Soon, Yue Liuyi and Dixue had enough magic stones, their bags chiming like a brook under moonlight.

Each stone shone with a rainbow sheen, clear as winter ice; inside, fine threads curled like tiny waves circling a still lake.

The girls walked through the jungle, laughter drifting like birds through leaves.

“So Bernice really doesn’t know why she was in the private box?”

“Yes!”

Bernice nodded, sorting stones into a little basket; her hands were nimble as sparrows. “I left the Gray Fortress, blacked out from pain, woke up inside a treasure chest.”

“This feels… off, doesn’t it?”

“White Fairy! I want to ask you something!”

Ji Wan stepped forward, mind heavy like storm-clouds, not watching the path at all.

“Ugh… calling people that? Princess, that’s no way to ask for help.”

“Huh? But I used a respectful title!”

“What kind of ‘respect’ is that…”

“Ugh… so it wasn’t respectful?”

“Fine. Ask away. I’m guessing… it’s about Qinhui, right?”

“Eh!? How did you know!”

“It’s written all over your face.”

Ji Wan was easy to read; joy, anger, sorrow—her face was a sky without curtains. Even her attempts at disguise were child-simple; even Yue Liuyi noticed.

“Princess Ji Wan, are you asking about LittleSnow’s connection to the Third Princess?”

“Y-yes.”

The dragon girl sighed, surrendering to the worry; she looked to Yue Dier and Yue Liuyi. “Guard Xia said… my sister killed the White Fairy’s ally. I want to know… how are you going to deal with her?”

Her question wasn’t just her own; it echoed the doubt in Yue Liuyi’s heart.

For Dixue, this was a thorny knot.

On one hand, Yue Dier and the Third Princess studied together in the Imperial Academy; the Third Princess truly liked Dixue.

On the other, she did something unforgivable, and colluded with a Murder Fiend…

Yue Liuyi expected LittleSnow to be torn apart by it. Instead, the silver-haired girl just smiled and answered.

“Mm… that matter? Same as you, Princess.”

“Eh!? Same as me…?”

“Put her in a maid outfit. Make her serve me and Little Yue. But Qinhui’s mistake is huge; she might need a collar too.”

“A c-collar!?”

“Yep. When me and Little Yue get home, she has to greet us with ‘Okaerinasaimase, goshujin-sama!’ Thinking about turning a noble princess into a maid we can boss around… that sounds pretty fun, right?”

“Ugh… ugh!”

Dixue’s devilish plan made the orange-haired girl blush like sunset, knees trembling like reeds in wind.

“Wait!? LittleSnow, do you really mean it?”

“Uh-huh! Don’t be scared, Little Yue… I’ll build restriction spells into Qinhui’s collar, and add tickle triggers in certain spots. If she resists, I flip the switch!”

“That’s awful! People will say you’re abusing a POW!”

“Huh? Awful? Little Yue, you sound… kind of excited.”

“Absolutely not!!!”

…

…

“A gem-picking cat-girl,

with a big bamboo basket.

By morning she’s tail-wagging, roaming hills and forest.

She picks the most gems,

so many like stars, past counting.

She picks the biggest,

big as a basket packed with loli—whoops.

Sai-luo loli ya~ sai-luo loli sai~

Sai-luo loli ya~ sai-luo loli sai~

Sai-luo-luo loli, lo-lo-lo sai-lo-lo-lo sai-lo-lo loli sai~”

Singing an old rhyme, carrying a huge basket ‘full of lolis’—mistake, full of gems—Zaocun bounced through the dense woods like a spring hare.

“Zaocun, stuffing lolis in baskets is human trafficking.”

“Is it? Creepy uncles stuffing lolis break the law. Lolis stuffing lolis don’t.”

“Huh? Who says?”

“It’s true! For example… if Dixue ‘kidnaps’ Sister Yue, that’s not a crime. Same for lolis.”

“That’s… kind of logical—wait! It’s not! And I wasn’t kidnapped!”

Yue Liuyi stomped, cheeks pink like peach blossoms.

She suddenly realized—maybe spending too much time with LittleSnow had rubbed off—this once-naive cat-girl was learning to tease her.

“Mm… Zaocun hit the spot. If not for identity problems, I’d have taken Little Yue home already. Something this cute shouldn’t be bullied.”

“LittleSnow, stop.”

“Hehe~ only I get to bully Little Yue.”

Dixue laughed and pinched Yue Liuyi’s cheek, soft as mochi.

…

While the girls chatted and strolled beneath the green canopy…

A figure stepped onto the path ahead, cutting the light like a boulder.

A man stood bare-chested, bronze skin gleaming like hammered metal; his bald head flashed, his wrestler’s build carved like a heroic statue.

“Eh!? Enemy attack? Protect Little Yue!”

Dixue swept Yue Liuyi into her arms, holding tight like a shield.

The others set themselves, hearts steady like bows; this was the Rainbow Sanctuary’s forest—rivals could appear anytime.

Zaocun pulled a magic stone from her basket, its sharp shape like a throwing star.

“Enemy, huh? Try my brand-new loli dart!”

Breeze said nothing; she extended vines, green lines uncoiling like serpents.

Bernice moved to guard Breeze; the World Tree Maiden’s party would shield the most fragile unit first.

Ji Wan didn’t attack. The orange-haired girl tilted her head, doubt flickering like a candle. “Wait, everyone! I know him! He’s Master Mengyi, Shao Rong’s bodyguard!”

Ji Wan spread her arms, stopping the tense draw of her companions.

“Master Mengyi…?”

“Mm. Dharma name Mengyi. A hall-ranked Arhat of the Vajra Temple. He’s strong… but shouldn’t he be with Shao Rong? Why would…”

“Hold it, Ji Wan! Careful!”

“Huh?”

One heartbeat, Ji Wan stared at the Arhat, unguarded as an open door. The next, the Arhat struck.

How strong can a human body be?

Master Mengyi showed them.

No magic rippled from him. Yet the bronze man moved like a freight train, fist tearing the sound like a whip-crack, appearing before Ji Wan in a blink.

Ji Wan had dragon blood, but she didn’t even twitch. Partly, she never expected him to hit her. Mostly… the Arhat’s fist was too fast. She watched it swell in her vision, a boulder rushing for her face.

Breeze and Dixue wouldn’t watch a friend’s head turned to pulp. Both girls moved.

Thrum! Thrum! Thrum!

Nine vines shot from the forest around them, weaving a green net that sprang up before the Arhat.

“Break!”

No time to nock an arrow—Dixue yanked one from her back and threw. Even so, the shaft flashed like a laser, frighteningly fast.

Under the double blockade, the man’s rush finally slowed; his fist lost its first-edge razor.

Zaocun seized the moment, diving to tackle Ji Wan; the two tumbled into the bushes like foxes rolling into safety.

“…”

One strike missed; the Arhat didn’t press. He stepped back fast, eyes cold as iron, saying nothing.

“Are we safe?”

“No. Danger!”

Ten arbalesters burst from the trees behind him, heavy crossbows already raised. They fired the moment they appeared, no warning, no words.

Arrows sliced through treetops like a rainstorm of knives, swarming the girls; each shaft glittered with a cold light, tips stained as if with poison.

“Everyone, careful!”

Dixue swept a hand, opening her domain—Cherry Blossom Butterfly Speech.

Yue Liuyi followed, unfolding her domain—Stellar Moon Compass.

These two skills were nightmares for ranged attacks: the Stellar Moon Compass deflected anything light; Cherry Blossom Butterfly Speech turned the arbalesters’ sight into blinding white, their targets vanished like snow in fog.

“These are… the Yuanrong arbalesters that follow Sister Shao Rong. W-why… why are they attacking me…”

Ji Wan froze, even half-buried in shrubs; shock pinned her like a sparrow in wind.

“Looks like negotiations ended before they began. The other side… is cruel.”

Dixue had seen enough. She gripped Yue Liuyi’s hand, voice tight as a drawn bow. “We’re pulling out. Back to the Forest Fortress.”

“We’re not going to the Gold Fortress!?”

Zaocun’s ears twitched, eyes wide like lanterns; she still didn’t grasp the turn.

“They belong to Fourth Princess Shao Rong, the master of the Gold Fortress.”

Hidden in the shade, Dixue clenched her fist, anger smoldering like embers.