256 - Mistress, I Was Wrong

# Chapter 256: The Beginning (1) Above, a sheet of darkness spread across the sky. What was moments ago a bright and sunny day transformed in an instant, giving the foreboding feeling of a storm brewing. Within the dark clouds, flashes of blinding light occasionally darted through. Just when they believed it to be mere thunder and lightning, a barrage of sword blades rained down like a deluge. “What is that?” Yu Chi Shou pointed towards the distant flashes. As he approached, he could see more clearly—a vast sea of swords, all their blades pointing directly at them. He was dumbfounded, this was the first time he'd witnessed such a sight. It was unimaginable that something resembling lightning was actually composed of tens of thousands of swords. “Qian Wanyu, could they be trying to—” Before Yu Chi Shou could finish, the swords, all predetermined on their targets, surged forward in unison, exuding an unstoppable momentum. “Quick, get inside Ding Ding's Longevity Cauldron.” “Ding Ding.” With a responding sound, Ding Ding quickly unleashed the Longevity Cauldron, which expanded with a whoosh, swiftly enveloping everyone inside. Outside, the swarm of weapons violently clashed with the Longevity Cauldron, creating a continuous 'ding-dong' sound. Inside, the cauldron amplified the noise, leaving everyone dazed, including Ding Ding, stupefied by the relentless clashing. Everybody covered their ears, exchanging glances. It wasn't until the cacophony began to subside that they realized they had narrowly escaped calamity. Inside the cauldron, Mu Sheng and Zhi Lan, who had been tending to Little Hui and Toothless, were also startled by the commotion. Seeing everyone looking relieved, Mu Sheng quietly asked, “What just happened outside?” Dongfang Minghui managed a wry smile at Mu Sheng. The situation, although not her fault, was not entirely unrelated to her—something she couldn't easily explain. Qian Yiling mumbled, “That was a sword formation.” “Yes, Mother.” Qian Wanyu glanced at Dongfang Minghui, who had her head bowed, looking guilty. “From what Little Nine described, there seems to be a sword tomb behind the hillside. But we don't know what was buried beneath this sword tomb for Ding Ding to let it out.” Dongfang Minghui peeked at her toes, glanced around but couldn't find Ding Ding, and began to search. “Ding Ding.” Silent as a mouse, Ding Ding decided to be a wallflower, choosing to hear no evil, see no evil, claiming ignorance about everything. “A sword tomb? No wonder so many swords flew over. What an imposing sight,” Yu Chi Shou said with lingering fear. “We can't hide in the Longevity Cauldron forever. Shouldn't we find a way to break this sword formation, or else we may never be able to leave?” “Maybe if we wait a bit… it’ll be okay?” Dongfang Minghui murmured softly, but seeing everyone's serious expressions, she immediately fell silent. Everyone grew quiet as Mu Sheng and Zhi Lan exchanged a glance, wisely deciding not to ask more questions, instead staying beside Little Hui, carefully looking after it. Qian Wanyu remained uncertain about what was suppressed beneath the stone. After contemplating, she suggested, “I'll go out and investigate, and let you know once I find something.” “Yu’er.” Qian Yiling frowned in disapproval. “Are you planning on solving this entirely before informing us? Your mother will go with you.” “Seventh Sister, I want to go with you—” Before Little Nine could finish, Qian Wanyu quickly interrupted her, “You stay here and take care of Little Hui.” Dongfang Minghui looked pitifully at Qian Wanyu, yet couldn't sway her. Qian Ziyan, deep in thought, suddenly spoke, “Wanyu, I will accompany you. Your mother and Little Nine can stay in the cauldron to await news. How does that sound?” Though Qian Yiling seemed about to object, she noticed Qian Ziyan subtly shaking his head, advising her otherwise. Qian Wanyu realized they wouldn't feel reassured if she went alone. Remembering Qian Ziyan's remarkable recovery ability, which wasn't inferior to Little Nine's, she agreed without hesitation, “Alright, I'll follow your arrangement, Uncle.” Yu Chi Shou worriedly interrupted, “What about me if you go out?” “You just stay and watch over your young master.” The Longevity Cauldron slightly lifted, and in a flash, Qian Ziyan and Qian Wanyu appeared outside. The sky was completely dark, not a glimmer of light in sight. Enveloped in black mist, one couldn't see their own hand before their face. Qian Wanyu took two moonstones from her space and tossed one to Qian Ziyan. “Careful, Uncle.” “You too.” They cautiously advanced, and as soon as they touched the black mist, Qian Ziyan's hand jolted back as if shocked, a large chunk instantly corroded, leaving exposed flesh and bone. “This black mist contains a large amount of death energy.” Hearing this, Qian Wanyu’s eyes brightened, and she hastily tossed a vial of medicinal liquid from her space to Qian Ziyan. “Uncle, this is the potion Little Nine refined. It can suppress death energy, apply it quickly.” “Got it.” Without reservation, Qian Ziyan applied the potion to his wound, unfazed. Suddenly, Qian Wanyu noticed three flashes of light darting by. As she dodged, she called out, “Ding Ding.” “Ding Ding isn't here.” Qian Wanyu: “……” “Take Uncle back into the cauldron and hide yourself as well.” “Okay.” Dongfang Minghui was just about to treat the injured when she saw Qian Ziyan returning to the cauldron, bloodied. A nearby fierce beast, drawn by the thick scent of blood, awakened, its enormous eyes rolling across them all with suspicion. Qian Ziyan, aware that he’d be of no help outside, calmly continued applying the potion to his wound. Everyone else gasped. “Uncle, your hand—” “Big Brother.” Qian Yiling’s face changed. “You’re back? Where's Yu’er?” After mixing the potion with his corroded flesh, allowing it to devour the death energy on his bones and halting its spread, Qian Ziyan explained, “Wanyu is fine. The black mist outside contains a great deal of death energy. For her, it’s an invaluable opportunity.” He gestured at his hand. “I couldn’t help her much out there, so I came back.” It had taken less than three breaths of time for them to return, yet one of them was already injured, indicating just how dire the situation outside was. “Death energy?” Dongfang Minghui asked incredulously. “Where did the death energy come from? Could it be the black gas released by Ding Ding earlier was death energy?” “The outside world has been overtaken by black death energy. All I did was touch it, and I ended up like this.” Qian Ziyan's retreat had been swift, and preserving his hand was a stroke of luck. Still, the fortunate part was that he’d regained some sensation in his hand, despite it being painful, which was a good sign. “Little Nine, your potion is very effective, thank you.” Being thanked unexpectedly, she quickly checked Qian Ziyan's right hand. The potion had melded with the decayed flesh, and she swiftly cleaned it up. “It’s indeed death energy. Uncle, you mustn’t use this hand until it fully recovers.” “Okay, I understand.” Qian Ziyan typically played music using his right hand. With this injury, his combat effectiveness was greatly reduced. Their side had gained another injured member. Worried, Qian Yiling took Dongfang Minghui aside. “Little Nine, Big Brother’s hand is so severely injured. Can it recover to be as nimble as before? Will it affect his playing—” Dongfang Minghui confidently reassured her, “It can. If that red line near Uncle's wrist is indeed the Immortal Boy Body mark, once the death energy is cleared, his hand will quickly recover. Mother, don’t worry. With me here, Uncle will definitely be able to play his music again.” Qian Yiling sighed in relief, nodding thoughtfully. “Ding Ding.” “Yes?” “I’m worried about Seventh Sister being outside alone. Can you keep an eye on her for me?” Dongfang Minghui expressed concern, not knowing where Ding Ding was. Considering Ding Ding was an artifact spirit, she added, “I wonder if you're afraid of the death energy outside. If you are... it’s better if you don’t go out.” After a moment of silence, when everyone assumed Ding Ding was also afraid, considering that under death energy all life would be corroded thoroughly, Ding Ding unexpectedly replied cheerfully, “Sure thing, Little Nine.” --- Qian Wanyu was enveloped in thick black mist, with darkness all around. Occasionally, streaks of sword blade light would flash by like meteors, making them difficult to avoid. As a result, her wrists and legs bore wounds, allowing the death energy to sneak through. Fortunately, she could absorb the death energy on her own, whereas an ordinary person here likely wouldn’t survive. Soon, she noticed more and more gleaming points within the black mist. The swords seemed to move as if under someone's command, causing her several near misses. Qian Wanyu drew the Water Thunder Whip, wrapping it in dark spiritual power, and fiercely lashed out at the oncoming blades. “Ding—” “Dang—” Something was following closely behind her, neither too far nor too near. Qian Wanyu's eyes sparkled like a beacon in the darkness. She released the power of devouring, frantically absorbing the death energy around her. But then she realized the death energy here was too dense, the thickest she had ever encountered, giving her the illusion that she could never absorb it all. “What are you? Come out already if you're going to be sneaky—” The Longevity Cauldron, following close behind, dodged deftly. Though it avoided Qian Wanyu's Water Thunder Whip, it collided slightly with the surrounding swords, emitting a faint, subtle sound. “Ding Ding?” “Here.” “Why did you come over?” Qian Wanyu was a bit displeased. “Go back.” Ding Ding crawled smoothly out of the cauldron, sitting on top and swinging its legs, intermittently directing the cauldron to dodge the weapons. It explained in a small voice, “Little Nine sent me.” Qian Wanyu vaguely saw the little one enveloped in the black mist, staring at her from inside the Longevity Cauldron. The sound of weapons clashing exposed the cauldron's position completely to her. Her mind was in turmoil. “Ding Ding, aren't you afraid of these?” Ding Ding sniffed the air, slightly annoyed, but it seemed more irritated than scared of the sticky substance. Firmly, it repeated, “Little Nine sent me.” Qian Wanyu dodged another couple of blades. “If it becomes too much, leave—” Suddenly realizing, this place was overrun by death energy, leaving no evident retreat. If Ding Ding is truly afraid of the death energy, those hiding inside the cauldron would be at risk. Her mind turned quickly, coming to a decision; she needed to absorb the death energy quickly to lead them out. No time was left to discuss with Ding Ding further. “Ding Ding, can you catch those blades?” “Uh?” “If you can catch them, don't let them cause trouble.” “Okay.” Qian Wanyu sped up her absorption of the death energy, multitasking by keeping an eye on Ding Ding. Whenever the black mist thickened, the Longevity Cauldron vanished without a trace. Before long, several swords glittering in Ding Ding's hands created a peculiar sight amidst the black mist. It played with two blades, producing a heavy and dull sound—it expressed displeasure, “Doesn't sound good.” Aware that it might have something to do with the released swords, Ding Ding meticulously collected and reinserted them into the ground beneath the hill. However, they disobediently flew away once more. Thus, Ding Ding gathered them one by one until its hands were full and brought them to Qian Wanyu. Watching the blades trying to evade, even attempting to escape into the sky, and observing the innocent-looking Ding Ding with the Longevity Cauldron darting about, Qian Wanyu suddenly suggested, “Ding Ding, these swords seem unruly, why don't you try absorbing them?” “So unruly.” Ding Ding appeared naively, maintaining distance from Qian Wanyu, sensing the spiritual energy around her wasn't to its liking. “They’re all unruly.” “Try absorbing them, they might calm down.” Qian Wanyu was frustrated with these elusive things, unable to settle down and cultivate. Absorbing the death energy left her spiritual power full, urgently needing a quiet place for meditation. “Okay.” Ding Ding followed her advice, picking a sword, “I'm going to eat you.” The chosen blade initially struggled fiercely, yet hearing this, its resistance heightened. Still, it couldn’t escape the cauldron's grip. Ding Ding smiled foolishly, moved closer, sensing something edible within the sword. It contemplated whether to chomp them up and discovered a small, vague orb of golden mist inside the blade, reminiscent of the gold element spiritual power Qian Wanyu often shared. Instantly realizing Qian Wanyu was offering it something to eat, Ding Ding gleefully said, “Aha, found it. That's for being naughty.” Qian Wanyu observed the blade provocatively whizzing back and forth before her, effortlessly dealing with them while watching Ding Ding. A golden orb, brighter than the blade's silver light, was quickly extracted and devoured by Ding Ding. After eating, Ding Ding felt a slight return of spent energy, gradually relaxing its tense brows, “Not as good as fish scales, but quite replenishing.” Without its spirit, the blade ceased struggling; its luster immediately dulled. Ding Ding then inserted it back into the ground, proceeding to extract spirits from other blades effortlessly, stopping only when the cauldron’s surroundings filled with lifeless swords. Spying Qian Wanyu three meters away, wrapped in the black mist, it pondered and resumed its blade hunt. After a round, returning when no blades remained in the mist, it looked puzzled and rejoined Qian Wanyu. Qian Wanyu had digested the absorbed death energy, noticing a significant reduction in the surrounding black mist. Yet, the difference remained negligible for them. “Ding Ding.” “Hmm.” Ding Ding, cradling the cauldron, was dozing. Ever since encountering a vision of its owner in its sleep, it longed for rest yet remained restless. Momentarily, feeling tired once more, Qian Wanyu’s call roused it thoroughly. It smacked its lips, murmuring groggily, “All gone.” “All gone?” Qian Wanyu glanced around; those pesky blades seemed vanished, swords standing but lifeless around the cauldron. Unlike before, they were now soulless, lusterless, decimated by death energy, crumbled upon touch. Residing among them, the Longevity Cauldron appeared unchanged. Ding Ding yawned, still holding the precious object. “Ding Ding, are you afraid of this mist?” Afraid? The Longevity Cauldron had never truly feared anything since its birth, Ding Ding’s small eyes opened slightly, muttering, “Not scared, just don’t like it.” Relieved, Qian Wanyu realized consuming the swords’ power helped Ding Ding counter the death energy. Unexpectedly, Ding Ding seemed unfazed by it. “Good, I need to continue my seclusion; keep watch.” “Okay.” Ding Ding agreed dully, struggling to stay alert beside Qian Wanyu, soon dozing again, emitting small, unique cauldron snores, soon filling others’ ears with rhythmic ‘gurglings.’ --- Inside the Longevity Cauldron, with no sense of surrounding time, everyone felt like they were living an eternity, unable to discern day or night. With Qian Wanyu still outside and no response from Ding Ding, everyone remained cautious, their minds heavy with worry. Suddenly hearing rhythmic sounds echo within the cauldron, they were startled, searching for the source. “This gurgling sound,” Mu Sheng noted, feeling it resembled the sound of swallows or hunger pangs. Yet its volume excluded the chance of mere hunger. “Ding… Ding?” Dongfang Minghui speculated, the noise likely came from Ding Ding. The fierce beast seemed to recognize and feel a pang, recalling similar sounds from when it sneaked out of the cauldron, witnessing Ding Ding emitting such noises underwater. Sure of it, it confirmed, “It’s Ding Ding.” Qian Yiling, slightly panicked, tugged Dongfang Minghui’s wrist, “Little Nine, is something happening? Perhaps let Ding Ding bring us out. I’m—” "Mother, if the outside is filled with death energy, it's no joke. You can see how it affected Uncle's hand." Dongfang Minghui spoke with clarity, having felt the torment of death energy traversing her soul sea, a fate worse than death itself. Even if she went out, she'd only be a burden to Seventh Sister. In fact, anyone venturing outside would only add to Seventh Sister's troubles. "Seventh Sister has awakened her dark spiritual power. She should be fine outside; you can rest easy." "Little Nine is right, Ling, your concern is clouding your judgment." "Big Brother." Qian Ziyan's hand had begun to regenerate new skin under Dongfang Minghui's careful administration, making the once horrifying sight of exposed bone and flesh more bearable, though the new flesh was a starkly different color. Ultimately, Qian Ziyan had retained his hand. Dongfang Minghui became convinced by Seventh Sister’s explanation about the reincarnation and passage of time, accepting that the Immortal Boy Body, once thought lost, had somehow taken residence in Qian Ziyan. That thought pained her slightly, but she finally let go of the vexation over the Immortal Boy Body. "Mother, don't worry. Ding Ding will watch over Seventh Sister." "Gurgle—grumble." ... Dongfang Minghui had barely finished speaking when she caught Qian Yiling's puzzled gaze. She laughed awkwardly. "Ding Ding is probably just busy with something. As long as Ding Ding is around, you have nothing to worry about." "Yes, Madam, trust in Miss Wanyu," someone else encouraged. "Miss Wanyu will certainly resolve this issue. We just need to be patient," Mu Sheng added, holding a blind sense of admiration for Qian Wanyu. Persuaded by everyone’s reassurances, Qian Yiling sat back down, her mind drifting back to memories of when she was injured by Meng Ruoyu and contaminated with death energy. For a moment, she seemed lost in those thoughts. Qian Ziyan was examining his hand, attention drawn to the thin red line at his wrist. Touching it lightly, he muttered in disbelief, "Immortal Boy Body." Dongfang Minghui found herself glancing at the Longevity Cauldron’s top, where the gurgling sounds emanated. Listening carefully, she recognized a pattern in the noise, prompting a bold speculation to flash through her mind, "Could it be? But with such danger outside, it shouldn't be possible." "What are you mumbling about?" Yu Chi Shou, vigilant by Toothless's icy coffin, couldn't understand her muttering and resolved, "If everyone's so worried, I can dash out quickly and return." "You?" Lien chuckled first, "You'll be nothing but a dead dragon outside." "Watch your tone," Yu Chi Shou retorted. "Yu Chi Shou, what I said wasn't just for Mother. Besides Seventh Sister, none of us here can handle that death energy. Going out is suicide. Uncle only managed because of his combat experience and incredible speed." Dongfang Minghui repeated, "Once tainted with death energy, it spreads fast. Spiritual power won’t stop it, and I’m left treating you all. Medicines are scarce, so don't give me more trouble." Qian Ziyan nodded subtly, glancing at Qian Yiling, who remained immersed in her thoughts, offering no reply. "Minghui, Minghui, Little Hui woke up." "Really?" Little Hui slithered its tail, gratefully rubbing against Mu Sheng. While comatose, it had felt the warmth of an embrace and a soothing presence. Upon waking, the first thing it saw was Mu Sheng's surprised face and toothy grin, confirming by scent that it was the same person and nuzzling him again. Startled by the sudden affection, Mu Sheng quickly covered his mouth, stepping aside to hide behind Xiao Miao. "Mu Sheng, what's wrong?" Dongfang Minghui questioned, swiftly checking Little Hui. She was amazed. "Little Hui, your internal organs seem to have healed. Have you been unconscious to recover?" Little Hui coiled its tail around her wrist, pulling it to its body, hissing softly. Yu Chi Shou translated with an eye roll, "Indeed, it wants you to pet it." Slightly surprised, Dongfang Minghui began stroking Little Hui, "You've awoken, Little Color and Pig Immortal Grass haven’t yet. You... did you encounter a creature in the cavern?" She described the giant blue spirit beast that seemed part of the rocky cave, nearly undetectable. In response, Little Hui nodded its head in reassurance before Yu Chi Shou conveyed, "It says not to worry. Little Color and Pig Immortal Grass will awaken soon. The spirit beast exerted some pressure from its massive body when it found them." "I see." Reassured, Dongfang Minghui petted Little Hui into its white-haired form. It silently retreated to keep a respectful distance from Yu Chi Shou, only occasionally observing the group with its small, beady eyes. Mu Sheng, seeing Little Hui move away, tentatively approached Dongfang Minghui. Dongfang Minghui focused on Little Color and Pig Immortal Grass, noticing how their flattened bodies seemed fuller after soaking in the blue liquid. However, they showed no signs of consciousness. Curiously, she noted the diminished volume of blue blood from her water beast in her spatial space. "Could they remain unconscious due to insufficient nutrients in the blue liquid?" Hesitating momentarily, she added a drop of the Longevity Elixir from a porcelain vial into the blue liquid. The milky white elixir melded quietly with the blue, leaving no disturbance. As she sealed the vial, Mu Sheng sidled up, quietly saying, “Minghui, just a reminder…” Perplexed by his roundabout approach, Dongfang Minghui blinked, "What do you want to remind me, Mu Sheng?" A flush darkened Mu Sheng's cheeks. Stealing a glance around the spacious cauldron, he observed Little Fatty and Little Bean Sprout farthest away, having led a quiet existence since entering. Xiao Miao was closer, while Qian Ziyan and Qian Yiling occupied opposite sides. Meanwhile, Yu Chi Shou, the fierce beast, and Lien now shared space with the white-haired Little Hui. "Little Hui rubbed me with its tail... does that mean..." "Hmm?" "Could it be courting?" Mu Sheng muffled the words behind his hand. Dongfang Minghui took three heartbeats to digest the implication before bursting into laughter. At the same time, a boisterous laugh echoed from Yu Chi Shou across the cauldron. "Courting, hahaha," he bellowed. "What's so funny?" Lien shot him a sideways glance, though couldn’t suppress his grin. Mortified, Mu Sheng covered his face, wishing he could burrow into the ground. Unable to hold back her mirth, Dongfang Minghui waved a dismissive hand, “Mu Sheng, Little Hui probably isn’t intending that. Why not ask it yourself?” The white-haired Little Hui by then had quietly approached Mu Sheng, patting his shoulder lightly, causing Mu Sheng to jump and scurry back to Xiao Miao’s side. Laughter rippled through the Longevity Cauldron. Just then, a persistent "ding" emanated from within the cauldron, a rhythmic sound unmistakably indicating the clash of swords against it. Their laughter ceased collectively, eyes turning toward the source. Yu Chi Shou remarked, "That's swords hitting the cauldron, isn't it?" "Seems like it," Dongfang Minghui concurred, recalling the continuous clanging during Qian Ziyan’s earlier entrance. --- Ding Ding, standing guard while Qian Wanyu meditated, had been drifting into a nap when a sudden rush of wind made it instinctively dodge, dragging the Longevity Cauldron along. However, the incoming wind relentlessly pursued, disrupting its slumber. "So annoying," Ding Ding grumbled. It believed that with just a little more sleep, it might see its owner again. But instead, this disturbance arose. Suddenly opening its eyes, it noticed a blade, even shinier than the previous ones, hurtling towards Qian Wanyu. Tilting its head to get a better view, Ding Ding recognized it—the sword previously suppressed beneath that rock. No wonder it had been elusive. It had been hiding. "Stop now." Despite the command, the sword inexplicably sped up. So, Ding Ding had no choice but to balance the Longevity Cauldron on its head and leap to intercept. The two entered a playful chase, like a game of hide and seek. While the sword slashed through the black mist, cleaving it apart, the mist took ages to rejoin. At first, Ding Ding didn’t notice, but soon realized the path was clearing, the terrain visible. "Stop, didn't you hear me?" The sword charged on, seemingly lost, yet incredibly fast. Frustrated, Ding Ding inflated its cheeks like a frustrated hamster, hands on hips, watching the sword pause and teasingly dart back, hovering nearby. Each time Ding Ding reached out to grab, it zipped away. Mad with annoyance, Ding Ding transformed the Longevity Cauldron into a massive weapon, enlarging it. "Boom—" A thunderous crash ensued when the Longevity Cauldron collided with the enormous sword—the very sound heard by Dongfang Minghui and the others inside the cauldron. Thus, began a fierce direct confrontation, the clashing resonating as 'ding dang.' Finally, the sword plummeted, pulling Ding Ding along, coming to rest in the ground with a teasing shiver. Ding Ding held the Longevity Cauldron high, shielding against the dark mists, advancing closer as the sword remained stationary. "Finished playing?" The sword hummed a strange tune, unintelligible to Ding Ding. But, seeing the sword had calmed, Ding Ding approached and noticed a large stone nearby. This mysterious stone appeared heavy and strange, shunned by the mists within a meter radius. Ding Ding first plucked the sword, hoisting it, the sword not resisting. Then, testing its weight, it hefted the stone, heading back to Qian Wanyu. Astonishingly, the mists parted for it, Ding Ding marveling at the sword and stone. Qian Wanyu, roused by Ding Ding and the sword’s antics, saw the little one burdened by the sword, stone, and the cauldron, almost hidden. "Ding Ding, is this the Soul Suppressing Stone and the sword it trapped?" "Yes." Ding Ding hesitated, nudging both items forward. "For you." "Keep them for now." Qian Wanyu had once attempted to move the stone unsuccessfully. Had Ding Ding not shifted it, none of this would have transpired. Ding Ding toyed with the notion of consuming the sword. Sensing the intent, the sword abruptly broke free, darting to Qian Wanyu. "Unruly." Qian Wanyu stood swiftly, snapping the whip at the mischievous sword. After twirling in the air, it landed placidly before her. "Misbehaving, might just eat you." "Ding Ding, hold on," Qian Wanyu suspiciously addressed the sword. "What are you trying to do?" Spinning suddenly, the sword placed its hilt before her, golden light pooling across it. Qian Wanyu wore a puzzled look—had the sword gained sentience? Despite her five elemental powers, she'd been employing dark spiritual energy amidst the mists. Was this sword inviting her usage? "Are you taking me somewhere?" The sword glided forward a meter, hovering patiently. Ding Ding remarked at her ear, "It's playing with us." "Seems so." Qian Wanyu composedly responded, following the sword's lead. Remarkably, the sword repelled the death energy, even parting the mist as they walked. Accompanying the sword led them back to the small hill. Ding Ding tilted its head, muttering, "Feels familiar here." With an unhindered view, Qian Wanyu clearly discerned the paths by the hill, unveiling the source of everything through the sword's assistance. Death energy whispered steadily from a ground hole, the golden-lit sword unable to draw closer. "So, this is the sword tomb displaced by your shifting, Ding Ding." "Yup." Tentatively, Ding Ding dropped the stone, flapping its wings to flee. But Qian Wanyu, alert and quick, grabbed Ding Ding’s fluttering wings, bringing it back. With tasks as simple as a meeting, ritual, or date comically stretching over three days, one can't help but feel a smidge sorry for this chapter.