—"And now? Do you hate me?"
She was clean and immaculate, beautiful and powerful, dressed in brand-new leather armor. Her ruby earrings swayed dazzlingly, and she carried the scent of food and wine.
In contrast, she herself was covered in blood and old and fresh wounds, one arm healed by a Healing Potion before its improperly set break could be corrected...
Yu Xunge looked at her with her one remaining eye, tears reddening its rim as she gritted her teeth. "I hate you to the bone!"
"I like that answer." Zhuri was pleased by it. She bent down until her eyes were level with Little Oak Owl's.
A month ago, this cub's gaze had been like that of a lost kitten or puppy.
But now, she was like a wolf cub that had learned to hunt and gained the ability to survive on her own.
The elf looked straight into Little Oak Owl's eyes and said, word by word:
"Anger and hatred do not require qualification. They are meaningful. Don't use those seemingly clear-headed but actually laughable principles to brush yourself off."
Yu Xunge nodded. The moment she opened her mouth, she realized she was choking up. She closed it, trembling as she forcibly swallowed down the inexplicable emotion. Only after she had completely calmed down did she ask, "But you said to cast aside emotions."
The elf choked up unusually. She drew a deep breath, closed her eyes, and raised a brow. "What I meant was that when you encounter a problem, it's best to temporarily set them aside and focus on solving it. Don't let them affect your judgment. But I never told you to deliberately ignore them."
Yu Xunge said solemnly, "I'll remember that!"
Zhuri continued, "Most importantly, don't try to rely on anyone. All the pain