Ruihuang didn't respond right away. His thumb rubbed across the cool, glassy surface of the pill, faintly pulsing with light.
Half of Lingquan's healing functions. That wasn't just a gamble, it was a sacrifice.
He crouched beside Qingran again.
She was quieter now, but not still. Her fingers clenched and unclenched rhythmically, like she was caught in some endless struggle beneath her skin.
The black lines had slowed their crawl, but they hadn't stopped.
Her body was overheating, her energy looping, resisting every attempt to stabilize.
If they waited too long, the damage might become permanent.
Ruihuang lifted her gently and tilted her head up.
"Qingran.." he murmured low against her ear, his voice a tether to the present. "You have to take this. Fight. Come back."
She didn't respond, just trembled in his grip.
So he slipped the pill between her lips and tilted her jaw.
She swallowed with a small, choked sound.
