"Drip, drip..."
After Lin Shisan agreed, the Stone Chamber fell quiet for several breaths.
Only the sound of dripping water remained in the great hall.
Zi Yuner said nothing more, merely nodding slightly, as though she had expected this answer all along.
She turned and swept her gaze over the Turtleback Old Man, who knelt trembling on the ground, then said flatly, "Clean this place up."
The Turtleback Old Man felt as though he had been granted a pardon.
Scrambling and crawling, he knocked his forehead loudly against the floor several times, then dragged his limp legs over to deal with the remains that did not even qualify as ashes.
"Princess, we still need to go back to the fishing village and explain things to Little Stone's grandparents."
After some thought, Lin Shisan walked over and said, "Little Stone is their grandson, after all. We need their final consent."
"Of course. Three days from now, I'll wait for you by the Blackwater River."
Zi Yuner paused, as if something had occurred to her. "That False Spirit Pearl can temporarily suppress the remnant soul within his Divine Sense, but don't rely on it too much. If Little Stone's emotions fluctuate too greatly, or he fights someone or taxes his mind, the remnant soul may still run wild."
With that, she turned into a streak of pale purple light, flashed through the Stone Chamber, and vanished at the end of the passage.
The immense pressure of the Dragon Clan rapidly receded with her departure, and the chill in the Stone Chamber gradually dispersed.
The white frost on the ground began to melt, gathering into tiny streams that seeped underground through the cracks between the flagstones.
The luminous pearls regained their warm glow, shining on the Red Silk and double-happiness characters strewn throughout