The Gift

Unlike the Sword Princess and the Witch, Weise had not specifically changed her clothes; she wore her usual attire. Beneath her loose, black-and-gold-trimmed trench coat was a snugly filled sleeveless shirt. With just a slight lean forward, the elastic potential of her shirt was pushed to its absolute limit—even if the second button across her chest popped off in the next second, Yaxiu would feel it had already done its best. A corset accentuated the god's slender, graspable waist, while taut boy-shorts radiated athletic energy, and over-the-knee stockings gently hugged her thighs. Although it was not his first time embracing the Silver Lantern, every time he held this breathtaking divine body, Yaxiu was reluctant to let go, dazedly wishing he could sink forever into her gentle tenderness. "Here." Weise suddenly conjured a bright yellow beverage. Puzzled, Yaxiu took it and had a sip. "Pineapple juice?" "My specially blended iced pineapple juice. It's very easy to absorb." Weise asked with a smile, "Is it good?" "It's good." "I'm glad you like it." Weise buried her face in Yaxiu's neck and inhaled deeply. A faint blush crept across her quiet, cool face, and a mischievous smile danced in her eyes. "Such a cute scent. "It's so rich it's almost intoxicating... You've worked hard these past few days, Yaxiu." Yaxiu parted his lips, feeling that his image had undergone a drastic transformation in their eyes. "Because Senluo has no concept of birthdays, I only knew I was supposed to give a gift, but didn't know what to give." Her fingers brushed across Yaxiu's chest, tracing a path downward. "Still, this is my first time giving someone a birthday gift... If you don't like it, I'll be very hurt." Yaxiu pressed his lips together, his skin flushing a soft peach pink, his voice trembling slightly. "How could I not like it... You've already got me by my weak spot." Weise blinked and giggled. "My gift isn't myself, you know. Don't get the wrong idea." "Huh?" "The birthday gift I want to give you is this." Weise opened her palm, and a Four-Wing sorcery spirit shimmering with silver light emerged from her hand. It looked like a little girl wearing a black-and-white gothic dress, carrying a silver lantern in her hand and gazing curiously at Yaxiu. Yaxiu's attention was instantly captured by it, and he murmured softly, "This is..." "The Four-Wing Silver Light sorcery spirit." Weise gave it a gentle nudge, and the Silver Light sorcery spirit drew close to Yaxiu's face. "I originally wanted to directly summon the Silver Lantern sorcery spirit, but as you know, like the White Dove, the Fire Cat, and the Blue Bird, I am the final swan song of Senluo. Once I leave the realm of Senluo, my authority is bound to be drastically reduced, and I will no longer be able to illuminate and shatter myriad laws with the silver lantern. "Normally, every god naturally attracts sorcery spirits of their own sequence. The reason I've never been able to attract sorcery spirits of my sequence from beginning to end is that I am a lifeform of law that defies the laws of the Void Realm. This world does not permit the birth of a Silver Lantern god, so naturally, there are no Silver Lantern sorcery spirits either. "I spent a great deal of effort to convert a Light sorcery spirit into a Silver Light sorcery spirit, but even then, it can only silverize surrounding matter. However, once you have the Silver Light sorcery spirit, you will be able to create silver mirrors at any time, and I can move between silver mirrors across the entire world. That way, I can—" Before Weise could finish, Yaxiu stopped her lips. The fierce, passionate wet kiss seemed capable of dragging a god down to Hell. A god was supposed to be a lifeform of law devoid of body temperature and forever calm, yet Weise felt as though Yaxiu had ignited her. Her entire body burned with heat, her mind turned dizzy, and the divine body subconsciously catered to the sorcerer's will of its own accord. After a long time, their lips parted. Her gaze glassy, she looked at Yaxiu. Her right hand remained deep under the quilt, gently plucking Yaxiu's most sensitive heartstrings. "My gift... are you satisfied with it?" "Very satisfied." Yaxiu's breathing was shallow and rapid. Though his face was flushed with intoxication, his eyes shone with genuine joy. "This is the best birthday gift I've ever received. Nothing could make me happier than seeing you make progress in the realm of gods... You are blazing a trail along a path no one has ever walked before. Silver Lantern, I'm truly so happy." In the wardrobe, Sonia and Diya couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. After all, Yaxiu had already received 'gifts' from both of them, yet he actually made such a ranking remark... Still, they understood that Yaxiu was genuinely happy for the Silver Lantern. Among their four operators, Weise's situation was the most complex and troublesome. The gains Yaxiu had made in the sixfold Hell could help the Sword Princess, the Witch, and Vichy advance further along the path of sorcerers; even without Yaxiu's aid, they could find ways to improve themselves step by step. Only with the Silver Lantern could Yaxiu neither help nor offer any advice. Because she was the only intelligent god. Normal gods were lifeforms of law originating from the Void Realm. Though they could awaken self-awareness, they were far from being considered intelligent beings. Only the four gods who had transformed from sorcerers—the White Dove, the Fire Cat, the Blue Bird, and the Silver Lantern—truly possessed subjective initiative and intellect, having essentially transitioned from the path of sorcerers to the path of gods. However, the Senluo Azure Lord had already fallen, and the three gods including the White Dove had perished one after another, leaving the Silver Lantern as an unprecedented swan song through the ages. She had no examples to consult, no direction forward, and even more frighteningly, even the Void Realm was her enemy—an anomaly like her that outstripped the world's parameters would inevitably be banned and eradicated the moment the Void Realm discovered her. It was as though she stood in a dark, unknown world where she could hear nothing and see nothing, surrounded on all sides by lethal chaos, seemingly free to go anywhere, yet with every direction leading to a dead end. She was destined to be a pioneer, destined to carve out an unprecedented path of gods from nothing, just as she had been destined to destroy the wasteland of Senluo... because if she didn't, an even worse end awaited the Silver Lantern. The one Yaxiu spoiled most was the Sword Princess, the one he pitied and doted on most was the Witch, but the one he cared for most was the Silver Lantern. The Silver Lantern had lost her realm, lost herself, lost everything; Yaxiu had witnessed with his own eyes how she was left with nothing. Thus, when Yaxiu saw this Four-Wing Silver Light sorcery spirit, he was not only happy that the Silver Lantern had found a future, but overjoyed that she had reclaimed her past. For Silver Light was a brand-new sorcery spirit acknowledged by the Void Realm. It might be nothing more than an insignificant starting point, but this starting point was the culmination of countless sorcerers over countless years in Senluo. It proved that Senluo's millennium of history and four divine ages were not meaningless. Weise's twenty-plus years of effort were not without worth. Perhaps in thousands of years everything would perish, but the Silver Light Weise had created, and the path of gods she blazed, would surely shine brilliantly in the world of sorcerers! From now on, the Silver Lantern was no longer left with nothing; she had kindled a light of her own. Although Weise had guessed Yaxiu would be very happy, his intense reaction still took her somewhat by surprise. Only now did she realize there was good reason why the Sword Princess and the Witch loved reporting their achievements to Yaxiu so much. Yaxiu's ability to be genuinely happy for someone else's joy was like the sweetest poison to slightly proud female sorcerer geniuses like them. Her frame grew even softer, her voice even gentler. With a casual flick, she topped off the pineapple juice in Yaxiu's cup and asked lazily, "Since you're so satisfied with my gift, what about your gift?" Yaxiu froze, only now remembering that Weise had said today was her birthday as well. "I didn't have time to prepare—" "Haven't you already prepared it? You even proactively unwrapped it for me." Weise pecked Yaxiu's cheek. Complemented by tuning with her thighs, the strumming of her right hand gradually reached a crescendo. "My gift isn't myself, but the gift I want is you, Yaxiu." "Oh, right." Remembering something, silver light shimmered across her face, conjuring a pair of glasses. "It seems you really like it when I wear glasses." Weise giggled, her fingertips clearly sensing Yaxiu's burning emotion. "How about I sit in your lap just like in the dream—I read a book, and you read me?" Yaxiu felt the defensive line of his sanity teetering on the verge of collapse. He took a huge gulp of iced pineapple juice, barely suppressing the surging lava in his heart, grabbed Weise's arm, and said in a trembling voice, "I don't think that's okay. "I'm truly happy for your progress, but I also truly don't want to ruin the great atmosphere you've worked so hard to build these past few days because of me." Yaxiu gazed into Weise's eyes. "Whatever gift you want, I'm willing to give it to you, but not this." Weise blinked and whispered, "I've already shielded us from the Gospel God's surveillance. No matter what we do, they won't find out. You don't need to worry." "But my reactions won't fool them," Yaxiu said. "Think about it. The Sword Princess, the Witch, Vichy—how smart are they? If I tryst with you and find satisfaction, they'll definitely notice something different about me in our daily interactions... I'm not the kind of scumbag who can pretend nothing happened." At that moment, every woman in the tent felt like laughing. "Besides, I also feel that maintaining a teammates' relationship with all of you suits our team far better than being lovers. Especially your rapid progress by leaps and bounds these past few days—it completely cemented my resolve." Yaxiu said softly, "Weise, you can understand how I feel, right?" Weise looked at him quietly, then nodded slowly. "I can." "You're not going to threaten me with the team, are you?" Yaxiu blinked. "After all, I can't circulate sorcery power right now, and I don't dare disturb the others. If you insist on forcing me, there's really nothing I can do..." "Are you dropping a hint?" Weise giggled and gently shook her head. "I wouldn't do that. "I never want to make you sad again, much less go against your wishes," she said. "When I said before that I wanted to help you train them, I meant it sincerely. Because I know you're not willing to let go of a single one... Even if I'm not keen on it, as long as you wish for it, I'm willing. "If you want me to leave, I'll do so." Yaxiu breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally managed to talk one down tonight. "Then... can you let go with your hand?" "No rush." Weise smiled radiantly. Her right hand and legs seemed to have found the sheet music that harmonized most perfectly with Yaxiu, strumming his heartstrings into a blazing melody. "What I actually wanted to tell you tonight is that you don't need to take Felix's words to heart." Yaxiu started. "You know?" "I accidentally overheard." Weise tilted her head. "The core reason you want to keep us as teammates is really that you haven't figured out how to resolve the issue of children, right?" Right on the mark. Weise said, "If our love for you is our own doing, then how innocent would future children be? The moment they're born, they'd have to accept that their mother must vie with other women for favor, and that their father doesn't have just one partner... That's what you're thinking, isn't it?" Yaxiu nodded repeatedly, asking in all earnestness, "Then... Silver Lantern, do you have a solution?" "There is a major flaw in your worries," Weise said. "Reproduction is an instinctual act for perpetuating life, a method of replication for short-lived species to pass on their genes. But we are all immortal beings now... For them, it's neither necessary, nor perhaps do they even want to have children. "Have you ever heard of angels giving birth? Have you ever heard of demigods having families? Our outlook on life is bound to change alongside changes in our lifeform. The urge to reproduce is, in the end, merely the result of various hormones acting together. If demigods fundamentally lost the desire to reproduce, I wouldn't be surprised in the least. "Your worries are just wishful conceit." Weise pinched Yaxiu's cheek. "Why on earth would you think everyone wants to bear your children? They're demigod sorcerers, you know." Yaxiu was struck as if waking from a dream. Right! We're immortal demigods now; there's no need for us to follow the mortal traditional custom of having children! He had almost been led into a ditch by Felix. Duke Vosloda naturally had to have children, since his family genuinely had a ducal title to inherit. But Yaxiu had nothing and was even being hunted down by the Divine Lord of Stars—why would he have children? What right did he have to have children? Moreover, Yaxiu felt embarrassed by Weise's words. He had indeed presumed that everyone wanted to have his children. But thinking about it carefully, the Sword Princess and the others were demigods now too. They could live carefree and happily on their own, so why would they ever have to bear children for Yaxiu? "Understood now?" Weise smiled. "Watching you act so absentminded today was hilarious to me. Anguishing all day over something that won't even happen..." "Stop, stop, don't say any more." Yaxiu turned his head away and clamped down on the straw, gulping down the pineapple juice. "I admit I was stupid, all right? Hurry up and go back." "I've thought of what birthday gift I want." "Huh?" Weise pressed herself down onto Yaxiu, two mounds of springy softness squishing outward from both sides. Even in this position, her glasses did not slip off. As her eyes shifted, tranquility and sensuous charm blended in flawless harmony behind the lenses. "I want to bear your child."