The flute melody played by Bai Lan was far more than a simple arrangement of notes.

What she played was desolation, was loneliness.

It was despair, was grief born of defiance and unwillingness.

It was the barren expanse of a great desert, a land of deathly stillness between mountains and seas.

It was a solitary figure treading alone through heaven and earth.

It was the last of the tribe.

At the very center of the distant pit, the ancient man bearing an axe and clad in coarse hemp clothes stood dazed, looking in the direction from which the flute sounded.

Slowly, he slightly raised his head and closed his eyes.

That solitary figure was just like... just like the last clansman in the flute's song.

"You are in great pain." A cold, clear voice drifted over from ahead.

The axe-bearing woodsman opened his eyes and looked at the woman before him, dressed in a resplendent long gown.

She had come again, with her little shadow, and a temperamental silver wildcat.

Yang Qingqing floated in midair, her gaze gentle and kind.

A faint outline of red mist shimmered about her, the bell bracelet on her wrist tinkling softly: "You are not alone, you have kinsfolk."

As she spoke, Yang Qingqing raised her wrist and shook the bell bracelet: "They, like you, traversed a thousand years of time and finally saw the light of day again."

Clearly, Yang Qingqing had understood the woodsman's emotions.

No matter how blurred his face was, the turmoil in his heart could not be hidden at all.

Coincidentally, below, Du Yu—who also had a Demon Soul—sensed the loneliness of this bronze bell.

He suddenly lifted his hand, raising it toward above.

A delicate Shadow Gu Tower appeared quietly, spiritual qi blended with demon breath surging softly, displaying its identity.

"We are not deceiving you; you are not the last spiritual artifact in the world. You have kin, you have a tribe."

For some reason, the woodsman suddenly smiled.

Du Yu could sense that it wasn't a relieved smile, but a helpless one.

Could it be that both Master Qing and I misread his meaning?

"Hoo~"

Without warning, the bronze bell suddenly expanded!

Yang Qingqing's eyes narrowed, her figure plunging downward, her left hand snatching backward in a swing.

"Whinny!" The Ghostly Warhorse—Wind Trace Steed—appeared in a flash!

Without a pause, from the moment it appeared, the horse dashed for the edge of the pit, heading straight for the military camp.

"Master Qing!" Du Yu cried in alarm!

Under his thighs, the Desolate Silver Lynx reacted lightning-fast; sensing the danger, it immediately turned and ran.

However, Du Yu spotted the falling Master Qing. As he reached to grab the woman, the Silver Lynx hesitated for only half a second.

And in that fleeting instant—the two people and one lynx were hit!

"Du..." Li Mengnan and Lin Shiwei cried out in shock.

In their sight, Du Yu and Yang Qingqing's figures were encompassed by the infinitely expanding bronze bell!

This ancient bell was undeniably tangible.

But as the expanding ancient bell was about to knock Du Yu flying, the bell wall suddenly turned ethereal and passed right through Du Yu's body?

"Whinny~" Master and disciple vanished into thin air, leaving only a ghostly warhorse desperately fleeing for its life!

The Demon General Level Wind Trace Steed was unbearably quick.

Even so, the ever-expanding ancient bell nearly swallowed up Wind Trace Steed as well.

Even its long horse tail had already been half-absorbed through the bell wall!

"Hoo~" A gale whipped by, stirring wave after wave across the lake's surface.

Wind Trace Steed escaped with its life, because the bronze bell stopped growing.

Under everyone's stunned gaze—when Wind Trace Steed leapt to Lin Shiwei's side—the bronze bell had already contracted, returning to a height of thirty meters.

It had all happened too quickly.

So quick that no one had time to react at all!

Atop the bronze bell, the woodsman slowly sat down, head bowed, quietly listening to the flute's song.

"Master is unharmed." The warhorse's immense Demon Soul flooded toward Lin Shiwei.

The girl, clutching at her lifeline, hurriedly asked, "Where are they? Have they been imprisoned inside the ancient bell?"

"No, Master is not inside the bell, but rather on..."

"Where?"

"On an island."

Lin Shiwei's expression froze; clearly that was not the answer she expected. "An island?"

Because Wind Trace Steed was speaking to Lin Shiwei alone, the others could only glean the general situation from her questioning.

The words "island" left everyone dumbfounded.

In truth, it wasn't just those at the encampment—even Du Yu himself was bewildered at this moment!

"Where is this?" Du Yu sat atop Baojun, poised on a massive reef.

The waves surged, crashing onto the rocky shore.

Tides heaved in layers, roaring with such a unique sound that Du Yu was forced to face reality—he stood now on a true island.

The irony of it all was...

Outer Mongolia—where would such a vast sea come from?

Turning his head, Du Yu spotted a figure who had just landed on the ground.

"Master Qing, have we fallen into some kind of illusion technique? Or entered an illusion realm?"

Yang Qingqing carefully surveyed the surroundings, speaking quietly, "What does the Shadow Gu Tower say?"

Du Yu frowned slightly, then crouched down, gripping the damp reef with one hand, gently squeezing it.

After a long pause, he said, "The Shadow Gu Tower can't say for certain, but it suspects this isn't an illusion realm, but a real world."

"Why?"

Du Yu: "The Shadow Gu Tower says the composition of this world is fundamentally different from the illusion realms it creates.

Everything here should truly exist."

Yang Qingqing nodded lightly. "So, within the bronze bell is concealed a whole world."

"Crash..."

The pounding of waves on the shore matched the turbulent waves in Du Yu's heart.

Yang Qingqing analyzed calmly and mused, "Or perhaps, the bronze bell itself doesn't have the power to create a world.

But it can open a teleportation gate and send us here."

Du Yu was astonished. "That's still a terrifying power."

Yang Qingqing nodded softly, gaze stretching into the distance.

The endless sea vanished into the far horizon.

The sky was blue as a wash, not a cloud in sight.

Where sea and sky met, the dividing line was blurred.

"Wait here." A gentle wind danced at Yang Qingqing's feet, lifting her body slowly into the air.

Despite Wind Trace Steed being gone from her body, she could still walk on air.

If Du Yu guessed right, this should be Bai Yujing's demon skill—Wind Dance.

Du Yu stared upward, watching Master Qing rise, rising ever higher, until she stood a thousand meters aloft before finally stopping.

Following the direction of her gaze, Du Yu looked back as well.

It was a dense mountain forest, and from outside the tree line, he didn't spot any sign of demonic plants.

This looked just like an ordinary island.

In the sky, Yang Qingqing let out a deep sigh: "Heh..."

Surveying around, she saw a vast watery expanse in every direction.

This was a solitary isle—even reaching her limits, she could not spot a second island.

But in the very heart of the island below her feet, stood a towering ancient tree.

The thick forest was full of trees, dense with foliage, without trace of animal life.

Yang Qingqing observed a long while, then landed. "Come, let's explore the island."

"Nai~~~"

The cry of a deer, clear and melodious, echoed across the sea and sky.

An enormous Dust Spirit Immortal Deer revealed itself, proud and sublime.

Du Yu cried out in delight, "Xiaobai!"

Since coming to the island, this was one of his rare moments of joy.

"Nai?" Bai Yujing tilted her head, the lively eyes of the deer full of sweet expression.

But just then, her sweet smile froze.

Beneath Du Yu, the silver Baojun fixed her with a vicious glare.

Arrogant and domineering—all at once, her posture made it clear!

Du Yu scooted forward, lowering his torso, clamping both hands over Baojun's fierce eyes.

Only when the wild light in those beastial eyes was covered did Du Yu turn to Bai Yujing: "You remember her, right? Didn't we once defeat her together at Thousand Blade Mountain?"

"Nai." Bai Yujing nodded, rainbow blossoms swaying lightly from her long, snowy antlers, perfumed with a lingering fragrance.

"Meow." Beneath Du Yu, Baojun voiced her displeasure.

At last Du Yu removed his hands, rubbing the cat's head hard, "You need to treat Xiaobai as kindly as you do to Xiaoyan.

We talked about this at home, and you promised me."

"Hmph." Baojun snorted coldly.

Honestly, since making peace with Xiaoyan, the Desolate Silver Lynx no longer minded coexisting peacefully with Bai Yujing.

Deep down, she understood these demon beasts all belonged to Du Yu.

As for herself, she was a latecomer.

Forcing herself too aggressively might backfire.

In just over a week, she'd grown used to new life; in Prince Du's Mansion she was well looked after, pampered by Du Yu.

Du Yu truly kept his word—everything he promised atop North Peak, he'd fulfilled, one after the other.

The Silver Lynx resolved to follow Du Yu and had no intention of leaving.

"This is a strange land—it may be filled with unknown dangers." Du Yu stroked Baojun's fur. "If misfortune befalls us, we may end up walking each other's last journey."

Silver Lynx: "I will protect you."

Seeing Baojun tamed, her fierce aura faded, Bai Yujing could hold back no longer—she stepped forward lightly on her snowy hooves.

"Nai~" Spirit Level Bai Yujing's shoulder height exceeded two meters.

Her elegant deer neck made her appear tall and slender.

Her aura was regal and radiant, outshining even her chieftain parents!

The Silver Lynx's shoulder height was about 1.8 meters.

Riding atop Baojun, Du Yu was a perfect height to receive Bai Yujing's affectionate nuzzling?

"Nai~"

"Uh." Du Yu tilted his head; Bai Yujing licked his face, making him a little itchy.

Silver Lynx: "..."

Are you two getting a little too comfortable?

Do you really think I'm that easygoing?

With a sudden leap, the Silver Lynx ran off. "Meow!"

"Let's go inland." Yang Qingqing moved lightly, sitting sidesaddle atop Bai Yujing's back.

Unobtrusively, she prevented a possible clash between the two.

Different species—Bai Yujing was indeed taller than Silver Lynx.

But in length and especially bulk, the sweet, house-raised Bai Yujing was nowhere near the savage might of the desert Baojun.

One herbivore, one carnivore after all…

Most importantly, Bai Yujing had just advanced to Spirit Level—Initial Stage, not long ago.

The Silver Lynx had already reached Spirit Level Peak and was heading straight for General Level!

A gap in raw power like that was no joke.

Du Yu: "Master Qing, is there anything on the island? Do any demon beasts live here?"

"I saw no demon beasts, but there's a giant tree—very likely a demonic plant."

"You don't recognize it, Master Qing?"

To Du Yu's surprise, Yang Qingqing shook her head. "I've never seen leaves like those."

"Let's go! Have a look!"

A deer and a lynx sprang forward light and fast, neither willing to yield, racing for the forest.

And just as the two left the coastline's rocks and plunged into the depths of the woods—

Far out across the sea, a huge head emerged slowly above the waves.

The twisting antler-like horns clearly marked its demon beast lineage.

And those vast vertical pupils watched the humans in silence until they finally vanished into the forest's depths…

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