Chapter 352: Who is it?

Gui Naifen's reaction was: she blinked her amber-colored large eyes, and a hint of confusion appeared on her face.

"These people... who are they?"

She asked softly, gently pointing at those "statues" with the shaft of her Flame Spear, "Why are they standing here motionless? Did they fall for some trap? Are they Masters and Servants?"

Her tone was natural, her confusion genuine, her gaze at Saber …

It was like looking at a uniquely shaped Heroic Spirit figurine, at most thinking the armor looked cool.

Ailisi Feier: "……"

Tengwan Lixiang: "……"

Mashu: "……"

The question marks in the three of their minds almost materialized and jumped out.

(No reaction?)

(Really no reaction?!)

(This doesn't seem right, does it?! That's Artoria! Arthur Wang! Your... uh, the legendary monarch?!)

Ailisi Feier and Tengwan Lixiang quickly exchanged a glance, then in perfect sync stepped back a little, gently pulling Mashu to their side, the three turned their backs to Gui Naifen, forming a small "secret conference circle".

"What's the situation?"

Ailisi Feier asked softly, her red eyes full of disbelief, "How can she have no reaction? Isn't that Artoria?"

Tengwan Lixiang stroked her chin, her amber eyes flickering rapidly, combining her experience crossing countless Singularities and having seen many forms of Heroic Spirits, she quickly offered the most reasonable conjecture she could think of: "I guess... this Miss Gwenivere might not be the Gwenivere from the complete legendary period we usually recognize."

Ailisi Feier and Mashu both looked at her.

"The Heroic Spirit Throne records the hero's side and entirety,"

Tengwan Lixiang explained, "But the ones summoned are often from a specific period. For example, I've seen the same hero in childhood, adolescent, and adult stages. Perhaps the Lancer before us was summoned from a time in Gwenivere's life... before she met Arthur Wang, or before she became queen? So she doesn't even know Artoria!"

Mashu suddenly understood, quietly agreeing, "So that's it! Indeed, senior, your mind is truly swift! That makes sense! She inherits Gwenivere's name and part of her essence, but her Memory and Cognition remain at an earlier stage!"

Ailisi Feier listened to the explanation and also found it logically sound.

After all, Heroic Spirit summoning is full of Variable, and encountering the same Heroic Spirit from different periods, though rare, is not impossible.

(So that's how it is... Heroic Spirits from different periods...)

(Seems quite reasonable... but why does something still feel off?)

That subtle sense of disharmony still lingered, but the explanation before them seemed the only one that could make sense.

She nodded, accepting the explanation.

The three turned around, their expressions already back to normal.

Gui Naifen at this moment had already moved up beside those motionless "statues", her eyes full of curiosity, even extending a finger, waving it before San Yue Qi's eyes, then gently poking A Xing's arm—of course, no reaction.

"Really not moving... like being petrified."

She muttered, turning her head toward Ailisi Feier, "Did they also get turned like this by that pink mist?"

Ailisi Feier stepped forward, her red eyes scanning Saber's frozen visage, suppressing her worry, and nodded, "It should be. The residual magic concentration here is the highest; they were probably directly affected. We must enter Liu Dong Si quickly and find the source."

"Understood!"

Gui Naifen immediately gripped her Flame Spear, brimming with fighting spirit, pointing toward the faint outline of a temple on the mountain path, "Then let's go! Vanguard Lancer, set out again!"

The four no longer delayed, swiftly advancing up the ruined mountain path.

The closer they got to the summit, the denser the pink dust in the air became.

Collapsed trees, charred earth, scattered insect shell fragments—all testified to the ferocious battle that once raged here.

Finally, they reached the clearing before Liu Dong Si.

The sight before them was startling.

The once simple temple structure had collapsed by more than half; among the broken walls and ruins stood a massive cocoon about half a human tall, its surface covered with irregular purple‑black patterns, beating slowly like a heart, quietly towering in the center of the wreckage.

Around the cocoon, dense pink mist swirled like a living thing; each beat emitted a wavering aura that unsettled the spirit.

"Is that the thing?"

Gui Naifen squinted; she could feel the enormous power contained within the cocoon.

"Careful, Lancer."

Ailisi Feier whispered, "Don't approach lightly; that mist likely has strong Spiritual Invasion."

Tengwan Lixiang and Mashu also readied themselves for battle.

Mashu raised her shield, blocking in front of everyone.

Gui Naifen nodded, yet did not retreat.

She inhaled deeply, both hands gripping her Flame Spear, the spear tip pointing at the massive cocoon.

"Whatever it is, let's poke it and see!"

She pushed off her feet, her body shooting forward like an arrow!

The Flame Spear left a dazzling trail, thrusting straight at the cocoon!

However, just when the spear tip was still several meters from the cocoon—

Puff!

A pattern on the cocoon's surface suddenly split open, a pink mist several times denser than the surrounding fog erupted like conscious tentacles, blasting straight toward the charging Gui Naifen!

"Lancer!" Ailisi Feier exclaimed.

Gui Naifen reacted instantly, spinning and swinging her spear, the scorching flame forming a barrier, attempting to disperse the mist.

Most of the pink mist was blocked by the flame, sizzling, but a tiny fraction pierced through, brushing her body.

Gui Naifen's form stalled, she fell back to the ground, cautiously checking herself.

It seemed... no abnormal feeling?

Head not dizzy, eyes not blurry, Memory clear.

"I'm fine!" they called back.

But as they shouted, the sprayed powdery mist had not fully dissipated; part of it, as if alive, split into two streams, bypassed the Flame Barrier, and at astonishing speed surged toward the waiting Tengwan Lixiang and Mashu behind.

"Senior, be careful!"

Mashu immediately slammed the shield heavily onto the ground.

The pure white city phantom instantly unfolded!

However, that powdery mist was not an ordinary attack.

It, like an illusory ghost, pierced straight through the light screen, and before Tengwan Lixiang and Mashu could react, it gently enveloped them.

Both of their movements froze instantly.

Tengwan Lixiang's face still bore a vigilant expression, while Mashu maintained a shield‑raising defensive stance.

But their gazes instantly lost focus, becoming hollow and distant, as if their souls were drawn out and cast into another dimension.

"Miss Lixiang! Miss Mashu!"

Ailisi Feier hurried forward, trying to shake them, but it was of no effect.

The two, like the few "statues" at the foot of the mountain, fell into a deep Illusion Realm stasis.

"Damn!"

Gui Naifen gritted her teeth, looked at the giant cocoon that had regained Calm and was pulsating slowly, anger flaring in her eyes, "Sure enough this thing is causing trouble! Watch me burn you!"

She held nothing back, and the light on the Flame Spear surged!

She transformed into a humanoid blaze, charging at the giant cocoon again!

This time, she no longer rushed straight ahead; instead, she moved agilely left and right, and as she swung the spear, scorching flame slashes whistled out, bombarding the cocoon's surface from every angle!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosion after explosion rang out, the flames burst on the cocoon's body, scorching the purple‑black patterns until they crackled, and the air filled with a charred smell.