Carole's Phantom

"Good idea!"

Ye Shunguang drew the Azure Nether Sword and charged in the direction Jianshu had indicated.

Wise and Jianshu followed.

Belle and Griseo trailed a step behind.

"Griseo, is it really okay to let Xiaoguang keep using the Azure Nether Sword so often?"

Belle looked ahead, worry plain on her face.

All along the way, Ye Shunguang had woven flashes of sword light through the Ethereals, leaving every one in her path fallen. She moved with effortless grace between the Anomalous Corruptive Breath and the Special Ethereals, every bit like a sword immortal in battle.

But Belle knew that power came at a price. Each time Ye Shunguang drew on the Azure Nether Sword, it drained her life.

Even with Griseo there to protect her, Belle couldn't shake her worry.

"Belle, of course I could handle it directly," Griseo said calmly.

"But right now, I think Ye Shunguang needs to go through this ordeal and emerge stronger before she can truly grow."

Ever since they had entered the area, Griseo had sensed a subtle resonance between the Azure Nether Sword and their surroundings.

As the sword's wielder, Ye Shunguang must have felt the change too.

Griseo had told her to use it freely. Ye Shunguang would suffer from the backlash for a while, but the growth waiting beyond that pain would be worth it.

And Griseo had another reason.

In Ye Shunguang's last few fights, white flowers had withered wherever the Azure Nether Sword's power passed. The Anomalous Corruptive Breath had scattered, and even the Special Ethereals had dissolved into purple particles beneath its edge.

That suggested the white flowers, the Corruptive Breath, and the Special Ethereals had something in common with the Azure Nether Sword. All of them pointed to [Primus]'s power.

Griseo wondered if there was another