"How do you think Little Mengmeng is doing now? Its family should be okay, right? That huge Tianwu was chasing us, and the area where Little Mengmeng lives is far away..."
"They should be fine."
"I'll ask Master when he gets back. Next time we go in, I want to visit Little Mengmeng again and bring it something to eat. Do you think it eats potato chips?"
Chen Siyao did not answer.
The rock beneath their feet was trembling.
Very faintly.
Yang Wanqing immediately stood up.
Deep within the Rift, light began to shimmer over the black portal. Faint white radiance flowed across the rock face like ripples on water, spreading outward in rings.
Chen Siyao stood up too.
She rose very quickly.
Yang Wanqing was already smiling.
"Master's back!"
The radiance gathered, condensed, and took shape. A black archway opened in the rock face, tiny motes of light flowing around its edges.
Footsteps came from within the archway.
Unhurried. One step after another. Their familiar rhythm had not changed at all.
Chen Siyao walked over. She moved even faster than she had risen, reaching the archway in a few quick strides.
Chen Hao stepped out of the archway.
His clothes were clean. His hair was neat. There were no wounds on his face. Not even a speck of dust.
Chen Siyao looked him over from head to toe, carefully inspecting everything. His cuffs, his collar, his hem—she missed nothing.
"Are you okay, Hao?"
"Yeah. I'm fine."
Chen Hao reached out and rubbed the top of Chen Siyao's head.
"Don't worry, Yaoyao."
Yang Wanqing had already darted over.
"Master, Master! What happened to that Tianwu? The one as big as a comet! Is the fight over? Did you win?"
Chen Hao withdrew his hand.
"I killed it. It won't appear