"Cheng Ling, your hair is in great condition. It's naturally smooth and beautiful without any need for treatment, and it doesn't get split ends either," Qiao Muyi said.

Dong Chengling sat in front of the vanity. Behind her, Qiao Muyi held a comb in her left hand and a hairdryer in her right, helping to dry her hair.

"It might be one of the little perks that comes with Cultivation," Dong Chengling laughed, "I don't know if my hair is good or not. I usually just use shampoo and conditioner. It's just that having long hair can be a bit troublesome every time I wash it."

Qiao Muyi asked, "I saw a photo of you not long ago with short hair. You had short hair in college, too. Why did you suddenly decide to grow it out?"

"Why grow long hair...?" Dong Chengling was slightly Bewildered. She closed her eyes, thought for a moment, and said, "I guess I thought he might like it."

"Did he ever say he liked long hair?" Qiao Muyi glanced at herself in the mirror, her own hair also long like a dark waterfall.

"Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But I remember..." Dong Chengling opened her eyes and said, "that day when he saw the Nine-Tailed Fox walking down from the Tokyo Skytree, he was completely mesmerized watching her."

Qiao Muyi chuckled, "You remembered that?"

The Nine-Tailed Fox, who still occasionally appeared online, indeed had hair as black as a waterfall.

Qiao Muyi thought to herself that if Ren Suo, that fool, had the chance to see the enchanting Nine-Tailed Fox descend from the sky, his eyes would have probably popped out. Perhaps he even secretly idolized her, like a devoted admirer.

"No, I also think the Nine-Tailed Fox is beautiful. I was just subconsciously inspired by her," Dong Chengling smiled faintly. "I used to keep my hair short because I thought managing it took too much time, and long hair gets hot in the summer... Now that I'm a Cultivator, I don't need to worry about those troubles anymore."

Qiao Muyi said, "True. Except for Bai Ji dressing like a polar bear, we ordinary Cultivators can basically ignore temperature changes now."

"Becoming a Cultivator solves many troubles," Dong Chengling nodded and looked at Qiao Muyi in the mirror. "So, Xiao Qiao, what's troubling you?"

Qiao Muyi turned off the hairdryer and gently combed Dong Chengling's hair, whispering, "I can handle them."

"You can't even tell me about the troubles you can handle?"

"Girls need a little mystery to catch a man's attention... Though I'm not sure how Ren Suo noticed me. But have you learned that, Cheng Ling?"

Dong Chengling shook her head slightly and sighed softly, "Since you don't want to talk about it, I'll trust you can handle it alone... But humans are social animals. Helping each other is the best way to move forward."

Qiao Muyi laughed, "You used to love being independent, not needing any friends. You went through four years of college all by yourself, you know."

Dong Chengling nonchalantly said, "I was wrong before. Should I persist in that mistake? Consulting other teachers on Spell usage, gaining more insights into the Cultivation Technique from teaching students, and sparring with Bai Ji and Zhao Huo to find my own best combat style... I don't mind solitude, but having companions on the journey makes me happier."

"Xiao Qiao, you are an important companion on my journey too."

Qiao Muyi lowered her eyelids slightly and asked, "We've only known each other for a few months. Why do you value me so much? You've never liked making friends."

"I don't know," Dong Chengling blinked. "Ever since I met him, my circle of friends has grown—Yueyan, Xianyu, Little Star, you, Xiao Qiao..."

"The friends you mentioned are all his friends too. Maybe it's a case of 'love me, love my dog'?"

While Qiao Muyi's words were in jest, Dong Chengling answered seriously, "No. When I'm with all of you, I truly feel comfortable and reassured. Although we haven't known each other for long, I instinctively feel that you would never hurt me, only help me. So no matter what happens, I will also help you, Xiao Qiao."

"Got it." Qiao Muyi exhaled softly, put down the comb, and said with a smile, "You should go to sleep now, right? I'm heading to the guest room."

"Mm, good night."

Dong Chengling touched her hair. Feeling it was completely dry, she went to bed and turned off the light.

However, at that moment, there was a knock on the bedroom door, which then opened.

Qiao Muyi, hugging a pillow, tilted her head and asked, "Sleep together tonight?"

"The bed is a bit small," Dong Chengling said. "I've never slept with someone else before; I don't know how I sleep or if I snore..."

"No, no, I'm sure you're an angel when you sleep." Qiao Muyi giggled and, hugging her pillow, pounced on Dong Chengling.

「 」

"Jealous, Little Suo?"

A photo popped up on QQ: Qiao Muyi hugging Dong Chengling, both in cute pajamas, asleep on the same bed, faces pressed together, smiling beautifully. Ren Suo looked utterly exasperated.

Ren Suo hadn't expected Qiao Muyi to actually trick Dong Chengling into bed. The only problem was that it had nothing to do with him; he could only look at the picture.

He was about to respond when he saw that Qiao Muyi had gone offline.

Okay then.

Ren Suo earnestly watched the rest of the movie, but his thoughts were continuously fixed on a certain bedroom less than a hundred meters away, so he wasn't really following the plot.

At that moment, another message popped up.

But this time, it wasn't a QQ message; it was a message from SKYPE.

Ren Suo had only two contacts on SKYPE: one was Euphy Lampeluji, whom he had never spoken to, and the other was the 'Lady of Light,' Karen Lanpelucci.

Since meeting the Ranpelrouge Sisters in September, they had returned to Britain but had kept in touch with Ren Suo and Little Jiu.

However, it was generally Karen who chatted with Ren Suo and Little Jiu. Ren Suo had learned that Euphy was now the dean of the Magic Academy at 'Ahalim,' Britain's only wizarding school. Her skills had also significantly improved, making her one of Britain's renowned Wizards.

Britain's population is much smaller than that of the Mysterious Country, so it has only one wizarding school. This school is divided into four academies: Sword of Lionheart, Blade of Joy, Wand of Magic, and Orb of Balance. Each academy has different admission thresholds and training focuses for students.

The Magic Academy was specifically for the children of wealthy and aristocratic families. As dean, Euphy instantly connected with the upper echelons of British society. Consequently, the Ranpelrouge Group had rapidly expanded its influence recently, moving towards becoming a multinational consortium.

Euphy had to manage the academy, decide on corporate affairs, and dedicate time for Cultivation and study, so naturally, she had no time to chat with Ren Suo. On the other hand, Karen was always studying or watching cartoons at home and didn't have many friends, so she often chatted online with Ren Suo and Little Jiu.

Considering Karen's family background, her schedule should have been packed, even if she had no friends. However, she only had Euphy, who doted on her excessively. Karen herself was also a Genius; she mastered all arts effortlessly and reached the peak of British Cultivation with little effort. The only thing limiting her rapid progress was her age.

Thus, Karen was quite free. However, Euphy would absolutely not allow other children near her. She would rather Karen have no friends than let attempts to Sow Discord, conspiracies, or Jealousy taint her beloved sister.

Besides, having a sister was enough for Karen; what need was there for other friends?

Ren Suo and Little Jiu were exceptions. They were far away in the Mysterious Country and had virtually no conflicting interests with Karen. Ren Suo was a proven good person, and Little Jiu was certified by Karen as a little buddy. Both had earned Euphy's approval, which was why they had Karen's contact information.

"Suosuo, I just ate a custard bun, and it was so yummy!"

Karen seemed to feel that nicknames like 'Mama,' 'Daddy,' or 'Jojo' sounded more intimate, so she directly called Ren Suo 'Suosuo.'

Ren Suo estimated the time. It should be around 5 p.m. in Britain, just the right time for afternoon tea. British people typically have four meals a day. Breakfast and dinner are especially lavish, while lunch is often lighter. They tend to get hungry before dinner, so they have afternoon tea to tide them over.

Ren Suo sent over the menu for tonight's dinner, along with some pictures from the internet. Karen immediately responded, "Suosuo, I want to eat that too!"

"You can ask your chef to make it."

"We don't have a chef from the Mysterious Country... I'll ask my sister to hire one right away!"

"These dishes might be too much for one chef to handle."

"Then we'll hire a team of chefs!"

So rich it's unsettling.

Ren Suo wondered why he kept playing along with the little kid's words. A child's innocent words could be the most devastating critical hits, making Ren Suo deeply realize that his fortune might just be what Karen considered pocket money...

He planned to go to sleep and leave his character to cultivate automatically. After chatting a bit more with Karen, he was about to say goodbye, but then Karen said, "Sister is working, I can't get into her office."

Ren Suo found this peculiar. "Even you can't?"

Karen: "Yes, there are two bodyguards outside the door, not letting me in! I'm going to sneak in and take a look."

This little rascal...

But Ren Suo guessed how Karen was planning to peek. Since she could project a phantom Clone all the way into the ground before, solid walls weren't an obstacle for her.

Although Ren Suo had no interest in listening to the Ranpelrouge Family's secrets, when he came back after brushing his teeth, he saw Karen had replied, "Suosuo, they're talking about fighting the Demon King!"

The Demon King?

Ren Suo was slightly surprised and became interested. "Which Demon King?"

Karen: "Suosuo, you don't know either?"

Ren Suo: "I don't."

He really hadn't heard of any Demon King, neither in reality nor on the internal network.

Karen: "Then I'll listen some more."

Ren Suo: "Ah... no need, no need..."

Karen: "Since Suosuo has told me so much about the Fairy Palace, I should repay him."

What, you want to repay me? Can you give me a few million for pocket money?

However, Ren Suo, despite his thoughts, never asked Karen for any material rewards. Not to mention whether this would end their friendship, he still had to make his way in the Tactical Bureau. What if Karen really did give him money, and the Bureau judged him as likely to be corrupted by the wicked capitalist class? Wouldn't that cut off his path of Cultivation?

So, Ren Suo opened another movie to watch. Ten minutes later, Karen messaged him again, replying, "Suosuo, they are going to fight a super powerful Great Demon King! Many countries are gathering for a meeting; there were white people, black people, brown-skinned people, and even someone who looked like a bear..."

Ren Suo asked, "How powerful is the Demon King?"

Karen: "I'll go take another look."

Another ten minutes or so went by, and Karen replied, "It's a very powerful Demon King who can bring disaster across the world and create many followers to help him kill people; it's so scary!"

...Bring disaster?

Ren Suo recalled the internal web intelligence on the Source of Disaster, as well as the recent disaster news. A thought struck him, and he continued to ask, "What else?"

After a couple more minutes, Karen replied, "Besides that, a very handsome big brother said that the Watcher's prophecy foretold the Demon King's Ability—the more people hurt by the Demon King, the more people who fear the Dread Demon King, the stronger the Demon King becomes! That's why the Demon King brings disasters and drives his followers!"

Ren Suo asked, "So isn't the Demon King very strong now? He has already brought disaster all over the world, hasn't he?"

Karen replied, "Probably not yet, because nobody really knows who the Demon King is. They only know the name 'Demon King,' but there are many characters labeled as Demon Kings. Even if people fear a Demon King, they wouldn't know which one to fear! If they feared, say, the Krabby Patty Demon King, then the True Demon wouldn't gain any Fear!"

What kind of cartoons does Karen watch anyway...

Ren Suo asked, "So who is the Demon King really?"

A few more minutes passed, and Karen said, "I don't know. The Handsome Big Brother didn't tell Sister, but he knows who the Demon King is. To catch the Demon King and prevent him from strengthening through Fear, the Handsome Big Brother asked all countries to jointly block information about the Demon King. He would then have a private chat with the country where the Demon King was located and lead the Watchers to personally participate in the capture operation."

A private chat? Would a window pop up or something?

Ren Suo found it peculiar that major nations were cooperating to deal with a Demon King. They were apparently convinced of a close link between the so-called Demon King's Followers and the frequent global Sources of Disaster.

Ren Suo guessed that his eavesdropping journey had come to an end, but then Karen said again, "Ah, they've started arguing."

Ren Suo: "Why have they started arguing?"

Karen: "Other countries seem to want to join this operation too; they really want to catch the Demon King."

Ren Suo found it odd. If it was just about capturing him, it shouldn't matter who went, as long as they could kill the Demon King... Maybe they want to capture the Demon King for Transcendent research, or to recruit him?

Indeed, a Demon King who can grow stronger through unlimited Fear and bring down disasters is a critically important trump card for any country.

Ren Suo: "So, are they about to disclose the Demon King's information now?"

Karen: "I'll go check~"

「 」

In a luxurious room full of cute dolls, little Karen lay in the embrace of a large bear doll, fiddling with her phone.

She put down her phone, clasped her hands together, and closed her eyes. A blue mist, imperceptible to ordinary people, rose around her and gently floated into the next room.

Wherever her Telekinesis could reach, her avatar could go.

The adorable blue phantom floated into Euphy's office and tiptoed up behind her.

Euphy was now staring at her computer screen. The largest window in the center showed a live broadcast from the 'Handsome Big Brother.' Around it were a dozen smaller live broadcast windows, featuring people of different skin colors from various countries.

Euphy wore headphones, so the blue phantom had to press close to them to hear the 'Handsome Big Brother's' voice: "...As such, the Watchers are willing to disclose the Demon King's information to all countries, but you must not publicize it until we capture the Demon King. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Moreover, we cannot confirm the intelligence from the 'Demon King's Followers' as correct until the Watchers illuminate the target with the 'Mirror of True Sight.'

"After all, these are merely results derived from prophetic Spells, and it might even be a trap set by the 'Demon King.'

"So if you prematurely spread this information, it might just alert the real Demon King."

It seemed to be a crucial moment, and the blue phantom paid even closer attention:

"The Demon King's true identity is a person from the Mysterious Country. They are currently residing in the southern coastal city of Lianjiang in the Mysterious Country and serve as a team captain in the official Supernatural Organization, the 'Tactical Bureau,' there.

"Her name is Muyi Jo—or Qiao Muyi, according to the Mysterious Country's pronunciation."

Meanwhile, an image of a girl appeared in the 'Handsome Big Brother's' live stream. Her black hair framed a smiling face, her eyes as enchanting as silk. She was clad in the Black Body Armor, the signature attire of the Mysterious Country's Tactical Bureau. It was someone both Euphy and Karen knew: the captain of the Tactical Bureau team initially responsible for their protection!

"It's actually her..." Euphy murmured softly, her body trembling. The mouse she gripped crushed instantly in her hand!

「 」

Qiao Muyi's body shuddered, and her grip around Dong Chengling suddenly tightened!

The awakened Dong Chengling didn't speak, just pulled Qiao Muyi into her embrace and stroked her hair.

Soothed by Dong Chengling's strokes, the trembling Qiao Muyi soon calmed down. She adjusted her sleeping position, nestled closer in Dong Chengling's arms, and whispered, "I had another nightmare..."

Dong Chengling said softly, "I'm here, don't be afraid."

"Mm." Qiao Muyi's voice was unusually obedient. "I'm not afraid. I just dreamt... that all of you hated me."

"We would never hate you; we will always support you." Dong Chengling stroked the back of Qiao Muyi's head, affectionately saying, "Sleep now. Everything will be fine when you wake up tomorrow."

"Mm."

「 」

Upon noticing a new message pop up on SKYPE, Ren Suo blinked, then blinked again, as if confirming what he saw.

His expression unchanged, he quietly turned on his Minor World Game Console a moment later.

"Minor World, endless fun."

The console's startup sound was calm and gentle, like an old friend's greeting.

He opened "Inverted World" and started loading the game, quickly skimming through the storyline.

A moment later, he opened "Xiao Suo's Secret Diary" and carefully read the sixteen pages of entries Xiao Suo had made.

What not to do, what to do.

Where not to go, where to go.

What not to say, what to say.

This diary spelled everything out clearly, but it all pertained to Another World, and Ren Suo couldn't fully correlate the content with reality right away.

Soon, he reached the sixteenth page.

The last line in the diary still read: "The final blow from the Temple Knight Commander Righteous; the Young Master couldn't Dodge."

Ren Suo stared at those words for a long time.

He silently closed "Xiao Suo's Secret Diary." Just then, he suddenly saw the option "Only a few return from the Martial World" highlighted with a tempting red glow.

"Once you enter the Martial World, time urges you on"

"Incapable of conquering a lifetime's drunken dreams"

"Worldly matters flood in, people are like water"

"Only a few return from the Martial World"

Ren Suo stared at these four lines for a while. Suddenly, he realized that at some point, the cursor had unknowingly moved to the fourth option.

Realizing this, he jerked his hand back as if he had touched a hot iron.

But soon, Ren Suo couldn't help but place his hand back on the mouse.

His fingertips touched the mouse as if it were an ancient iPhone left by cavemen tens of thousands of years ago—extremely delicately, as if fearing the left-click button would shatter beneath his finger.

His fingertips caressed the left-click button again and again. Ren Suo shifted his gaze from the screen to the mouse. Tilting his head, he watched his finger dance over the left mouse button, the 'confirm' button, and slowly closed his eyes.

He didn't know how long it had been—whether day had dawned or not. Suddenly, he chortled.

"Maid..."

Ren Suo exhaled deeply and slowly opened his eyes. A charming curve touched his lips, and then he crushed the mouse.

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