"Hahaha! Look who came out!" a raspy, wicked voice suddenly cackled right in front of her.
Yue Yue’s little face went completely blank. Her heart stopped beating.
Standing right at the ruined entrance was the same creepy old man who had kidnapped her, alongside his wicked companions!
Their clothes were torn from the quake, but their faces were twisted into wild, amused, and insane expressions. They held their dark, smoking crutches tightly, staring at the glowing crystal wrapped in her tail.
"You really succeeded!" the old man laughed madly, his eyes yellow with greed. "You actually brought out the Heart of the Mountain! Good girl! Hand it over to this old man!"
No! Yue Yue’s mind screamed in pure terror. No! No! No!
The little winged spirit snake had sacrificed his very life for her! He had given up his existence so she could escape and see her family again!
I would rather die than give his heart to these evil people!
Without a second thought, Yue Yue turned right around and slithered back into the dark, collapsing cave!
"You little brat! Where do you think you’re going?!" the old man roared, his sweet act instantly dropping.
He lunged forward like a striking viper, his long, withered hand shooting out and grabbing Yue Yue’s tail!
"Let go of me!" Yue Yue hissed frantically. She turned around and bit down hard on his thick hand with her tiny fangs!
"AGH! You filthy snake!" the old man screamed in pain.
He furiously slammed Yue Yue’s small body against the stone wall!
THUD!
"Ah!" Yue Yue let out an agonising cry. Pain exploded through her tiny ribs, and fresh blood dripped from her green scales.
The other old men rushed inside the collapsing tunnel, their faces filled with pure madness as they surrounded her. "Give it here! Hand over the core!"
"Never!" Yue Yue cried out, curling herself tightly around the glowing green crystal, protecting it with her very life.
"Die then, you useless cub!" the old man snarled, raising his wooden crutch to strike her head.
But before his crutch could fall...
BOOOM!
The main cavern ceiling completely caved in!
A gigantic, towering boulder smashed down straight through the mountain roof!
"NO!" the old men screamed in utter horror as the massive shadow engulfed them.
CRASH!
The giant rock slammed down with unimaginable force. The old men were instantly crushed and buried under tonnes of falling mountain debris.
Yue Yue felt a crushing weight slam against her small body, trapping her under the rubble. Cold darkness instantly flooded her vision. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. Pain throbbed through every single inch of her tiny frame.
As the heavy stone buried her deep underground, Yue Yue felt a wave of hopeless despair wash over her soul.
Spirit Grandpa... I’m sorry... she wept silently in the dark, her consciousness fading fast. Mother... Father... Brother... I’m sorry... Yue Yue couldn’t come home...
She closed her gemstone blue eyes, ready to embrace the cold touch of death.
Outside, Su Qinglan saw the entire mountain peak collapse into a massive pile of rubble.
"YUE YUE!" Su Qinglan shrieked, her heart tearing completely apart as she fell to her knees, screaming in pure agony.
Xuan Long and An Mo roared in complete despair, rushing wildly towards the fallen ruins.

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