Edifice brushed Selene's bangs out of her eyes, her neck was limp, and her body was cold.
It was like holding a corpse, though she reassured herself that Selene was simply unconscious.
The lingering mixture of Heaven Qi and Earth Qi stuck like boiling droplets of molten metal.
Searing into Selene's skin violently.
It was shocking to see. Edifice had never seen someone have such a conflict with Heaven Qi and Earth Qi.
Neither Qis should have such an interaction with any living being.
Raising her hand, she commanded the residual Qis on Selene's body to rise, removing the Qi harming Selene's body.
As usual, the Heaven Qi and Earth Qi were absorbed into Edifice's palm, not at all conflicting with her skin.
"Selene..."
Her Junior Sister was in a terrible state, but still desperately clinging to life.
'What in the world happened to you?'
Shaking off her hesitation, Edifice quickly raised a hand over Selene's head.
Selene felt the throbbing in her head subside.
Her lips trembled. Edifice was hoping to hear her speak, or any noise, but the world was drowned in the violent splashes and deafening roars.
Edifice shot a glance towards the centre of the Spirit Spring, at the hideous beast writhing in the silvery pool.
Gritting her teeth, she kept her guard raised as she treated Selene.
'...'
'What is going on with you...?'
Normally, submerging oneself in the mixture of Heaven Qi or Earth Qi would not harm them so greatly.
Prolonged exposure to great amounts of such Qi may accumulate harmful effects on one's body, mind, or Qi Cores.
Human Qi can generally defend against such effects or wholly prevent them.
Selene, however, seems to lack any kind of defence, which is odd.
'Earth Qi is abundant throughout the land, and Heaven Qi is present as long as the sky is available.'
'How is it that you're suffering such effects now? Is it the density of the mixture, or the mixture itself?'
'You're lacking Human Qi, is this the reason? Even so... such effects should not be so violent.'
Moving her hand from Selene's head to her chest, Edifice began to treat her weak pulse.
Selene felt the pressure lift off her heart and chest, feeling the blood properly flowing throughout her body.
"...Hmm..."
'Now, what is wrong with you...?'
Casting her gaze towards the hideous beast, it was still struggling in the Spirit Spring.
'Could the Spirit Spring be the problem? Is it the reason why Selene and the hideous beast are suffering so greatly...?'
The natural Spirit Spring was originally still, reflective, but also murky, like a dirty silver dish.
Now the surface breaks and splashes, the force of the beast's struggling knocks the slurry of Qis several meters into the air.
'It can't be the Heaven Qi or Earth Qi, it doesn't have any effect on me..."
'...?'
Selene's eyelashes flutter, lowly parting to reveal strained eyes.
"Selene!"
Edifice quickly held Selene's face to examine her dreary eyes.
"Look at me!"
"Can you breathe?"
"Selene!"
Looking down with worry, she ignored the violent other noises in the cave.
With Immersion, she blocked out the deafening roars which echoed against the stony walls.
The violent splashing is now soundless.
Spilling from Selene's trembling lips, Edifice could finally hear her voice.
Edifice's name was called through broken speech. Whether it be the weakness of her lungs or damage to her throat, Selene's weakness was noted once again.
"Forgive me, but you must bear with me for a moment longer...!"
Raising her hand to the silvery pool, Edifice held two small ornaments in her hand, they were Dao Art Mediums.
Through Immersion, Edifice could sense some sort of turmoil within the beast's body, which caused it great pain.
Adding onto the hideous beast's low cries of pain, Edifice squeezed her hand into a fist.
Pain. Heat. Danger.
These arose in the beast's mind, causing another, albeit vague, emotion to rise in its thoughts.
'Fear...?'
'Peace?'
Edifice could sense the contortions of its human-like face.
She could sense the fear in its eyes, but also the relaxation of its muscles, just a moment before it contorted with panic.
'...'
'...'
'...!'
A faint 'pop!' rang through the air, silencing the beast and quelling the turbulent waters.
Shock appeared on the hideous beast's expression, but it also felt,
'Content?'
It did not move, but it was still alive.
As emotions rose in Edifice, the Dao Art Mediums in her hand shattered and withered, prompting her to retrieve one more.
A Qi rod was manifested, and with Qi surging in her arms, Edifice threw the rod with incredible speed.
Only a whistle could be heard before it pierced the hideous beast's head.
Blood flew and stained the murky silver of the Spirit Spring a sickly crimson.
Watching the beast's body go limp, she could feel its pulse weaken and muscles soften.
Edifice could still sense something ravaging the beast's body.
'Human Qi... Selene's Human Qi?'
She watched as the hideous beast sank, eventually swallowed whole by the silvery pool.
'Was Selene's Qi the thing responsible for harming the beast?'
'That would mean...'
Shaking her head, Edifice dismissed that thought and focused on her Junior Sister in front of her.
"It's over... Well, that hideous beast has fallen."
"Is... that so...?"
Nodding, Selene allowed her Qi to nurture Selene.
There were so many questions on Edifice's mind.
Why did Selene suffer such a conflict against Heaven QI and Earth Qi?
How was Selene's Human Qi able to harm the hideous beast violently?
Just what was that hideous beast? Where did it come from?
"What do we do now...?"
Selene's voice was still lingering with weakness.
"The Caravan is destroyed... everybody died... and..."
"Where is Dawn?"
'...!'
That fact had just returned to Edifice.
But as she was about to stand, a voice poked into her mind.
Similarly, Selene seemed to have received the same feeling, too.
"What is...?"
"So suddenly?"
The information was abrupt, short, and concise.
There was little that needed to be understood: 'Return to Great River Bank Settlement' was all that was left.
"Edifice?"
"..."
She couldn't explain the reason for this message. It carried such a grave and demanding tone.
Almost desperate, even.
Slowly, Edifice came back to her senses.
"If we have received this message, then that is likely good news for Dawn."
"What do you mean?"
"I will bring you back up to the cliff, but I must leave to find your friend!"
Astonished, Selene merely nodded before being scooped up by Edifice and feeling the wind rush past her.
In a few breaths' time, they had reached the cliff's edge in a single jump.
"Please remain here, and hind if you can!"
Bursting forth with speed, Edifice left Selene behind and ran through the long cave's trail.
Eventually, exiting the cave's entrance.
Welcomed by the dim starlight, Edifice rushes off to find Dawn.
...