In the East Camp of Ancient Pine Tower City, Du Yu sat on a military aircraft for the first time, and it was a transport plane, the kind with several rows of vertical seats inside the cabin.

By rights, he should have found all this very novel. But at this moment, Du Yu's mind was a jumble, and he had no heart to pay attention to anything else.

The Desolate Silver Lynx lay obediently by Du Yu's legs, behaving herself as always, and let Li Mengnan play with her silver long tail as she pleased.

Lord Baojun seemed to have said something to the girl through the Demon Soul.

Li Mengnan looked worried, slowly bent over, and brought her soft lips close to Baojun's pointed ear. "Yes, this mission is very dangerous."

The Desolate Silver Lynx was extremely intelligent. After a week of watching TV at home, and constant communication with Li Du, she could understand some simple Human language now.

Unlike the two whose moods were heavy, the Desolate Silver Lynx seemed quite expectant about this dangerous journey.

She pulled her long tail from the girl's embrace, nudged it into Du Yu's arms, even crawled over his neck and circled it once.

With that two-meter-long tail, Lord Baojun did all this with ease.

A real Gallows Tail!

"Just hide behind me."

Du Yu snapped out of his thoughts, using Demon Soul to send a message: "What?"

Desolate Silver Lynx: "I'll protect you."

"Mm, thank you." Du Yu felt a warmth inside, reached out to hug the silver tail, lowered his head slightly, and gently pressed a kiss against that "silver scarf."

The Desolate Silver Lynx's tail suddenly stiffened. She lifted her eyelids and stared at Du Yu in a daze.

Du Yu looked confused. "What's wrong?"

After a long silence, Baojun's rustling voice came over. "Don't touch me."

Du Yu: "..."

You're the one wrapping me with your tail, okay!?

Fu Jianzhou sat alone in the distance, watching the interaction between master and Demon Pet, his gaze very gentle.

A beautiful female voice came through the Spirit Contract: "We can play 'Butterfly Lovers' for him now."

"Let's wait until the mission's over." Fu Jianzhou gently stroked the White Jade Flute and asked, "Bai Lan, have you heard of this bell?

A bell that can freely grow and shrink, devouring everything in the world."

Bai Lan replied softly, "I've walked a long, long road—mountain wilds, deserts, barren seas—none of those scenes were any different from the blue bricks in front of my house.

I've seen a lot of people, men, women, old and young, tall and short, fat and thin—they all looked exactly the same.

None of them were him."

Fu Jianzhou lowered his eyes, speaking quietly: "I'm sorry."

Everything was as Bai Lan said. It looked as if she had traveled all of Great Xia, but whether it was countless mountains and rivers or the bustling multitudes, she never truly noticed any of it.

Even when this Ancient Bell hung on the city gate, she passed beneath it without a glance spared.

Suddenly, Bai Lan's ethereal face appeared over Fu Jianzhou's, staring at Du Yu from afar: "I want to play for him now."

"Him?" Fu Jianzhou responded for a moment, then realized that "him" referred to Du Yu this time.

Even though they had signed a Contract, and Fu Jianzhou accompanied West Xia's Flute day and night, he could still sense Bai Lan's loneliness.

The obsession in her heart had become a lifelong regret, with no hope of ever being resolved. Undoubtedly a tragedy.

Here, in Fu Jianzhou, Bai Lan had found a place to settle—a soul who resonated with her loneliness.

And the boy who told her the story of "Butterfly Lovers" was the only friend she had in this world.

Not quite a confidant, though.

Du Yu was still young, not experienced, and unlike Bai Lan and Fu Jianzhou in many ways.

But that didn't stop Bai Lan from liking Du Yu.

This boy, who harbored kindness toward the world and was full of hope, always reminded Bai Lan of the self who spent sleepless nights waiting after that rainy parting.

The difference was, her hope had long been utterly shattered.

And Du Yu had yet to taste the true nature of fate.

Slowly, Fu Jianzhou raised the White Jade Flute to his lips.

"Meow!" Instantly, the Desolate Silver Lynx stood up, staring fixedly at Fu Jianzhou.

Fu Jianzhou's hand paused, and he turned to look at the Heterochromatic Demon Pet.

"It's okay, it's okay." Du Yu hugged the Foolish Monarch's big head, hastily soothing him.

In his heart, Du Yu wasn't exactly blaming the Desolate Silver Lynx.

After all, she was a wild Demon Beast, not a domesticated Demon Pet.

Her vigilance and caution, and the wariness she held for the world, were the foundation that kept her alive in the wilds.

That harmonious, loving style of domesticated Demon Pets would never survive under the law of the jungle; enemies would eat them to the bone.

Du Yu pondered for a moment, then spoke softly: "Senior Brother Fu is probably itching to play.

How about this, I'll teach him a song—one that'll remind you of your homeland, all right?"

"Homeland?"

Du Yu twirled the tuft of fur on Baojun's pointed ear. "Yeah, your homeland, Thousand Blade Mountain."

"Meow." The Desolate Silver Lynx slowly lay down, unwilling to admit it, but she was indeed kind of looking forward to it.

Du Yu: "Don't worry, I'll make him restrain his psychic attack—it won't mess with your mind."

"Mm."

With Baojun's response, Du Yu unfastened his seatbelt and got up to walk toward Fu Jianzhou.

With his keen eyesight, he had already spotted the illusory woman's face on Senior Brother Fu's face.

Itching to play?

That was just Du Yu's excuse—he knew Senior Brother Fu was probably not acting of his own will.

West Xia's Flute was not like the Shadow Gu Tower.

"Long time no see." Du Yu plopped down beside Fu Jianzhou.

Bai Lan spoke softly, using Fu Jianzhou's voice, but her tone was vastly different from his: "Your Demon Pet is quite hot-tempered."

Du Yu shrugged helplessly. "It's her nature, can't help it."

Bai Lan gave a faint, hazy smile unique to her kind. "But she's so gentle to you."

Du Yu: "Everything has a Spirit. Sincerity always wins friendship. Like with you and me."

At that, the smile on Bai Lan's face deepened. She spoke softly, "I've already mastered 'Butterfly Lovers.'"

"Oh?" Du Yu seized the chance to slip in, "Then let me teach you another, how about it?"

Suddenly, Bai Lan's illusory face gained some substance, becoming even more exquisite, "Is it as moving and tragic as 'Butterfly Lovers'?"

Du Yu thought for a bit, then spat out several words in a row: "Desolate, vast, mournful, and bleak."

Bai Lan nodded gently. "Please."

Slowly, Du Yu began to hum softly.

Ever since he first set foot in Thousand Blade Mountain, he'd made up his mind to teach this song to West Xia's Flute.

"The Last of the Mohicans."

The humming drone of the aircraft didn't keep Bai Lan from taking in the melody.

As Du Yu sang low and gentle, she remembered herself, hundreds of years ago, walking alone across a boundless desert.

Pain and despair.

The soul's agonized weeping echoed, but brought no response from any living creature.

With the river falling and the sun setting, she alone kept trudging forward.

Just a few short melodies, which ended abruptly.

Du Yu opened his eyes and looked at the silent woman. "You can make up the rest of the song yourself—like you did with Butterfly Lovers."

Du Yu was just a hobbyist, at best.

He couldn't hum the whole thing; just as with "Butterfly Lovers," except for those familiar, brilliant fragments, most parts were left for West Xia's Flute to fill in herself.

Given Bai Lan's state of mind, Du Yu believed she'd do it with ease.

Bai Lan lowered her gaze, her eyes a bit unfocused, lost in thought for a long time.

Du Yu waited patiently. After who knew how long, she suddenly asked, "What's it called?"

Du Yu: "'The Last of the Mo… Mm, The Last Tribe.'"

He silently scolded himself, and ended up changing the song's name to something that fit the Otherworld.

Bai Lan's voice was very low, very soft: "What tribe?"

With his sharp eyesight, Du Yu could almost read Bai Lan's words from Fu Jianzhou's lips.

For this question, Du Yu didn't reply further.

He stood up, patted Fu Jianzhou on the shoulder. "Tone down the psychic attack, we're on a plane. There are pilots in the cockpit."

...

More than two thousand kilometers, reached in less than four hours.

When the aircraft landed at Langu Mountain Military Airfield, the welcoming soldiers were stunned.

The roar of the plane couldn't drown out the bleak, far-reaching sound of the flute.

When the aircraft finally came to a stop, the soul-stirring flute music flooded the whole airfield.

By the runway, Lin Shiwei opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.

She turned toward a line of military jeeps, as if seeking help, just in time to see the door of one vehicle open and a graceful figure step out.

Yang Qingqing was swept forward by a gentle breeze, the hem of her skirt fluttering as she floated toward them.

Lin Shiwei immediately followed, and as the rear hatch of the plane dropped, she saw a few senior brothers and sisters as well.

"Take a break, savor it again another time. Time to work, Bai Lan." Du Yu patted Fu Jianzhou's shoulder, and the flute music came to an abrupt stop.

Bai Lan's ethereal face gradually faded away.

But before leaving, she gave Du Yu one last look.

That look was complicated—who knew whether it was wistful or grateful.

"Master Qing." Li Mengnan came to Du Yu's side, softly reminding him.

Du Yu supported Fu Jianzhou and stood up. Outside the rear hatch stood a squad of Demon Spirit Soldiers, headed by Master and Third Sister.

"Master Qing."

"Master Qing!" The three and one Lynx lined up and greeted properly.

Yang Qingqing's gaze lingered for a moment on Fu Jianzhou. "Very evocative piece."

Fu Jianzhou bowed his head and nodded obediently.

Seeing her disciple's response, Yang Qingqing felt a bit relieved. Her gaze then paused for a moment on the Desolate Silver Lynx before she said softly, "Let's go, we'll talk on the way."

Everyone piled into the open-top military vehicles and quickly left the airfield.

Yang Qingqing sat in the back seat, watching the Desolate Silver Lynx running alongside the car. She spoke, "Brought her back from Thousand Blade Mountain."

"Yes." Du Yu, sitting in the passenger seat, braced against the howling wind and turned to the back, "Master Qing, how have you been? Has everything gone smoothly lately?"

Not knowing what the woman had been up to, Du Yu kept his question vague.

Yang Qingqing's long black hair caught the wind. She let it fly, beautiful beyond words. "Brother Chuan has advanced to Demon Taming General."

"Brother Chuan finally broke through!"

"Heh." Yang Qingqing smiled, brushing the long hair away from her lips. "He's very grateful to you. Once his cultivation stabilizes, he'll seek you out."

Du Yu nodded, more than happy to have one more strong friend.

With his assumptions confirmed, he changed the topic: "Master Qing, about our Spiritual Artifact mission this time…"

Yang Qingqing sighed. "The information Li Jing gave you is the latest."

Du Yu didn't look happy. "What about the Artifact Spirit? Have we established contact with the Ancient Bell's Artifact Spirit?"

"No, the Artifact Spirit of the Ancient Bell has never appeared. Later, let's try using our Artifact Spirits to communicate with it."

Actually, Yang Qingqing and Lin Shiwei had only just arrived. Though the first squad was all near Ancient Pine Tower, they took two different aircraft and arrived one after the other.

"Let's hope we can lure it out." Du Yu's expression was grave.

He wasn't afraid of the Artifact Spirit bearing grudges or grievances.

For the sake of Ancient Spiritual Artifacts, the Twenty-Ninth Bureau could muster all of Great Xia's resources to fulfill any wish of the Artifact Spirit.

The fear was—the Artifact Spirit never showing up, never saying a word!

Just like the Ancient Spiritual Artifact·Jade Gourd. Before Du Yu and the Shadow Gu Tower arrived, the Jade Gourd completely ignored humans.

Back then, Master Qing led the Demon Spirit Squad exploring Gourd Mountain for nearly two months, but had to return empty-handed in the end.

The Artifact Spirit of an Ancient Spiritual Artifact is without a doubt the key to unlocking it!

But…

What if the Ancient Bell's Artifact Spirit simply never shows up?

Are we going to end up like Squad Two, suddenly swallowed whole by the Ancient Bell during research and investigation?

Damn it.

Right before a job like this, teaching Bai Lan such a song—it doesn't feel like a good omen.

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