The sharp fangs of the snake head scraped across the black scales, emitting a clashing sound like striking metal, but failed to pierce her flesh.
However, the long snake necks coiled around her one after another, crushing her body.
Su Cheng could even hear the faint groans of her own bones.
She took a deep breath and suddenly raised her hand. Her sharp claws, wreathed in dark flames, tore through the dull yellow snake scales, sending chunks of flesh and blood splattering before her eyes.
The snake heads let out furious howls. The runes flashing in their eyes rapidly flickered, and the wounds on their necks expanded in the blink of an eye.
The muscle scorched by the black fire simply vanished, leaving large, horrifying scars in the surrounding area. A choking, burnt smell instantly filled the air.
"You—"
The snake monster cursed in several languages. Golden-orange flames flickered between the gaps of its neck scales, then gathered in its mouth into a massive, breathing fireball.
Su Cheng took two steps back. Between pants, she also gathered her battle aura, black flames pooling in both her hands.
The next second, the brilliant golden-orange stream of fire erupted like molten lava, crashing against the sharp blade formed of black flames.
The two forces collided head-on. Tangible shockwaves rolled outward like ocean tides, and layers of protective barriers materialized in midair.
Those rune-glowing barriers began to hum at a high frequency, crumbling from the outermost layer and dissolving into fine motes of light.
Under this powerful impact, the defensive magic arrays in the office began to vanish one layer after another.
Then, the two clashed once again.
Battle aura flew and shot wildly across the room. The bookshelves on the walls were sliced in half, sending countless precious tomes launching into the air, their pages fluttering down like falling dead leaves.
Crystal vessels shattered with a clatter, sending multicolored smoke rising into the air.
A large cauldron boiling souls was overturned. The dark potion splashed onto the floor, still bubbling continuously, making the obsidian floor tiles sizzle as pits were corroded into them.
The entire office was in a state of utter chaos. Roars and howls overlapped, mingled with the humming of protective barriers trembling and collapsing, as well as the sounds of burning books and shattering containers. The smell of burning and acid mist permeated everywhere.
"What a good show."
Accompanied by a cold, deep voice, several glowing runes burst forth across the air. The howling snake monster seemed to be hit by an immense weight, and all seven of its heads slammed into the ground.
He struggled a couple of times, and his body quickly reverted to a human form.
Su Cheng, meanwhile, had her shoulder held down by someone.
"...Your Excellencies, with your strength and status, brawling like wild boars in the mud—don't you find it embarrassing?!"
She turned her head and saw a silver-haired man with a face full of anger.
Horowitz had appeared at some point. He was frowning and surveying the devastated office with the look of a homeroom teacher catching students fighting.
In a sense, he really was her teacher.
Su Cheng took a deep breath. The fine scales on her face receded a bit, and she managed to find her voice. "He started it."
Perhaps because she looked very calm, Horowitz let her go. "...Then the subject of my previous sentence is singular."
He looked coldly at the brown-haired man lying on the ground ahead. "Do you have to pull this stunt every time a Blessed One enters the High Court?"
Su Cheng: "?"
So he was a repeat offender.
Vorey also took a few deep breaths, raised a hand to prop himself up, and touched the lingering wounds on his neck. "I just wanted to help—"
Su Cheng rolled her eyes hard. "Help boil me in a pot?"
Horowitz didn't miss her expression. "Let's go."
He obviously figured out who was at fault, but he didn't plan to interrogate him here, as he wasn't exactly Vorey's direct superior anyway.
The scales on Su Cheng's body gradually faded. As soon as the two walked out the door, she pulled some new clothes out of her bracelet.
"Is he always like this?" she couldn't help asking. "Has he fought His Excellency Lusha?"
Horowitz gave her a somewhat surprised look.
It seemed he hadn't expected that name to come out of her mouth.
Horowitz: "I thought you would have stayed in the tower these past few months."
Su Cheng blinked. "Basically, yes, but even so, it doesn't mean I wouldn't see Lusha, right?"
A clear sarcasm appeared in the silver-haired man's eyes. "I don't think that kind of person would willingly step into the Tower of Omniscience."
Su Cheng hesitated to speak.
"To answer your question, no," Horowitz said lightly. "That Mr. Lusha has never interacted with Vorey, nor has he had a similar experience. Vorey is only interested in those with formidable power."
Su Cheng: "...Do you have some conflict with Lusha, or do you simply look down on him? Because of his background?"
"Your Excellency," Horowitz said calmly, "I have never asked about your origins, and I don't want to know, because it wouldn't shake my opinion of you. You are a steadfast and self-assured person. You know exactly what you want and won't be swayed by the judgments of others."
Su Cheng massaged her forehead. "I get it. You think he cares too much about what others think."
"Furthermore," Horowitz added coldly, "it's rare to see a God-Favored in such a pathetic state."
"Pathetic?" Su Cheng understood. "You mean him being a wanted fugitive on the run? So that sentence translates to you thinking he's not strong enough, right?"
He glanced at her. "You're quite fond of him?"
Su Cheng: "...Yeah, is there a problem? Do I have to agree with you and say he's weak? Is it possible your standards are just too high?"
"Oh?" The silver-haired man raised an eyebrow slightly. "So may I know if he won your favor on the grounds of being powerful?"
Su Cheng sighed. "That's different."
"It is indeed different, but whether you were moved by his looks or you pity him—"
He said calmly, "I am not you. My view of most people is more or less the same, and he is just one of them. Out of duty, I will teach him if necessary, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to deal with him too much."
"Alright," Su Cheng stopped pressing the issue. "Whatever you want, but I quite like him, and that won't change because of your attitude."
Horowitz instead revealed a hint of appreciation. "Very well. Follow me."
While talking, they left the tower, passed through several corridors, and entered a wider hallway supported by towering obsidian pillars.
The massive diamond-shaped windows were inlaid with deep blue crystals, filtering the daylight into cool hues, and the surroundings grew increasingly quiet.
The nearby clerics became fewer and fewer.
When they entered a spacious hall, Horowitz casually took off his cloak embroidered with gold and silver threads.
Dark patterns sprawled across his luxurious shirt, and his lean, muscular physique outlined a figure with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
There were a few attendants in light armor nearby, one of whom stepped forward holding weapons.
Horowitz picked up a slender, elegant rapier. Its handguard was entwined with silver-white thorn carvings, and the blade flowed with a cold, quicksilver gleam.
Another attendant also walked over.
Su Cheng took a sword from her hands.
The guard of this rapier was shaped like intertwining vines. Its overall color was that of tungsten steel, making it almost invisible in the dim environment.
She casually performed a sword flourish, the sharp blade glinting with a cold, dark-gold edge.
"His Holiness the God of Darkness wishes for me to instruct you..."
Horowitz stared at her intently, a hint of amusement surging in his blue-green eyes.
"Let me see what you are capable of."
"Huh?"
Su Cheng was a little surprised. "His Holiness knows about me?"
She thought for a moment but decided not to ask why he hadn't come to see her. Perhaps her importance was still limited, or maybe he was simply busy with other matters.
Su Cheng blinked. "Are we only comparing techniques? Should we use battle aura? What about magic?"
Horowitz shook his head slightly. "As you wish. There are no restrictions here."
Su Cheng saw envy in the eyes of the attendants; it looked like they were all itching to take her place.
Su Cheng: "...I thought you only taught internal members."
"No," Horowitz replied without any impatience. "I have already stepped down from my position as the commander of the Northern Continent garrison. Now, I am merely one of the guardian knights of the High Court. Although I will become the supreme mentor of the knight order next year, that is also by the order of His Holiness the God of Darkness. My duties depend solely on His demands."
Su Cheng nodded.
Two rapiers, seemingly forged from moonlight, clashed in mid-air.
The silence was torn apart.
Astonishment appeared on the faces of the attendants.
The positions and angles of those two rapiers, and even the rhythm of their footwork, were seventy or eighty percent similar.
Even the subtle shifts in their shoulders and elbows when adjusting their center of gravity were remarkably alike.
There were no provocative words, nor any imposing shouts. Their clash was quiet and swift, the gleaming tips of their swords darting like flicking snake tongues.
Straight, sharp silver lines flashed through the air, carrying lethal intent and embodying a precision forged through countless trials.
Su Cheng struck upward with a backhand, her sword tip hitting dead center on the spine of her opponent's blade. The crisp sound of the collision echoed through the hall, its reverberations continuously amplified by the cold stone walls.
Horowitz finally revealed a trace of surprise.
He had not underestimated his opponent, so it was not surprising that she could block his probing attacks.
However, some of her moves and habits were all too familiar, to the point where he could no longer explain them away as mere coincidence.
Before the ringing of the first strike had even faded, the sliding blade attacked again. A flurry of silver light exploded like rain, the shining threads of light as dense as a waterfall.
Su Cheng suppressed her instinct to teleport away and braced herself to meet the attack.
Amidst a rapid succession of clashing sounds like falling hail, the dark blade whirled and danced in front of her, as if weaving a net.
Thrusting, winding, leading, deflecting, every clash dissipated the opponent's force.
The two advanced and retreated across the floor, as if engaged in a perfectly synchronized dance. The tiny specks of light bursting from their clashing blades resembled countless cold sparks.
Unknowingly, they exchanged dozens of moves.
Suddenly, the silver-haired man's aura surged. His blade tore through space like a thunderbolt, the tip transforming into a blinding, needle-thin point of light.
Accompanied by a space-tearing shriek, the speed and power of that strike seemed pushed to the absolute limit, as if intent on piercing through the entire palace.
For the first time, Su Cheng lost control and genuinely used her battle aura.
Black fire hissed and burned along her blade, rolling forward to meet the incoming sword.
That elegant rapier shattered instantly.
Su Cheng: "..."
It turned out he hadn't been using battle aura.
Just as Su Cheng was about to speak, she suddenly caught sight of a tall figure standing nearby.
A man with short crimson hair stood leaning against a stone pillar with his arms crossed. The other attendants kept a wide distance from him.
He was very tall and heavily built, wearing a half-armor battle robe. Most of his face was concealed by a metal visor, making him look exceptionally fierce.
The man frowned deeply, looking quite displeased. His deep-set eyes were full of impatience and carried an almost palpable aura of brutality.
Su Cheng turned her head for a glance, almost thinking he was about to come over and start hacking at people.
Horowitz casually tossed the broken sword to an attendant. "Let me introduce my successor, the current legion commander of the garrison knight order in the central district of the Northern Continent, the champion of the Grey Mark Iron Guards, Lord Saron."
The red-haired man did not seem interested in friendly conversation. "...If you must know, the matter in Iron Cage Town has been resolved. Those who deserved punishment have been punished, and those who deserved death have been executed."
Su Cheng blinked. "That is an internal matter of your secret cult. Even if an explanation is owed, it should be to the survivors of Iron Cage Town. It has nothing to do with me."
Saron sneered. "Isn't that already the Church's territory?"
Without waiting for her reply, he looked at Horowitz. "Your Excellency, I have something to discuss with you."
"Please wait a moment," the silver-haired man said mildly, then turned to Su Cheng. "Have you lived in Mythelos before?"
Su Cheng: "...I have indeed been there."
Horowitz looked at her thoughtfully. "I have had several swordsmanship teachers. I am guessing one of them taught you as well?"
Su Cheng thought to herself that she couldn't exactly say You taught me. "Yes, but I'd rather not talk about my past..."
"Then there is no need to speak of it," Horowitz said without pressing further. "Have you been studying ancient magic recently? Your body is not in its peak condition. Go rest for a few days. Perhaps I can teach you some combat techniques that integrate magic."
With that, he simply walked away.
Su Cheng originally had a bellyful of questions, but she didn't want to visit the Tower of Omniscience again anytime soon.
Lusha had gone to prepare for a ritual again.
She wanted to find a place to study magic but feared it would be too draining. After thinking it over, she decided to just use a spell that allowed for rapid recovery.
Su Cheng left the High Court. No one stopped her on the way. Sensing that some kind of restriction had been lifted, she teleported directly toward the seaside.
At dusk that day, she arrived at Azure Wind City in the Crimson Sun Empire, a coastal city situated on the edge of the Southern Continent.
The night market was just beginning. The commercial street was chaotic and teeming with people, the massive colorful canvas awnings stretching out like rolling waves.
The setting sun peeked through the gaps in the awnings, casting mottled shadows on the ground crowded with humans and fishmen.
The fishmen had diverse appearances. Some had scales, while others sported exposed dorsal fins, but all of them had legs; those with fish tails would not easily come ashore.
A complex aroma filled the air. Freshly caught fish and shrimp on the stalls gave off a salty, fishy scent that mingled with the greasy fragrance of grilled and fried fish. Mountains of chili peppers and spices were piled on the ground, alongside colorful, sugary-sweet fruits.
The cries of vendors rose and fell. Bells on the stalls and carts jingled and swayed, while local residents haggled with practiced ease.
Su Cheng was pushed forward by the flow of the crowd.
Her gaze swept hastily over the stalls, catching sight of some low-quality pearl jewelry, coarse but brightly colored pottery, and various handicrafts.
Suddenly, she felt something was wrong.
The world before her eyes seemed to sway for a moment.
Su Cheng felt the mark over her eye burning hot.
...An illusion?
Someone had cast an illusion.
She might not be the caster's specific target, or perhaps this power was acting upon the entire crowd, and she just happened to be caught in it.
She looked around and indeed spotted several paladins clad in white armor pushing through the crowd, clearly searching for something.
It was probably some fugitive using illusions.
Su Cheng had no intention of interfering in a situation where she knew neither the cause nor the context, so she simply stood by and watched in silence.
The person being chased had obviously concealed their tracks with illusionary magic.
The paladins searched for quite a while without success. One of them darkened his expression and suddenly unleashed his spiritual power.
A heavy, oppressive aura swept out in all directions.
The crowd in the marketplace cried out in alarm as they fell to the ground.
Left with almost no choice, they were crushed by that terrifying power, collapsing onto the dirt.
Su Cheng stood perfectly still in surprise.
She turned her head, locking eyes with the paladins across a heap of collapsed merchants and tourists.
"Honestly," Su Cheng said, "I could pretend to fall too, but I really just don't want to."
The paladins stared at her suspiciously.
"We are hunting down the remnants of the Mirror Concealment Society," the lead paladin said coldly. "We can track them within a certain radius using our holy arts... You are highly suspicious."
Su Cheng could not help but roll her eyes at him. "I could say I am also hunting the Mirror Concealment Society. To me, you guys look pretty suspicious too."
She did not want to waste any more time with these people.
The lead paladin drew his longsword, called upon the God of Light, and chanted a prayer, causing golden flames to ignite along the blade.
For the first time, Su Cheng used the power bestowed upon her by the God of Illusions.
The paladins' expressions instantly changed. They leaped into the air, landing on a rooftop dozens of meters away, and chased after a non-existent figure into the distance.
It was a mirage she had created.
Su Cheng also sent out her spiritual power to sweep the area, but she found no one suspicious nearby.
She figured the members of the Mirror Society had probably fled long ago.
That initial illusion seemed more like a decoy meant to lure the paladins away.
To be fair, she had absolutely no fondness for that organization and had no desire to help their people.
But those paladins were just as annoying.
Still, since they had their own ways of tracking the target, her interference probably would not matter much.
Since quite a commotion had already started here, she slipped away to the next street over. She had just browsed through a few stalls when she suddenly froze.
At a small stall filled with flowers just ahead, a familiar figure stood before vibrant, fiery hibiscus blossoms, looking her way thoughtfully.
He was very tall, with a beautifully proportioned physique. His pale blond hair, like the washed light of dawn, cascaded casually down to his waist.
That face.
She had once spilled her drink because of that face, and had pressed a kiss to it on a snowy night.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
Su Cheng used the Illusion God's power once more, trying to confirm that this was not a mirage.
The answer was exactly what she hoped for.
She had met Ian over a thousand years ago.
