Tuo He'an lay half-submerged in the shallows, his enormous head stretched forward as he asked, "How exactly is Li Qinghui doing?"
Li Qingshang's enormous fish body rested beside her as she channeled the scarlet light from her own body into Li Qinghui.
Exhaustion and sorrow filled her face. She merely shook her head slowly. "She won't make it."
Before her, nearly all of Li Qinghui's crimson scales had fallen away, exposing great swathes of torn, curling flesh beneath. A gash deep enough to reveal bone had almost severed her body.
Only a few faint wisps remained of the scarlet light unique to Red Carp that clung to her body.
Drenched in blood, Niu Douchong stood nearby, leaning on his enormous axe, his brow furrowed and his expression grave. Suddenly, he steeled himself and gritted his teeth. "The [Succession Star Competition] doesn't allow us to bring any healing medicine. We have no way to treat her. All three of you sisters should forfeit! Withdraw from Earth's [Succession Star Competition] right now and return to the Star Sea! Find someone to save her!"
Li Qingshang lowered her eyes, despair seeping into her voice. "There's no time. Our strength is suppressed right now, but once we return to the Star Sea and the suppression lifts, her injuries will worsen in proportion. She'll still be on the brink of death. The Star Sea is vast, and we don't know anyone nearby. In Fourth Sister's current condition, she won't even survive the trip home."
"It's all my fault!" Li Qingyi thrashed frantically on the surface, churning up wave after wave of muddy water as tears streamed down her face. "If I hadn't kept insisting we fight those bastards to the bitter end, Fourth Sister would never have been hurt this badly!"
"Seventh Sister, this really...