Li Chang's eyes opened slowly, as if awakening from a deep, dreamless sleep. For a brief moment, her gaze was unfocused, her mind still adjusting to the return of awareness. Then clarity settled in, and her pupils sharpened as she took in the surroundings.
The pool of Nature Energy still surrounded her, though its intensity had lessened slightly now that the primary process had concluded. The barrier overhead remained intact, and beyond it, she could see the faint silhouettes of Lin Mu and the two ancestors watching her closely.
Lin Mu was the first to speak.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
His voice was calm, but there was a subtle tension beneath it. This was the moment of truth. All the calculations, all the risks, all the effort led to this single question.
Li Chang blinked once, then twice, as if confirming her own state.
"I feel… strong," she said.
Her voice carried a hint of surprise.
