Xiao Jiu kept trembling, her expression dazed. The shock of the past two days had clearly been too much for her; she hadn't yet been able to process it all.
Just then, Xile came up to her and nudged her with its nose.
'...It still remembered the little girl who had played with it all day.'
Seeing Xile, a spark of life finally returned to Xiao Jiu's eyes... She hugged Xile's large head and slowly began to cry.
Soon, they reached the foot of Old Ox Back Mountain. Xiao Qi led them to the secret location he had mentioned.
...It was indeed well-hidden. Tucked between two peaks was a path obscured by overgrown weeds. Beyond it lay a dense bamboo forest, and further still, a flat, open space, completely concealed from the outside.
Nearby, the sound of rushing water could be heard. A short walk revealed a small waterfall, its stream dropping straight down and sending spray everywhere...
