“Alright, let’s not talk about that anymore. How about you come for a stroll with me?”
Bai Zhiqiu nodded, then accompanied Gu Nian out of the church and into the small garden behind it.
It was then that Bai Zhiqiu realized the entire church was built atop a cliff overlooking the sea.
In the distance, the azure sea lay as still as a mirror, occasionally stirring up specks of foam that kissed the pristine white sands of the shore.
“What do you think? Isn’t it beautiful here?” Gu Nian asked, watching Bai Zhiqiu stare, lost in thought, at the distant horizon, her eyes shimmering with a peculiar light.
“Where is this?”
“It’s a beach from what was once Iberia. I ‘clipped’ this entire area into the space within my ring.”
Hearing Gu Nian’s words, Bai Zhiqiu nodded, a mix of comprehension and bewilderment on her face. At the same time, her understanding of Gu Nian’s power deepened considerably.
“How incredible!” Bai Zhiqiu exclaimed, nodding. No wonder Motong had said that neither she nor her master were confident in defeating Gu Nian.
It seemed the strength Gu Nian displayed during her battle with Jasmine was merely the tip of the iceberg. If Gu Nian were to unleash her full power, Jasmine would likely be instantly annihilated.
This thought brought Bai Zhiqiu back to her mission: to stall Gu Nian!
‘Perhaps I should try to subtly probe Gu Nian’s intentions while she’s in a good mood?’
Yet, before Bai Zhiqiu could even open her mouth, Gu Nian spoke first.
“Zhiqiu, would you like to play on the swing?”
With that, Gu Nian pointed her finger ahead.
Following the direction of Gu Nian’s finger, Bai Zhiqiu spotted a swing.
The swing didn’t appear particularly sturdy. Its seat was a smooth wooden plank, suspended not by ropes, but by two thick vines hanging from a large tree branch.
Based on her childhood experiences, Bai Zhiqiu judged that a swing made of vines wouldn’t be especially strong. And if it, too, had fallen into disrepair over time, the consequences could be disastrous.
Although the swing had a rustic, natural, and beautiful appearance, Bai Zhiqiu couldn’t shake the feeling.
She imagined that if she were to take even two swings, the vines would suddenly snap, sending her plummeting down the cliff.
She had just seen it: a sheer drop of nearly a hundred meters. If she were flung down, even though she was about to reach Brightmoon-tier, she wouldn’t necessarily become ‘Bai Zhiqiu paste.’ Still, she would definitely end up bruised and battered, and it would hurt terribly!
“Perhaps we could—” A flicker of reluctance crossed Bai Zhiqiu’s eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing! Nothing at all! I’ll push you instead!” Bai Zhiqiu forced an awkward laugh. Though she desperately didn’t want to play, she had to for the sake of the intelligence!
Moreover, if Gu Nian agreed, she would be the one doing the pushing. If the vines snapped, it wouldn’t be her falling.
‘As a Sunwheel-tier expert, she surely wouldn’t be hurt by a fall, right?’
“How could that be? How could I let you push me? You sit, and I’ll push you!”
Though Gu Nian’s voice was exceedingly gentle, Bai Zhiqiu detected an undeniable, irresistible authority within its soft tones.
It was as if she only had the right to accept, and that refusing would lead to some dreadful consequence…
“I’ll… I’ll get on now!” With a nervous heart, Bai Zhiqiu sat upon the swing.
“Are you ready? Hold tightly to the vines with your hands. I’m about to start!” Gu Nian’s voice drifted from behind her.
“Rea… ready…” Bai Zhiqiu sat on the swing, her hands gripping the vines tightly as her nerves stretched taut.
If anything felt amiss, she would immediately activate her Blood Wings. It was a retreat route she had prepared for herself in advance.
“Don’t be so nervous! Just relax!” Seeing Bai Zhiqiu’s anxious expression, Gu Nian offered words of comfort.
“The first time I played on this swing, I was very nervous too. But my older sister told me back then that the swing was sturdy and wouldn’t break! Now, I’ll pass those words to you: the swing is sturdy, and nothing will happen!”
‘Gu Nian has an older sister?’
This revelation sent a huge ripple through Bai Zhiqiu’s heart. She had never imagined that the current leader of the Witches would have an older sister.
‘Did this mean there was a third Sunwheel-tier expert within the Witches’ organization? This could be incredibly vital intelligence!’
“Ready? I’ll count to three. Three, two, one, go!”
With that, Gu Nian swung the swing outward.
“Gulp!” Bai Zhiqiu swallowed hard.
She felt her body soaring higher and higher. As the swing reached its apex, Bai Zhiqiu felt a momentary suspension, as if frozen in the air, before it began its arc back down.
“What do you think? Isn’t it fun!” Gu Nian looked at Bai Zhiqiu, her face alight with excitement.
“Yes! It’s great fun!” Now certain that the swing was indeed sturdy enough, Bai Zhiqiu finally shed her inner resistance.
“Then let’s keep going!”
This time, Gu Nian swung the swing even higher.
As Bai Zhiqiu soared upwards on the swing, numerous rainbows and clouds suddenly materialized beneath her. It was as if the entire garden had been transported to a paradise forged from clouds.
After a while, they switched places.
Watching Gu Nian’s joyful expression, Bai Zhiqiu could hardly believe this was the Witch leader capable of striking fear into the entire Magical Girl Association.
Time passed swiftly.
Under the evening breeze, the lingering glow of the sunset bathed both their hair.
Fortunately, the time flow here was twelve times faster than the outside world. Otherwise, the major battle would have already begun, and she would still be here, frolicking with Gu Nian.
‘Had she, perhaps, successfully completed her mission to stall Gu Nian?’
“Sister Gu Nian, I have a question I’d like to ask you!” After much deliberation, Bai Zhiqiu decided to make her move.
“Go on.”
Gu Nian gently brushed back Bai Zhiqiu’s hair, which had been somewhat disheveled by the wind.
“I want to know, Sister Gu Nian, what exactly is your purpose for entering the ‘Xuan Guan’?” Bai Zhiqiu asked, looking directly at Gu Nian, enunciating each word.
“Oh, nothing much! I just came here to find something. Although I haven’t found it yet, I did have a pleasant surprise – meeting you!” Gu Nian said, gently pinching Bai Zhiqiu’s cheek.
‘I suppose that’s how I should put it…’ Gu Nian murmured softly, so quietly that even Bai Zhiqiu didn’t quite catch it.
“Is the item you need inside the ‘Xuan Guan’, Sister Gu Nian?” Bai Zhiqiu whispered.
“Of course. Why? Are you going to help me steal it out?” Hearing Bai Zhiqiu’s question, Gu Nian replied in a joking tone.
Bai Zhiqiu shook her head at Gu Nian’s words.
“Don’t worry! I won’t do anything to put you in a difficult position.” Gu Nian said, stroking Bai Zhiqiu’s hair with a cheerful smile.
“Oh, by the way, if all goes as expected, the demonic beasts should launch a large-scale attack tomorrow around six in the morning.”
When this news reached her ears, Bai Zhiqiu could hardly believe it. Had Gu Nian just revealed such crucial intelligence so casually?
Seeing the shock in Bai Zhiqiu’s eyes, Gu Nian explained,