His Highness the Madman gave in again today.

"Yeah?"

Feng Xingyu strode over while drying his hair.

Seeing Zhao Zhao's smiling eyes, the old father's heart softened.

"Ayu, she looks just like you when you were little."

Upon hearing this, both of them were taken aback.

Mo Sangyu smiled and looked at him: "What, you've seen me when I was little?"

"Um……"

Feng Xingyu gently shook his head: "I don't know."

do not know?

How could this man have seen her when she was a child?

Mo Sangyu didn't take it to heart. Her gaze fell on Xiao Zhaozhao, and she said gently, "It's time to give her a bath."

Feng Xingyu responded and tossed down the towel to help.

The two worked together seamlessly, one holding the child and the other testing the water temperature.

Zhao Zhao was placed in her own special bathtub, and her little hands and feet splashed around in the water, splashing Feng Xingyu all over.

From birth until now, every time I take her for a bath, I can see her exceptionally mischievous side.

Feng Xingyu was not annoyed at all. He wiped the water droplets off his face, and a thin smile appeared in his eyes instead.

Mo Sangyu watched from the side and thought to herself, "Isn't this just a typical doting father?"

After half an hour.

Finally, after bathing the little guy, dressing him in clean clothes, and putting him back on the bed, I finished.

Mo Sangyu stared at her daughter.

No matter how you look at it, this little guy doesn't seem like a baby who's only a few days old.

When we put her on the bed, she didn't cry or fuss. She was full of energy and entertained herself happily.

Is this a little devil, or a little angel coming to repay a debt of gratitude?

The waiter brought dinner to the room.

The meal consists of four dishes and a soup, all local specialties.

The couple sat at the eight-immortal table by the window, comfortably enjoying a meal while listening to the sound of the waterfall and the lights of thousands of homes outside.

The white dumpling lay on the windowsill, uninterested even in the fresh, tender leaves, staring intently at the distant mountains, seemingly looking at nothing in particular.

After the meal, the room attendant cleared away the dishes and chopsticks, and Feng Xingyu sat by the bed watching over his daughter.

Zhao Zhao had slept enough during the day, so she wasn't sleepy at all. She was humming and whimpering in bed, her big eyes curiously darting around the room.

However, Mo Sangyu suddenly felt that something was wrong.

An invisible force was running rampant in the room.

Mo Sangyu paused, and Feng Xingyu also raised his head at the same time.

The two exchanged a glance and then looked at Zhao Zhao on the bed.

Something was swirling deep within her pupils.

It was a very faint red mist, like diluted blood, silently churning in the depths of the pupils, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

At the same time, transparent threads of spiritual energy spread out from her small body, silently wrapping around her.

Her big eyes darted around, and wherever she glanced unintentionally—the items on the table, the chandelier overhead, everything in the room—made strange noises.

Even the air itself rippled with distortion, and the tables, chairs, and ornaments trembled under this invisible pressure.

Mo Sangyu's heart tightened.

She knew that this was not a deliberate attack, nor was it intentional manipulation, but rather an unconscious leak.

Like a newly born god who doesn't yet know how to restrain his power.

Feng Xingyu quickly made a hand seal, and an invisible barrier enveloped Zhaozhao, cutting her off from all contact with the outside world.

Zhao Zhao seemed to sense something, her little mouth twitched, she whimpered twice in grievance, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Mo Sangyu glanced at the date on her phone, and her heart sank.

With only two days left until the due date, this unusual situation is extremely dangerous.

Mo Sangyu made a quick decision, bringing his index and middle fingers together and rapidly gathering azure spiritual energy between them, which he then placed on Zhao Zhao's delicate brow.

The air currents that were previously raging wildly in the air seemed to have been drained of their strength, and quickly retreated back into the little guy's body.

The terrifying red mist in Zhao Zhao's eyes receded like the tide, restoring the clarity and innocence of an infant.

The room quickly returned to calm.

"You sealed the spiritual power within her?" Feng Xingyu asked.

"Um."

Mo Sangyu nodded, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes: "The demonic source within her is terrifying. I think this cataclysmic calamity will descend sooner or later."

Heaven will not allow such a potential threat to remain in the world.

"don’t worry."

Feng Xingyu pulled her into his arms, rested his chin on the top of her head, and gently stroked her back with his palm: "With me here, I will make sure nothing happens to Zhaozhao."

Mo Sangyu leaned against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, and miraculously felt at ease.

"Go to sleep."

Feng Xingyu pulled her down to lie on the ground, then casually pulled the blanket up to cover them both: "We're going up the mountain tomorrow."

The night was relatively peaceful.

Zhao Zhao had just finished her fuss and was sleeping even more soundly than usual. She only woke up once to drink milk before falling back asleep.

The next morning, sunlight streamed in through the cracks in the carved wooden window, casting dappled patterns of light on the floor.

Mo Sangyu opened her eyes, feeling refreshed and full of energy.

Feng Xingyu had already gotten up and was standing by the window, his gaze fixed on the windowsill, his eyebrows slightly raised.

Mo Sangyu put on an overcoat and walked over. Following his gaze, she was also taken aback.

The white dumpling was still lying on the windowsill.

Its posture was exactly the same as last night, with its two front paws crossed and its chin resting on its paws, its round eyes staring unblinkingly at the distant mountain.

The morning light fell on its snow-white fur, gilding it with a pale golden halo.

"It didn't move last night?"

Mo Sangyu walked over and poked Bai Tuanzi's head.

The white dumpling wobbled a bit from being poked, but surprisingly, it didn't whine or act spoiled. It just rubbed its head against her finger, its gaze never leaving the direction of the mountain.

Feng Xingyu also walked over, glanced at it with his eyes down, and said thoughtfully, "There must be something in those mountains that is attracting it."

As if it understood, Bai Tuanzi finally turned its head and let out a "woof" at Feng Xingyu, its round eyes full of intelligence.

Mo Sangyu and Feng Xingyu exchanged a glance.

"Let's pack up first, then we'll head up the mountain after breakfast," Mo Sangyu said.

As usual, the two of them first served the baby.

Zhao Zhao woke up too. Mo Sangyu changed her diaper, and Feng Xingyu went to make milk powder. After a flurry of activity, the little one was full and energetic again, waving her little hands and feet around in the air.

The two hurriedly ate breakfast, packed their luggage into Guixu, and carried Zhaozhao downstairs to check out.

Xiaoyu was standing at the front desk. Seeing them come down, she smiled and greeted them, "Leaving already?"

"Okay, I'll check out."

The procedures were completed very quickly.

After leaving the hotel, we walked through the main street of the ancient town and headed north along the bluestone path.

The ancient town is much quieter in the early morning than at night. The shops are not yet open, and a thin layer of mist hangs over the river.

There were few tourists, only a few elderly people doing Tai Chi at the bridgehead for their morning exercise.

The further north you go, the fewer people there are.

When they reached the entrance to the stone steps, there were hardly any people left to see.

The stone steps are made of bluestone, varying in width, and the moss in the gaps is covered with dew, giving them a moist green hue in the morning light.

The bamboo groves on both sides looked taller and denser than last night, and the bamboo leaves rustled in the breeze.

Mo Sangyu stood at the crossroads and looked up at the direction of the mountain.

The morning mist had thinned considerably compared to last night, and the outlines of the mountains became clearer.

The mountain is majestic, the forest is lush, and the waterfall cascades down from the mountainside, the white ribbon of water sparkling like shattered silver in the sunlight.

The mountaintop was shrouded in a light mist, making it difficult to see clearly, but one could feel a sense of vastness and antiquity emanating from it.

The white dumpling poked its head out from Mo Sangyu's arms, leaning its whole body forward, its two front paws pawing in the air, wishing it could fly over by itself.

Mo Sangyu almost couldn't hold it, so she quickly changed her position and held it firmly in her arms.

"What's the rush?"

She patted the white dumpling: "It's not like we're stopping you from going."

Bai Tuanzi turned around and glanced at her, her eyes carrying a hint of urging.

Why are you so eager to find out what treasures are hidden in the mountains?

There are so many leaves, could it be that they're craving them?

Feng Xingyu, carrying Zhaozhao, was the first to step onto the stone steps.

He walked steadily, supporting Zhao Zhao's head with one hand and holding Mo Sangyu's hand with the other, determined to hold both mother and daughter firmly in his grasp.

The stone steps wind upwards, sometimes gentle and sometimes steep.

The bamboo groves on both sides gradually turned into mixed forests, with more tree species growing together, some tall and some short.

The tree canopy blocked out the sun, filtering the sunlight down in tiny golden specks.

The air was filled with the scent of earth and decaying leaves, mixed with the fragrance of pine resin, moist and crisp.

After walking for more than an hour, the bamboo forest and mixed woodland gradually receded, and the view suddenly opened up.

Before us was a gentle slope covered with low shrubs and wild grasses.

A barely visible path, barely a line, breaks through the grass and leads deeper into the wilderness.

In the distance, the mountain range is close at hand, with jagged rocks and towering ancient trees. The sound of the waterfall is so loud that it sounds like someone is beating drums on the horizon.

Mo Sangyu stopped and took out the jade pendant from her bosom.

The jade pendant didn't react much, but the sensation was clearer and stronger than yesterday.

Like a taut string, it drew her heart deeper into the mountains.

The two bypassed the gentle slope and continued deeper along the barely visible path.

Less than half an hour later, a wooden sign was clearly nailed to a crooked pine tree by the roadside.

The wooden sign is quite old; the surface of the wood has turned black from wind and rain. The words written on it are in red paint, and most of the paint has peeled off, but they can still be vaguely made out.

The area ahead is undeveloped and infested with wild animals; tourists are advised to refrain from proceeding.

Below, there was a faded warning sticker with a black silhouette of a wild beast and the word "Danger" written in large letters next to it.

Mo Sangyu glanced at it, but didn't stop walking.

Feng Xingyu didn't even lift his eyelids, and walked straight over with Zhao Zhao in his arms.

They naturally have no fear of wild animals.

After passing the wooden sign, there was no road at all.

Underfoot was a thick layer of humus, soft and spongy, like stepping on cotton.

Occasionally, one can see the footprints of wild animals among the withered branches and fallen leaves, deeply and shallowly imprinted in the soil, and it is unknown what kind of animal left them.

The bushes grew so dense that you almost had to push them aside to pass.

Feng Xingyu walked ahead, making a hand seal with one hand. An invisible gust of wind was pushed out from his palm, parting the branches blocking his way to both sides and instantly clearing a path.

Mo Sangyu followed behind him, carrying the white dumpling, walking lightly on the parted branches.

The white dumpling became increasingly restless, squirming in her arms, sniffing the air incessantly, its round eyes filled with even more eagerness.

Little Zhao Zhao nestled in Feng Xingyu's arms, completely enveloped by her father's broad chest and embrace.

The bumpy ride felt like a cradle to her, and she drifted off to sleep again.

Her little mouth was slightly open, her breathing was even, and there was a faint red mark on her cheek from being pressed by the swaddling clothes, but she was completely unaffected.

They walked from morning until noon, as the sun moved from the east to its zenith and then slowly slid westward.

They only stopped twice during that time.

I spent most of my time changing diapers and feeding Zhao Zhao; the rest of the time I was on the road.

Every time they stopped, the white dumpling would anxiously spin around in place, sometimes running ahead to scout the way, and sometimes running back to bark at the two of them.

Their tails swung like little whips, and they wished they could grow two hands to help them change.

Mo Sangyu was amused by its impatient manner and reached out to flick its forehead: "If you can't wait, go ahead by yourself. Nobody's stopping you."

Bai Tuanzi tilted her head and thought for a moment, then actually ran a few steps forward before stopping, looking back at them as if hesitating.

In the end, he didn't dare to walk by himself. He ran back with droopy ears and obediently jumped into Mo Sangyu's arms.

By afternoon, the sun had already begun to set, and the light in the mountains and forests had become dim.

Mo Sangyu took out her phone and glanced at it. The moment the screen lit up, she realized that there was no signal here.

"No signal." Mo Sangyu put away her phone and looked at Feng Xingyu thoughtfully.

Feng Xingyu glanced at her phone screen, his expression unchanged, and said calmly, "I couldn't get through to Chu Canglan when I called him before. It seems that he and Yinyue have also entered this mountain."

"Um."

Mo Sangyu nodded.

We walked for about another fifteen minutes.

The light in the forest grew increasingly dim, and the dense canopy overhead resembled a giant net, filtering out almost all the natural light.

The sound of the waterfall was so close that the ground beneath our feet trembled slightly, yet we couldn't see the waterfall at all. We could only feel the sound coming from all directions, engulfing us.

Mo Sangyu suddenly stopped in her tracks.

The jade pendant finally reacted.

It trembled slightly in her palm, as if something was responding to it. The two forces collided in the void, creating a ripple that was invisible to the naked eye.

"arrive."

Mo Sangyu said in a low voice, "It should be around here."

Feng Xingyu stood still, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

Before me lay an extremely strange place.

The trees have thinned out considerably here, revealing a small clearing.

The open space was surrounded by unidentified old trees with gnarled and twisted trunks and thick moss covering their bark, like a dark green velvet blanket.

A thin layer of mist hung between the trees.

It wasn't the kind of morning mist that usually rises from the mountains, but a stagnant, grayish-white mist that seemed to have been there since time immemorial.

The fog wasn't thick, but it was extremely heavy.

It pressed down heavily three feet off the ground, neither rising nor falling, as if it were imprisoned by some force.

Looking deeper into the fog, everything becomes indistinct and blurry, as if viewed through a layer of frosted glass.

There is no wind.

Even the leaves didn't move.

In other parts of this mountain, at least there are birdsong and insect chirps, but here, it's as if the sounds have been sucked away by something.

The roar of the waterfall still echoes in my ears, yet it seems to come from another world, distant and unreal.

Mo Sangyu closed her eyes, her soul silently spreading outwards, carefully sensing for a moment.

When she opened her eyes, she shook her head.

"There is no trace of human presence."

Her voice was exceptionally clear in the silence: "My father and mother are not here, nor are Chu Canglan and Yinyue."

Feng Xingyu remained silent, his gaze fixed on the depths of the stagnant mist.

At this moment, the white dumpling suddenly became excited.

It leaped down from Mo Sangyu's arms, and its four paws made almost no sound as they landed.

It glanced back at the two of them, then turned and darted into the depths of the fog.

"Follow it!" Feng Xingyu said.