The shadow dragon hovered lower now, its massive wings stirring violent currents through the abyss, yet its attention did not drift toward the fleeing cultivators even for a heartbeat, because its remaining eye had fixed itself entirely upon the ice belle, burning with a hatred so intense that the surrounding darkness seemed to recoil from it.
The dragon's ruined left eye, still scarred from their previous encounter, throbbed with phantom pain as memories surged back, and the beast released a guttural growl that vibrated through the ice reinforced passage, a sound filled not just with rage but with wounded pride.
Henrietta noticed the shift immediately, her instincts screaming as she realized the creature had no interest in the soldiers escaping behind her, while stepping slightly forward, positioning herself defensively without obstructing the ice belle's movements.
