258 - Mistress, I Was Wrong
### Chapter 258: Iron Fragment (1) "Are the ten elements of spiritual power meant to achieve perfection?" ... Whether it was a coincidence or intentional, if it was deliberate, could it be a test for them to overcome? The group exchanged glances, unable to grasp the underlying intentions. "Perhaps it's merely a coincidence; there's no need to overthink it," Qian Wanyu observed the deep frowns and reassured everyone, "Regardless of the intention, opening this door is our current task." "Hmm." Qian Ziyan and Qian Yiling gathered together, whispering and occasionally sketching curved shapes on the ground, placements that resembled formations. Watching them for a while, Dongfang Minghui couldn't keep up with their pace, unable to even interject, and eventually decided to take Ding Ding from Qian Yiling to watch over it. Ding Ding lay on the ground, showing no signs of waking. "Pig Immortal Grass, do you think this six-element spiritual barrier is a formation?" The Pig Immortal Grass, claiming expertise as a formation master among plants, had a certain aptitude for formations. Seeing no response from the soul sea, Dongfang Minghui assumed it was still angry at her. "Pig Immortal Grass, don't be mad anymore. Just tell me what it would take to make it up to you, and if I can do it, I will." The Pig Immortal Grass snorted, unwilling to argue further, "It's a barrier." "A barrier?" Dongfang Minghui then asked, "How do we break this barrier?" After waiting for a while, the Pig Immortal Grass ignored her once more; its temper was as unpredictable as the weather. Quickly, she approached Qian Wanyu. After their discussion ended, she said, "Seventh Sister, Pig Immortal Grass says it's a barrier, not a formation." Surprised, Qian Wanyu gave her a glance, "Where is the Pig Immortal Grass?" Feeling guilty, Dongfang Minghui rubbed her nose and murmured, "It doesn't want to come out right now. If you have any questions, I can pass them on." "It's really a barrier?" Qian Yiling couldn't believe it. "Pig Immortal Grass is a spiritual plant capable of discerning formations. If it says it's a barrier, then it must be a barrier, Mother." "If that's the case, Uncle, do you have any better methods to break the barrier?" "I do." Qian Ziyan consistently held that the barrier was a barrier, "First, try my suggestion, find six elemental spiritualists." For an ordinary person to reach five elements was a rare occurrence once in a century; six elements had never awakened in one person, so Qian Ziyan boldly proposed using six people to resist the barrier. "I’ll be the wind elemental." "Brother, your hand is still healing, let me handle this." "Sorcerer, are you discussing how to break this barrier? If you don't mind, I happen to be qualified as a wind elemental too." Lien, who had been listening intently, finally stepped forward. Dongfang Minghui glanced at the four Qian family members. Truly, like a family like no other, all four were wind elementals. Subjectively, she believed her uncle seemed the most competent, regardless of his experience or calmness in crisis. Qian Wanyu scanned everyone with her dark eyes, "No one will contest me for lightning elemental; for fire elemental, only Yu Chi Shou fits. Any objections, Yu Chi Shou?" Yu Chi Shou quickly shook his head, "None at all, as long as I can open the Dragon Clan realm, even if it means—" he'd even die. "As for ice elemental..." Indeed, there was no ice elemental among them. Previously, Sister Bai Rou dual-practiced ice elemental and warrior skills, and since then, they seemed to be without ice elemental users. "For the water element—" "Me." Qian Yiling asserted. "Hmm, it will be hard for Mother then." Among those present, aside from Qian Yiling, who was versed in the water element, Little Hui was familiar with it but too weak to contribute effectively. "Seventh Sister, we don't have a light elemental among us," Dongfang Minghui said anxiously. "If we're missing an elemental, will it work?" For a rare moment, everyone fell silent. Yu Chi Shou asked perplexed, "So if we lack a light elemental, we won't get through?" Qian Wanyu stated with certainty, "If we can't break this barrier, we definitely won't get through." The Dragon Clan realm loomed like a goal beyond a mountain; unable to climb meant they couldn't reach it. For now, breaking through the barrier and opening this door brought them closer to the Dragon Clan, regardless of what lay beyond. "Not necessarily," Qian Ziyan replied as everyone looked at him. He patiently explained, "Even if we don't have a light elemental, we can still give it a try." "But, Uncle, we also lack an ice elemental." Without two of the six needed, their plan faced significant obstacles. Dongfang Minghui glanced at Ding Ding, an idea occurring to her, "We do, Seventh Sister, that fierce beast isn't an ice elemental beast?" "That fierce beast?" Qian Yiling doubted, "Will it cooperate?" "As long as Ding Ding's here, it will definitely cooperate." "But, Little Nine, Ding Ding is in a deep sleep," Qian Wanyu reminded, "We've waited days before for Ding Ding to wake up from its slumber. Do you want to try waking it?" Feeling overwhelmed, Dongfang Minghui realized what seemed like a simple plan was exceptionally challenging in practice, "Yes, I'll give it a try." After she left, Qian Wanyu turned to Qian Ziyan, "Uncle, you mentioned that even without the light elemental we can manage. How exactly?" "This method works if we're only short one, not if two are missing," Qian Ziyan candidly shared his thoughts. "Whether it's a barrier or a formation, if we weaken its power, we can find an opportunity. By creating a breach with our five elementals and finding a way to open that door within two hours, we can slip inside." "Brother's plan is quite risky." "Indeed," Qian Wanyu pondered gravely. The approach was plausible but, as Mother said, risky. "If the door doesn’t open..." "Withdraw." Qian Ziyan stated firmly. "Immediately withdraw and reconsider other methods." "Yes, Yu'er, you mustn't stay in the barrier too long." Qian Yiling was unwilling to witness the purification of dark energy by light energy directly. "And given how long Ding Ding sleeps, Brother, let's contemplate alternative solutions." — Dongfang Minghui had no updates on the discussion. Her task was straightforward: wake up Ding Ding. Yet, if Ding Ding slept, not even an earthquake would wake it. She used a vine, tickling where Ding Ding might be sensitive, but it remained motionless, sleeping, sprawled out without a care. "Little Color, think of a way to wake Ding Ding." "Try water." She poured a vial of water over Ding Ding’s head, yet nothing happened. Later, Yu Chi Shou joined in, attempting to dry it with fire, evaporating all moisture around it, but Ding Ding did not stir. The little creature turned over, its bottom in the air, lying on the ground. The white cloth covering it was tugged right over its head, completely undisturbed. Qian Wanyu came by to check and shook her head, "Once Ding Ding's asleep, it's nearly impossible to wake it. We'll have to wait." Massaging her forehead, Dongfang Minghui regretted not considering earlier; even reaching the Dragon Clan realm seemed pointless if Ding Ding wasn't awake. Toothless and the ice coffin remained within the Longevity Cauldron. Days passed, and their patience frayed. "Missing one light elemental is one thing, two missing is another. We should test whether the barrier can indeed be opened," Yu Chi Shou couldn’t resist, eager for action imagining the door beyond the barrier as a small entrance to the Dragon Clan realm. By opening that door, the young master could leave the ice coffin, and once more he'd belong to the Dragon Clan. How could a mere barrier keep them outside? Qian Wanyu glanced at him, "Let's wait a little longer. Ding Ding might wake soon, boosting our chances." "Right, Yu Chi Shou, don't gamble with lives; this barrier isn't simple," Lien cautioned, recalling how they were repelled even by gauging the barrier's strength. Yu Chi Shou, rebellious, charged, "I refuse to believe it." As he touched the barrier, a bright flash erupted. "Careful!" Despite being mentally prepared and on guard, Yu Chi Shou was still blasted away by a bolt of lightning, nothing left of his clothes but charred remains, hurled nine meters away. It took him quite a while to stand again. Qian Wanyu shook her head in exasperation. "Yu Chi Shou was quite unfortunate to encounter a fierce lightning barrier." Qian Yiling glanced over and reminded Lien, "Why don't you hand him some clothes to cover up; it's quite indecent." Lien couldn't help but laugh and quickly asked Mu Sheng for a spare set of attire. The downcast Yu Chi Shou trudged back, accepting the garments from Lien without a word despite the mockery. Mu Sheng's clothes were tight and barely fit. His injuries ached, but the recent encounter with the barrier had humbled him, and he silently found a corner to recuperate. Every two hours, the elemental energy shifted, leaving them clueless about which of the remaining five elements would emerge next. "Since Ding Ding hasn't woken up, let's use this time to cultivate. Once the ice-elemental beast is released, we can try to break through the barrier together." "Hmm." With the exception of Mu Sheng, Zhi Lan, and Dongfang Minghui, everyone turned to training. Mu Sheng approached Dongfang Minghui, watching her playfully prod Ding Ding with a vine. "Minghui, if anyone gets hurt, do you have any potions to help them quickly recover their energy?" "Instant remedies carry severe side effects. I've never made them," she said. Qian Wanyu and the others never use such pills either, as they could damage one's foundation, making future advancement nearly impossible. It's truly a case of momentary folly leading to everlasting regret. Frowning, Dongfang Minghui asked, "Mu Sheng, why do you need something like that?" Realizing her misunderstanding, Mu Sheng clarified, "Not for me, but I'm worried they might get hurt. If we prepare potions in advance, it can minimize damage." "Oh, if it's for injuries, I have blood-stopping and blood-replenishing pills. But those instant remedies are harmful and not advisable." Prompted by Mu Sheng, Dongfang Minghui began sorting through her herbs and bottles. "Thanks for the reminder; I'll make some more pills." "Alright, do you need my help?" "Yes, please crush these herbs into a juice." "Little Nine, do you need anything from me?" "No, that should be all." Busy with her potion-making, Dongfang Minghui glanced at the seedling she had planted. After Little Bean Sprout freed up the obsidian soil, she moved the emotional flower seed into it. "Little Color, it seems like you've absorbed all the water beast liquid." "Absorb it all or let it waste, what's the difference?" Little Color remembered how she fed sea beast meat to others and gave away the ice lotus seed to the old tree. A partner's habit is to squander anything not locked away. "Little Color, look at these, what are they?" "What?" Dongfang Minghui picked up the white fragments, examining them repeatedly. Little Color prodded them with a vine, causing the sand-like particles to roll back to their place, seemingly impossible to absorb. "Not sure if they're edible, let's collect them first." "Since all the water beast liquid is absorbed, these must be like leftover residue or perhaps essence. Do as you wish." Little Color flicked the Pig Immortal Grass's tail from herself. "If I knew earlier that these blue liquids could facilitate a breakthrough, I'd have finished them off sooner." "Are you about to advance, Little Color?" "Why the surprise? If not for your danger last time, I might have already ascended." Little Color continued to suppress its advancement, anticipating a lengthy process, but given they hadn't yet opened the Dragon Clan realm, waiting was wise. Dongfang Minghui collected a large porcelain bottle full of the white sand, shaking it to hear the soft rustling inside. "I wonder if Ding Ding would like the dragon meat." "No way! Fire dragon meat contains fire elemental energy, overeating would drain its energy." "..." "Fine, I'll save the meat for Toothless, a little sustenance shouldn't hurt." "Indeed." Reorganizing, Dongfang Minghui divided her possessions by attribute. She noticed a black herb still emitting dark mist in her space. "Pig Immortal Grass, didn't you say you wanted to release this black herb? Why is it still here?" "I haven't found a suitable release spot," Pig Immortal Grass replied nonchalantly. Finding a spot was tricky—it had to be dangerous enough yet not too hazardous to others or the black herb. "What is this, a release plan that needs a location?" She left it aside and placed the Man-eating Grass and emotional flower seedlings together, cautioning, "Man-eating Grass, don't eat anything recklessly. If you consume this, you're done for." The Man-eating Grass tucked itself in a corner, shaking in fear. Though the emotional flower could resist death energy, its toxicity was unmatched, anything ingesting it would spell disaster. "Toothless found these somewhere." She produced three iron fragments Little Color always treasured. Recalling when she first acquired an iron fragment, Toothless enjoyed gifting it to her. Once was coincidence, twice by chance, but three times surely intentional. "Not sure, maybe wait and ask Toothless when she wakes." Failing to discern their use, she stored the fragments in her secret compartment, where they'd avoid getting lost amid the bottles and plants. Continuing her inventory, she noted, "I still have plenty of scrolls. If I’d known, I'd have had Nangong Yuntian auction them. Looks like it’ll have to be next time." In her soul sea, there was silence. Her process took considerable time, and assessing her potion inventory reminded her she might lack medicines to suppress the black herb. Fortunately, Pig Immortal Grass and Little Color's frequent bouts provided the necessary vines with minimal effort. "Little Nine!" Ding Ding awoke in a start, sat straight, and scanned its surroundings before coming to Dongfang Minghui. Still engrossed in potion-making, she greeted Ding Ding warmly. Placing it in her palm, she asked, "Did you have any dreams, Ding Ding?" Shaking its head vigorously, Ding Ding seemed regretful. "No." Dongfang Minghui was about to comfort it when Ding Ding's eyes lit up, "But I dreamed of catching several flying Little Hui's from the sky." "Little Hui?" Ding Ding demonstrated their size with its hands. "They flew fast, were hard to catch, and could fly." Dongfang Minghui was drenched in sweat from its vivid description. Though it didn’t dream of its master, dreaming of catching dragons was unsettling. Was it recovering from its exposure to the Soul Mirror? "Little Nine, Little Nine." "Huh?" "Let's play, I don't want to sleep anymore." Fluttering its wings, Ding Ding soared into the air, circling and then landing in front of Dongfang Minghui, "Come on, let’s go." "No, wait, Ding Ding, release the fierce beast for us. We need to speak with it." "Okay." With a flick, the fierce beast was tossed to the ground, causing a tremor. As it settled, its massive form scanned Qian Wanyu and others with its large eyes, "Why did you summon me?" Awoken by Ding Ding's abrupt act, Qian Wanyu and others stopped meditating. "Fierce beast, we need your help." "What kind of help?" Summarily, Qian Wanyu explained their need and potential backlash. "You can refuse, but our progress would halt." "I want the Ice Elemental Pearl." The beast seized the opportunity, having long desired the pearl. "Deal." "Seventh Sister!" Qian Wanyu found the trade worthwhile. "You've seen it; we can't give it to you now. Once we reach the Dragon Clan realm, if Toothless doesn't need it anymore, it's yours." "But what if it always needs it?" "Then, I’ll find something else suitable for you, something equal in value to the Ice Elemental Pearl." Qian Wanyu confidently met the fierce beast’s gaze. "Consider it, but don't take too long." Ding Ding, sitting on the beast's head, kicked it playfully. "No need to consider." Dongfang Minghui was relieved, though surprised that the beast could be so opportunistic. "Ding Ding, what are we not considering?" "Playing!" Ding Ding flew up to Dongfang Minghui and said, "Let's play." "What kind of play?" "Ding Ding consumed a lot of artifact spirits from swords before, so it's likely that its spiritual energy is too full and needs an outlet." "Exactly." Ding Ding nodded nonchalantly toward Qian Wanyu, confirming it. Dongfang Minghui held her forehead. "Is that why Ding Ding fell asleep?" Qian Wanyu saw no problem with it. "Yes, and why?" Ding Ding looked at her, tilting its head as if asking, "Why?" "Seventh Sister, you handle the current situation, and I'll discuss this with you later." Dongfang Minghui felt that if Ding Ding continued like this, by the time they reached the Dragon Clan's realm, Ding Ding might remember the past, leading to quite the commotion. "Alright." "What’s your decision?" Yu Chi Shou asked sternly. Despite his recovery with the help of the Fire Elemental Pearl, his face was still charred, having drawn frequent mockery from Lien. "I'll help you," the fierce beast agreed, glancing at Qian Wanyu with its large, lantern-like eyes. "Good." Qian Ziyan, Qian Yiling, Qian Wanyu, and Yu Chi Shou, along with the enormous beast, stood before the barrier. The rest retreated nine meters back and then a few more, possibly toward where the Sword Tomb used to be. "Minghui, will Sister Wanyu be alright?" "She certainly will." Indeed, as they released their spiritual powers, the barrier behaved as Qian Ziyan predicted, opening a small gap that gradually widened, big enough for a child to squeeze through. The strength discrepancy among them and the beast caused the opening to tilt toward one side. "Little Nine." "Seventh Sister, what's wrong?" Almost as soon as Qian Wanyu called, Dongfang Minghui and Ding Ding rushed to her side. "Try using Little Color's vines to open the door." "Little Color." Little Color's vine ventured through the barrier's gap, reveling in the refreshing water energy. But when it reached the iron door, it became challenging, and Dongfang Minghui felt the water energy present. "The energy changes every two hours. Can everyone keep up?" Qian Yiling bore the most pressure, claiming she could manage. Yet, Dongfang Minghui saw beads of sweat pouring from her, soaking her hair in seconds. "Minghui, no matter how hard I push, the iron door won't budge." "I'll take a look inside." "Ninth Sister, if it doesn't work, get out quickly," Qian Wanyu cautioned. Nodding, Dongfang Minghui, small in stature, bent and squeezed through the barrier's gap. Once inside, she headed straight for the iron door, noting its hollow patterns matched the archway they saw atop the mountain. The two seemed to be part of the same structure. "Could it be that only combining the two opens this door?" That would be absurd. Reaching this point was no small feat, and going back for the mountain's arch would waste all their travel time. "It can't be that." She thrust against the iron door, but it remained unmoved, and the impact from the recoil sent her tumbling back. "Minghui, I've told you this fire door won't open with force," Little Color stated, confident in her strength difference with her partner. "Get Ding Ding to try." "Ding Ding." "Little Nine, I'm here!" "There's not much time. See if there's a hidden compartment or a lock on this iron door." Pig Immortal Grass, no longer sulking, advised from the soul sea. "Most doors like this come with a special key." Dongfang Minghui stepped aside. "Ding Ding, try ramming it, see if it budges." "Okay." With boundless energy, Ding Ding lifted the Longevity Cauldron, whacking the door thrice, then rubbed its little head. "Little Nine, it doesn't seem to work." "It seems there’s only one possibility left—a hidden compartment." Ding Ding holstered the Longevity Cauldron, the two of them scrutinized every inch of the door, stubbornly trying to elicit an opening. Eyes straining, Dongfang Minghui rubbed them, and sensed the water energy change to tempestuous lightning, crackling right before them. "Two hours have passed." "Ninth Sister, get out!" Looking at the short distance, now fraught with lightning, Dongfang Minghui wiped her sweat. "Seventh Sister, hold out a bit longer. I’ll keep looking for the key." Correction—search for the lock. She suddenly recalled the trapped dragon emblem. Observing the whole door, it seemed singular, unlike the split stone door in the Dragon Valley. "Pig Immortal Grass, could the lock be in the center of this iron door?" "Give it a try." Having zero knowledge of locks, Pig Immortal Grass encouraged her to explore. Ding Ding, under lightning strikes, played dead inside Dongfang Minghui's robes, occasionally tugging her sleeve. "Little Nine, can we go back?" "If we can't open this door, everyone's effort will be in vain," she dismissed the tiny creature’s fears, "Ding Ding, we can't let everyone's hard work go to waste, I must open this door within these hours." Ding Ding played quiet as a mouse, unaware but dedicated. Dongfang Minghui, knowing the Longevity Cauldron couldn't batter the door open, focused elsewhere. Ignoring the thunderstorm, she began tracing the patterns carefully, inch by inch. "Pig Immortal Grass, what if I can't find the lock?" "Perhaps it's not just one lock." Pig Immortal Grass flicked a small, now vibrant blue tail leaf, "If it’s an array formation, it might need multiple keys." Dongfang Minghui felt dizzy from the revelation. Such formations and barriers felt like foreign concepts. "Where would we even get keys?" "Try those iron fragments Toothless guarded." "Eh?" She already suspected it might need embedded objects to work, "But those fragments are plain, just like regular iron." Pig Immortal Grass swatted Ding Ding with its leaf, almost dislodging the little one from her sleeve, "Got any better ideas? Sometimes you have to try everything." Out of options, Dongfang Minghui pulled out the three iron fragments and attempted to align them with the door. None worked; the openings were either too large or too small. "See, I told you it wouldn't work." "Let me take a look." Pig Immortal Grass examined the door and fragments, then matched two together, placing them in one of the hollow sections. To Dongfang Minghui's surprise, they stayed, neither falling nor vanishing. "This—" "Seems like one more is needed." "And now what?" Pig Immortal Grass glanced at the little creature hiding in her sleeve, wrapping its tail around Ding Ding, urging it out. "Your turn now." "No." "Yes." As the two creatures reached an impasse, Dongfang Minghui was exasperated. "Pig Immortal Grass, what exactly do you want Ding Ding to do?" Pig Immortal Grass flicked Ding Ding’s face with its tail, "Simple, I need Ding Ding to transform into a piece of iron. If it doesn’t want to, that leaves Little Fatty." With scarce words, Pig Immortal Grass made her understand the plan: use Ding Ding or Little Fatty to impersonate the last iron fragment atop the door. "Yes." "Will they be at risk?" Could they become permanent fixtures on the door? Pig Immortal Grass gave Ding Ding a little shake, while Ding Ding blinked, looking utterly confused. "We need its cooperation because the Longevity Cauldron is tough and durable, so taking a small piece should be no trouble. But compressing them to fit the door could be unpredictable." Dongfang Minghui saw Ding Ding tremble into submission, turning into a timid quail, not knowing what to say to comfort it. Should she really say—Ding Ding, would you mind giving me a piece of yourself? Taking a piece of iron from the Longevity Cauldron felt akin to cutting a part of Ding Ding's essence—a thought she couldn't bear to voice. "Is there anything else that could replace them?" "A weapon, identical to this iron fragment in material is needed." Pig Immortal Grass noted, even if they found such a weapon, transforming it to fit would require time—a luxury they didn't possess as those outside were nearing their limits. An exceptionally difficult endeavor. Through the flashes and bangs of lightning, Dongfang Minghui called out, "Seventh Sister, do you have such iron fragments? Or weapons?" Even a plain piece of iron would be preferable to taking flesh from Ding Ding or Little Fatty. Qian Wanyu's sharp eyes appraised the piece in Dongfang Minghui's hand, having seen something similar before. “That item is necessary for what?” "It’s a key," Dongfang Minghui lamented, furious with herself for having overlooked it. She never realized Toothless had collected what was needed to enter the Dragon Clan's realm. The irregular iron fragments stumped her ability to piece them together. "I don't have it." Qian Wanyu wished she could dive into the barrier herself to solve the problem, but she truly didn’t possess any weapon made of such material. She had left her sword with Wei Junlan. Yu Chi Shou anxiously queried from the sideline, "What kind of cursed key is that? Sorcerer, are you kidding us?" No time for explanations, Dongfang Minghui suddenly remembered the plum blossom nail at her waist. "Pig Immortal Grass, what about the plum blossom nail? It's the last iron item I have." Pig Immortal Grass was hesitant to handle it casually. "Take it out and let’s see." The plum blossom nail bore a resemblance to the iron fragments but was irregular, transforming it into another form required time. Pig Immortal Grass figured the simplest solution was for an artifact spirit to shape-shift into the desired form, perhaps opening the iron door. The risk was if, after all their effort and time, they still couldn’t open the door. "It's not going to work." "Little Nine, Little Nine," Ding Ding sensed the tension, nervously pulling at Dongfang Minghui's hair, the swing it enjoyed playing on reduced to a gentle sway, behaving exceptionally well. “You need to make a decision quickly.” “Hmm.” On the balance of scales—one end held Little Fatty, the other Ding Ding. Dongfang Minghui considered all her interactions with the little companions. Finally, she resolutely made a decision, “Seventh Sister, send Little Fatty here, but leave Little Bean Sprout outside.” Little Fatty responded promptly, hesitating only to place Little Bean Sprout outside the barrier before confidently stepping into the lightning zone. Each time the lightning struck, Little Fatty deftly avoided it, quickly reaching Dongfang Minghui and the others. “Ah.” Dongfang Minghui reached out, pulling Little Fatty closer to keep her from being struck by the lightning within the barrier. However, the fiery spiritual energy emanating from Little Fatty was as unsettling as ever. “Little Fatty, we need your help.” Pig Immortal Grass presented the iron fragment to Little Fatty, reminding, "Time's almost up." “This iron fragment is missing a piece. I need you to transform into the missing shape to fit it and open this door.” Dongfang Minghui's voice wavered at the end, “Little Fatty, Seventh Sister said you’re the spirit of the Tianyin Helmet, so I think—” Little Fatty understood instantly, suddenly transforming into a fiery red key that eerily resembled the vanished Trapped Dragon Seal, floating before Dongfang Minghui. "My goodness, what a crafty little thing, hiding so deep," Little Color seethed, wishing to tie Little Fatty up and give her a good beating. It realized why inherently there was animosity—it was no coincidence that it was that annoying key. "Fantastic." Pig Immortal Grass exclaimed excitedly, "You made the right choice using Little Fatty instead of Ding Ding." "It will work?" "Absolutely, combining the Trapped Dragon Seal as a key ensures a perfect fit." Dongfang Minghui was still bewildered; she never imagined the Trapped Dragon Seal would merge with Little Bean Sprout—no, the Tianyin Helmet. Around the time Dragon Valley collapsed, that’s when Little Fatty suddenly took human form. "Stop dawdling, hurry." "Oh, it should be the opposite shape." Dongfang Minghui even sketched what shape Little Fatty should morph into. In no time, Little Fatty ingeniously became another piece of iron, fitting together with the one from Pig Immortal Grass. Following Pig Immortal Grass’s guidance, Dongfang Minghui inserted them into the hollow section of the door, silently praying for it to open. Pig Immortal Grass retreated back into her soul sea, "Now we leave it to fate." Those outside the barrier dared not disturb, not even to urge them on. Qian Wanyu, her ears sharp, overheard Little Nine’s words and involuntarily let out a breath. The barrier hungrily absorbed her spiritual power, and despite her exhaustion, so was everyone else’s. "Let's hang on a little longer, it's been four hours." “Is Little Nine anxious because something’s wrong?” “Don’t panic, let’s have faith in Little Nine, this iron door will open.” “Yes.” Dongfang Minghui fixed her gaze on the door. A sudden chill on her back confirmed the energy had switched from lightning to ice. Stomping in frustration, she felt despair creep in over the motionless iron door. "Pig Immortal Grass, did we get it wrong?"