Chapter 136: Parting

Within the gray spatial rift, a girl who looked nothing like Qu Wenxuan drifted in mid-air. Her translucent form clearly distinguished her from the living.

"Sister Xuan, is this what you looked like originally?" Mei asked, observing the soul that had emerged from Qu Wenxuan’s body.

The girl appeared to be in her twenties, with features more ordinary than Qu Wenxuan’s, a single ponytail, and sportswear that made her look quite lively.

"Is it different? This must be my true self." Qu Wenxuan could not see her own reflection, but seeing the clothing that was entirely different from what she had worn, she guessed that her soul had retained its original appearance.

Once Qu Wenxuan’s soul had separated, Xiriel began to chant a different incantation. After a moment of thought, Mei began to chant a magic spell as well.

Though their incantations differed, the effect was identical. As they finished, Qu Wenxuan’s soul became much more solid, appearing no different from a normal person at first glance.

Qu Wenxuan felt a surge of strength suddenly fill her soul, and she was overcome with gratitude. "Thank you, Mei, Xiriel!"

"You're welcome, Sister Xuan. This is all we can do for you; the rest is up to you now. You must remain steadfast, think of your parents often, and believe that you can return home. No matter what happens, do not hesitate, do you understand?" Mei shook her head and exhorted her once more, her tone filled with concern.

"I will!" Qu Wenxuan nodded firmly.

She then turned to her other companions to bid them farewell one by one.

"Brother Mo, Brother Ye, Brother An, thank you for taking care of me for so long! Thank you for not despising me for being useless and always holding everyone back. Thank you for protecting me in times of danger; without you, I wouldn't have survived until now." Qu Wenxuan bowed deeply to the three men, scenes of their time together flashing through her mind.

She felt incredibly fortunate to have met such a group of teammates after crossing over into this world. From Ye Jingxuan’s initial protection to the care provided by the others, they had ensured that even in the apocalypse, she never had to worry about food or clothing, growing up without a single care.

Thinking of the foolish things she had done in the past, her gratitude was beyond words.

"Take care of yourself. Returning to your original world is a good thing, but it will require great effort," Mo Chen said with rare solemnity.

"Take care. Good luck!" Ye Jingxuan’s expression softened.

"Although our time together was short, it’s clear that you are a good girl. For the sake of your father and mother, you must keep going!" An Ziyou said with an encouraging smile.

Qu Wenxuan nodded emphatically before turning to Lin Shaojie, walking over to embrace him tightly.

"Jie, thank you! If it weren't for you, I don't think I could have held on back at the Yuehua Base. Thank you for always being by my side, protecting me, and encouraging me! I will never forget you!"

Among the squad, Lin Shaojie was the one she was closest to, and the one with whom she shared the deepest bond. It was no exaggeration to say that without his constant encouragement and comfort, she never would have made it this far.

Though he was being hugged, Lin Shaojie felt no weight, nor the warmth of an embrace. He reached out to return the hug, but his hands passed directly through her body.

Helpless, he settled for a phantom embrace and said, "Xuanxuan, though I hate to see you go, having the chance to escape the apocalypse and return to a normal world is a wonderful thing! Keep going; we all wish you well. You must make it back!"

"Jie!"

Qu Wenxuan’s voice choked with emotion, but in her soul state, she was unable to shed tears, so she had to let the sorrow of parting fester in her heart, unable to release it.

"Sister Xuan, be ready to go! The soul-strengthening state has a time limit. It is best to cross the spatial barrier before it wears off to minimize damage to your soul." Seeing that she had bid everyone farewell, Mei urged her to proceed.

The longer she delayed, the more hesitant she would become, and the easier it would be for her resolve to waver. Now that they had reached this point, hesitation and reluctance were the most dangerous things.

Qu Wenxuan let go of Lin Shaojie and took one last look at him, as if to carve his image deep into her heart. Without looking back, she went to Mei’s side.

"Mei, what do I need to do?"

"In a moment, I will clear a path for you to leave. Once you are out, focus your mind on your original world. Your intent will guide you; just follow your intuition. Beware of the Phantom Demons. Although the magic we cast provides some protection, you must still be careful. If you encounter a powerful Phantom Demon, you must avoid it! And you must never waver! No matter what you see on the road, do not let your resolve to return falter! Never, do you understand?" Mei emphasized again.

"I understand. Let's begin!" Qu Wenxuan took a deep breath and spoke with determination.

Seeing she was ready, Mei took out her bow. This was not the wooden bow she usually carried, but a giant bow half her height that radiated a golden light. Curiously, it appeared to have no bowstring.

Mei stroked the bow, then infused it with light-elemental energy. A white arrow of light, nearly a meter long, appeared on the bow, along with a string shimmering with five-colored light.

Hooking her finger around the string, she began to draw the bow, bit by bit.

Her movements were slow; everyone present could see that every incremental pull of the string was an extreme struggle for her. By the time she had fully drawn the bow, her face was deathly pale, and fine beads of sweat had broken out on her forehead.

"Sister Xuan, grab the tail of the arrow. This arrow will send you to a safe place!"

"Mei, thank you! If you ever get tired of this world, come find me in mine!" Qu Wenxuan said, taking a moment to hug Mei tightly.

With that, she reached out and grabbed the tail of the arrow firmly.

Seeing she was ready, Mei released her finger. The white arrow of light shot forth, carrying Qu Wenxuan’s soul through the barrier and through the blockade of the Phantom Demons outside. Everywhere it passed, the demons were reduced to nothingness, vanishing in an instant.

After firing the arrow, Mei lost all her strength and collapsed, caught just in time by Ye Jingxuan, who had been watching her closely.

As soon as he took her into his arms, Xiriel produced a vial of medicine, personally feeding it to her before taking out a salve to apply to her right hand, which had been injured by the bowstring.

"Is she alright?" the others asked worriedly as they saw Mei close her eyes, motionless and silent after drinking the medicine.

"Alright? Are your eyes just for show? Where are your brains? Do me a favor and use them—don't make me think you've only grown muscles and no gray matter. She exhausted every bit of the light energy she had recovered, not to mention a significant amount of plant-based energy. If you let her pull a stunt like that again, you can start preparing her funeral!" Unable to lecture Mei, Xiriel vented his fury on the others.

The rest were startled by his words and, setting aside his sarcasm, looked at Mei with concern.

After resting for a long while, Mei opened her eyes. Seeing their worried gazes, she offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'm fine! I just need to rest."

She then turned to Xiriel and said, "Xiriel, don't be angry with me. I just wanted to help her one last time. I hope she succeeds in returning to her world; after all, her family is waiting for her there. I hope they can be reunited!"

By the end, Mei’s tone was wistful, tinged with envy.

Xiriel understood what she was envious of. Though they were not blood-related, they were closer than family, yet there were certain feelings he could never give her.

Seeing her like this, Xiriel could not bring himself to scold her. He let out a symbolic snort and changed the subject: "How do you intend to handle these people?"

He was referring to the three ability users who had arrived with her, as well as Wan俟 Wenyue. Although he asked for her opinion, the cold glint in his eyes revealed his intent to kill.

Mei hesitated, then finally shook her head. "Spare them. After all, we are the only ones leaving; it would be difficult to explain their absence."

"But..." Mo Chen began hesitantly, but Mei stopped him with a glance.

She knew what he wanted to say—that these people knew too much, which was bad news for her and Xiriel. However, she only said to spare their lives; she never said she wouldn't touch their memories.

Given the rapport between her and Xiriel, he surely understood her meaning and would handle it, so she wasn't worried.

The ability users didn't understand the situation, only that she had saved them, and they looked at her with gratitude. They knew that if these people wanted to kill them, they would have no power to resist. Although Mei was young, her words carried the most weight among them. Since she had said to let them live, the others wouldn't act, and they felt much more at ease.

However, after hearing Mei’s words, Wan俟 Wenyue suddenly asked, "Aren't you worried that we'll leak your secrets?"

Mei looked at her and said indifferently, "Go ahead. If you think anyone will believe you, then tell them."

Mei spoke with total nonchalance, but the others glared at Wan俟 Wenyue with cold, murderous intent, as if they would ensure she had no place to be buried if she dared to speak.

Wan俟 Wenyue was taken aback, then ignored the others and said, "You really are naive! Little girl, don't worry! I won't spill your secrets! But as a trade, can you let me have a hug?"

Looking at Wan俟 Wenyue’s expectant gaze, Mei closed her eyes, too weary to even utter a word.