"Suohua, we should leave here for now." Lan Wuxiu held Lan Suohua in his arms, his gaze lingering on the massive red umbrella suspended in mid-air, a fleeting sadness flashing in his eyes.
However, the overwhelming pressure from the beast of divine rank compelled them to leave.
Though Lan Suohua's heart burned with reluctance, the immense power exuded by the holy beast—or perhaps one even greater—coiled around them like an iron grip. Without a second thought, she nodded in agreement. "Brother, let's go. This is not a place for us."
"Agreed," Lan Wuxiu replied, swiftly turning to carry his sister away.
The members of the Lan family, one after another, summoned their inner strength and raced toward the inner circles of the Beast Forest.
"Master, what should we do?" The people from the Mo family, observing the Lan family's swift departure, couldn't help but approach their young master for guidance.
"Let's go." Mo Qianlin sighed inwardly.
Everything in this world relies on fate—one cannot force such things.
With that, he led the Mo family members in retreat.
The Xu family, the Mo family, and other noble clans, too, abandoned the treasure that had been within reach, prioritizing their survival above all else.
"Master, they've all left," two figures stood beneath a massive tree in the distance, unaffected by the chaos, their postures unchanging.
"Mm." The man in the front stroked his chin, his gaze fixed on the treasure, calculating the right moment to strike.
"But... Master, when will we act to claim the treasure?" The black-clad figure behind him questioned, perplexed.
Such an opportunity could not be wasted—why had the master not yet made a move?
"Wait a little longer," came the calm response, though a furrow of unease marred the man's brow. There was something distinctly unusual about today's events, something that gnawed at him. His eyes remained locked on the spiraling red umbrella.
Suddenly, the red umbrella, suspended in the air, contracted with a resounding snap.
The moonlight, once restored to its natural hue, grew redder and redder, bathed in the growing crimson light.
A visible, blood-red beam encased the shrinking umbrella, spinning faster and faster.
"Master... this is... unbelievable!" The black-clad man gasped, astonished. He could hardly believe his own eyes.
The red umbrella spun faster still, until it was reduced to nothing more than a single line of light.
After what seemed like an eternity, the umbrella's rotation gradually slowed, and with a final surge, the massive canopy opened once more.
A flash of crimson light illuminated the scene, revealing the delicate, jade-like ankle of a woman descending from beneath the umbrella's folds.
A golden phoenix flew out with jubilant grace, soaring through the air with glee. At last, it had awaited this day—its master was awakening.
The red glow did not fade. Instead, the enormous umbrella sheltered a woman garbed in red, obscuring her appearance, though it was clear from the figure alone that she was a breathtaking beauty.
When the woman fully emerged, the moonlight returned to its original color, and the surroundings fell into an eerie silence. Even the sound of falling leaves could be heard.
The woman beneath the red umbrella slowly descended to the ground, the once-massive umbrella shrinking to a more conventional size in her hand, appearing as if it were made for her alone.
She stood with her back to Gu Longqingchen, leaving her features hidden from view.
At length, the woman seemed to sense something, and she turned her head toward their direction. She raised her head, letting out a soft whistle.
The golden phoenix, which had been soaring freely through the skies, heard the whistle and obediently descended to land beside her.
"Master, you've finally awoken! I've missed you so much," the phoenix chirped, fluttering its wings like an excited child and nestling into the woman's arms, purring affectionately.
"Feng'er, be good. I'm back," Bai Zhiyue said, her heart warmed by the sight of her contracted beast waiting patiently for her. A soft smile graced her exquisite face.