Riley glanced down at his hand, brushing the last traces of ash away before replying.
"It's nothing but a small trick," he said calmly, as though the act had cost him nothing. "A method only I can use."
In truth, it was no ordinary trick. It involved spatial anchoring and soul-bound transmission—techniques using his infinite clone technique that even powerful cultivators at the apex level of this world would find nearly impossible to replicate.
But there was no point explaining such things to her now.
He took a slow breath, his gaze falling once more on her trembling form.
The antidote was gone. His pill was useless.
And the realm itself had sealed off every other conventional option.
It seemed there truly was no other way.
He clenched his fists silently. He hadn't expected this when he first chose to help her.
But now that he had, abandoning her wasn't an option.
His gaze softened slightly.
