Li Qinglan glanced at her daughter, then back at Yun Lintian. The battle had proven one thing—this man wasn't just some reckless upstart. He had forced her, a Primordial God, to bleed.
A long silence stretched between them.
Finally, Li Qinglan let out a slow sigh. The light around her dimmed, her blade dissolving back into pure energy. "I see now," she murmured. "This is why you gave up your power so easily, Hei Xuan."
Hei Xuan smirked. "Took you long enough."
Li Qinglan ignored him, focusing on Yun Lintian. "You're not just gathering Primordial powers. You're becoming something else entirely."
Yun Lintian lowered his spears. "I'm doing what's necessary."
Li Qinglan studied him for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, she laughed—a clear, melodic sound that seemed out of place after their brutal battle. "Very well. You've proven your worth."
