Perhaps Gilan's trembling as he suppressed the intense discomfort woke Tolina, who had been asleep in his arms.
The girl quickly sat up and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing."
Gilan shook his head and gave her a reassuring look.
"It's just that coming into contact with a new Primordial Essence has raised my strength again, making it harder for my 'downgraded' true body to act in the mortal world... If I'm even slightly careless, the power leaking out may trigger a mystical disaster that's difficult to contain."
"Your Primordial Essence advanced again?!"
Tolina covered her little mouth, greatly surprised.
Gilan nodded.
The girl looked at him with a rather wistful expression.
"You're amazing," Tolina said. "You're as special as Mr. Clark, the 'Director.' Even without the Enlightenment Flame's help, you've still advanced at an astonishing pace... When we first met, you were only a Tier 2 Spirit Mystic. Yet a little over two years later, you've already become a Tier 9 Apostle."
"I can feel it. Your aura is incredibly powerful now. Though you still fall short of the Hour-God, even Mr. Jora is already far beneath you."
As she spoke, Tolina paused briefly, then reached out on her own initiative and began massaging Gilan's temples. In a soft voice, she said, "You just came into contact with a new Primordial Essence. You must be tired, right?"
"I'm fine, it's not—"
Gilan replied with a smile.
Yet before he could finish, Tolina stared at him with a meaningful look.
"Mm, I am a little tired."
He changed his answer.
A curve rose at the corner of the girl's lips as she softly suggested, "Why not 'ascend' back to Black Castle and get some proper rest... After all, as you said, staying in the mortal world puts a great