Chapter 418: Riddle

Some people and things, once past, are past.

Some people and things, however, leave a deep memory that lasts a lifetime, occasionally resurfacing.

What happened between Lin Ke and Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke is exactly like that.

Whether intentional or not, memories of those events and times always pop into Lin Ke's mind.

Therefore, facing Ai Rui Si's question, Lin Ke lightly nodded: "I remember, of course I remember."

"It's a pity you didn't understand my hint back then."

Ai Rui Si sighed, then amended, saying, "This isn't your fault either; who made me have a split personality back then, acting crazy, often not even knowing what I was doing myself."

"Hint? What hint?"

Lin Ke was very puzzled and asked directly.

"As expected, you didn't get it either!"

Upon hearing that, Ai Rui Si let out another long sigh: "Do you still remember how I reacted the first time you gave me a black sugar deer pill cow milk tea?"

The phrase "black sugar deer pill cow milk tea" consists of eight characters, spoken in standard Mandarin.

Lin Ke didn't rush to answer, but earnestly searched his memory.

Although the "pay-to-win card draw system" cheat had long left him, the "Brain Seal Technique" had already become Lin Ke's instinct.

Without the study card's bonus, Lin Ke could still use the Brain Seal Technique, still summon the thought palace built from memory palace theory, and still recall everything in detail.

Plus a little bit of wizardry.

The scene of the first time Lin Ke gave Ai Rui Si the black sugar deer pill cow milk tea, including but not limited to the environment, furniture, tea set, the aroma of the drink, and Ai Rui Si's emotional reaction, appeared one by one in the form of a light screen.

It was as if Lin Ke's eyes were the projector, his brain the film reel, his memory the movie content, playing a film.

【Ai Rui Si took a shallow sip, a flicker of complex emotion crossing her eyes.

Some sweet, some wistful, some painful.

One after another, image fragments flashed before her eyes.

There were laughter and joy, there was her alone leaning by the window, and also her walking the streets holding a cup.

She shook her head, casting aside those fragmented, disconnected images.

Ai Rui Si lowered her head, sipping the milk tea that tasted familiar yet strange, chewing the deer pill that seemed slightly bitter, mildly roasted, rich and sweet.

As if smoked by the tea's heat, Ai Rui Si's eyes grew misty and watery.

"Delicious."

She sniffed lightly and gave a soft praise.

"It's been a long time since I've had this."

Another feeling of Ai Rui Si stored in her heart spoke out.】

All of Ai Rui Si's expressions and actions that could reflect emotion and will were enlarged and slowed down.

Moreover, Lin Ke's reactions were also slowed down and enlarged, every detail revealed.

Watching the content displayed on the light screen, Ai Rui Si recalled the scene and her emotions more clearly.

"What were you thinking back then?"

Quickly shaking off the effect of the memory boomerang, Ai Rui Si asked softly.

"I was thinking, indeed, a half-fellow townsman."

Lin Ke replied truthfully.

"A half-fellow townsman? Why do you feel that way?"

Ai Rui Si was a bit curious.

"Intuition."

Furrowing his brow in thought, Lin Ke said, "It's just an intuition; even if we're both 'outsiders,' our true spirits couldn't possibly come from the same homeland."

"Why?"

Ai Rui Si asked again.

Lin Ke thought a moment and gave an example: "In my past life, people who shared the same language and ethnicity but received different ideological education from childhood showed clear differences. As the saying goes, an orange grown south of the Huai is an orange, north of the Huai it's a citron. You and I have this kind of difference too."

"Really?"

Ai Rui Si didn't comment on Lin Ke's statement, instead saying to herself, "Back then my emotions were turbulent; remnants of my pre‑past‑life personality surfaced, muddling my thoughts. I even thought I had given enough hints."

"What hints?"

Lin Ke frowned slightly and asked doubtfully.

He genuinely didn't understand what Ai Rui Si meant by "hint."

He wasn't even sure what aspect the "hint" referred to.

"If you don't know, forget it; it's not important."

Ai Rui Si waved her hand, sighed, and a hint of melancholy rose in her tranquil, elegant demeanor.

Seeing Ai Rui Si's state, Lin Ke's brow furrowed even tighter.

Today's Ai Rui Si seems strange—neither like the formerly crazy Ai Rui Si nor like the later Ai Rui Si who cut off her split personality.

On the contrary, she resembles the person named Ai Rui Si.

But hasn't Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke already purified all remnants of her past and pre‑past lives?

Lin Ke was present at that time as well.

The White Lotus Holy Mother, whose Dharma body is immeasurably vast, containing countless worlds of life and binding innumerable sentient beings, left an impression on Lin Ke that was profoundly deep.

Even to this day he dare not or perish.

Wait a moment!

White Lotus Holy Mother?

Could the previous previous life of that person surnamed Ai named Rui Si, who is Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, be the White Lotus Holy Mother of some universe, or an incarnation of the White Lotus Holy Mother?

Lin Ke couldn't help but have such a doubt.

"What are you thinking?"

At this time, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke asked softly, her tone soft and sticky.

"I'm wondering, are you really Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, or just 'Ai Rui Si', or perhaps you are simply the White Lotus Holy Mother?"

Lin Ke did not hide it, and frankly spoke his doubts and guesses.

When saying "Ai Rui Si" and the White Lotus Holy Mother, Lin Ke also used standard Mandarin Chinese.

Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke smiled faintly, playfully blinked her left eye: "You guess."

"I won't guess."

Lin Ke shook his head, "I never guess a woman's heart." "Boring."

Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke curled the corner of her mouth, slightly mocking, said: "When you get along with Mo Li, is it also this dull and boring? What exactly does Mo Li like about you, that she is not only willing to bear you a daughter, but also willing to endure the pain of separation, the suffering of loneliness, and watch over your rear for you!"

"Today I asked you to meet to talk about matters between us, which have nothing to do with Mo Li; don't drag her into it."

Lin Ke's expression was calm, his tone calm, yet he firmly drew a bottom line.

Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke could sense from Lin Ke's demeanor how resolute this will was, and thus put away her untimely joking.

"After all, she's a girl; having a little temper is normal, and it's quite big."

Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke immediately put on a cold face and said coldly: "Linke Grand, you're great, you are indeed a good husband! Mo Li marrying you was truly marrying well!"

"Thank you."

Lin Ke thanked without changing his expression, then pulled back the topic that Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke had deliberately twisted: "Let's talk less idle chatter and anger, and get down to business."

"Hehe..."

After a few cold chuckles, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke's demeanor suddenly changed; she was no longer tranquil and indifferent, nor did she show any hint of melancholy in her tranquility.

The Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke who went to a parallel universe and returned, decisive in killing, has come back.

The aura of a Sixth-Level Sage was fully unleashed.

The originally slightly rippled lake surface, under pressure from this aura, instantly became like dead water, utterly still.

Facing the aura impact from the Sixth-Level Sage Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, Lin Ke stood unmoving, made no move, and silently resolved it.

In this simple yet brief aura clash, Lin Ke probed some of Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke's limits, and Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke also probed some of Lin Ke's limits.

Or rather, Lin Ke revealed some of his own limits, and Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke also revealed some of her own limits.

After they exchanged limits, this roundabout, drawn-out "small talk" was considered over.

"Let's change places; I don't want to talk about those petty, scheming matters here."

Before discussing the main topic, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke put forward a request.

"Okay."

Lin Ke agreed without hesitation.

Memories have faded, but past happiness should not be mixed with other things.

Doing so would not only make past happiness impure, but also likely cause it to deteriorate, even become disgusting!

The two instantly teleported away from the lakeside lawn of Ruowosuosi Xueyuan, arriving at a villa that Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke had somehow acquired.

This villa is located in the deep mountains; the scenery is indeed nice, but it lacks sufficient magical potency.

Consequently, few wizards, especially mid- to high-level ones, purchase villas or settle here.

Living here, or occasionally coming to rest for a period, can indeed bring tranquility.

Sitting in the living room, Ai Rui Si ordered the intelligent butler to bring two cups of black sugar deer pill cow milk tea, then directly asked: "Speak, what exactly is the matter for which you asked me to meet?"

Lin Ke glanced at it, noting it differed greatly from his usual way, being closer to the original black sugar deer pill cow milk tea, and he had no desire to pick it up and drink.

Hearing Ai Rui Si's question, Lin Ke calmly said: "I've discovered something related to you; I came to tell you, and also to hear your thoughts on it."

"Hmm."

Ai Rui Si nodded slightly, waiting for Lin Ke's next words.

Lin Ke continued: "The Elemental Sage took a bit of the Light of Life from me, the Mysterious Tranquil Heavenly Master brought me to the River of Time to stimulate my Light of Life; both sought to find a beam of light, or rather confirm its state. Forty-five days ago, based on the word 'ruins' whispered by my Light of Life in the River of Time, and my own intuition, I found the coordinates where the Special Ruins World originally lay. There, I actively stimulated my Light of Life and heard a new whisper: 'Ai Rui Si'."

The final word "Ai Rui Si" was spoken by Lin Ke in his past life's native language, Mandarin Chinese.

This is also the original wording of the Light of Life's whisper heard by Lin Ke at the coordinates where the Special Ruins World's core originally lay.

After a brief pause, giving Ai Rui Si time to think, Lin Ke continued: "According to the Ancestral Law of the Immortal God Civilization Heavenly Master's Mansion, at the source of the River of Time in the Immortal God Civilization Universe, he discovered two beams of light traveling from other universes, passing through the Immortal God Civilization Universe and falling into the Wizard Civilization Universe. One beam's trajectory is clear; what it carries is my true spirit. The other beam's whereabouts are unknown, and to this day it is still being sought."

"So, based on various clues and your own findings, do you think the other beam carries my true spirit?"

After hearing Lin Ke's words, Ai Rui Si smiled and said thus.

"No, I don't think so."

Lin Ke readily denied Ai Rui Si's statement.

"Then what do you think?"

Ai Rui Si was somewhat surprised and asked doubtfully.

"I don't really have an opinion; I just feel we must meet and talk."

Lin Ke said, his expression suddenly shifting, then said: "Perhaps I do have some thoughts, but I haven't yet clearly realized them; asking you to meet is acting on instinct. After all, I spent forty-five years of my lifespan to hear the Light of Life's whisper clearly."

"Is that so?"

Ai Rui Si believed Lin Ke's words, lost in thought.

However, she did not immediately tell Lin Ke her thoughts; instead, she lifted the black sugar deer pill cow milk tea and took a light sip.

Clearly, her own adjusted recipe was closer to the original taste from memory, yet at this moment, Ai Rui Si suddenly felt that the cup Lin Ke gave her tasted somewhat better.

Or rather, it's not that it tastes better, but it suits her preference more.

She rather wants another cup.

Thinking thus, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke took the opportunity to make a request.

Lin Ke did not refuse, directly agreed, followed the smart butler into the kitchen, and began to brew milk tea.

While Lin Ke went to the kitchen, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke conducted a deep contemplation.

She knew that, in Lin Ke's view, regarding the matter of the two beams of light, she had heard something about it.

Even, as soon as Great Sage Michelle underwent cultivation transformation and ascended to Heavenly Venerable, she was bound by a beam of light with the secret of her fate, and she too would come to understand it.

The matter jointly determined by the Heavenly Court of the Immortal-God Civilization and the Supreme Council of the Wizard Civilization is that Linke Grand's true spirit is the object carried within the clearly traceable beam of the two lights; it is absolutely impossible to be wrong.

The other beam of light is untraceable, and indeed truly untraceable; the object carried within it is completely without any clue.

Now, the Heavenly Court and the Supreme Council have joined forces, using the "shell" of the second beam of light to layout, they have fixed the fate of Heavenly Venerable Michelle, and are still painstakingly searching for the object carried within the second beam of light, showing how much they value both.

Linke Grand's true spirit, being the object carried within one of the beams of light, the mysterious connection that his life-force light can generate, and the resonance of his life-force light with the long river of time, must be highly related to the object carried within the second beam of light.

Whether it be the "observation" of the Elemental Sage and the Void Tranquil Heavenly Master, or Lin Ke hearing the whisper at the original coordinates of the earth's core in the special ruin world at the cost of forty-five years of lifespan, all point to her, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke.

Coincidentally, she, Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke, is a true spirit "outsider" from outside the Wizard Civilization, the special "outsider" prophesied by the Saint of Nostradamus before his extinction, and indeed she opened the passage between the two universes with herself as the core.

Based on these special aspects, to say she is not the true spirit carried within the second beam of light, or that she has no relation to the second beam of light—let alone Lin Ke not believing it, she herself does not believe it either.

The fact is, she indeed has a very deep connection with the second beam of light!

After Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke finished her deep contemplation, Lin Ke also walked out of the kitchen holding a cup of brown sugar deer pill cow milk tea.

After taking a sip of Lin Ke's version of the brown sugar deer pill cow milk tea, the taste matched her memory, her feelings were satisfied, and Ai Rui Si. Ke La Ke casually said: "There is one thing you got right—I am indeed only your half fellow townsman. Moreover, strictly speaking..."

"I am not an 'outsider'!"