June 12th, 08:54
Upon discovering Lulu gravely injured and covered in blood, Wei Yang immediately rushed to Ah Li’s home. Her target was the door sealed shut with iron chains.
To save Lulu, she had no other choice.
In this world, healing magic was extremely rare. Even if it existed, it could at most perform simple treatments like stopping bleeding or relieving pain.
The true miracle capable of healing near-fatal injuries could only be achieved through “Divine Arts.”
Wei Yang took a deep breath, shook off distracting thoughts, and grabbed the chains. Standing before the heavily sealed door, the mark on the back of her hand burned like a brand, and a familiar, whisper-like voice faintly echoed in her ears.
Infused with divine power, the chains snapped and clattered to the floor.
Wei Yang pushed the door open.
Behind it was a staircase descending into endless darkness.
She walked down without hesitation.
The further down she went, the stronger the smell of rot in the air became.
Finally, the end of the staircase appeared.
It was a small basement, its walls constructed of black jade. The foul stench emanated from these stone walls.
In the very center sat a girl emitting a faint glow.
Her body was emaciated, almost withered, with messy long hair dragging on the ground, her whole body covered in bloodstains and wounds. The halo above her head was crooked and dim, as if it could go out at any moment.
Hearing footsteps, the skeletal envoy slowly raised her head. White hair covered half her face, revealing only a single golden eye with dark circles, looking at Wei Yang with longing.
“Sister… you’ve finally come to save me.”
Wei Yang’s expression remained calm.
“I’ll ask, you answer. Are you an envoy of the God of Light?”
“That’s right, that’s right~” The girl swayed as she stood up, seemingly unaccustomed to standing. “I am the God of Light’s envoy, Feng Lai.”
She took two steps forward, then stopped, pointing at the staircase behind her.
“Take me out. I can’t leave on my own; that fox tampered with things.”
“Can your Divine Arts not save people?”
Feng Lai frowned, somewhat displeased, but answered anyway:
“They can. The God of Light’s divine domain is compassion and healing, so of course I can heal injuries. Why are you suddenly asking this?”
“I need your Divine Arts to save someone.”
“Then let me out first, and we’ll talk.”
Wei Yang shook her head.
“I can’t let you out.”
“…Sister, what do you mean?”
Feng Lai straightened the tilted halo on her head, revealing a dangerous smile.
“Do you think you can defeat me? Don’t underestimate me. Although I can’t destroy this basement constructed by that person, dealing with a faithless evil god like you—”
Wei Yang let out a light laugh.
“Then by all means, try.”
Feng Lai’s expression darkened as divine power gathered in her palm.
BOOM!
In the confined space, a dazzling light suddenly erupted. Facing the incoming blast of light, Wei Yang merely raised her left hand.
A massive mark unfolded.
***
A low hum reverberated through the basement.
The light blast instantly disintegrated, scattering into motes of light.
Feng Lai froze, then collapsed to the floor, trembling all over.
“The mark of the Pure White End… why is it on you…”
Wei Yang retracted the mark, looking down at her.
“I’m in a hurry.”
“W-What are you going to do!?”
Wei Yang didn’t answer, simply reaching out and taking the halo from her head.
Feng Lai reached out in panic to snatch it back, but was powerless to resist, only able to watch as the halo was taken.
“Give it back… please, sister…”
Her voice was choked with tears.
“Without the halo, I’ll—”
Wei Yang turned and left.
“Borrowing it.”
She walked up the stairs, pushed the door open, and left Ah Li’s home.
The sunlight outside was blinding.
Wei Yang squinted, adjusting to the light for a moment, then immediately sensed something was wrong.
“Little Gold, what time is it now?”
The small golden magical creature from Ah Li’s home immediately flew before her.
“It is June twentieth, noon.”
Wei Yang’s pupils contracted.
“And where is Lulu? How is her condition?”
“Miss Lulu is at the medical ward. Her condition is very poor; she is still unconscious.”
Wei Yang said no more, immediately sprinting towards the medical ward.
***
The medical ward was unusually quiet.
Wei Yang anxiously searched room by room, finally finding a flustered-looking nun in the innermost room.
“Where is Na Fu!?”
“O-Over there, the very last room—”
Wei Yang didn’t listen further, charging straight in.
The scene inside the room made her freeze for a moment.
Not only was Lulu there, but Ah Li was also present, similarly unconscious. And Ah Li’s injuries were no less severe than Lulu’s.
As expected, the worst-case scenario had already occurred.
Wei Yang took a deep breath, took out the halo, and placed it upon her own head.
Instantly, surging divine power swelled within her.
Power far exceeding anything she’d felt before circulated through her body. For the first time, she truly touched the authority of the God of Light.
Wei Yang placed her hands over Lulu’s and Ah Li’s abdomens.
Gentle divine power flowed in.
The wounds healed at a visible rate.
But it wasn’t enough.
She further converted the divine power into blood, nutrients, and life energy, replenishing everything they had lost.
“Haaah…”
Wei Yang let out a long breath.
This was her first time using the God of Light’s Divine Arts. The process was extremely strenuous, and she was not skilled, wasting a fair amount of divine power.
But the result was what mattered.
Both of their injuries were completely healed, though they remained asleep.
Wei Yang stood up.
Next, she had to figure out exactly what had happened.
Why was the large medical ward almost empty—
The answer soon presented itself.
Everyone was gathered at the central square, awaiting the outcome of that duel.
Wei Yang’s heart sank heavily.
She had only been gone for a short while, yet things had already progressed to this point.
The barrier.
She looked up towards the south.
In the next instant—
Wei Yang no longer concealed her identity.
Under the shocked gaze of the nun, she unfurled her envoy’s wings and shot straight into the sky.
She flew towards that dueling barrier.