Shen Yu brought his arms down around her, pulling her slender frame tight against his chest.
The smell of medicinal herbs clung faintly to her white translucent silk robes, but beneath it was her familiar, sweet fragrance.
"You played your part flawlessly, little alchemist," Shen Yu murmured into her hair, his deep voice vibrating against her cheek.
Bai Ruolan looked up, her clear blue eyes shimmering with unconditional warmth and devotion.
The heavy burden of leading a fallen giant, the grief she had displayed before the crowds, the blood-soaked terror of the previous night, all of it melted away the moment she felt his touch.
"Everything was as Senior Brother designed," she whispered, leaning up to press her soft lips gently against his jaw.
"The surviving elders are entirely under my sway. Not a single person doubts Zhao Tianxing's betrayal or my loyalty to the Union. They are practically begging me to take full command."
