Chapter 60 The Utmost… Lanqie…

“The utmost… *Lanqie*…”

Lu Nanjin stared blankly at the flowing wind before her. The formless and shapeless wind seemed to have gained substance, transforming into a peacock's tail in full display. This was something she had never imagined… Could *Lanqie* really be used to this extent?

Gu Nanfeng sheathed his blade.

“What?!”

Seeing his Iron Rain collide with the wooden sword screen and shatter completely, Tie Wu’s expression turned grim. He anxiously said, “Lao Qin… Your [Sumeru]… why didn’t you use it just now?”

Beside him, a tall, thin figure in a windbreaker slowly emerged from the darkness.

“……”

Qin Ye did not speak.

He simply stared coldly at the young man cloaked in an old, worn-out cloak.

[Sumeru] could lengthen the distance between substances.

But… Qin Ye had his limits.

When the target's speed within the domain was too fast, so fast that his mental strength couldn't lock on, then [Sumeru] couldn't restrict the opponent's actions.

It wasn't that he didn't use [Sumeru].

But… it was too late!

Just who in the world was this Gu Nanfeng?

*Lanqie*, which wasn’t even ranked highly in the Extraordinary Spectrum, had actually been developed to this extent… The moment it was activated, the figure that was originally in the Lion Alley ruins instantly vanished from his senses.

It was as if… he had transformed into the wind itself.

And then went to another place where the wind was.

This speed could be called teleportation.

……

……

The night sky shrouded by [Sumeru] began to contract.

Qin Ye stopped dispersing his mental strength and instead concentrated it, drawing it in.

Because the reinforcements from the capital had arrived.

In the distance, an ice tide surged, and standing above the waves was a tall, elderly man in simple black cloth robes. His eyebrows and beard were white as frost. The South Bay titled grade, [Frost River], had finally arrived at the battlefield.

Behind Gu Shen, on the roof of the abandoned old house, a tile slowly broke open, and an ancient tree "burst out of the earth" from within. The sacred wood entwined, opening its embrace, and an elderly man in a white suit with a cane slowly walked out from the tree hollow.

“Teacher…”

“Teacher.”

Zhou Jiren first confirmed that his two beloved disciples were unharmed, and his expression softened slightly. Then, he raised his head with a grim face, staring at the two Apostles suspended in the night sky.

He slowly walked forward, protecting his two students behind him, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Gu Nanfeng. Soon after, the ice wind howled, and Mr. Gu Zhi leaped from the crest of the ice tide, landing on the roof as well.

This was quite a luxurious combat lineup.

Any one of these three "powerhouses," placed in any zone of the Five Continents, could cause an earthquake with a stomp of their feet.

Zhou Jiren and Gu Zhi had both seen the attack just now.

The wooden sword opening into a screen.

After blocking Tie Wu's killing move, this unknown young man's expression remained unchanged, appearing extremely relaxed… When did the East Continent produce such a genius?

“Changye, Gu Nanfeng.”

Gu Nanfeng patiently smiled, introducing himself again.

Zhou Jiren revealed a look of realization. He chuckled softly, “I was wondering who had such strength. So, it’s the young master of the Gu family…”

Gu Zhi asked kindly, “Eight years in a flash, you've finally returned from the North Continent fortress?”

Due to the implementation of the Qingzhong Act, the Gu family had experienced a long period of struggle. Mr. Gu Changzhi's slumber had brought too much uncertainty to this ancient city of Jiangbei. With the intervention of malicious forces from other continents, the conservative faction had suffered a great setback.

And when the old faction fell to its lowest point, the young "Gu family young master" was sent to the North Continent, nominally for training, but in reality, for refuge… If the worst were to happen, at least a seed of hope would be preserved.

“Yes… I’m back.”

Gu Nanfeng respectfully replied, then paused, and continued in a very soft voice, “...For those who can’t return.”

The Gu family was rebuilding from ruins.

Changye was also doing the same… Now, because of Gu Changzhi's slumber, the East Continent was gradually becoming a chessboard and plaything under the will of the Highest Council. The silent smoke of war had spread for many years, but people had yet to see it.

To send him away from Changye, many people willingly gave up their lives… And this seed of hope from Changye City, after arriving in the North Continent, hid its name and grew in the war of the fortress, finally living up to expectations and reaching the day of sprouting.

“How touching.”

Zhou Jiren smiled and said, “The future head of the Gu family toiled for eight years, finally becoming a titled grade, and traveled thousands of miles back to the East Continent… And the first thing he did was not to return to Changye City to stabilize the situation, but to come to the capital to resolve the crisis of the Act.”

“The matter at hand is more important.”

Gu Nanfeng did not explain further, and gently corrected, “Also, Great Arbiter… I am not the young master you speak of. The Gu family has only one head, and that is Mr. Gu Changzhi.”

Gu Changzhi had no children and no lover. He dedicated his life's blood to the fortresses of the North Continent and the people of the Five Continents.

In the old faction of Changye City, he was the most respected person in the world.

Without exception.

Zhou Jiren opened his mouth, intending to say something, but suddenly stopped.

He narrowed his eyes…

The moment Tree had arrived in the [Sumeru] domain, the sacred wood had already been released. Countless vines were lurking underground, heading straight for Lion Alley, where the rusty bloody smell had become so strong that it had almost solidified… Tonight's battle was exceptionally fierce. The collapsed streets were littered with the wounded, all of whom were extraordinary individuals responsible for guarding the old city and protecting Lu Nanzhi. Among them were many officials.

They had offered their blood to protect the madam.

However… in front of the [Apostles], the strength of ordinary extraordinary individuals seemed too weak.

The sacred wood spread out immediately, treating the injuries of these wounded.

And in the most tragic central crater of the entire battlefield, Zhou Jiren, through the sacred wood’s vision, saw an incredible scene.

A withered figure, covered in blood and long overdue to be dead, was floating above the crater. Above his brow, a scorching, glowing emblem was dripping strands of sacred radiance, which shimmered with the divine power of light.

The withered man slowly opened his eyes.

His consciousness was also gradually returning to clarity.

Song Ci floated, tilting his head slightly. He saw the [Sacred Wood] that had burst out of the earth in Lion Alley. A vine had landed on his body, attempting to transmit the warmth of wood energy.

Song Ci smiled with relief, murmuring softly, “Tree… thank you…”

“But… no need…”

He gently pushed the vine away.

That parched body seemed to possess endless power. With the emblem in his palm, Song Ci felt a sense of foreordination in his heart.

It was as if he had flipped a switch.

He groaned.

Scorching holy light poured out—

It was a divine power purer than the [Sacred Wood], sprinkled by Song Ci, like sweet rain, irrigating the sky above the entire Lion Alley.

Liu Yi, who had been nailed to the stone wall, gradually regained consciousness from her slumber. She felt the piercing pain gradually leave her body… What awaited her was not death, but rebirth.

She lowered her head, staring incredulously at her chest… The iron weapon that had pierced through her chest and back fell off on its own, and the wound scabbed over at a rapid pace.

It wasn't just her.

The officials of Lion Alley, the patrollers of the Sincerity Society… Perhaps tonight they should have slept forever, but an invisible divine hand reached out and dragged them back from the borderline of hell.

Black crows croaked ominously, flying far away from the old city.

Everyone's eyes were focused on the sky above the collapsed old mansion. There was a figure burning with snow-white radiance. Because the light was too intense, its true face could not be seen clearly.

But what could be seen very clearly was… behind him, a pair of dazzling wings had grown, as sacred as white parrots.

……

……

(The second update tonight will be a little late, around 12:40 AM)