Lo Yingbai immediately asked, “How is it? Did you find out?”
Gou Songze nodded, saying, “Based on the positional calculation and cross-referencing with the latest map from the underworld, the rift leads to the Nightmare Land by the Forgotten River. That place has always been where Dream Underworld Grandma lives. If the missing person fell there, there might still be a chance of survival.”
Gou Songze continued, “So, brother, act cool for those innocent and pitiful people. Show off your acting skills.”
As they spoke, Xia Xianning had already arranged everything and walked over. Luo Yingbai felt his soul had been wounded and rushed forward, crying, “Xianning, Xiao Gou says I’m a frivolous person. Isn’t being frivolous good?”
Xia Xianning glanced at Gou Songze, gently patting Luo Yingbai’s shoulder and brushing off some dust from the fight. He said, “A smile can make people feel happy. I think it’s very good.”
Gou Songze replied, “…I also think it’s good, but Meng Ming Grandma thinks it’s not good.”
If she would take a liking to me, I would definitely go, but plastic surgery is too late now.”
Xia Xianning asked: “What are you talking about?”
Luo Yingbai stopped joking. He understood that his cousin’s words made sense. Regardless of whether seduction was involved, this time he really had to go down to save people.
Because of the boundary crack causing massive disappearances in the human world, this situation was too rare. If the underworld had mistakenly captured souls, they could notify the underworld to investigate. It was unclear whether the responsibility for the crack lay with the underworld or the human world. The victims were souls that fell along with their physical bodies. If they delayed too long, even if found, the people would likely be dead.
Luo Yingbai told Xia Xianning about what he and Gou Songze had discussed: “Time is most important now. Entering the underworld while not dead, insufficient magical power will corrode the soul. Currently, only we two can handle this. What do you think?”
Xia Xianning asked: “You’re going to jump directly into the boundary crack?”
Luo Yingbai nodded. Xia Xianning looked at him, guessing Luo Yingbai’s intention.
The Weibo mission was completed, but Jiang Yugai still hadn’t awakened. Luo Yingbai felt uneasy.
This time, he was going down not only to save people but also to see if he could find Jiang Yugai’s soul. If he wasn’t allowed to go, he would definitely not agree.
Xia Xianning quickly made a decision: “I’ll go with you.”
Xia Xianning looked at him without laughing. Instead, Luo Yingbai felt like all his plans had been seen through, touched his nose, and avoided Xia Xianning’s gaze.
“My biggest priority is you, besides that, nothing else matters,” Xia Xianning decisively said. “Songze, keep an eye on the special investigation team. The key is to prevent anyone from mistakenly entering the boundary crack. I’ll try to resolve this quickly and bring people back soon.”
Gou Songze nodded in agreement. As he said, Xia Xianning planned to act quickly. They immediately returned home to replenish talismans and magical tools, then returned to the cafeteria.
The three conjoined demons were still sealed but showed signs of breaking free. Xia Xianning pressed them down with a purple-gold alchemy cauldron. They didn’t need to search deliberately, just heading toward the area with dense yin energy. Soon, they discovered a nearly three-meter-high faint red mark in the boundless darkness.
This red mark in the darkness was like a massive eye, quietly watching the tiny mortals before it.
Between thoughts, life and death approached, the water suddenly became turbulent, and numerous resentful ghosts and vengeful spirits let out piercing screams. Water splashed around, waves beating against the shore, and a massive whirlpool suddenly appeared in the near distance.
Luo Yingbai was well-prepared. He and Xia Xianning had studied together for many years. Without needing to look out for each other, they simultaneously leaped from the water’s surface.
A tremendous suction force emerged from the river below, countering their jumping motion. Luo Yingbai, suspended in midair, drew his blade. Cang Ling Yue’s blade flashed with a cold light, casting the entire dark river in a frost-like silver white. The blade’s power surged, raising a massive wave more than a person high, striking fiercely towards Luo Yingbai.
In an instant, the river water condensed, transforming into ice pillars. Xia Xianning cast the frost spell, supporting himself with his long sword on the ground, leaping up to land on the ice pillar’s peak, then bending down to pull Luo Yingbai up.
Luo Yingbai said, “Use a fire spell to melt the ice. Being stuck here will block the ghosts.”
“
Before he could finish speaking, they heard a distant panicked shout: “Who snuck in? Daring to disturb the Yin River, condensing water into ice!”
“Quickly, check the various prisons. Has a great demon escaped?”
Xia Xianning said, “Never mind. They’ll handle it. Let’s run.”
He grabbed Luo Yingbai’s wrist, leaping down from the ice pillar amidst shocked cries and chaos, then immediately slicing the ice pillar with a backstroke, using the opportunity to quickly hide behind a protruding rock.
Luo Yingbai was held in front of Xia Xianning, and they both peeked out to observe the situation. His hand pressed against the rock, feeling that everything in this underworld seemed made of ice and snow, the cold penetrating to the bone, lingering long enough to almost give the illusion of turning into an ice sculpture.
Xia Xianning sensed something and changed position, turning sideways to shield Luo Yingbai from the rock.
Luo Yingbai pushed Xia Xianning: “Don’t get too close. It’s cold.”
Xia Xianning didn’t move, instead grasping his hand and covering it, whispering, “I’m not afraid of the cold.”
His palm was warm, indeed unaffected by the underworld’s chill. Luo Yingbai said, “We’ve trained the same way, yet you’re afraid of nothing.”
Xia Xianning asked, “Want some warmth?”
Luo Yingbai paused, seeing him slowly draw near, warm breath brushing his face. So Luo Yingbai closed his eyes.”
After waiting a moment with no movement, he felt something tap his forehead. Opening one eye, he saw Xia Xianning with a mischievous expression, right index finger on his forehead, saying, “Senior brother, they’re gone.”
The underworld messengers who had been searching for them had vanished without a trace. Luo Yingbai, thoroughly teased, lunged to embrace Xia Xianning’s neck, forcefully kissing him several times before releasing him, saying triumphantly, “Gone? Do you think you can escape me?”
The forcibly kissed Xia Xianning didn’t want to escape and felt quite gratified.
Actually, Xia Xianning was the one truly cold in temperament, but unlike Luo Yingbai’s deceptively soft face, Xia Xianning looked handsome and elegant, with flowing eyebrows and eyes, giving off a slightly romantic young master vibe.
He usually didn’t like to speak or joke, so this characteristic wasn’t obvious, but he didn’t belong to the type Dream Underworld Granny particularly liked.
After expressing her joy at seeing her “male god”, she continued, “To be honest, not long ago, several living people were mysteriously swept up here by the water. These people don’t know any magical arts, their physical bodies are impure, and their yang energy killed my flowers, so I threw them into the back mountain cave. Their lives should still be intact. If Young Master Luo wants them, I’ll give them to you right away.”
Luo Yingbai said, “Thank you.”
After the people were successfully retrieved, Dream Underworld Granny reluctantly said, “Won’t you two stay a bit longer for tea? We’re old acquaintances, and I should properly host you.”
