Hearing her sister’s words, Yan Qi quickly seized the opportunity and dashed toward the nearby grove.
After making sure her sister stayed put and no one else was around to notice her, Yan Qi—aware that her Electronic Diva form wouldn’t help in this situation—swiftly canceled that transformation and shifted into her Daoyan Empress form instead.
Once transformed, she knew she couldn’t handle this alone.
Without wasting time, she materialized the Electronic Diva transformation card in her hand, released it, and converted it into her doppelgänger—Ji Zige.
After confirming that her clone was functioning properly, Yan Qi retraced her steps back to the open area near the tunnel entrance.
Seeing Ji Zige emerge from the grove, Yan Yu—who had obediently stayed put as instructed—immediately greeted her. But when she noticed the person accompanying Ji Zige, her expression turned to shock.
“Xiao-Ge, you’re back! Uh… is this the legendary Daoyan Empress next to you?”
“Daoyan Empress? Why are you calling me that?”
Yan Qi, now in her Daoyan Empress form, was taken aback. She had only ever introduced herself as “Daoyan” and never mentioned the “Empress” title.
“Why? Because that’s what everyone online calls you.”
“Everyone online calls me that?”
“Yeah.”
“But why ‘Empress’?”
“Because you look stunning—noble, icy, every bit like a legendary empress. And since people already knew your name, they just started calling you the Daoyan Empress.”
Yan Yu explained matter-of-factly.
Hearing this, Yan Qi finally understood. So the internet accidentally guessed my transformation’s full title.
“Oh, I see.”
“Alright, enough chatting. Daoyan, use your powers to help me locate the Bloodbloom’s inter-dimensional barrier.”
Noticing her sister’s curiosity and sensing an incoming interrogation, Yan Qi quickly directed her clone, Ji Zige, to cut the conversation short.
“Oh, right. Got it. I’ll find that barrier now.”
Responding to her doppelgänger, Yan Qi shifted focus away from her sister and approached the tunnel entrance. Activating her skill—True Sight of Revelation—she immediately began scanning the area.
Soon, traces of the unseen, hidden beneath the fabric of reality, became visible to her.
Her attention was instantly drawn to the dark barrier enveloping the entire tunnel.
So it really is the Bloodbloom’s doing. No wonder I couldn’t sense anything.
“Uh, Xiao-Ge… what’s your friend, the Daoyan Empress, doing? She’s just standing there staring up without moving.”
Yan Yu, watching Yan Qi (in her Daoyan form) standing motionless near the tunnel entrance with golden eyes fixed upward, couldn’t help but ask Ji Zige.
Ji Zige didn’t hide the truth.
“She’s using her supernatural abilities to find clues we can’t perceive.”
“Ohhh, so that’s why her eyes turned gold. She’s using her powers.”
Yan Yu nodded in sudden understanding.
Just as she muttered this to herself, Yan Qi—having pinpointed the Bloodbloom’s location—turned and rejoined them.
“I’ve found the Bloodbloom’s barrier. Hold onto me—I’ll take you both inside.”
“Got it.”
Ji Zige responded first, gripping Yan Qi’s arm. Yan Yu quickly mimicked her, grabbing the other arm.
Once both were secured, Yan Qi activated her skill, forcibly tore open the Bloodbloom’s barrier, and pulled them through.
…..
Meanwhile…
Damn it, where the hell am I?!
Zhao Zimo glanced at the rearview mirror, her knuckles whitening around the steering wheel as Abyssal Beasts chased her car. Her mind raced back to half an hour earlier…
Half an hour ago, after calling her daughter Zhou Jiamin to say she’d arrived in Ninghang City and would soon pick her up from school, Zhao Zimo drove through a tunnel—only to emerge in a nightmarish realm.
Encased in a black barrier, this place was eerily empty. No people. No movement. Just silence.
Remembering the government’s recent warnings about supernatural beings and Abyssal Beasts, Zhao Zimo’s stomach dropped.
This is bad.
She slammed the accelerator, desperate to escape. But when she reached the black barrier’s edge, her car couldn’t pass through.
Realizing she was trapped, she didn’t freeze—she reversed, speeding back toward the tunnel, hoping for an exit.
But the roar of her engine betrayed her.
Before she’d even covered a quarter of the distance, the Bloodbloom—sensing fresh prey—unleashed its Abyssal Beasts.
And now they were hunting her.