When Li Ang and Diao returned to the edge of the forest net bed, it was already nearing midnight.
Exhausted from posing her body in various unconventional snake-like positions, Diao had used up a lot of energy. By the time Li Ang carried her back, she was already wrapped around him, asleep.
The damp single garment was quickly dried by the spirit wind of the night, and Li Ang covered her with broad leaves.
The surroundings were not dark; the night could still rely on the spiritual light that scattered across the Land of Ten Thousand Spirits to see things clearly. Thus, Li Ang was able to see the silhouette of Inanna in a golden long dress leaning against an ancient tree.
In Zosia’s Crystal Sanctuary, after spending multiple deep nights together, Li Ang knew that she, as the Dragon God Incarnation, didn’t actually need to sleep unless her physical and mental faculties were exceedingly taxed.
Although today’s battle against the Evil King Demon Remains was taxing, for the Dragon Maiden, it was far less burdensome compared to "learning" how humans loved and interacted, yet she still closed her eyes to rest, awaiting Li Ang.
Noticing him approaching, the golden dragon pupil lit up amidst the dimness.
"Are you ready? Let me try to remove the curse." Li Ang sat beside her, speaking softly.
This was something agreed upon between them when Li Ang had no clue about resolving the curse on his own arm. Now, having become a Spiritual Forger capable of seeing through curse anchors, he could attempt to free the Earth Dragon from its curse.
Inanna’s dragon eyes flickered: "I..."
Li Ang waited for her to calm her suddenly surging emotions.
After a somewhat lengthy wait, Inanna finally took a deep breath, raised her chin, and said with a trembling voice, "Go ahead."
Due to the connection with the Earth Dragon Mark, Li Ang didn’t find perceiving her spiritual structure too troublesome; merely focusing a bit allowed him to observe her state.
"Since your true form isn’t here, I can’t say for sure if it can be completely lifted, but it’s worth a try."
Li Ang had previously pondered over this issue—whether he could initiate curse removal when faced with Inanna’s avatar rather than her true form, or whether it required an invitation to enter the Six Dragons Divine Realm for the operation to commence.
When he became a Spiritual Forger, unbinding his own curse, and realized that curse power stemmed from a fusion of Spirit Casting Art and Reversed Spirit Casting Technique, he understood one thing—even if her true form wasn’t here, he could still attempt the removal.
Similar to his arm’s curse, where the curse still adhered because it was anchored onto the concept of "Li Ang"; Inanna was affected by the concept of "Earth."
"You are not directly shrouded by the curse but because the Bloody Red Land is entwined by the curse, which projects onto you who are connected to it. I will start from those anchor points, removing them one by one."
Given she was prepared, Li Ang began explaining his approach.
While observing the spiritual structure of her human form avatar, he could see deeply entangled bloody red lines wrapped tight around, resembling thorns; no wonder they manifested similar marks on her skin.
"I am starting."
"Okay, okay..." The Dragon Maiden’s voice trembled, closing her eyes as if undergoing punishment, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.
The Demon’s Hand rose behind Li Ang, with a tight bloody red shell, flowing curves, and a blade-like edge at the fingertips and elbows, making it appear like a surgical knife at this moment.
The Demon’s Finger aimed at a thorn in the outer part of the Dragon Maiden’s spiritual structure and began to gently peel it away.
Inanna’s entire body convulsed violently, reaching out to embrace Li Ang.
Not requiring his arms for the operation, Li Ang reciprocated, supporting her body with the crook of his arm.
"Does it hurt?"
"A little... but I’m used to it, I’ll endure."
Li Ang nodded lightly, continuing to peel away the thorns.
Unlike the curse deliberately left in the Yunxiang Race’s bloodline by Jenova, the curse entangled in Inanna’s spirituality stemmed from the remaining murky power of the Bloody Red Land, wild and unruly, penetrating deeply everywhere, forming a thorn-like shape, making the removal exceedingly difficult.
Each time the Demon’s Hand moved, it triggered a tremor through the Dragon Maiden’s body.
Even though this body was constructed using the powerful bloodline structure of followers like the Beast-Earkin and Horned Race, it remained at a level nearing mortals, and such soul-deep pain inevitably produced immense shocks.
When the first thorn was extracted, her brown hair at the temples was already drenched with sweat clinging to her face. The long dress adhered to her body, with its heat transmitting to Li Ang’s palms.
Continuing to unwrap the curse, the Dragon Maiden repeatedly curled and stretched her body, eventually biting Li Ang’s shoulder to endure it, just like during their previous intimate teachings.
As night deepened, with more than half the curse removed, his Magic Robe was soaked entirely, from his upper body, legs, to the point he couldn’t distinguish whether the intermittent gush of heat was sweat.
"Shall we take a break?"
Li Ang said softly to the Dragon Maiden, whose skin was entirely entwined by the bloody red thorns, appearing strangely enchanting.
She nodded weakly, leaning against the trunk.
But as if the world’s trauma refused to give her a breather, her body suddenly jerked, the curse spreading anew.
The spirituality just cleared halfway was abruptly filled again by the fresh bloody red hue.
They didn’t form thorns; Li Ang frowned and waved the Demon’s Hand, swiftly driving them out by half again.
Yet this indicated that the situation Li Ang hoped least to see happened.
The curse of the Earth constantly reflects back, even "cleanup followed by regular maintenance" cannot be achieved.
It seems only by lifting the Earth’s curse can she be truly liberated.
Inanna widened her eyes, taking deep breaths, her pupils gradually dispersing.
"Think of other ways, let me see..."
"No need."
The Dragon Maiden covered her face with slender fingers, sobbing, "No need to try anymore."
Even though suppressing her voice as much as possible, Inanna was still overwhelmed by a fierce crying fit. After Li Ang supported her, he realized she lacked the strength to even sit upright, thus, she could only lie on his chest.
After a long time, when she finally caught her breath and could speak, she said in an unclear voice, "Let it be like this, since this is the outcome, it happens to help me make a decision that I couldn’t make."
"Decision?"
Inanna lifted her head, tears clouding her eyes, which were covered in blood red, Li Ang instinctively prepared for a conflict.
However, she didn’t erupt, nor did she showcase the desolation phase, remaining in that helpless state.
It’s hard to imagine this is a Divine Spirit.
No, at this moment, she couldn’t be seen as a Divine Spirit.
The experiences in the Sanctuary of All Spirits these days have made Li Ang recognize "Inanna" in various ways.
He examined her multiple identities as Earth Pillar, Divine Spirit, Giant Dragon, but within them, there was always a dimension perhaps previously unnoticed.
Since she chose to incarnate as a human, she also had a human side.
Humanity and human nature are sometimes not restricted to the human race alone. From the moral and contemplative perspective created by the human race itself, sometimes natural landscapes, animals, and even Demons are attributed with "humanity," especially the latter with intelligence, once they possess the ability to experience emotions, some humans no longer simply regard them as tearless, loveless beasts.
In earlier encounters, Li Ang recognized the Six Dragons as Akuya. From the playful pink rabbit, to despite being verbally tough, using power to protect the people of the City of the Ship’s Rudder, at that time, Li Ang felt that the Six Dragons couldn’t solely be regarded as cold, intelligent Divine Spirits.
Inanna, tormented for thousands of years by the broken Earth and cursed pain, with a personality sometimes dramatically changing, stripped of her Divine Spirit and Giant Dragon’s noble glory, is merely a young girl who endured trauma.
"The Earth’s curse has tortured me for thousands of years, hence giving birth to another self, but if not for entering the Land of Ten Thousand Spirits, ’Demon Inanna’ would not have appeared."
"Hmm." Li Ang agreed with this notion.
"Here, Spirituality is exceptionally active, thoughts can infinitely extend, thus she appeared, if leaving this place, I think I would still return to the previous state." Inanna said.
"So, she, she is just..."
Inanna’s face showed a trace of fear.
Whether through the link of the Mark or the understanding gained over these days, Li Ang understood the reason for this fear.
On one hand, although removing the curse was something discussed with Li Ang, and he also gave it thought and planning, she worried that this might make him unhappy.
On the other hand, it was due to the implications of Ten Thousand Spirits.
"Ten Thousand Spirits" is a concept even Earth Dragon can’t fathom, over these days it’s been taken as a facet of Bahamut, in the Dragon Maiden’s heart, such great power is also a manifestation of the Creator’s power.
After all, Ten Thousand Spirits did reveal the shadow of Bahamut.
Even after encountering Lily, Li Ang believed the Divine Child and the Spirit Mark of the Platinum Dragon God likely appeared due to Lily’s existence, still it couldn’t change Inanna’s reverence for the Father God.
Unlike mortals who, after propagating for thousands of years, could only understand "birth" through the breast of themselves, the Six Dragons were truly born from the fragmented power of the Creation Dragon God, inherently revering that power.
Thus, she constantly struggled whether Ten Thousand Spirits, or Bahamut wishes her to abandon the self born from the curse.
"She is still you, she is you." Li Ang whispered.
Inanna clasped her hands on her chest, gazing at him.
"Thank you for understanding what I meant."
Even though crimson thorns surfaced, the red light in her eyes growing stronger, her tone remained gentle.
"I’m very grateful to Ten Thousand Spirits for temporarily freeing me from the agonizing torment, letting me recall the initial moments, perhaps they wish for me to understand who I am once more, to completely abandon ’Demon Inanna’ for the sake of this world.
"But..."
She again raised a crying voice.
"That is also me, such a me, came forth to resist the seemingly soul-tearing painful abyss."
Indeed so. Li Ang silently recalled the initial situation Agni informed him of, combined with his understanding of Inanna, now he can better understand that because of pain, what appeared was not even called personality, it’s a drastic change in demeanor, as if using aggressiveness to conceal trauma, like an ordinary person.
He paused, then softly whispered by Inanna’s ear.

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