Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1096: Accustomed to Su

The Black Wind Monster would drain the spiritual energy from all three of them, turning them into lifeless husks. "No, I can't give up like this!" Ah Yan screamed in his heart. He tried to mobilize the spiritual energy within him and rekindle the flame mark, but no matter how hard he tried, the flame mark remained unresponsive. Ah Huang and Ah Cheng were in equally dire condition. Their faces grew increasingly pale, their bodies teetering on the brink of collapse. At this critical moment, the clear sound of a flute emanated from afar. The sound was melodious, like the sound of flowing water in a spiritual stream or the chirping of birds in a valley. It carried a pure force that dispelled the surrounding black mist. The Black Wind Monster paused, a flicker of pain flashing in its red eyes. It clutched its head and angrily shouted, "Who's playing the flute? Stop!" The sound of the flute seemed to have a strong suppressing effect on it. Its body began to tremble slightly, and the black mist thinned slightly. Ah Yan looked up and saw four small figures running towards them on a distant path. In the lead was Ah Lu, agile and darting through the woods with ease. Ah Qing followed behind, vigilantly observing the surroundings. Ah Lan and Ah Zi walked last. Ah Zi held a bamboo flute, and it was from her that the sound emanated. "Ah Yan, we're here!" Ah Qing shouted as she ran. "Ah Zi's flute can dispel evil spirits. Take this opportunity to attack the Black Wind Monster!" Ah Yan's eyes lit up. He could feel the lost spiritual energy slowly returning to him as the flute played, and the flame mark on his arm lit up again. He took a deep breath, clasped his hands together, and then suddenly opened them. A huge ball of flame flew from his palms, larger than ever before, like a flaming fireball, hurtling towards the Black Wind Monster. Distracted by the flute's sound, the Black Wind Monster was unable to dodge, and the flames struck it hard. The black mist instantly ignited with the flames, making a sizzling sound. The Black Wind Monster screamed in pain and stumbled back a few steps. "Damn it!" the Black Wind Monster yelled in anger. It knew now was not the time to engage the Seven Guards. Ah Zi's flute suppressed its demonic energy; if it continued like this, it would be reduced to ash by the flames. It glanced at the Seven Guards, its eyes filled with resentment and anger: "Just you wait! I'll spare you today, but next time we meet, I'll transform you all into black-armored soldiers!" With that, the Black Wind Monster turned and fled towards the Misty Swamp south of the valley. A black mist enveloped its body, and it quickly disappeared into the woods. Watching the Black Wind Monster flee, the seven children sighed in relief and slumped to the ground. Ah Zi hurried over, crouching beside Ah Cheng, and pulled out some hemostatic and anti-inflammatory herbs from her herbal bag to tend to his wounds. "Ah Cheng, are you okay?" Ah Zi's voice was tinged with concern. She gently wiped Ah Cheng's wounds, carefully avoiding any pain. Ah Cheng shook his head and said with a smile: "I'm fine, just a little painful. Thanks to Ah Zi's flute, otherwise we would be in danger today." Ah Lu also ran over and said: "Yes, Ah Zi's flute is amazing! It can actually dispel evil spirits and interfere with the movements of the black wind monster." Ah Zi smiled embarrassedly: "It's nothing, I just found out yesterday. Granny Gu told me that my herbs can heal wounds. In fact, my flute also has special powers that can dispel evil auras. I heard fighting here just now, so I hurried with everyone here." Ah Qing looked at Ah Yan and asked: "Ah Yan, the black wind monster has escaped. Should we chase it?" Ah Yan shook his head and said: "No, the black wind monster is very powerful, we can't beat it now. Moreover, the terrain of the misty swamp is complex, we are not familiar with the environment there, and we may encounter danger if we chase it. Let's go back to the altar first, tell Granny Gu about the situation here, and then discuss the next plan." Everyone nodded, thinking that what Ah Yan said made sense. Although still in some pain, Ah Cheng persevered and stood up. He patted Ah Yan's shoulder and said, "Ah Yan is right. The most important thing now is to tell Grandma Gu what's going on. I also understand that only if the seven of us unite can we defeat the Black Wind Monster." Ah Yan looked at his companions, his heart brimming with confidence. He knew that while they hadn't completely defeated the Black Wind Monster this time, they had successfully stopped its first attack and found a way to restrain it. As long as the seven guards worked together, they would surely find its weakness before it regained its strength, reseal it, and protect Qinglan Valley. The seven children supported each other as they walked towards the altar. The morning sun grew brighter, dispelling the fog from the forest and dispelling everyone's worries. Their figures gradually disappeared into the woods, leaving only the black mud on the ground as a testament to the fierce battle. Behind them, the black mist of the black pine forest still loomed, like a huge threat, reminding them that the battle was not over. Some flew toward the cliffs, some toward the lake, and still others toward the medicinal fields west of the valley. The sun shone on her, and a faint smile graced her lips, making her look particularly warm. In the afternoons, he could hear the soft clacking of Su Wan chopping vegetables in the kitchen, and the occasional tune she hummed. Though soft, it brought the entire villa to life. In the evenings, when he returned home late from work, he would always find a pair of warm slippers by the entrance. Su Wan had placed them there specifically, fearing his feet would be too cold. These subtle changes, like a frog in boiling water, slowly melted the ice in Lu Chengyuan's heart. He grew accustomed to Su Wan's presence, to the aroma of coffee every morning, to the sound of chopping vegetables in the kitchen, to the warm slippers by the entrance. If Su Wan ever took a day off, the villa would feel empty, even breakfast tasteless. He even began to look forward to encountering Su Wan. Sometimes, he would deliberately slow down his pace and "chance" run into Su Wan in the hallway while she was cleaning. Sometimes, he would excuse himself to get some water and go downstairs to the kitchen, just to have a word with Su Wan. Sometimes, he would deliberately leave some food at dinner, saying he "couldn't finish it," and let Su Wan take it. Su Wan also noticed the change in Lu Chengyuan. He was no longer as cold to her as before, and would occasionally talk to her, asking her how her breakfast was and if she was tired from work. Once, she accidentally broke a vase while cleaning the living room. She was so scared that her face turned pale, thinking Lu Chengyuan would blame her.