The plateau core that Yuwen Lu mentioned was located at the northeastern border of Qinglong County—a primordial nature reserve officially named the Xilingele Plateau, also known as the Wildebeest Grasslands. It featured vast green meadows and dense primeval forests.
Moreover, since ancient times, a unique and mysterious tribe had lived there, giving the plateau its other name.
—Well then, given all that… it's not hard to guess what kind of native tribe lives here, right? Hmm! That's right… they are the Horned Beast Clan.
Simply put, wildebeests looked like dumplings with horns—but they were among the rare exotic beasts regarded by humans as friends, comrades, and even sacred symbols.
Legend says the Wildebeest Grasslands are where sun and moon converge. The two leaders of the horned beasts, the divine beasts Xi and Ye, are supreme beings who govern the cycle of day and night. Thus, the ancients honored them as the Sacred Horned Beasts.
Xi chases the sun, Ye invites the moon—only then do heaven and earth gain day and night, and all things may thrive. Of course, from a modern scientific perspective, the sun and moon follow natural laws, cosmic mechanics. What do those two beings have to do with it? —But… who can say for sure that they don't?
This time, the children sought an audience with the divine beast Xi. According to ancient texts, Xi governs daylight, a descendant of the sun, noble in temperament, with snow-white fur, Kunpeng-like wings, and a graceful yet majestic multicolored horn atop its head. However, this being was said to be proud and aloof, not fond of company.
It's said that once, a man who had risen to fame grew arrogant, ignored the elders' warnings, and tried to ride Xi for the thrill of flying. Ironically, after just one glance from Xi, he was ruined—struck by illusion, his eyes turned vacant, his mind dulled, and his family soon fell into ruin. He ended up a beggar. A cautionary tale indeed.
Of course, the children wouldn't be treated like that. And A Jun was certainly a good kid. Still, he couldn't help but worry. Given Xi's temperament, what if their request was rejected? What if they couldn't even get a meeting?
With this concern in his heart, A Jun followed the group onward. After crossing a vast canyon, they entered the outer edge of the plateau's core.
The Xilingele Plateau was enormous—stretching as far as the eye could see. The wind stirred the grass, herds of cattle and sheep roamed freely. The dominant color was green, evoking a sense of freedom, comfort, and nature.
The children were now at the southern edge of the grasslands. They still had a long way north to reach their destination: a primeval forest at the heart of the plateau, home to the two divine beasts and the horned beast tribe.
Of course, going further north would lead to another realm. Beyond the forest lay Qiankun Valley—a place of rare treasures, both dangerous and enchanting. Yuwen Lu's rose came from there, a gem among wonders.
However, that place was known as a forbidden zone—not somewhere to casually visit or leave at will. Most creatures in the Qiankun Valley forest had already gained sentience, and miasma often blocked the way. In short:
—Entering? Sure, welcome. Plenty of treasures!
Leaving? Well, if you've got money, maybe. If not, you'll have to stay and pay your dues.
Of course, some people did escape unscathed—like Yuwen Lu. Not only did he pay nothing, he even took the Ocean Star, a priceless treasure. But then again, he wasn't ordinary. Truly, people are incomparable!
So for most folks—better to be content and not take reckless risks.
As for the northernmost part of Qiankun Valley, it was nothing but towering cliffs. The vertical angle exceeded 90 degrees, the surface slick with moss—free climbing was out of the question. As for martial artists scaling walls in legendary tales, well, that's just for fun. After all, those people had mastered the True Inner Power technique—not something everyone gets to learn.
Looking at the elevation—hmm. Even if A Jun used his Cloud-Leaping technique to the limit, he'd need to bounce dozens of times to reach the top. That next stop, Emperor North City, was just beyond.
After all, atop that cliff was the closest point to the Vermilion Bird County's main city. But realistically, the kid couldn't do it. That much was already pushing it. Asking him to leap midair… what would he step on—air?
—Hmm… well, it's not impossible. But he lacked one key skill: Grandmaster-level ability—Sky-Stepping. A Jun didn't have that yet… and what about his companions?
So they had to seek a more reasonable solution. After all, out here, you rely on friends. The small team followed Yuwen Lu's steady pace. By the time Xiao Xi's stomach was growling and A Jun and Xiao Jiuwuo had finished their snacks, they finally entered the grasslands. But since it was already late, they couldn't enjoy the scenery. Xiao Xi was a bit annoyed with their guide, though he knew the pace was better for A Jun.
—So now that it's this late, should they camp or keep going?
Xiao Xi thought for a moment, his little eyes darting. A lightbulb lit up over his head—he began preparing to set up camp. After all, in front of the girls, enthusiasm was a must. But his efforts were ignored by Yuwen Lu. With a wave and a few simple words, he led the group onward.
—What the heck?
Turns out, this guy had a plan. Though they'd entered the grasslands, they were still half a day from the core area—Huanyue Forest. Staying up late wasn't an option.
Besides, not far from their current location, in the southwestern part of the grasslands, there was a second-tier military camp where they could rest for the night.
Guardian camps came in three tiers. The soldiers Yuwen Lu had led before were patrol units from a third-tier camp. Xiao Shuai's army came from a first-tier camp—the main border garrison.
This second-tier camp was responsible for guarding the Wildebeest Grasslands, ensuring the safety of all species and managing daily affairs. However, it had a unique feature—some members were royal direct agents, shadow guards. For example, the expert who protected A Jun—Qing's close friend, Ai.
The sun sank along the horizon. Just as legend said, this was the place where sun and moon exchanged shifts. The sunset here was larger than anywhere else, seemingly within reach. Its golden glow painted the water's surface, blending into the green plains like a stunning landscape painting.
At that moment, Xiao Xi was struck with inspiration. He raised his voice and recited: "The rosy clouds fly with lone birds, winter waters stretch across the multicolored sky!"
—Hmm, not bad. But…
Before the words had even faded, A Jun and Xiao Jiuwuo clapped in support. Of course, A Jun knew his third brother's poetry wasn't exactly top-tier—but encouragement was still deserved, especially in such a beautiful setting.
Ning'er, nearby, smiled softly—not because of the poetic talent, but because she found the boy amusing. As for Yuwen Lu, same as always—no reaction. He even coolly exposed the truth.
"That original?"
"Of course!"
"Hmph…"
"What, not good enough? Adaptation is still creation. That's called secondary innovation!"
After a brief round of bickering, the sun had already set, and the full moon on the opposite side began to shine with silver light, illuminating the night. At this moment, Xiao Xi was clutching his growling stomach, too hungry to make any more comments.
After a long day of travel, everyone was tired, but Yuwen Lu remained calm and composed. Fortunately, a few minutes later, an ancient cluster of buildings gradually appeared before A Jun's eyes.
—We've arrived, right? But this military camp… isn't it a bit too extravagant?
Just then, the chubby Xiao Xi, having reached his limit, grew visibly irritable. Being tired was one thing, but hunger was intolerable! He was about to complain to the big brother up front, but A Jun stopped him.
Following his brother's cue, Xiao Xi finally saw hope—a city, old and overgrown with vines, weeds, and vegetation, chaotic and wild.
—Hmm, such an ancient city must have some unique delicacies!
Xiao Xi's train of thought was truly amusing. Driven by instinct, the chubby boy forgot everything else and dashed from the back of the group to the front, not even noticing the girl beside him.
Just as he passed Yuwen Lu, ready to hunt for flavors, the big brother glanced at him coolly, turned, and led the others off the path—leaving Xiao Xi to brake and stand there, conflicted.
"We're almost there."
Yuwen Lu's cold reminder left Xiao Xi confused again—was he messing with me? Didn't we already arrive?
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"Let's go."
Just as Xiao Xi was about to protest, A Jun walked over, patted his frustrated brother, and whispered a few words to calm the tension.
Turns out, this building cluster wasn't the military camp. A Jun had checked his wristband—it was an abandoned city, deserted for ages. Even the data systems had no explanation. On the other side of the city's entrance was a vast peach grove—likely Qinglong County's secret passage, the Ten-Mile Peach Forest.
"He could've said that earlier! So annoying!"
Xiao Xi grumbled while dragging his feet, continuing to accompany his girl. The Saintess, however, showed no signs of annoyance or surprise—just a gentle smile.
So, this little episode wasn't entirely fruitless.
After the team changed course and walked a bit further, they finally arrived at the camp. Yuwen Lu hadn't lied—he wasn't one to offer false hope.
Xiao Xi didn't even realize they were right next to the city—just took a detour. Why not say so earlier?
But upon arrival, the children were stunned. Neatly arranged troops stood ready, the kitchen squad had prepared fragrant meals, and a beautifully designed outdoor dining area awaited.
They were served military fitness meals—rows of delicious, colorful, aromatic dishes from all over the country, laid out buffet-style on both sides of the formation. Eat as much as you like. There were also special treats for the kids, like grilled skewers—winter essentials. Hot, juicy, oily sausages—one bite, wow, absolutely delicious. Perfect for Xiao Xi's taste, it felt like a vacation.
In Guardian camps, soldiers usually ate fitness meals—healthy, tasty, and balanced, but very bland. Not ideal for kids. So today was a rare exception, thanks to the children. A one-star chef had added a bonus course.
After eating their fill, the group was led by the old camp commander to their designated military tents—spacious, five rooms, one living area, one bathroom. Not luxurious, but extremely clean and tidy. The bedding was folded like tofu cubes—perfect!
Night deepened, and the full moon hung high in the starry sky. Most of the children were already asleep. But the moonlight kept shining—for one good kid who couldn't sleep: A Jun.
Why couldn't he sleep? Maybe he was worried about the trial. Maybe he missed his family after being away so long. Or maybe… he hadn't received a letter from that dear friend in ages?
Truthfully, even A Jun didn't know. He just didn't feel like sleeping. He stared quietly at the stars for a long while before finally feeling drowsy.
—Maybe I should go to the bathroom before bed.
He walked into the living room and found the main light still on—probably Xiao Xi forgot to turn it off after finishing his game. The bathroom light was also on, and there were water sounds. Someone was inside… but everyone had gone to bed. Who could it be?
Puzzled, A Jun approached the door and knocked twice, waiting a moment. Since boys and girls were sharing the tent, he had to be cautious.
No response… Hmm! Probably another one of Third Brother's antics.
Feeling reassured, A Jun began to unlock the door—but it wasn't locked. Just as he pushed it open, a sudden scream rang out—startling him so much he didn't even look. Reflexively, he turned his head, grabbed the handle, spun around, and shut the door, apologizing profusely from outside.
This kind of situation had happened before—back when they were younger. And the sweet girl's voice wasn't this dramatic. He hadn't seen anything, after all. But this voice… it was female, yet unfamiliar.
After a while, A Jun calmed down. Then he thought carefully—wait a minute! Just then, the loud noise had awakened the others. One by one, they gathered in the living room. Full team assembled.
Now A Jun was even more confused—there was only one girl in the group: Ning'er. So who was that voice?
He looked at his bewildered companions and knocked again. Still no response.
Xiao Xi, yawning, complained—he didn't understand why his usually early-sleeping brother was being so dramatic in the living room.
Of course, only Xiao Xi was clueless. Yuwen Lu and Ning'er exchanged glances and gave A Jun a confirming look. Then the door opened again—empty inside. Just a slightly ajar window, rustling in the breeze.
A Jun turned to his companions. Xiao Xi had already turned off the lights and gone back to bed—nothing happened, what's the fuss?
The remaining three stayed behind to inspect the room. They found nothing unusual, just closed the window.
—Was it a hallucination? Looks like staying up late really messes with you.
Just as the other two companions were about to return to their rooms, A Jun suddenly froze, startled, muttering to himself—Wait, this window… I checked it earlier. Was it Xiao Xi who opened it? Hmm… Could it be those people coming to cause trouble again, for the golden hairpin… Oh no, where's Xiao Jiuwuo? The cat's hearing should be better than mine…
"What's wrong—"
Ning'er, standing nearby, looked worried. Just as she was about to check on her friend, she saw A Jun suddenly burst forward with his three-step Lingbo technique, rushing into Xiao Jiuwuo's room.
The moment the door swung open, A Jun's pupils contracted—and his heart could no longer stay calm or rational.
The bed was empty. No trace of the cat. Nowhere to be found—yes, Xiao Jiuwuo had been kidnapped by bounty assassins?!