Levels

Ryu closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. He had just pulled himself out from an abyss of perpetual rage, and yet here he was again, peering down from the ledge. He wondered if this was just a function of the martial world. Maybe it was impossible to be happy and carefree.

At that moment, he seemed to see Ailsa's face. The roll of her eyes, the teasing expression in her gaze… When he had first met her he thought that they were far too different to be Life Partners, but wasn't her usual baseline how he acted now? They were practically a match made in heaven, their banter could probably make even a Dao God cough up blood in rage…

At least when they worked together, that was. When she was reprimanding him instead, those words were just as grating and annoying, a taste of his own medicine. He knew exactly what she would say in this situation. Though, he didn't know if that was because he had been traumatized, or if that was because he knew that wife of his so well…