Light Fortress
Chapter 220 - 205: A Presence Not to Be Provoked

Chapter 220: Chapter 205: A Presence Not to Be Provoked

The long breeze swept through the alleyway.

Two young people walked in the dimly lit curtain of night in the old town, the wind lifting the hem of the woman’s long skirt and the folds of the man’s suit; neither of them walked quickly.

Slightly intoxicated.

Having drunk "Lion Awakening Wine," Nan Jin’s cheeks bore a faint blush, the pure spiritual element extracted and steeped in the alcohol was palatable at first, but its potency ultimately proved overwhelming.

Her gaze seemed distant as she leaned on the walls, slowly making her way through the alley as if walking back into a night many years past.

Song Ci clasped his hands behind his head, his expression complicated as he rambled, "They say men who get girls drunk in the dead of night are no good... so initially, I only intended to have a small drink myself."

Watching the slender figure ahead tottering down the path, Song Ci cautiously said, "You were the one who snatched the drink for yourself, so please, don’t go tattling to the lady when we get back."

"Hmm."

Nan Jin’s expression was hazy as she exhaled a syllable softly through her nose.

She was indeed drunk.

Song Ci frowned with concern.

Not everyone in this world is like Gu Shen, capable of downing an entire bottle of Lion Awakening Wine as if nothing happened. A normal Transcendent would feel buzzed after a few sips, and blackout if they indulged too much.

But Nan Jin hadn’t drunk much... she had only had a small cup.

"This was left by Old Lu." Suddenly, Nan Jin halted her steps, murmuring softly, "Back then I was still a child, not allowed to drink... this is my first time tasting ’Lion Awakening Wine’."

Song Ci fell silent, no longer speaking but quietly listening instead.

Sometimes... whether you become drunk or not depends on the person.

Whether you want to be drunk, or not.

Nan Jin, her long skirt in hand, walked through the lingering night breeze and the alley, caressing the rough stone walls—a path she had traversed many times before, previously always accompanied by Old Lu...

The alley was still there, and so was the night breeze.

But Old Lu was no longer there.

"I miss him..."

Having drunk a cup of wine, Nan Jin lowered her eyes, smiling bitterly as she leaned against the stone wall and slowly sat down with her back to it. Gazing up at the narrowed alley sky, the dim night curtain and stars, she murmured each word with weary yearning, "I miss him..."

Song Ci sat down too.

Crow wasn’t very drunk... the amount of Lion Awakening Wine he had drunk was far from enough to intoxicate him, but tonight it left him in a trance.

"I miss Old Lu too..."

He had held back a bellyful of words, originally hoping to spill them out on the strength of the Lion Awakening Wine, but after drinking, those words scattered with the wind, vanishing without a trace.

His mind was as empty as the night’s sky, with its remnants of stars and swirling winds.

"Hmm..."

Another soft murmur, a pleasing sound hummed from the nostrils.

Song Ci felt a tickle at the tip of his nose, the urge to sneeze coming on. He came to his senses and gently reached out to scratch, but his arm suddenly stiffened in mid-air... it was a lock of hair caught in the breeze, and a warm head rested against his shoulder.

So he just stayed like that, rigidly maintaining the pose, suppressing the impending sneeze.

The sound of Nan Jin’s breathing became very soft and steady.

Song Ci leaned against the slightly chilly stone wall of the alley. He sat quietly for a while, then gently lifted Nan Jin’s head slightly, pulling out his arm, removing his suit, and draping it over her.

This is enough...

No need to say anything more...

This... is also nice...

...

...

The sunlight streamed in through the wooden window, landing on his face.

After resting for a night in the guest room of the old mansion, Gu Shen opened his eyes. A night’s practice of the Jingzhe Breathing Technique had left his spirit exceptionally replete; he felt light and agile as he got up.

He made his way to the courtyard.

Zhou Jiren had entered the mansion at some unknown time; he was standing under the banyan tree, hands clasped behind his back, seemingly... admiring the tree.

"Teacher..."

Gu Shen approached Mr. Shu.

"What have you noticed?" Zhou Jiren asked.

Gu Shen examined for a moment, then shook his head.

He followed the other’s gaze; at the end of autumn and beginning of winter, the banyan tree was not withering; its branches were still green. Beyond that, he saw no other differences.

Transcendents who completed the twelve levels of trials in the deep water area would receive a titled conferment by the Federation Government, and Zhou Jiren’s title was "Sky-reaching Tree," with each title carrying its unique significance.

Clearly, the "Holy Wood" was among the top tier of natural extraordinary abilities.

Upon more detailed classification, it was related to wood, forests, leaves, and the like.

Zhou Jiren said in a soft voice, "A few days ago, I read an ancient book of strange tales that contained an interesting sentence... Spring, summer, autumn, winter, the leaves may always stay green, through birth, aging, sickness, and death, but people do not live forever."

Gu Shen listened intently.

"Even Transcendents who can defy the laws of nature... must obey some iron rules. If one wishes to pursue the path of everlasting youth, one’s journey is destined to be slow," Zhou Jiren said profoundly. "As a Sky-reaching Tree, one might live leisurely for a century, but as a dazzling night-blooming cereus, one only has a single night."

"Alright, contemplate it on your own." The teacher changed the topic, "Deep Sea has sent a file... you can have a look."

The file wasn’t lengthy.

It roughly described that in a church on the Southern Continent, a humanoid monster had broken in... the monster knelt before the holy statue, repenting, and was ultimately punished and died.

The priest and nuns had reported this event to the church... and thus Deep Sea received this piece of information.

The accompanying image was of the humanoid monster’s demise, unobstructed and hence somewhat bloody; the humanoid "monster," with hair disheveled, was kneeling in front of the holy statue, resembling a burning candle figure, melting away.

"This is...?"

Gu Shen frowned deeply as he looked on.

"Xiao."

Zhou Jiren was concise, "Deep Sea sensed the spiritual element of Blood Fire at the scene and carried out extraction and comparison... This is precisely the root of the longstanding turmoil in Da Du District, that wisp of Blood Fire. And, in the body of this monster, the priests of the Southern Continent discovered a blood-colored Compass."

Gu Shen hastily took out the Compass.

Now, the Compass seemed to have become a common item, appearing to have lost its spirituality.

Indeed, no matter how it was activated... there was no response.

"The church of the Southern Continent publicized this event as the ’holy statue’ moving the evil spirit, but in fact... this ’evil spirit’ was not willingly kneeling in repentance; that was his last struggle. He had suffered immense pain during his life, and it just so happened that he broke into the church, where he... burnt out his last breath of life."

"This..."

Gu Shen was a bit dazed.

In the Freedom Hall, he had fired a shot, Bengxue, and taken down Zhou Yu, but the behind-the-scenes mastermind was still alive.

And... probably living well.

But just overnight, the death news of Xiao had come!

The message was so sudden, he was still struggling to react; if Xiao was dead, then did that mean the mission of the special investigation team... was also over?

"How did Xiao die?" Gu Shen looked over the file again and still found it unbelievable.

"He..."

A mocking smile appeared on Zhou Jiren’s face, "He provoked an existence he shouldn’t have."