Akane is getting excited. She had borrowed the body to Beiyue and let Beiyue temporary enter the Shadow Clone so that Akane can take Yan with her to Seven Pagodas in the forbidden area of the Linhuai Academy.

Akane could easily blend, posing as a forgetting face as someone's servant. No one would bat an eye, although Akane got an eyeful on what to expect when coming to Linhuai Academy in the future. The barriers around are impressive, her Uzumaki side reared its ugly head and her hands are itching like there is no tomorrow. Akane was yelled at by Yan, then Beiyue and Lian had joined in when they found that she almost dismantle it to take a look.

That is, if they want Dean Cang He emerging and crack down on them, then she had to lock away that itching curiosity away.

Breaking in is never easy, but with portable grandfather, it's smooth, they can avoid the Pagoda that had the Spirit Deity in.

"Can you stop calling me 'Portable Grandfather'?" Yan grumbles

'What? Should I call you Kurama?' Akane snorts, finding irony in this situation

"Don't think too much. You're not Naruto." Yan himself is not to be outdone.

It's amazing how he descended so fast in becoming a closet OTAKU. He's being a tsundere about it though.

'That's a good one, I admit.' Akane snickered as she easily blend in the surface of the Pagoda and came out on the other side, the newly made flashlight powered by spirit stone, Akane shone the light and looked around.

"I will repeat what I said, I have never been in the Seven Pagodas, frankly because it's the old dog's territory. It would have been easier if we can access the Black Jade."

'Well suck it up, we can't. Don't complain, help me look. We're almost finished with the array.' Akane said

"I know that." Yan rolled his eyes but didn't complain much, after all, this tomato head is the key to getting out.

'Hey, Yan….. Have you ever thought what you'd do after getting out?'

"Is that really surprising? I would go out and never involve in humans again, almost a decade of imprisonment is enough" Yan said

'So even Demons can have PTSD, huh?'

"I don't think anyone would want to be imprisoned, but I have to admit that inside this place, my sanity is intact"

'Ah, is that why there's a mind stabilizer? First mentioned from the report she got from Cang He… You were… In the right state of mind.'

"Isn't that already obvious?" Yan said, "My soul is link with yours, it had matched well and the mental fortitude of the three of you made my mind clear… Even if I go out, I won't be going far."

'Why is that? Is it because in our presence, you won't lost your mind, was it the effect of the Black Jade.'

"Isn't it obvious? The Black Jade may be powerful and all, but in a long run, there is no free lunch in this world."

Akane pieces came in place, 'Yan…. Were you…. Were you once a Divine Beast?'

"You're really smart."

Akane sucked in a cold breath as she drop the scroll she's holding in shock, 'The Divine Beasts…that made contract with the Jade would fall?'

"Yes. I have vague impression of what it once was. I forgot a lot of things in the state of madness. In here, I can retain my sanity."

"Don't worry, Yan, I know what I must do." Akane picked up the scroll and smiled, "For all its worth, you really did suffer too." Akane can imagine the ending of Yan in the first lifetime. He also died. He's not a Bijuu, he won't reform when he dies. It's the end of the line. After being in a state of forced insanity, locked up behind bars and weakened because of poison, then died.

Akane can't imagine. Hearing it is one thing, so is seeing it but experiencing it is another thing altogether. Worse than Beiyue in her first life. Having PTSD is not really far fetch. Life is not a novel where sanity can be snapped back because of a few wilful words of the author, that's not how real life works. In recovering, there is a process. Yan has find a way to cope with that, Akane won't even blame him if he would be out of reach for the whole year and taste freedom but he would definitely be back. So many years passed, painful as it is, one would crave a sense of normalcy in the ever changing world, one would want to have a familiar place nearby. Maybe not because ehe wants to go insane again, but because…. He never has a home to return to.

It's just how beings are, not just humans. Bird fly out of their nest but in one time or twice, they would pass by or return to its former nest. Regardless if they remember or not.

Anyways, the four of them are on the same boat. Akane has a hunch that Yan will stick around, forming a contract, a proper contract would not be impossible.

'Well, since you decided to stick around even when the seal is broken, who are we to not at least accommodate you?'

Yan rolled his eyes, angry and embarrassed, "Don't confuse it! The reason why is stayed because your memories are interesting and I won't be bored! Not because I want to!"

'Yes, yes, you're right.' Akane chuckled, 'But you know….. I find your company pleasant I would want you to stick around, Yan. You're practically a big brother we unexpectedly got. Not to mention, Father did sealed you in Mother, and you landed on Beiyue. So like, you're the brother that came out late. Whether you like it or not, we're family now.' Smiling as she summoned her shadow clones to double up the efficiency of searching.

"Oh shut up, you annoying human."