well as the restraining influence of Ivan, and the support of An Ya's Fire God Mecha.

But, there are exceptions to everything.

In this Flame Realm, there are indeed a very few, extremely rare prodigies who are able to break through beyond Tier Three and reach Tier Four before the age of thirty.

Previously, when it was said that Andrew's personal combat power "nearly" reached the ceiling for the younger generation in the Flame Realm, why was it "nearly"? Because there are indeed a few individuals, likewise young, who are even stronger than Andrew now!

For example... the Saintess of the Magic Guild.

And for example, Barbara's second sister, who was such a prodigy back when she was not yet thirty.

Compared to these prodigies, Andrew still has some gap to close.

The former Barbara, compared to these prodigies, had an even larger gap.

But now, Barbara has also become one of these prodigies.

Andrew was curious about what Barbara had been cultivating all this time.

And this was the result of Barbara's cultivation.

She also reached Tier Four.

Now she is a genius stronger than Andrew.

"...Well, it seems it truly is Tier Four. Today's unexpected surprises really are quite a few." The female assassin mumbled a bit, shook her head, and said, "Tier Four is great, Tier Four is really great, now that you're Tier Four—you should know to cherish your life!"

As she said this, her voice took on a hint of sternness: "Don't make me say it a third time—move aside!"

Yet Barbara still did not move aside.

Not only did she not move aside, but she finally spoke, staring intently into the female assassin's eyes, and said word by word: "Don't think about touching him, unless you kill me first!"

Similar words were spoken by Ivan just now.

But the feeling conveyed by Barbara's words now was different from Ivan's.

Because she was different from Ivan; Ivan wanted to protect his partner, while she, she wanted to protect her man.

The moment she saw Andrew throw her aside and face the female assassin alone, Barbara realized she really... really liked Andrew!

Although they actually hadn't known each other for long, and after establishing their relationship, they were both busy with their own affairs with little time for romance.

But somehow, Andrew's name seemed to have quietly carved itself into Barbara's heart.

"Don't think about touching him, unless you kill me first."

Upon hearing this resolute and firm statement, only Leia among the others did not find it strange.

The rest of the people were all shocked: "Miss Three, don't be impulsive, please don't be impulsive!"

After being dragged away, Havier was finally not so scared. Seeing Barbara protectively and fiercely keeping Andrew behind her, Havier was stunned for a moment, and then seemingly understood something: "Damn... someone wants to be my uncle?!"

It was then seen that after hearing Barbara's words, the female assassin's eyes seemed to become extremely peculiar, and her tone was: "You're willing to risk your life for this boy?"

Barbara did not answer this.

Her vision was actually a bit blurred.

Only after actually encountering a clash with a Tier Nine master does one understand the feeling, and this was when the other party did not intend to kill her. Heaven knows how Andrew just managed to withstand that and still fight back!

In any case, Barbara said no more, but her actions provided a better answer, which was to absolutely not move aside! Never!

The female assassin's eyes turned even more peculiar.

After giving Barbara a deep look, she nodded, lifted her axe spear once more.

Seeing this, Barbara steeled herself for a desperate fight.

Just like Andrew, deep down, she also had a fierce determination, ready to fight to the last moment, even knowing it was almost certain death!

However, it was seen that the female assassin's strike was not aimed at Barbara, nor at Andrew.

Instead... she struck with the axe spear, breaking through the overwhelming array power pressing upon her, simultaneously repelling all the strong individuals surrounding the inner and outer guild, including those of Tier Eight.

Then she did not look back.

Dragging the axe spear, she turned and left.

The sky above the city suddenly turned a blazing red, bright and radiant. From the direction of Warm Fire City, overwhelming powerful energy finally awakened, then directly extended its power tendrils towards the Shield of Flowing Fire, transforming into a massive flaming hand covering the entire city, emitting boundless light and heat.

As the giant hand formed, its fingers began to close.

The palm firmly aimed at the female assassin who was about to leave, soaring into the air.

"Ha ha, you came just in time!" The female assassin finally gripped the long handle of her axe spear with both hands, fiercely thrusting it upward.

A sharp "Wah!" echoed!

The female assassin spat out a mouthful of blood, staining her smiling face mask red.

But, in the sky, that giant hand was torn in two by her sheer force!

"Is it possible for just a tendril of power to possess such strength? And even when severely injured and having secluded herself? Remarkable, truly remarkable!"

The female assassin seemed very excited, but couldn't help spitting out another mouthful of blood, then sneered, took a step, her figure flickered several times, and disappeared on the distant horizon.

She came suddenly and left without any warning.

What she left behind in the City of the Flaming Shield was a dead City Guard, numerous injured including Falk, Ivan, Red Clothes, Andrew, and Barbara, as well as countless frightened city residents.

Barbara initially thought she and Andrew were doomed to die today, only hoping that even if they died, they would die together.

But suddenly seeing the female assassin leave like that, she froze, thinking it was because her father's power had arrived, and the assassin knew that if she didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to?

After the flame hand was ripped apart, it retreated again.

The people inside the City of the Flaming Shield quickly gathered around.

Everyone's faces did not look good.

A master from the Magic Guild brazenly came to the City of the Flaming Shield, killed the City Guard, wounded numerous people, and finally swaggered away. This was practically a loud "slap" in the face for the Flaming Shield City and everyone in the Warm Fire Commerce Association!

"Is this the strength of the Magic Guild?" More than one person thought this.

Though the war of the twin flames had ended, and the opponent's super fortress "Dragon's Nest" was now under the control of their side. The recent battle made everyone realize the Magic Guild was still terrifying.

Especially... weren't the Flame Warriors in rebellion? Had they already been pacified again? Were such masters selected from among them, possessing the top-tier dragon transformation Flame Warrior strength without any signs of physical dragon transformation? Did the Magic Guild make some new breakthroughs and progress in the dragon transformation of Flame Warriors?

The female assassin left, but left behind numerous questions lingering in everyone's mind.

"Are you alright, Miss Three?" said a Tier Eight master walking over.

"Get away!" Barbara pushed him aside, feeling very unhappy about his previous complete disregard for Andrew's life or death!

Barbara managed to stand, walked over to Andrew's side.

Linda was already beside Andrew.

Only this "Violent Angel" prioritized helping Andrew with healing rather than Barbara first.

It's not because Andrew's importance to the injured of Warm Fire Temple was valued, but as a medical professional, Linda purely judged that Barbara's injuries weren't urgent, whereas Andrew's injuries were obviously the most severe among everyone present.

He required the most urgent treatment!

"Is... is he still alive?" Barbara's voice trembled uncontrollably.

Leia was also beside her, holding Barbara's hand.

Facing a Tier Nine master head-on, it would normally be a certain death scenario.

It was indeed a miracle that Andrew wasn't immediately killed.

But until now, from an outsider's perspective, there seemed almost no sign of life left in him.

Linda didn't respond, her face serious, silently concentrating on healing, casting high-tier healing magic from the Fire God Blessing Series at Andrew almost without concern for the cost.

Of course, the first thing she did was to follow Andrew's previous advice and replenish Andrew's physical ability.

About three minutes passed, Linda's expression suddenly relaxed, she took a breath and said, "Alright! Though I don't know how he did it, actually it's fine. Mr. Andrew is badly injured, but not in life-threatening condition. He appears weak now, but it's actually a self-protection mechanism."

Everyone present had seen Andrew and the female assassin facing each other, clashing head-on earlier.

Their attention naturally focused on the female assassin; she was truly too strong, too dazzling.

But now, hearing Linda say that Andrew not only survived but was not in life-threatening danger, and even had the energy to activate some turtle breath-like self-protection mechanism, they couldn't help but be surprised.

Only then they gradually reacted: just now Andrew, as a Tier Three, faced the female assassin head-on and survived. How incredible!

"Who is this young man? Is he from our commerce association? Haven't seen him before." Someone quietly inquired to those beside them.

"Definitely not from our commerce association." Someone quietly replied, "I heard he is a friend of Miss Three."

Indeed, "a friend of Miss Three" - this is the identity Andrew now holds in the eyes of most non-top-level members of the Warm Fire Commerce Association.

The series of accomplishments blocking the Desolate Beast tide, turning Desolate Beasts into humans, sequentially circumventing Humboldt and Rose's conspiracy to capture Barbara, and thus ultimately influencing the outcome of the twin flame war aren't widely known by most.

However, gold will shine.

Previously, Linda and others at Warm Fire Temple had already realized the significant role Andrew's healing ability would play in the current situation and in a likely second twin flame war.

Now, even without knowing what Andrew did before, everyone knew what he just accomplished, which was—

Surviving a targeted assassination attempt by a top master.

He lived!

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