A flood of emotions surged in Meng Shuying's heart. She opened her mouth, but realized she didn't know what to say. In the end, all she managed was a dry, "…Nothing."
Lowering her gaze, she added softly, "I accidentally stepped into one of Fuguang's arrays. It clouded my mind for a moment. There's no need to worry, Senior Sister."
Despite her reassurances, Su Luowei couldn't relax completely. She stepped closer, taking Meng Shuying's hand in hers. Her brows knitted slightly as she asked gently, "Are you sure you're okay?"
Even though Meng Shuying had experienced more intimate moments with Su Luowei in her memories, the sudden proximity made her heart race. Instinctively, she stepped back half a step.
Su Luowei, ever sensitive to subtle changes, immediately sensed that something was off. She recalled Meng Shuying's earlier panic after being haunted by the dream where she killed her, and she couldn't help but feel that her junior sister had fallen into another trap. Her heart ached, and she silently cursed the underhanded methods of the demon clan.
She wanted to comfort Meng Shuying, but she knew this wasn't the place for it. The surrounding environment was dangerous and unfamiliar, with no clear path forward. As Su Luowei scanned their surroundings, she noticed something amiss—there was no moon in the sky.
"Wait… the moon?" Su Luowei looked up and around, realizing that there was indeed no moon.
Unlike the human realm, the demon realm didn't have a bright moon but a distinct blood moon. However, the sky above them now was filled only with stars, no trace of the blood moon in sight.
"Damn, we're still in the underground palace. We haven't left at all. No wonder nothing's changed since we started walking…" Su Luowei frowned, looking troubled.
She had misjudged the situation, mistaking an exit for freedom, only to find that it was merely an illusion, concealing a complex array. Deep in thought, Su Luowei didn't notice that Meng Shuying had quickly glanced at her, only to lower her gaze again before being caught.
Just one glance was enough to stir Meng Shuying's emotions once more. It was her—Su Luowei was really here.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but Meng Shuying didn't dare to wipe them away. Thankfully, Su Luowei was focused on breaking the array and didn't notice her change in demeanor.
Su Luowei pondered their situation, realizing that the array was too intricate to be broken by force, which could lead to unforeseen consequences. Unable to solve the array herself, she turned her gaze to Meng Shuying.
By now, Meng Shuying had managed to calm herself down. Seeing the small furrow between Su Luowei's brows, she gently reached out to smooth it.
"Senior… Senior Sister, don't worry. I know how to get out."
Su Luowei looked at her, tilting her head with a smile. "Alright, our Ah Ying is the best."
Hearing Su Luowei's praise, Meng Shuying felt as though her heart had been dipped in honey, a sweet satisfaction swelling within her. It took all her self-control to keep from breaking into a foolish grin.
But she couldn't stop the blush from creeping up to the tips of her ears, betraying her calm facade.
Su Luowei found this immensely amusing, and the tension of their predicament eased considerably.
The tombs of the fallen demon lords were interconnected. Besides the path they had taken, four other routes branched out from their current location. Three led to other tombs, while one was the true exit.
If Meng Shuying hadn't regained her memories, finding the right path would have taken considerable effort. But fortunately, she remembered.
Drawing her sword, Meng Shuying held it before her, closing her eyes to concentrate on the flow of demonic energy around them. She led Su Luowei southwest. Several times, it seemed there was no way forward, but with a swift slash of her sword, the path ahead would reveal itself as if something invisible had been cut down.
Along the way, Meng Shuying slashed her sword forty-nine times, breaking through forty-nine arrays.
When she struck the final blow, Su Luowei felt as if a pane of glass had shattered before her eyes, and suddenly, everything became clear.
They had made it out.
Before them was the vast expanse of a starlit sky and endless earth, but unlike before, a blood moon now hung in the center of the sky.
Looking back, they could see the city a few miles away. The underground palace's only exit led them outside the city, something Meng Shuying hadn't anticipated.
But this was good—there was no need to worry about encountering Fuguang again. It wasn't that Meng Shuying feared him; she simply didn't want her senior sister to confront him and possibly hear things that could disturb her.
Some things were best left unsaid.
Su Luowei had initially planned to travel discreetly to the next city to continue searching for news of Xie Hanzhu and Wen Miaomiao. But to her surprise, Meng Shuying abandoned her usual low profile. Not only did she reveal their identities openly, but she also brazenly entered cities with Su Luowei, releasing her spiritual energy to repel any attacking demon soldiers.
Two cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage were formidable, whether in the human or demon realm. Their presence caused a great stir, and it wasn't long before even the most remote demon tribes knew that two human cultivators had arrived in the demon realm.
Fortunately, the two cultivators were relatively peaceful, not quick to engage in fights like the local demon experts. Even when faced with attacks, they only repelled their attackers without inflicting serious harm.
Adding to the mystery was the unusual response from the demon palace. Despite knowing that intruders were in their territory, they made no move to capture them, as if deliberately turning a blind eye to their presence.
So, after a while, the uproar surrounding them gradually subsided.
The two continued searching the demon realm for over a month, but Xie Hanzhu and Wen Miaomiao remained elusive.
Su Luowei, already concerned about the human realm, grew increasingly anxious upon hearing that the demon palace had deployed additional forces to various human-demon passages, signaling that the passages might soon open.
Meng Shuying noticed her distress and suggested, "We've searched for so long without any results. Perhaps we should return to the human realm first? They might have already found a way back."
Su Luowei knew Meng Shuying was right. Given the commotion they had caused, Xie Hanzhu and Wen Miaomiao would have likely found them by now if they were still in the demon realm. The fact that they hadn't only left two possibilities: either they had returned to the human realm, or…
Before the dark thought could fully form, Su Luowei dismissed it.
No, Wen Miaomiao was the protagonist, blessed with good fortune. Even if she faced difficulties, she would surely overcome them.
Instead, Su Luowei focused on figuring out how to leave the demon realm. By now, the entrances to the passages were heavily guarded by powerful demons and monsters.
Though Su Luowei and Meng Shuying were strong enough to force their way through, it would undoubtedly be a tough battle. Su Luowei wasn't afraid of the fight; she just worried about what might happen if they arrived only to find the passage still sealed.
Luckily, Meng Shuying knew of a special teleportation array that could safely transport them from the demon realm back to the human realm.
Before heading to the array, they needed to prepare.
First, they bought a boat.
A sturdy one, capable of withstanding the fierce winds of the Endless Sea.
Meng Shuying then bought a pile of defensive artifacts.
In the demon realm, where both demons and monsters were naturally tough-skinned, defensive artifacts weren't in high demand. It took Meng Shuying trips to three different cities to gather about a dozen such items.
She promptly outfitted Su Luowei with all the defensive artifacts, handed over her own storage pouch, and then steered the boat into the Endless Sea.
The Endless Sea lay at the westernmost edge of the demon realm, an expanse of dark waters feared by all who dwelled there. Legend had it that any creature—be it demon, monster, or even seabird—would never return once they entered these waters.
So when Su Luowei learned that they were headed there, she couldn't help but be surprised.
Her surprise was evident, so much so that Meng Shuying put down the oars and came to sit beside her.
"Senior Sister, don't worry," Meng Shuying said softly, adjusting Su Luowei's hat and pulling down the veil she had lifted. "Just trust me. Even if the journey is dangerous, I won't let you get hurt."
"You say that…" Su Luowei smiled, gently tapping the back of Meng Shuying's hand. "We're both cultivators, and I'm your senior sister. If we do encounter danger, I should be the one protecting you."
Meng Shuying shook her head. "The danger of the Endless Sea lies in its fierce winds and the vicious sea beasts. Since Senior Sister isn't familiar with their habits, acting rashly could provoke them."
Su Luowei lifted a corner of her veil and peeked at Meng Shuying with a smile. "I'm not familiar with them, but are you? If we do encounter sea beasts, two of us working together would surely be better than one."
Her lips were like peach blossoms, her eyes filled with warmth, and just looking at her made Meng Shuying feel weak.
"Okay… then… then we'll do as Senior Sister says." She heard herself stammer, feeling a bit frustrated with how flustered she sounded.
Seeing Meng Shuying's reaction, Su Luowei couldn't help but laugh, the sound growing louder until she nearly toppled over into Meng Shuying's lap. The boat they had bought wasn't very big, just enough for three people to sit side by side. Su Luowei, sitting in the middle, leaned toward Meng Shuying, leaving her with no room to retreat.
Surrounded by Su Luowei's scent, Meng Shuying felt her entire body go numb. She wanted to steady her, but hesitated, unsure where to place her hands.
"Hey, Ah Ying~" Su Luowei called softly, lifting her veil to share it with Meng Shuying.
The veil blocked out the lantern light, shrouding them in a misty haze. In this confined space, they were so close that their breaths intertwined.
"Ah Ying, you've been acting strange lately."
Meng Shuying's throat tightened. She wanted to pull away, but the hard wood behind her offered no escape.
Her face, her eyes, nose, lips—everything was so close. Meng Shuying's heart raced like a drum, her reason telling her to stop, but her desire was too strong.
"You've been so distant with me lately. Why? Aren't I your dao companion?"
Little Meng: Who can understand the excitement of being called Ah Ying by her?