Xin Tingting kept walking, her deep blue eyes reflecting a thoughtful expression. She herself had once questioned this matter, but no matter how many times she asked, her grandfather always avoided talking about his past.
"I think so too..." she said before falling briefly silent, as if trying to collect her thoughts.
"A few days ago, Grandfather finally revealed that I… was born from a cluster of stars..."
Xin Tingting spoke with a confused tone, as if she still couldn't fully comprehend it.
"And he mentioned some kind of power level or something I don't really remember it well."
Lan Chanzhun raised an eyebrow slightly, his deep brown eyes filled with doubt. "Born from stars? How could that be possible?"
Ye Juan, walking not far behind, also showed a curious expression. She spoke with a light tone, "I'm curious too how could you have been born from stars?" She turned to look at Xin Tingting, a warm smile appearing on her face.
"I don't know either. But someday, I will uncover the secret my grandfather is hiding!" Xin Tingting grinned broadly, then glanced toward the horizon that stretched endlessly into the distance. The sunlight shone upon her golden hair, making it resemble starlight twinkling in the night sky.
Even though the secrets of the past remained hidden, someday… whether it be about her grandfather or about herself, all the truths would surely be revealed.
The scorching sun blazed over the vast desert. The yellow sand reflected the light, as if flames were dancing across its surface. Hot winds swept through from time to time, stirring up clouds of dust into the air.
Liang Yi glanced toward the seemingly endless horizon before speaking in a calm tone,
"I don't know how long it'll take before we get there, but I'd guess quite a while."
She brushed the red-tipped ends of her long black hair from her face, her pink glowing eyes fixed on the path ahead.
Xin Tingting, walking beside her, let out a small sigh and raised her hand to block the sunlight. She muttered with a lighthearted giggle, "It'd be great if there were a town nearby. I'm about to melt in this heat. I don't know why it's so hot today."
Beads of sweat formed on her cheek, yet she still wore a bright smile, even while walking through the harsh desert.
Ye Juan, walking slightly behind them, looked up at the bright blue sky before raising her hand to shield herself from the sun's direct glare. "Yes, I agree it really is scorching."
Her voice was soft, yet tinged with fatigue. No matter how strong her body was, journeying through such intense heat was undeniably exhausting.
When Liang Yi and Xin Tingting heard her, they both turned back and smiled at her, as if offering encouragement.
Soon after, Xin Tingting asked in a cheerful voice, "Ye Juan, where are you and your brother from? Tell me do you live somewhere in this desert realm?"
She tilted her head slightly, looking at Ye Juan with a bright smile, her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Ye Juan blinked slightly before replying with a warm voice, "We're not from this world. Something happened, and Father sent my brother and me to this realm. I'm not really sure why he sent us here, but what I do know is we don't know how to return to our universe. I'm afraid if Father doesn't come for us… we might be stuck here forever."
The hot desert wind blew across their faces, scattering fine dust everywhere as they continued down the narrow desert path that stretched far into the horizon. The sound of their footsteps echoed faintly with the wind, amidst a quiet and barren atmosphere. Lan Chanzhun walked confidently beside Liang Yi, his sharp eyes focused steadily on her face, seemingly unaffected by the weariness of walking under the blazing sun.
"No way. Father wouldn't be that heartless. I believe he'll come for us soon," Lan Chanzhun said evenly, stepping forward with confidence. His voice didn't waver, instead carrying a tone of certainty and hope.
Ye Juan, walking beside Xin Tingting, softly muttered to her brother, "Mm…"
She held Lan Chanzhun's gaze for a moment before turning to look at Liang Yi, who walked on Xin Tingting's right. Her voice was gentle and kind.
"But no matter how long it takes for Father to arrive, the two of us will stay with you as your companions. I feel a strong connection with you both."
She paused briefly before looking at Liang Yi, who didn't seem worried about the situation at all.
"Oh, right Liang Yi, are you a goddess too? I think you must be the goddess of slaughter. Your combat skills are incredible," Ye Juan asked with sincere interest, her voice filled with admiration and respect.
Liang Yi glanced briefly at Ye Juan, her eyes still calm and composed, like someone not easily disturbed.
"I'm… not any kind of goddess of slaughter. I'm just an ordinary person," she replied in a flat tone. Her indifference seemed to soften a little. Her voice grew slightly gentler as she sensed Ye Juan's friendly demeanor.
She gave a slight shrug and continued, "Yesterday, Xin Tingting forced me to wear this fancy outfit so you must've thought I was some kind of goddess." She smirked a little, then asked in return, "And what about you two? Do you have any status or titles?"
Her question made the group fall silent for a moment. They exchanged brief glances as the desert stretched endlessly around them. The sound of the wind became more prominent in the silence, while each of them was lost in thought as sand continued to swirl through the dry, open air.
The desert wind continued brushing against their faces. Though their bodies were growing weary, the blistering heat did not stop the flow of conversation.
"I'm a princess, and Brother Lan Chanzhun is a prince. But don't tell anyone, okay? This must stay a secret. No one else can know," Ye Juan said with a cheerful smile, though her eyes carried a serious glint.
Her words made Xin Tingting widen her eyes in surprise, not quite believing what she had just heard.
"Wow! A real princess and prince? That's amazing! Your status is so high," Xin Tingting exclaimed in awe as she turned to look at Liang Yi, who remained quietly composed.
Ye Juan raised her hand in a calming gesture. "Shh keep your voice down. Someone might overhear. You have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?" she repeated firmly.
"Alright, alright," Xin Tingting replied quickly, still excited by the revelation she had just learned.
Once the excitement died down, Lan Chanzhun turned to Liang Yi walking beside him. There was something he seemed unsure about, and so he asked,
"So where are you two from? I take it you're not from this realm either." His tone was neutral, but his gaze remained fixed on Liang Yi, as if waiting for the real answer.
Xin Tingting smiled a little at Lan Chanzhun before replying to the question.
"Liang Yi and I come from a place beyond the universe. I don't know what it's called, but I simply call it home," Xin Tingting said calmly, meeting the gaze of everyone around her with confidence.
Lan Chanzhun furrowed his brow in confusion. He looked at Xin Tingting and asked in disbelief,
"Home? Outside the universe? Does such a place even exist?" he said suspiciously, tilting his head slightly, his eyes still fixed on Liang Yi.
Xin Tingting smiled faintly and answered in a rather flat voice, "Yes, it does. I believe there are many other places outside the universe but I've just never seen them."
She lifted a slender hand to gently twirl a lock of her hair a few times. The serenity in her voice added an unusual stillness to the atmosphere, amidst the endless dry desert stretching out before them.