Chapter 73: Help You Become King

Help you become king.

A wind from an unknown direction ruffles the lake water, carrying the water's intent far away.

Fu Guang gathered the condensed tear beads; the tear beads were round and cool, rolling in her hand.

She stood in place for a moment, then stepped forward with her usual expression.

Xi Guang held his own spirit body, staying half a step behind the girl.

He realized that the black-haired girl was likely the same kind of existence as his black self; the difference was that they did not meet with blades, but one side completely controlled the other.

He looked at the girl's gold hair lifted by the wind, and her fair profile and serene blue eyes.

The blue eyes looking ahead shifted, then turned to look at him.

Fu Guang asked the Sentinel for his spirit body; Xi Guang paused, then handed the Light Sprite to the guide.

Fu Guang pinched it with her fingers; the little sprite kept holding the hand of the miniature-winged version. The Light Sprite and its master both looked at Fu Guang.

Xi Guang's throat felt somewhat tight; the inner side of the wings was the most fragile part, and...

On the inner side of the golden wings were irregular patches of black contamination.

Fu Guang's icy fingertip touched the warm golden fur; she glanced at Xi Guang without expression, deliberately pinched the blackened spot, tilted her head, and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Xi Guang's gaze flickered, then quickly regained composure; his pale gold eyes looked down at the girl and said, "No pain."

Even under the pain of his body being shattered, he felt nothing. However, there's no need to tell the guide; she has already done well enough.

Fu Guang is not a Sentinel; the few Sentinels she had contacted who were contaminated gave different accounts—some said it hurt, others said they only experienced mental hallucinations.

A point of blue light appeared in her hand, intending to deal with the contamination; regardless of whether it hurts, it's certainly not a good thing.

A large hand wearing a white glove grabbed her hand; the hand underneath was small enough to be fully wrapped. Xi Guang raised his index finger slightly, he lowered his gaze and said, "The danger ahead is unknown; Guide, it's best to conserve your strength."

He felt as if he were grasping a ball of water, yet his palm burned like fire.

He released his hand, placing it behind his back, and lowered his voice: "This bit of contamination is nothing; we'll trouble the guide again when we return."

"Fine, as long as you know." The Sentinel clearly refused, and Fu Guang did not insist.

However, the Light Sprite was still carried by Fu Guang as she walked; the little thing was soft and warm, and through it she could constantly monitor the Sentinel's condition.

The girl ahead turned and walked away; the man curled his fingertips and followed.

From his height, he could see the girl's curled eyelashes, like a small fan, shielding her ever-changing gaze.

Fu Guang is an extremely mysterious person; only now did he realize that this is an indisputable fact.

The mysterious girl, her unknown past, the story hidden in her deep eyes—these compelled him to explore and understand.

He suppressed his restless thoughts; as a guarding Sentinel, protecting the guide is his primary duty.

Including physical and mental safety, he must not violate them.

His vision blurred, his stance halted; the healing agents in the water bubbles were completely consumed by intense pain, and the wave of pain that surged made his steps tremble.

His nerves seemed to regain sensation, more acute than before; wave after wave of intensifying pain made him unable to keep from dropping to one knee, veins bulging on his palm.

Fu Guang crouched before the Sentinel who was barely holding on, thinking he felt no pain.

The spirit body in her arms clenched its eyes and trembled; Fu Guang dared not touch it, for even the slightest contact would be a devastating blow to the Sentinel whose spiritual perception had returned.

When a person suffers a massive impact, if the injury is severe, they initially feel no pain.

She helplessly furrowed her brows; given the Sentinel's condition, she seemed to have no recourse.

A brief treatment for him was like drinking poison to quench thirst—his condition might improve briefly, but after the treatment the pain would become more intense and unbearable.

She had been careless, still thinking Sentinels were indestructible and lacked a pain system.

The man before her knelt on one knee, one hand braced on his sword, eyes tightly shut, his body slightly trembling, muscles and bones shuddering throughout.

Creak, creak—like being gnawed by a giant beast, emitting sounds hard to bear.

Her shadow fell on him; the water rippled, and another shadow appeared upon it, stretching long.

It was a Sentinel who had been watching there for an unknown length of time.

His gaze felt like a prickling thorn in the back, fixed upon her.

Fu Guang turned her head; fortunately, it was a familiar Sentinel, unfortunately, it was a Sentinel who wanted to kill her.

Lan Qian's steps were slow; he leisurely looked at Fu Guang and the surroundings, like a king inspecting his own territory.

As for the powerless Xi Guang, he turned a blind eye.

His steps were slow, yet his speed was extreme; he lowered himself, his icy, transparent ear fins brushing past Fu Guang's golden hair beside her ear, his voice alluring and intoxicating as he said, "Alone?"

His cold, slick fish tail pressed against the girl's body; he sighed, wrapped his arms around Fu Guang, and held her completely in his embrace.

He lowered his head, intoxicated, his nose touching the girl's neck skin, earnestly inhaling Fu Guang's scent.

To him, the girl was like catnip to a cat—even more so.

"I find it hard to bring myself to kill you," his icy breath fell on Fu Guang's ear.

Fu Guang's pupils turned deep blue, with a faint gold light flashing across them.

His sharp, long fingernails pinched her neck, not locking tight; his icy kiss fell behind the girl's ear.

Fu Guang moved slightly.

She could not see, but Lan Qian's pupils shifted between round and vertical.

No.

His inner depths shouted, "You clearly can't bring yourself to strike, so why not let go?"

Another voice said, "That is the king; kill her, and you will become the new king."

A king ought to be strong; a weak king ought to be replaced.

The weak lack the ability to survive. Look, a girl unable to defend herself—today you have the chance to kill her, tomorrow others will also have the chance to kill her.

Better to kill the king yourself!

Let her be spared future suffering; you won't let her suffer, right?

The sharp hand tightened, leaving red marks and stinging pain beneath Fu Guang's neck.

A sudden alarm caused Lan'an's eyes to become fully vertical pupils; at the position of his heart, a budding blue flower was lightly inserted.

As his blood flowed away, the blue flower's petals gradually opened.

He instead relaxed his grip, but his tail coiled the girl more tightly into his embrace.

With his movements, the flower pressed ever closer to his chest, as if it had grown from within his body.

He thought, if he could serve as fuel to make the King stronger, that would not be unacceptable.

He closed his eyes, placed his head against the girl's shoulder, and let danger devour him.

Weak King, how should I protect you? Rather than that, I'll kill you, swallow you into my belly—any thought of harming you must first destroy my body.

Weak King, if you are brave and strong, I too can become material, becoming aid for your growth.