Afternoon sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, scattering patches of light and shadow as Xu Sanshi led Tang Wulin through a quiet forest. The air here was exceptionally fresh, yet it carried an inexplicable solemnity.
After walking for roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn, they arrived at a grave surrounded by vines. The headstone was not lavish, but it exuded desolation and dignity. Three bold, powerful characters were carved into it—Wang Qiu'er.
As Tang Wulin gazed at the name, a strange feeling rose within him, at once familiar and unfamiliar. He turned to Xu Sanshi in confusion. "Brother Sanshi, who is this?"
Xu Sanshi kept both hands in his pockets, his gaze drifting as though he were trying to find the right words. Waving a hand with feigned nonchalance, he smiled. "Oh, this... you wouldn't understand. She's another little sweetheart of your brother-in-law's."
"Little sweetheart?" Tang Wulin blinked, clearly finding the explanation unbelievable. He might have been young, but he was no fool. The grave was so secluded and the atmosphere so solemn that it hardly seemed like a place for romantic frivolities. Besides, although Xu Sanshi was smiling, a barely perceptible trace of bitterness and longing lay beneath that smile.
"Really?" Tang Wulin was skeptical.
Seeing that Tang Wulin did not believe him, Xu Sanshi scratched his head, his expression stiffening. "Ahem... well, that's not the whole story. Actually, she was... an extraordinary person. She gave far, far too much for your brother-in-law and this continent."
He walked up to the headstone and gently brushed away a fallen leaf, his voice growing low and solemn. "Qiu'er... was a hero. Her true form was the Emperor Auspicious Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest. For love, and to protect others, she ultimately sacrificed herself,