chapter 23

Liang Yi slowly opened her eyes, blinking drowsily before pushing the blanket off her body and sitting up with a yawn. She stretched lazily, her gaze sweeping across the rectangular bedroom only to find no trace of Xin Tingting.

Her heart skipped a beat. A jolt of panic shot through her as she scrambled out of bed, frantically scanning the floor. Even the pile of clothes Xin Tingting had carelessly tossed aside last night was gone without a trace.

...Had Xin Tingting already stepped through the dimensional door without her?

No! If that were the case, how would she level up?

The thought sent Liang Yi into a frenzy. She rushed to the bedroom door, swung it open, and hurried onto the balcony, her eyes darting left and right in desperation. But there was no sign of her companion not a shadow, not a footprint.

"Xin Tingting!" Liang Yi shouted, her voice sharp with urgency.

No response. No sound of footsteps. No trace of departure.

Her heart clenched. Biting her lip, she strode swiftly toward the neighboring room without hesitation.

When she pushed open the door, she found only an empty bed. Liang Yi shut it firmly and moved to the next bedroom down the hall. Rounding the corner, she reached another door and shoved it open only to freeze at the sight before her.

There, sprawled face-down on the bed, was a figure with lustrous golden hair, slightly tousled from sleep.

Liang Yi exhaled in relief. She had feared Xin Tingting had left without her, but it seemed her companion had simply overslept.

"Xin Tingting, wake up! We need to get moving we have to find those artifacts!"

Her voice was impatient as she stomped to the bedside. Without much gentleness, she grabbed Xin Tingting's shoulder and shook her.

Xin Tingting frowned slightly, rolling over sluggishly before finally cracking her eyes open. Her large, drowsy eyes were still half-lidded with sleep as she sat up, her expression caught between confusion and irritation.

"Where are you rushing off to? Let me sleep another hour. You don't have to hurry go back to bed if you want."

Her voice was soft, muffled by lingering drowsiness. She flopped back down, burrowing into the blankets, eyes shut as if completely indifferent to the chaos around her.

"No! We have to leave now. What's the point of sleeping more? Get up, now! "

Liang Yi grabbed Xin Tingting's wrist and yanked her upright with little ceremony.

Xin Tingting sighed, weakly shaking off Liang Yi's grip.

"Fine, fine," she grumbled, voice thick with sleep.

"Did you finish packing last night? I heard you throwing things around all night so much noise," Liang Yi said, raising an eyebrow as she eyed Xin Tingting suspiciously. "...You're not planning to drag the entire house along, are you?"

Xin Tingting covered a yawn with her hand before replying lazily, her face still heavy with sleep.

"Last night... I changed my mind. I'm not bringing anything. I'll just go with you as I am. So I put everything back where it was."

She rubbed her eyes, the morning sunlight streaming through the window and catching on her pale cheeks, making her look like she was still half-dreaming.

"Well, that's good... Are you going to take a morning bath first?" Liang Yi asked.

"Huh? A morning bath? It's freezing. Besides, I'm too lazy right now. If you're so eager, go ahead. I'll sleep a little longer we can leave once you're done."

Xin Tingting's voice was flat, as if she had no energy left to resist sleep.

"No! Absolutely no more sleeping. You'll just refuse to get up later, and it'll be even harder to wake you. We're leaving now I'm ready. Forget the bath!" Liang Yi narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her.

"Fine, fine... Now it is."

Xin Tingting stifled another yawn before lightly tapping the emerald-green six-pointed leaf emblem on her left wrist.

Instantly, a book glowing with soft golden light materialized from the emblem, floating gently above her other palm.

"What's... this?" Liang Yi asked, tilting her head as she eyed the book with curiosity. The golden light reflected in her eyes.

"This book contains records of all the artifacts we need to find. Go ahead, take a look."

Xin Tingting smiled faintly, her voice calm, as if she already knew everything. She extended the book toward Liang Yi, where it hovered steadily above her hand.

Liang Yi took it hesitantly, eyeing its thickness with a slightly overwhelmed expression.

"A book this thick... Don't tell me there's an artifact listed on every page. If that's the case ugh."

She muttered under her breath, her shoulders slumping slightly as if already exhausted before their journey had even begun.

"Just open it. No matter how many there are, we'll manage."

Xin Tingting's voice was confident, her eyes warm with reassurance.

"And who knows? If we collect them all this time, you might even jump straight to a high-level rank."

Her words gave Liang Yi a small boost of determination. Hesitantly, Liang Yi flipped open the hardcover, revealing ancient script glowing faintly on the first page. A mysterious energy wafted from the pages, subtle yet unmistakable.

She turned another page. Then another. Her expression shifted from curiosity to tension.

"...There's so many!" she finally blurted, her voice low but laden with emotion. Her eyes scanned the densely packed text, as if mentally calculating the daunting road ahead.

"The more, the better. More experience for us, right? Don't you think that's good?"

Xin Tingting's voice was soft, her lips curling into a faint, natural smile as she peered at the notebook in Liang Yi's hands.

"Looks like there are over forty types..."

Liang Yi's eyes remained fixed on the text, her finger tracing the lines of archaic writing.

A whisper of morning wind slipped through the window, carrying petals that fluttered around the room. The two girls sat in the quiet dawn, the only sound the occasional soft rustle of turning pages.

"Forty, huh..."

Xin Tingting murmured, resting her chin on her hand, her gaze drifting into the air as if lost in thought.

"I guess it'll take us years... to collect all of these."

Her voice was dreamy, as if already envisioning the long journey ahead.

"That's what I was thinking. Years, at least."

Liang Yi's tone was flat, her eyes still glued to the page before she sighed softly, a hint of weariness in her voice.

"Read me the first one we need to find. What is it?"

Xin Tingting tilted her head, her golden hair catching the morning light as she looked at the book in Liang Yi's hands, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

"The first artifact is... the Relic of the Ancient God."

Liang Yi read aloud clearly before pausing briefly and looking up at Xin Tingting.

"The name sounds cool... but kind of strange, don't you think?"

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes a mix of skepticism and excitement as she turned to Xin Tingting, who sat beside her bathed in the soft morning glow filtering through the leaves outside.

"The Relic of the Ancient God... I think it sounds intriguing."

Xin Tingting's voice was quiet, her eyes thoughtful.

"A fancy name like that it must be something extraordinary... and probably incredibly rare."

She rested her chin on her palm, her gaze distant, as if picturing the mysterious relic no one had ever seen.

"Hey, put the book away. We really need to go now."

Liang Yi's voice snapped her back to reality as she held out her hand, the thick book floating weightlessly above her palm.

In an instant, the book vanished back into the six-pointed leaf emblem on Xin Tingting's wrist, silent as if swallowed by nature itself.

Xin Tingting frowned slightly, glancing at her wrist before shifting her gaze away.

The artistic depiction of a purple-and-pink butterfly on her skin seemingly painted onto her flesh flickered faintly in time with her breathing.

She lifted her wrist, moving it slightly. The intricate butterfly pattern shimmered like starlight before transforming into a real, living butterfly.

It fluttered gently, hovering over her palm before alighting delicately on her left shoulder.

Its wings emitted a soft violet-pink glow, like woven moonlight.

"This butterfly... is really beautiful."

Liang Yi's voice was bright, her expression enchanted as she admired the iridescent wings.

"I love its wings they look like they're flying among the stars."

Xin Tingting smiled slightly in response, her eyes still fixed on the butterfly perched on her shoulder. She lifted a hand, lightly brushing its wings before gently folding them together as if closing an important book.

Suddenly

The butterfly's wings flashed brilliantly, as if releasing a burst of magic. The once-vibrant creature dissolved into strands of light, reshaping itself into a dimensional gate the size of a regular door.

The gate resembled butterfly wings in exquisite detail, its frame flowing like delicate wing veins, overlaid with glowing pink-violet patterns resembling crystal fused with moonlight.

Tiny motes of light shimmered around it, like stardust swirling in the air.

It was breathtaking magnificent and enchanting, impossible to look away from.

"Liang Yi, you go first... I'm scared of danger. If I step in first, some demon might bite my head off. So... you go ahead."

Xin Tingting smirked slightly, as if masking her nervous excitement.

"Sure, no problem. I'll go first, then."

Liang Yi's voice was steady, her expression calm and unfazed as she stepped through the radiant gate without hesitation.

Once Liang Yi had disappeared into the dimension, Xin Tingting turned and walked toward Grandfather's writing desk at the center of the room.

The dark brown, ornately carved desk exuded an air of aged elegance, warm as if infused with memories.

On it lay a farewell letter she had finished writing last night, placed neatly atop the surface. words from the heart, meant for the one who had been the foundation of her life.

Her gaze flickered to another piece of paper tucked beside the bookshelf.

Grandfather's handwriting, in fading ink, read:

"Ten years from now the final tournament."

Xin Tingting stood still for a moment before turning to the ancient medicine cabinet, its shelves lined with neatly arranged herbs and potions. She reached for a clear, slender vial containing a deep red pill, its cap inscribed with faint blue-white runes resembling icy mist.

"This medicine... is crucial to me. I can't afford to forget it."

Her inner voice whispered as she tightened her grip on the vial. Then, with a rough step, she returned to the center of the room, her eyes sweeping over Grandfather's bedroom a place steeped in love, warmth, and memories from the moment she was born.

This place...

Was her hometown, where she had lived for five long years.

A sanctuary... where every wall and piece of furniture held deep attachment in every atom.

Her heart throbbed suddenly.

It might be years... before she could return to this beloved place again.

She inhaled softly, a gentle smile gracing her lips as if bidding farewell to this home with quiet resolve.

Then, with a single small step, she walked through the dimensional gate, its shimmering light embracing her.

The moment she crossed

Her figure faded, and the butterfly gate slowly folded its wings before dissolving into motes of light, vanishing into the air without a sound...