But she refused to yield.
Her mark burned, spreading black veins across her skin, yet she poured every ounce of strength into the purification.
Then, suddenly, a hand touched her shoulder.
"Enough," Ji Xiulan said quietly.
Before she could argue, he stepped forward and placed his hand over hers. Their energies merged, light and silver flame, shadow and purity, intertwining in one blinding surge. The dark orb convulsed, and the shards exploded into a shower of luminous fragments.
The forest fell silent.
The curse was gone.
Ling Yu staggered slightly, her breath shallow. Ji Xiulan caught her again before she fell. "You always push past your limit," he muttered.
"And you always… act like you don't care," she said weakly.
He looked down at her, his eyes softer than before. "I don't," he said, but his hand remained steady on her back, keeping her upright.
She smiled faintly, exhausted but triumphant. "Then why are you still holding me?"
He didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
