Light Fortress

Chapter 1645 - 331: Guiding Light

Outside the last door of the Secret Dungeon.

Su Ye, Yao Jin, and those Heavy Armor Guards were all waiting.

The Great Elder closed the door of the Secret Dungeon; no one knew what happened inside... but some things could be inferred. The Second Elder wouldn’t commit suicide for no reason.

Yuan Yang was Meng Xizhou’s mentor.

He greatly supported the Meng family, and it was thanks to him that Meng Xiao could sit on the throne of the Divine Palace Saint Child as the Northern Continent Duke.

However, everyone in Light City knew that Yuan Yang did all this solely because of Meng Xizhou—

He treated Meng Xizhou extremely well, considering him as his own because he had no children for over seventy years.

The Light Goddess possessed talents, comprehension, and aptitude of the highest caliber, an unprecedented genius in the temple for nearly a century. The Great Elder had cultivated countless young Sacrificials at the West Sea Crossing, searching every talented youngster in the church.

Yuan Yang only found one, but it was the most powerful one!

The longer one stayed in the temple, the more they realized that the relationship between the Great Elder and Yuan Yang was extraordinary.

This pair of senior brothers rarely communicated, but their bond was incredibly deep.

Over the years, Yuan Yang desperately sought the "Undead," offending many and stirring up numerous troubles...

All these troubles were resolved by the Great Elder when they reached Light City.

Yao Jin sat in a wheelchair, using a handkerchief to wipe the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth. After receiving a slap, his cheek was still burning with pain.

But his eyes were vacant.

These injuries were nothing.

What he worried about... was the aftermath of Yuan Yang’s suicide.

If the Second Elder used his death as the price to have the Great Elder fulfill a wish... then the Great Elder might find it hard to refuse.

If that wish was to let Meng Xizhou leave the Secret Dungeon.

Then perhaps today, Meng Xizhou could truly leave here.

Yao Jin did not know what scene would unfold once the door of the Secret Dungeon opened.

...

...

The crowd did not wait long.

Less than a moment.

The heavy door of the last Secret Dungeon slowly opened, a faint scent of blood wafted out from the darkness, and the Great Elder appeared in everyone’s view, dragging his stained and sullied robe.

He was alone.

The waiting Heavy Armor Guards paused, for they were not fools. They knew what the Second Elder’s suicide implied.

The fact that only the Great Elder appeared.

Meant that... the Goddess was still imprisoned in the Secret Dungeon.

"Yao Jin, from today onwards, you are stripped of your identity as ’Secret Dungeon Master’, and you are not required to participate in the upcoming Torch Trial."

The Great Elder calmly spoke, "Su Ye Saint, please temporarily take over the Secret Dungeon for a while... until we find a new ’Master’, the task of guarding the Goddess is entrusted to you."

"Yes... it is what I must do."

Su Ye spoke deeply, agreeing with pleasure.

Upon hearing this arrangement, Yao Jin felt a bit complicated; the fact that the Goddess remained imprisoned indicated that the Second Elder’s death did not change anything.

But did it truly change nothing?

He looked into the Great Elder’s eyes, seeing a trace of imperceptible fatigue in them.

"Great Elder—"

Yao Jin spoke, yet did not mention the Secret Dungeon, nor did he plead for himself.

He simply asked softly, "Where should I go."

"..."

The Great Elder looked silently at this young protégée whom he once admired immensely.

The events within this Secret Dungeon, he only needed a glance to understand them all.

As for how Yuan Yang actually died, and who invisibly pushed at this point, he was also crystal clear.

Yao Jin hadn’t really done anything wrong, because the Light Temple only cared about the results, not the process... If Yuan Yang had succeeded in obtaining the whereabouts of the "Holy Book," even if told that Yao Jin privately altered plans during the mission, he would not impose any real punishment.

But now, the whereabouts of the "Holy Book" were not obtained.

His junior brother, however, committed suicide in prison.

His voice hoarse, he said, "Sunset Mountain."

Sunset Mountain by Red Lake is a place where many members meditate and cultivate the heart.

Those former temple officials, if aged or physically inconvenient, unable to carry out tasks, would be sent to Sunset Mountain, which is still the core area of the "temple," but those on the mountain no longer wield actual divine power.

They still wear the temple’s robes.

But no longer belong to the core of the temple’s power hub.

The moment these three words were uttered... everyone understood, this "shadow" who had finally gained appreciation and was entrusted with a heavy responsibility, had been reassigned to the darkness before he could stand in the light.

"...Yes."

Faced with this arrangement, Yao Jin’s expression remained very calm.

The Great Elder departed from the Secret Dungeon, and Su Ye also left.

Those few Heavy Armor Guards followed Su Ye away... The dark, cold wind blew, left behind by the crowd, Yao Jin turned back to glance at the heavy door of the last Secret Dungeon that was slowly closing.

He smiled silently, leaving alone in his wheelchair, departing from this dark place that no longer belonged to him.

From one darkness, to another.

...

...

In the days that followed, Light City seemed to have become much more peaceful and calm.

The sacred ceremony did not cease.

Countless believers paraded through the streets day and night, and the scene was anything but tranquil.

However, the Gu Family Night Watchmen scattered throughout Light City spent their days doing nothing but eating, drinking, and sleeping, while the task of the Holy Judges was merely to monitor... For the temple, this was the utmost tranquility!

Su Ye stared fiercely at the Gu Family Envoy.

He knew the relationship between Gu Nanfeng and Meng Xizhou, and he also understood what Gu Nanfeng intended to do during this crossing to the West.

After Yao Jin was dismissed, Su Ye took control of the "Secret Dungeon" as he had wished, but the unease in his heart did not dissipate. Instead, it grew heavier with each passing day.

The night before a storm is always silent.

He did not believe Gu Nanfeng had the capability or means to break through the layers of deployment by the Light Temple and reach the Secret Dungeon.

Not only was he present there, but also the Holy Judge Jia Wei and the Great Elder.

The temple’s experts were all gathered; although they could not keep an eye on the Secret Dungeon at every moment, any sign of disturbance would immediately draw the focus of the entire Light City.

Yet he always felt he had overlooked something.

Within the mist of Red Lake, a very small boat approached, creating countless ripples and eventually coming to a slow halt at the center of the lake.

"..."

Yao Jin looked at the Holy Judge clad in Bright Armor, wanting to say something, but finally remained silent.

He had been at Sunset Mountain for several days.

He watched Transcendents pass back and forth beneath the mountain...

The Torch Trial in Light City had reached the third round. Those Transcendents from the Outer Continent who passed the Heart Cleansing Pool Trial received the temple’s gift of the "Flame Dream." If they wanted to be truly recognized by the Light Fire, they must pass the spiritual trial of the "Flame Dream," which was much more difficult than the previous Heart Cleansing Pool Trial.

Only by resonating with the "Flame Dream" would they qualify to participate in the final round.

In a few more days, the temple would open its gates, allowing everyone to come and watch the final trial at Red Lake. Those who passed the compatibility test with the Flame Dream would have the opportunity to step onto Red Lake.

Lord Divine was on the other side of the lake.

To reach the other shore.

To meet Lord Divine.

Accomplishing this might afford them the chance to gain the recognition of the "Light Fire."

Even if they failed, being able to meet Lord Divine was an immense opportunity and blessing.

The silence between the two persisted for a long time until Jia Wei finally spoke first: "Sunset Mountain is a very tranquil place."

"Yes."

Yao Jin smiled, "It has light, very beautiful light."

Every day at West Continent sunset, countless crimson rays sweep across Red Lake, falling into Sunset Mountain.

It offered the most beautiful sunset scenery in the world.

At the same time, one could witness the Light God’s Divine Miracle "sunrise"... New and old days alternated constantly for the past ninety years, with only one day of interruption.

"I already know about the affairs of the Secret Dungeon."

Jia Wei said, "This is the arrangement made by the Great Elder, and I cannot change it, so coming to me won’t alter anything."

"I didn’t come to plead with you."

Yao Jin lowered his eyes and said, "I just wanted to tell you something."

He paused, explaining seriously: "Although the Great Elder arranged for me to be confined at Sunset Mountain, at least I still have the qualification to enter Red Lake... which means I still have the chance to see you now; in a few more days, I fear I will not."

"Yuan Yang was, after all, a suicide."

Jia Wei shook his head and said, "The Great Elder’s anger is only temporary. Although I cannot free you from Sunset Mountain, I can assure you that within the temple, you can live with dignity, always having the right to set foot on Red Lake."

"Lord Holy Judge, I’ve never understood why you valued me so highly."

Yao Jin’s expression was somewhat complex.

He said self-mockingly, "Dragging this broken body along, even with your cultivation... I cannot don such heavy armor as the Bright Armor and walk freely. I am only suited to hide in the darkness, doing some unspeakable acts."

"..."

Jia Wei remained silent.

"These days at Sunset Mountain, I’ve thought about many things and sensed something amiss..."

Yao Jin whispered, "Regarding the Secret Dungeon, I made a very wrong decision, resulting in a terrible outcome, so I am willing to accept whatever punishment the Great Elder imposes. But looking back, many arrangements here are indeed strange. I don’t understand why I lost my mind trying to track down that ’mastermind’s’ whereabouts, willing to gamble everything."

Jia Wei furrowed his brows.

"Intuition."

Yao Jin spoke softly, "I feel my ’intuition’ betrayed me."

Jia Wei stared at Yao Jin and slowly said, "You... what are you trying to say?"

"I always feel that deep within my heart, there is an invisible voice guiding me forward."

Yao Jin chuckled lightly, "These words sound absurd, don’t they? Like trying to blame everything on that ethereal ’voice’... but actually, I don’t mean that. I just want to tell you, my Lord, that if given another chance, I would probably still make the same choice. I cannot resist the voice’s guidance; even after being deprived of the title of Secret Dungeon Master, even after being sent to Sunset Mountain, I still want to gamble once more."

"Are you insane?"

Jia Wei’s tone revealed surprise.

"I’m not insane."

Yao Jin sincerely replied, "I can swear in the name of ’Light’; everything I just said is true."

"I came to Red Lake today just to ask you one question... Following the path guided by light, have you ever felt such ’intuition’?"

Sitting on the surface of Red Lake, the Holy Judge fell into prolonged silence.

Following the light, receiving guidance.

This was something every believer took pride in.

Jia Wei indeed experienced it... And the "light guidance" that marked him the most was that stab in Sangzhou Cave.

...

...

(PS: Asking for monthly votes~ I caught a cold this morning, so the update was a bit late~)