Mother...
Master...
Slowly, gradually, Claireâs long lashes started to quiver.
âClaire!â Feng Yixuan emotionally squeezed Claireâs hand.
In his heart, Leng Lingyun let out a breath.
Claire finally opened her eyes.
Her gaze was not bewildered, not despairing...
But resolute!
âClaire,â Feng Yixuan worriedly called out.
Claire turned to face Feng Yixuan and Leng Lingyun, then said one word quietly:
âYes...â
Feng Yixuan smiled brightly, his heart finally relaxing.
âYou finally awakened,â Leng Lingyun said quietly.
âYes, I have awakened.â Claire slowly stood up. Feng Yixuan hastily stood up to support her.
âSorry for worrying you all.â Claire leaned her head against the bedside.
âAs long as you are alright.â Feng Yixuan and Leng Lingyun both nodded.
âTell me our current circumstances.â Claireâs black eyes glinted profoundly.
Feng Yixuan and Leng Lingyun shared a glance.
Should they tell?
Should they tell her she had been framed as the murderer of her loved ones?
Feng Yixuan licked his dry lips, hesitating. Leng Lingyun was also silent.
âDo you both think I will do something foolish?â Claireâs expression was serene, her tone calm.
Feng Yixuan started to say, âI know you wonât, but...â but he did not want to tell Claire such a cruel reality. It was rubbing salt in her wounds. But even if he did not tell her, Claire would find out. She would feel even more pain then.
âJust like you both said, I still have many matters left unfinished. The Temple will definitely pay for Mother and Mastersâ deaths.â Claireâs voice was extremely calm, yet exceptionally icy.
Feng Yixuan watched Claire, biting his lip.
Claire did not continue, quietly waiting for Feng Yixuan to continue speaking.
Feng Yixuan and Leng Lingyun shared another glance. In the end, Feng Yixuan quietly told her the news Amparkland and the Temple had jointly spread. Feng Yixuanâs voice was soft, extremely soft. He paid close attention to Claireâs expression, but Claire remained calm the entire time.
After he finished speaking, he worriedly watched Claireâs calm face, thousands of feelings welling up in his heart.
Claire turned to face the two. As her lips started to move, the two tensed up. Claire quietly said to Leng Lingyun, âLeng Lingyun, what about Xuanxuan?â
Leng Lingyun froze. Feng Yixuan also froze.
âHow could the Temple of Light let you go if you saved me? Did you not think about Xuanxuan?â When she saw the slight change in Leng Lingyunâs expression, her heart tightened.
Leng Lingyun remained silent, but the deep sorrow in his eyes did not escape Claire.
Feng Yixuan did not know what to say either.
Claire instantly understood. The pure, innocent girl was most likely...
âSorry...â Claire apologized faintly, her gaze ladened with grief and self blame.
âNo, it was not because of you.â Leng Lingyun sighed, then started to smile gently. âIt was Xuanxuanâs with. Her last wish was for me to leave the Temple of Light to live my own life. I will fulfill her wish.â
Claire and Feng Yixuan watched Leng Lingyunâs faint smile with complex thoughts. They had never seen him smile like this before, a smile filled with desire to live.
âWhere am I?â Claire looked around her surroundings. The room was windowless. There was only a stone door and slight ventilation coming from the ceiling. The furniture inside was plain with three silver candle holders on the table.
âIt is my familyâs secret room,â Feng Yixuan said quietly. âThe Temple of Light wields great influence in Lagark, so...â
âAlthough the Temple of Light and Amparkland have declared you a criminal, they cannot wantonly pursue Claire, because Claireâs eyes and hair have already turned black. The Temple cannot send too many people to chase Claire, or else their hypocritical artifice will be exposed, so only the inner circle of the Temple will pursue her,â Leng Lingyun analyzed.
Feng Yixuan and Claire recalled when the Temple had secretly chased and killed girls with black hair and black eyes. Claireâs gaze grew downcast. She did not expect her to be the cause of their sorry deaths.
âYou two should first leave. I will rest for a bit,â Claire said quietly. She closed her eyes.
Feng Yixuan and Leng Lingyun shared a glance, both seeing concern in each otherâs eyes. They then looked at Claire. Seeing her calm expression, the two finally withdrew.
After the door was shut closed, Claire tiredly leaned against the bedside, slowly opening her eyes.
Her gaze was ice cold, so chilly it could freeze oneâs soul!
Temple of Light! Gordan Hill!
I will return!
I will definitely return!
Claire concentrated on sensing her bodyâs current condition and was startled by what she saw. The Lotus power had continuously coursed through her body. The majority of her wounds had already healed.
âChirp chirp!â White Emperor called from next to Claireâs pillow.
âPeep peep!â Black Feather called out even more loudly,
not to be outdone.
Claire looked down at the two furballs, smiling faintly. She scooped the two into her embrace and said quietly, âThank you both for saving me.â
âHeh!â Black Feather flapped his wings, as if pleased with himself.
âBut who exactly are you two? Why would the goddess of Light and god of Darkness be able to recognize you two?â Claire suspiciously eyed the two furballs.
The two little furballs remained silent.
Claire laid back down. Staring at the ceiling overhead, she gradually closed her eyes.
A new arc begins.
New arc, new rules.
The history of the continent of Ceylon turns to a new page.
Three days later, an ordinary looking carriage slowly tottered out the gates of the capital of Lagark.
The azure blue sky was devoid of clouds. Alongside the road was verdant forest, small birds tweeting atop branches.
The plain road was sparsely traveled.
Inside the ordinary looking carriage, Claire quietly leaned back. Feng Yixuan and Leng Lingyun were also inside.
âI cannot continue staying here. Firstly, I do not want to burden the Feng clan. Secondly, I must take revenge.â Two days prior, Claire had declined An Lishaâs urge to stay. An Lisha did not argue, only giving Claire a hug and a smile. Currently, Lagark had no way of contending with Amparkland, let alone Amparkland allied with the Temple. Naturally, Clairew as fully aware. She even didnât let the Li clan know she was staying with the Feng clan. She could not implicate the Feng clan and Li clan. Before she became strong, she could not face Amparkland and the Temple of Light head on. Claire had already made a decision in her heart.
This time when Feng Yixuan followed Claire, Claire did not refuse nor make plans to make Feng Yixuan leave.
Claireâs original destination had not changed.
Youwusali. The place the Temple of Light wielded least influence. Also Ceylon continentâs most destitute nation.
The country was mostly desert with few oases. The Temple had little interest in the poor geography and impoverished people. There was only one temple at the capital.
Wind howled in the desert, picking up the yellow sand until it was nearly impossible see, intense rays overhead scorching the land.
Amidst the vast desert, three people atop camels slowly advanced. Apart from giant cacti, there were no living beings. Wind blew, picking up more yellow sand. Occasionally, it would lift up sand to reveal eerie bones. It was a dangerous place.
Suddenly, a cloud of yellow dust came from the distance, coming closer and closer. It was a squadron of horses, each valiant rider with curved blades, leather saddles and boots. Bandits!
âBoss, look, itâs those three. The one in the middle is definitely a girl. Although I canât see her face, I can tell from her figure that she is definitely a woman,â a vulgar man near the front of the bandits said certainly to a refined looking man. The three did not look like cash cows, but if the girl was a beauty, they would make a profit.
No one would have expected it by his appearance, but the refined, elegant looking man was actually the overlord of the desert, a true and blue bandit boss.
Long Sasi nodded. He never doubted the vulgar manâs words. Although the man was vulgar, his eyes were exceptionally sharp. He had never misjudged anything.
The bandits jeered in a strange manner, brandishing their curved blades while galloping towards the three people.
âLeave the girl in the middle. The other two, get lost.â Long Sasi humphed coldly.
âYou...â a charming voice said. The bandits hearts all trembled. How does someone with such a voice look like?
âAre you the Desert Whirlwind, Long Sasi?â the same sweet voice said.
Long Sasi paused, then burst out laughing. âWhat, does this beauty already know my name? Why donât you just obediently come with me?â
âYou dunce, you were framed, and now youâve been reduced to a bandit, losing your homeland. You have the guts to be aggressive?â Her voice was sweet, but her words were venomous.
The expression of the bandits changed. Everyone knew this was their bossâs sore spot that could not be touched. Whenever this topic was raised, their boss would go mad. The aftermath was too horrible to contemplate.
But contrary to their expectations, Long Sasi did not explode. Instead, he brandished his wave threateningly towards the person in the middle. His voice stern, he asked, âWho are you?â
âSomeone who will help you,â the sweet voice responded. The person in the middle slowly lifted her veil, revealing a stunningly beautiful face, silky black hair and incomparably deep, dark eyes. At such a young age, the girl was already so beautiful. When she grew up, what a femme fatale she would be!