Mo Yuxin's body trembled slightly, as though the weight she had been carrying in her chest for so long had finally loosened its grip. A wave of relief surged within her, swelling like a tide that threatened to drown her breath. She drew in a deep inhale, the kind one takes after breaking through the surface of dark waters, her lungs filling with precious air.
Across from her, Shen Mingyue let out a long and weary sigh, the kind of sound that carried countless years of suppressed bitterness and helplessness. Her voice, though calm, carried the faint tremor of exhaustion.
"It was unfortunate," Shen Mingyue began, her tone heavy, "that my essence lacked the strength to destroy him outright. That vile man deserved death, yet I was powerless to grant it. But illusions were still within my reach. And that was enough—enough to protect her from true violation."
