A Fantasy Love Story Across the Warring States Period

Chapter 104 Ling'er's Strange Phenomenon and the Uncertainty of the Future

The woman in black robes and the man in white stood guard beside the unconscious Ling'er, their hearts filled with anxiety as they looked at her pale face. The water surrounding the stone platform had finally returned to calm after the commotion, its surface shimmering and the strange blue light still flickering. But they had no time to appreciate the scene; their minds were entirely focused on Ling'er's safety.

The woman in black robes reached out and gently stroked Ling'er's forehead. Her hand was icy cold, and she couldn't help but tremble slightly, filled with self-reproach. It was all her fault for not protecting Ling'er properly. What would she do if something had happened to her? Her eyes reddened, tears welling up, but she stubbornly held them back, determined to find a way to wake Ling'er.

The man in white frowned deeply. He carefully observed Ling'er's condition and noticed that the five-colored beads faintly shimmered around her, as if they were slowly merging with her body. Whether this was a blessing or a curse, he couldn't tell. His mind was a jumble of thoughts, and he racked his brains for all sorts of strange tales he knew, hoping to find a solution. But his mind was blank, and he was completely at a loss.

After a long time, Ling'er still showed no signs of waking up. The woman in black robes could no longer contain her anxiety. She picked up Ling'er and said to the man in white with a sob in her voice, "We can't just wait here. We have to leave here quickly and find a safe place to save Ling'er." The man in white nodded, stood up, looked around, and thought about how to leave this watery place.

The water was now eerily still, with only the occasional soft sound of flowing water, as if whispering tales of its hidden mystery. The light bridge they had come by had long since vanished, and all that remained around them, besides the stone platform, was an endless expanse of water, making leaving a truly difficult task.

The man in white looked towards the edge of the water's edge, where some faintly visible reefs peeked out from the surface. Perhaps he could use these reefs to jump step by step to the shore. He told the woman in black his idea. Although she felt the method was somewhat risky, she couldn't worry about that now because of Ling'er.

The man in white leaped towards the nearest rock, landing steadily. He then turned and reached out to the woman in black, gesturing for her to bring Ling'er over. The woman in black took a deep breath, grabbed Ling'er, and leaped again. Fortunately, the man in white caught her in time, and the two landed firmly on the rock.

And so they carefully leaped among the rocks, each jump and landing a heart-stopping experience, for fear of falling into the water at any moment. The woman in black robes' arms ached from holding Ling'er for so long, but she dared not loosen her grip, holding Ling'er tightly as if she were her only support at that moment.

With great difficulty, they finally jumped to the shore. As soon as they stepped ashore, the surrounding environment made their hearts tighten again. The shore was a dark forest with strangely shaped trees. The trunks were twisted and the branches were covered with vines that emitted a ghostly light. When the wind blew, the vines swayed like menacing ghosts, exuding a sinister atmosphere.

"This place doesn't look safe either, but we have no other way to go." The woman in black robes looked at the woods and frowned as she spoke, thinking that as long as she could find a way to save Ling'er, she was willing to brave any danger.

The man in white gripped his jade flute tightly and led the way, with the woman in black carrying Ling'er close behind. They hadn't gone far into the woods when they heard a rustling sound, as if something was moving through the trees. The sound grew closer, making them wary.

Suddenly, several strange-looking small animals darted out from the bushes beside them. They were not large, but had pointed ears and long tails. Their eyes gleamed with an eerie green light, and they made "squeaking" sounds as they surrounded them.

The woman in black felt a chill run down her spine, pulled Ling'er even closer to her, freed one hand to grip her sword, and shouted angrily, "Don't come any closer!" But the little beasts seemed unafraid and continued to slowly approach them.

The man in white played his jade flute, and although his spiritual power was insufficient, he still managed to emit several weak beams of spiritual energy towards the small beasts. The small beasts nimbly dodged the attack, then scattered and pounced on them from different directions.

The woman in black robes brandished her sword, fighting the small beasts. However, she had to protect Ling'er while also dealing with the beasts' attacks, and she gradually became overwhelmed. Seeing this, the man in white robes tried his best to hold off as many of the small beasts as possible, but their situation became increasingly dangerous.

Just then, the multicolored light emanating from Ling'er's unconscious body suddenly intensified, transforming into gentle waves that spread outwards. The small beasts, upon touching these waves, seemed greatly frightened and fled back into the bushes, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

The woman in black robes and the man in white looked at Ling'er in surprise. Before they could react, Ling'er slowly opened her eyes, but there was a hint of unfamiliarity in her eyes, as if she had become a different person.

"Ling'er, you're awake! How are you feeling?" The woman in black robes asked hurriedly, both surprised and delighted.

Ling'er did not respond to her, but stared straight ahead. Then she slowly said, "This place is not safe to stay. Come with me." After saying that, she walked straight into the depths of the forest. Her steps seemed light and airy, but they carried an undeniable determination.

The woman in black and the man in white exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with questions. What had happened to Ling'er? Why had she become like this? Where would following her lead? But watching Ling'er's retreating figure, they could only helplessly follow. What unknown secrets lay hidden deep within this forest? Everything remained uncertain. They stepped into the deeper mist, waiting to unravel the layers of mystery…