When Long Chen turned back, the world around him changed. Yue Xiaoqian and the others were gone.0

He now stood atop a tranquil lake, its surface as smooth as glass. Above stretched a blue sky dotted with white clouds, yet they were mirrored perfectly below, making it impossible to tell which was the reflection and the real world.0

Long Chen couldn’t even discern whether he stood upright or upside down. Oddly, the disorientation didn’t unsettle him. The stillness of this world made him feel calm.1

As Long Chen turned back again, a beautiful maiden stood before him, watching him with delight. She appeared to be sixteen or seventeen, her eyes shimmering as if they contained the spirituality of the very...0