Chapter 1047

A splash echoed as they hit the water, quickly masked by the sound of the mountain spring rushing into the lake. Ripples spread across the surface, making it impossible to distinguish between their entry and the spring's impact. Soon after, a sharp whistle of wind cut through the air. An elderly woman with white hair, hunched and leaning on a cane, appeared at the lake's edge. "Where's Aurora?" she questioned, surveying the empty lakeside. Droplets splashed her face, bringing about a cool sensation. Her graying eyebrows furrowed. She had sensed an unusual disturbance in the energy earlier, but by the time she arrived, it had vanished completely. All that remained was a strange energy fluctuation from the lake bottom—a familiar presence that gave the area its vibrant life force and aided Aurora's absorption of spiritual energy during her baths. This sacred bathing spot for the Holy Maiden was forbidden to all others, under threat of divine punishment. It was a rule even she, the