"An interesting answer." The Little Girl appeared, giggling. "Come, meet the person you wish to see."
Only then did Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Yunai hear the Little Girl's voice. The instant she finished speaking, brilliant white light filled the sealed, pitch-black space, illuminating their surroundings. The steep cliff into which the sword had been driven gradually dissolved, and all four of them began to fall.
Sesshomaru's expression turned icy. Without time to ask the girl about the answer the Little Girl had mentioned, he immediately withdrew his sword and clasped the girl tightly in both arms, shielding her with his own body without hesitation.
"Ah-" Jaken's shriek had barely formed in his throat when his feet landed on solid ground, as though the bottomless abyss beneath them had been nothing more than an illusion. "Huh?"
Sesshomaru landed lightly on his toes and set down the girl in his arms, his cold eyes fixed on the Little Girl with two buns atop her head.
The Little Girl gave him an adorable, ingratiating smile. "It was only a little test. Please don't take it to heart."
"A test?" Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. His right arm was still spasming.
"Yes." The Little Girl grew serious. "The Jade Stairway was the first test; ordinary humans cannot see it. The Astral Wind was the second. Weak demons are not worthy of an audience with Lady Qiongji, so these two little demons can go no farther." She glanced at Jaken and Yunai. Jaken bit his handkerchief with tears streaming down his face, while Yukito shuffled closer and nuzzled him in comfort.
The Little Girl turned to Sesshomaru and bowed respectfully. "The third test was whether you would help your companions when the Jade Stairway collapsed. You passed." Sesshomaru nodded, accepting her explanation.
"As for you..." The Little