Chapter 45: First Meeting? My Name is Zhao

High above a tower in the Di State, surrounded by pristine white clouds like a terrace in the sky, two figures suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Lin Zhao looked around, bewildered. "Where's the excitement? Why is it just the two people of us?"

"The Cloud Terrace is a place designated by various regional states specifically for sorcerers to resolve disputes. The space here is blessed by the authority of the Witch Gods, so any power that does not exceed that of a state ruler will be contained within it." Ji Yaoguang's smile was composed and calm. "My speed is relatively fast, so I brought you here first."

As he spoke, he took Ah Zhao's hand, shaped the clouds beneath their feet into a large cloud bed, and sat down on it. It felt as soft and gentle as lying on a sofa, and Ji Yaoguang even produced a fruit platter bearing several slices of freshly cut cantaloupe.

"Splendid! Come on, let's eat while we wait." Lin Zhao held a slice out toward Ji Yaoguang's lips.

Ji Yaoguang's face flushed slightly as he opened his mouth to take a bite...

"I told you to hold it!" Lin Zhao rolled his eyes. "You have hands, don't you!"

Ji Yaoguang silently reached out and took the slice.

At that moment, Si Jin finally arrived. He picked up a piece of melon, took a bite, and clicked his tongue. "Ah, sweet melon, why have you suddenly turned so flavorless? Could it be that the gloomy mood of the one who grew you has ruined your taste?"

In that instant, for the first time in his life, Ji Yaoguang felt the strong urge to lock this fellow up in a bird cage.

"A melon can't even stuff that mouth of yours!" Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you fighting yet? That person has been waiting for you for ages! Scared?"

The moment Si Jin had appeared, the black-market sorcerer had already descended in silence. With a tall, slender posture, neat and complete armor, long hair flowing quietly beneath a helmet, and a mask carved with archaic and handsome features, the figure stood holding a spear without moving, radiating an aura that seemed to blend seamlessly with the Dao.

"So it turns out to be you," Si Jin smiled faintly. "I've long heard that among the pitiful and feeble bounty hunters of the Witch State, there emerged a Heavenly Sorcerer who frequently accepts major employment commissions and is the idol of those bounty hunters. All the regional states have been trying to recruit you and probe into your background. I never expected you to be in the Di State. Truly, coming early is not as good as coming at the right time!"

Splendid! This time, he would be able to subdue another Heavenly Sorcerer!

This was the only Heavenly Sorcerer in the Witch State without a fixed faction. Once subdued, it would undoubtedly leave a tremendous impression of favor in the eyes of the Little Golden Crow.

Si Jin was extremely pleased and felt a strong sense of superiority.

Ji Yaoguang's petty tenderness was merely a second-rate path.

A true man should slaughter across the four directions, open up new territories, and accomplish what the world dares not do!

He had spent these past few years lying low in profound peace, but having sharp weapons in his chest without being able to use them always left a knot of melancholy in his heart. Now that he could use his power and flaunt his strength in front of the Little Golden Crow, how exhilarating was that?

Of course, his strength could not compare to that ancient tree, but the Little Golden Crow was young after all, unwilling to even let others see its true form, so it must have hatched not long ago—otherwise, unless it lacked feathers, what bird could resist showing off its plumage in front of other feathered creatures?

At this thought, Si Jin burst into laughter. Countless birds swarmed and gathered around him, forming a massive torrent connecting heaven and earth. As he manipulated his spell arts, layers upon layers of illusory music echoed through the surroundings, as if a hazy maiden were singing and dancing atop a distant moon, lulling anyone who heard it into an irresistible slumber.

The tall, slender figure also seemed to freeze for a split second upon the emergence of this sound.

"Young sorcerer," Si Jin's voice was melodious and lingering, as if he were chanting, "Are you weary? Are you sorrowful? You possess supreme talent, yet you use no sorcery. Is it because of your humble origins..."

The tall, slender figure fell silent.

"Are you in pain? Clinging to bounties and refusing recruitment—is it because of the humiliation of being rejected in the past?"

"Are you lonely? A Heavenly Sorcerer who refuses to gather a faction because all your loved ones are gone?"

The tall, slender figure slowly clenched his fists.

Si Jin felt all the more certain of his victory. His voice grew even more ethereal and multi-layered, resembling countless familiar people offering gentle counsel by one's ear: "Surrender to me, and I will grant your every wish. I will give you family, dreams, sorcery, and... a future..."

The tall, slender sorcerer finally raised his head. With a single stride, he appeared abruptly before Si Jin, and in the blink of an eye, a heavy blow crashed into Si Jin's lower abdomen.

There was no sorcerous power, no laws; this was the purest display of strength and speed, ignoring all interference. A single intent shattered a thousand thoughts, a single force broke ten thousand laws, plunging downward like a falling meteorite or a collapsing mountain and river.

Instantly, Si Jin's murmurs were choked back in his throat.

The surrounding birds paused in unison, then let out a sky-shattering screech.

Si Jin's body rapidly transformed into countless birds that scattered in a screeching panic. However, that tall sorcerer reached directly into the countless flock of birds, fished out one completely unremarkable specimen, and dealt a savage, heavy blow to the bird's soft body, immediately bursting it into a spray of blood and feathers.

Lin Zhao watched with a shaken mind. "Ah, Old Tree, is Si Jin going to be beaten to death? Should we go rescue him?"

After all, he still needed Si Jin's help for the subsequent plan.

Ji Yaoguang gently pressed down on his hand, smiling faintly. "It's fine. A Heavenly Sorcerer's physical body is incomparably tough; even if his skull were shattered, it would heal in an instant. It is extremely difficult to kill them."

At that moment, the birds finally snapped out of their stupor. Another bird with ruffled feathers rushed frantically toward Lin Zhao, enduring several more heavy blows that shattered it along the way, until it finally managed to hide behind Lin Zhao, shivering. "Zhaozhao, save me! I'm the one who healed you, don't you remember?"

Another punch came hurtling forward. Lin Zhao turned his head as Ji Yaoguang smiled faintly, lifting a hand to effortlessly catch this completely powerless punch. "Ah-Li, that's enough. If you hit him any more, he'll actually die."

The sorcerer finally withdrew his fist and reached up to remove the mask from his face.

It was a face so beautiful it was difficult to discern its gender, featuring long, slanting phoenix eyes, a high and unsharp bridge of the nose, and petal-soft lips. His long hair fluttered in the wind. Just standing there quietly, he possessed an indescribable, desolate beauty, as if he were treading upon mountains of corpses and wading through seas of blood on a long road, without a shred of hesitation.

This was Lin Zhao's first time seeing the Di State Ruler in his true form. It was just that... wasn't the gap a bit too large?

He quietly asked Ji Yaoguang, "Old Tree, didn't you say the Di State Ruler has a poor brain?"

"When sorcerers utilize totems, it is rare for them not to be influenced by the totem; it is only a matter of degree," Ji Yaoguang smiled, glancing at the Di State Ruler, and generously explained, "The Di State Ruler's Ba-serpent totem is the most mindless and ferocious beast soul among the great fierce spirits. If the Di State Ruler himself were not supremely intelligent, he would never be able to maintain basic judgment and sharp intuition while utilizing the totem."

"Have you finished explaining?" Si黎 calmly put away his gauntlets, revealing his slender fingers, and clenched his fist again. His pitch-black eyes stared at Si Jin as he said indifferently, "Come out. It's time for you to explain."

Si Jin was shaking so hard he was almost on the verge of tears. What kind of luck was this? All the profound speeches he had just delivered had literally turned into boomerangs.

"Um," Lin Zhao suppressed the Old Tree, who looked eager to explain, and stepped forward openly. "Si Jin's illness was cured by me, but he didn't tell you right away. This beating is well-deserved! For my sake this time, let him off."

At this, he couldn't help looking up at the legendary ruler of the Di State, curiosity brimming in his gaze as he reached out a hand. "Let's get acquainted. My name is Zhao."

A wisp of flame flickered in his palm—a high temperature of over six thousand degrees, fueled by the corrosive forces of the surrounding space and the sky itself, unextinguished, unmoving, and steadfast.

Of course, he could let the Old Tree handle everything, but that wasn't right. Since he possessed special abilities, he had to face things proactively and try them out. Besides, with the Old Tree accompanying him, any troublesome matter just meant dying a few more times... Wait, what?

Lin Zhao suddenly remembered that he hadn't turned on the simulator yet!

Ah, he really had been getting too reckless lately. He better turn the simulation on; otherwise, without the Old Tree hanging a Resurrection Cross, he would never feel at ease.

Well, this spawn point wasn't great. He should probably go back inside the eggshell before hanging it up.

The Di State Ruler gazed at that wisp of flame for several breaths, then extended a single finger and slowly touched the fire.

In that instant, all the corrosion and shackles upon his body were completely burned away by the fire, as if he were being reborn.

No, this was true rebirth!

Si Li was acutely aware that he had been standing on the brink of alienation. Even with his utmost restraint, the days he could hold on were numbered. Yet after being scorched by this flame, he had reclaimed his true power. For at least three hundred years, he would no longer need to fear plunging into the darkness.

Moreover, he had also rescued Ah Jin and Yaoguang.

So, that was how it was.

This was truly the most touching news he had ever encountered in this lifetime.

Thus, he beamed with a smile. "Being saved by you is Jin's fortune. I am Si Li. Whenever Yaoguang cannot stray too far from your side, I shall be the sharpest sword in your hand."

"Really?" This loyalty came so fast that Lin Zhao couldn't resist stirring up trouble. "In that case, if my request conflicts with the Witch God's command, whose side will you take?"

Si Li looked at the other person with a half-smile, and said gently, "Naturally, I would listen to Brother Yaoguang."

Lin Zhao's eyes lit up, and he immediately grasped Si Li's hand. "You really are a good brother! I've made up my mind to be friends with you!"

Was there any logical connection between those two sentences?

Si Li smiled faintly. "Then many thanks, Ah Zhao. Brother Yaoguang having you come find Little Brother first is not his style... Could it be that Ah Jin has stirred up trouble again? You might as well tell me, perhaps something can be salvaged."

Lin Zhao turned his head and hesitated. "I don't know too much myself. I'll let your younger brother explain the grand scheme he's preparing."

Si Li nodded slightly. "This is the market's requisition token. Whatever Ah Zhao takes a fancy to, feel free to take it. I have some words to speak with my younger brother in private."

He handed over a scale.

Si Jin immediately grabbed Lin Zhao's waist in panic. "No, I'm not leaving! No one can separate me and Ah Zhao..."

However, his resistance was futile. The very next second, Ji Yaoguang delivered a punch even heavier than Si Li's, shattering him into pieces before fishing him out of the void again, handing him over to Si Li and taking the scale.

Having completed the handover ceremony, the two parties nodded in tacit understanding and departed with their respective birds.

Having finished eating a melon, Lin Zhao still felt a lingering aftertaste. "The Di State Ruler is really not what I imagined."

Ji Yaoguang smiled lightly. "Anyone who can become a Heavenly Sorcerer has experienced no fewer than ten miraculous encounters; every single one of them is a person of astonishing talent and brilliance. If you ever meet a foolish one, they must be pretending—don't believe them."

Lin Zhao yawned. "Fine, I'll only believe the foolish one right here."

Ji Yaoguang's crown of leaves twitched slightly at that, and he said softly, "Mm, I am indeed trustworthy."

With that, they returned to the night market.

With a trace of high-spirited triumph, Ji Yaoguang produced the scale and approached the front desk. "Hello, I would like the Cosmic Light Stone from earlier."

"It has already been bought," the receptionist said with an expression of regret.