Fang Yuan rose to his feet, brushing the dust from his robes with a soft exhale.
"Alright then," he said, casting a final glance at the glowing spirit pond.
But just as he turned—
SPLASH!
A surge of water erupted behind him.
Spirit-rich droplets arced through the air, landing with wet plops all over his robe and hair.
He blinked, momentarily stunned.
Behind him, Fang Lian surfaced with a mischievous grin, eyes glinting like a satisfied fox.
"Bye bye, Master~!" she called, waving one hand as she floated leisurely across the shimmering pond.
Fang Yuan stared at his now-soaked sleeve. Then chuckled.
"That girl…" he muttered, shaking his head with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Still amused, he turned on his heel and began his walk back through the winding cave.
The glow of the spirit pond faded behind him, replaced by the cool silence of stone and shadow.
As he walked, the familiar system screen flickered to life before him.
