Overlapping.
Interweaving.
Mixing.
Under Xu Xi's watchful gaze, Krisha successfully awoke, breaking free from the chaotic state of intermittent unconsciousness.
But the matter was far from over.
As soon as the magic array was withdrawn and the effects of the Clear Spirit Grass faded, the clash between order and disorder would once again plunge Krisha into a coma.
Time was of the essence, and the problem had to be resolved swiftly.
"Krisha, listen to your instincts, relax your mind, and guide it," Xu Xi instructed from the side, standing by as a precaution.
"If anything feels off, tell me immediately."
"Yes, Mentor," the witch replied obediently. Her face remained pale, devoid of its usual healthy glow, exuding a fragile beauty.
She guided her spiritual energy, calming the turmoil within her bloodline.
With her will, she created a buffer zone between the two forces.
Allowing water and fire to coexist.
Allowing divinity and demonic energy to merge.
Allowing her spirit and body to harmonize perfectly.
With Xu Xi's assistance and the wisdom of mortals as her guide, Krisha stumbled through the process of interweaving the two forces within her.
Finally, balance was achieved.
Xu Xi could clearly see that the witch's black-and-gold eyes were slowly calming down, no longer as terrifyingly vivid as before.
Black at the core, gold encircling it.
The black part resembled a starry sea, with faint glimmers of light, holding infinite mysteries and unknowns.
The serene yet radiant gold, on the other hand, exuded an indescribable nobility, like a ring binding the stars, firmly sealing the dark sea of stars.
The only oddity was a barely noticeable gap in the center of her calm eyes, where the black and gold had not fully merged, as if something was still missing.
But this did not hinder the witch's ascension and transformation.
Her emotionless, hollow gaze.
Her serene, expressionless face.
It was a scene he had seen countless times before, yet now it felt entirely different, reminding Xu Xi of the God of Light he had once encountered.
"Divinity...?"
"No, something even beyond that."
Xu Xi couldn't help but marvel. A witch who had achieved perfect balance between body and spirit, order and chaos, was destined to surpass the gods in her future accomplishments.
But before that,
she would need a long period of growth.
When the time came, the miracle that surpassed the gods would astonish the entire world.
"Mentor..."
"Am I... okay now?"
Her calm voice carried a hint of confusion and hesitation.
Krisha sat on the magic stone slab, looking at her hands and then at Xu Xi's face, filled with helplessness.
Even as a miracle that surpassed the gods, even after accomplishing an unprecedented feat, the witch still turned to the person she trusted most when faced with uncertainty.
Her eyes, like a mirror, reflected Xu Xi's figure.
"Yes, you're fine now, Krisha," Xu Xi reassured her.
He gently took her cold hand,
using his own to impart a bit of warmth.
"You've worked hard, Krisha. It must have been tough staying here for so long. Now, we can go home together," Xu Xi said softly, gently leading the witch out of the meditation room.
To Xu Xi, the meditation room was not a home but merely a place for cultivation and emergencies.
He wanted to bring Krisha back into the sunlight.
To let her, who had endured so much, bask in warmth and enjoy a good meal.
"I..."
The girl seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.
She simply tightened her grip on Xu Xi's hand, following closely behind, stepping in his shadow as they walked.
"Wherever you are, that is my home."
These were the words the witch kept hidden in her heart, unspoken.
...
After leaving the meditation room, Xu Xi personally prepared a lavish meal for Krisha, who had fully regained consciousness.
The girl initially had little appetite.
But Xu Xi's cooking was exceptionally enticing.
Before she knew it, she had devoured two-thirds of the meal.
This was far beyond her usual appetite.
Krisha was utterly bewildered.
She didn't understand why her appetite had suddenly grown so large.
Xu Xi observed all this and thought, "It seems Krisha's demonic bloodline is at work. Her body is evolving and transforming, naturally requiring more sustenance."
With this in mind, Xu Xi smiled and comforted Krisha, telling her not to worry.
The fusion of demonic and divine powers was a path no one had ever tread before.
The changes in her body were only the first step.
In the days to come,
Krisha would likely display even more extraordinary, even mind-boggling, peculiarities that would challenge conventional understanding.
...
[You successfully saved the witch and created a miracle that surpasses all.]
[Balancing order, balancing chaos, even balancing the world.]
[You cannot imagine what kind of upheaval the witch will stir in this world once she grows up. Perhaps, she will become someone who stands above all.]
[You envision such a future, smiling as you prepare a feast for the witch. She eats voraciously, stuffing herself until she's full.]
[The next day, you conduct tests on the now-recovered witch.]
[To your astonishment, you find that her already extraordinary magical talent has undergone a terrifying enhancement, rivaling even the wisdom of mortals, if not surpassing it.]
[Not only that, but the witch's frail body is also growing stronger. Though her appearance remains unchanged, her inner self has transcended humanity. From now on, you no longer need to worry about her catching a cold or fever.]
[You are overjoyed and relieved.]
[All this time, you had been concerned about Krisha's safety, feeling that her strength was insufficient to protect herself.]
[But the witch's newfound changes have completely put your mind at ease.]
[With a light heart, you live with Krisha in Wagge City, filled with hope for the future. You believe that the two of you can remain in seclusion in Wagge City for a long time, until you both possess even greater strength.]
[Two years later, an incident involving the witch brings a slight ripple to your peaceful life.]
Simulation Year 13.
Xu Xi, 27 years old. Krisha, 19 years old.
The passage of time inevitably leaves its mark on the body.
Even though Xu Xi possessed life magic and his body brimmed with vitality, his face, his body, and his limbs still bore the subtle traces of maturity and weathering brought by the years.
This was only natural.
Expected.
But Krisha was different. At 19 years old, the witch still retained the appearance of her 17-year-old self.
Though her figure had filled out slightly due to better nutrition and physical training, there was no doubt that Krisha's body had stopped growing.
Forever frozen at 17.
"Longevity?"
"Or... immortality?"
In the courtyard of Wagge City, Xu Xi, clad in a wide mage's robe, gazed at the flowers withering in the wind, feeling a sense of wonder but not surprise.
After all, even before this, Krisha's lifespan had far exceeded his own.
Now,
the gap of hundreds or thousands of years had simply stretched into an infinite eternity.
For mortals, it was equally unattainable.