Jiang Lu swam up from the icy pool, braced both hands against its edge, and widened her eyes slightly when she lifted her head and saw the scenery around her.
She looked around, then lowered her gaze to the water beneath her.
She had not taken the wrong path. Could she have swum to another place?
This was nothing like the moss-covered cliff bottom from before. The difference was far too great.
Unable to figure it out, she stopped dwelling on it. Perhaps it was simply a feature of this secret realm. She immediately pushed off with her arms and climbed out of the water.
Standing on the grass, she tapped her fingertips a few times and recited several incantations. A spell flew forth, spiritual light flashed, and every drop of water on her body was dried away.
She lifted her foot and walked forward. The dense forest around her felt almost unbearably welcoming: towering trees, lush shrubs along the stream, and the chirping of insects and birds all around.
Chi Li and Qiming cautiously poked their heads out of the cloth pouch, their noses twitching as they gently sniffed the surroundings.
Jiang Lu had originally wanted to ask whether Mingyue wished to come out and play, but Mingyue was socially anxious, so she let it be.
This was Qiming's first time training alongside its master, and its tiny mung-bean eyes curiously surveyed its surroundings.
Chi Li shot it an irritated glance and raised its head. This one was another ignorant fellow!
It would still have to rely on Chi Li to lead it around.
As Jiang Lu walked, she examined her surroundings. The entire forest exuded a gentle aura that soothed both body and mind.
Jiang Lu raised her hand, her fingertip casually brushing across the Moonlight Condensation Pearls.