Acheron's purple eyes calmly watched her younger sister's back as she observed intently.
Just as Mo Xi frowned in deep thought, her mind almost entirely focused on the Blood Array, Acheron's eyelashes fluttered slightly. Her eyes narrowed as her gaze meticulously swept over her.
'This is...'
Acheron knew in her heart that her sister hid a secret that belonged only to her, perhaps even an unknown opportunity.
She never pointed it out, nor did she ever ask too much.
However, this secret seemed to be...
'An anchor point between two worlds? Or is it Mo Xi herself...'
Acheron's jade-like finger gently stroked her smooth chin. Her purple eyes lowered slightly, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath them as she fell into thought.
After a moment, her gaze returned to its usual calm. The jade finger she had quietly raised also slowly lowered, as if nothing had ever happened.
This was Mo Xi's own secret, and it was also a problem she needed to face herself.
Acheron suppressed the trace of curiosity in her heart and refocused her gaze on her sister's back, standing quietly in place without stepping forward to disturb her.
Although she wasn't clear on the cause and effect behind it, she vaguely felt that for Mo Xi, it wasn't a bad thing in the end.
On the other side, Mo Xi's consciousness was still communicating within her sea of knowledge.
"Apologies, I do not recognize this formation."
"What? Master, even you don't know?"
Mo Xi was very puzzled; Old Meng's tone just now clearly didn't sound like he was completely ignorant.
Then she heard the other party continue.
"Well, however... the aura of this thing gives me a very familiar feeling..."
"Familiar? Does that mean you've seen this before, Master?"
"Perhaps..."
Old Meng's tone was vague and uncertain; perhaps even he couldn't distinguish it clearly.
"In any case, this thing is extremely dangerous. If you encounter it again in the future, be sure to destroy it completely."
"Understood."
She temporarily suppressed the doubts in her heart. Worried that Acheron would notice something unusual, she quickly composed herself and refocused her gaze on the scene before her.
Just as she was about to turn around, her gaze suddenly caught sight of an out-of-place doll in the corner.
The doll looked exceptionally familiar. She frowned and thought for a moment, then picked it up and slowly walked back to Acheron's side.
"Well? Did you find anything?"
Mo Xi shook her head. "I couldn't see any clues, but this thing has an evil air to it. It definitely can't be left here."
"Mhm."
Next, Mo Xi took several light steps backward, her eyes locked onto Acheron.
Acheron held [Naught] in her hand. She didn't draw the blade, but with a light flick of her wrist, a purple blade light instantly swept across.
Where the blade light passed, the blood-colored formation on the ground instantly shattered inch by inch. The cold aura permeating the air, and even that invisible, intangible eerie connection, were all severed by this blade light, vanishing without a trace.
Mo Xi's small mouth hung open, her eyes full of wonder. "So powerful!"
She looked in the direction where the purple blade light had dissipated, knowing in her heart that the power contained in this seemingly casual strike was definitely not something she could withstand at her current level.
"To be this strong with just a casual strike."
Furthermore...
Mo Xi's gaze unconsciously fell on the long blade at Acheron's waist that had never been unsheathed.
Come to think of it, she had seen Acheron take action several times, but it seemed that no matter when, she had never actually drawn this blade from its scabbard.
'When Acheron truly draws this blade, just what kind of power will she reveal...'
...
The two of them left the place.
During this process, Acheron did not forget to remind her sister to be careful lately.
"Sister Acheron, did you already know something?"
Acheron shook her head, then nodded. "Something big is about to happen. When the time comes, I may not be able to stay by your side at all times.
Remember, no matter what happens, protect yourself and protect your family."
Hearing this, Mo Xi's brow furrowed slightly, and then she nodded heavily, her tone carrying an unprecedented solemnity.
"I'll be careful, and I'll also protect the safety of our family."
"Mhm."
Acheron gave a faint response. A smile suddenly blossomed on her cold face, as moving as melting snow on an icy mountain.
She raised her hand, her fingertips landing softly on the top of her sister's head, gently rubbing it.
Just as she was about to say something more, a phone ringtone suddenly sounded.
Mo Xi felt a bit awkward and casually picked up the call.
"Hello, who is this?"
...
...
"So, for this long-awaited sisters' shopping trip, it turns out I'm just the redundant outsider, right?"
Mo Xin held an ice cream in each hand, her cheeks slightly puffed out. She stared at the two people walking side-by-side in front of her with a resentful look, her tone full of the grievance of being ignored.
Mo Xi looked away without changing her expression, pretending she hadn't heard.
But Mo Xin stared with her large, watery eyes and walked stubbornly in front of her sister, blocking her path.
Mo Xin (ʘ̥∧ʘ̥): "Sister, you've changed. It really is 'out with the old, in with the new'.
Now that you have Sister Acheron, you don't have me, your younger sister, in your eyes anymore, do you?"
Mo Xi (￢_￢): "...Sorry."
Mo Xi thought to herself: If I weren't in the wrong for forgetting about this girl, I would have already raised my hand to give her a knuckle sandwich! What kind of things was she saying in front of Acheron!
Of course, on the surface, she still maintained her cool and aloof facade.
Seeing her sister's stubborn act, Mo Xin's cheeks puffed out in anger. She curled her lips fiercely to vent her frustration and turned around to shove the other ice cream into Acheron's hand.
She casually handed the other ice cream to Acheron.
"Hmph, an older sister who doesn't love her younger sister doesn't deserve to eat ice cream!"
Acheron (๑•. •๑): "Thank you."
Mo Xi (ノ_＜.): "It's the middle of winter, what's wrong with you buying ice cream?"
But Mo Xin didn't care at all. Instead, she tilted her little head up and waved the ice cream in her hand triumphantly.
"Hehe, Sis, you don't understand! It's exactly when it's cold that you should eat it. The feeling of ice cream melting in your mouth is what you call refreshing!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't wait to lean in and take a big lick with an "Awoo."
Mo Xi (๑òᆺó๑): "This is the feeling I'm talking about!"
Mo Xi saw that her younger sister's back was clearly shivering, yet she still put on an expression of supreme enjoyment. Her lips couldn't help but twitch, and her tone softened a bit.
"The weather has been cold lately. If you can't handle it, don't force yourself. If you end up catching a cold later, you'll be the one suffering."
Mo Xin shook her head firmly, her hands tightly clutching the ice cream, refusing to let go. She stubbornly said, "This is nothing! It's just been too long since I've had it, I just haven't adapted yet!"
As she spoke, she took several more fierce licks. The icy sweetness rushed down her tongue and into her throat, making her body tremble slightly.
She sniffled and whispered, "But... the weather these past few days is indeed ridiculously cold..."
"You silly girl..."
Acheron was like a quiet background piece, standing aside and silently watching the sisters bicker, a faint, barely perceptible smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
She held the ice cream Mo Xin had given her, occasionally sticking out the tip of her pink tongue to take a light lick.