"Sister, sister, look!"
Inside the Void Heaven Realm, Mo Tiange heard the tender voice of a child.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked outside through the Void Heaven Realm.
Sunlight... sunlight?!
Her eyes widened suddenly.
It was sunlight, not the faint glimmers filtering down from the water's surface! It was genuine, unobstructed sunlight!
Yesterday, the Underground Palace had collapsed. She had remained safe and sound within the Void Heaven Realm, only seeing faint light filtering down from above the water's surface, seemingly not far from it. Uncertain of her exact location, and seeing that Ren Yufeng had also survived the calamity, she had stayed hidden within the Void Heaven Realm, not venturing out, fearing they might still be within the Land of Hidden Dragons. Unexpectedly, when she opened her eyes today, the outside world was completely different!
There was no water, no rock walls obstructing the view, only sunlight—bright, open sunlight!
"Xiaobao, don't run!"
Outside, it seemed two children were playing, their crisp, innocent voices reaching her.
"Sister, there's a really tall mountain here!" The child's voice sounded close at hand. Mo Tiange looked and found herself... seemingly on a rocky reef by the sea. Looking up, she saw an azure sky and brilliant sunlight. Looking down, she saw the gently rippling sea surface, with vague glimpses of massive stone ruins and reefs beneath.
Mo Tiange's heart stirred. This place was definitely not the Land of Hidden Dragons anymore, nor was it even the Sea of the Extreme North. But the ruins of the collapsed underwater palace were indeed down there—meaning she and that underwater palace had been transported together to another place.
Having reached this conclusion, she looked down, searching for Ren Yufeng and the others.
They were gone. Neither Ren Yufeng nor Qiu Zhiming could be found. Qiu Zhiming could be disregarded; perhaps he was buried under the massive stones. But Ren Yufeng had been wrapped in that black energy, so he should have been easy to spot. Yet he wasn't seen either. Could it be that after the collapse, he was swept away by the seawater while inside that black cocoon?
That wasn't impossible. When the collapse ended, the scene she witnessed was still underwater. Perhaps the turbulent currents at that moment swept him away.
Thinking of this possibility, Mo Tiange breathed a sigh of relief. If that were the case, at least she could escape safely.
Two children ran closer—one was a naked little boy of about four or five years old, and the other was a girl of about seven or eight. They wore dusty, coarse homespun clothes, their skin dirty, cheeks gaunt, hair disheveled, yet their faces bore the innocent purity of children.
Judging by their attire, this place was definitely not the frigid Sea of the Extreme North, but a warmer sea region.
Thinking of this, Mo Tiange smiled bitterly. She had left West Kunwu, arrived in the Central Lands' Wei Kingdom, then entered the Ziwei Cave Abode in Jin Country, been teleported to the Extreme North Glacier by a formation, and now, in the Extreme North, had somehow ended up in a new place. She had just been tossed around like this.
The little boy raised his head, gazing at the huge stones piled high on the reef, and said to his sister, "Sister, look, a mountain!"
His sister curiously tilted her head and looked for a while, then shook her head. "That's not a mountain."
"Why isn't it a mountain?" the little boy widened his eyes. "Dad said a mountain is lots and lots of stones. There are lots and lots of stones here."
The girl shook her head, telling her brother, "No. I went with Dad to see a mountain. A mountain is very, very tall, with many trees growing on it, and lots of flowers."
The little boy opened his round eyes wide, looking at his sister with curiosity. "Then what are these?"
"These are... just lots and lots of stones," the sister said.
"Sister!" The little boy spotted something among the massive stones. He cheered, ran over, picked up a snow-white object, and raised his small hand high as if presenting a treasure. "Look, what's this?"
The girl took the thing from her brother's hand, looked at it curiously for a moment, and shook her head. "I don't know."
"Then let's take it back and ask Dad!"
"Hey, there's another piece here!" The girl also picked up a white, hard object from among the stones.
Mo Tiange recognized it at a glance: it was a small toe bone of the dragon.
Watching these children searching for dragon bones outside, she thought for a moment, touched the center of her brow, and emerged from the Void Heaven Realm.
The fierce sea breeze blew against her sleeves, carrying moisture but no chill. It seemed this place was already far from the Extreme North.
"Ah!" The first to see her was the girl. Seeing a person appear out of thin air on the massive stones, she was stunned.
The little boy also saw her but laughed, revealing two little dimples. Pointing at Mo Tiange, he clapped his hands and laughed. "A fairy! Sister, look, a fairy!"
His innocent, adorable appearance made Mo Tiange smile involuntarily.
The moment she left the Void Heaven Realm, she immediately spread her spiritual sense to cover the surroundings. Indeed, there were no traces of other cultivators, so she relaxed.
On the pile of massive stones, she gently floated down.
This method of floating down without any visible effort frightened the girl. She pulled her brother back several steps and asked tremblingly, "You... what are you..."
Mo Tiange smiled gently and said softly, "Little sister, don't be afraid. I'm just a passerby."
To her surprise, hearing this made the little girl even more frightened. She tightly hugged her brother. "Don't take my brother away, I... I..."
Mo Tiange was puzzled. "Little sister, do I look like a bad person to you?"
Before the girl could answer, the little boy called out first: "No, you look like a fairy!"
Mo Tiange smiled, amused. Being called a fairy by such an innocent, adorable child was always a happy thing. But this little girl's attitude was truly somewhat strange.
After thinking for a moment, she continued in a gentle tone, "Little sister, why are you so afraid? I won't hurt you."
The little girl's eyes held wariness. She stared at Mo Tiange for a good while, and seeing that her attitude was indeed very amiable, she slightly lowered her suspicions and said hesitantly, "You... are you really just passing by?"
"Mm-hmm." Mo Tiange nodded with a smile, then asked curiously, "Why do you think I'm like a bad person?"
The girl hesitated for a moment, then said timidly, "Dad said recently a lot of bad people have come to our village, often catching children. Especially boys like my brother..."
Catching boys? Mo Tiange frowned. Child traffickers? When she was young in Mo Family Village, she had also heard of traffickers specializing in kidnapping children, mostly targeting boys.
"Don't worry, I'm not a trafficker," Mo Tiange said with a smile, soothing the girl's nervousness. "If you're not at ease, take me to see your dad, okay?"
The girl hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, our village is right over there. If I shout, the adults will come."
Looking in the direction the girl pointed, there was indeed a cluster of small huts not far away, though shouting might not necessarily be heard. The girl saying this was clearly a warning to her. Mo Tiange couldn't help but smile. Though young, this girl was highly vigilant, knowing how to protect herself and her brother—truly clever and sensible.
Seeing that Mo Tiange indeed did nothing, the girl relaxed slightly, took her brother's hand, and led the way toward the huts.
The little boy, however, liked her very much. As they walked, he kept looking up to talk to her. "Fairy sister, where did you come from? Did you come from above the sea? Dad said there are fairies above the sea, protecting us and keeping us safe."
"Mm-hmm, you could say that," Mo Tiange nodded with a smile. "Why do you think sister is a fairy?"
"Because fairy sister is so pretty, just like the fairies Mom talks about!" The little boy raised his hand high, as if wanting to take her hand.
The girl saw his movement and timidly glanced at Mo Tiange's snow-white clothes, quickly slapping down her brother's hand. "Xiaobao, your hands are dirty."
This little boy named Xiaobao's expression dimmed. "Oh," he said, putting his hand down.
Mo Tiange sighed inwardly, bent down, and took the little boy's hand. "Don't worry, sister's clothes won't get dirty." She was currently wearing the Xuanqing Sect's Daoist robes, woven from Taikang Mountain's cloud brocade. Even if ink were splashed on them, a shake would clean them.
Xiaobao immediately broke into a smile and cheered, "It really is fairy sister! Mom said the fairy sisters above the sea are very good to us; they're the mothers of all of us."
"..." Mo Tiange felt a bit confused—fairy sister and also mother? However, she understood the child's meaning. The fairy sisters above the sea he spoke of were likely the gods worshipped by the fishermen here.
The huts weren't far. Answering the little boy's questions along the way, they soon arrived.
Mo Tiange gave a cursory glance. The huts were mostly thatched cottages with grass roofs and earthen walls; the best ones had stone walls. The residents' faces were dirty, clothes tattered, expressions numb, clearly living poorly.
As they entered the village, some residents were at the village entrance sun-drying fish while chatting. Seeing Mo Tiange's bright, clean clothes and her walking into the village with these two children, they stopped, their eyes constantly darting glances her way.
One of the bolder ones called out, "Shui family girl, who did you bring back?"
The girl glanced at the speaker and answered, "Uncle Niu, this sister says she's just passing by."
"Passing by?" The adults at the village entrance gathered together, their eyes sizing up Mo Tiange up and down, yet not daring to address her directly, only daring to huddle together and whisper.
The girl led her, turning east and west, and finally arrived at a thatched hut. Smoke rose from the hut; someone was washing and scrubbing in front of a large water vat.
"Mom!" the girl called.
The woman squatting down washing wild vegetables responded in a rough voice, "Where have you been? Didn't see you for half the day, running wild with your brother again?"
The girl said, "Mom, we have a guest."
"A guest?" The woman turned her head and saw Mo Tiange standing not far away. She quickly stood up, wiping her hands on her apron. "Oh my, this... young lady?" She seemed uncertain. Mo Tiange was wearing Xuanqing Sect attire—both Daoist robes yet different from secular styles. To mortals, calling her 'Daoist' seemed too beautiful, and 'Miss' seemed too plain.
Mo Tiange didn't quibble over the form of address. She smiled and said, "Greetings, sister-in-law. I'm passing through this area and happened to meet these two children. There are some things I'm unclear about, so I came to ask."
"Oh, I see." In front of her, the woman seemed somewhat ashamed. She tidied her hair and straightened her clothes before making an inviting gesture. "Young lady, my home is truly humble. If you don't mind, please come inside and sit?"
Mo Tiange nodded with a smile and followed her inside.
Upon entering, it seemed to be the main hall. In the cramped space, there was a dining table and a few stools. Though already very old, they were relatively clean. On the wall facing the door was posted a Sea God painting, seemingly depicting a goddess.
The woman invited her to sit on a long bench beside the dining table and said to the girl, "Girl, go cook. Mom will accompany the guest."
The girl responded, glanced at Mo Tiange, and went to the kitchen.
Seeing her appearance, Mo Tiange was lost in thought for a moment. She thought of herself decades ago, also around this child's age...
"Young lady?"
Mo Tiange returned to her senses and smiled apologetically. "Sister-in-law, your daughter is both obedient and capable. You are truly blessed."
The woman "hai"-ed and waved her hand. "Young lady, you're too kind. That girl is always running wild outside. But she is capable, that's true. Whatever you tell her to do, she does it better than some adults! Usually helps look after her brother too..."
It was evident that though this woman didn't openly show affection for her daughter, she was very proud of her, her smile full of happiness.
Xiaobao also chimed in: "Sister is very good, always plays with me." His sister had gone to cook, but he refused to leave, still clinging to Mo Tiange's side.
Only then did the woman notice her young son was holding Mo Tiange's hand. She hurried over to take him over. "Xiaobao, go wash your hands. Look how dirty you've gotten playing." Then, apologetically to Mo Tiange, she said, "Young lady, children don't understand things. Did they dirty your clothes? Come, let me wash it."
Mo Tiange shook her head. "It's fine, they won't get dirty." She flicked her sleeves and shook her hands—not a speck of dust.
The woman holding Xiaobao saw her movement and stopped, as if pondering something. Finally, panic appeared in her eyes. She said, "Young lady... young lady, are you a fairy from the Bixuan Pavilion? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, this humble woman has eyes but failed to recognize. I'll kowtow to you!" As she spoke, she immediately knelt down and began kowtow.
Mo Tiange was astonished. With a light lift of her hand, Spiritual Qi blocked the woman's movement. She asked gently, "Sister-in-law, what are you doing? What fairy from the Bixuan Pavilion?"
Seeing her methods, the woman believed it even more. She pleaded mournfully, "Fairy, fairy, spare our lives. The children didn't mean it. This humble woman didn't recognize you for a moment..."
Mo Tiange felt helpless. With a wave of her hand, Spiritual Qi lifted the woman up. "Since you know I'm a cultivator, then answer properly. No need for this."
"Yes, yes." The woman nodded repeatedly, holding Xiaobao and shrinking back.
Only Xiaobao remained completely unaware, saying curiously, "Mom, fairy sister is a good person. Why..."
"Quiet!" The woman covered Xiaobao's mouth and scolded, "Children should be obedient. Don't interrupt."
Xiaobao's face was full of curiosity, but he dared not disobey. He opened his round, bright eyes, looking at his mom and the fairy sister in front of him.
Mo Tiange felt somewhat perplexed. Mortals feeling awe and reverence toward cultivators was perfectly normal, but this level of fear seemed abnormal. Moreover, this woman mentioned the Bixuan Pavilion, which sounded familiar... Yes, that was the mid-sized sect that exclusively recruited female disciples. She had previously encountered Yan Ruoshu and the other two from the Bixuan Pavilion in the Ziwei Cave Abode. So the Bixuan Pavilion was established here?
"Sister-in-law, you sit too."
Hearing this, the woman repeatedly waved her hands. "I dare not, I dare not. How could I dare sit with a fairy?"
Mo Tiange didn't insist. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Why are you so afraid of cultivators? And what did you say... fairy from the Bixuan Pavilion? Is the Bixuan Pavilion located here?"
A flash of surprise passed through the woman's eyes. She thought for a moment and asked carefully, "Fairy... you're not from the Bixuan Pavilion?"
Mo Tiange shook her head. "I'm just a cultivator passing through here. I have no connection with the Bixuan Pavilion."
"Oh." The woman breathed a sigh of relief, finally showing a bit of a smile. "Fairy, please don't blame me. This humble woman misunderstood."
Mo Tiange smiled. "It's nothing. But, sister-in-law, could you explain the reason in detail?"
The woman hurriedly nodded. "Yes." She paused for a moment and began, "Fairy, you might not know, our East Sea is too remote. Even the emperor can't govern here, so the biggest authority here is the Bixuan Pavilion..."
"Wait," Mo Tiange interrupted and asked, "You said this is the East Sea?"
"Yes." The woman was surprised. "Doesn't the fairy know?"
"Oh," Mo Tiange said calmly, "I've been traveling and didn't pay attention."
The woman didn't dare question it and continued, "Actually, the fairies of the Bixuan Pavilion don't really govern us mortals much, but we absolutely must not offend them. If we offend them..." She hesitated and changed the topic. "Just now, seeing that fairy's clothes wouldn't get dirty at all, so this humble woman thought the fairy was from the Bixuan Pavilion."
"So that's how it is." To mortals, cultivators were always aloof. Since the Bixuan Pavilion was located here, the mortals here naturally revered them the most. However, she truly hadn't expected to have arrived at the East Sea. The East Sea was sparsely populated. Returning to Kunwu would require considerable effort. The most convenient way, of course, would be to ask the Bixuan Pavilion for passage. But Mo Tiange wasn't too keen on contacting them. Thinking of this, she frowned.
After a moment, seeing the woman still standing cautiously, Mo Tiange smiled. "Sister-in-law, there's no need for this. I'm just passing through. I'll leave after asking for information."
"Oh." Though Mo Tiange hadn't released any pressure, knowing she was a cultivator already made the woman feel heavy-hearted. Hearing this, she breathed a sigh of relief and said eagerly, "What else does the fairy wish to ask? Just ask this humble woman. There's nothing about the nearby villages that I don't know. If the fairy wants to ask about Linhai City, my husband also knows. He'll be back soon."
Mo Tiange smiled. "I already know this is the East Sea, the location of the Bixuan Pavilion. There's not much else to ask. Only one thing: yesterday, was there any commotion around here?"
"Commotion?" The woman was puzzled. After thinking, she said, "When the tide rose yesterday, it seemed like there was thunder. Is that what the fairy is asking about?"
"Thunder?" Mo Tiange pondered briefly. "Anything else?"
"Yesterday, Xiaobao heard a rumbling sound. Today, when he went out to play with his sister, they discovered an extra mountain!" Xiaobao, still in his mother's arms, interjected.
"Oh?" Mo Tiange was somewhat interested in the child's words. "Is it the mountain where you saw me?"
"Mm-hmm!" Xiaobao nodded vigorously. "There was no mountain yesterday. When I went to play with sister today, there was one." Actually, the 'mountain' he spoke of was just a pile of rubble.
Xiaobao extended his hand again. "Fairy sister, look. This is what we found in the mountain."
In his dirty little hand lay a pure white, bone-like object—precisely the Divine Dragon bone he had picked up.
Seeing this, Mo Tiange smiled at the woman. "Sister-in-law, there's exactly something I'd like to ask for your help with."
Hearing there was a task, the woman hurriedly said, "Fairy, please give your orders."
"Please go to the mountain this child mentioned and help me gather all such bones."
"Ah?" The woman was stunned. What kind of request was this?
Mo Tiange took a pouch from her bosom and placed it on the table. "For every bone you bring back, I'll give you one gold bead." The open mouth of the pouch revealed gold beads the size of fingertips, sparkling brightly.