Han Xiyao and Han Xifeng quickly turned back, then dropped to their knees in a bow before Xin Tingting, who stood not far away. Though both were battered and bruised from the recent battle, their postures remained composed, showing deep respect.
"May Her Highness please forgive me and my younger brother," Han Xiyao said calmly, bowing his head once more with sincere remorse. "We misunderstood. We thought Her Highness's companion was an intruder into the sacred realm of the magical orb. In our panic, we acted hastily and without caution, which caused the situation to escalate this far."
Every word spoken carried humility, politeness, and genuine contrition.
Xin Tingting was still panting slightly from running, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and anger, yet her fists clenched tightly at her sides as if refusing to back down.
"If either of you even think of harming him again, even just a little I will never forgive you!"
Bai Wangyan remained silent, saying nothing as the young girl stood to shield him. He merely stared quietly at Xin Tingting's back a small back that could be gentle at times, stubborn at others, but in this moment, it was steadier than a mountain.
The brief silence in the wind echoed the sound of Xin Tingting's racing heart as she stood protectively in front of Bai Wangyan.
And then…
The wind shifted. A faint floral scent floated in with the breeze, like the fragrance of flowers blooming with the first thaw of snow.
From the sky above, a figure descended gracefully.
A light blue silhouette floated down into the middle of the flower field, like snow falling from the heavens.
A long flowing robe of pale blue embroidered with delicate cloud patterns fluttered in the breeze. A silver face veil covered the lower half of her face modestly. Her long, soft blue hair flowed in silence, and though not a striking beauty, she radiated an air of solemnity and awe.
The young girl slowly knelt down before Xin Tingting.
"Princess Xin Tingting," her voice was soft yet clearly enunciated, "I apologize for arriving late... Xian Lan Yun offers her respect."
Xin Tingting paused in silence for a moment, then furrowed her brow slightly, her expression showing clear surprise as her gaze examined the pale blue-haired girl kneeling before her someone seemingly close in age.
"Xian Lan Yun… Are you another one of my bodyguards?"
Xian Lan Yun immediately nodded, her voice steady yet respectful. "Yes, Your Highness. I am one of your personal guards."
At that moment, as all eyes remained on the newly arrived Xian Lan Yun
Suddenly, Xin Tingting's right wrist began to glow faintly and mysteriously. The light spread out into a pattern resembling delicate wings of a purple-pink butterfly. The shimmering glow, like faint diamonds, floated into the air and separated from her wrist.
The glowing butterfly hovered above the ground, then slowly transformed turning into a radiant portal in the shape of a butterfly, visible to all.
Seeing it, Xin Tingting felt an indescribable surge of joy. She swept her gaze over her three bodyguards, a gentle smile touching her lips.
"I think it's time for me to return now... We'll meet again some other day."
Though she said so, she still wasn't certain if she truly was the "princess" they spoke of.
And above all... she barely knew these three bodyguards at all no bond, no memories. So she didn't feel the need to say much more.
Xin Tingting turned to look at Bai Wangyan, as if silently conveying something without words. Her gaze held a blend of joy and a soft command, asking him to step forward first.
Bai Wangyan met her eyes for only a moment before turning away, without saying anything or showing any hesitation. He simply moved his feet slowly, walking toward the glowing portal in silence. And as he stepped in, his body was swallowed by the light without a sound.
Xin Tingting stood motionless, watching until he disappeared into the dimension. She then took a soft breath her heartbeat neither too fast nor too slow. Everything was calm... yet within, she felt something turbulent she couldn't explain.
She didn't even glance at the three bodyguards one last time she just stepped forward and followed him in without hesitation.
And in the instant her body touched the glowing light of the portal
It closed without a sound. The purple-pink butterfly glow slowly faded away, leaving behind only a quiet emptiness.
The warm morning light touched her face once more, as if welcoming her return to the real world.
Before them was the deck of a large ship sailing over the ocean, decorated with colorful silk umbrellas fluttering in the soft breeze. The water below shimmered with sunlight like a sheet of burnished bronze, and as the light passed through thin mist, it added a mysterious beauty to the surroundings.
The moment Xin Tingting and Bai Wangyan stepped out of the portal, the radiant light dissolved as if it had never existed. But then footsteps rang out rapidly in that moment.
"Bai Wangyan! Xin Tingting! Where have you two been?"
A voice full of urgency rang out, just before a figure in a light green robe rushed toward them Lian Yi, Bai Wangyan's older sister, appeared with a face that, despite trying to stay calm, couldn't hide the worry in her eyes.
She froze when she reached them, her sharp eyes scanning her younger brother from head to toe, as if to confirm he wasn't injured in the slightest.
Xin Tingting was still breathing a little heavily from the shock of crossing dimensions. Though she tried to appear calm, her breathing was still uneven.
She turned to Lian Yi and quickly blurted out, a little flustered:
"I fell into the water... and accidentally touched the magical orb…"
Lian Yi immediately furrowed her brow, her sharp gaze full of confusion and suspicion.
"Magical orb?"
Xin Tingting nodded slowly, glancing down at her right hand that still felt faintly warm from the earlier glow.
"Yes... and then…" She paused for a moment before continuing softly, "Bai Wangyan... he came to save me. And then we... were pulled into the orb's dimension without warning…"
Lian Yi shifted her gaze to Bai Wangyan. The young man still stood silently, as cold and composed as ever, as if unaware of anything. But the sunlight streaming through the colorful umbrellas above revealed faint specks of glowing particles on his hair and clothes traces of the dimensional power still clinging to him, like remnants of the other world they'd just passed through.
"Were either of you hurt?" she asked, her face calm once again, though her voice carried a concern she couldn't hide.
"We're fine," Bai Wangyan answered plainly, his eyes as deep and still as a silent pond.
"Good... I'm glad you both made it back safely." Lian Yi nodded slightly, seeming to relax a bit.
Just then, Xin Tingting's expression suddenly changed. She quickly exclaimed with urgency:
"Oh no! I almost forgot…"
She looked down at her wrist the glowing purple-pink butterfly still hovered gently above her skin.
"It's... starting to function again. That means... we have to leave here soon, before it shuts down again!"
She turned to look at Lian Yi and Bai Wangyan, her voice growing more resolute.
"I think… we might have to return to the desert. Our mission isn't over yet. We… still haven't found the treasure of the ancient god."
"Mhm~" Lian Yi nodded softly, her eyes filled with understanding of what Xin Tingting meant. Then she turned and led them back into the ship's cabin.
"Let's go. I'll call Ye Juan and Lan Chanzhun as well."
Though her words were simple, her heart was filled with unanswered questions just like Xin Tingting, who still felt a strange power lingering within her.
As they passed through the soft curtains fluttering in the breeze inside the ship, the sound of waves lapping against the hull continued not far away.
No one knew what Ye Juan and Lan Chanzhun were doing at that moment… or whether they even knew what had just happened to Bai Wangyan and Xin Tingting.