The sky over Astrelia was shrouded in a heavy, ominous night. Thick clouds veiled the moon, casting the city in an eerie gloom. The air was cold, laced with the scent of metal and smoke. Narrow streets hid in the shadows, illuminated only by the flickering neon signs reflecting off the damp pavement.
Inside a small room, Xuan Xingli sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes locked onto her hands. She could feel the steady pulse of her heart—but she could also feel something else. Something stirring within her, restless, as if yearning to break free.
"You're still wavering."
Luo Chenxi stood against the wall nearby, her voice calm yet carrying a sharpness that was difficult to define.
Xuan Xingli looked up, meeting those pale violet eyes. "You want me to accept it, yet you don't want me to rush. What is it that you truly want?"
Luo Chenxi did not answer immediately. She stepped closer, stopping just before Xuan Xingli. Leaning in slightly, her cool breath ghosted over her skin.
"What I want…" Luo Chenxi let out a quiet chuckle. "Is for you to figure out what you truly want."
Xuan Xingli frowned. It was a circular response, leading nowhere. But before she could press further, an unusual sound echoed outside the window.
Footsteps.
Luo Chenxi turned sharply, raising her hand, ready to channel her Xuan Yuan. Xuan Xingli instinctively stood as well, her gaze sweeping over the darkened streets.
A figure.
A shadow.
This time, it was not an illusion. It was real, standing motionless in the depths of the night.
"Who are you?" Xuan Xingli's voice carried a wary edge.
The shadow did not respond immediately. After a long pause, a deep voice finally emerged. "You have touched the seal. We cannot allow you to continue."
There was no time to think.
A black force shot forth, streaking toward Xuan Xingli with deadly precision.
She dodged, but the energy twisted unnaturally, defying logic, carving a deep fissure into the floor. The entire room trembled violently.
Luo Chenxi did not hesitate. A faint glow of violet Xuan Yuan spread from her fingertips, forming a fragile barrier that enclosed Xuan Xingli.
"Don't hold back." Luo Chenxi's voice was steady. "If you want to know how strong you truly are—fight."
Even as she spoke, the shadow lunged again.
This time, Xuan Xingli did not evade.
She raised her hand, and at that moment, something deep within her erupted. A shockwave burst outward, forcing the enemy back.
The shadow retreated a few steps but showed no sign of fear. "You are not ready."
Xuan Xingli did not respond. A dull ache spread through her body—as if the power she had unleashed did not truly belong to her, but was merely something momentarily unshackled.
Luo Chenxi narrowed her eyes. She knew exactly what that meant.
If Xuan Xingli continued like this… she would lose control.
And that was the real danger.