Light Fortress

Yao Jin spoke, with a hint of sarcasm.

Song Ci could certainly hear it.

But he grinned and said, "What kind of talk is this? I didn’t catch this kind of moment back in the day..."

"Hmm?"

As soon as these words were said, several Holy Judges around the temple were already ready to strike.

"Sorry, don’t misunderstand."

Song Ci hastily apologized, his face sincere: "I’ve been in poor health these years, recuperating at Qingzhong Cemetery, it’s really inconvenient to travel across the ocean." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"..."

Yao Jin was expressionless; the files said Song Ci was supposedly skilled in combat, with exceptional body techniques, but lacking wisdom.

Upon meeting him today, it turns out that’s not the case.

This guy is not stupid.

"This Brother Lu, how come I haven’t heard of him before?" Yao Jin looked at the lean youth.

Using the Ghost Veil to cover his face, and the Divine Concealing Cloak to mask his aura, Gu Shen stepped boldly into Light City.

Even though an experiment had already been done at Mr. Bai Shu’s place.

But from the moment he set foot on West Continent.

Gu Shen was still a bit anxious deep down... The Light Fire and Netherworld Fire have an unusual connection, if he were to be sensed, it wouldn’t be good.

But now he can relax.

All the way to the temple, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

"The Changye Great Capital is filled with talents, a riot of color, I’m just a green leaf."

Gu Shen said humbly: "I’m good at ’healing’, back in the day I lent Brother Song a small favor, happened to meet him on the way, and thus got brought here. I, Lu, am fascinated by Light City, just wish to see the temple, have no intent to stay... May I know which elder of the temple you are?"

This explanation was logical.

Having heard Gu Shen express his fascination with Light City, the believers cast friendlier glances towards him.

"I am not an elder."

Yao Jin shook his head gently, "My surname is Yao, Yao Jin. All who come are guests, no need for formality, the temple will arrange accommodations for you... The ’Torch Trial’ will start in a few days, I have others to attend to, will not chat more with you two."

He indicated with his gaze.

Two Holy Judges immediately approached.

...

...

The temple arranged quite a spacious courtyard for Song Ci, the layout of this city of faith on the West Continent is somewhat similar to the Snow Forbidden City, it’s said the origins of Light City and the Snow Forbidden City have interesting commonalities, with city outlines existing as far back as six hundred years ago, the Light Church did not destroy them, but rather built around ’core landmarks’.

This aspect.

Is indeed much like the Snow Cage.

Light City’s two core places of Divine Miracle are Sunset Mountain and Red Lake.

The believers worship so fervently, with each step a bow, just to catch a glimpse of these two places of Divine Miracle.

Every year many people come to Light City.

Unfortunately... Among them, only a very few can truly witness the miracles.

Those who freely come and go are either those granted favor by the Divine Throne or the temple’s executives.

"A giant barrier encloses ’Sunset Mountain’ and ’Red Lake’."

Gu Shen sat in the courtyard basking in the sun, his gaze fixed on the ’scorching sun’ in the Heavenly Curtain, "The temple’s barrier circles at least half of Light City, this is truly unprecedented."

"Didn’t you know? The whole of Light City is a ’Divine Domain’."

Song Ci was bored, arms folded behind his head, dozing off on a lounger under the tree shadow, "If no ’seal objects’ were set, every word we’re saying right now, every single word, the Light God’s Seat can hear... Just like Changye."

The moment they came to this courtyard, Gu Shen set up array patterns...

Actually, array patterns don’t have much use, if the Light God’s Seat wishes to listen, it can break them instantly.

But such a situation probably also means that his ’Netherworld King’ identity has been revealed.

"Can hear, but there’s no need."

Gu Shen said blandly, "Mr. Bai Shu can hear the voices of millions in Changye Snow Forbidden City, along with more sounds of wind, cicadas, and frogs, but which Flame Refiner would bother with such things?"

After becoming a Divine Throne.

Whatever the transcendent ones in his Divine Domain say every day, is really no different than the so-called cicada chirps.

Listening too much would only feel noisy.

"This small yard... It’s quite nice to live in, just a bit sunny."

Song Ci turned over, muttering, "Too bad I can’t see the so-called ’Sunset Mountain’ and ’Red Lake’. Gu Shen, what do you plan to do next? When will you go kill Wutuo?"

Chasing from Changye all the way to Southampton City’s port, Gu Shen hasn’t found any clues about ’Wutuo’ yet.

"No rush."

Gu Shen asked a seemingly unrelated question: "How did you find that person just now?"

"That person just now..."

Song Ci furrowed his brows, trying to recall: "Yao..."

Gu Shen said, "Yao Jin."

"That sickly guy, looks quite weak, but his spiritual power is rather strong, seems close to titled level."

Song Ci rubbed his chin, said: "If I were to kill him, it would take some effort, I’d probably need ten seconds to finish it."

Gu Shen shook his head: "You can’t kill him."

"Oh?"

Song Ci became interested, sat up, and said with a smile, "Do you think I’m not strong enough?"

"No."

Gu Shen said seriously, "It’s not that you’re not strong enough, nor is he so powerful... If you were to fight him, you’d definitely win, there’s no doubt about it. But this is Light City."

"Although Mr. Bai Shu helped you erase most of your ’Light Aura,’ you are, after all, an Angel Envoy."

Gu Shen said, "Once you’ve come into contact with the Light Fire, there’s no turning back—it’s a given fact, and it’s why you can’t kill him. With the way the temple operates, they must have countless ways to suppress an Angel Envoy."

Song Ci fell silent upon hearing this.

Indeed...

Since stepping into Light City, he felt a strange heat in his heart, as if this place had an extraordinarily strong attraction to him.

That’s the normal reaction after melting the token.

No matter how much he resists, he can’t change the fact... that he has become an Angel Envoy.

Coming to Light City results in a sense of belonging.

"Other forces do everything they can to curry favor with the Angel Envoys."

Gu Shen continued, "But Light City is definitely an exception, as they crazily seek the Undead and induce them to become Angel Envoys... For such outsiders drawn in by the Light Dream, the temple can’t truly be at ease, and keeping some ace methods to restrain is only sensible."

"What bad luck."

Song Ci spat towards the corner of the wall.

He curiously asked, "Why did you suddenly bring him up?"

"The welcoming of guests at the temple has always been handled by ’Yuan Yang.’ This elder, though high-ranking, has limited actual power, mainly ranking second due to his early entry to the temple."

Gu Shen said slowly, "But recently when major forces visited, Yuan Yang was nowhere to be seen."

"Didn’t that Yao say Yuan Yang had urgent matters..."

Song Ci paused at this.

In high positions with little real power, such trivial matters often still fall to them.

Yet, even in matters of reception, he’s no longer needed.

"I guess Yuan Yang might have made a mistake."

Gu Shen closed his eyes, his spiritual power browsing through densely packed information posts on Heart Lake, all archives Chu Ling had collected for him: "According to my investigation, Yuan Yang has been out of touch for a week... Do you think his disappearance has anything to do with the East Lai Family case?"

"It’s quite possible."

Song Ci’s expression turned solemn, "Tonezaka Shozaburo had secret dealings with the temple personnel two or three decades ago. Based on that timeline, Yuan Yang could likely be the one guiding the East Lai Family’s cultivation of faith behind the scenes."

"There are many in the temple with qualifications, but recently, the only one to completely ’vanish’ is him."

Gu Shen laughed, "I’ve heard there’s a hidden Secret Dungeon in Light City, but it’s unsure if Yuan Yang was sent there."

"Surely... not to that extent?"

Song Ci muttered, "But what does this have to do with Yao Jin?"

"Do you think Yuan Yang is the type to send out two pawns, sacrificing an entire hidden line prematurely?"

Gu Shen stated, "This old guy has vanished, so it’s impossible for him to be the one who picked up Wutuo."

The subsequent layout of the Jiankou Islands clearly had someone else taking over.

Decisive and ruthless.

Song Ci, troubled, asked, "Are you suspecting... the real mastermind is Yao Jin?"

"With Yuan Yang gone, someone has to do his work."

"Of course... suspecting Yao Jin is without evidence, mostly guided by intuition."

"That guy sitting in a wheelchair reminds me of an ’old acquaintance’ from long ago," Gu Shen said eerily, "Those who like to feign weakness are often the most ruthless. Once they seize an opportunity, there’s no chance to recover."

"Is the ’old acquaintance’ you’re referring to the former leader of the new Gu family faction, Gu Lushen?"

Song Ci recalled a vague image.

"That makes sense..."

He nodded in agreement, then mumbled, "Though, why do I feel like you’re also one of those frail types?"

He scrutinized Gu Shen. Although this guy wasn’t in a wheelchair, his impression wasn’t much different from Yao Jin’s.

The deceptively frail and emaciated body was quite misleading.

"That was out of necessity," Gu Shen said helplessly, "Having starved for six years under the Ice Sea, it can’t be regained overnight."

Song Ci sat upright and asked, "If Yao Jin is the mastermind, what do you plan to do?"

Seeing Gu Shen pondering.

Song Ci said seriously, "If you determine this guy’s no good, I can go kill him right away. Wouldn’t that solve everything? Even if it fails, it could reveal the temple’s countermeasures; either way, there’s no loss."

"You, always thinking of violence!"

Gu Shen sighed and said seriously, "This time in Light City, just stay put, your goal is to make it through the ’Torch Trial’... As for capturing ’Wutuo,’ that’s my business, you need not intervene."

"But..."

Song Ci hesitated to speak.

"This matter isn’t as complicated as you think."

Gu Shen said deeply, "We know Wutuo is hiding here, Wutuo knows someone will come to kill him... Some things don’t need to be said, everyone knows it well. If you were the one setting up the stage, at home base, having just suffered a loss at Yinghai losing many Hidden Children, wouldn’t you want to use this chance to regain some face?"

"So your point is?"

"Just wait patiently these days; it won’t be long before Wutuo comes out on his own."

Gu Shen said slowly, "Compared to him being assassinated, what Light City fears more is... no one coming to kill him."

...

...

(There’s another update tonight; if you can’t wait, feel free to sleep first!)