The massive stone door groaned shut, sealing the idyllic, bird-song-filled paradise off from the outside world.
Inside the secret realm, the air was crisp and clear, the spiritual energy so dense it was almost liquid. Lin Ying took a deep breath, feeling invigorated from head to toe. Even the Azure Lotus Mark on her forehead seemed to glow a little brighter. She looked around, taking in the dark green mountains in the distance, the babbling brook nearby, and the exotic flowers blooming in a riot of color. Countless rare birds and beasts she had never seen before soared through the sky or frolicked in the woods.
A magnificent bird, its body covered in iridescent feathers and a tail that fanned out like a rainbow, alighted gracefully on a branch not far away, cocking its head to curiously observe the uninvited guests. By the stream, several deer-like creatures with crystalline antlers drank leisurely, their bodies enveloped in a soft, white light.
"Wow! Big White! Little Black! Sky Blue! Golden Yellow! Look!" Lin Ying clapped her hands excitedly, pointing at the strange creatures and addressing her army of spirit beasts. "So many birds and animals we've never seen! Just look at the colors! The meat must be delicious! Go catch a few, we're having a barbecue!"
Her main "generals" sprang into action. A hulking white tiger (Big White), a sleek black wolf (Little Black), a massive eagle with sapphire wings (Sky Blue), and a golden, lion-like beast (Golden Yellow) shot forward like arrows from a bow.
Instantly, the tranquil paradise descended into chaos.
The rainbow bird took flight in a panic, scattering shimmering light in its wake. The crystal-antlered deer scattered, their hooves thundering across the ground. The white tiger let out a roar that shook the leaves from the trees and pounced on a plump, three-legged bird that was too slow to escape. The black wolf, with its agile grace, darted into the bushes and returned with a chubby, spiny creature that smelled oddly enticing—a "fragrant porcupine." The eagle and the golden beast worked together, diving from the sky to capture a snow-white, pangolin-like creature trying to burrow to safety.
Soon, the "spoils of war" were laid before Lin Ying. The little girl's eyes curved into crescents as she looked at the bizarre, yet undeniably spirit-rich, "ingredients."
"Gather firewood! Let's get this fire started!" she commanded with gusto.
She directed her beasts to collect dry wood and build a bonfire, then pulled jars and bottles of seasonings from her storage pouch—treasures she had collected from various restaurants in Xuantiān City. With practiced ease, she plucked the feathers and gutted the three-legged bird, skewering it on a sharpened branch. She carefully removed the spines from the fragrant porcupine and slathered it with honey and spices. Finally, she cleaned and prepared the snow-white pangolin, placing it over the fire to roast slowly.
Before long, fat dripped into the flames, sizzling loudly. A rich, mouthwatering aroma of roasting meat, infused with the unique fragrance of spirit herbs, began to permeate the secret realm. Lin Ying turned the skewers, unable to resist sniffing the air, her mouth watering.
"Smells amazing… crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with spiritual energy… slurp… I can eat soon…"
She was utterly absorbed in the temptation of the food, completely forgetting where she was and that her brother was frantically searching for her outside.
At the Foot of the Xiya Mountains
A harsh wind howled, whipping up clouds of yellow sand. Lin Che, Luo Jiayin, Old Ma, and several dozen elite members of the Slaughter God Pavilion stood like spears on a desolate gravel plain, their faces grim as they stared at the imposing, miasma-shrouded Xiya Mountains.
"Blood Fiend, make yourself small. You're in the way," Lin Che said tersely, his brow furrowed as he addressed the three-foot-long blood-red serpent coiled on Luo Jiayin's shoulder.
The creature let out a low hiss, its bloody aura receding as it shrank rapidly. It soon became a miniature serpent, no thicker than a finger, its body as clear and crystalline as blood jade. It wrapped itself obediently around Luo Jiayin's pale neck, its crimson tongue flicking in and out.
"Split up! Search every inch! Signal immediately if you find anything!" Lin Che ordered, his voice hoarse, unable to hide his anxiety. He hadn't slept for a day and a night, and his eyes were bloodshot.
The group fanned out, spreading their spiritual senses like a web, leaving no stone unturned. But the Xiya Mountains were vast, the aura chaotic, and the miasma interfered with their detection. After several hours of searching, as the sun began to set, they had found nothing.
"Pavilion Master, the Xiya range stretches for thousands of miles. The aura is chaotic, and the miasma blocks our senses… it's impossible to track her," Mao Shiba reported helplessly, wiping sweat from his brow.
Lin Che's face darkened, a storm gathering in his eyes. He spun around, took a single step toward Luo Jiayin, and rather roughly snatched the miniature serpent from her neck!
"Speak! Which way did she go? Is there any trace of her aura left? Can you sense anything?!" he roared, his grip tightening on the struggling serpent. The calm, deep pools of his eyes were now filled with a frantic, bloodshot desperation—the raw fear of a brother terrified for his sister's safety.
The Blood Fiend let out a pained screech, its body writhing violently. It raised its small head, straining to sense something, anything. After a moment, it cried out in a thin, almost whimpering voice, "Master… the aura… it's gone! It's like… like something just wiped it away! This mountain… there's something strange here!"
Hearing this, Lin Che's heart sank like a stone, plummeting into a bottomless abyss of despair.