The starlight fell on the streets and alleys of Light City.

The parade crowd looked up to admire this rare starry night. Sweat covered Su Ye’s forehead as he sprinted across the rooftops of Light City, heading toward the "Secret Dungeon" at supernatural speed.

The moment the conversation ended between the two in the south of the city, Gu Nanfeng had disappeared without a trace.

When he arrived at the Secret Dungeon, the Holy Light Barrier had already been sliced open by Lan Qie into a narrow gap... The Heavy Armor Guard at the alley entrance of the Secret Dungeon had already been defeated.

The two heavy doors of the Secret Dungeon had been shattered.

Su Ye stood silently in front of the Secret Dungeon, knowing that there was no need to continue investigating here...

Moments later, he arrived at a dark alley.

The wind, tinged with a fishy smell, blew by.

On a wheelchair lay a thin body, its clothes torn, and the flesh beneath shredded.

Yao Jin was dead.

The hot blood on both sides of the stone walls in the alley had been cooled by the wind.

Su Ye also felt a chill on his back.

For this "colleague" who grew up with him, he felt no sympathy or pity.

But what truly frightened him...

was the unimaginable speed Gu Nanfeng displayed!

In the territory of the West Continent, he had encountered several Transcendents with Lan Qie abilities, and he knew the speed boost this ability provided was quite impressive... But he never imagined that Gu Nanfeng’s speed would be so much faster than his own.

"You’re late, and not just by one step."

A leisurely, lazy voice sounded at the end of the alley.

Someone had been waiting there for a long time.

Su Ye suddenly looked up, his expression dark, staring into the darkness at the alley’s end.

The wind blew there, with scattered leaves, slapping against the dry alley walls, as the man with the wooden sword slowly emerged from the shadows.

Su Ye was certain that no one was at the end of the alley earlier.

But once the wind came, so did that person.

Gu Nanfeng said lightly, "Don’t worry, I’m not here to kill you... I just hope you don’t return to Red Lake so quickly. If you’re willing to chat with me here for a while, then I won’t draw my sword."

Su Ye gritted his teeth and said word by word, "Did you consider the consequences of breaking into a prison in Light City?"

"Consequences? Are you referring to the wrath of the Light Divine Throne? That indeed is a very serious consequence..."

Gu Nanfeng pondered for a moment and asked, "But if he didn’t want me to rescue Meng Xizhou, then how could I have possibly saved her?"

Su Ye was stunned.

"Everything that happens in the Divine Domain is permitted by the Divine Throne."

Gu Nanfeng stated calmly, "If he didn’t allow it, I couldn’t do it. In my heart, the worst consequence is merely a failed prison break... But now, it seems he doesn’t care about the matters of the Secret Dungeon."

"Moreover, he doesn’t seem to care about Yao Jin either."

Gu Nanfeng glanced at the solitary, blood-stained wheelchair at the alley entrance.

He held the wooden sword and smilingly asked, "Perhaps... he doesn’t care about you either?"

The chill inside Su Ye deepened.

The Secret Dungeon had already been broken into, and Meng Xizhou most likely had already gone to Red Lake, which is why Gu Nanfeng stopped him here...

Such a big commotion in the Secret Dungeon, yet Jia Wei and the Great Elder hadn’t sent any messages.

It was clear that there was an accident on the side of Red Lake.

He turned around, intending to leave, but the long wind, carrying dead leaves, swept majestically through the alleys, with Gu Nanfeng, holding the wooden sword, appearing in front of Su Ye.

In Su Ye’s eyes, a fierce golden light ignited.

He expanded his domain, fleeing at high speed.

But wherever he went, there was always a wind, lingering like a haunting spirit, starting a step later yet arriving a step earlier.

Where he landed, Gu Nanfeng landed.

Where he went, Gu Nanfeng intercepted.

...

... 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

On the surface of Red Lake, rippling waves reflected, with stars shining atop the sky.

Gu Shen stood on the starlit lake surface, extended his finger, and pointed to the dense fog in the depths of the Red Lake night.

"I want to take a look there."

This was, of course, said to Batu.

In the temple now, only Batu could speak.

"What happened tonight in Light City should sum up to several years’ worth in the past..."

Gu Shen said seriously, "With so many people gathered before the Light Temple, doesn’t Lord Divine of Light plan to make an appearance? Everyone should want to witness the true ’Light.’ If Lord Divine is unharmed, even without showing up, saying a few words, conveying some will, should be possible, right?"

The scene at this moment was somewhat "familiar."

Standing by Red Lake’s shore were the Gu Family Envoy, the Night Watchman, Transcendents from the East Continent, all appearing somewhat dazed.

The time when Mr. Gu Changzhi was in slumber.

The East Continent had also faced such complaints... What Gu Shen was saying now was often heard during those days.

"..."

Batu’s forehead continuously sweated coldly, these few minutes felt like an eternity, and he had sent countless messages to the Great Elder and Su Ye without a single response.

The scene at Red Lake now could be seen by the whole world.

This kind of occasion, he had never experienced, and he had no way to handle it.

After thinking it over, he could only offer a vague response: "Sorry, you can’t go."

"Why?"

Gu Shen wasn’t angry or anxious; he simply stood on the surface of Red Lake, smiling softly as he spoke: "I recall the temple once said, standing on the surface of Red Lake means being acknowledged by the Light Will. Since I can now stand on Red Lake, it implies that the ’Light Faith’ recognizes me. Is it because I killed Jia Wei that I cannot step onto the lake?"

Of course it is!

Batu’s forehead veins bulged.

If it weren’t for Deep Sea’s recording, or if he could overpower Gu Shen, he would have wished to tear Gu Shen into pieces.

But reality doesn’t offer so many ifs.

"Of course not..."

Batu gritted his teeth and said, "At the end of the Red Lake lies the retreat of the Lord Divine. To cross the lake, you must follow the rules, the ’Heart Cleansing Pool Trial’ of the West Continent and the ’Flame Dream’ — neither have you passed... According to these rules, you are not permitted to enter the Red Lake."

He paused for a moment.

"The previous battle was an exception."

Batu continued, "Now that your grudge with Lord Jia Wei is settled, this battle is also over! Gu Shen, by the temple’s rules, if there is no invitation from the will of the Lord Divine, you cannot enter the latter part of the Red Lake and disturb the Lord Divine’s peace!"

With these words, the tension in Batu’s heart eased slightly.

He knew Gu Shen wished to go, and he couldn’t stop him...

Yet at this moment, there were countless pairs of eyes watching, so he invoked the rules of the Light Temple.

Reasonable.

If Gu Shen were to forcefully breach the Red Lake, then breaking the rules would be first, and these countless eyes representing ’justice’ would side with Light City.

"I see."

Gu Shen nodded and continued to ask, "So, as long as one follows the temple’s rules, one can cross the lake, is that right?"

"...Of course."

Batu frowned, responding instinctively.

This response was spot on.

But in the next second, from the back of the crowd at the Red Lake, a very light and gentle voice emerged.

"Since that’s the case..."

"I should be able to step onto this Red Lake, right?"

The crowd turned around in surprise, starlight swirling and falling to the ground, all gathering upon a woman.

There was still fatigue lingering in her expression, dusty from travel, with a dim, damp aura clinging to her.

Yet it did not hinder; her appearance gathered all the world’s brilliance.

"Lady Divine!"

A Holy Judge exclaimed, hastily bowing down.

"Lady Divine!"

Exclamations echoed in succession as the Holy Judges at the back of the Red Lake paid their respects, always believing Lady Divine was at the end of the Red Lake, serving the Light God...

In the temple, only a few knew the true whereabouts of the Secret Dungeon and Meng Xizhou.

To the outside world, it appeared the same.

After Meng Xizhou made her presence known, the crowd parted to make way.

The Gu Family Envoy and the Night Watchmen first showed surprise, then delight... Luo Yu and Zhong Fan exchanged glances, their hearts clutching with tension, finally relaxing.

The Young Master succeeded in the breakout!

Batu gazed at the spot where the bright starlight fell, his mind blank, ultimately forcing out a rigid greeting: "Lady Divine... why have you come?"

Finishing his words, Batu regretted them.

This greeting was quite poor.

Lady Divine had been imprisoned in the Secret Dungeon, a secret only known to the high levels of the temple... Batu was, of course, aware as well.

Seeing Meng Xizhou, he realized why Su Ye hadn’t replied to his messages.

Evidently, the Secret Dungeon had fallen, whether Yao Jin or Su Ye, they had miscalculated.

Batu’s biggest concern now was the exposure of the Light Temple’s deeds towards Lady Divine this night.

But fortunately.

Meng Xizhou simply uttered four words.

"Static extremes prompt movement."

These four words were the last semblance left to Light City and the temple.

Batu’s eyes were complex, and he slowly bowed, asking, "You... wish to cross the lake as well?"

Meng Xizhou moved forward slowly, arriving at the lakeshore of Red Lake.

She exchanged a glance with Gu Shen, nodding slightly in gratitude; Gu Nanfeng had saved her from the Secret Dungeon. Concerning this prison break, the happenings before and after... she already knew.

Gu Shen merely smiled lightly.

Everything said in silence.

He had met with the Light Goddess once; at that time, his Spirit Realm was still shallow, and merely a glance had almost lost him control over the Netherworld King’s Spark.

But now, things were different.

Gu Shen reevaluated the Light Goddess before him. After being imprisoned in deep confinement for six years, the light aura on Meng Xizhou had weakened significantly—

Evidently, her Divine Favour had disappeared.

"At six years old, I passed the ’Heart Cleansing Pool Trial.’ At fifteen, I successfully smelted the ’Flame Dream.’

Meng Xizhou’s voice echoed by the Red Lake’s edge.

This statement was meant for Batu and everyone alike.

The temple could list countless rules required for those who wished to step onto the Red Lake.

But each one, Meng Xizhou met them.

Because she was the Goddess chosen by the Divine Throne, born with an unmatched affinity with ’Light’. If she did not have the qualification to step onto this Red Lake, then who else would?

"Now... I wish to step onto this Red Lake."

Meng Xizhou spoke seriously, her tone was not seeking approval but making a declaration: "I wish to see the Lord Divine."

"..."

Batu desperately wanted to refuse but couldn’t think of any reason to continue the refusal.

Moreover, he had no time to refuse.

Because after Meng Xizhou spoke, she stepped out onto the surface of the Red Lake.

"Buzz!"

The moment her toes touched the lake water, under the starry night, the dim and dull water suddenly brightened, myriad lights surged from the lake bottom, rushing into her pale skin, as if she donned a garment woven with light ribbons. The entire Red Lake brightened because of her presence.

Her complexion was no longer pale, and her gaze became solemn and sacred.

Even without Divine Favour.

She was still Light’s favored child.