Chapter 35: Meeting Linlei by Chance

The night was deep.

Aikesi sped through the forest, magic surging beneath his feet, each step spanning several zhang. The energy fluctuations in the distance grew more intense; the battle was clearly not over. He could smell the blood filling the air, and the aftereffects of spells still vibrated.

As he hurried on, he sensed—at least three Level 9s, one of whom radiated a wild, familiar aura carrying a faint Dragonblood pressure. That was the unique aura of a Dragonblood Warrior, wild and domineering, utterly different from ordinary fighting qi.

Linlei.

Aikesi increased his speed. Dead leaves beneath his feet were whipped up by the forceful wind, forming a brief trail behind him.

Crossing a small hill, the view suddenly opened up. In the valley, under the moonlight, chaos reigned; more than a dozen corpses lay scattered across the ground. In the central clearing, the fight continued.

Linlei had dragon-transformed, his body covered in green-black dragon scales that gleamed with a cold luster under the moonlight. His hands had become claws, and a thick dragon tail swished behind him, each strike accompanied by a shriek tearing through the air. He was locked in combat with a Level 9 Warrior. That warrior was burly, wielding a greatsword with fierce swordsmanship; every swing carried a howling wind, clearly a veteran of many battles. Although Linlei's strength had surged greatly after dragon-transforming, the opponent was evidently experienced, evading Linlei's sharp edges with every attack and targeting his weaknesses, yet for the moment could not gain the upper hand.

Nearby, a huge black-striped clouded leopard was dealing with two Level 9 Mages. That was Heilu, Linlei's contracted magical beast. Its speed was as swift as lightning, leaving only afterimages in the moonlight. But the two Mages coordinated perfectly; one used a wind wall to block its charge, while the other used ice arrows to constrain its path. Though Heilu was fierce, it could not break through for the time being.

Further away, a small black rat—Beibei—was fighting several Level 7 and 8 guards. That little creature moved with astonishing speed, darting through the crowd; every strike precisely severed a person's ankle tendon or wrist tendon. Its body was so small it was nearly invisible in the night; one could only hear the guards' rising and falling screams. More than a dozen already lay on the ground, but seven or eight enemies remained, waving their weapons in terror, trying to drive away this invisible foe.

Aikesi did not hesitate.

He raised his right hand, and the Fallen Heart Flame condensed in his palm. Crimson flames leaped up, and the surrounding air warped from the intense heat. This time, he did not form flame arrows; instead, he directly transformed them into two flame spears. The spears were entirely crimson, their surfaces flowing with a luster like molten rock, leaving two dazzling trails in the night.

The two Level 9 Mages besieging Heilu sensed danger simultaneously. One whipped his head around, fear flashing in his eyes, and raised his hand to conjure a wind wall. The other quickly condensed ice armor over his body while diving sideways.

But it was too late to dodge.

The flame spears pierced through their chests.

The wind wall proved useless, evaporating the instant it touched the flames. The ice armor was even more fragile than paper, unable to hold for even an instant. The terrifying temperature of the Fallen Heart Flame instantly burned through all defenses; the two Mages did not even have time to scream before being engulfed by fire. Their bodies stiffened for a moment amidst the burning, then crashed to the ground with a boom. The edges of the wounds on their chests were charred black, yet not a single drop of blood flowed out—all evaporated by the extreme heat.

Heilu paused, then turned his head toward Aikesi. A human-like surprise flashed in those beastly eyes, followed by a low growl as thanks.

Linlei sensed it too, forced his opponent back with a sudden sword strike, and turned to look.

Their eyes met.

Linlei's eyes, in his dragon-transformed state, were vertical pupils glowing with a faint golden light. The moment he saw Aikesi, the killing intent in those eyes clearly stalled, then gave way to a hint of surprise. He clearly did not expect to meet Aikesi here—the their last meeting had been at Ensite Mofa Xueyue, when they were still classmates, attending classes and training together.

"What are you staring at?" Aikesi spoke. "Finish fighting first, then talk."

Linlei's lips twitched slightly, a sort of smile, then he turned and lunged at his opponent again. His movements were noticeably fiercer, as if he had set aside some concern.

Aikesi did not interfere in Linlei's fight but turned toward those Level 7 and 8 guards. He waved both hands repeatedly, shooting out streams of tiny flame arrows; each arrow struck a person precisely. Those flame arrows were small but extremely fast, and utterly undefendable—ordinary fighting qi shields were like paper before the Fallen Heart Flame. Those guards, already in disarray due to Beibei's harassment, could hardly withstand such attacks; in an instant, a whole group fell.

Beibei took a moment to wave its tiny paw at him, its round black eyes full of excitement. It squeaked twice, as if greeting, then continued pouncing on the next target.

In less than half a ke, the battle ended.

As the last guard fell, Linlei precisely severed the head of that Level 9 Warrior. The head rolled to the ground, the expression on the face still frozen in disbelief—he probably did not understand even until death why this suddenly appeared young man possessed such terrifying flames.

Linlei reverted from his dragon-transformed state, gasping heavily. Several wounds on his body bled continuously, though none were fatal. The dragon scales had blocked most attacks, but that Level 9 Warrior's swordsmanship was indeed formidable; a few strikes had breached his defenses.

Heilu returned to normal size, crouching nearby to lick the blood on his paws. He had sustained some minor injuries, but nothing serious. Beibei hopped over, leaped onto Linlei's shoulder, pointed its tiny paw at Aikesi, and squeaked incessantly, as if asking who this person was.

"Why are you here?" Linlei asked. His voice was somewhat hoarse, probably from the great exertion of the recent battle.

"Passing by." Aikesi walked over and handed him a bottle of healing medicine. This medicine was obtained from Delinkewote; that Saint Domain Magus's healing elixir was far more effective than those sold on the market. "Felt the fluctuations, came to check."

Linlei took the medicine without ceremony, pouring some directly onto his wounds. The moment the powder touched the wounds, the bleeding stopped. He raised an eyebrow: "Good stuff."

"Given by an elder." Aikesi said.

Their last meeting had been at Ensite Mofa Xueyue.

"What about you?" Linlei asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Traveling." Aikesi said. "Stayed in Yunluo too long, came out for a walk. Heard there are many powerful figures in the O'Brien Empire, so I came to see."

Linlei nodded, asking no more. He knew Aikesi's character; if he didn't want to say something, asking was useless.

At that moment, a coughing sound came.

Both turned their heads, looking at the ground not far away. There lay an old man, bound by chains, his body covered in bloodstains, yet still alive. During the battle, he had been tossed aside and nobody had paid him attention. Probably both sides considered him irrelevant, merely a captive.

Linlei walked over and crouched to examine him.

Aikesi followed.

The old man appeared at least sixty or seventy years old, with gray hair and a face covered in blood and dirt, yet his eyes were bright, revealing shrewdness and vigilance. He was also sizing up the two, his gaze lingering a moment longer on Aikesi—probably because that flame had left a deep impression on him. The flame's temperature was too terrifying; even from the side, he could feel that scorching heat, hardly like magic a human could wield.

"Who are you?" Linlei asked. "Why did they capture you?"

The old man did not answer immediately; instead, he looked at the corpses around, then at Linlei and Aikesi, and spoke in a hoarse voice: "You... are not from the Radiant Church, are you?"

"No." Linlei said.

The old man sighed in relief, a smile appearing on his face: "That's good, that's good. I, Sai Sile, am a Wangling Daoshi."

Wangling Daoshi.

Aikesi remained expressionless, but understood inwardly. Indeed, this old fellow, one of Linlei's important allies in the original story, sinister and cunning, yet truly powerful. In the original story, this old Mage helped Linlei greatly; although his character was not great, he was reliable in critical moments.

Linlei frowned: "Necromancer?"

"What, young friend, do you have prejudices against Necromancers?" Sai Sile smiled. "If I, an old man, had not held back those guards inside earlier, you would not have succeeded so easily."

That was true. Aikesi had noticed earlier; before the battle began, those guards were indeed somewhat abnormal, their movements sluggish, as if affected by something. He had thought it was due to injuries, but now it seemed Sai Sile had tampered with them secretly. Necromancers indeed possessed such methods, using death qi to influence the minds of the living; though not strong, they often played a crucial role in battle.

Linlei said nothing, reached out, and snapped the chains binding Sai Sile. Although his dragon transformation had ended, his strength remained; the chains forged from fine steel were as fragile as hemp rope in his hands.

Sai Sile moved his limbs, stood up, and bowed to both: "Thank you both for saving my life. May I ask your names?"

"Linlei."

"Aikesi."

Sai Sile nodded, his gaze returning to Aikesi: "I have lived so many years, yet this is the first time I have seen such domineering flames. Those two Level 9 Mages were burned through before they could even react. Impressive, impressive. May I ask which great master you study under? Though my knowledge is limited, such flames are extremely rare, almost like the legendary..."

"Get to the point." Linlei interrupted. "Why did they capture you?"

Sai Sile's smile faded somewhat, and he sighed: "Because I know too much. The unsavory deeds of the Radiant Church, I happen to know some of them."

Linlei's eyes narrowed.

Seeing this, Sai Sile understood. He scanned both their faces, lowered his voice, and said: "Gentlemen, this is not the place to talk. I suggest we leave here first. So many people from the Radiant Church are dead; powerful figures will soon come to investigate. This place is not far from their base; within half an hour at most, someone will arrive."

Linlei looked at Aikesi.

Aikesi nodded: "He makes sense. Let's leave first; we can talk on the road."

Linlei no longer hesitated, beckoned Beibei and Heilu, and followed Saisile out of the valley. Although Saisile was old, he surprisingly ran not slowly, evidently having some foundation.

The group vanished into the night.

An hour later, they settled in a hidden cave. This cave was very secret; its entrance was obscured by vines. If Saisile had not led the way, it would have been impossible to discover. According to him, this was a hiding spot of his from before, used to evade pursuit.

Saisile was elderly and had also been injured; the exertion of this journey had already left him gasping for breath. He sat heavily on the ground, leaning against a rock, breathing in deep, ragged gasps. Blood still seeped from the wound on his chest, and his face was terrifyingly pale.

Linlei sat at the cave entrance, his back to the outside, able both to observe the situation outside and to strike at any moment. This was a habit cultivated through long-term combat. Beibei squatted on his shoulder, his small eyes warily scanning the surroundings.

Aikesi sat a bit further inside, took out a waterskin, and took a sip. He surveyed the cave; it was not large, but very dry. In the corner, there was some dry grass and dried rations, indicating that Saisile indeed often settled here.

Beibei squatted on Linlei's shoulder, his small eyes staring at Saisile, looking ready to act at any moment. Heilu lay on the outer side of the cave entrance; his massive body blocked most of the opening, and a pair of eyes glowed with a dim green light in the darkness.

Saisile steadied his breathing, looked at this formation, and let out a bitter smile: "Are you two afraid old man will run? Or afraid old man will suddenly turn hostile?"

"Being careful does no harm," Linlei said.

Saisile nodded: "True, true. If old man were a few decades younger, I might well do the same. When traveling, caution is paramount."

He paused, then spoke seriously: "Since you two saved me, there are some things I should clarify. The Radiant Church captured me because I know their secret—the secret of the Angel's Descent."

Linlei showed no reaction, but Aikesi noticed his fingers twitch slightly. That was a suppressed emotional fluctuation; Aikesi remembered that in Ensite, every time Linlei mentioned the Radiant Church, he would have this reaction.

"Angel's Descent?" Aikesi spoke up. "Explain clearly."

Saisile glanced at him and said slowly: "The Radiant Church possesses a secret technique that can summon Angels from the Radiant Plane to descend upon the Yulan Continent. But the Angel's Descent requires a Vessel—it must be a person with a pure soul, preferably a child, the younger the better. Those selected children are sent to the Church's secret bases, undergo special rituals, and become the carriers for the Angel's Descent."

Linlei's face darkened.

"What happens to the children used as Vessels?"

Saisile fell silent for a moment, then said: "Most die. The Angel's soul is too strong; the Vessel's body cannot withstand it. If one or two out of ten survive, that counts as good. Those who survive are no longer their original selves—their souls are replaced by the Angel, their bodies are modified, turning them into half-human, half-Angel monsters. They lose all memory, all emotion, knowing only to obey the Church's orders."

Silence fell over the cave.

Linlei made no sound, but Aikesi could feel the suppressed rage radiating from him. That rage was like a solid substance, making the surrounding air feel several degrees heavier.

He knew what Linlei was remembering—Linlei's mother was also sacrificed and killed by the Radiant Church. That matter was the deepest scar in Linlei's heart, and the reason he hated the Radiant Church so fiercely.

"Why were you captured?" Aikesi asked, steering the topic away.

Saisile gave a bitter smile: "These past years, old man has been investigating the Radiant Church, gathering evidence of their crimes. I will not hide it from you two; when old man was young, I had a daughter with great talent. The Radiant Church people took an interest in her, saying they would take her to be trained. At the time, I was even happy, thinking my daughter had a bright future. And the result? Years later, when I went to find her, I learned she had died long ago—used as a Vessel for the Angel's Descent, dying during the ritual."

His voice became hoarse, and pain flashed in his eyes: "Since then, old man vowed to expose the true face of the Radiant Church. These past years, I have gathered evidence everywhere, infiltrated their bases, and investigated their secrets. Not long ago, old man infiltrated one of their secret bases and saw things I should not have seen. Although I escaped, their pursuit was too tight, and in the end, I was caught. If I had not met you two, old man's life would have ended today."

He looked at the two, his gaze carrying a certain scrutiny: "Do you two have a grudge against the Radiant Church?"

Linlei did not answer.

Aikesi did not either.

Seeing this, Saisile smiled: "Not speaking is understandable. However, old man can tell you two: my life is saved by you. If anything comes up later, just speak up. Although old man is only a Necromancer Mage, I am still useful in certain aspects. Such as gathering intelligence, such as infiltration, such as—killing."

"Do you want to go with us?" Linlei asked.

"I have that thought," Saisile admitted frankly. "You two have formidable strength, and you have a conflict with the Radiant Church. Old man is alone and weak; traveling with you increases the probability of survival. And—" he paused, "old man knows many of the Radiant Church's strongholds in the O'Brien Empire, knows their escort routes, and knows their secret bases. These things should be useful to you."

Linlei was silent for a while, then looked at Aikesi.

Aikesi thought for a moment and said: "He is right. The Radiant Church's Momentum is too great; we few cannot deal with them. But if we can find their weaknesses and gradually weaken them, there is still a chance. Moreover, a Necromancer Mage's methods are indeed useful; at least gathering intelligence is convenient."

Linlei nodded, turned to Saisile, and said: "Agreed. But remember, if you dare to play tricks—"

"Understood, understood," Saisile hurriedly waved his hands. "Old man's old bones still want to live a few more years; I will not invite trouble. You two rest assured; although old man is not a good person, I do understand the principle of repaying kindness."

The matter was settled thus.

After dawn, the group left the cave and continued their journey.

Saisile was injured and did not walk fast. Linlei let Heilu carry him; the old man was overwhelmed with gratitude, thanking him repeatedly. Beibei jumped onto Heilu's back, staring eye-to-eye with Saisile, making the old man laugh continuously.

"Is this little thing your Beast?" Saisile asked curiously, looking at Beibei. "What breed? Old man has lived so many years and has never seen this kind of Beast."

"Beibei," Linlei said. "He is my brother."

Saisile was stunned, then smiled: "Brother? Interesting."

Aikesi and Linlei walked side by side at the front.

"Where to next?" Aikesi asked.

Linlei thought for a moment: "Saisile said the provincial capital of the Northwest Province, Bazier, has an important stronghold of the Radiant Church. Let's go there first and take a look."

His voice was very calm, but Aikesi heard the determination within it.

"Good," Aikesi said.