The five lights did not resemble flowers, at least not at first glance. They were small blue suns suspended behind Han Qirong, each surrounded by concentric circles of runes so ancient that Damon could not follow them with his eyes. The symbols constantly rearranged themselves, forming petals, roots, stars, and structures resembling human meridians. At the center of that arrangement, a white shadow pulsed with a slow, organic rhythm, as though something slept inside an endless layer of ice.
Xue Lian did not move, but the cold around her changed immediately. Until then, her presence had been like a storm controlled by an absolute will, powerful even while weakened by the crystallization of her own body. Now, the cold became narrower, more concentrated, compressed around her sword and vital points. Damon recognized the gesture. She was conserving energy, which meant those lights truly represented a threat.
