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"Um."
Her silver butterfly hairpin shimmered in the starlight, and two fluffy cat ears peeked out from her tousled hair, making her look incredibly cute.
Wen Zhi suppressed the urge to touch her and focused on the important matter, "Based on what I saw during the day when I examined Second Senior Sister's pulse, she seems to be controlled by some kind of formation."
She guessed it was some kind of brainwashing Law Technique.
They wanted to control their second senior sister through this method, making her completely obedient to them.
Qiaoqiao thought for a moment. Based on what she saw in her dream, her second senior sister became completely different after entering the Demon Realm. She didn't know the specific reason, but was it because of the formation?
But formations—aren't those exactly what Second Senior Sister excels at?
It's just that these people from the Demon Race don't know that.
Wen Zhi smiled gently, it seemed Qiaoqiao had thought of that too, "Junior Sister, do you know? When I saw Second Senior Sister, I was initially somewhat desperate..."
If Xiao Tingyu is completely controlled by the formation, the damage will be irreversible. Even after the formation is broken, she will not remember the erased memories. She will forget who she is, forget everything about Ethereal Peak, and forget her fellow junior sisters...
That was such a cruel thing; even the most potent elixirs couldn't save it.
However, Xiao Tingyu surprised her during the day; the gentle tickling of her palm gave her endless hope.
"I think Second Senior Sister can recover."
"That's great." Qiaoqiao smiled sweetly.
Every time Wen Zhi saw her smile, she felt healed. She sat with Qiaoqiao for a while longer before busying herself with researching how to break the formation. "Get some rest. We have a tough battle to fight in a couple of days."
"Um."
Not long after Wen Zhi left, Tu San walked over from the other side, a carrot dangling from his mouth, which looked like he had just stolen it from the kitchen.
Upon seeing Qiaoqiao, he greeted her somewhat shyly.
Qiaoqiao waved to him, and his tall frame huddled down beside her, looking somewhat aggrieved.
Why aren't you asleep?
"Because the stars are beautiful."
"Oh." Tu San squatted down beside her, gazing at the starry sky, and after a while said, "... I miss Master."
Zi Yu didn't go to the palace with them. Tu San said she was also royalty, but her identity seemed quite mysterious. The Empress Dowager was called Zi Rong, and she was called Zi Yu... Could there be some connection?
"I miss Master too," Qiaoqiao said.
"You have a master?" Tu San seemed to have found a kindred spirit and immediately became interested in talking. "Do you like your master too?"
"Huh?" Qiaoqiao was taken aback. "Not everyone has to fall in love with their master, right? And for the Human Race, this isn't a good thing either..."
"Why?" the rabbit demon asked, quite puzzled.
Qiaoqiao felt this was a very difficult question to explain. Actually, in the Cultivation World, master-disciple relationships weren't a taboo topic. After all, people were often over a hundred years old, which would blur the lines of seniority. Cultivators believed in minding their own business; whatever you wanted to do, as long as it didn't cross their path, it was fine.
The Human Realm is different, with a greater emphasis on etiquette and rules. This has had some impact on the cultivation world, with some rigid cultivators disapproving of the master-disciple relationship developing into a dao companion. Especially since her master, Immortal Venerable Wanghan, holds such a high position, his dao companion has attracted even more attention.
"Do you like your master?" Tu San asked persistently.
"I admire Master very much," Qiaoqiao replied earnestly. "That might not be liking."
"What's the difference?" the rabbit demon asked, confused. "Is he the best in your heart?"
"Certainly."
"Could you accept it if he were with someone else?"
"..."
Qiaoqiao was confused; she had never thought about this question before.
Tu San continued speaking to herself, "I love Master, and I absolutely cannot accept her being with any other demon. In my heart, Master is the best. Master is very good to me, and I want to be good to Master in return..."
His chanting-like voice made Qiaoqiao sleepy. As she listened, her eyelids drooped, and she was about to fall asleep.
That familiar voice rang in my ears once again.
"Qiaoqiao..."
Why haven't you found me yet?
"It's you again?"
Qiaoqiao returned to that dark dream space, where a ball of light shone brightly—it was the guy who had claimed to be the Divine Sword last time.
"But you didn't say where to find you."
"..."
"Very close, very close," said the Divine Sword.
"How close is 'very close'? Are you in the Demon Realm?" Qiaoqiao remembered hearing the word "demon" last time. "Can't you just tell me where you are?"
"I cannot say."
"Why?"
Is there something wrong with you?
"How dare you!" The Divine Sword sword flashed, "How dare you question the majesty of the Divine Sword!"
"Then just say it!"
I cannot...
After uttering those three words, its light dimmed again, as if the little bit of electricity it had managed to charge was no longer enough, and the light went out once more.
"Well."
Qiaoqiao felt that he would have been better off not coming at all!
Every time they bring her to this place, they say a few nonsensical things, and then leave her in this darkness.
After the Divine Sword's light faded, darkness surged arrogantly around her, and she knew she was about to be engulfed again...
Fortunately, she was prepared this time. Just before the dancing darkness was about to wrap around her neck, she gathered a point of sword intent at her fingertips and communicated with the Guardian Sword Intent hidden deep within her consciousness.
A surge of sword intent pierced the darkness, and the light of the Protective Sword Formation enveloped her.
She opened her eyes and found herself not back in the Demon King's Palace, but on a mountaintop.
Autumn leaves fall silently, and a light rain falls.