In the Spirit Realm, within the Ruins Space, inside a dangerous Ancient City.
An area lay shrouded beneath lead-gray storm clouds. Cold rain pattered down from the sky, its fine threads drumming against the empty streets.
The rain fell without pause, carrying the Ancient City's unique stillness as it echoed through the streets and alleys, adding a touch of gloom.
Lin Li sat beneath the eaves of a mottled building, his back against the cold wall and his gaze fixed on the steadily weakening rain. He knew it would stop in just a little while.
He didn't have to wait long—about ten minutes. The heavy clouds overhead seemed to be brushed aside by an invisible hand, slowly dispersing.
Nine suns emerged in the sky once more. Golden sunlight pierced the clouds and poured down, shining on the bare branches and vines dripping with rainwater.
The droplets reflected the dazzling light like scattered diamonds, then slid off the leaves and fell to the ground.
"The rain's finally stopped," Lin Li murmured softly, his voice drowned out by the last patter of rain.
He raised a hand and put the folded portable chair beside him away on the Mysterious Small Island. Then he stood, brushed the dust from his clothes, and stepped out from beneath the eaves onto the wet stone street.
The soles of his shoes made a faint squeaking sound against the damp flagstones.
A cold breeze suddenly rose at a distant alley entrance, carrying the dampness left by the rain as it swept over him. It struck his skin, making him shiver. A bone-chilling cold seeped in through his pores.
Lin Li looked up at the nine suns radiating warmth, then lowered his head, recalling the strange sounds he'd heard through the rain.
His eyes narrowed. Then he set