Chapter 12: Chapter Twelve: Linquan Town

Luo Shan exhausted his magical power and sprinted on the wind. Gote followed closely; although the gap between them kept shrinking, he still could not catch the fleeing boy. In terms of magical power rank, Luo Shan was only a mid‑level "Human Teacher", while Gote was a "Human Emperor" on par with Ming Guang, an immeasurable gap. Yet Luo Shan's body still contained the power Xiao Yushan sacrificed for him; that power filled him, unable to be used directly, but in a crisis it merged with his own strength and unleashed limitless potential. Gote never imagined this. He thought the kid's magic was far inferior, yet his wind‑running matched his own, stirring a sense of defeat. In an instant of changed mindset, his wind speed slowed uncontrollably. As one waned, the other grew, making it even harder to catch up.

Gote's mind filled with doubts, and Luo Shan also had hardships to voice. He had never been adept at wind‑riding, having only learned a few basics from his parents as a child; now his ability to sprint hundreds of li without faltering relied entirely on the magical power within him and an all‑out will to survive. Yet his magical power was never strong; even with Xiao Yushan's support, it was gradually waning. One must know that magical power and a person's stamina are the same—if drained for a long time without replenishment, the body weakens, just as Labick, after a grueling battle with three great mages, could barely stand. Luo Shan, at this moment, was nearing exhaustion.

Qin Yan… Qin Yan…

At this life‑or‑death moment, Luo Shan's mind again conjured the image of that girl.

In this life, perhaps he would never see her again.

"Boom!" As his thoughts wandered, a sudden black lightning streaked past him, tearing his coat and exploding with a thunderous blast on the ground nearby. Startled, he instinctively turned his head and saw Gote had somehow caught up, his staff tip gathering light as another "Dark Arrow" shot toward him.

Luo Shan clenched his teeth, swung his right hand, and a luminous shield formed behind him. Amid Gote's maniacal laugh, another beam of light surged forward. This time its aim was perfect, striking the barrier Luo Shan hastily erected while running. The "Human Emperor's" magic was overwhelmingly domineering, and Luo Shan's hastily‑made barrier could not withstand Gote's ferocious assault. With a single blow the barrier shattered, the black light, still potent, pierced straight into Luo Shan's rear heart.

Luo Shan felt his whole body tear with pain; the magical power collapsed instantly from the grievous injury, and he fell from mid‑air. The wind was bone‑cold, and Gote, swift as ever, caught up, his cold sneer seemingly at his ear. "Will I be captured now? After such a long escape and trek, is this the end, returning to a doomed fate?" In an instant Luo Shan was overwhelmed by regret and helplessness. No, he could not simply collapse. He had to save his parents, and… and he still had someone he wanted to see, someone he wanted to protect…

"Break!"

Amid the excruciating pain, his mind suddenly cleared; the power shattered by the Dark Arrow seemed to reconsolidate in an instant. He strained to raise both hands toward the Gote lunging from behind, gathering his remaining strength, and let out a furious roar.

A massive white light coalesced in an instant—magic unique to the Angel Clan, holy light dispelling demons; wherever the radiance reached, evil spirits and monsters fled in terror.

Xiao Yushan's transmitted magic once again took effect within Luo Shan, and the force of this strike far exceeded what Luo Shan could normally muster. When a person faces life‑or‑death, such incredible power can arise, magic included. Moreover, Luo Shan's heart also held concern for another woman, and this emotion fused into the spell, becoming a mountain‑crushing, ruin‑splitting force. Not even Gote, let alone Viscount Luofu Gude, could stand against it head‑on.

Gote had assumed his strike had already succeeded and never expected the gravely wounded Luo Shan to still have the power to retaliate, leaving him startled. In a hurried motion he swung his staff, raising a black barrier before him. With a crisp "clang," the barrier was shattered by the light, and pure force pierced his body, a pain like ten thousand arrows converging on his heart. He let out a howl, his strength gone, and he fell heavily to the ground, blood seeping from every pore. Years of painstaking cultivation of dark magic were almost entirely undone in an instant; even if he survived, he would likely be a cripple.

At the same moment, Luo Shan's body also plummeted, but unlike Gote he did not land—because he was atop a sheer cliff thousands of meters high!

With no support and no chance, Luo Shan fell through the void, unable to turn back.

He could hear the wind's howl, yet his body felt no sensation, like when Ming Guang's strike had sent him into the Nine‑Nether realm—only this time far more numb, a hollowness unbearable.

Is this what death feels like?

Gote and Ming Guang were evenly matched; exhausted, they each endured a Dark Arrow from Gote, the wound heavier than before. So what awaited him this time?

A violent jolt swept his entire body; even his numb flesh registered a faint pain. Something enveloped him, gentle as a mother's hand, spreading slowly, engulfing his form, making him unable to feel the cold air.

It's water…

A bout of suffocation sent his consciousness back into haze. In the blur he seemed to see a beautiful woman in white standing by the nearby water, smiling sweetly at him.

"Qin Yan."

He tried to call her but could not speak.

That profound helplessness lingered unknown how long, while seas and mountains seemed to shift before his eyes, and the pain in his body intensified bit by bit. The world turned from white to pitch black, then gradually back to white; with his eyes closed he could only sense this vague flux.

He seemed to see the white‑clad maiden standing before him, her delicate palm luminous as jade.

Qin Yan, Qin Yan, you have no idea how much I miss you.

If we could meet again, please forgive my sudden departure and my irresponsibility.

Yet, in an instant the white maiden's silhouette blurred. A unfamiliar female voice, soft and sweet, sounded in his ear, indescribably pleasant.

"You fool, I'll give you credit—you've managed to snatch this life back."

"I… I… what am I…?"

Before the words left his mouth, Luo Shan realized he could actually speak.

"I… I'm still alive?"

"Of course you're still alive, I told you, you're lucky." The same sweet female voice, as if right beside him. Luo Shan forced his eyes open; the world reappeared. A blonde girl in chainmail, a long sword at her waist, held a silver bowl before him. Though clad in armor, her exquisite face and graceful figure were unmistakable.

"You fool, now that you're alive, have a bowl of soup first." She smiled, placing the bowl beside Luo Shan, then frowned. "By the way, you're badly wounded; you probably can't lift the bowl. Never mind, I'll feed you."

"No… no… I can… myself." Luo Shan instinctively said, struggling to rise. Yet his body was barely controllable; his torso lifted only a little before collapsing back onto the bed. The girl, seeing his state, let out a giggle. "You, just being alive is enough; don't push yourself." She sat on the edge of his bed, scooped a bit of soup with a small silver spoon, and gently blew. "Here, open your mouth." Her posture was dazzlingly beautiful; Luo Shan barely dared to stare. "That's good behavior." She covered her mouth with a light laugh. "Alright, have a few more sips; I'll go ask the Witch Lady for some medicine. In a few days you'll be bouncing around again."

"Where… where is this?" Luo Shan's mind was still a haze. "Did you… save me?"

"No kidding." The girl pretended to be angry. "It wasn't me who saved you—was it some stray cat or dog?"

"No… I didn't mean that… I meant…"

"Alright, I was just teasing you." Seeing Luo Shan's embarrassment, the girl found it amusing, fed him a few more spoonfuls, then set the silver bowl down. "This is the outskirts of Linquan Town. I'm Pei Er, Pei Er‑Andrea‑Awensi. And you, fool, what's your name?"

"Luo Shan."

"Luo Shan? That's a rare name. You must have come from the east, right?"

"I grew up in Aimidode Town," Luo Shan sighed.

"Aimidode Town?" Pei Er looked at him. "That's far from here. How did you end up in Linquan Town? And what about that severe injury… If I hadn't seen you while drawing water by the Linquan River and rescued you, you'd surely be dead now."

"It's a long story… I ran into bandits," Luo Shan could only reply.

"Bandits?" Pei Er snorted heavily. "Those same guys again. Luo Shan, recover here safely; don't worry, I'll protect you." She patted the long sword at her waist and smiled faintly. "Even the bandits' mages might not be my match."

Luo Shan smiled weakly, and the pain surged like a tide, making him shiver; large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Pei Er gasped, quickly pulling a handkerchief to wipe him, and the moment it touched his skin she felt his forehead burning like fire. "You… you have a fever! I'll go fetch the Witch Lady right away." She rose anxiously, glancing back at Luo Shan. "You… hold on. I'll be back soon."

The world before his eyes returned to chaos once more.