...After multiple attempts and communication, the group finally succeeded in soothing Qing Yutong's emotions, allowing her to step out of the haze of her memories.
"Master Yunli, can you see any clues?"
Mo Xin gazed at her senior's pained and distorted face, her heart filled with anxiety as she instinctively sought an answer.
Hearing this, everyone's eyes turned to Yunli in unison, filled with expectation and unease.
Yunli nodded slightly, but then immediately shook her head.
"I have a rough guess, but I can't be certain."
"What?!!" x4
Seeing the collective gaze of the team, Yunli spoke slowly.
"Nihility. She has been tainted by the aura of Nihility."
"...Nihility?"
"But if that's truly the case, then I'm even more curious about how she survived under the shadow until now."
Although Yunli's words carried a hint of doubt, her gaze had already quietly drifted toward Sparkle.
But everyone was immersed in shock; no one noticed this subtle movement, caught off guard by the sudden bad news.
"What?! Does that mean Sister Yutong..."
"Yunli, are you sure..."
...Upon learning of their teammate's condition, everyone's emotions became even harder to settle, and they all began clamoring to ask if Qing Yutong could still be saved.
"Everyone, quiet!"
Chen Yuxuan, the only one who remained somewhat calm, suddenly shouted sternly to stop the team's noise.
The captain's angry shout was like a sharp blade cutting through the clamor; everyone instinctively fell silent, their eyes snapping toward him.
The noise gradually died down, but the air still held a lingering trace of anxiety.
Chen Yuxuan's gaze swept across the group, finally settling on Qing Yutong—she had retracted all her emotions, her eyes as cold as ice, a far cry from her previous fragility.
His throat bobbed as he let out a deep breath, suppressing the surging worry in his heart.
Turning around, he looked directly into Yunli's searching eyes, his voice low and solemn.
"Yunli, is there any way to make Qing Yutong return to normal?"
Yunli didn't rush to answer, instead turning her gaze toward Sparkle, who had been watching the drama unfold.
"Hey, what exactly did you do this time?"
Yunli didn't believe for a second that this Ability User named Qing Yutong had come into contact with Nihility through her own power.
If Sparkle hadn't been meddling in this, she wouldn't believe it.
"Aiyaya, then little Yunli, you've really wronged me this time~"
As Sparkle spoke, she skipped over to Qing Yutong's side, her eyes carefully sizing her up.
"Let Sparkle take a close look—"
"Hmm~ Her state isn't too bad, is it? She survived just fine... Tsk tsk tsk, it seems like there's more to it than that."
Before she finished speaking, Sparkle suddenly lunged forward like a gust of wind, her pretty face almost touching the other's nose, her cherry-blossom-colored pupils clashing with those black-and-white heterochromatic eyes.
A flash of shock crossed the latter's face as she instinctively stepped back, stumbling twice before steadying herself.
Mu Yao and the others reacted instantly, their arms crossing to block the way in front of Qing Yutong, their gazes piercing like an invisible barrier.
"Why be so wary of me~ I'm sincerely trying to help!" Sparkle blinked her large eyes and tilted her head with a smile.
Yunli's brow furrowed, and she nearly pulled out Old Mettle again: "Enough, Sparkle. What exactly is going on with Qing Yutong?"
"Haven't you already guessed it, little one from the Xianzhou~"
Hearing Sparkle's flippant tone and exaggerated expressions, Yunli felt annoyed, but she remained focused on the problem.
"It really is Nihility?"
Although it felt similar before, Yunli hadn't dared to jump to conclusions.
After all, Nihility isn't something just anyone can touch.
Now that the truth was confirmed, she helplessly raised her eyes toward the icy, expressionless Qing Yutong.
"If that's the case, then things are going to be difficult."
"Indeed~ Haunted by the shadow of Nihility, what a pity for such a young woman. I'm afraid her days are numbered~"
Noticing Yunli's suddenly darkened expression, the team members also instantly realized the severity of the situation.
"Everyone..."
Qing Yutong's lips moved, her gaze sweeping over her companions' tense faces, but she was unable to speak because she was just as lost.
Just then, an untimely burst of laughter exploded like a thunderclap.
'Yunli' (ᕑᗢᓫ)σ: "Hahaha, just a joke! Look at the wonderful expressions on your faces!"
Sparkle (´థᗢథ)σ: "Hahaha, this is so much fun!"
At the same time, a second Yunli emerged aggressively from behind everyone.
Everyone (▼皿▼#): If we weren't unable to beat this little brat, we'd really want to give her a good spanking...
...Yunli's nature was always straightforward; how could she tolerate such an insult? Her eyes widened in anger as she sent the "Yunli" flying with a punch, then turned to grab the troublemaking girl.
But Sparkle was skipping and laughing, her slender body like a slippery little goldfish, dodging left and right through Yunli's assault.
Yunli's fists fell like raindrops, but she could never catch that slippery figure, making her stomp her feet in frustration.
Exasperated, Yunli was about to grab her weapon, but Sparkle gave a cunning smile, her cherry-blossom eyes flashing with brilliance.
She beat her to it, pulling out a gaudy giant hammer painted pink with ribbons wrapped around the handle, looking just like a child's toy.
Sparkle～(∠・ω＜ )⌒☆: "Hehe, off you go!!!"
Bang—
With a dull thud, Sparkle disregarded all martial ethics, swinging the giant hammer with a "one-hammer-eighty" force, sending Yunli flying.
A glaring large hole was left in the wall, with rubble rustling down.
Chen Yuxuan and the others: (*ﾟﾛﾟ)!!
"Master Yunli?!! Dammit! I won't let you get away with this!"
"Mo Xin, wait!"
Although Chen Yuxuan intended to stop her, Mo Xin, determined to regain face for her master, activated her Space Ability without a second word.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared behind Sparkle, the training wooden sword in her hand ready to strike.
"Haha, sneak attack!"
The training wooden sword slashed down, and Sparkle fell to the ground with a "thud," not even having time to struggle.
Mo Xin froze, not expecting the process to be so easy.
A victorious smile instantly spread across Mo Xin's face as she raised the wooden sword high, saying triumphantly.
"Hahaha, so the mere Sparkle is nothing more than this!"
"Oh? Is that so~"
Mo Xin: =͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇)
Sparkle: (๑＞＜๑)
Hearing the familiar voice from behind, Mo Xin suddenly felt a chill down her spine.
She was about to turn around, but the wind from the hammer had already arrived.
In the next moment, the Sparkle behind her, as expected, swung the hammer again.
Bang—
"Tsk tsk tsk, what a girl who never learns her lesson."
"Exactly, exactly!"
The 'Sparkle' on the ground slowly climbed up and shared a smile with the Sparkle holding the hammer.
The two of them looked in unison at the newly cracked hole in the wall, smiling like two cats that had just stolen some fish.
The team: ("▔□▔)
They were stunned; everyone had thought Sparkle was just a little brat who only knew a few small tricks to confuse people.
Now it seemed that this girl's combat skills were also not to be underestimated.
And then there was Mo Xin.
Even Qing Yutong, who had watched the whole process, couldn't help but feel speechless.
Your master was sent flying by one hammer blow from Sparkle, so why did you, a rookie, even charge forward?