Blossom Mountain, underground.
In a small cell, Belle and Tina Ao sat quietly together. Not far from them, outside the bars, stood two demon soldiers on guard, their postures so stiff they seemed almost uncomfortable.
It was probably because they knew they were guarding two of Blossom Mountain’s most important figures.
Unlike most prisons, this cell was unusually clean. That cleanliness extended to every corner.
The fresh straw on the floor was new, the freshly hewn stone was coated with a layer of white lime, and though neat instruments of punishment were placed in order, not a trace of blood could be seen—there wasn’t even a spot of rust on the iron bars.
With the torches blazing on the walls and a fully functional ventilation system, this cell had none of the damp gloom typical of other prisons. In fact, it hardly looked like a cell at all.
In truth, this was part of a small underground fortress. Until a few days ago, it hadn’t even had a prison. Its main purpose was to store weapons, armor, elixirs, and food—serving as a base if Blossom Mountain’s defenders ever had to retreat underground during dire times.
This kind of place was never meant to hold prisoners, so naturally, it had no need for a cell.
But just a few days ago, Monkey King gave a sudden order, forcing a cell—and two special ‘prisoners’—into this space.
The teacup at hand trembled slightly, issuing a harsh sound as it rattled against the table.
Belle unconsciously gripped her long skirt.
The entire cell was shaking.
Even sitting inside, they could clearly hear the screams, roars, and explosions from outside...
The noise made Belle anxious and restless.
"What’s wrong? Scared?" Tina Ao asked.
Belle pressed her lips together and shook her head.
"If you’re scared, you’re scared—there’s no need to deny it." Tina Ao lowered her head, sipped her tea, and sighed. "They’re making quite a racket. It’s not strange to be afraid."
"Tina, do you think he’ll win?" Belle asked nervously.
"That, I don’t know either." Tina Ao smiled. "But shouldn’t you know better than me? I never get involved in these things. You’ve at least helped with the alchemy—you should understand Blossom Mountain more than I do."
Belle lowered her head and fell silent, her blue eyes—framed by long lashes—fixed on the teacup, lost in thought.
Seeing Belle’s anxious expression, Tina Ao covered her mouth and laughed. "Don’t worry, the fighting outside is fierce. We may not win, but at least it won’t be easy to lose. After all, this is our own territory—if we can withstand the first wave, things will get easier."
After a brief pause, she lowered her voice. "But I’m surprised you agreed to stay here so easily. I thought you’d want to follow them onto the battlefield."
Staring at her teacup, Belle said softly, "I don’t want to be a burden to him."
"Hm?"
"He only gave me two choices: either leave Blossom Mountain early, or stay here with you. I don’t want him worrying about me while he’s fighting. So..."
Tina Ao fell silent.
After a long while, she rested her chin on her hand, gazing at Belle. "There’s something I’ve never understood."
Belle lifted her head slightly.
"Why do people fall for Monkey King?"
"Huh?" Belle’s face flushed red. She lowered her head, fidgeting for a long moment before mumbling, "Doesn’t Sister Anna like him too...? Isn’t that normal?"
"Is it normal? Sister Anna isn’t exactly a normal person—she’s over a thousand years old. And that’s a thousand years lived in the mortal world, not just a thousand days in Heaven. She’s been through countless battles and storms; by now, her outlook and thoughts are bound to be detached. Honestly, my question was just about ordinary people. But you—you’re not even twenty yet, right?"
Belle didn’t answer, her face growing even redder.
"Not even twenty... You haven’t even lived through a normal century of human life, let alone anything like hers. How could you talk about being detached?"
Belle still said nothing.
"Your eyes are blue. I’ve always wondered—does the world look different through blue eyes than it does for the rest of us?"
As she spoke, Tina Ao leaned closer, as if trying to see some secret in Belle’s eyes.
Belle blinked and dodged away.
"It’s probably the same. But I can’t say for sure—I’ve never seen with black eyes..."
"How did your eyes turn blue?"
"Master said I was born with blue eyes."
"What about your parents? Do they have blue eyes too?"
Belle tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "Master said their eyes are black."
"You’ve never met your parents?"
"No, I’ve been at Crescent Star Cave since I can remember."
Tina Ao just replied, "Oh," and didn’t ask further.
Soon, the wooden door was kicked open with a loud bang.
The two girls in the cell jumped up in fright, while the two demon soldiers nervously drew their weapons.
But the newcomer wasn’t a Heavenly soldier—it was a demon general.
The demon general nodded to Belle and Tina Ao in greeting, then barked at the two guards: "Take your weapons and follow me!"
"Where to?" The two demon soldiers exchanged glances.
"Where else? We’re going to fight the Heavenly River Navy!"
"But... but we don’t have 'wings.'"
"Forget 'wings'! Damn it, stop asking so many questions—just follow me!"
...
Blossom Mountain battlefield.
The fighting in the sky raged on, growing fiercer by the minute. Both sides had committed all their reserves, yet the struggle remained deadlocked.
In the blaze of fire, crimson blood splattered every corner.
Watching the blood rain, Nathan Young leaned over the rail of his warship and sighed quietly, "It’s all the same red blood. Why must it come to this? Today I finally understand what war really means."
On the ground, new battles were erupting.
Countless warships fell, and from afar, the Blossom Mountain region looked like a graveyard of ships. Vast forests were ablaze, the flames turning the night sky a dim red.
All the demons who had been hiding in underground cities and caves had now joined the fight. Led by a masked woman, they weaved through the wreckage of warships, rescuing demon soldiers who had crashed but were still alive—and delivering fatal blows to the wounded Heavenly River Navy.
These weak demons, unable to fly in the sky, had now become the most feared threat to the Heavenly River Navy.
"Damn these little demons. They’re just picking us off while we’re distracted!" a Heavenly general roared.
Even as he spoke, Tianxin suddenly accelerated, swooping down from the sky toward the masked woman.