"I need to go back to my companions immediately and also find my brother," Xing Ziao declared, rising to his feet.
Baoyu also stood and began cleaning her hands with a cloth she retrieved from her abyssal storage. She then positioned herself directly in front of Xing Ziao and spoke with a grave tone. "You can't tell anyone about what you've just learned, Xing Ziao. Not your current companions, not your future ones, and especially not your brother," she emphasized.
Xing Ziao furrowed his brow, clearly puzzled. "Why can't I tell them? Wouldn't it be better for them to be aware?"
Baoyu fixed her gaze upon him before answering, "You don't truly know your companions, Xing Ziao. Who knows what they might know or what allegiances they hold? As for your brother, trust me when I say you don't need to worry about him."
Xing Ziao sighed, his head spinning with questions and confusion. "You're filling my head with so many questions, and as much as I want to demand answers, I must trust you. After all, you are the Guardian of Order."
Baoyu smiled faintly. "In due time, everything will be revealed." With a flick of her fingers against Xing Ziao's forehead, he suddenly fell unconscious.
-
Xing Ziao's eyes fluttered open on the other side of the cliff, still within the eerie confines of the Misty Forest. Crouching beside him was Wen Di, a deep crease of concern etched into his face. Xing Ziao instinctively placed his palm on his forehead, feeling a searing pain at its center.
"Ugh, my forehead hurts, it feels like something has pierced it," Xing Ziao groaned, attempting to sit up.
Wen Di swiftly laid his hand on Xing Ziao's forehead, whispering an incantation that miraculously subdued the pain within a few seconds. Xing Ziao began to regain his composure, his surroundings slowly coming into focus.
With a growing sense of unease, he realized he was back in the Misty Forest, and Wen Di was by his side. He rose to his feet, scanning the area for any sign of the Guardian of Order. However, she was nowhere to be found, leaving him to wonder if everything he had experienced had been a dream.
He turned to Wen Di, who wore a deeply concerned expression. Xing Ziao inquired, "How long was I out?"
Wen Di replied, "Only for a day."
Xing Ziao's confusion deepened. "Did I really fall off the cliff?"
Wen Di bit his lip and nodded somberly. "You're lucky someone saved you."
"Saved me?" Xing Ziao raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
Wen Di nodded again and proceeded to recount the events. "You were suddenly blasted off the cliff. I was about to transport myself down to find you when a rugged young lady appeared behind us. She said she'd save you, and then she jumped off the cliff herself. It startled both Ling Ye and me. Not long ago, she brought you back to the surface, to this side. Fortunately, Ling Ye's and my energy had replenished enough for us to follow suit."
Xing Ziao mumbled quietly to himself, "So it wasn't a dream... I really did meet the Guardian of Order." Fortunately, Wen Di didn't overhear him. Xing Ziao then inquired, "Where is Ling Ye now?"
Wen Di replied, "Ling Ye went ahead to catch up with her twin. I decided to wait for you to regain consciousness, and luckily, I still have some sources of food and water with me."
Xing Ziao looked at Wen Di guiltily and apologized, recognizing that it was his fault for the delay. Wen Di reassured him, saying it was okay, and offered a warm smile.
However, Xing Ziao couldn't help but wonder about their newfound camaraderie. He asked, "I don't mean this in a bad way, but I can't help but wonder. We only met not too long ago, yet you were willing to help me, save me, and even wait by my side. Did we ever met before?"
Wen Di's expression faltered briefly, and he seemed troubled for a moment. Then, he put on a faint smile and replied, "No, we haven't met before. I just care deeply for my companions, even if I've only known them for a short time. It would weigh on my conscience if I didn't do everything I could to protect them, you know."
Unbeknownst to Wen Di, Xing Ziao's perception had become sharper after learning about the revelations. He sensed that something was amiss in Wen Di's emotions. It felt as if his companion was hiding something.
Recalling Baoyu's words, "You don't truly know your companions, Xing Ziao. Who knows what they might know or what allegiances they hold?" Xing Ziao decided to keep his suspicions to himself. He moved closer to Wen Di and embraced him, surprising his companion.
"I now understand and appreciate what you did," Xing Ziao said sincerely. "Thank you for being a good companion and now a friend."
Wen Di's smile grew warmer, his heart touched by Xing Ziao's gesture.
~
[In an unknown place]
A stern voice of a woman resonated through the dimly lit halls.
"You failed to capture him?!" she exclaimed.
Hundun hu, the former Guardian of Chaos, bowed his head and replied, "My deepest apologies, Supreme Deity. I assure you, I won't fail again."
The woman's voice dripped with disdain as she continued, "Oh, dear Hundun hu, a former Guardian, how will you ever regain your prime powers if you can't even handle one young man? You, a former guardian, failing in your very first attempt!"
Hundun hu explained, "The Guardian of Order intervened unexpectedly. I couldn't anticipate the situation properly. I assumed she would remain passive, as I'd heard from the original timeline during the Demon Prince's war."
A brief silence hung in the air before the woman spoke again, her tone laced with intrigue. "So, Destiny's disciple intervened. Now, that is an unexpected twist," she mused.
Confused, Hundun hu questioned, "What do you mean, Supreme Deity?"
The woman's voice took on a darker edge as she elucidated, "Since the inception of Qiandu, Destiny has never left her throne nor permitted her disciple to meddle in the affairs of mortals and immortals alike. She fancies herself as 'Qiandu's Seer,' arrogantly claiming to understand the fate, destiny, and order of all. Her interference suggests that her meticulously laid plans are about to be thrown into chaos and destruction!"
As the woman's venomous laughter echoed through the unknown place, those present could not help but shiver, feeling a sense of foreboding in the air.