Andrew said evenly, “If you can quit acting slutty, I might consider sparing you a slap.”

Cordelia’s face darkened, and she did not dare continue. Eric had already beaten her so badly before that the shadow of it lingered in her mind.

Once again, Andrew pressed his hand against the seal on her back. The burning sting hit him instantly.

The Flamebinding carried a fiery force similar to his Inferno Strike, but there was a difference. His Inferno Strike was pure, explosive heat, while the Flamebinding was fire mixed with poison, heat laced with venom.

Andrew worked quickly. He sealed several pressure points along her spine and then channeled his energy into the seal. At once, his power clashed violently against the seal’s energy.

Cordelia screamed, her whole body trembling. “What are you doing? Why does my back hurt so much? Stop, stop it!”

Eric let out a cruel laugh, mimicking her voice. “Stop, stop it! Bitch, do you think this is some R-rated flick you’re moaning for?”

Andrew nearly spun around to smack the fool in the head. Only Eric could manage to drag his thoughts into such an absurd place in the middle of something like this.

Withdrawing his energy, Andrew’s brow furrowed. Forcing it with raw power was not going to work. Even if it did, Cordelia would end up tortured to death in the process.

“It’s useless…” Cordelia panted, her face twisted with pain. “That seal was set by one of the cult’s Guardians. Only a Guardian, or the High Oracle, can undo it.”

Andrew said calmly, “If I’m not mistaken, the Crimson Flame Cult is an evil cult. And they control you through this Flamebinding, don’t they?”

Cordelia pressed her lips together and said nothing, but her silence confirmed the truth.

Suddenly, Andrew slashed his own palm. Sharp energy cut a line across his hand, and blood dripped like threads onto the seal at Cordelia’s back.

Eric’s eyes widened. “Your blood can actually break the seal? Don’t play me for a fool just because I skipped a few lessons!”

Andrew ignored him, keeping his focus on the shifting mark. His blood seeped into the circular seal, and at once a vicious heat rose up in retaliation. It spread in a grayish green glow, radiating pure malice.

Cordelia shrieked, her pain worse than ever, her curses breaking down into desperate pleas for him to stop. Yet, Andrew did not flinch. With a sharp shout, he pressed his palm firmly onto the seal, releasing the scorching force of the Inferno Strike into it.

The two powers clashed violently, and Cordelia’s scream ended as she passed out cold.

Andrew’s eyes lit up as he realized it was working. Ten minutes later, he finally pulled his hand away.

Eric stared in disbelief. “The seal’s gone… You actually broke the Flamebinding!”

The circular scar on Cordelia’s back still looked raw and shocking, but the sinister aura that had marked it was completely erased. Now, it was nothing but an ordinary wound.

Andrew applied a miracle healing powder for wounds to the injury and sat back to wait.

After a few more minutes, Cordelia stirred and slowly woke. Her eyes flew wide in disbelief. “Why do I feel different? What did you do to me?”

Pointing a shaking finger at Andrew, her face was filled with fear.