Gradually, the scattered crowds began to disperse and drift away from the area, realising with a heavy sense of awe that there was nothing more to be seen or done at the site of the vanished cave. They needed to return to their bases as quickly as possible to report this bizarre and catastrophic event to their respective sects and organisations, as the sudden disappearance of such a massive resource would surely shift the local power balance.

Meanwhile, tucked far away from the lingering chaos and prying eyes, Bai Xifeng had already surrendered to a deep, unconscious slumber. Seeing that she was in no condition to look after herself, and deeply worried that some opportunistic predator or a lingering rival might stumble upon her. At the same time, she was so vulnerable, Baishe took it upon himself to gently bring her into the absolute safety of the Mirror World.

The act of uprooting and internalising something as gargantuan as that entire cave had clearly drained a staggering, almost lethal amount of her spiritual energy. Baishe sighed softly as he watched her sleep, her breathing shallow and rhythmic. If she had not been so incredibly greedy and insisted on plucking the whole mountain root like a common weed, this total collapse of her physical and spiritual strength might not have happened.

However, as Baishe surveyed their surroundings within the dimension, he soon noticed profound, ethereal changes rippling through the Mirror World itself. It appeared that the dimension had undergone a massive, spontaneous upgrade the moment the Xien Stone Cave was anchored firmly within its borders.

The concentration of spiritual Qi within the Mirror World had spiked significantly, becoming thick, sweet, and nourishing to the soul. Even the physical boundaries of the space appeared to have expanded outward toward the horizon, creating vast new territories of virgin land for them to explore. The presence of the Xien Heart Stones was acting like a powerful new battery, pulsing with a rhythmic light that revitalised the entire realm.

Still, despite these wondrous benefits, Baishe had no intention of telling Bai Xifeng about the space’s upgrade the moment she woke up. He knew her character far too well. If that girl ever learned that dragging massive landmarks into the Mirror World would empower it further, she would undoubtedly spend her days hunting down every spirit vein and ancient ruin she could find, trying to drag them all inside like a magpie obsessively collecting shiny trinkets.

He looked down at his sleeping master and shook his head with a mixture of exasperation and fondness, truly not knowing what to say about this impossible girl anymore.

....

Bai Xifeng finally woke up, the heavy fog of exhaustion lifting from her mind. She slowly opened her eyes and observed her surroundings, blinking against the soft, radiant light. She quickly realised that she was resting inside the Mirror World. After the monumental task of dragging the Xien Stone Cave into this dimension, she had completely exhausted every drop of her energy and become overwhelmingly tired. She had no memory of when exactly she had fallen asleep. It must have been Baishe’s doing, sensing her collapse and bringing her into the Mirror World afterwards for protection.

"Oh... Xiaofeng, you finally woke up!" Heishe exclaimed, rushing over with his usual boundless energy to wrap her in a tight hug.

"Wait a minute. Stop. How long was I out? How long did I sleep?" Bai Xifeng asked, pushing him back slightly as she sought confirmation.

"Just one night," Heishe answered honestly.

Bai Xifeng immediately reached out and smacked Heishe squarely on the head.

"Xiaofeng! Why did you hit me?" Heishe asked, pouting and rubbing the sore spot, feeling deeply wronged after being struck so suddenly.

"You! You acted as if I had slept for an eternity! I thought it was like that last time, when I could not wake up for many days, and everything moved on without me." Bai Xifeng scolded him, her heart still racing from the initial shock.

"Oh... I did not know about that." Heishe replied, shrinking back a little.

That particular incident had happened before she had ever met Heishe, so he truly knew nothing about the trauma of her previous long-term coma.

Bai Xifeng knew she needed to return to the school eventually to turn in her quest. However, that would have to wait for a while because she was currently ravenous. Her stomach growled loudly in the quiet space. She did not have the energy or the desire to cook from scratch, so she rummaged through her storage rune where she kept a variety of ready-made meals.

To her delight, the noodles she had purchased from the old uncle’s stall were still available and perfectly preserved. Bai Xifeng immediately took them out, the savoury aroma filling the air as she prepared to eat.

Suddenly, Tao-chan appeared out of thin air beside her, his nose twitching.

"Where is mine?" Tao-chan asked, his voice a low rumble as he demanded his rightful portion.

Bai Xifeng sighed, knowing she had no choice but to surrender the delicious noodles to the gluttonous beast. She handed them over and took out something else for herself. Since Tao-chan was here, she knew that one bowl of noodles would never be enough to satisfy him. Consequently, Bai Xifeng brought out a large spread of food, turning her simple breakfast into a veritable feast.

After eating her fill, Bai Xifeng did not rush to leave. Instead, she wandered over to inspect the newly relocated Xien Stone Cave. She smiled happily, her eyes glittering as she looked at the silver veins. She would be able to sell a steady supply of Xien Stones later, providing her with a massive, independent income.

***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko*