"The old me didn't know better," she said softly, looking away. "Now I do."
Ji Xiulan's gaze lingered on her for a moment, longer than necessary. The morning light caught the faint glimmer of water in her eyes, and for an instant, he saw not the fierce commander, not the reborn survivor, but the woman who had carried too many burdens for too long.
He broke the silence first. "Fine. You can come. But don't get in my way."
"Likewise," she retorted.
The two left the base together at dawn, the world slowly brightening around them.
As they walked through the ancient forest, faint beams of golden light pierced the mist, illuminating floating motes of spirit dust.
The air was rich with mana, but underneath, Ling Yu could feel it, that faint vibration of darkness, like a whisper crawling through the roots of the world tree. The dark spirits hadn't been completely eradicated.
