There was a moment when it felt as though he were the only one in this vast world.
Xiao Xiao smiled.
"Guduiao."
The already gloomy sky grew even darker.
An invisible pressure began to spread.
For one brief moment, even the torrential rain seemed to pause.
Xiao Xiao put away his umbrella.
He climbed onto the back of the Guduiao, which was crouched on the ground.
The next second, the Guduiao spread its wings and took off.
It sped toward its destination.
In the blink of an eye, the Guduiao came to a stop.
Xiao Xiao jumped down to the ground.
The next second, the light around them grew a little brighter.
The Guduiao had disappeared.
Xiao Xiao looked around.
This was where he had parted ways with Lili last time.
The landslide and mudslide had left the area unrecognizable.
Xiao Xiao opened his umbrella.
He casually picked a direction and started walking.
He circled the mountain.
He found no trace of Lili.
He looked up.
Could Lili be on the mountain?
Or had Lili already left?
Xiao Xiao prepared himself for the possibility that he'd come all this way for nothing.
Since he was already here...
He might as well take a look up the mountain.
Xiao Xiao climbed, stepping on stones and branches scattered through the mud.
Even in these difficult conditions—with no proper path to speak of—Xiao Xiao's progress wasn't affected at all.
Xiao Xiao carefully searched for Lili's demonic aura.
His eyes took in every direction.
His ears listened to everything around him.
Before long, Xiao Xiao reached the halfway point up the mountain.
He had found nothing.
He looked up at the summit, which was gradually coming into clearer view.
He