The wind howled, rustling the papers wedged in the stone crevices.
The man with the umbrella tilted his head, noticing a sheet of paper flying towards him, flipping in midair for his inspection.
It was a piece of talisman paper from a third-grade immobilization talisman, already used as evidenced by the ruptured spell on its surface.
After showing itself, the paper flew back to the crevice, wedging itself in place once again.
The man continued his stop-and-go inspection, walking past bodies and weapons until he reached Qi Ziru.
The charm and the black cloth pouch clutched in the lifeless hands flew up, turning over in front of the man.
As the pouch opened, enlarged bones burst forth, weaving a colossal dragon skeleton that danced in the sky, assembling into an enormous dragon of bones.
The dragon seemed to come alive, its head snaking towards the man standing on the ground.
As it approached, it stopped just in front of him as if allowing himself to be admired.
The man, a little puzzled, watched as the dragon shifted and dived back into the little black pouch, shrinking as it vanished.
The man reached for the pouch but paused just before touching it.
His eyes flickered, and he withdrew his hand, abandoning the idea of taking it.
The pouch and talisman returned to Qi Ziru's hand as if by magic.
In an instant, the man with the umbrella vanished into thin air, reappearing by the entrance of a mine within the valley.
The entrance was collapsed, making entry impossible, so he gestured with his hand at the opening.
Invisible ripples spread into the mine, seeping through the cracks in the rubble.
After a while, he waved his hand and turned away, fading into the sky like a ghostly shadow, leaving only the moon's clear light behind…
The Exile Lands had twelve cities, the closest to the Eastern Nine Plains was called Eternal Dawn City.
Each city had its style.
At night, Eternal Dawn City appeared small and somewhat simple, quite fitting for a place of exile, except for a palace-like building in the center with its splendid carvings and towering air.
Armored guards stood with halberds at the city gate, the words "Eternal Dawn" ominously presiding overhead.
Despite the night, the gates stood wide open, the moonlight revealing people coming and going—some empty-handed, others bearing heavy loads.
Most visitors were here to trade for accumulated 'Merit,' while others came for essential supplies.
Inside the city, there was only one shop—or rather, all twelve cities in the Exile Lands had just one shop—the Bowang Pavilion.
The rest of the city was off-limits to the public, so most comers and goers were concentrated in the Bowang Pavilion area, unless they accumulated enough 'Merit' to leave the Exile Lands, unlocking access to other areas.
Outsiders wanting to enter the Exile Lands had to pass through these cities, facing stringent entry requirements.
In a non-public area of the city, a guest had temporarily taken residence.
The room was lit by a bright gem and the furnishings were simple yet elegant.
The guest was a dignified woman with an innate grace, clad in rich garments that chimed softly as she paced, visibly deep in thought.
She was here to visit the prison, concerned for her brother and son, Qi Ziru and Shen Youkun.
Her name was Qi Yueru.
Normally, visits here were not permitted, though exceptions were sometimes made.
Even when granted a visit, outsiders were not allowed to linger, and the timing of her visit coincided with the nearing discovery of the dragonbones in the mine, perfectly timed.
Footsteps from outside stopped her in her tracks.
A knock followed, and Qi Yueru replied promptly, "Enter."
A steely-eyed man walked in, his gaze intense as he glared at the woman before glancing cautiously outside.
His sash's emblem marked his standing within the Heavenly Court.
Qi Yueru smiled and bowed slightly.
"The City Lord himself visits. Have my son and brother been summoned?"
Since visitors could not leave the city to find prisoners, they were confined and not allowed casual contact with others, awaiting the prisoners to be brought.
The man was none other than the City Lord, Ba Yingshan.
He lowered his voice, suspicion lacing his words, "Tell me honestly, what is your Qi family up to in the Exile Lands?"
Qi Yueru chuckled, shaking her head.
"That's quite the question. What do you think?"
Ba Yingshan inhaled deeply, holding back his anger as he rephrased his query, "Have you caused any trouble in the Eastern Nine Plains?"
Qi Yueru smiled calmly, "You aren't a child. You should know not to ask what shouldn't be asked. Knowing too much isn't good for you."
Ba Yingshan grew visibly agitated, grabbing her wrist and pulling her close, whispering fiercely, "Just tell me if you've stirred up a storm in the Eastern Nine Plains. If something happens, you'll be in trouble too!"
Qi Yueru winced, freezing as she heard the urgency in his words, asking tensely, "What's going on?"
Ba Yingshan did not hide the truth, "The Prison Overseer has arrived, saying there was an incident in the Eastern Nine Plains that resulted in many deaths. He specifically mentioned the location in the Southern Ravines of the Plains, commanding me to personally investigate. There's constant killing here, which normally nobody cares about. What happened to alert the Prison Overseer himself? Tell me quickly, before it's too late!"
Upon hearing the specified location, Qi Yueru's heart skipped a beat.
"How did the Prison Overseer know about that deserted place?"
Ba Yingshan retorted bitterly, "You're asking me? I should ask you; what did you do to draw the Prison Overseer's attention? Speak quickly, I have to leave soon, there's no time to waste."
Qi Yueru freed her hand from his grasp, whispering, "Don't concern yourself with the details. Still, the same advice—don't pry into matters beyond you. I'm heading to the site myself; you must allow me to leave."
Ba Yingshan was shocked, "Are you mad? You can't leave a place like this easily. Breaking the law here is a death sentence!"
Qi Yueru persisted, "I insist! You have to help me. It's not just for my sake, but for yours too. I'm going to handle the situation, and if it goes wrong, the fallout will affect you as well. Once I've settled things, it'll be easier for you when you arrive."
"You…" Furious, Ba Yingshan pointed at her, realizing she was indeed involved.
He had no choice and stormed off.
Shortly after, dressed in a black robe with a veil over her head, Qi Yueru slipped from the city.
Away from prying eyes, she flew swiftly toward her destination.
The proximity of Eternal Dawn City to the Eastern Nine Plains meant she arrived quickly.
Carefully, she scouted the area, not daring a direct approach.
It wasn't long before she stumbled upon the bodies, finding her son and brother among them, both beheaded.
Unable to stomach the reality, she sat on the ground, stifling her sobs with her hands, grief overwhelming her.
Eventually accepting the harrowing truth, Qi Yueru realized she had little time before Ba Yingshan arrived with his men.
Regaining composure, she noticed her brother's Universe Pouch tightly clutched in his hand, pulling it free to examine its contents.
To her dismay, the mission had been completed before their untimely deaths, and yet here she was, holding the key to their demise.
Tears streaming anew, she along with the Universe Pouch fled the scene.
A sudden gust halted her in her tracks, a chilling awareness dawning that whoever sought this artifact lay in wait, ready to snare it as she tried to leave.
With horror sweeping over her, she realized every escape route was surely manned, ensuring she and the pouch never left the Exile Lands.