Morning came soft over the Coral Palace.
Lin Tian stood at the edge of the Spring of Eternal Seas, watching the light filter through the water above. His body felt different. Lighter. More connected to everything around him.
The women stirred behind him.
Su Lan was the first to rise. She stretched, and the fire in her core flared once before settling into a steady warmth. She met Lin Tian's eyes and nodded.
Xueya came next. Her skin still held a faint glow from the night's resonance. She walked to Lin Tian's side and took his hand without speaking.
One by one, the rest of the group roused from their slumber, emerging from the shadows of the grottos to join them by the water's edge. Their presence felt like a gathering storm, each woman humming with the residual power of their transformation.
