She had just finished bathing when she felt it. Her movements came to an immediate halt.
Her crimson eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"...Impossible."
She had felt it clearly. She had not imagined it. It brushed against the edge of her spiritual sense with the unmistakable resonance of the thing itself.
'Qi.'
Fresh qi. Pure. Concentrated. Being deliberately drawn into a cultivator's body before circulating through their meridians.
Someone was cultivating. Somewhere nearby. Within this very apartment
For the briefest moment, Camilla stood perfectly still, extending her spiritual sense once more to confirm what she had perceived.
The result remained unchanged. Without haste, she lifted a hand.
A thin veil of crimson spiritual essence rippled over her skin, carrying away every remaining droplet of water before dissipating into nothingness. Her hair dried in the same quiet motion, each strand settling neatly into place as though untouched by moisture.
