It was almost noon by the time Meng Shuying returned, taking her time.
Seeing her empty-handed, Jiang Ye furrowed her brows, her almond-shaped eyes widening with anger. "You've been gone for so long, and you came back empty-handed?"
Meng Shuying replied calmly, "When I arrived, the eagle beast was not there, and although the serpent was injured, it was still formidable. I barely made it back alive."
She was covered in blood, looking as though she had just been through a fierce battle.
Jiang Ye was half convinced. "And then?"
"When the serpent attacked me, the eagle beast suddenly appeared, swooped down, and killed the serpent. Then it flew off with the serpent's body."
Jiang Ye scowled. "We waited here all this time, and you return with nothing to show for it. Useless."
Not a word about Meng Shuying's injuries.
The others watched coldly, and none of them spoke up for Meng Shuying.
She didn't care and asked Jiang Ye for some water, walking around to the other side of the giant tree to clean the blood off her face and hands.
Once she was done, the group packed up and set off again. After following the marked path on the map for most of the day, they finally passed through the outskirts of the Ten Directions Blessed Land and reached the actual cave.
A large gate stood outside the cave, about three meters tall, painted entirely in red, giving off a solemn and imposing aura.
Standing under the gate, the people seemed especially small.
Jiang Ye easily pushed the gate open, and once they stepped inside, the surrounding scenery abruptly changed. The desolate wilderness transformed into a delicate garden, with jade palaces nearby and distant mountain ranges stretching into the horizon.
Following this path would lead directly to the library pavilion.
Outside the pavilion was a bamboo forest, blocking the way forward, with only a narrow path leading into its depths.
"Beyond this bamboo forest lies the library pavilion," Jiang Ye said, standing at the edge of the bamboo forest and briefing the group. "There's a restriction inside that affects Golden Core cultivators. Once I enter, I'll lose four of my five senses, leaving only touch."
Her gaze swept across the group before she chose You Wen and another disciple, instructing them, "This bamboo forest only contains a basic maze formation. It's not difficult to break, just time-consuming. Once inside, the others will handle breaking the formation, while you two are responsible for guarding me on either side. No matter what happens, do not leave my side."
"If anyone tries to attack me while I'm vulnerable, kill them on the spot without mercy."
Jiang Ye's eyes narrowed, and the aura of a Golden Core cultivator suddenly surged.
"In the past, some disciples tried to ambush a Golden Core cultivator while they were vulnerable. In the end... all those disciples perished."
When a Golden Core cultivator loses their senses and is suddenly attacked, they can become extremely dangerous.
You Wen and the other disciple obeyed her orders, standing on either side of her, each holding one of her arms while drawing their swords with the other hand. The remaining disciples instinctively spread out, forming a protective circle around Jiang Ye.
Only Meng Shuying stood alone, far away, as if she had nothing to do with this.
You Wen frowned, about to scold her, but Jiang Ye signaled her to stop, whispering, "Ignore her."
It was better if Meng Shuying didn't join them.
If all ten of them entered together, breaking the maze formation wouldn't be difficult. But if Meng Shuying entered alone, she would likely be stuck in the maze indefinitely.
This suited Jiang Ye perfectly.
And it also suited Meng Shuying just fine.
As the others disappeared into the bamboo forest, Meng Shuying turned around and tentatively asked into the air, "Senior Sister, are you going into the maze?"
"Of course," Su Luowei responded. She had already reached the entrance to the library pavilion; there was no reason not to enter.
"But Jiang Ye said that once a Golden Core cultivator enters, they lose four of their senses."
Sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—the five senses.
A Golden Core cultivator entering the formation would lose sight, hearing, smell, and taste, leaving only touch.
"That's why you have to find a way to lead me out of the formation."
Where Meng Shuying couldn't see, Su Luowei's lips curved into a smile, her gaze warm and firm.
Meng Shuying hesitated, something rare for her. "What if I can't break the formation…"
Then she would drag her Senior Sister down with her, trapping her in the maze as well.
She didn't mind spending the extra effort, but Su Luowei was different. Inside the formation, with only touch remaining, any unexpected situation could be dangerous for her. Meng Shuying couldn't bear the thought.
"You can do it," Su Luowei said decisively. "I believe in you."
Meng Shuying didn't understand why her Senior Sister had such confidence in her, even trusting her with her safety.
But if her Senior Sister wanted to go, then no matter what, she would ensure they both made it out of the maze.
She carefully rolled up her sleeves, making sure the soiled fabric didn't touch her, revealing two sections of jade-like arms. Then she reached out towards where Su Luowei stood, her voice soft, "Senior Sister, hold on to me."
Seeing her so serious, Su Luowei couldn't help but want to laugh but held it back for some reason.
Instead of grabbing Meng Shuying's wrist as she expected, Su Luowei placed her hand on Meng Shuying's palm and gently clasped her fingers around hers.
"This will do," she said.
The warmth of her hand traveled through Meng Shuying, making her feel tingly from head to toe.
She couldn't resist tightening her grip, clasping Su Luowei's hand more firmly.
Su Luowei didn't pull away, letting her hold on.
Her hand was soft, like the gentle breeze of April, tenderly wrapping around Meng Shuying, making her heart flutter uncontrollably.
She just wanted to be closer to her Senior Sister, even closer.
"Let's go," Su Luowei reminded her, breaking the silence as Meng Shuying remained motionless.
"Oh, okay." Meng Shuying snapped back to reality, and after a moment's thought, she solemnly promised, "Senior Sister, don't worry. Once we're inside, I'll protect you no matter what."
Su Luowei smiled softly but didn't respond, only squeezing her fingers slightly as an acknowledgment.
The moment they stepped into the bamboo forest, Su Luowei felt the power of the restriction. With each step forward, her senses dulled further. First, her vision blurred, then the scent of the bamboo faded, followed by the loss of taste, and finally, the sound gradually disappeared.
It was as if she had been plunged into a dark, silent void—eyes open but unable to see, ears straining but hearing nothing.
Even though she had prepared herself, the sensation of losing control over her body was unsettling, making her anxious and uneasy.
Her mind was tense, her body instinctively on high alert, ready for any sudden danger.
Fortunately, the hand holding hers was steady and unwavering.
It helped calm Su Luowei's nerves a little.
Meng Shuying noticed the grip on her hand tightening as they walked, knowing that Su Luowei was starting to lose her senses. She slowed her pace accordingly.
As Su Luowei's anxiety grew, she unconsciously squeezed harder, her strength as a cultivator leaving red marks on Meng Shuying's hand.
But no matter how hard Su Luowei squeezed, Meng Shuying never let go.
In fact, Meng Shuying reveled in the feeling of being needed, of being relied upon by her Senior Sister.
Part of her wished this dependency would last longer, much longer. But another part of her couldn't bear seeing Su Luowei suffer in the restriction.
The maze in the bamboo forest was a basic formation, with eight directions corresponding to the eight gates: Open, Rest, Life, Injury, Block, Scene, Death, and Shock, each with a hidden mystery.
Jiang Ye and the others had ten people; as long as they didn't accidentally enter the Death Gate, breaking the formation was only a matter of time.
But Meng Shuying was alone, guiding a Su Luowei who couldn't see or hear, so she didn't dare to try each direction one by one. She had to carefully determine the location of the Life Gate.
The Life Gate belonged to earth, which nurtures all things, bringing life and renewal.
It was considered highly auspicious.
Meng Shuying wasn't particularly skilled in formations. She hadn't thought much of it before, but now, holding Su Luowei's hand, she regretted not mastering the basics. If she had known, she would have thoroughly studied the "Introduction to Formations"!
After much deliberation, she finally pinpointed the general direction of the Life Gate. To avoid any mishaps, she moved closer to Su Luowei, gently wrapping an arm around her waist.
Even through the fabric, Su Luowei could feel the heat from her palm.
The warmth made Su Luowei pause.
She suddenly stopped walking, and Meng Shuying was confused for a moment until she realized the waist under her hand was a bit cold.
She had no idea the problem lay with her, thinking instead that her Senior Sister was too frightened, causing her body to cool.
Meng Shuying pulled her closer, holding her tightly against her side. She then raised their joined hands and slowly wrote in Su Luowei's palm:
"Don't be afraid, Senior Sister.
I found the Life Gate.
We'll be out soon."
Su Luowei, although unable to hear, could still speak.
She couldn't see where Meng Shuying was, so she carefully felt the direction of her grip, moving closer based on instinct.
"Mm, with you here, I'm not afraid."
As her lips moved, she seemed to brush against something soft and smooth.
Su Luowei guessed she must have accidentally touched Meng Shuying's face.
Sigh, it was all because of this restriction, blinding her and making her get too close by mistake.
Su Luowei paused for a moment and was about to step back when she felt the grip around her waist tighten as if not wanting to let her go.
"Senior Sister… you… here… danger… don't… leave…" Meng Shuying struggled to form the words through clenched teeth, then realized Su Luowei couldn't hear her.
It had to be a kiss, right?
Senior Sister had just… kissed her face.
Meng Shuying's mind went blank, filled with a strange, muddled sensation, almost unable to think.
If she shook her head hard enough, she might even hear the sloshing sound of her brain turning to mush.
She was torn between the thrill of the accidental intimacy and the guilt of her reaction.
Her Senior Sister had kissed her by accident, unable to see anything.
How could she be so happy about something so trivial?
She was being… too selfish.
Meng Shuying didn't move for a long time, making Su Luowei feel a bit uneasy. Clearing her throat, Su Luowei gently urged, "Since you've found the Life Gate, let's go."
Meng Shuying pulled her closer, taking her hand again as she slowly led her toward the northeast. Her palm was warm, heating Su Luowei's waist until it tingled.
After walking for about a quarter of an hour, a faint light appeared ahead, and Su Luowei could faintly smell the scent of bamboo.
She knew they were close to exiting the maze.
She slowly loosened her grip on Meng Shuying's hand, testing the waters by letting go. Meng Shuying noticed the movement and felt a pang of loss.
"Are your senses back, Senior Sister?"
"It's all fine now," Su Luowei replied softly, her voice as calm as ever.
Meng Shuying nodded and withdrew her arm from around Su Luowei's waist, stepping back slightly, her head lowered so that her expression was hidden.
****
[Note From The Author: ¨The antagonist's development is a bit slow at the start, focusing on diligently cultivating to escape fate. Later, as her cultivation advances and she experiences more, Meng Shuying will evolve from a loyal companion to a devoted, if obsessive, follower, constantly clinging to her Senior Sister.¨]