426 "Make the Sleeping Girl Clean" (Second Chapter, Request for Monthly Votes)

Lin Luo's sacred healing art was versatile but not omnipotent. It could fully mend physical injuries yet struggled against mystical forces like the one he now faced. Though Yuzurihara Megami's body had completely recovered—her internal organs and skin flawless—his healing power couldn't dispel the Shashio stone's influence.

The girl lacked a Shashio stone, but when Sanzu River attacked her, it transferred that destructive force into her body. While World Seed protected her life, the sealed artifact refused to purge the malevolent energy from her system or allow Lin Luo's healing art to work beyond surface effects.

"Senior Sister Megami... can't you be saved?" Watching Yuzurihara remain unconscious, Tsubasa Shinkurou grew anxious once more. Her trembling gaze met Lin Luo's face with evident unease.

"No, she's alive," Lin Luo smiled as he saw her worried expression. "There are just some residual forces left to deal with... don't worry. She hasn't woken up because I made her rest for a while. There's no life-threatening danger so we can consider her basically healed."

"Really?" Tsubasa widened her eyes, leaning forward anxiously.

"Of course," Lin Luo affirmed.

"Thank goodness! Senior Sister Megami..." Relief washed over Tsubasa as days of grief vanished. She embraced the unconscious girl in tearful joy, overwhelmed by this second chance to hold her dear one once more.

Lin Luo gave her space but after a while pulled out clothing from his storage realm. "Crying or laughing can wait until she wakes up. Let's dress her properly first—being bare-chested isn't appropriate."

Tsubasa blushed at the realization, hurriedly taking the offered clothes to cover Yuzurihara. Though Lin Luo had given men's attire it fit perfectly on Megami whose strong frame made either gender's clothing equally suitable.

"By the way, change your clothes too," Lin Luo added, handing over more garments after Tsubasa finished dressing his patient.

"Eh? No need..." She protested instinctively before looking down at her bloodstained dress caked with filth from battling revenants. "But..."

Her hesitation was obvious as she tried to avoid changing in front of a man even in these dire circumstances. Lin Luo noticed and returned the clothes to his storage.

"Let's find somewhere clean first," he suggested.

Tsubasa nodded, fascinated by how items appeared and vanished at will from his hands—an illusionary magic as far as her understanding could grasp. With Megami carried securely in one arm and Tsubasa supported under his other, Lin Luo sprinted away despite the girl's weak legs trembling beneath him.

"Um... who are you exactly? Why help us?" she finally asked against his chest.

Lin Luo chuckled. "More details later. Let's find food first—you must be starving."

With most buildings destroyed by spirits and enemies hunting them specifically, finding shelter became impossible. After prolonged searching Lin Luo chose a secluded forest pool where clean water still flowed.

But upon checking their faces he found Tsubasa had already fallen asleep—exhausted from their ten-day escape with no rest at all.

"This might be complicated," he muttered, shaking her awake without success. He'd put Megami to sleep for the same reason now both needed rest but...

He debated tossing a coin: heads they wait until morning, tails he would bathe them while asleep. The result landed on tails.

"I swear I didn't cheat," Lin Luo grumbled as fate decided his actions.

Though tempted by proximity to two unconscious girls in bathing attire, the sight of Tsubasa's battle-scarred body stirred no desire only guilt. Her peaceful expression during sleep reminded him this was trust earned through hardship not opportunity exploited.

After washing her with utmost care from his storage towel, he quickly dressed her in fresh clothes. The sight of a girl in men's casual wear with short hair gave the illusion of an androgynous beauty, leaving Lin Luo to quietly accept that his actions were indeed divinely ordained—though perhaps by forces beyond comprehension rather than any celestial decree.