Jiang Mian stood outside the Flower Sea, quietly watching the flames spread and burn everything to ashes.
Even the black river caught fire, transforming into a dazzling silver sea of flames.
Countless pale hands emerged from the water, densely packed across the entire river.
They were the souls collected by Oblivion River.
Since they had not yet been fully transformed, they still retained some ability to move.
When touched by the flames, they instinctively reached upward, clawing futilely at the air above the river.
Like drowning people, they could even let out shrill cries for help.
"Save... me..."
"I don't want to die!"
"It hurts... it hurts so much!"
Jiang Mian watched coldly.
Although this world had souls, it had never had any notion of "reincarnation."
Even if she let them go, Other Shore would absorb them.
In the end, that would be no different from being collected by Oblivion River all over again.
Jiang Mian couldn't do something so stupid.
When the souls were compressed to their limit, the flames shifted from silver to orange-gold in the blink of an eye, and the souls were burned away in an instant.
"Whew—"
Jiang Mian closed her eyes, carefully sensing the changes in her Mental Body.
Even without summoning [Sun Wheel], she could sense a new crimson flame forming within it.
But it was only a tiny flame, not even enough to support the creation of a new trait.
"Such a shame."
Jiang Mian shook her head.
Oblivion River had fled without a moment's hesitation. It might even have prepared to relocate before Withering set out.
She became even more certain of her earlier guess.
Withering must have seen something in the future,
and it had to be related to her power. That was why Withering had made Oblivion River withdraw