The Long Wait (Bai Ye's Memory)

By the time Bai Ye came to, he didn't know how much time had passed. His robe was soaked in blood, and some of the stains on the floor had already dried, turning into a black crust at his feet.

He felt lightheaded, but he didn't care. Hastily, he summoned the next spell to check his progress. A wisp of dark smoke rose from Twin Stars as he chanted the words, a sign of the strength of souls trapped within. The old master had told him that the smoke should lighten in color over time. When it turned from black to white, it would mean that its need for those souls had been completely replaced by heart's blood, and that the sword spirit's demonic power had also been thoroughly cleansed.