Princess Lingxiao ran forward with all her might, her beautiful, resolute face turned pale with fear and tension. As she fled, she kept a vigilant watch on her surroundings.
The world around her appeared normal at first glance, yet a closer look revealed countless uncanny details. Though the sky was a vast expanse of clear, azure blue, it was strangely devoid of the chirping of birds or the humming of insects. Even in the most silent mountain forests, there were always some signs of life, but this absolute, deathly stillness was deeply unnatural.
Princess Lingxiao pondered to herself, "There is only one explanation for this: every living thing here is dead." A chill crept up her spine, quickly spreading through her entire body. She shuddered, quickening her pace as if to escape this terrifying place. Yet, no matter how hard she ran, the scenery remained unchanged—a landscape of stagnant silence, as if this were a realm of death isolated from the rest of the world.
Chapter 177