When Ning Xiang woke, she found herself lying on the shore, covered with her Senior Brother's outer robe. Looking farther down, she discovered that her own outer robe was gone.
Hearing her stir, Su Lang said, "Forgive my impropriety. Your robe was torn by the submerged rocks, so I had to put mine on you."
Ning Xiang found this strange. "Senior Brother, why are you facing away from me? Don't tell me your face got cut too?"
Ouch, poor Senior Brother.
Su Lang gave a light cough, looking rather uncomfortable. Sharp-eyed Ning Xiang noticed that the tips of his ears had turned red.
Ning Xiang discovered that she could use her spiritual energy again, so she changed into her own clothes.
"Where are we?"
Ning Xiang surveyed their surroundings. They seemed to be in a low-lying valley, with a deep blue sky overhead, devoid of stars or moon. Not far away was an unfathomably deep black hole, from which came the roar of rushing water.
Recalling Uncle Su's words, Ning Xiang formed a guess.
Su Lang said, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be the entrance to the Returning Ruins."
Getting into the Returning Ruins, however, was a problem. This was where mountain streams, rivers, lakes, and seas converged, with countless undercurrents below. Surely they couldn't just pinch their noses and plunge headfirst into it.
"While you were unconscious, I dropped several tracking puppets down there. Every one of them was ground to dust by the rapids."
Listening to the water, Ning Xiang said thoughtfully, "The terrain here reminds me of the Cold Pool in the Eastern Sea. Perhaps Lei Aotian will have a way."
This was the first time Su Lang had heard the name "Lei Aotian." He studied the Thunder Qilin closely.
Ning Xiang said, "Senior Brother, you're