Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the willow leaves, casting mottled shadows across the ground. Li Changsheng stared at the golden eyes that had turned toward him, pondering the girl's identity, when her reaction left him frozen.
A brilliant light suddenly shone in the girl's previously calm eyes, like a silent galaxy abruptly illuminated. Her air of detachment vanished in an instant, replaced by unconcealed delight. She even widened her eyes slightly, her long, curled lashes trembling gently in the moonlight with a childlike surprise.
The next moment, she lifted the hem of her pale golden dress and ran toward Li Changsheng with light steps. Her skirt rose in a graceful arc with her movements, like butterfly wings about to take flight. Her golden hair traced lively curves through the air, seemingly tinting the very air around her with cheerful energy.
This sudden enthusiasm caught Li Changsheng off guard. He stood there instinctively, watching the girl run up to him in just a few strides. When she stopped before him, her chest rose and fell slightly, clearly showing how excited she truly was.
"I finally found you!"
The girl's voice was clear as a bell, filled with undisguised joy. The ends of her words rose slightly, as though an anticipation she had nurtured for a long time had finally found its answer. Her tone was so familiar, as if she had known him for years, yet Li Changsheng's mind was completely blank—he was certain he had never met anyone like her.
"You..." Li Changsheng frowned, his face full of confusion. "May I ask who you are? Do I know you?"
He searched his memories as hard as he could. Whether it was Soul Masters he had met, soul beasts, or figures from various factions, none matched the girl before him.