In that instant, Sister Xue understood what it meant to be terrified to the bone.
A clear premonition of death came from the Stone Beast, whose soul was connected to hers. The moment the outline of the hand touched the Stone Beast's head, Sister Xue immediately ordered it to shift to one side.
But Stone Gu were clumsy. Having chosen weight and a powerful "body," they were bound to lose some agility, and they were even less nimble than insects controlled by true Gu techniques.
With a rumble, the Stone Beast moved away from the hand. Its heavy stone base scraped against the ground, and its carved beast face twisted with anger and fear as it threw back its head and roared.
The little stones that had been tossed behind the Stone Beast began rolling on their own, breaking the circle that had trapped the shadow. As they rolled, they gave off the pleasant sound of a mountain spring. The moment the stone formation shifted, the Qi shifted too, faintly connecting with the natural forces of heaven and earth to borrow their power.
The air grew viscous. It seemed as though a translucent spring were flowing through the air, circling the Stone Beast as if searching for a target. Then the stream turned somewhat awkwardly toward Ghost Wine.
This water was naturally another of Sister Xue's methods, an extension of the Stone Gu Technique. The flowing spring seemed both real and illusory, like a reflection in time, yet it could drown someone in reality.
When the water flowed over the shadow, heaven knew how everyone present managed to see the word "helpless" in that puddle.
It couldn't find a target.
It was "water"—how could it drown a shadow?
The shadow on the ground remained utterly composed, even giving Sister Xue