Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden gust of wind rushed out from the trees behind them. A green figure descended from the sky, followed by a cold snort. “I didn’t expect you, Beitang Ken, to also be involved in such flip-flopping deeds!” The woman in green had finally caught up.

  “The ‘Spiritual Rhino” sword is still yours.” Beitang Ken didn't offer any further expnation. He csped the sword box with both hands, silently signaling Ding Xiaocuo to let go. Ding Xiaocuo shook her head vigorously, refusing to release it. If she let go, who knew when or if she’d ever see it again?

  The tense air was sliced open by a sharp force. A three-pronged throwing dart, tipped with barbed hooks, shot from the woman′s hand, heading straight for Ding Xiaocuo′s heart. Clink! The sharp sound echoed as Beitang Ken flicked his fingers, effortlessly deflecting the dart with a flick of his hand.

  "The moonlight is especially beautiful tonight; it's not the right time to kill," he said, lifting Ding Xiaocuo up—or more accurately, grabbing her by the colr and pulling her up.

  "Beitang Ken, you can't afford to offend the people behind me." The woman in green took out a signaling arrow, preparing to fire it. "And don't think that just because you have the letter and know Ye Nishang's hiding pce, everything is settled. As soon as I fire this arrow, our people will always be one step ahead of you, and we'll turn her into minced meat!"

  Beitang Ken tightened his grip slightly, and the sword box flew from Ding Xiaocuo's hands toward the woman in green.

  "My sword!!" Ding Xiaocuo screamed, her voice full of anguish.

  "Likewise, I hope you'll honor your promises." He shot a cold gnce at the woman. She opened the sword box, inspected it, and then gave him a knowing smile. "Don't just talk about the “Spiritual RhinoSword. One day, even the world will be ours. A person who wants to achieve greatness must keep their word. Now go and fetch your woman. Hahaha."

  The woman in green's figure vanished into the night, clearly satisfied. Beitang Ken pulled out the letter, read it, and then ripped it up, tossing the scraps over the edge of the cliff. He acted as if the person beside him—who was clutching their chest and rolling around on the ground—didn’t even exist.

  Seeing Beitang Ken's complete indifference to her dramatic performance, Ding Xiaocuo gritted her teeth, stood up, and rushed to the edge of the cliff. She raised her arms to the sky and howled like a wolf, "Dad, Mom, I can't save you anymore! I... I'm too ashamed to live on! Let this deep, dark cliff bury my shameful heart!"

  Beitang Ken turned around, preparing to leave.

  Ding Xiaocuo froze for a moment, then quickly raised her voice. "I'm jumping!!"

  Beitang Ken paid no attention, continuing to walk away.

  "Hey, hey! I really am jumping!!" Ding Xiaocuo made up her mind and took another small step forward. Some loose stones tumbled down the edge of the cliff. Beitang Ken still didn't look back.

  "Beitang Ken, you..." Ding Xiaocuo stomped her foot in frustration. But as her expression changed, she suddenly felt her footing give way. With a *crack* sound, the ground beneath her split open. In a panic, she grabbed onto a vine hanging from the cliff's edge, her entire body now suspended in midair. "Help!!" she screamed. Considering the vine's strength and her weight, it probably wouldn’t hold for more than two minutes.

  "Even when you lie, at least make it believable." Beitang Ken's face appeared above her, crouching casually at the cliff's edge as if watching a show.

  "I... I′m not lying..." Ding Xiaocuo shivered, then suddenly shouted, "Hurry up and pull me up!!"

  "Before that vine breaks, I hope you'll have time to expin your real motive for stealing the “Spiritual Rhino” Sword." Beitang Ken gave her a pitying gnce.

  "I already told you the “Spiritual Rhino” Sword is mine! I was just getting back what's mine!" Ding Xiaocuo looked down at the abyss below. The endless darkness made her feel dizzy.

  "Then you can keep hanging there and pying. I'm leaving," Beitang Ken said, standing up.

  "Hey, hey! I didn't say that!" Ding Xiaocuo's voice cracked with desperation. "I've been guarding the “Spiritual Rhino” Sword for hundreds of years! It was given to me by my master! That day, after watching a movie, I lost it, and I accidentally ended up in the Song Dynasty! My name is Ding Xiaocuo. I'm from over 900 years in the future! Please, hurry and pull me up!" Tears were nearly streaming down her face in panic. The worst part was she clearly heard the vine cracking. How shameful! As a “Spiritual Rhino,” she couldn’t even fly! How could she end up hanging on this cliff, being taunted by this man!

  "Ding Xiaocuo... Xiaocuo..." Beitang Ken murmured her name, as if pondering something.

  At that moment, there was a loud "crack," followed by Ding Xiaocuo's scream. The vine snapped in two!

  The cold wind swiftly brushed past Ding Xiaocuo's ears, and her body suddenly felt weightless, as if her soul were about to drift away. The full moon in the sky seemed not to be moving farther away but getting closer and closer. Along with it came a shadow, its figure flying, its robes fluttering in the wind, rushing forward without hesitation. Beitang Ken... Ding Xiaocuo murmured his name before closing her eyes.

  "This fish was mine first!" Ten-year-old Ding Xiaocuo, dressed in a pink skirt, stood by the riverbank, hands on her hips, angrily shouting at the boy who seemed to be of simir age.

  "But the one who caught it first was me," the boy said, raising the rare, colorful fish in his hand before pcing it in the fish basket.

  "You shameless thing!" Ding Xiaocuo jumped in front of the boy, gring up at him angrily, who was half a head taller than her. She then found a stone to stand on so she could speak to him from a slightly elevated angle. "Whoever sees it first gets it!"

  The boy tossed the fish basket onto his back, giving her a cold look. "Just because you saw it, it's yours? Then what about the sky and the earth? Are they yours too, just because you can see them?"

  "You..." Ding Xiaocuo was speechless, her face turning as red as a tomato. The boy ignored her and walked off toward the riverbank.

  "How irritating!" Ding Xiaocuo was furious. She sat down cross-legged, csped her hands together, and muttered a few incantations under her breath. A soft, pink glowing circle of light appeared in her palms. She hissed softly, "Go!" The light shot out like an arrow, passing through the boy's back without leaving a trace, piercing through where his heart was. After circling around him twice, it zoomed back to her hands. She csped her palms together, and the glow quickly vanished. Opening her eyes, she wore a mischievous smile.

  "Beitang Ken!" She stood up and shouted at his back. The boy paused for a moment, turned around, and looked at her with suspicion. This was their first meeting. "How do you know my name?"

  "Hehe, not only do I know your name, but I also know your birthdate and the name of the person you hate the most!" The more surprised his expression became, the happier Ding Xiaocuo felt. Beitang Ken looked at her smug face, shook his head, and turned to leave.

  "Hey, hey! You can't just leave! Hey!" Ding Xiaocuo jumped down from the stone, stamped her feet, and shouted, "You little brat! No respect at all! Fine, Beitang Ken, just you wait!"