East Mountain Village, Lingguan Town.0

A petite little girl ran out from the house, smiling brightly as she rushed to greet Xiao Ershan and his wife.0

"Daddy, Mommy, you're back!"0

Xiao Ershan quickly scooped her up, utterly terrified that someone else might see her.0

"Lingling, didn't I tell you not to go outside?"0

"But didn't you say that once the ritual was over, I'd be able to go out and play again?" the little girl, Lingling, asked in confusion.0

"The ritual isn't over yet…" Xiao Ershan carried his daughter into the house and let out a heavy, troubled sigh. "Someone interrupted the ritual."0

Lingling looked at her father with eyes full of innocence. "Why?"0

Xiao Ershan fell silent for a while and hugged his daughter tightly. "No matter what happens, Daddy won't let anyone take his precious girl away. No one!"0

After a moment's hesitation, he gritted his teeth and said, "My dear… how about we run?"0

"Where would we run to?" his wife asked, her...0