Time, the cruel master of the clock, drags its feet through sorrow, yet flies with blinding speed in moments of joy; in the blink of an eye, another month had vanished.

During this time, Xiao Zi and You Xiang’s training had been grueling. This time, it wasn't Lin Luo deliberately pushing them; it was their own fierce desire. In their eyes, their Master had imparted such potent magic and offered instruction with such meticulous care that they felt compelled to yield the finest results as repayment for the immense kindness he had shown them.

Thus, they trained until their bodies were utterly spent each day, constantly holding Lin Luo’s words close: push past the limit, and then surpass it. They poured in ten times the effort of an ordinary person, the sheer difficulty of which only they truly understood.

Yet, despite the hardship of cultivation, they felt no trace of suffering. Watching their strength incrementally improve and feeling the gentle, unwavering care Lin Luo provided, they found even the hardest labor a source of happiness.

On the other side, while many looming problems remained unsolved—such as the Reverse Causality, or Shenqi—issues that were neither small nor trivial enough to ignore—seeing the sheer, radiant happiness on the girls’ faces each day made Lin Luo feel that this period had certainly not been wasted.

However, the thought that he would soon have to depart, and that his departure would necessitate sealing their memories, brought a sharp, aching guilt. When he left, they would forget this joyful period; they would forget him; even the two girls, who had clung to each other through thick and thin, relying only on one another, would forget each other.

Should he seal their memories? Lin Luo wrestled with the question once more.

Was there a better way beyond merely sealing their recollections? He continually turned the problem over in his mind.

Emotionally, he did not want to erase their memories. Logically, he had to. As a fundamentally sentimental person, his feelings often outweighed his reason. But… acting on deep feeling to trigger Reverse Causality once was not recklessness; it was profound attachment. If he succumbed to emotion and triggered it again, that would no longer be attachment—it would be utter foolishness!

The fallout from the previous Reimu incident had been unimaginably vast. Had the consciousness of the Grimoire not intervened, perhaps—no, certainly—they would all be dead.

And the Grimoire, after that event, had fallen into a profound silence, its awakening time completely unknown. Even if he could disregard personal danger, how could he disregard its sacrifice?

Torn between his heart and his head, Lin Luo was mired in agonizing indecision. Fortunately, time was still somewhat generous, granting him a buffer zone for contemplation, preventing him from crashing headlong into a wall. And precisely at this juncture… the Thirteen Protectors returned!

“Boss, the person you asked us to find has been located.” As soon as the Thirteen Protectors arrived, their leader addressed Lin Luo.

A jolt went through Lin Luo, instantly setting aside the memory issue concerning Xiao Zi and You Xiang. “Tell me about it.”

The Thirteen Protectors must have sprinted back; they were all panting heavily. The leader managed to catch his breath before beginning, “This last month has been exhausting for us. We’ve trekked across mountains and rivers, traveled a thousand leagues gathering intelligence, and frequently engaged in combat with other Youkai, leaving us riddled with injuries…”

The leader didn't immediately deliver news of Shenqi but instead began airing his grievances, causing Lin Luo to roll his eyes reflexively. Knowing the man was angling for praise, he waved a hand, cutting him off. “Enough, enough. I know you had a hard time, and you don’t need to spell it out. Just tell me everything you learned in meticulous detail, and I’ll treat you all to a world-class feast later.”

“Yes, sir!” Upon hearing Lin Luo’s guarantee, the leader instantly perked up, wiped a trace of drool from his lip, and launched into his narrative. “When the Boss first mentioned this Shenqi, we hadn't heard the name, nor did we know if she was Human or Youkai, so we had no starting point. We had to start by asking the lone wanderers we usually exchange words with…”

Though the term ‘lone wanderer’ implied solitude, these individuals were rarely truly alone. To maximize their chances of survival, they had formed their own organization: the Alliance of Solitaries.

This organization had no discipline, no fixed rules, and no singular leader; it was completely freeform. Its sole purpose was mutual aid.

After all, two fists are no match for four hands. Sometimes, a solitary fighter, ambushed by a horde of Youkai, would surely perish if outmatched. But if he belonged to the Alliance of Solitaries, and other Solitaries were nearby, a single cry for help would bring them running for support, greatly increasing his odds of survival.

Naturally, there were always a few black sheep. Once discovered, the Alliance would immediately issue a kill order to purge these detrimental elements and keep the ranks pure.

Consequently, the Alliance of Solitaries enjoyed high regard among the lone wanderers.

The Thirteen Protectors were themselves members of this Alliance. Moreover, given their naturally generous and straightforward personalities—to put it simply, a bit naive—if they considered you a friend, you remained one forever. This meant the Protectors were quite popular within the Alliance, having numerous Solitaries with whom they had shared life-or-death experiences.

It was precisely because of this rapport that Lin Luo had sent them out. With the Alliance in place, it meant the eyes and ears of the Solitaries were spread across the globe. Otherwise, relying only on himself, even with the Thirteen Protectors, how many eons would it take to locate Shenqi?

“Believe it or not, after some inquiries, someone actually knew of Shenqi’s existence. And she resides in our old stomping ground—the West. Boss, you know we once offended the Werewolves there, and we hadn't dared return. But this time, for the Boss, the brothers went all in. We ventured deep into the West, and after some searching, we learned that Shenqi is neither a Youkai nor a Human, but a Witch.” The leader seemed to harbor a distinct fear when uttering the word ‘Witch.’

Lin Luo found this curious. “What’s wrong with being a Witch?”

In human society, 'Witch' was a derogatory term, often leading to mass persecution, like with CC—that he could understand. But in the Youkai society, were Witches also unacceptable?

The truth proved Lin Luo’s speculation was mostly correct, though slightly nuanced.

The leader explained, “Witches, much like the Werewolf clan, do not have good reputations. This is because Witches are a mutated offshoot of the Demon race. They are not only immensely powerful but also possess eccentric personalities and erratic temperaments; the slightest displeasure can trigger bloody slaughter. For example, two centuries ago, one Witch instigated a war among dozens of Youkai races that swept the land, leading to the extinction of several species. Although that Witch eventually died, ever since, Witches have become taboo—the moment one appears, they are hunted down…” He paused, then added, “But speaking of the Witch Shenqi you asked about, Boss, I would say she has earned a good name for herself.”

“What do you mean?” Lin Luo was further perplexed.

“The story goes like this… this Witch named Shenqi is unlike most Witches who have appeared in history. She lives in seclusion, deliberately avoiding the world, so very few people know of her. Even we brothers, with our sharp senses, had never heard of her. But somehow, not long ago, she was discovered, and the one who found her was none other than the son of the leader of the Werewolves, the greatest power in the West.”

Although the Werewolf clan ranked only third among all Youkai in terms of overall world strength, based on regional power structures, the Oni clan lived exclusively in the East and held little sway elsewhere. As for Vampires, they rarely ventured out and were practically legendary figures.

So, in terms of overt influence, the Werewolves were still number one. They possessed vast territories in the East, South, West, and North. They were constantly kept in check by the Oni in the East; should the Oni make a move, all Eastern Werewolves would have to tread carefully. If the Wolf King hadn't been stationed in the East, the Oni would likely have driven them out entirely.

But in the other three regions, the Werewolves were omnipresent and almost entirely unchecked.

Especially in the West, governed by the sitting Wolf King’s own younger brother, they were the overlords of overlords.

“That pampered Werewolf princeling, probably having grown tired of the clan’s women, met the Witch Shenqi. Not only did he have no thought of killing her, but he actually had the audacity to demand Shenqi become his concubine… Haha. That foolish boy was born too late to understand that Witches are not to be trifled with, or perhaps his lust clouded his judgment, making him completely forget just how terrifying Witches are.” As the leader spoke, he couldn't help but mock the younger Werewolf, reflecting a classic 'hate the house, hate the dog' sentiment.

“Don't think Shenqi is always harmless just because she keeps to herself. Her temper isn't exactly mild either. The moment that fool made his demand, he enraged Shenqi. She moved without another word. By the end of that fight, every Werewolf accompanying him was dead. As for the foolish son, he was worse off; though he miraculously kept his life, his manhood was utterly destroyed. He fled back to the clan, and before long, he truly devolved into an imbecile.”

The leader let out a long breath at this point, clearly savoring the tale.

Lin Luo paused, momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Shenqi to be so ruthless as to sever a man’s vitality. Truly living up to the title of Witch. However, given that the Werewolves were the West’s premier power, suffering such an utter humiliation would surely provoke retaliation. Especially since his own son had been mutilated, the second Wolf King would undoubtedly pursue a fight to the death with Shenqi.

“So, is the Werewolf clan planning a massive mobilization now, intending to wipe out Shenqi?” Lin Luo asked, though he already suspected the aftermath.

The leader immediately gave a thumbs-up, unable to resist another round of flattery. “Boss, you are incredibly sharp, planning things to the last detail! As we were returning, the Western Wolf King had already begun assembling the majority of the Western Youkai forces, planning to annihilate Shenqi in one fell swoop… So, if you intend to save her, Boss, you need to hurry.”