He Shan's gaze inadvertently fell on one particular scar on his left arm when Zou Yi asked that question.
"Fine, but what if she doesn't end up being surprising and is in fact what we both believe her to be?" asked He Shan as he took a sit while facing the waterfall with his back facing Zou Yi.
"Then we abandon her," Zou Yi firmly said as he took a sit beside him. He was still mindful enough to keep a distance from He Shan.
..
"Hi, I'm Zou Liqin, do you maybe want to partner up with us for the test? I think it would be good if those of us with the cultivation base would look out for each other," Zou Liqin softly said as she tried to rouse the 13-year-old girl from her dazed state with a soft tone.
"Hi.."
Zou Liqin called her once more when she didn't get a response even after a minute or two had passed. She awkwardly looked behind her only to see her brother urging her to hurry, while He Shan didn't hide his displeasure as he glared at her with an impatient expression.
Zou Liqin sighed as she prepared to try and reach out to the girl once more. If she didn't reply, she would take it as a decline of her request and just leave.
"You're kind."
The young girl suddenly spoke just as Zou Liqin was about to reach out to her again.
Zou Liqin was stunned for a brief second before she hurriedly said,
"Do you want to team up with us?" Zou Liqin asked with a polite smile as she pointed to her brother and He Shan, whose gazes were locked on the 13-year-old girl.
"This waterfall is mesmerizing. I don't know when was the last time I felt this peaceful," said the young girl as she stared at the waterfall with a serene look on her face.
"She's pretty,"
"Mmh, but we will still abandon her if the situation asks for it,"
"Goes without saying, but still..."
"She looks like a moon fox,"
Zou Yi and He Shan had dazed looks as they saw her serene appearance that seemed to meld with the charm of the waterfall.
Zou Yi could have sworn he saw the blue stars on her scarf glimmer.
"Do you want to join us?" Zou Liqin softly asked. Doubt flashed in her eyes as she asked the question again.
"My physical body isn't the strongest, I may drag you all," said the young girl as she tore her eyes away from the waterfall and settled them on Zou Liqin who immediately froze when her gaze fell on her.
She felt like all her internal thoughts were laid bare the moment that gaze fell on her.
'She felt almost like brother Yang Qing' she thought as she cleared her head.
Her brother and He Shan had expressed their clear impatience, thus she couldn't afford to drag things out.
"We are not that strong either, so I think there's safety in numbers and we can all use what we are strong in to make up for each other's deficiencies to try and survive through the test.
You may not have physical strength, but you may have something else you are good at, right?" Zou Liqin hopefully asked.
"I don't know if it's a talent or anything, but I've always been able to feel things, most of the time it isn't good things, this is the first time I've felt something good like this waterfall.
It has a peacefulness to it, that I've never felt before," the 13-year-old girl said as her eyes went back to the waterfall again.
Just as Zou Liqin was about to get worried another dazed episode was about to ensue, the 13-year-old girl added,
"If you don't think me a burden or beneath you, I would be glad to join you," she said with a gentle smile.
"I'm Yu Mei,"
"I'm Zou Liqin," answered Zou Liqin with a smile on her face.
"Can we leave now?" impatiently asked He Shan.
"That's He Shan and next to him is my brother Zou Yi," introduced Zou Liqin as they made their way to the duo
"Nice to meet you," said Yu Mei as she curtsied.
He Shan thought nothing of it as he harrumphed in impatience giving a casual wave, however, Zou Yi and Zou Liqin exchanged a brief before the former replied back with a polite greeting of his own.
"Should we get going?" asked Zou Yi to the three new party members, who all nodded back in agreement.
"Be sincere," Yu Mei suddenly said.
The trio all had confused looks as they looked at Yu Mei.
He Shan already threw a look Zou Yi's way that seemed to be saying,
'She's crazy, let's leave her before it's too late.'
Zou Yi seemed to be considering the suggestion but held off when he saw his sister's fierce glare.
"Sincere in what, sister Mei?" asked Zou Liqin.
"The waterfall..." Yu Mei pointed towards it.
"If you want to get through to the other side, you need to be sincere. That's the feeling I'm getting from it," she added.
The trio all had incredulous looks as they shifted their gazes to the waterfall. However, they could not detect anything off with it. It seemed like a normal waterfall.
He Shan had a look that showed he did not believe her at all and as for Zou Yi, he seemed to be a bit on the fence about it and had to look to his sister to get her thoughts on the matter, who looked just as equally in doubt.
"Well, there is only one way to find out," said Zou Yi as he took the lead in walking through the waterfall.
Zou Liqin and Yu Mei followed behind, with He Shan taking up the rear as he switched to his bow.
…
"This…" Zou Yi was surprised to find out that even though he was in the middle of the waterfall, not a single part of him was drenched.
"It seems He Shan is right," Zou Yi thought as he chuckled to himself.
'Where are they?' Zou Yi thought as he turned to look behind him, only to find a white mist at his back blocking his entire view.
"Liqin, He Shan, Yu Mei?" he called out.
A minute passed by with no response. Zou Yi called out once more but still got no response.
If before it wasn't clear, right now he was all but certain there was definitely something off with the waterfall.
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