A cool voice came from above, devoid of the slightest emotion. It was like a basin of cold water, instantly dousing her burning excitement.
Su Wan'er froze. She raised her forehead, streaked with blood and dust, and saw only Lu Yuan's indifferent back.
He had already walked more than a dozen steps away, with no intention of turning back to wait for her.
His back looked proud and forlorn, as if he had no place in this vibrant forest—or as if he had always been a solitary wanderer beneath these heavens, and anyone who came near him was an unwelcome interruption.
"Big sister, let's hurry and catch up!"
Su Che clutched Su Wan'er's clothes tightly with one small hand. In the other, he held the still-warm Demonic Beast core, his little face brimming with excitement and a trace of unease.
Su Wan'er snapped out of it. She hurriedly pulled her younger brother to his feet, not even bothering to brush the dirt from her knees, and staggered after Lu Yuan.
She slung her shabby bundle—which held almost nothing—over her back, then tucked her younger brother's precious "night-light" into his arms. Taking his hand, she followed Lu Yuan, stumbling along over the uneven ground.
Lu Yuan's pace wasn't especially fast, but it had a steady, unbroken rhythm.
He seemed to know this perilous dark forest like the back of his hand, always managing to avoid tangled vines and slick moss as he followed the easiest route.
The siblings, however, had a much harder time.
Su Wan'er was doing all right. Years of hard work had given her decent stamina, though her breathing was still a little unsteady from the turmoil in her heart.
But Su Che was only five or six years old. Once the novelty and excitement wore off, his