Qiu'er Sent Word but Did Not Return, Yuhao Could Not Hide His Worries

Wang Qiu'er had not returned. She had only sent back a soul tool recording disk. When it arrived at the Sea God Pavilion, its outer layer still carried the scent of grass and trees from the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. Xuan Lao crushed the seal, and a fragmented imprint of an altar emerged from within. Black blood baleful patterns intertwined with Sun Moon soul tool inscriptions like two venomous snakes that should never have crossed paths, yet had bitten down on the same spot at the heart of the formation.

Huo Yuhao's gaze darkened after a single look. "The Holy Spirit Cult really has joined forces with Sun Moon."

Bei Bei frowned. "Where's Qiu'er?"

Xuan Lao flipped over the brief message on the back of the recording disk. There were only a few lines.

Xu Sanshi rubbed his nose. "That girl really is... decisive when she leaves, and just as decisive when she sends things back."

Jiang Nannan said, "But she didn't forget Xuan Lao's instructions. She confirmed the news for us."

Dong'er said nothing. Standing beside Huo Yuhao, she saw him staring at those lines, his fingers unconsciously tightening. It was a brief, subtle distraction, yet one he could not hide at all.

Dong'er's heart stung, but she comforted herself the next moment. Wang Qiu'er truly had not returned. She had found the information and sent it to the academy, yet still chose to remain in the Star Dou Great Forest, as though she had truly decided not to affect them anymore.

Huo Yuhao placed the recording disk on the soul tool sand table, and his Spirit Eyes lit up. Icy blue spiritual power spread across the imprint, swiftly replicating the altar's fragmented patterns. The Holy Spirit Cult's blood baleful intent lay on the outermost layer, Sun Moon's soul tool inscriptions were hidden in the second layer, and the true point of attraction still pointed toward where the auspicious beast's aura had once come into contact with his Spirit Sea.

"They aren't trying to kill Qiu'er directly."

Bei Bei asked gravely, "Then what do they want?"

Huo Yuhao's fingertip landed on the heart of the formation.

"They want to contaminate Qiu'er's aura and turn it into a source of attraction, then use my spiritual attribute to open a passage. What Zhang Peng did was a test, and the old formation at the Abandoned Post Station was also a test. The true core of the formation is on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, but the final key may be at the tournament arena."

The Sea God Pavilion fell silent.

Xuan Lao looked at him and suddenly said, "Kid, your mind has really been getting sharper lately."

Xu Sanshi muttered under his breath, "You call that a mind? That's a cheat code."

Huo Yuhao did not smile. Looking at the final line on the jade disk—"Do not let Huo Yuhao come into contact with the remaining formation alone"—he felt something lightly prick his heart. Qiu'er had decided not to return in time, yet she was still worrying about him.

Dong'er suddenly reached out, took the recording disk from Huo Yuhao's fingers, and handed it to Xuan Lao. Her voice was calm. "Since she sent word back, it's enough that we know what's going on." After pausing for a few seconds, she still said it. "Huo Yuhao, you don't need to keep staring at that message."

Huo Yuhao said quietly, "I just..."

"I know." Wang Dong'er interrupted him. "You're just worried about her. Then be worried. She was investigating something important, not hiding away to cry for you. If you truly feel you owe her, then do well in the tournament and find the final key."

That night, Huo Yuhao remained alone in the soul tool laboratory, studying a new soul tool. He remembered Qiu'er grabbing his collar in the inner room of the Abandoned Post Station and kissing him with awkward stubbornness. He remembered her saying that she would not treat that day as an accident. He also remembered that she had clearly found the information this time, yet had not returned.

Huo Yuhao raised a hand to press against his brow and let out a low breath. He could not go looking for her.

Dong'er had just given herself to him. He could not crush Dong'er's heart again at a time like this.

The wind outside the window was very soft.

In the Star Dou Great Forest, Wang Qiu'er stood on a hill at the edge of the woods and looked toward Shrek. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's sense of destiny gave a faint pulse deep within her brow.

It was not strong.

Yet it felt as though someone, from a great distance away, had touched her heart.

Qiu'er closed her eyes.

"Don't think about me," she said softly.

But after saying it, she smiled first, because she knew she could not do it either.