"What did you say! The two of them are missing?" Lin Luo, finally returned, was met not with the harmonious atmosphere he expected, but with the news from the Thirteen Protectors that Xiao Zi and You Xiang were gone... Of course, given the time, a mere seven or eight hours didn't truly qualify as 'missing'; at most, it was running away from home. But Lin Luo wouldn't let the short duration mitigate the gravity of the two girls' whereabouts being unknown, for he had witnessed firsthand how a person's life could shatter in just thirty minutes when everything they sought to protect vanished.

Seeing Lin Luo's face darken, the Thirteen Protectors grew somewhat timid and hastily lowered their heads. "We apologize, Boss. This matter is all our fault. If only we had been a little more cautious..."

Their apology was sincere, for when Lin Luo departed, they had spoken with absolute assurance, yet the current situation flew in the face of their guarantees. They felt utterly responsible.

Lin Luo waved a hand, saying nothing. He wasn't one to easily displace his anger. Judging by the surroundings, no battle had taken place. Thus, there were only two possibilities for the disappearance of Xiao Zi and You Xiang: either a powerful entity had spirited them away silently, or they had left on their own accord.

The combined strength of Xiao Zi and You Xiang surpassed that of any single one of the Thirteen Protectors, meaning if it were the first scenario, the Protectors would have been helpless anyway. But he sensed no unfamiliar aura here, ruling out that possibility. Therefore, the conclusion had to be that they left voluntarily.

Xiao Zi possessed the ability of the Gap (Jian), a power transcending her inherent strength. If the two truly intended to leave, the Thirteen Protectors couldn't have detected it, even with the Gap in play.

Simply put, regardless of the Protectors' presence, the outcome would have been the same. Lin Luo wasn't petty enough to fault them over this. The crucial question now was: where exactly did they go?

"Do you have any leads on that?" Lin Luo inquired.

The Thirteen Protectors shook their heads. They held no interest in the Grotto-Heaven (Dongtian Fudi) or the yokai inhabiting that place, nor had they paid much attention to it. They certainly hadn't known that You Xiang had overheard their idle chatter, so they didn't consider that direction at all.

"This might be troublesome..." Lin Luo immediately frowned, a vague sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.

"In that case, perhaps we should split up to search. Even if, as you say, one of them can use the Gap, they are still just two young girls; they couldn't have gone too far," Shen Qi suggested at this point.

Lin Luo nodded. "It seems that is the only way."

Moments later, the group began to disperse, initiating the search.

...

At the very same time, within the altar of that Grotto-Heaven, Xiao Zi and You Xiang remained locked in confrontation with the enemy. However, the situation was drastically different from the initial state where they were suppressed. Although their movements were still bound, their intangible aura had clearly gained the upper hand.

Having seen through the enemy's secret, they had already secured an invincible position.

"I, Gui Yecha, have traversed these lands for so many years, yet to think my first emergence would result in a stumble against two little brats like you! Very good, truly very good." After Xiao Zi exposed the truth, the figure finally calmed down from his initial shock. Although he hadn't expected that a single sentence from him would allow Xiao Zi to deduce so many facts, in the end, it amounted to nothing more.

"Even if you know my weakness, you cannot move under my suppression, and my altar will automatically repair itself. The yokai surging in from outside will gradually become the source of my restored power. By the end, you two will still meet your demise," Gui Yecha hissed maliciously.

Yet, Xiao Zi maintained her composed expression. "You are wrong on two counts. First, you are not as strong as you appear. While your suppression is indeed terrifying—perhaps in your peak state you could surpass even our Master—you are different now. Otherwise, why hasn't a single Lord-level yokai been drawn in by you? Theoretically, using Lord-level yokai as sacrifices would speed up your recovery, wouldn't it?"

"..." Gui Yecha fell silent. Indeed, his current power only matched a Lord-level in suppression, but his actual combat strength was far inferior. Therefore, to avoid attracting the attention of Lord-level yokai, he had deliberately lowered the Grotto-Heaven's allure. But... how could a mere child see through such a detail? Even he, at this moment, felt compelled to say: This defies logic!

Xiao Zi, unaware of the shock swirling within Gui Yecha, smiled faintly. "Second, we are not as weak as you perceive us to be. Your restraint upon us is not absolute!"

"Tsk, boastful talk can easily trip your tongue," Gui Yecha scoffed upon hearing this. "Very well, though you are a child, piercing so many of my secrets with so little evidence, I concede your intellect. But given your current realm, attempting to break free from my suppression is pure fantasy—impossible even for a genius!"

Gui Yecha’s tone dripped with disdain, yet Xiao Zi didn't bother to argue. Instead, she nodded seriously. "You are correct. I am a genius, so I cannot do it. But someone can. If it's a mortal who surpasses genius, they certainly can!"

"A mortal who surpasses genius?" Gui Yecha couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.

Xiao Zi ignored him and turned to You Xiang. "You Xiang, all the prerequisites have been met. Now, it is your stage."

"My... stage?" You Xiang blinked in surprise.

Xiao Zi nodded emphatically. "Yes. What you cannot do, I will do for you. And what I cannot do, you absolutely can. We have only one enemy, and only one type of restraint placed upon us. I cannot break it, so only you can!"

"I..." You Xiang was speechless. This was too reckless. No matter how confident she was, the opponent was an ancient powerhouse. She had struggled with all her might moments ago and still couldn't break free. How could she possibly do it now?

Facing You Xiang's perplexed gaze, Xiao Zi spoke loudly, "You Xiang, haven't you always said it? That you must become the King, become the strongest, stand at the pinnacle of the world? Since that is so, how can you bow before a declining nobody? I believe in you. You can certainly achieve your wish. So, let your enemy, let this world witness just how powerful your soul truly is!"

"This is the moment! On this crucial stage, display your power! Surpass the ancient powerhouse and achieve... the strongest!!!"

Xiao Zi roared, and You Xiang was deeply moved.

Is this trust? You Xiang asked herself. Although Xiao Zi had always trusted her, this time the trust was fundamentally different from before—both in degree and in meaning. In a battle that was certainly winnable, a companion's effort was optional. But in a battle that seemed impossible to win, a companion's trust was everything!

In that instant, You Xiang had a faint illusion: her soul began to burn fiercely, the blood within her boiling. Though invisible and intangible, she could feel that ultimate power resting in her grasp!

"Hoo..." Taking a deep breath, You Xiang suddenly lowered her head and grinned, "This trust is indeed heavy. But at a time like this, nothing could be better. Since that’s the case... what ancient powerhouse? I will surpass them all for you!"

"Aaaaaaah!!!" As she spoke, You Xiang violently raised her head and bellowed.

"Stop this useless struggle; a brat like you lacks the power to—How is this possible?!" Gui Yecha scoffed dismissively at You Xiang's sudden surge, unable to resist mocking, but mid-sentence, his expression drastically changed. As You Xiang continuously released her power, the restraint placed upon her actually became visible to the naked eye, and the energy You Xiang erupted seemed to materialize, the two forces colliding fiercely.

"Impossible! Such a small child actually made my suppression manifest into substance... Damn it, that brat's soul!" Gui Yecha finally understood. You Xiang's soul was as magnificent as the sun!

"So that's it. In that case, I won't let you succeed easily either!" Gui Yecha gritted his teeth and released his suppression again, intensifying the binding on You Xiang. Although he was immobilized due to the altar, it didn't affect the release of his suppression waves. As wave after wave of pressure washed over her, You Xiang finally couldn't hold on, collapsing to the ground with a thud.

But!

"Hehe, as expected of an ancient powerhouse. Even though you have fallen, the pressure is extraordinary, but!" You Xiang knelt on one knee, bracing herself with both hands on the ground, struggling to raise her head. Though pain radiated intensely and her body trembled violently, a smile touched her sweat-drenched face, accompanied by an unyielding will and a spirit that refused to surrender. Then, inch by inch, she began to rise from the ground.

"How can this be!" Gui Yecha was utterly stunned. "A child like you doesn't even qualify to carry my shoes! Why can you still stand up?! Why?!"

"Why else? Because... I am a Flower Spirit!"

You Xiang's body, previously bent by the pressure, straightened under her resistance. Then, she lifted her foot and began to take a difficult step forward. Each step was slow, yet firm and relentless, unyielding and never giving up!

"Flowers, though outwardly fragile, possess an inner core tougher than anything else. In any harsh environment, they manage to survive, blooming with beautiful color... Even if sometimes covered by sand and heavy snow, even if sometimes they wither and fall, as long as spring returns, the flower will certainly bloom again!"

"No one can stop the growth of a flower, nor can anyone extinguish the strength of a flower. Once, twice, even countless times—as long as it faces the sun!"

As she spoke, You Xiang suddenly thrust out her hand toward the sky, a triumphant smile gracing her features.

"Look! The sun in the sky is blooming, and the flower, too, shall bloom!"

Boom!

A sound of snapping echoed, and the restraint Gui Yecha had placed upon her was completely shattered!