After breakfast, the house was bustling with activity as everyone got ready for Su Mu's departure. Lingxi, trying to keep her composure but with a hint of sadness in her eyes, helped Su Mu with the last few things.
The journey to Monster City, where the university was, lay ahead for Su Mu. It felt like the start of a brand new chapter in her life.
As the final moments ticked by, Lingxi couldn't hide the sadness welling up. Her usual calm expression wavered slightly.
Su Mu noticed the change in her friend. She walked over, her own heart feeling heavy. "Lingxi," she said softly, "I'm going to miss you like crazy. Seriously." She paused, searching Lingxi's eyes. "But this isn't goodbye forever, right? We'll see each other again."
Lingxi managed a small, watery smile, nodding. "Of course, Miss, I'll be right here, waiting for you to come back". Her voice trembled just a bit. "Promise you'll be careful?"
"I promise," Su Mu said, pulling Lingxi into a tight hug. "You take care of things here, okay?"
Lingxi hugged back fiercely, burying her face in Su Mu's shoulder for a moment before pulling away, wiping quickly at her eyes.
Then came the goodbyes to her family. Su Mu hugged her father, Su Zihao, who stood tall and proud, though his eyes held a hint of worry. "Be strong, Mu'er. Learn well," he said gruffly but warmly.
Next was her mother, whose gentle embrace felt like a final comfort.
"Oh, my dear girl," she whispered, stroking Su Mu's hair. "Remember what we talked about. Trust yourself, stay alert, and grow strong. We're so proud of you".
She also reminded Su Mu that communication might be difficult due to the conditions outside the city, and resources might be limited.
Her little brother clung to her leg, tears in his eyes, making Su Mu's heart ache. "Don't go, Sister!" he cried.
Su Mu knelt, hugging him tightly. "Hey, I'll be back before you know it. Be a good boy for Mama and Papa, okay?"
Finally, it was time. With one last lingering look exchanged with Lingxi, a look full of unspoken feelings and longing, Su Mu turned to leave.
Just before she stepped towards the carriage, her father stopped her.
He pressed a small, plain wooden box into her hands.
"Mu'er," he said, his voice low and serious, "don't open this. Not until you get to your uncle Ye Fan's house in Monster City. Understand?"
Su Mu looked from the box to her father's intense gaze, feeling the weight of his words.
"I understand, Father." She clutched the box tightly, curiosity piqued, but she nodded obediently.
With final waves and tearful smiles, Su Mu stepped away from her home and family.
Just as everyone was gathered for the final farewells, a piercing shriek cut through the morning air.
It started far off but grew rapidly louder at a speed hard to find by naked eyes, echoing across the estate.
Everyone looked up. Soon, a massive, shadow-black creature resembling a giant bird, but sleek and powerful like a ray, soared into view.
Its enormous wingspan cast a fleeting shadow over the courtyard as it circled gracefully above the Su family home.
Su Mu's father and mother exchanged a look – not of surprise, but of understanding. Lingxi, too, seemed to recognize what this meant.
The majestic creature, a Zephyr Ray, descended smoothly, its movements fluid and controlled.
It landed gently on the paved ground before Su Mu, its presence strangely calming despite its size.
Standing atop the Ray was an old man Su Mu vaguely recognized from her memories.
Grandpa Chen, a close friend of her own grandfather.
His long white hair streamed behind him in the breeze created by the Ray's landing, looking almost like liquid moonlight.
He was lean but carried himself with an undeniable air of quiet strength.
A long, deep-red coat hung around his frame, its golden epaulets catching the sun like tiny stars.
Underneath, he wore practical green trousers tucked into sturdy black boots.
Su Mu's father stepped forward, a faint, respectful smile touching his lips. "Uncle Chen," he greeted warmly, "thank you for making the journey to escort Mu'er on such short notice."
Grandpa Chen nodded, his eyes twinkling slightly. "Su Zihao. It's no trouble at all. Happy to see the girl off."
Su Mu's mother stepped up beside her husband, bowing her head slightly. "Mr. Chen, we're truly grateful you could help watch over our daughter on her way. Knowing she's with you puts our minds at ease."
Mr. Chen offered a small, reassuring bow in return. "Lady Su, you have my word. Mu'er will arrive safe and sound in Monster Capital. Her grandfather asked me personally, after all."
Su Zihao and Grandpa Chen chatted for a few moments more, the easy conversation of old acquaintances.
They shared a firm handshake, then Grandpa Chen turned his warm gaze to Su Mu.
"Alright, young Mu'er," Mr. Chen said, his voice kind but firm. "Hop on tight. We'll get you to Monster City in no time."
As if understanding, the Zephyr Ray lowered one of its massive wings, creating a stable, slightly springy platform leading up to its back.
Su Zihao put a hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"Mu'er, this Zephyr Ray is the quickest and safest transport to the city," he explained. "Uncle Chen is a powerful cultivator and will make sure you get there safely."
Su Mu, still a little wide-eyed at the giant creature, nodded and bowed to the old man. "Thank you so much, Grandpa Chen. I really appreciate you doing this."
Taking a deep breath, Su Mu carefully stepped onto the wing and made her way to the comfortable-looking saddle area on the Ray's back.
The texture beneath her feet felt like smooth, cool leather.
Below, her family and Lingxi watched, a mix of pride, sadness, and reassurance on their faces.
Lingxi met Su Mu's eyes one last time, offering a trembling smile.
With a powerful downbeat of its wings that stirred the air around them, the Zephyr Ray lifted off the ground.
It ascended quickly, smoothly, becoming a dark silhouette against the brightening sky.
As they soared higher, above the familiar rooftops and gardens of her home, Su Mu glanced back.
Her family and Lingxi were shrinking figures below, waving until they were just tiny dots on the landscape.
A lump formed in her throat. Excitement for the adventure ahead warred with the ache of leaving everything she knew behind.
The Ray banked gently, turning them towards the distant horizon, towards Monster City..
The journey on the Ray was an enchanting experience for Su Mu, offering a breathtaking view of the diverse landscapes below… or rather, the lack thereof.
As they gained altitude, the familiar ground of her home province didn't just shrink; it seemed to dissolve into an endless ocean of swirling clouds.
This was Blue Star, a world utterly transformed the concept of a solid surface stretching out beneath the sky.
Instead, the world was vertical. Grandpa Chen navigated the Zephyr Ray through the uppermost layer of the atmosphere, what her mother had called the Stratocrest.
The air here felt crisp and thin, though breathable, and the sunlight filtered down diffusely, bathing everything in a soft, ethereal glow.
Looking up, the sky wasn't just blue; it was an impossibly deep, vibrant azure, perhaps colored by strange gases or the very spiritual energy that pulsed through this entire world.