Chapter 15 Illusion

Luo Qing leaned against the stone wall, happily teasing the little sprite sitting on her hand, watching it tremble with fear at her words.

"Hello, I am Luo Qing."

When Maiser looked up and saw Luo Qing's face, she stopped trembling so much. "My name is Maiser, and I'm a water sprite."

"I am Mu Qimeng."

"I'm Fang Tai, nice to meet you."

"Mo Ming."

The three people next to him also came over to say hello.

"Why are you following us?" Luo Qing turned around and glanced at the patch of moss, asking curiously.

That's right. The four of them left seemingly nonchalantly, but in reality, they didn't leave at all. They were sneaking around behind a nearby stone wall, secretly listening to what the little elf was saying.

Luo Qing remembered what she had just heard: these little elves seemed to have not been out for a long time, so Maiser wanted to go out with her.

“I want to go out with you. Can you take me with you? I’m willing to acknowledge you as my master.” Maiser held Luo Qing’s hands in both of hers and shook them, as if she were pleading.

"Of course, no problem." Luo Qing pinched his pointed ears and agreed with a smile. But inwardly, she wondered why he was willing to pay such a high price to go out and sign a contract. What did he want?

However, since he couldn't betray her once the contract was signed, Luo Qing agreed so easily.

Luo Qing extended her palm and smiled at Maiser, saying, "Then, let's sign the contract."

Maiser nodded, his eyes shining with anticipation and determination.

He gently took Luo Qing's hand. At that moment, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, and the stone wall shimmered with a faint light, as if witnessing this moment.

Luo Qing felt a warm power coming from Maiser's hand. She closed her eyes, and everything around her became quiet. Only the power of the contract flowed in the air, as if it were an invisible bond that tightly connected them.

When Luo Qing opened her eyes, she saw a smile of joy and gratitude on Maiser's face.

Their contract has been established; Maiser has become Luo Qing's pet, and Luo Qing has taken on the responsibility of caring for and protecting him.

"So, can you tell me why now? Your high priest didn't ask you to sign a contract with me," Luo Qing asked Maiser through the contract. "What is the purpose of your contract with me?"

Maiser flew onto Luo Qing's shoulder and lay down. "Our people have been here for a long time. I have been here since I was born. I have only heard the high priest describe the outside world."

"I've always wanted to see the outside world, but there's a barrier that keeps us trapped."

"Unless you make a pact with a human, you can't get out. You are the first humans to come here in all these years."

Luo Qing knew through the contract that Maiser was not lying, because pets cannot deceive their owners.

After saying this, Maiser lowered his head and remained silent.

Luo Qing didn't press further, assuming he was reluctant to part with his people.

Actually, Maiser was feeling guilty. The reason he didn't tell Luo Qing was that he had secretly seen the words in the prophecy book when he went to see the high priest yesterday, which is why he insisted on making a pact with her.

Following the long stone wall, the group finally arrived at the cave entrance, which emitted a faint white light.

Just as Maiser had said, there was an opaque white barrier blocking the entrance to the cave.

The four exchanged a glance and took a firm step forward.

As Luo Qing passed through the cave entrance, she felt a slight resistance.

Passing through the barrier, Luo Qing stood at the edge of the cave entrance, and the sight before her made her hold her breath instantly.

Sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds, illuminating the vast green grassland, making each blade of grass shimmer with a crystalline luster.

In the distance, the winding river, like a silver ribbon, flows gently through the meadow, its water reflecting the sunlight and shimmering with golden light.

A gentle breeze carries the fresh scent of grass and delicate floral fragrance, bringing a sense of comfort and tranquility.

Luo Qing felt as if she were in a beautiful painting, where every part was full of life and vitality.

She turned to look at Maiser on her shoulder, and saw that his eyes were wide open, his face full of surprise and joy.

Luo Qing couldn't help but smile and gently patted his head. "It seems we've found a very beautiful place."

"It's so beautiful, I really want to take a picture to record it." Mu Qimeng took a deep breath. "The air is as fresh as it was when I was a child, and even the little courtyard is exactly the same."

"Yes, the starry sky here is so beautiful. The stars are twinkling like shattered diamonds. Look, Brother Mo, it's a meteor shower! Make a wish!"

Fang Tai bowed his head and clasped his hands together, praying, "Bless me to live in a villa, drive a luxury car, and find my parents."

Mo Ming's ears turned red, and he looked ahead shyly. He stretched out his hands as if he were hugging something to his chest. "Atai, this is something I should do."

He paused for a moment, then extended his left hand, fingers spread, and said, "I do."

Maiser paced anxiously, watching the four people with their eyes closed, each talking to themselves. "How did they end up like this as soon as we came out? Are they in an illusion?"

He grabbed a strand of Luo Qing's hair and kept shouting in her ear, "Master, you're in an illusion! Wake up!"

Luo Qing noticed a person suddenly walking out from not far to her left.

Luo Qing turned her head and saw a familiar figure slowly walking towards her. It was someone she would never forget, someone deeply hidden in her heart—the orphanage director.

The headmistress has a full head of white hair and deep wrinkles on her face, but her eyes reveal warmth and kindness.

She was wearing an old blue cotton dress and was leaning on a well-worn cane.

Seeing Luo Qing, the headmistress smiled with relief. She walked up to Luo Qing, reached out, and gently stroked Luo Qing's head. "Child, you're finally back."

Luo Qing was stunned; she couldn't believe her eyes. Was this real? How could the headmistress be here?

Grandma Dean took out a package wrapped in a handkerchief from her pocket. With trembling hands, she unwrapped it layer by layer, revealing a piece of white pastry, which was already a little broken.

With trembling hands, she handed it to Luo Qing, saying, "Xiao Qing, eat quickly. Grandma specially saved this peach blossom cake for you."

Luo Qing took the pastry and immediately stuffed it into the mouth of the dean's grandmother across from her.

"Eat, eat, eat more." Luo Qing rolled her eyes as she stuffed food into her mouth. "Are you from ancient times? Peach blossom cake, my foot. I think your brain is a piece of peach blossom cake."

The Dean's smile froze instantly on her face, crumbs of pastry slid from the corners of her mouth, and her eyes revealed deep shock and bewilderment.

Then, her body began to tremble violently, and she clutched her chest with both hands, as if something was churning inside.

Then, her face turned as pale as paper, a trace of black blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, and she collapsed to the ground, turning into a wisp of black smoke and disappearing.

"As expected of trash, even the smoke it produces is black." Luo Qing's face turned red with anger. The Dean's grandmother was her last line of defense, and now someone dared to impersonate her.

The surrounding scenery quickly faded away, and Luo Qing suddenly felt a sharp pain on her scalp and heard someone shouting in her ear, "Master, wake up! You're in an illusion!"

Luo Qing opened her eyes expressionlessly, and grasped Mai Se's hand that was constantly pulling at her. "I'm awake. You can let go now."

Maiser chuckled, withdrew his hand, and flew back to Luo Qing's shoulder.

Luo Qing looked around and saw that the stone walls were still the same as before. She frowned, and the white barrier was still in front of her.

"Master, you were just about to go in when you were suddenly trapped in an illusion."

Luo Qing nodded, his face dark as he looked at the three people beside him who were behaving strangely, and slapped each of them to wake them up.

The three of them groggily opened their eyes and found themselves still in the stone passage.

"It seems we've been trapped in an illusion." A hint of regret appeared in the eyes of all three.