"Don't you understand anything? When I said I needed help, I was talking to... to her," Yun He pointed at Bai Cha and glared at Meng Qinghuan defiantly.
"Oh my~ She's Little Bai Bai, her name is Bai Cha," Meng Qinghuan grinned playfully. "I'm Meng Qinghuan. From now on, you'll follow me. We'll definitely be a family~"
Yun He: "...Huh?"
Wasn't she supposed to follow Bai Cha? Didn't they just agree to follow Bai Cha?
Bai Cha, who was about to set something on fire, paused upon hearing their conversation and looked hesitantly at Yun Xia in the distance.
Yun Xia's chest was heavily wounded, her heart pierced deeply by a dagger. She was at her limit, yet she stubbornly reached out towards Bai Cha, her lips slightly parted, saying something.
With a flash of lightning, Bai Cha was startled. Looking at Yun Xia, whose life force was rapidly fading, she suddenly understood something.
Just... hand over? No, what Yun Xia said was... save me, I need!
Save me, I need!
The moonlight struggled through the clouds, illuminating Bai Cha's face. Her beauty was like the moon, her posture like a pine. In the chaos, Yun Xia thought she had returned to three years ago, before the martial competition.
It was a little girl, no older than fourteen or fifteen, standing calmly before her.
"Do you, need my help?"
Her voice was also pleasant. It was the first time Yun Xia had seen a little girl among a group of adults possess such an imposing presence, no less than anyone else.
Facing the light, she was like the dawn.
However, this girl was too young; what could she possibly do to help? Even if this young girl held a very high position, what storm could a girl only two years older than her daughter stir up?
At first, she and Chi Ye hadn't completely severed ties with the clan, and they could still receive some news. Yun Xia then heard that Bai Cha had single-handedly propped up the Shadows, preventing the faction of light from making any rash moves.
She understood that she had missed her chance to escape the long night.
In countless midnight dreams, during countless beatings and curses, and in countless moments of breakdown, Yun Xia would regret it. If she had truly grasped that ray of light, would things have been different? Perhaps it would truly have become her dawn.
When her own daughter finally spoke the words she had never dared to utter, and was indeed saved by Bai Cha, Yun Xia's regret reached its peak.
If she had truly been able to grasp that light back then, would she truly not have been submerged by darkness? That could have been her light!
The moment the dagger was plunged into her, countless memories, some clear, some blurred, flashed before her eyes. She seemed to see that young lady again.
This time, Yun Xia extended her hand with all her might, desperately reaching for that faint, unique glimmer of light in her life.
"Need... I need..."
Need, I need help... Help me.
She seemed to truly see it, saw that girl walking towards her, getting closer and closer, brighter and brighter, pulling her out of hell and towards the light.
Under the moonlight, Bai Cha gently held Yun Xia's outstretched hand. In the darkness of the night, the twisted monster finally stopped struggling and breathed her last.
"Master... you?" Lucifer followed somewhat confusedly, seeing Bai Cha walk back to the now deceased Yun Xia.
Yun Xia had ceased to breathe; she was truly dead. Yet, her eyes remained stubbornly fixed on Bai Cha, her hand still gripping Bai Cha's tightly.
Bai Cha remained silent, gently closed Yun Xia's wide-open eyes, and with dark flames spreading from her hand, cremated the body.
The pure black flames were extremely hot, engulfing the body. The ashes scattered with the wind, leaving no trace behind. Bai Cha intentionally collected a bit of the ashes and placed them in a small bottle.
"Sorry," Bai Cha murmured, turning back towards the time capsule.
Seeing Bai Cha return, Mo Ziye looked confused. Bai Cha had given Yun Xia no chance to live, so why did she close her eyes and burn her remains?
"Bai Cha, what is this?" Mo Ziye asked strangely, "Why did you kill her and then help her?"
"I wasn't helping her. Collecting the remains doesn't count as help, it's just..." Bai Cha watched Lucifer enter the time capsule, gently closing the hatch, and pressing the button. After a moment of silence, she shook her head, "Never mind."
In just a few short years, the group returned to school. Jumping out of the time capsule, Mo Ziye breathed a sigh of relief.
"This mission wasn't that difficult, was it? I didn't seem to encounter any danger from start to finish." Mo Ziye was somewhat excited. It was his first time participating in such an event, and he had not only not been a burden but had returned safely and easily. How could he not be excited?
"Ouch!"
While he was still excited, Mo Ziye was sharply flicked on the forehead by Meng Qinghuan.
"You seem to be talking nonsense. Don't you realize how many people were busy with you tonight~ Young master~" Meng Qinghuan's look of disdain was so strong that even with his eyes closed, Mo Ziye could sense it. "Don't tell me you thought Bai Cha brought so many people for herself? It was all to ensure your safety, get it straight~"
"Huh? What does this have to do with me? How did it get to me?" Mo Ziye innocently covered his forehead. As if remembering something, he looked at Meng Qinghuan in surprise, "You were with me to protect me? I have Michael, I don't need protection."
"Hmm, I seem to recall something about that," Michael said, stroking his chin in thought. "It seems to be related to something... our powers were too, conspicuous at night?"
"Both of you are of light attribute. The moment you act, you'll be recognized. Not only is it bad for your reputations, but in the darkness, your positions are easily exposed," Lucifer said softly, draping his clothes over Bai Cha. "It's a bit chilly at night, Master, please be careful."
"Things like this used to be done by Bai Cha alone. You have God's perspective, of course, you think it's easy," Meng Qinghuan patted Mo Ziye's shoulder, saying helplessly. "When exploring the black fog, it's easy to get lost. If you knock on the door with the wrong method, you'll be refused entry. If you force your way in, you'll alert those nearby.
Once inside, how to find the secret passage, while simultaneously surveying the surrounding environment to determine the cause. Above, there are pursuers from unknown origins ready to seize your mistakes, and below, there are dragonized A-class dragon people, who, although incomplete, are at least B+. All while having to bring someone out to escape. It's a chain reaction, do you really think it's as simple as it looks?"
"Uh, I..." Mo Ziye couldn't refute, so he closed his mouth.
"It's not that we don't know where the pursuers are from," Bai Cha raised her hand, interrupting Meng Qinghuan's lecture, her expression somewhat serious. "However, it's just a guess. If the guess is correct, then they have committed a grave sin against humanity."
"Ah?" Meng Qinghuan was stunned for a moment. After a brief thought, his expression changed. "Impossible. Although they have flaws and are greedy, such disregard for humanity, violation of moral and legal codes..."
"Morals and laws? If they truly cared, my parents wouldn't have died back then," Bai Cha snorted softly. "But it's just a hunch. Without evidence, we can't just slander people. Let's pray it's not them."
"If it really is them, with all the resources, means, and someone backing them... Hmph! I don't think this is much less severe than those extraterrestrial disasters." Bai Cha tossed the bottle in her hand, snorted coldly, and turned to leave. "Umbrellas within umbrellas, truly outrageous."
"Who is it?" Mo Ziye looked at Michael, somewhat confused. "Do they know something we don't?"
"I don't know. Perhaps it's their understanding?" Michael also looked bewildered. "I don't know what they know that we don't."
Are these two playing tongue twisters?
Bai Cha couldn't be bothered. The mission was complete, and she turned to leave.
"Hey, wait, I..." Yun He, seeing Bai Cha about to leave, became anxious and was about to chase after her when Meng Qinghuan stopped her.
Meng Qinghuan patted Yun He's head, smilingly draped his kasaya over Yun He, and said playfully, "I told you, we're all family. I'll tell you about our... Ah, don't dodge, little Yun He. Little Bai Bai meant for me to resolve your matters."
"Wait a moment, Teacher Meng, isn't this Yun... Yun He not resonating with a dragon? Can she directly enter Jun Yao?" Mo Ziye asked strangely.
"Hmm... good question, but it also indirectly shows that you and your master have poor observation skills," Meng Qinghuan pointed at Yun He's forehead, smiling. "Yun He was originally a person whose dragon blood was contaminated and mutated, but she is one of the very few successful cases. After being stimulated, her bloodline was further activated.
So, you can consider her a dragon."
"Hmm... that makes sense." Michael stroked his chin, his expression carrying a hint of strangeness. "To be precise, she's a half-evil dragon, but aren't you specialized in eliminating evil dragons?"
"Who's to say what is righteous and what is evil? You are righteous, and we are therefore considered demonic and unorthodox~" Meng Qinghuan pulled Yun He and leaped into the air. Turning back, he smiled slightly at the two on the ground.
Yun He was somewhat bewildered; she didn't know what to say. She wasn't short, about 1.6 meters tall, but Meng Qinghuan, being so tall, picked her up as if she were a chicken, unable to struggle.
However, Mo Ziye was stunned to discover that Meng Qinghuan's always closed eyes had opened a slit. Even just a slit, it was overflowing with golden light and electrical currents, but it was only for a brief moment, making one wonder if they had imagined it.
In that brief moment, even Michael felt a sense of crisis between life and death.
"Hmph, everyone around Bai Cha is truly not simple," Michael breathed a sigh of relief, shaking his head with a sense of urgency. Just as he was about to say something, his stomach rumbled.
"Gurgle—"
The sound was particularly noticeable in the quiet night.
"Uh, Ziye, I'm hungry..." Michael pursed his lips, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Hmm, I'm hungry too, brother..." Mo Ziye nodded in agreement.
"How about we don't think about these troublesome matters and let others do the thinking? Shall we go have a late-night snack first?"
"Okay, okay!"
"..."
After everyone had disappeared into the night, Bai Cha and Lucifer emerged from the darkness again and scaled the campus wall.
The two of them hadn't gone far!
Bai Cha's phone, which she held in her hand, was lit with a faint blue light. On the blue light, two red dots were particularly eye-catching, flashing continuously.
"Master." Lucifer followed Bai Cha, his expression somewhat worried. Seeing Bai Cha's furrowed brow, the words of劝 her to rest ultimately couldn't be spoken. "How did you guess that Yun He and her mother were related to that faction?"
"You actually wanted me to rest, didn't you?" Bai Cha looked at Lucifer helplessly. She stepped into the air, each landing propelling her tens of meters forward with the circulation of demonic energy beneath her feet.
His intentions exposed, Lucifer felt no embarrassment. His reaction had indeed been poor, asking a nonsensical question.
The Chi family was a family of the light faction. Did this even need to be asked?
"They are all very obedient. If they truly called for help, it must be out of absolute desperation. I cannot go out." Bai Cha sighed, looking at her phone, and still answered Lucifer's question. "Think about it. Chi Ye is the young master of the Chi family. I don't believe those people didn't know his wife was an evil dragon.
The main wife died, the younger wife took her place, the male master then died, and Yun He was imprisoned. Yun Xia couldn't possibly handle these matters herself; they couldn't withstand scrutiny.
Unless, these matters were intentionally allowed to happen."