'Every time I touch her… my body feels strangely weakened.'
'Just now, as well. I did not expect that merely brushing her skin would drain me so completely.'
'What's even more bizarre is that my power doesn't just diminish gradually it plummets too quickly to be coincidence.'
'I sense something… a mysterious energy hidden within her body.'
'If that is true…'
Bai Wangyan turned his cold, wary gaze toward her. His eyes were hard and filled with suspicion.
'…then she can no longer be considered a true ally.'
He knitted his brow slightly, his lips pressing together in controlled restraint. A cold breeze tugged gently at his hair, but within his mind turmoil raged beyond calm. He closed his eyes momentarily, inhaled slowly… then exhaled, as that unsettling thought sharpened:
'Perhaps… she did not save me purely out of goodwill.'
'Neutralizing poison, offering her own blood transformed into nourishing milk when I was near death perhaps all a trick to gain my trust and make me indebted to her.'
He stood motionless like a statue amid the wind, yet his inner world quaked. A doubt he had never known stealthily seeped into every breath.
'This cannot be coincidence…'
His fist clenched tighter.
His lips remained sealed no emotion betrayed him but inside, his mind was a storm. The shadow of suspicion spread across every thought.
'If she truly intended to drain my power…'
His inner voice was frigid, colder than the wind atop a mountain.
'Then her mercy was but a move in her own game, with me as her pawn.'
"Bai Wangyan… thank you so very much for saving me," Xin Tingting said softly, a faint smile on her lips. Her voice brimmed with sincerity. Her large bright eyes reflected no trace of doubt. Walking beside him, simply journeying alongside him made her feel an odd warmth.
Bai Wangyan paused briefly, turning toward her with an inscrutable gaze as if it could see through to the deepest secrets of the soul yet without leaving even a hint of tenderness.
"…You survived only because I still owe you a debt," he said evenly, coldly, and resolutely like a blade cutting the air to stillness in an instant.
Xin Tingting froze. Her eyes flickered slightly she had not expected such words. What came next struck her like a blow, dropping her heart into her stomach:
"From now on, our mutual help ends here… you need not concern yourself with me again." His tone was as cold as a winter breeze no longer bearing the warmth of the one who once saved her life.
She did not understand. The glow she felt moments ago was swallowed by his icy words.
"And concerning our secret… speak of it to no one not even a single word," Bai Wangyan continued slowly, each word chilling like ice against the skin. "If you violate this even once… I will show no mercy to you."
His calm voice carried immense pressure; even breaths seemed to halt in that moment.
Xin Tingting froze, her gaze that had gazed at him softly now lowered quietly. She knew well that his look in that moment was not one she could resist. Though not shouted, his voice pressed down on her with the weight of a sword hovering above her throat.
His chill permeated more than the air it made her heart skip rhythm, as though cut away from what had been.
Xin Tingting pressed her lips together as though swallowing something unsaid, her face full of confusion and pain. She did not know how to feel about his words:
"I… I understand," she replied quietly, her voice barely audible. Her eyes avoided his sharp, icy gaze. Inside her heart, turmoil flared: how did he feel? Why speak so coldly? Was he angry? Or did he never trust her at all…
Before silence had time to fade, he spoke again in even cooler, quieter tone:
"And even my body… you are forbidden to touch it again!"
The words hit like a frigid gale across her face. Xin Tingting flinched without realizing, then nodded faintly.
"Mm…" Her reply was barely more than a whisper, as though about to vanish into the surrounding stillness.
At that moment, her gaze drifted to Ye Juan, seated against the clay wall not far away. Ye Juan looked weak and still unable to move comfortably. Seeing her pale expression reminded Xin Tingting of the injury to Ye Juan's foot.
She turned back up to Bai Wangyan once more. Though fear still fluttered in her eyes, she gathered her courage to say:
"Bai Wangyan… if you have nothing more to say, I'll excuse myself to care for Ye Juan."
Her tone was neither harsh nor overly soft. And to avoid further emotional tension between them in this moment.
Bai Wangyan remained silent, his eyes emotionless, staring ahead. Seeing that, Xin Tingting said nothing further then quietly turned and walked toward Ye Juan.
"Ye Juan… may I check your foot? Where does it hurt?" Xin Tingting kneeled gently before Ye Juan and softly cradled her foot, examining the wound with concern.
Tears welled in Ye Juan's eyes at the sudden tenderness. The depth of gratitude flooded her just moments ago Xin Tingting had risked herself for her survival; now she cared tenderly for her injury. Overwhelmed, she threw herself into Xin Tingting's arms.
"Xin Tingting… I'm so glad you're alive."
Xin Tingting paused momentarily at the unexpected embrace, then gradually wrapped her arms around Ye Juan with a gentle smile her heart tender and quietly grieving.
Bai Wangyan watched the scene silently. His eyes remained calm and cold, as ever. No one could tell what he thought but deep down, he felt profound surprise: Xin Tingting had chosen once again to sacrifice herself so Ye Juan could live, and had faced danger alone to do so.
At that moment, Liang Er and Lun Shan Chun arrived.
They saw Ye Juan hugging Xin Tingting tightly two girls barely known to each other, showing such bond. The first sparkle in Lun Shan Chun's eyes was surprise: he had never seen Ye Juan show such emotion for someone she only met days ago not just physical closeness, but a clearly manifested connection beyond words.
Liang Er, still unsure of what exactly had happened, felt relief when she saw that everyone was safe, especially her brother Bai Wangyan.
"While we were on the ship, those two laughed together softly… but now they seem deeply connected in such a strange way," Lun Shan Chun said with a faint smile.
"They've become soul-friends… in just a few days." His tone remained calm and composed; his eyes steady. Yet in his heart was an unspoken emotion.
Then Pharaoh and the injured Royal Guard female arrived.
They saw Xin Tingting and Ye Juan embracing warmly. Pharaoh, despite grievous wounds, stepped beside Liang Er and sincerely apologized:
"I must truly apologize. I should not have judged by your strange attire. I will punish the woman who caused all this… and I deeply thank you for sparing us."
He raised his hand in a respectful bow his injury notwithstanding, his grace and leadership remained evident.
Seeing that things had calmed, the female guard hurried to tend to her partner, lying motionless near the ruins. His body was bruised and broken by debris; he looked as though he would not move again. She stopped beside him and checked for a pulse. When she felt his weak heartbeat, a small wave of relief washed over her.
She carefully lifted his body taking care not to jar his wounds. Though her own strength drained from the intense battle and injuries, her concern for him drove her to help him reach safety, praying he would survive the violence they had just endured.
"Pharaoh, you misunderstood it's not that our companion killed that woman's daughter. He simply… does not like others touching him." Liang Er interjected calmly, pointing to the gray-haired girl seated beside her unconscious mother.
The Pharaoh followed her point. His eyes glowed with insight. After a moment, he nodded slowly as if he now understood.
"I will punish the woman responsible for this chaos… but only after she has recovered." His voice held authority, yet fairness.
Evening's pale light drifted above Egypt's land. A gentle warm breeze brushed against sun-weathered skin. The faint scent of earth and blood lingered in the air. Amid the slowly settling turmoil, Xin Tingting raised her hand and released shimmering golden light, adorned with tiny stars. The energy flowed into the swollen, bleeding wound on Ye Juan's foot. Within moments, all signs of injury faded the skin returned intact, flawless.
"Is this… your healing power?" Ye Juan asked softly, gazing at her now-restored foot, amazement and gratitude in her eyes. The pain that had haunted every step was gone.
Xin Tingting turned to her with a gentle smile. Her eyes glowed softly like moonlight on water.
"Yes… it is my power of restoration. I am a goddess of healing."
She paused briefly. Golden particles of light lingered around her fingertips like fragile motes of life nearly fading.
"I can heal wounds inside and out. This power was with me from birth… though I can only use it occasionally, not anytime I wish." Her tone was soft as a twilight breeze, her eyes gentle yet weary. She lowered her hand slowly; the golden light dissipated gently, as if symbolizing power dwindling with each heartbeat. Within its beauty lay the fragile sacredness of a power she dared not squander.
"Xin Tingting… you, Liang Er, Lun Shan Chun, and Bai Wangyan you each have exceptional abilities." Ye Juan spoke quietly while gazing down at her hands.
"As for me… even though I have power for battle, I hardly know how to use it. I feel… I hardly helped any of you at all." Her voice carried quiet resentment delicate as if a breeze might carry it away.
Xin Tingting met Ye Juan's unsure face, shook her head slowly, and reached to gently touch her hand.
"But to me, you are incredibly brave… Ye Juan. Even wounded, you managed to run down a long flight of stairs from the top floor to the bottom."
Ye Juan paused, then offered a small, quiet smile. The darkness in her eyes slowly gave way to warmth.
"Thank you so much… for saving me back then." Her voice was soft but sincere.
"Mm… it's nothing, really a small thing," Xin Tingting replied with a light laugh, squeezing Ye Juan's hand gently in encouragement.