FRGNM -Chapter 267 The Goddess’s Sigh

Ling Ruoxi drew in a sharp breath, hugging herself as she instinctively looked toward the feet of the statue. The purple bamboo’s sensing could not be wrong—was it really beneath the statue?

But without Luo Mingyu here, she had no way to play the melody!

Plop! She dove quickly into the water, moving toward the opposite side. Beneath the statue, a small stalk of purple bamboo was growing. Its violet light radiated in all directions, preventing anything from approaching. Her tiny body trembled slightly, then in an instant, became intangible.

“Hey!” She had just started speaking when an endless wave surged toward her mouth. Her expression changed drastically. She quickly covered her mouth and struggled upward, swimming desperately.

Boom!

The entire world seemed on the verge of collapse. The statue ahead dissolved into nothingness, and everything outside returned to normal—the mountains and waters. Emerging from the water, Ling Ruoxi covered her mouth, staring in confusion at the scene ahead.

A snowy-white figure stood among the trees, smiling sweetly, identical to the woman depicted on the statue. That perfect smile could make anyone fall for her. Her long hair flowed freely over her shoulders, and her pale toes lightly touched the lake’s surface, accompanied by a cheerful laugh.

But the scene didn’t last long. Heavy footsteps rang out. Countless herders surrounded the girl, holding spears, swords, and clubs—not to fight enemies, but to attack the young girl.

“Xue, do you know there’s no grass left on the plains? Our cattle and sheep are starving!”
“It’s the Dou Qi practitioner you brought back—it caused the grasslands to degrade, trying to starve us to death!”
“You wanted us to die of hunger so you could run off with that man, right, Xue?”

The voices of accusation surged. The girl lowered her head slowly, her snowy-white hands clenched together, looking helplessly at the crowd before her, letting out a bitter smile.

“He isn’t a bad person. He only thinks of us. Without him, we…”
“Stop defending him! Hit her!”
“If you don’t give us an explanation today, don’t blame us for being ruthless!”
“Stop with the nonsense! Hit her!”

The tall figures struck her with clubs, leaving bruises across her body. She bit her teeth, letting blood drip from her mouth. Trembling all over, she still forced a helpless smile—so tragic, yet so unyielding.

“Stop! She did nothing wrong! Listen to her explanation!” Ling Ruoxi roared from the water. When did Dou Qi practitioners become so arrogant as to dominate someone else’s land? They might be able to destroy, but they couldn’t change!

Yet the crowd didn’t seem to hear her, continuing to beat the white, curled-up figure on the ground.

Only when everyone left did the girl slowly rise. Many of those who had struck her were former companions, best friends, even people who admired her—but survival had changed them in an instant.

A sorrowful smile appeared on Xue’s face. Her body was covered in wounds; her frail frame curled inward. Her snow-white face was streaked with bright red blood, painfully stark. She slowly raised her hand toward the sky, laughing foolishly.

“Dream drunk, for whom? Awakened, for whom?” she murmured, letting the gentle wind swirl around her hands. The next scene made Ling Ruoxi’s jaw drop.

The standing girl was enveloped in white light. Her wounds healed visibly before their eyes. A smile graced her lips. Her delicate fingers pointed toward Ling Ruoxi’s direction, and her right hand casually manipulated the surrounding space.

Buzz! A tremendous sound erupted. She adjusted her hair, her white dress spread out, and she stepped gracefully into the waters of Lake Sala.

Her smile was so beautiful, making her appear like a celestial being descended to earth. The lake water reached her knees and waist, yet she only smiled lightly. The light from her right hand surged upward, her long lashes closing slightly. Then, the purple bamboo shot from the forest, dazzling before her.

“I was wrong. I thought I could protect everyone, prevent them from harm. But… I overlooked human nature. Humans live for themselves. Faced with great peril, they will only eliminate the source of danger—they don’t know how to unite against disasters. I… am truly hurt.” She pressed a hand to her heart, smiling faintly. Her pale skin carried a stiff expression, and her hollow eyes stared ahead. She gathered her long hair and whispered, “But… I am also foolish. I knew it was meaningless to act this way, yet I still chose to. Let the millennial disaster end here.”

“Perhaps you are right. I should never have entered the world. And since I have, there is no talk of leaving. If I could appear again, I hope to see a world unlike this. You have won. I will seal myself here until the dawn comes.” The white figure suddenly enlarged, encased rapidly in stone.

A fierce wind blew. The vast lake surged wildly.

Sigh…

A single sigh echoed across Lake Sala, sweeping everything away. The sky darkened, the ground sank, forming a deep valley. The withered grass remained, but the floodwaters receded, volcanoes extinguished. Everything seemed hushed. That sigh carried endless sorrow. When everyone returned, they only saw the statue on the lake, staring blankly.

But they had been separated. They would never be united like this again.

“Xue…” Ling Ruoxi instinctively reached out, touching the statue. A strong shock flung her backward. Her tiny frame trembled. The person lying down suddenly sat up, dizzy, instinctively looking ahead. Lake Sala remained, and Xue’s statue still stood—but earlier…

“Ruoxi! You’re awake! You scared me!” Silver Wolf pounded his chest, his enlarged face appearing in front of her. He gasped, “You don’t know, our connection was cut just now—I thought you were gone.”

“What… happened to me?” Pushing Silver Wolf away, Ling Ruoxi looked at Luo Mingyu and Qingyi. She had been alone earlier—how was everyone here now?

Luo Mingyu poked her head and then held her in his arms. “Some water got in while coming here—you passed out.”

“No way…” She remembered seeing Xue. Was it all a dream? Thinking this, she quickly removed her shoes, tied her clothes at the waist, rolled up her pants. “There was purple bamboo beneath Xue. I saw it, I…”

Ripples spread lightly across the water. Luo Mingyu immediately held Ling Ruoxi and dove in. Qingyi and Silver Wolf followed in a flash, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Soon, the group emerged on the shore, looking at Xue. The purple bamboo beneath the statue emitted a faint aura, drawing energy from the surroundings to nourish it. The thick stalk leaned lazily against the statue’s feet.

“I think this bamboo is easy to retrieve. Just play a tune, and it’ll come out.” Without musical cultivation, the Demon-Slaying Zither alone influenced the bamboo enough for Silver Wolf to be confident this time.

Landing quickly, Ling Ruoxi nodded. “Exactly. We just need to take the bamboo. Mingyu, help me.” She spread her hands, producing the zither, sat cross-legged, placing her hands on the strings—and paused.

A sense of foreboding filled her heart. Something felt off, though she couldn’t pinpoint it. Frowning at the statue, she lightly moved her fingers.

With just a single note, the lake trembled. The purple bamboo at the statue’s feet tilted slightly, as if about to follow the melody outward.

“This is it!” Silver Wolf cheered, clapping his hands. “Hurry, Ruoxi! If they return, getting the bamboo will be much harder!”

Ling Ruoxi nodded. She was already seated. Luo Mingyu sat cross-legged beside her, holding her small hands. His long fingers moved lightly, and a melodious zither tune erupted.

Buzz! The lake water surged, forming waves several meters high, crashing toward the shore. The purple bamboo, freed from the statue’s feet, shot up like lightning, hovering before Ling Ruoxi.

So eager, so ready.