Thief.. !

Liang didn't respond. But inside, his senses sharpened.

This woman…

Her voice softened, thoughtful now.

"Hmm… Heaven-Severing Mortal Unity Scripture, too? How peculiar. What an interesting little soul you have."

A subtle shift flickered across his face-a faint tightening at the corner of his mouth.

She knew both scriptures.

Who was she?

As if reading his thoughts, she let out a dry chuckle.

"No need to overthink it, little fellow. I was just curious."

She raised a frail hand, pointing toward the river.

"Go on. Feed your Spectral Root with it. That's why you came, isn't it?"

Liang's eyes lingered on her for a moment longer.

Then he stepped forward.

The river lay still. The air around it had turned colder-biting deep into his soul.

He knelt, lowering his hand toward the surface.

His fingertips hovered inches above the water.

This was no ordinary river.