Mixed Joy and Sorrow, the Four Directions Stir

Outside the deep, shadowy palace at the bottom of the river, barriers and restrictions intertwined, golden formation patterns emitting a hazy gleam. Song Changsheng stood outside the hall, enclosed by an almost invisible membrane that completely shut out the surrounding river water.

His clear voice echoed through the water. After passing through the riverbed palace, it struck the invisible barrier and stirred faint ripples.

Silence.

A deathly silence, with no response at all.

Song Changsheng frowned slightly. A hundred years ago, Kongsang Xiruo had already possessed not bad cultivation. She carried the bloodline of the Merfolk Royal Family; even if she had been somewhat lax in cultivation, her realm should not have fallen too far behind.

With him calling out like this, even if she were in seclusion, there was no way she could fail to hear him. Under the present circumstances, there were only three possibilities.

The first was that she was cultivating in seclusion until death. Perhaps she had heard his voice but was unable to respond. This was undoubtedly the best outcome, and the one he was most willing to see.

The second was that, just as her father had hoped, Kongsang Xiruo had bravely taken that step and left this cage-like riverbed palace through the formation.

That outcome would not be bad either. But she had the token Song Changsheng had left behind back then. If she had truly left this place, she could not possibly have refrained from seeking him out. After all, she had never seen a world like the one outside, and she had no one to rely on.

When facing a completely unfamiliar environment, people always instinctively sought something to rely on. As the only person in Kongsang Xiruo's life who could be called a "friend," he was confident that she would