Something's off about this magical girl.

Chapter 30 Ximing Cult

The rain had stopped by then, but the damp chill in the air felt even stronger than before.

Gu Bai opened his phone; the date was off—Thursday?

He paused for a moment, then checked again to make sure he hadn't misread it.

In terms of physical perception, the time from entering the mountain to descending it is at most two days, but the date displayed on the phone is a full six days longer.

Dongchun is right, the timing is wrong...

Looking to the other side, compared to the dilapidated Qixin Assistance Center next door, Ximing's white-walled wooden building looked particularly grand in the night. Under the wide lintel, the golden diagonal stripes on the two paper lanterns swayed slightly in the wind, emitting a warm yellow light.

"Shall we go in now?" Tao Zhu asked.

"Hmm." Gu Bai's reply was obvious.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Pushing open the main gate, the atmosphere inside was completely different from that of Qixin Academy.

There were no electronic screens, no incandescent bulbs, and no artificial sweetness from the specially supplied magic essence in the air.

The rustic wooden bench, a few flickering candlesticks, and a faint, indescribable scent of grass and wood, as if something from the mountains had seeped in through the cracks in the wood, left unattended and simply left there.

The shrine is located at the far end of the main hall.

Gu Bai glanced at the whiteboard—it had only one diagonal line on it, the rest was blank.

Guanlan was already waiting at the door of the inner room.

She was wearing a light gray church robe. When she saw the three of them enter, she slightly raised her chin and gestured for them to enter, leading them into the inner room.

The room was small, with a square table and four chairs.

Four cups of hot tea were laid out on the table, their aroma wafting through the air.

"The town is simple and cannot compare to the special tea served at Qixin Academy. Please make do with it." Guanlan smiled as she took her seat.

Gu Bai didn't touch the tea. He pulled out a chair and sat down, looking directly at the light blue-haired girl opposite him: "How long has the Insect Magical Girl been buried there? The strange beasts in the mountains appeared because of her appearance, right?"

"How long, I can't say for sure."

Guanlan spoke calmly, as if recounting a long-forgotten event:

"Yes, it is about the alien beasts. The magic power leaking from death will eventually affect the surrounding area, including the situation of the insect magical girls. So you have seen many small alien beasts with your own eyes."

To gain a deeper understanding, Gu Bai naturally followed up with the following question:

"How is this so-called resurrection achieved?"

"I regret to inform you that I am not qualified to answer this question." Guanlan bowed slightly. "If Bishop Ximing wishes to discuss this further, I believe you will find out the answer at that time."

"Such an official, they're really good at passing the buck." Tao Zhuo stood behind Gu Bai, giving a forced smile and a snort: "I will definitely report this to the Inspectorate regarding the poaching of the magical girl Qi Xin requested."

"I'm sorry, but the 'Longevity Project' is indeed not under my jurisdiction. I'm not really clear about the relevant matters."

Guanlan ignored Tao Zhuo's sarcasm and simply looked at Gu Bai:

"I apologize to Lord Gu Bai on behalf of Xi Ming for disturbing you today."

Gu Bai looked at her, tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, and didn't want to say anything more for the time being.

"Is the current bishop a magical girl from the past?" Fuyutsubaki chimed in at this moment.

Guanlan paused slightly as she poured the tea, then raised her eyes: "You're very well-informed. Dong is definitely no ordinary magical girl."

"the same as you."

Dongchun stood in the shadows, her voice calm:

"Your Holiness—that's what the believers called you back then, wasn't it?"

"He received no education at Qixin. His understanding of magic circulation and combat logic was entirely up to him from the beginning; he was trained by the Ximing Cult to be the next generation's successor."

Guanlan put down the teapot, the smile in his eyes deepening.

"You really know a lot. Dong seems to have a deep understanding of Ximing. What are your thoughts on the 'Longevity Project'?"

Winter ailanthus doesn't beat around the bush:

"Firstly, the idea of ​​praying to gods for immortality is pseudoscience, so we won't discuss it."

"Secondly, the method of using special vegetation as a lure to deceive magical girls about their 24th birthday is one that first circulated on the internet."

Dongchun looked at Guanlan, her ruby-like eyes burning silently like candlelight:

"And the white light of dawn and the white light of dusk seem to grant the possibility of resurrection. You graft this characteristic onto magical girls to deceive them about the death date of twenty-four. Is this immortality? No, it's merely a continuation of the ability to control magic."

"But without magic, wouldn't that be equivalent to death for a magical girl? Of course, it's considered immortality!"

Guanlan narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone becoming subtly sharp:

"Unfortunately, it seems that Dong has a significantly different understanding of the word 'immortality' from ours."

"Is what you're pursuing something—to never grow old? That's pathetic. Or is it to stay young until the day you die? That's too greedy."

Dongchun didn't bring up the topic herself, but coldly continued the previous statement:

"If used for good, this can benefit magical girls and the world."

Tao Zhuo stood to the side and secretly glanced at Dong Chun.

Winter Sister, who is usually slow to speak, becomes incredibly aggressive when it comes to topics related to longevity.

"What you said certainly makes sense."

Guanlan clapped softly, a hint of undisguised appreciation in his eyes:

"But that's the reality. Even if a magical girl can skip grades flexibly, she can only shine for six or seven years at most. And then what? She loses her magic and becomes an ordinary person. At the best age, she is cut off by that death line and replaced by a new batch of younger faces, and the cycle repeats itself."

She put away all her smiles. This was the first time Gu Bai had seen her completely put away her casual expression that evening, replacing it with something else—not solemn, but something closer to a real weight that had been suppressed for a long time.

"No matter what price we have to pay, as long as it can significantly extend the age limit for magical girls, not only Ximing, Qixin, or any other force will make the same judgment."

"Now, the Insect Magical Girl is the first, but she won't be the last."

The two looked at each other, but neither of them said anything more.

Outside the window, the shadows of the ancient camphor trees stretched long in the lamplight. A breeze made the branches and leaves sway slightly, then fell silent again.

The moonlight streamed into the inner room, illuminating no dark areas.

A long silence followed.

"Let's change the subject. I have a pet bird at home."

When Guanlan spoke again, his tone had completely returned to its leisurely and casual manner:

"I told it how to breathe, how to spread its wings, how to use the wind, and how to fly high. Later, it took flight. It was very happy, and I was very happy too."

"But one day the bird will understand that its flight is entirely due to itself."

"So?" Gu Bai asked calmly.

"So," Guanlan put the teacup back on the table, "I'm very curious how that bird will look at me when it truly understands this matter."

"--Alright, I've received the news. The magical girl from the past intends to talk to Lord Gu Bai. I'll contact her when I get back."

"Thank you all for your help. Dongchun, Taozhuo, Ximing Church's doors are always open to you. That's all for today, I have guests to meet later."

They were seeing the guests off, but the three of them hadn't intended to stay any longer anyway.

Gu Bai stood up: "Let's go."

Peach blossoms and winter jasmine followed.

The three of them walked out, pushed open the main door, and the night wind rushed in, blowing the paper lanterns on the lintel again.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Wait for the door to close.

After a long while, Guanlan tapped his index finger lightly on the wooden table and poured himself a cup of tea.

Then, another person's voice came on; it wasn't Guanlan.

"You don't think what you're saying is too subtle, do you?"

It was as if that person had been sitting somewhere in the inner room from the very beginning, never leaving.

"I was wrong, and it won't happen again, but the cooperation will continue."

Guanlan's voice slowly followed, paused for a beat, and then said, "Are you leaving without even having tea?"

The sound of wind arose at that moment, indicating that the person had already left.