"Not much farther now," Yin Fei said.
The words brought a subtle wave of relief over Luo Yue. Though they hadn't encountered danger recently, the Inner Court's atmosphere was never truly safe. Danger here didn't announce itself with roars or killing intent—it whispered, watched, and waited. Xiao Fang, meanwhile, grew more anxious, his thoughts consumed by his mother and Chun Hua. He hadn't seen them in far too long, and their conditions were still a mystery.
They followed the winding path deeper into the Inner Court, where even the air itself began to feel... wrong. The change was slow at first. Like the sun gradually dimming behind a thick curtain of clouds. Then the sensation grew undeniable.
"The Qi…" Elder Luo muttered. "It's thinning."
"You noticed too?" Luo Yue said while turning to look at him, as if he was confirming that she wasn't going crazy.
"It only gets worse from here," Yin Fei simply replied.
