Little Su brought the four women to the cave where the turtle's massive body remained.
At the sides of the mountain wall inside the cave, there were many miniature caves. Due to the presence of the turtle, no beast occupied these caves, and they were fit for human settlement.
Little Su helped them set up their caves with simple grass bedding and leather quilts. After that, she offered them fruits they had stored in advance.
"Papa will be late, you guys can sleep," Little Su then turned to the young lady and said, "Papa said your spirit was strained due to the possession, so you have to rest well, otherwise it will damage your spirit permanently."
"Co… co…" the little phoenix also nodded its head from Little Su's shoulder.
The young lady sighed with a nod and lay down on the grass bed. She was already tired and soon fell asleep.
...
Suddenly, the young lady opened her eyes. She was no longer in the cave but standing in a sunlit grassland centered around a small, clear pond. Rabbits and other small animals hopped playfully around her, giving the place a serene, magical appearance.
"Thank you…" a gentle voice reached her ears.
Turning around, she saw a woman in an elegant white dress standing on the grassland with a genuine smile. She had similar features to the young lady but looked more mature and composed, a stark contrast to the young lady's own playful nature.
"I have done as you wanted," the young lady said coldly, looking at the woman before her. "I found the teleportation node to the Heavenly Tome and made that old man my yang spirit companion. Now, as you promised, it's time to leave my soul once and for all, right, my dear sister, Sia?"
The similar-looking woman, Sia, smiled softly. "Saya, we are both yin consciousnesses of the same body. It doesn't matter who controls it; we both experience the same things. If I die, so do you."
Saya frowned in displeasure. "Don't act innocent. You are just a demon who took over the form of my second yin consciousness. I never should have believed you in the first place."
Sia shook her head helplessly. "I won't go back on my word. You can control the body. Just allow me some time to spend with my husband occasionally. That is all I ask."
Saya gritted her teeth in anger. "You want to give my body to that old man as a plaything? I would kill him before I allow that."
Sia's gentle expression turned cold. "He is my man now, and I have waited long enough for this day. Do you really think I will allow you to touch him?"
"You…!" Saya shouted, but before she could finish, Sia waved her hand.
Saya's vision went dark, and then she found herself standing in a large, bustling village, watching the scene unfold like a spectator watching a movie. The village was comparable to a city, with many buildings and crowds of people laughing and chatting as they went about their day.
"Thief! Thief!" a man's shout cut through the noise. He was chasing a small, six-year-old girl who clutched a single piece of bread in her hand. The girl's face was malnourished and etched with fear. She wore a patched, ragged dress that barely reached her knees, and one of her legs was visibly handicapped, causing her to limp desperately as she tried to escape.
Before she could get far, a kick landed on her back, sending her flying. She slid roughly across the rock-paved road, but she kept her grip on the bread, gritting her teeth against the pain.
"You little witch!" The man grabbed her by the collar and lifted her small body.
Slap! Slap!
Two hard slaps landed on her cheeks, knocking out a few teeth, which she spat out with blood. The man threw her to the ground and raised his foot, aiming to stomp on her head.
Bang!
A fist-sized rock suddenly smashed into the man's head, making him stumble backward, blood flowing down his face. Before the little girl could understand what happened, a little boy her age scooped her up in a princess carry and darted away into the crowd.
After many twists and turns, the boy reached a small wooden house and gently set the girl down. She looked at him cautiously, tears still in her eyes. The boy had black eyes and shoulder-length hair, with a steady build for his age. A small black dragon with bat-like wings perched on his shoulder like a kitten.
"Grandpa, come out! Someone is injured!" the little boy called toward the house.
"Stop yelling, Draven. I'm old, not deaf," a crackly voice replied. An old man emerged, and his eyes narrowed when he saw the injured girl. He immediately scooped her up and carried her inside. "Get me vital energy replenishing pills and healing pills from Uncle John's store," he ordered Draven before disappearing into the house.
The little boy nodded and rushed off.
...
Three days later, the little girl finally opened her eyes. She looked around in confusion until she saw the boy, Draven, placing a wet cloth on her forehead.
"You're awake, thank goodness," Little Draven said with a smile. "I was worried when you didn't wake up."
"Mom… my mom…" the little girl began to cry.
The sound alerted the old man, who came over and gave Draven a light slap on the back of his head. "Brat, didn't I tell you not to scare her?"
Draven rubbed his head with a wronged expression.
After the old man coaxed the little girl for a while, she finally spoke. "My mother and I live in the alley nearby. Mom fell ill a week ago, and we have nothing to eat. That's why I stole the bread. Can… can you please give me something? After mother gets better, I will pay you back."
The old man frowned gently. "Don't worry. I will take you to your mother first. We can talk about everything else later."
...
Before Saya's eyes, the scene shifted again. She found herself in a derelict alley where a single, worn tent stood as a makeshift home.
The old man entered the tent, holding the little girl in his arms, with Little Draven close behind.
But Saya's face stiffened. Inside the tent, a lifeless corpse lay on the cold ground.
"Mom…" Saya blurted out unconsciously.
The moment the word left her lips, the scene dissolved, and she found herself back in the quiet, magical grassland once more.