Seeing the figure ahead, Cheng Yu offered a Taoist bow.
"I am Yunyangzi, a humble Taoist. How may I address you, lay Buddhist?"
The girl in the red dress turned around. Only then did Cheng Yu notice that she was holding a beating heart in both hands before her chest.
Her pale skin possessed a sickly beauty. Ripples of emotion gradually stirred in her hollow eyes, and her bewitching crimson gaze passed over Cheng Yu to settle on Shen Qian behind him.
Her lips moved slightly.
"Demon Race? A phoenix?"
Shen Qian's expression changed, but she still gave a slight nod.
The girl's eyes dimmed once more.
"I see."
With that, she turned her back on Cheng Yu and the others again, standing amid the sea of flowers like a statue.
A moment later, her ethereal voice rang out again.
"Since you are a phoenix, I will not make things difficult for you. Leave."
Shen Qian pressed her lips together, then tugged on Cheng Yu's sleeve and whispered,
"Let's go around."
Cheng Yu turned back with a smile.
"This young lady has made herself quite clear. You are the only one she is allowing to leave."
Shen Qian gave a bitter smile, then said softly,
"In that case, I'll stay with you."
Cheng Yu shook his head.
"In a sense, staying would only hold us back and put us in a difficult position. Go ahead. Niu Niu and I will catch up later."
After weighing her options several times, Shen Qian said,
"If things truly become hopeless, I'll find a way to save you. Trust me. I can do it."
Cheng Yu was about to say something, but she gave him no chance to speak. A breeze swept past, sending faint ripples through the sea of flowers, and Shen Qian