"So, what do I need to do?" Bai Mulan asked, her gaze shifting between the two women before her.
"Now, now. Let's take it slow. This will take some time," the blue-haired woman said with a gentle smile. "Why don't we chat while we transfer the power to you?" Slowly, she raised her hand, and in the next moment, a misty cloud began to rise from the water beneath them, settling beneath the legs of all three women. With effortless grace, she lowered herself onto the cloud-like cushion.
"Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves yet, have we?" She let out a soft chuckle. "My name is Lan Yue, and she is Hong Xuan." Lan Yue gestured toward the other woman, who was already seated on the floating cushion.
"Bai Mulan," she introduced herself, hesitantly lowering herself onto the mysterious cloud-like surface. A faint sense of curiosity flickered in her eyes as she felt an unfamiliar yet pleasant sensation envelop her body. It was soft—softer than anything she had ever felt before. A cool, refreshing energy wrapped around her, seeping into her skin and filling her with an almost indescribable comfort.
"Heheheh, I spent a long time perfecting this technique, you know," Lan Yue said with a proud grin. There was an unmistakable smugness in her expression, as if she was thoroughly enjoying Bai Mulan's reaction. "I can teach you if you're interested."
"Seriously?" Bai Mulan blurted out without thinking, excitement flashing across her face. But as soon as she realized how eager she had sounded, a wave of embarrassment washed over her. She quickly averted her gaze, trying to suppress her emotions, but it was too late—Lan Yue had already caught on and was smiling knowingly.
Their lighthearted exchange was suddenly interrupted by Hong Xuan. "How did you find this place?" she asked, her voice calm yet laced with curiosity.
The question made Bai Mulan's expression turn slightly more serious. Sitting across from this woman—or rather, this dragon—made her feel a subtle tension in the air.
"We discovered it by accident and have already entered one of the places," she replied.
"Which one?" Hong Xuan inquired.
"The Black Dragon."
For a brief moment, Hong Xuan's gaze sharpened. "The fact that you not only know about this place but also willingly returned here… No, wait. I don't sense his power from you. That means your friend succeeded, didn't they?"
"Yes," Bai Mulan confirmed.
Her answer made Hong Xuan arch a brow, a flicker of intrigue crossing her face.
"Was your friend a woman or a man?" Lan Yue suddenly asked, then tilted her head with a knowing smirk. "No… could it be he's your lover?"
Bai Mulan was momentarily stunned by the unexpected assumption, and before she could control herself, a faint blush dusted her cheeks.
"He's my friend from the sect," she clarified quickly.
"Oh? Hm. I see, I see. A friend, huh?" Lan Yue's smirk widened as she caught onto Bai Mulan's subtle reaction, her teasing tone making Bai Mulan even more flustered.
"It's not bad for a Golden Core cultivator to have defeated him," Hong Xuan mused. "But… he was the weakest of the seven of us. Considering the fact that you're here, that must mean he's currently entering his place, right?"
"He's at the Foundation Building stage," Bai Mulan corrected, making sure they understood Chen Fan's true cultivation level.
"Huh? Foundation Building?" The revelation visibly shocked both Hong Xuan and Lan Yue, especially the latter. Lan Yue's eyes widened slightly, a trace of disbelief flickering in her expression. After all, she was well aware of the conditions required to engage in battle within the seal. Facing the suppressed soul of a powerhouse while only at the Foundation Building realm was simply unheard of.
Hong Xuan fell into deep thought, her mind racing through the possibilities.
"Seven of you?" Bai Mulan couldn't help but voice her surprise upon hearing this unexpected revelation. From what she had seen, there were only three seals present.
"Yes," Hong Xuan confirmed. "But I have no idea how the other four are faring now." She paused before adding, "Hei Yun is considered the weakest among us, though his abilities are somewhat tricky, which made his soul slightly stronger than average. And yet… your friend managed to defeat him, all while still at the Foundation Building stage. Even in the Upper World, that would be considered an extraordinary feat—something only a rare genius could achieve."
"The Upper World?" Bai Mulan's eyes lit up at the mention of it, a spark of excitement flashing across her face.
Hong Xuan was momentarily taken aback by her reaction. Most mortals from the lower realms would feel uneasy upon learning of a world beyond their own—an unknown realm far beyond their reach. Usually, the mere realization of its existence would leave them restless, filled with a sense of insignificance.
"You seem… excited?" Hong Xuan asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Well, isn't it just like in a novel?" Bai Mulan explained, a grin forming on her lips. She had read countless fictional stories, and the concept of an Upper World was a recurring theme in many cultivation novels. She had once asked her master about it, but all she received was a dismissive answer—her master insisted that no such thing existed, as no one had ever descended from a higher world, nor had anyone from this realm ever ascended. Bai Mulan couldn't help but imagine her master's reaction if she were to learn that she had just met someone from the Upper World.
"Novel?" Lan Yue's interest was instantly piqued.
"Yes! People often write about this kind of thing in cultivation novels," Bai Mulan said enthusiastically. "Ah, here—I'll show you."
Without hesitation, she summoned her phone, causing both Hong Xuan and Lan Yue to lean in curiously, their gazes locked onto the small device.
Bai Mulan eagerly demonstrated its functions, explaining both the novel and the device itself, while the two ancient beings observed with undisguised fascination.
After getting a rough idea of how the device worked, Hong Xuan showed a faint trace of amusement. The fact that mortals could create something so intricate without the use of qi was unheard of in her era. Perhaps it was due to the very nature of her world, where strength reigned supreme, leaving little interest in developing such things.
Her gaze shifted toward Lan Yue, who was still engrossed with the device, her eyes gleaming with fascination. Bai Mulan, who had been patiently explaining its functions, noticed Hong Xuan's fleeting change in expression—a brief shadow of gloom that quickly faded, replaced by her usual calm demeanor.
Now that she thought about it, compared to her initial impression, she could see that the bond between Lan Yue and Hong Xuan was genuine. Recalling the fate that awaited Lan Yue, Bai Mulan felt a heaviness settle in her chest.
Splash.
The water beneath them rippled suddenly, spreading outward without any apparent cause. Then, as if the earth itself were thirsting for it, the water level began to recede, absorbed into the soil below.
"Oh, it's finally done," Lan Yue's voice drew Bai Mulan's attention. She turned toward her, waiting for an explanation.
"Your body wouldn't be able to contain her soul in its prime form, so I created a seal using this array."
Lan Yue's words made Bai Mulan immediately understand the implications. A complicated expression crossed her face. "Can't you do the same for yourself? Inhibit my body too?"
"Oh? Are you reluctant to part with me?" Lan Yue grinned. "Well, considering my charm, it's only natural that you'd grow attached to me. But—"
"Your body wouldn't be able to handle it," Hong Xuan cut her off, addressing Bai Mulan directly. "It's only because of this array that I can safely reside within you."
"Hey, it's rude to cut me off like—" Lan Yue started but quickly fell silent when Hong Xuan shot her a glare. "—that," she muttered under her breath.
"Besides," Hong Xuan continued, her tone even, "aren't you in a hurry? There's no need to get sentimental."
Her words left Bai Mulan feeling conflicted. She knew she needed strength—urgently—but was it right to accept that power at the cost of someone else's life?
"You don't need to feel burdened." Lan Yue smiled at her. "This is the best choice. Besides, it's not like I have zero chances of survival, you know?"
Bai Mulan's eyes flickered with hope at her words.
"As I said before, I've merged with this seal. When Hong Xuan enters your body, I can simply deactivate it. And maybe, if you find the creator or someone with a high understanding of arrays, they'll figure out a way to separate me from it."
Bai Mulan's fingers tightened slightly. If that was true, then the possibility of Lan Yue's complete disappearance wasn't absolute.
"Well, it's better than waiting for all of us to die here, right?" Lan Yue said lightly, casting a glance at Hong Xuan, who remained expressionless.
"I will find the creator or someone capable of undoing it." Bai Mulan met Lan Yue's gaze, her voice firm. "After all, I owe you that much."
Lan Yue's eyes softened, and a bright smile spread across her face.
"Hehe, I'm relieved to hear that. Then, I should give this to you before I forget." She lifted her palm, summoning a token and handing it to Bai Mulan. "This is my technique—you can consider it my payment."
She then turned to Hong Xuan with a playful look.
"And you need to learn how to be patient, okay?"
"What's with that look?" Hong Xuan narrowed her eyes, sensing the hidden meaning in Lan Yue's words.
"She might explode like before, you know? That fiery outburst really suits her, doesn't it?" Lan Yue mused aloud before continuing, "Well, it was only because we had a little argument earlier. But that just proves how much she cares about me, doesn't it? As the only friend she's ever had, it's natural for her to grow attached to me, huh? So—"
Boom!
A fireball shot toward Lan Yue, but before it could reach her, she had already appeared on the other side, completely unscathed.
"Just shut up," Hong Xuan grumbled, clearly holding back her temper. Her gaze shifted toward Bai Mulan, who was looking at her with an amused expression.
"Lift your hands," Hong Xuan commanded, regaining her composure.
Bai Mulan followed suit, pressing her palm against Hong Xuan's.
Flames erupted from Hong Xuan's body, engulfing her entirely. Yet, despite the intense heat, Bai Mulan felt no pain. The fire began to seep into her palm, and the ground beneath them trembled. The once-shallow water surged into chaotic waves, while above them, the sky darkened ominously.
"So, this is farewell," Lan Yue murmured, gazing at Bai Mulan with a gentle smile. "I do hope we meet again. And take care of her, okay? She's not good with people, you know. She gets irritated at the slightest teasing. If we hadn't been trapped together, she probably wouldn't have made a single friend in her life."
Bai Mulan felt a strange warmth within her—a reaction from Hong Xuan now residing inside her body. It was almost funny. But as she looked at Lan Yue, standing there against the approaching darkness, a heavy feeling pressed against her chest.
"Thanks… for becoming my friend."
Lan Yue's final words faded into the abyss as darkness swallowed Bai Mulan's vision.
She felt a surge of qi fluctuations around her. Then, as the darkness receded, a deep red hue took its place.
In front of her, a small blue orb floated, its glow faint. But before she could react, it started falling. Instinctively, she caught it, cradling it carefully in her hand.
For a brief moment, she hesitated, half-expecting—perhaps hoping—for something to happen. Yet, to her disappointment, the orb remained unresponsive.
With a sigh, she stored the orb inside her phone and turned her attention to the two doors standing before her. Retrieving the yellow token from her phone, she held it in her palm. Previously, they had divided the tokens so each of them possessed one.
But now, as she waited, there was no reaction.