Even though he was young, even though he was still weak, he was still doing his best to take care of her in his own way.

If it were anyone else, how could a Demon Tamer Journeyman possibly look after a Great Demon Tamer? Such overconfidence!

But for Du Yu, in this place and at this very moment, he really was the only one who could communicate with the Shadow Gu Tower.

In the image, the black mist woman finally moved.

She slowly turned her head, her eyes formed only of vague outlines silently gazing at Du Yu, then raised her hand and offered the small Shadow Gu Tower.

But she wasn't offering it to Du Yu, rather, she extended it to Lin Shiwei standing beside him.

"This…" Lin Shiwei hesitated, turning her head to look at Du Yu, uncertain if she should accept it.

The black mist woman simply pressed the little Shadow Gu Tower in front of Lin Shiwei, forcefully pushing it into her arms.

Then the black mist woman withdrew her hand, tapped her own chest with one finger, and then tapped the left side of Du Yu's chest.

Du Yu's heart stirred: "What does that mean?"

In truth, Du Yu had already started to guess what the Shadow Gu Tower was intending.

He just didn't dare be certain, and didn't dare to indulge in such daydreams.

Not only had Du Yu figured it out, everyone understood the intent of the Shadow Gu Tower's gesture, but no one dared to make a rash judgment.

Ancient Spiritual Artifact—Shadow Gu Tower… Is it planning to go with Du Yu?

Has it finally made up its mind, ready to open its heart and entrust its last story?

No one knows what will happen to the Shadow Gu Tower itself after its story is told in full.

But at this very moment, the Shadow Gu Tower's actions were telling everyone what it intended to do.

This tower… Du Yu really climbed it right to the heart!

Now it seems, Yang Qingqing's individual strength is no longer important. As long as you're Du Yu's master, he's already got everything sorted for you…

The black mist woman slowly put away her umbrella, and then, suddenly, the surveillance footage shifted. Gone were the gray fog and haze—now there was blue sky and white clouds, the image crisp and bright.

"They're coming out! Someone's appearing at the top of the tower!"

"Amazing, they actually made it? Looks like you really have to team up to enter the tower?"

"Ah… wait—what stage are those two anyway? They look so young, don't tell me they're Demon Tamer Journeymen?"

"Shut up! What are you saying? Don't embarrass your master!"

Amid the buzzing chatter, cheers and applause broke out. On the seventh floor of the Shadow Gu Tower, two figures suddenly appeared.

Maybe these two young people had stayed too long in the gloom—they both squinted, one hand shielding their eyes, adjusting to the dazzling natural light.

"Pfft~"

In Lin Shiwei's hand, the small Shadow Gu Tower quietly shattered, and a thread of Spiritual Qi surged into her body.

Lin Shiwei's body suddenly tensed up, and she slumped forward uncontrollably.

"Hold steady." Du Yu caught Lin Shiwei in one arm. "Expel the Demon Breath from your body—don't let the Demon Breath extinguish the Spiritual Qi!"

With his prior experience, Du Yu immediately gave his teammate clear instructions.

At the Demon Tamer Prentice stage, people can't control Demon Breath very well; but at the Demon Tamer Journeyman stage, things get a lot better.

Even so, the Spiritual Qi in Lin Shiwei's body was precious—there could not be a single mistake!

"O-okay…" Lin Shiwei stammered in response.

She squeezed her eyes shut, leaning into Du Yu's arms, her mind's eye focused inward on the meridian world, struggling to drive out all the overly "enthusiastic" Demon Breath.

The problem was, the Demon Breath inside Lin Shiwei was far more complicated than inside Du Yu.

After all, she was an All-Attribute Demon Tamer. Even though she mainly trained in Wood and Fire dual elements, all kinds of Demon Breath lingered inside her!

The girl's expression was quite stiff; clearly, things weren't going well for her.

Suddenly, Little Fen Yang's voice sounded in Du Yu's mind: "Want me to help Sister Xiaowei, hmm?"

Du Yu replied mentally, "Can you do it?"

"Hmph~ I'm amazing!"

Du Yu felt a rush of joy inside: "Yes, yes, yes, Little Fen Yang is the best. Help her out, okay?"

Little Fen Yang: "Okay~ I like Sister Xiaowei too, she always protects us."

Thinking back to their time at the Mountain Fire Blade Training Camp, Du Yu couldn't help agreeing.

Little Fen Yang's muttering voice echoed again: "She's so weak, yet always wants to protect us. Sister Xiaowei is a good person~"

Du Yu: "..."

So… Lin is weak?

Later, let's have Little Fen Yang review Li Mengnan—then we'll have titles for all three war generals of the Yan Organization!

With random thoughts buzzing in his head, Du Yu didn't want to keep standing up high, exposed to everyone's gaze. He gently tapped Little You Ying with his forehead and stored it in his Forehead Acupoint, then put his arm around Lin Shiwei and turned to head down the tower.

Last time, he'd tumbled straight down from the seventh floor, never getting the chance to admire the sights inside the Shadow Gu Tower. Now, he could take this opportunity to enjoy a proper look around.

Lin Shiwei's body shivered slightly, detecting a hint of Fire Attribute aura entering her inner world.

And it wasn't Fire Demon Breath, but actual Fire Spiritual Qi!

"Focus," Du Yu reminded at just the right moment, stopping Lin Shiwei from asking questions, "find a place for the Spiritual Qi to reside—an Acupoint Home—as quickly as possible."

He had just reached the foot of the wooden staircase when he suddenly halted. Because, by the doorway to the sixth floor's stairs, a black mist woman was standing?

Had the illusion bled into reality?

At that moment, Du Yu suddenly wasn't sure where he was.

Did I really return to the real world and succeed in reaching the summit, or am I still stuck within the Illusion Realm?

At the bottom of the stairs, the black mist woman had already folded up her umbrella. Dressed in a black wool coat and round black hat, her look clashed entirely with the ancient, weathered decor of the Shadow Gu Tower.

Rather than say she was the embodiment of the Shadow Gu Tower, it was more like she was a tourist visiting a historic landmark.

At the surveillance panel, Battalion Commander Liu's face was grim. He pressed the comms button: "Nobody move rashly. Let's see what she's going to do."

Before, there had been Demon Tamers who'd climbed the tower successfully and returned the way they came, but none of them had met an incarnation from the Illusion Realm.

Still, since Du Yu and the Shadow Gu Tower were on good terms, this black mist woman probably wouldn't get hostile?

"Creak… creak…"

The old wooden stairs seemed long-neglected. As Du Yu descended, each step released a faint, squealing sound.

Du Yu reached the sixth floor, but the black mist woman did nothing—she just stood silently to one side, saying not a word.

"Should I just go then?" Du Yu hesitated, asking quietly.

The black mist woman seemed like a statue—she didn't move at all.

Du Yu couldn't figure it out. He waited a moment, then helped Lin Shiwei around the stairwell, making for the entrance to the next flight of stairs below.

And again, a strange scene repeated! By the fifth floor stairwell, another black mist woman was standing quietly.

Du Yu: "..."

Seriously~ Are you the greeting ladies?

Here to send me off?

So mysterious and spooky—you gave me a start…

Not until Du Yu had descended to the first floor did the black mist woman guarding the stairs finally move, as if truly seeing them off, escorting Du Yu to the main door of the Shadow Gu Tower.

The soldiers stationed at the monitors were completely stunned.

This was a real friend—and she really did intend to go with Du Yu!

Countless Demon Tamers have climbed the Shadow Gu Tower again and again. Most were tossed flying out through a window. The very few who reached the top either fell down from the seventh floor or left the tower all alone.

No one had ever seen a Demon Tamer receive such an honor from the Shadow Gu Tower!

"Thank you. Goodbye." Standing at the door, Du Yu turned to nod at the black mist woman.

The black mist woman touched her own heart with one finger, then reached forward and lightly tapped Du Yu's Spirit Ruins Acupoint.

As that gesture appeared once again, Du Yu could finally be sure of the Shadow Gu Tower's intentions.

He grinned: "You know, when I first climbed the tower, when I received the Spiritual Qi you gave me, I actually worried for your future.

I was afraid that, when your story was finished, your own strength would be exhausted. I even wondered what your ending would be—would you lose everything and stand here forever, alone in this desolate mountain? But now, I see I needn't have worried.

Don't worry. I'll be outside, waiting for you."

The black mist woman's expressionless face finally showed a faint smile.

She didn't need to trace her eyebrows with silk to show it, but it was clear—the Spiritual Artifact contract was now sealed!

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