Even though time flowed a thousand times faster in the three thousand worlds compared to the outside, Su Luowei and Meng Shuying spent a significant amount of time traversing those small worlds one by one.
Day after day, they witnessed sunrises and sunsets, the shifting clouds, and everything else as they journeyed together. No matter where they were or what form Meng Shuying took, her senior sister always found her and continued to love her, just as Meng Shuying had promised.
In countless quiet nights, the two of them, having shared a lifetime together, would cuddle close and reminisce about their experiences before finally closing their eyes together. The scenes were so comforting that, as their journey through the worlds neared its end, Meng Shuying found herself reluctant to leave the three thousand worlds.
But the lotus lamp's energy was nearly depleted, and by the time they reached the last small world, Meng Shuying could see the edges of that world starting to disintegrate. If they stayed any longer, they would be in danger.
So, she and her senior sister withdrew their consciousnesses from the lotus lamp completely.
Among the two, Meng Shuying woke up first. The moment she awoke, she immediately sensed that something had changed during their time in the three thousand worlds.
Originally, after forming a Dao bond with her senior sister, half of her cultivation had been transferred to her sister, leaving her own spiritual veins feeling hollow, like a riverbed after a flood, with only dry mud and a trickle of spiritual energy remaining.
But now, she felt an overwhelming abundance of spiritual energy within her, flowing even more vigorously than at her peak.
Meng Shuying was initially alarmed, instinctively worrying that something had happened to her senior sister. Carefully, she directed a strand of spiritual energy to probe her sister's body, and only after confirming her well-being did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, her senior sister was unharmed.
Not only was she unharmed, but she had also advanced in her cultivation.
Now, both of them had simultaneously broken through to the Mahayana stage.
This was indeed excellent news.
Joy spread through Meng Shuying's heart, and a faint smile appeared on her face, her eyes sparkling. She looked around and noticed a fine layer of dust covering both herself and her senior sister. With a quick gesture, she cast a cleansing spell, then adjusted their positions so that they would be comfortable while she waited for her senior sister to awaken.
About half an hour later, her senior sister slowly opened her eyes.
Suddenly back in the real world after leaving the lotus lamp, Su Luowei took a moment to adjust. Her eyes were unfocused for a while before she blinked and slowly turned her head to look at Meng Shuying.
Meng Shuying immediately leaned in, touching her forehead to Su Luowei's in an affectionate gesture.
As soon as Su Luowei saw her, she frowned and reached back to rub her lower back, gradually recalling what had happened before they entered the lotus lamp.
She remembered being attacked by a shadow at the gates of the ruined city and, after being brought here, feeling a strange sensation, as if her soul had temporarily separated from her body. Her body was asleep, but her soul remained fully conscious.
She "saw" Meng Shuying and Mingyou entering the room and heard them discussing Meng Shuying's bloodline, only then realizing that Meng Shuying was the daughter of the Demon Lord.
Before she could process this revelation, she "saw" Mingyou secretly lighting the lotus lamp. She wanted to warn Meng Shuying, but found herself unable to speak.
Fortunately, her Nascent Soul sensed something was amiss and initiated dual cultivation with Meng Shuying, maintaining a connection between them even when their souls entered the three thousand worlds.
However, there was an obvious downside to this.
As Su Luowei continued to rub her back, she thought to herself, No matter what, dual cultivation is still a bedroom art. The consequence of overindulgence is that now it feels like my waist is about to break.
It was strange—clearly, it was only their souls that underwent dual cultivation, yet her body felt exhausted, as if it had been run over by a carriage.
In contrast, Meng Shuying was as refreshed as a demoness who had absorbed enough essence. As Su Luowei massaged her back, a faint sense of unfairness crept into her heart. They had both undergone dual cultivation, so why was she so drained while Meng Shuying was full of energy?
She had forgotten that the demon race's bodies were inherently different from those of humans. Even compared to human cultivators, demons had a natural physical advantage. So even though their cultivation levels were now the same, if they were to compete, she would most likely end up beneath Meng Shuying.
In every sense of the word, she was the one beneath.
As Su Luowei continued to rub her back, she gradually noticed that her body felt different from before. She closed her eyes, focused inward, and quickly discovered the reason for the change.
She had already…reached the Mahayana stage!
This realization nearly made Su Luowei jump up in shock. Ever since her rebirth, her cultivation had advanced at an astonishing speed, as if she were riding a rocket, changing every few days!
What others would struggle to achieve—the formation of a Nascent Soul—she had managed effortlessly after just one night with Meng Shuying.
And the kind of cultivation level most cultivators couldn't even dream of? She had somehow reached it after a brief period of dual cultivation with Meng Shuying.
This…
Su Luowei stared at Meng Shuying for a long moment, her expression odd. "I didn't know dual cultivation with you had such benefits."
If she had known, she would have engaged in dual cultivation with Meng Shuying more often.
Meng Shuying couldn't help but smile, though she tried to cover it up with a cough, pretending to be serious. However, her tone couldn't conceal her pride.
"If you enjoy it, senior sister, we can do it as often as you like… The more, the better."
Su Luowei chuckled softly, then rolled over to glance at Meng Shuying's back. Puzzled by her action, Meng Shuying followed her gaze, looking behind herself.
"What are you looking for, senior sister?"
"I thought I saw your tail just now," Su Luowei teased, reaching up to pat her head as if expecting to find two fluffy ears.
By now, Meng Shuying realized that her senior sister was intentionally teasing her. Feigning annoyance, she spread her arms wide, shamelessly allowing her to inspect, and even asked, "Did you find it? My fox tail?"
"Who said it's a fox tail?" Su Luowei lay sideways on the bed, propping her head up with one hand while the other reached for Meng Shuying.
"It's obviously a puppy's tail—one that wags back and forth whenever it's praised."
The two of them playfully bantered on the bed for a while before Su Luowei pulled her robe back into place and asked, "By the way, how long were we in the lotus lamp?"
She hoped it hadn't been too long. If they had been missing for thirty or fifty years, Xie Hanzhu and Wen Miaomiao might have gone mad.
Meng Shuying pondered for a moment. "I could sense that time flowed faster inside the lotus lamp, but how long we were actually inside… We'll need to ask someone to find out."
After breaking through to the Mahayana stage, the world looked entirely different to them. What seemed like an ordinary pavilion outside was filled with hidden mechanisms, and even the unassuming shrubs in the corner were actually meticulously crafted magical artifacts.
The first demon craftsman was truly deserving of his reputation.
Unfortunately, no matter how skilled Mingyou was, their opposing stances meant they could never work together.
As they quietly observed their surroundings, Mingyou sensed their awakening. Without hesitation, she knocked three times on the door before walking in, her expression a mix of regret and relief. "You've broken through to the Mahayana stage, so you should leave on your own. I'm quite busy these days, so I won't be seeing you off."
"Please wait, senior," Su Luowei called out, stopping her. After bowing respectfully, she said, "We've gained a great opportunity, and we haven't yet thanked you. Gathering faith is no easy task, and if we have the chance, we will surely repay you."
Mingyou replied, "There's no need to repay me. I was simply following orders."
"Even if you were following orders, we still benefited."
Moreover, the Demon Lord had only instructed her to assist Meng Shuying in advancing her cultivation. Su Luowei had just been an extra.
Being that extra, Su Luowei was well aware of her situation, though she currently had nothing to offer in return. Still, she couldn't help but express her gratitude.
She continued to speak words of thanks until Mingyou's expression turned impatient, at which point she asked her final question: "Entering the world within the lamp felt like a fleeting dream. How long did we sleep, senior?"
Mingyou calculated briefly before answering, "Not long, just over a year."
A little over a year… Su Luowei exhaled in relief. That wasn't too long.
In the past, she had secluded herself on Inkstone Peak for three years. Now, she and Meng Shuying had only been asleep for a year, so nothing major should have happened in the human realm.
This meant that, as long as they found Xie Hanzhu and Wen Miaomiao and the way back to the human world, they could return home safely.
As this thought crossed her mind, Su Luowei felt a familiar pull from afar.
She had felt this sensation before entering the three thousand worlds, but now that her cultivation had advanced, it was even stronger.
And she could now clearly sense that what was calling her was the Divine Bone.
The complete Divine Bone that belonged to the fallen immortal in the Blessed Land of Ten Directions.
After Mingyou left, Su Luowei quickly gathered her belongings and left with Meng Shuying.
The Demon Palace was located in the southeast of the demon realm, and with their current cultivation levels, reaching it wouldn't be difficult. Meng Shuying's demonic energy could conceal their presence, so they could easily fly on their swords.
But Su Luowei chose not to do so. Instead, she and Meng Shuying disguised themselves as ordinary demon cultivators, gathering information about Xie Hanzhu and Wen Miaomiao as they traveled.
However, despite their efforts, by the time they reached the Demon Palace, they still hadn't found any trace of the two. It was as if they had vanished after Mingyou took them away.