Rui stared at Shen, her mind struggling to process his words through the fog of exhaustion and emotional devastation.
The ground seemed to tilt beneath her feet, forcing her to lean more heavily against Zou.
"My father... returned?" Her voice was thin, almost hollow.
"How? When?"
Shen's gaze flickered away for a moment—a rare break in his perpetual composure.
"Few days ago..." His jaw tightened beneath his mask.
"We should not linger here, Princess. This pocket realm is unstable, especially now that I've disrupted the trial sequence."
His electric-blue eyes scanned their surroundings.
"We'll speak more once you're safely back in the Underworld."
Rui felt Zou's muscles tense beneath her grip.
His tails, still partially wrapped around her protectively, bristled with unmistakable hostility.
Shen turned to Zou, his gaze cool and assessing
The general's eyes narrowed, taking in the fox demon's disheveled appearance and protective stance.
