Qian Yunxi leaned back against the cool, ancient stone of the fractured pillar, feeling relaxed.
The icy, suffocating dread that had chilled her bones ever since she fell through the void tear had evaporated, replaced by an overwhelming sense of tranquility.
Knowing that Haoran had breached the dimensional barrier and was actively closing in on her coordinates was like an anchor dropped into a tempestuous sea.
The dull ache in her fractured ribs, the exhaustion parching her spiritual meridians, and the looming threat of the seventh guardian patrolling the labyrinthine corridors seemed distant now.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting her head rest against the carved masonry, savoring the first true breath of relief she had taken in days.
Just then...
"Sister Yunxi, do you love Shen Haoran?" Asked Qing Yan.
His voice was hoarse, raspy, and carried a strange, trembling edge that scraped against the quiet alcove.
