Su Cheng silently turned her head back.
Ian stood two steps behind her, his expression as calm and composed as ever.
Su Cheng looked at Ling Yang again, "...Do you know who he is?"
Ling Yang: "?"
Zane couldn't even help but raise his eyebrows slightly, revealing a look of emotional realization that said, 'You finally understand.'
Ling Yang coughed lightly, "Ten years ago at the Holy Festival, I had the honor of meeting him."
The legion commander bowed his head in respect as he spoke.
Su Cheng wasn't surprised by his reverence; after all, the attitude of these clerics toward deities would certainly not be the same as hers.
Su Cheng: "Please don't mind it, he and I don't have any more relationship worth mentioning—"
Ian stared at her speechlessly for a few seconds, "You're still angry."
Su Cheng: "I'm not—"
Ian continued, "You know you shouldn't be angry. Rationally, you think it was right for things to develop that way, but you just can't help feeling upset."
"Fine," Su Cheng crossed her arms, "To be honest, you might not be my most... but I do care about you, otherwise why would I have done those things to you before? You don't need to force me, because I never resisted admitting this in the first place."
From an angle she couldn't see, the expressions of the other two men became extremely horrified.
Ian sighed softly, "No, now you're the one misunderstanding. I'm not forcing you to admit anything, I'm asking how you think it should be resolved."
Su Cheng looked up at the sky, "Just waiting it out should be fine."
"Is that so," Ian frowned slightly, "I know many couples rely solely on time to fade their emotions when they encounter disagreements and conflicts, but I don't think that's good. It will make it easier for problems to arise in our future interactions. Those unresolved negative emotions are just submerged. I think we should communicate more and break down those problems—"
Su Cheng looked at him powerlessly, "First, we don't have disagreements, and second, we are not a couple... No, I said it backwards. First, we are not a couple, and second, we both know what's going on. You are just that kind of person. Once you don't have any more interest in someone, you will act that way. Frankly speaking, I think it's pretty good, otherwise wouldn't it break your character setting?"
Ian seemed to be trying to understand the last sentence, "Hmm, indeed."
"Speaking of which," Su Cheng suddenly showed a slightly malicious smile, "You can also give me a surprise, or do something to make me happy—"
She raised her hand and gestured around her right eye, outlining the shape of a wine glass and grapes, "To the extent of making this place light up, to the extent of letting me hear His laughter."
Zane: "..."
Ling Yang: "..."
Obviously, both of them knew she was talking about the God of Joy.
Their expressions became even more bizarre.
The two high-ranking clerics looked at each other silently. Ling Yang cast a look of disbelief, while Zane just shook his head wordlessly.
Ian looked at her thoughtfully, "Bringing you some kind of unexpected surprise, or fulfilling a specific wish of yours, which one would please you more?"
Su Cheng was stunned for a moment, "I don't know, but I can't even think of any wishes—"
The curse was resolved, and the immortal body was obtained.
Various thoughts drifted through her mind one after another.
She couldn't possibly say she wanted to see the commander.
She did know that Kai probably had other things to do. At this moment, he might not be in the imperial capital anymore, and might not even be in the empire at all.
Su Cheng suddenly thought of the God of Purity.
Su Cheng: "Can you answer a question for me? When the God of Purity was a human in the past, was his surname Wayne?"
Ian: "...Yes."
Su Cheng had originally been almost certain of this, and hearing this gave her even more of a headache.
—She found it hard to say what that guy would feel if he saw the scenes in the trial.
Would he want to slaughter her even more?
After all, she was passionately kissing him the day before yesterday, and not two days later she ran off to be a guest in Highgarden.
For someone like him, it was probably a huge blasphemy.
Moreover.
Earlier, near his mother's monument, she seemed to have done some bad things to him as well.
Su Cheng: "You—"
Su Cheng originally wanted to ask how his relationship with him was and if he could casually ask a question for her, but on second thought, with Little Ma's personality, it seemed he didn't get along well with his colleagues.
It wasn't necessarily a bad relationship, just that he always seemed too serious or too unyielding in his words.
She vaguely remembered the book mentioning that other deities even roasted "her" for having a boring personality.
Su Cheng actually didn't think Ian did anything wrong, so she didn't want him to have to deal with a very embarrassing situation.
Su Cheng: "Just bring me some surprise at your own discretion. Actually, anything is fine, there won't be any backlog of negative emotions. I'm not a child."
After saying that, she suddenly felt that her words were also quite silly.
After all, her age wasn't even a fraction of his.
"Hmm," Ian pondered for a moment, "I have an idea."
After saying that, he left.
Su Cheng turned to face the other two dumbfounded men, "Gentlemen... shall we go eat? Hmm, I could also treat you two?"
Zane indicated that he still had work, "When you guys are finished here, come find me at the Hall of a Thousand Knowledges."
Ling Yang's drooped beast ears slowly perked up. He looked at the girl in front of him, "I'll lead the way. Besides, you have come from afar, so I should be the one to treat you."
...
The Divine Realm.
Ian stood beside the statue of a deity holding a water pitcher, looking at the clear stream splashing in the air, and then looked toward the silver-haired young man standing respectfully to the side.
His gaze swept over the other person, scrutinizing the hair that was the color of winter frost, and that handsome, holy face that seemed sculpted from ice and snow.
"Charles." He spoke thoughtfully, "You really want to see her, don't you."
The silver-haired young man was silent for two seconds, "Your Holiness—"
"Therefore," Ian smiled, "I have decided to do you a favor."
...
Outside the two-story tavern built of ivory-colored marble, golden vine-like carvings wrapped around the window frames, and right in front of the windows was a shimmering blue lake.
The pre-noon sunlight streamed indoors, falling on the two young people who were raising their glasses to drink together.
Oil paintings of deities on pilgrimage hung on the walls, thick silver-white velvet carpets covered the floor, and the stone tables were polished so brightly that they could reflect people's figures.
This was a high-end tavern located on the outskirts of the Holy City. There were not many guests, but more than half were clerics, with occasionally a few wealthy merchants and travelers.
The waiters' movements were very gentle, making almost no sound as they moved, and the conversations in the hall were restrained and low.
"If you just came from the east, then you might not have heard yet."
After the first course of amber broth floating with cheese balls was finished and cleared away, a carefully roasted giant beef rib was served, its surface glistening with an inviting caramel color.
Ling Yang had taken off his cloak and leaned back in his seat. With a somewhat amused expression, he said, "A little incident occurred during the Dragon Knight trial."
Su Cheng silently cut the various root vegetables next to her steak, dipping them in some vibrant green herb puree, which was said to be a local specialty.
"...You're right, it is indeed quite delicious," she tasted a bite, "What incident?"
Then she heard about the incident where Murong Yue lost his admission qualifications and was thrown into the fountain, and how Marquis Murong was even held accountable by the Emperor himself.
Now he had been stripped of his position.
The entire family had also been squeezed out of the upper-class aristocratic circles of the imperial capital.
And furthermore—
Murong Yue himself was severely injured on his way home. It was said that he was quite unlucky; two passing Dragonborn suddenly lost their minds and attacked him.
So he was still unconscious, and it was hard to say if he would ever wake up.
"Dragonborn?"
"Yes, it looks completely like a coincidence. The couple was just passing through the imperial capital for a tour, but according to passersby, the three had a conversation before the attack..."
From the description of the passersby, it seemed Murong Yue said something that suddenly enraged the two, causing them to attack him.
"How are those two doing now?"
"They have already fled."
Su Cheng picked up the iced tea specially blended with Holy City spring water and took a sip. "So it was His Highness Peier's dragon companion who pointed out that Murong Yue carried a curse?"
"My companion and I discussed this," Ling Yang pondered. "We both lean towards the idea that it might not be a pure curse. Lord Callides, who is Prince Peier's contractor, chose a simpler explanation because he didn't want to waste more time explaining it there. Of course, it might also involve some taboo things, because he mentioned the black dragon."
Su Cheng certainly remembered that Ling Yang was a dragon knight, so she knew the companion he spoke of was also a dragon. "I thought dark-attribute dragons were already extinct—"
In principle, the dark system and the power of light were opposing systems. They manipulated the negative energy of life, achieving various effects by deconstructing matter and magic.
The vast majority of humans were born with an affinity for the power of light. Dark energy was much harder to master and control. Coupled with the opposition of the two Supreme Gods, the dark system was associated with evil.
Although Su Cheng said this, she actually knew in her heart that in the Northern Continent, which was strictly controlled by the Holy Church, dark powers were basically completely forbidden.
After the ancient dragons vanished, the remaining dragons could not contend with the Divine Realm, so they had to take sides.
Some dragons became the contractors of high-ranking clerics of the Secret Order and the Holy Church.
Some dragons made contracts with human empires and kingdoms, willing to cooperate with dragon knight trials.
The rest wandered in various remote, desolate, and uninhabited places.
The average intelligence of dragons was higher than that of humans. Even the stupidest dark dragon wouldn't swagger through the Northern Continent, otherwise any demigod could easily kill them.
"Actually, they haven't," Ling Yang was quite honest. "Since you have already and..."
He paused subtly and cast a knowing look. "I think you probably also know that some statements are made to stabilize the public and prevent panic."
"I understand," Su Cheng nodded helplessly. "So Murong Yue has a curse cast by a higher dragon race, and it is highly likely a powerful black dragon? Or rather, not a curse, but something similar, which causes other black dragons or Dragonborn to want to kill him the moment they see him?"
Ling Yang nodded slightly. "Actually, black dragon is just an abbreviation. According to the definition in the dragon language, that should be a mixed—"
Before he could finish speaking, a group of young people came in from outside.
They all had tall and straight figures, extraordinary temperaments, and wore snow-white standard robes with exquisite silver embroidery on the waists and cuffs.
Leading them was a slender silver-haired boy, his hair falling softly like soaked moonlight.
His skin was almost transparently white, with pale blue veins faintly visible on his neck. His features were beautiful and delicate, and his frost-blue eyes were clear and translucent.
As the boy walked through the sunlit aisle, he looked like an ice sculpture about to melt, carrying a certain untainted purity and fragility.
The other companions seemed to want to speak to him more, but the boy just kept his head down, occasionally giving a brief response.
Su Cheng tilted her head and took a few extra glances.
She didn't hide her gaze, and those people quickly noticed. Someone immediately cast a dissatisfied look her way.
Then they saw the man sitting opposite her clearly, and all showed expressions of surprise.
"...Is that Ling Yang?"
They looked at each other in dismay. Someone originally wanted to lash out but suddenly didn't dare to speak.
"That person," someone sensed for a moment and quickly revealed a horrified expression, "...such strong battle aura. Is she a legion commander from the Southern Continent?"
Because the Secret Order's power was deeply rooted, and because of the activities of many followers under the Dark God, the situation in the Southern Continent was too chaotic.
The legion commanders of the more than ten jurisdictions of the Holy Church were stationed there year-round and rarely left their posts to enter the Holy City, so they were basically unfamiliar faces.
"She's too young..."
"Certain battle auras can have this effect, and she is obviously also a mage..."
While they were secretly speculating, Su Cheng had lost interest and withdrew her gaze.
She looked at the legion commander across the table. "Are those kids members of the God's Favored study class?"
"You know they are about your age, right?" Ling Yang seemed to find this statement amusing. "Not entirely. There are also a few who will participate in the Holy Crown Ceremony—"
"Oh, candidates for the Holy Son and Holy Maiden," Su Cheng said indifferently. "I remember the requirement for this is under eighteen, right? Then they are kids."
Ling Yang stopped arguing with her. "...Alright, you're the boss."
Su Cheng looked again at the beautiful boy among them. "Is he the favored one of the God of Purity?"
Ling Yang raised an eyebrow slightly. "Yes."
Su Cheng: "..."
Judging from that appearance and temperament, as well as the identity of the God's Favored, this was probably the Holy Maiden from the original novel.
Su Cheng: "That's nice."
Although in her opinion, he couldn't compare to Little Ma when he was young.
When they were about to leave the tavern, they suddenly ran into a priest who came to deliver a message.
She first relayed Archbishop White's message, saying there was an important meeting of the Privy Council and he had to go there first.
"And then," the priest showed a somewhat confused look on her face, "a Mr. Ian has invited you to Echo Woodland for a chat."
Su Cheng bought a bottle of fruit wine to thank her. The priest was very happy and asked if she needed a guide.
"You just need to point me in the right direction. Your Excellency, I'll be off then?"
As Su Cheng spoke, she turned around and suddenly found that Ling Yang had retreated thirty feet away, waving to her as he walked, and then turned and ran.
Su Cheng: "..."
The priest led her to the southern suburbs of Solan, pointed forward, gave her an encouraging look, and turned away.
Su Cheng walked forward curiously.
There was a small forest of silver-leaf birch trees here, with snow-white bark and branches and leaves shimmering with silver light in the sun.
Ahead was a shoal piled with cobblestones, winding gently along the azure shoreline. There were also a few lush green weeping willows by the lake, their branches gently brushing the water surface.
Someone stood by the tree looking out at the lake water, and beside him stood a horse with a coat as white as snow.
Su Cheng: "?"
A moment later, she realized that wasn't a horse.
It was an equine creature with a spiraled horn. From its robust neck and shoulders, across its broad back, down to its powerful chest and abdomen, every inch of its musculature radiated a majestic sense of strength.
Its mane and long tail shimmered with a soft, pearlescent glow. Standing firmly on four long, elegant legs, it turned its head as if it were also admiring the scenery.
Su Cheng: ???
If this thing only had a pair of wings, it would look almost exactly like the Pegasus statues from the temple.
So...
She could not help but look at the other blond young man present.
Did Ian actually bring over a unicorn?
