"Ruoshui! Ruoshui!"
Xiao Chen held her limp body tightly in his arms, calling her name again and again, his voice shifting from anxiety to a tremor.
The beautiful woman's eyes were closed, her long lashes lowered. Her complexion was rosy, her breathing slow and steady, as though she had merely fallen into a deep sleep, trapped in a dream from which she could not wake. No matter how he called to her, those eyes showed no sign of opening.
Keke stopped making a fuss, too. He fluttered over and gently rubbed his furry little head against Ruoshui's dangling hand, babbling softly, his little face full of worry.
"Stop shouting."
Wang Xuan's voice came from beside him, tinged with impatience.
"Her soul power has been fully restored, but the Azure Lotus Heavenly Maiden possessed her through Body Seizure for all those years. Now that her soul has returned, it needs time to become attuned to her body again." Looking at Xiao Chen's distraught face, he rolled his eyes in exasperation. "It's like setting a broken bone. Can you rush that? Give her some time, and she'll wake on her own."
But even Wang Xuan could not guarantee just how long that would take.
He had already done everything within his power, more than fulfilling his duty to her.
"Oh, oh... right, right!"
Xiao Chen snapped out of his daze, finally relieved. He thanked Wang Xuan repeatedly, then carefully used spiritual power to lay a nourishing veil of light around Ruoshui, his movements as gentle as if he were cradling snow that might melt at any moment.
Wang Xuan could not be bothered to watch this display of tender affection any longer. He turned and looked toward the center of the battlefield.
The Azure Lotus Heavenly Maiden had been destroyed in body