Chapter 24: Wow, There’s Even a Domain Expansion… Where Does It Expand?

“Those children are in danger!”

Qiu Qiqian shouted as she dodged the lashings of the tentacles, attempting to use the Black Arms she summoned to pull several of the children back.

However, these massive, sprouting tentacles seemed to possess their own intelligence, intercepting her movements in advance to prevent Qiu Qiqian’s arms from touching the children.

“Xiao Qian, let me down,”

Li Meng said to Qiu Qiqian, her voice carrying a hint of composure.

“Are you sure? Down there… it’s full of them.”

“Don’t worry, this level isn’t enough to threaten me. Didn’t I tell you before? Every Youxun can handle at least one Storm-level Guiyi.”

“And… Xiao Qian, haven’t you always wanted to know what my ability is?”

Li Meng gave Qiu Qiqian a slight smile, her gaze shifting downward.

“It isn’t the only one capable of creating an Inner World.”

‘Hmm? What does she mean? Could it be… this girl can deploy a domain?’

“Well… all right then.”

Without overthinking it, Qiu Qiqian quickly bypassed the encirclement formed by several tentacles, accurately carrying Li Meng to the space between the children and the Meat Mountain.

After confirming the position, Li Meng gave Qiu Qiqian a wink.

She then leaped from her arms, using the Dark Breath Flow she released to clear the Mycelium Carpet from the ground in advance, revealing a patch of clear water.

Thump!

Where Li Meng landed, 1,000 splashes erupted.

Her gray eyes now pierced through the water droplets in the air, staring at the Meat Mountain before her with murderous intent.

In an instant, the Meat Mountain seemed to sense something, displaying an attacking speed completely at odds with its massive size.

Almost all of its limbs surged toward Li Meng in a single breath, and the nearest giant tentacles also lashed out at her.

In this critical moment…

“VOID DIMENSION GAP”

Buzz —

A ripple at the spatial level instantly spread outward with Li Meng as the center.

Everything touched by the ripple seemed to have its time come to a direct halt.

Whether it was the swinging limbs of the Meat Mountain or the children walking forward.

The drooping tentacles and the spreading Mycelium Carpet.

Even the water splashes kicked up when Li Meng landed now hung suspended in mid-air, as if eternal.

***

Buzz…

Drip…

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed; it felt like a dream.

When that single drop of water finally fell back to the ground, everything began to flow once more.

Qiu Qiqian snapped out of her daze, subconsciously touching her head.

‘What just happened to me… did I fall asleep? That’s impossible… there’s no way I could fall asleep in this environment. Right! Li Meng and those children…’

Qiu Qiqian immediately looked toward Li Meng.

Within her field of vision, the giant tentacles and the limbs extended by the Meat Mountain still existed, but for some reason, they had all stopped in mid-air.

As for the children… the floating blood vessels were still connected to them, but they were no longer walking forward.

Instead, they all remained where they stood.

Snap.

The first blood vessel connected to a child snapped, dissipating into a large amount of blood-red Nether Breath.

Then came the second, the third…

As the blood vessels snapped, the paleness on the children’s faces fell away like peeling paint, allowing their original features to return.

More bizarrely, the Mycelium Carpet covering the ground was fading and dissipating at an incredible speed.

The giant tentacles standing atop the carpet withered rapidly like dying plants, shrinking until even their shadows could no longer be seen.

Finally… it was the massive Meat Mountain’s turn.

As if dehydrated, the limbs that had nearly touched Li Meng began to wither and shrink at a startling rate.

The flesh that had been flush with the color of blood began to fall off like the bark of a rotting tree.

Its skin, its flesh, and its organs stiffened, faded, and collapsed at a terrifying speed.

In the end, only a pile of burnt ash remained of the Meat Mountain.

Qiu Qiqian was too stunned to speak.

To her, it looked as if the Meat Mountain had simply died for no reason; she had no idea what Li Meng had actually done.

‘Wait, isn’t this Meat Mountain a Titan-level? In a normal anime or manga, the fight should have lasted for several chapters. This girl… is she too strong?’

Although Qiu Qiqian believed in Li Meng’s strength, she flew back to her side out of concern to check on her.

“Li Meng, you…”

Just as Qiu Qiqian reached out, Li Meng suddenly tilted backward.

Seeing this, Qiu Qiqian hurried to catch her, looking down at the girl in her arms with a panicked expression.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me!”

“Ugh… sorry, sorry. Using this ability consumes a lot of Nether Breath and mental energy. I just need to rest for a bit,” Li Meng said, opening her eyes.

She gazed into Qiu Qiqian’s golden eyes with her own gray ones, offering a slight smile as she reassured her in a somewhat sluggish tone.

“By the way, what about the children?”

“Them? Don’t worry, they’ve all returned to normal.”

“That’s good. Oh, and Xiao Qian, don’t you dare sneakily eat that Titan-level Guiyi’s Wart Crystal while I’m resting.”

“I… I would never!”

Qiu Qiqian’s cheeks flushed slightly.

She then summoned a Black Arm to retrieve a blood-red glowing Wart Crystal from the pile of ash, placing it into the small bag Li Meng carried with her.

***

After the Meat Mountain died, the entire Inner World began to collapse.

Fortunately, even with her remaining Nether Breath, Li Meng was able to protect the children from being destroyed by the collapsing world.

In the end, under Li Meng’s protection, all the children returned safely to the Real World.

However, since a large portion of their life force had been drained, they would likely need a long time to recover.

Overall, though, it was a happy ending.

“Hey, Xiao Qian,”

Li Meng called out to Qiu Qiqian that evening, after they had finished discussing the incident at the Youxun Sentry Post and were heading out.

“What?”

Qiu Qiqian asked with her hands on her hips, her face showing a hint of impatience.

“I need to hurry back and make dinner for you.”

“Lean your face… a little closer.”

“What are you doing?”

“Aww, you’ll know once you lean in!”

Ultimately, Qiu Qiqian couldn’t win against Li Meng.

She sighed helplessly and leaned her face closer.

‘This girl probably wants to tell me some secret.’

Chu.

With a soft sound, Li Meng quietly placed a kiss on Qiu Qiqian’s cheek.

Qiu Qiqian froze for a moment.

By the time she reacted, her entire face had turned deep red.

“Wha—! Why… why did you suddenly kiss my cheek!”

Qiu Qiqian covered the side that had been kissed, her words clearly incoherent.

“Pfft… I was just trying out a method Lady Isana taught me to improve our relationship,” Li Meng giggled.

‘Isana? That girl who makes those weird hand gestures? Don’t listen to her!’

Nearby, two Youxun standing guard at the entrance of the Youxun Sentry Post watched the little scene with expressionless faces.

“Are Miss Li Meng and this Miss Qiu Qiqian female colleagues?”

“I don’t know. Probably.”