The魅族 woman glared fiercely at Zi Linling and said, "I will!"
Then, she melted into the darkness.
Xuanyuan Xun approached Zi Linling, his face filled with worry. "Miss Zi, can she be trusted?"
Zi Linling gazed into the distant darkness. "She cannot be trusted, but she will definitely persuade the entire 魅族."
Shangguan Yulin also chimed in. "Miss Zi, your words confuse me. If she cannot be trusted, how will she keep her promise and convince the entire 魅族?"
Rong Guang echoed, "I'd like to know too."
Zi Linling merely smiled, remaining silent.
Shen Liuxing's eyes brightened. "Sister Zi... you mean, to make someone keep a promise, making them afraid is enough!"
Zi Linling nodded.
Xuanyuan Xun, Shangguan Yulin, and Rong Guang were still somewhat bewildered.
Shen Liuxing rolled his eyes and explained, "That 魅族 woman truly wants to break her word, but if she does, the fate of the entire 魅族 will be at stake. Tell me, would she dare to gamble?"
Zi Linling added her explanation. "She knows that I have the power to destroy the entire 魅族. Therefore, when she returns, she will put in her utmost effort!"
"..."
Xuanyuan Xun, Rong Guang, and Shangguan Yulin all looked at Zi Linling with shock.
Xuanyuan Xun asked, "Miss... Zi, can you truly destroy the 魅族?"
Zi Linling nodded. "Not just the 魅族, but the 魑族 and the 魍魉族 as well!"
"Then why are you making things so complicated? Just destroy them directly!" Shangguan Yulin exclaimed excitedly.
Zi Linling retorted with annoyance, "Even if I can destroy them, it will come at a great cost."
"But the Divine Demon Forest likely holds dangers beyond just the 魑, 魅, and 魍魉 tribes. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, we should avoid using force."
Shangguan Yulin remained somewhat confused, but Xuanyuan Xun and Rong Guang understood.
Zi Linling's concern was not the 魑, 魅, or 魍魉 tribes, but rather the "mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."
"What do we do now?" Shen Liuxing asked, frowning.
Zi Linling pondered for a moment. "We wait."
"Wait?" the four of them echoed in unison.
Zi Linling nodded. "Yes, we wait!"
And so they waited. Three days passed.
The 魅族 woman had indeed not disappointed Zi Linling.
By some unknown means, she had successfully persuaded the entire 魅族.
"My promise has been fulfilled. I hope you can safely exit the Divine Demon Forest!"
With that, the 魅族 woman vanished into the darkness once more.
Zi Linling smiled and was about to lead the four forward when she sensed two powerful presences.
"They've come quickly!"
She muttered to herself inexplicably, then transmitted her voice to Xuanyuan Xun and the other three. "In a moment, no matter who you see, kill them immediately. Do you understand?"
Before the four could ask anything, two dark shadows appeared before them.
The shadows writhed constantly, never revealing their true forms.
"Hmph!"
Zi Linling let out a cold snort. "Since you refuse to show yourselves, I shall have to personally invite you out!"
As she spoke, her hands began to form seals rapidly.
Then, a bolt of lightning was sent out from her nascent world, striking the area above the two dark shadows with lightning speed.
Sizzle...
Electric arcs flickered, and the sound sent a chill down one's spine.
"Wait!"
Two terrified voices cried out from within the two dark shadows.
Following that, the two dark shadows took shape.
A beautiful woman and a gaunt old man appeared before the five of them.
The beautiful woman smiled charmingly. "Esteemed young lady, I am Hua Ji, the tribal chief of the 魑族. This is Hui Shuo, the tribal chief of the 魍魉族."
Zi Linling did not release the seals in her hands. Her face remained cold. "May I ask why you are blocking our path?"
Hui Shuo, the tribal chief of the 魍魉族, glared at the dense arcs of lightning above. "Hmph! Is this how you treat guests?"
Zi Linling sneered. "Guests? Do you consider yourselves guests?"
Hui Shuo's face darkened. "Don't push your luck too far. This Divine Demon Forest is our territory, the realm of our three tribes. It would be most unsightly to end up with nowhere to be buried!"
Zi Linling let out a cold laugh. "It would indeed be unsightly to have nowhere to be buried. But who ends up buried is another matter entirely!"
"You!"
Hui Shuo's chest heaved violently with anger, on the verge of losing control.
Hua Ji, the tribal chief of the 魑族, quickly intervened. "Brother Hui Shuo, calm down. We are here to discuss matters. Do not act impulsively, do not act impulsively!"
She then turned to Zi Linling with a smile. "Young lady, we of the 魑, 魅, and 魍魉 tribes have always lived in darkness. Because of this, our tempers are unusually volatile. Please do not take offense."
"We have come today with sincerity. Therefore, we implore you to retract your lightning power."
"Fine, I shall give you face!"
Zi Linling willed it, and the seals in her hands dispersed, as did the lightning power in the air.
Of course, being precious, Zi Linling gathered all the lightning power back.
"Now that the lightning power has been withdrawn, speak quickly!"
Hua Ji gave a wry smile. "You are truly impatient, young lady. In that case, I shall not beat around the bush."
"We, the 魑, 魅, and 魍魉 tribes, have always lived in this sunless Divine Demon Forest. We cannot cultivate the path of immortality, nor can we enter the cycle of reincarnation. It is an exceptionally painful existence."
"Therefore, we wish to ask for your help. In return, we are willing to escort you out of the Divine Demon Forest, unharmed."
Hui Shuo also nodded. "I was rash just now. Please, young lady, help us!"
Zi Linling frowned. "What do you want me to help you with?"
"We hope that one day, you can help us enter the cycle of reincarnation," Hua Ji said urgently.
"Enter reincarnation?"
Zi Linling let out a self-mocking laugh. "You think too highly of me!"
Hua Ji quickly said, "Young lady, we believe you will be able to do it one day. Please help us?"
Zi Linling hesitated.
It wasn't that she didn't want to help, but rather that she didn't know how.
Hua Ji seemed to read her thoughts and said, "You are coming from the east and heading west. You must be intending to pass through a spatial rift and enter the Divine Remnant Continent."
"And the method to help us lies in the Divine Remnant Continent."
"Oh?"
Zi Linling let out a faint nasal sound, indicating for Hua Ji to continue.
Hua Ji understood and proceeded. "Whether our three tribes can enter reincarnation depends on a divine artifact called the Gate of Ghosts."
"And this divine artifact is located in the Ghost Domain of the Divine Remnant Continent. Therefore, we dare to trouble you to make a journey and help us retrieve the Gate of Ghosts, so that we may enter reincarnation and reshape our mortal bodies!"