Luo Cheng moved first.
"Then don't blame us for this!" he snapped, his anger no longer restrained as his blade came out fully, spiritual energy surging along its edge in a bright, unstable glow. He pushed forward in a straight line, his movement fast, driven more by emotion than calculation, aiming to close the distance before Lin Yi could react again.
Beside him, Luo Mei did not rush.
Her stance shifted instead, her blade lowering slightly as her aura condensed inward, tightening, sharpening. Her eyes never left Lin Yi, tracking even the smallest change in his posture.
"Don't overcommit," she said quickly, her voice low but firm. "He's not normal."
Luo Cheng didn't respond.
He was already within striking range.
His blade cut forward in a diagonal arc, energy flaring outward as he committed fully to the strike.
Lin Yi did not step back.
He stepped in.
