When Mo Yu and Xiao Yixian walked out of the stone gate and reached the cave entrance, they discovered that the rope they had used to descend was missing.
"It must be the work of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group," Mo Yu said, frowning at the damaged rope.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yixian bit her red lips and said, "I have a way."
"Oh?" Mo Yu, sensing a solution, asked, "What method?"
In response, Xiao Yixian took out a short bamboo flute from her pocket, placed it to her lips, and blew gently. A peculiar sound wave emanated from the flute, traveling through the passage and finally hovering in the night sky outside the cliff.
Holding the bamboo flute in her hand, Xiao Yixian smiled playfully and said, "My companion can assist us. He is a first-level blue eagle."
Mo Yu nodded in understanding. Although there were no sects in the Douqi Continent that contracted magical beasts or used them as slaves, some individuals managed to develop bonds with magical beasts, achieving similar results.
"Violent!"
Soon after the sound waves spread, a sharp cry pierced the night sky.
By the light of the moon, Mo Yu could vaguely see a massive blue eagle soaring through the mountains. Within moments, it was circling beneath the cliff.
"Let's go," Xiao Yixian said, her eyes filled with excitement as she waved to Mo Yu.
Nodding, Mo Yu wrapped his arm around Xiao Yixian's slender waist, leaped up, and climbed onto the giant blue eagle.
"Xiao Lan, let's go!" Xiao Yixian called out to the eagle.
As soon as the eagle heard her command, it flapped its wings, sending a gust of wind past them, and soared into the sky with the two of them on its back.
The space on the eagle's back was limited, and the wind was strong at high altitudes. Mo Yu did not let go of Xiao Yixian, holding the delicate woman tightly in his arms.
Feeling Mo Yu's strong arms around her waist and the warmth of his chest against her back, Xiao Yixian's face flushed with a subtle blush she couldn't control.
Since Mo Yu's back was turned to Xiao Yixian, he did not notice her reddening cheeks.
With the wind howling around them, Mo Yu felt the softness of Xiao Yixian in his arms and enjoyed the convenience of traveling on the blue eagle. He began contemplating whether he should contract a magical beast in the near future.
There were plenty of monsters in the Monster Mountain Range, and he had a beast ring, which was a highly convenient method. Unlike Xiao Yixian, who needed a special mark to summon her beast, Mo Yu could simply store the beast in the ring and release it when needed.
As he considered this, Mo Yu's desire to contract a magical beast grew stronger. Although examples of enslaving monsters were rare in the Douqi Continent, the strength of magical beasts was considerable.
The Northwest Continent was not Central China, and there were no powerful monster families there. Therefore, contracting a monster could be done with caution and without much risk.
"Mo Yu, where are you going next?" Xiao Yixian's voice broke through Mo Yu's thoughts.
Startled, Mo Yu came back to reality, feeling the softness in his arms and smelling the fragrance of the girl. He replied lightly, "I plan to stay in the Monster Mountains for a while and then cross them to head to the Mulan Empire."
"Mulan Empire?"
At the mention of the empire, Xiao Yixian murmured and then asked, "After leaving the Jiama Empire, will you come back?"
Realizing that her question might have seemed too personal, her cheeks turned slightly red, and she regretted asking it.
A sudden cold wind blew, causing Xiao Yixian to shiver. Seeing this, Mo Yu tightened his hold around her, almost completely enveloping her with his body.
"I won't leave for now. If we're destined to meet again, we will," Mo Yu said thoughtfully, feeling the softness of Xiao Yixian in his arms.
He knew Xiao Yixian would next head to the Izumo Empire, known for its poison masters, which was a suitable environment for her to practice.
Mo Yu admired Xiao Yixian, a standout character from the original novel, and through their brief encounter, he developed some fondness for her.
However, regardless of his feelings, strength remained Mo Yu's primary pursuit. While he appreciated the company, he would not linger.
On the eagle's back, a serene silence settled between them.
For Xiao Yixian, Mo Yu, the enigmatic and powerful young man who had unexpectedly entered her life, provided an unprecedented sense of security and trust.
"The herb-picking team is below. Since you're not returning, I'll leave you here. After dawn, you can head out on your own, okay?" Xiao Yixian said, glancing at the campfire below. A hint of nostalgia was evident in her eyes as she spoke.
"Um."
Smiling, Mo Yu released Xiao Yixian's waist and chuckled. "Then let's part ways here. We might not meet again for a long time."
"Yeah." As the warm feeling faded, Xiao Yixian felt a pang of emptiness and nodded in response.
"Here you go." Mo Yu produced a light green card from his ring and handed it to Xiao Yixian. "This is called a 'Mother-child Flying Letter Card.' If one card is damaged, the other will sense it. I'll remain in the Monster Mountain Range for now. If the Wolf Head Mercenary Group causes you trouble, crush this card, and I'll come to your aid."
Mo Yu had refined this pair of cards in Wutan City, finding them useful now. After exploring the cave, he had developed some ties with Xiao Yixian and didn't want her to face danger alone.
Startled by Mo Yu's gesture, Xiao Yixian looked at him with a complex expression before taking the card with her delicate hand. She nodded gratefully.
"Then I'm leaving."
Seeing Xiao Yixian's reaction, Mo Yu touched his nose and smiled. He nodded, waved to her, and turned to walk into the dark forest. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye..." As she watched Mo Yu's figure disappear into the distance, Xiao Yixian touched the small black card in her hand.
"This is what it feels like to be missed by friends. It feels really nice. Mo Yu, you might be my only friend in this life."
Reflecting on her feelings, Xiao Yixian, who had always been isolated because of her poisonous body, felt a new sense of connection and warmth.