CHAPTER 279: CHAPTER 279: BURST, REALITY!

"A graduation trip... I guess that’s out of the question for me..." Lin Xianyu muttered.

"Why?"

"It’s nothing." Finally, Lin Xianyu released the Black Bell. For some reason, the bell had been very docile, only darting away once her hand left it.

Six minutes later, Gu Yueyan and Dong Chengling came down as well. Dong Chengling looked at everyone and said, "Today is the last day. We start getting back to a normal routine tomorrow. Especially for you, Xiaoyu, and you, Xiao Yan, your classes start in less than ten days."

Only then did Ren Suo remember that he and Dong Chengling had set a ten-day deadline. Fortunately, they had made the pact a few days after Ghost Walking had started. Thus, even with the actual extension of Ghost Walking, it concluded right within the promised timeline.

Dong Chengling turned her head to look at Ren Suo. Her back was to the streetlamp, casting her face in shadow, but her eyes were still as bright as Venus in the night sky. "Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Even though I’ve advanced to the third turn, our relationship hasn’t changed."

Desire Resonance: "Advance," "Change."

Ren Suo was slightly taken aback. What did that mean? Advance and change? He looked at Dong Chengling, puzzled, and tentatively said in a low voice, "Your eyes seem bigger. A bit more attractive?"

Dong Chengling blinked and didn’t say anything, taking the lead toward the school gate.

She just wanted to comfort Ren Suo, hoping he would change his eager attitude toward seeking serendipitous encounters and focus on properly advancing in cultivation. She hadn’t expected such a response from him...

Dong Chengling subconsciously touched the contours of her eyes and smiled faintly.

The four of them quickly reached the school gate, where Qiao Muyi’s car was still parked.

"Last day, huh?" Qiao Muyi clicked her tongue. "I’m envious. We still have to continue the search."

"Don’t you guys take turns?" Ren Suo asked as he got into the car.

"We’ll start taking turns tomorrow. I chose to be on duty these past few days because I heard you wanted to try your luck, so I decided to keep you company," Qiao Muyi said. "Though it did mean I had to swap quite a few shifts."

"Thanks." Ren Suo sincerely thanked her, as having Qiao Muyi drive them around indeed saved them a lot of trouble.

"Hanging out in the park with you guys, and you even treating to late-night snacks, it’s not too bad," Qiao Muyi said casually. "Where are you planning to try your luck on this last night?"

"The Cultural Park."

Lin Xianyu checked her phone. "It doesn’t seem like there’s much good food there..."

"We’re here to find opportunities, not to eat late-night snacks!" Gu Yueyan, sitting in the back seat, knocked on Lin Xianyu’s head.

"It’s the last night..." Lin Xianyu sighed. "No more free late-night snacks, no more fun night tours."

Gu Yueyan didn’t say anything, but she, too, felt that these nightly outings were interesting beyond her expectations and not boring at all.

The park was especially quiet, with only the calls of birds and insects, along with their own conversations and footsteps. Gu Yueyan very much enjoyed that sensation. And since she had companions around, she never felt scared.

She enjoyed the dim quietude, which was like an exploratory tour, followed by a meal with friends after the exploration. Even if Gu Yueyan didn’t want to admit it, she was looking forward to the night walks every evening.

"The last night..." Lin Xianyu, in the front passenger seat, leaned forward and muttered.

"Yeah, the last night," Qiao Muyi glanced at her.

Lin Xianyu avoided her gaze, turning to look outside, and huffed. This brought a pleased smile to Qiao Muyi’s face.

During the ten days of night walks, Lin Xianyu had consistently tried to create opportunities for Gu Yueyan, but Qiao Muyi always interfered, foiling her plots.

If the nightly snacks hadn’t always been so tasty, she probably would have been too angry to sleep!

"Tonight I must..." Lin Xianyu thought to herself.

Qiao Muyi looked ahead at the road, a subtle smile on her face.

Upon reaching the Cultural Park, Ren Suo got out of the car, suppressing his excitement, and said, "Let’s go, this is the last place to look."

"But it’s the last night. Wouldn’t it be boring to walk around aimlessly like before?"

Lin Xianyu’s suggestion caught everyone’s attention, and she quickly proposed, "How about we split up and take a stroll in the park? We can pair up and meet at an agreed spot. What do you think?"

The other four fell into silence. Ren Suo walked over, silently took off his hat, and placed it on the head of a proud Lin Xianyu!

"Will this hat make you any smarter? There are five of us. How do we split into pairs?"

"Huh?" Lin Xianyu blinked.

She had just had a brainwave, suggesting they split into groups to create an opportunity for Gu Yueyan, without overthinking it...

However, at that moment, Qiao Muyi said, "Well, it’s not impossible. Splitting into groups sounds quite interesting."

"Hmm?" Dong Chengling was slightly surprised. "Do you mean one group of three and one group of two?"

"No, no, no," Qiao Muyi waved her hand. "Still pairs, but one person will have to go alone."

"Xiao Yan, you’re okay with being in a group with Cheng Ling, right?"

Gu Yueyan was initially startled, then linked arms with Dong Chengling beside her. "Of course, no problem."

Then Qiao Muyi went over, took the hat from Lin Xianyu’s head, placed it back on Ren Suo’s head, and said, "Then Xiaoyu and I will team up, and Ren Suo, you’ll go alone. That’s settled."

"Huh?" Ren Suo’s mouth hung open.

"What’s with the ’huh’? Xiao Yan and Xiaoyu are minors. It’s just right for me and Cheng Ling to accompany them. You’re a grown man, and a Cultivator at that. Are you afraid of walking alone at night?"

"How could I be? I was actually planning to explore the park by myself from the beginning," Ren Suo quickly said.

"Then it’s settled. Where shall we meet up?" Qiao Muyi immediately followed up.

Ren Suo felt helpless. He had scouted the area previously and guessed that the Ghost Stall was likely closest to the South Gate. "The South Gate," he replied.

"Alright, Xiaoyu, let’s go this way." Qiao Muyi took Lin Xianyu’s hand and started pulling her to the right. Though Lin Xianyu wanted to say something more, faced with Qiao Muyi’s combination of strength and intelligence, she was powerless.

"Then take care, Ren Suo." Since the others all agreed to split up, Dong Chengling had no objections. After all, the park was not really dangerous. She and Gu Yueyan headed off down the left path, chatting and laughing as they left.

Before long, only Ren Suo was left standing alone.

His feelings at that moment were very complicated.

Oh well, I should first see if the Ghost Stall is really there... Ren Suo thought, then started walking towards the direction from his memory of the game.

Seven minutes later, he arrived at a secluded spot on the park’s path. Having scouted the location during the day, Ren Suo had taken almost no wrong turns.

Suddenly, from amidst the dense woods, Ren Suo saw light filtering through the trees. Excited, he quickly moved closer.

Walking over dry leaves and loose stones, Ren Suo crossed through the dense woods. When he rounded a bend—

He saw a Ghost Stall on the narrow path, bustling with life. Steam billowed from it, incandescent lights shone brightly, and fragrant aromas wafted through the air; it was open for business.

At that moment, the customer sitting before the Ghost Stall appeared to be a tall Black man.

As if noticing his arrival, the beautiful woman cooking in the Ghost Stall looked up at him. She had black hair, black eyes, and her beauty and Affinity inspired goodwill.

Just then, Ren Suo felt a Scorching Heat suddenly flare in his left arm!

He quickly looked down and pulled up his long sleeve. He saw the white Holy Grail mark on his arm, which resembled a scar, beginning to emit a golden light!

This was the mark produced by the "Pure White Mini Holy Grail" he had equipped!

The Holy Grail mark’s Scorching Heat intensified, yet it did not cause pain. Ren Suo was immobilized, allowing this heat to completely fill him, as if he were being inflated!

Suddenly, as if he had done that thing eight or ten times, Ren Suo felt he had entered a unique sage time.

Utter Serenity enveloped him; his soul felt as if it were floating, incredibly light.

Gradually, his soul began to sink, and his vision split and overlapped as if struck by lightning!

In one perspective, he saw the Ghost Stall open for business, with the female owner holding a white Holy Grail.

In the other, he saw himself in the distance, his face a mask of shock as he clutched his left arm!

At that moment, reality completely shattered!