"Is this the place?"
The sports car slowly pulled over to the side of the road. Everyone gazed at the spectacle in the distance. Except for Rose and Feili, all the sorcerers felt slightly dazed—even Weixi was no exception.
Mist.
A thick white fog nearly spanned the sky canopy, blotting out the multitude of stars like a rampart stretching across heaven and earth. As the mist along the edge drifted away, it rapidly condensed into silvery-white feathers, and countless millions of them floated out from here toward the entire domain of All Stars—the interior of the fog was the source of those feathers.
Yet this layer of white mist... felt so familiar that it stirred a deep sense of nostalgia in the sorcerers.
Clearly, this was the hunting ground where the Divine Lord of Stars slaughtered angels.
"Canaan City is just ahead, and it seems to have been hit by a sudden dense fog disaster," Rose said, glancing at her phone. "Visibility is far too low. Driving inside would be too dangerous, so we can't go any farther."
"Rose, wait for us here," Yaxiu said. "If the fog starts spreading, leave on your own right away. Whatever you do, don't go into the thick fog looking for us."
"Of course I won't," Rose replied. "If you people play your role-playing games to the point of disappearing in there, I'll just call the search-and-rescue team to come look for you."
"I'm very glad to hear you say that. See you in a bit."
"Are we eating at home tonight or going out?"
"We'll eat at home."
"All right. Then I'll order the groceries first and work on my book report in the meantime..."
After putting some distance between themselves and the sports car, Yaxiu reached out toward Feili. Taking a deep breath, she touched the tips of her fingers to his palm.
*Clang!*
With the crisp rattle of chains, the collar snapped back around Yaxiu's neck, while Feili sprouted ram horns and black wings. Chain-linked shackles bound her wrists to Yaxiu's collar, transforming her in an instant from a lovely blonde maiden into a demon enslaving a sorcerer!
"So this is..." the deceiver murmured as he stared at the horned, golden-haired girl, "a demon."
"Yaxiu, that collar suits you quite well," Harvey assessed.
"Does it?"
"Speaking of which, didn't I promise earlier that I wouldn't give you a coffin as a gift? I've come up with something else to give instead."
A bad premonition welled up in Yaxiu's chest. "What do you want to give?"
"I want to give Sword Princess a collar as a gift, and it'll have a chain attached just like yours. Of course, I don't mean to harass your lover. I'll make sure to explicitly label it: 'Yaxiu's Exclusive Use.'"
"Then you'd better just stick with a coffin. Even if it's reserved for my exclusive use, I wouldn't mind."
Ducking away from Weixi's hand reaching to stroke her horns, Feili huddled close to Yaxiu and asked nervously, "What should I do later?"
"You won't need to do anything," Yaxiu said. "Igola and Harvey will protect you, and if necessary, Weixi will serve as your meat shield to block all attacks. As long as you don't run around blindly, you'll already be helping us."
"Oh..."
Noticing that his demon was feeling somewhat dejected, Yaxiu thought for a moment and said, "Feili, although it might not sound very pleasant, you truly don't have any combat capabilities right now, and we wouldn't dare assign you tactical tasks. Transforming me into a sorcery spirit form is already your greatest contribution. After that, as far as the team is concerned, you're merely a burden we have to protect."
Feili lowered her head even further at this. Yet Yaxiu continued, "However, you won't always be a burden. You might not be able to do it this time, but next time, or the time after that, you might very well take on combat duties."
Feili looked up. "Really?"
"Of course. Actually, I was just like you; I never learned how to fight. But do you know how I learned combat skills?"
"Through one hair-raising battle after another?"
"I prefer to call it 'bad luck,'" Yaxiu scoffed. "If my luck had been good, how could I have run into so many fights?
"So don't be in a rush. Meeting us already means your luck is abysmally rotten. Battles are bound to come one after another. For now, watch our fighting styles closely. Only then will you know how to coordinate with us in combat, and eventually step up to stand alongside us on your own."
Yaxiu stroked Feili's ram horns and smiled. "I'm also looking forward to the day I can fight side by side with my demon master."
Blushing shyly, Feili shook her head repeatedly. "I'm not your... master."
Weixi leaned in. "I'm looking forward to fighting side by side with Master too!"
"Then you'll soon get your wish. Not only will you fight side by side, you'll also get to be my meat shield." Yaxiu cast a glance toward the thick fog. "Who knows what's waiting for us in there...
"Still, I didn't expect you to be so bellicose, Feili. I thought you were a cautious, obedient good girl."
Hearing this, Feili had a momentary brain glitch and blurted out, "Is Sword Princess bellicose?"
At those words, everyone turned their heads and stared wide-eyed at Feili.
Meeting Yaxiu's startled gaze, the little lamb opened her mouth wide. Flustered to the point of tears, she stammered incoherently, "I didn't—I mean, that is, Yaxiu! That's it! It's because Yaxiu talks about Sword Princess so often, so I got curious about her!"
Yaxiu turned to look at the necromancer and the deceiver. "Do I mention her often?"
"Depends on what you compare it to," Igola said. "Compared to Annan, Lisi, Silver Lantern, and Tamashi, Sword Princess is indeed mentioned more often; but compared to Lalafell, it's still fewer."
"Why is Tamashi grouped with them?"
"Otherwise should Black Crow be lumped together with Lalafell?"
Yaxiu figured that made sense and didn't probe further, musing, "Sword Princess... Sword Princess does look fairly bellicose. Maybe it's because a high ponytail gives off an aggressive vibe."
Feili suddenly fixated on an odd detail. Pulling her hair back, she bundled it up. "A high ponytail like this?"
"No, her hairline in front isn't pulled that taut, and the ponytail in back doesn't droop."
The blonde, horned girl looked troubled; clearly, she didn't know how that hairstyle worked. Weixi suddenly stepped forward. "I know!"
The maid tied a small ponytail at the front of Feili's hair, left an opening at its base, and threaded the larger ponytail from behind through the opening. That way, the front hairline looked loose and soft, and the main ponytail in back was propped up by the smaller one so it wouldn't droop.
"Yes, exactly like that." Yaxiu nodded. He stared intently at Feili, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Though unlike Sword Princess, Feili, even with a high ponytail, you still look bright and adorable."
"Then what kind of person is Sword Princess?" Feili pressed. "The bellicose kind?"
"It's not really bellicose. She just gives off a sharp, dazzling presence, yet she's full of confidence. She's adorable when she acts spoiled, incredibly dependable in battle, and she's..."
Yaxiu looked up at the stars across the canopy, the corners of his mouth curving slightly upward as an affectionate smile touched his eyes.
"She's the type I'll never be able to beat in my entire life."
Weixi glanced at Feili's current expression and finally understood why her date rehearsal plan had fallen apart.
"Though if I really had to describe her... she never actively hurts others. She only fights to protect everything she holds dear.
"So, I hope she isn't someone who loves to fight."
After a moment of silence, Igola said slowly, "Yaxiu, is it just my imagination, or are you..."
"Praying that you won't be beaten to death by Sword Princess once you get out?"
"No, I'm praying that she won't pry open the lid of Harvey's coffin." Yaxiu glared fiercely at the necromancer.
Harvey felt a bit aggrieved. "I'm just reminding myself not to forget to prepare gifts for you and your lovers. If you keep acting like this, I won't give any of you gifts."
Igola asked, "What? Why does he get such good fortune?"
Feili echoed, "Lovers?"
"All right, idle chatter ends here." Yaxiu turned toward the white fog. "Let's go.
"We're going to hunt an angel."
***
"Does the Throne Hall truly believe anyone would buy that lie? A sudden dense fog? How could any fog be so absurd?"
"It's not a question of whether the public believes it, but whether they care."
In the Nation of Stars, outside the new city of Nash, members of the Four Pillar Cult gathered beside a pile of construction debris. Nash wasn't far from Jialesi, designed as a satellite city to Jialesi, and had perpetually been under construction. It was said that many merchant guilds were bullish on Nash's future, and the plots of land had been sold off long ago.
At that moment, a heavy fog connecting heaven and earth enveloped Nash, completely obscuring anything happening inside from the outside world.
'Chancellor' Daedalose remarked, "Right now the entire nation is celebrating the Starry Sky Festival. Who would pay attention to foggy weather over an empty, uninhabited city? Naturally, whatever the Meteorological Bureau says goes."
Sonia squatted beside the white-haired little girl. Diya gazed into the distant white fog for a moment, then took out a small mirror to inspect it before saying, "Even before the dense fog appeared, twenty-three teams of church sorcerers entered Nash. They were prepared well in advance."
The Paw-Stretching Sword Saint asked, "Can you tell what's happening inside?"
"No, not unless I go in personally." The witch shook her head. "This layer of dense fog holds miracle-grade priority. Even the Gospel cannot easily penetrate it.
"The only thing certain is that this fog spans both the Starry Sky Canopy and the All Stars Sky Canopy. Without a doubt, the Divine Lord of Stars is drawing upon mortal power to assist in 'digesting the angel.'" The little empress mused, "Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the Starry Sky and All Stars mirror each other. Divine Lords have always found it difficult to interfere in reality, and naturally, it's just as hard for them to leverage mortal factions. But with the sky canopy's projection serving as a conduit, it effectively incorporates mortals into the miracle sorcery framework."
"Then what should we do?" Sonia asked. "Theoretically speaking, if the Divine Lord of Stars digests the angel as quickly as possible, it could hasten the unsealing of the Ruby Mountain. We shouldn't disrupt—"
"No!" Diya shook her head, reaching out to give the village girl's ear a pinch. "Didn't you hear clearly? This dense fog spans both the Starry Sky Canopy and the All Stars Sky Canopy!"
Sonia reached out and tugged Diya's cheek. "So what?! If you don't spit it out, believe it or not, I'll spank your bottom!"
"You dare!" Diya glared at her. "In order to utilize mortal power, the Divine Lord of Stars temporarily bridged the Starry Sky Canopy and the All Stars Sky Canopy completely. The foggy area is where the two canopies overlap! While I don't know whether there are crucial items inside, if we can disrupt the ritual, we might just punch a massive hole straight through the sky canopy!
"Even if it doesn't shatter immediately, it will definitely inflict heavy damage on the canopy!"
"Good!" Sonia looked around the group, being the first to pull down her hood. "Prepare for action!"
Every combatant put on their disguise, and some sorcerers even used sorcery spirits to alter their appearances. The Four Pillar Cult had long been prepared for battle. Their consistent low profile and secrecy were not out of fear of exposure; when faced with unavoidable armed conflict, this band of madmen dedicated to trampling the starry sky would never hesitate.
"Everyone, whether we succeed or fail this time, our intentions will inevitably become known to the Throne Hall," Sonia said calmly. "After today, the Throne Hall's vigilance will tighten drastically, and operations for the Sky Light Project will become far more difficult. Therefore...
"This time, only success is permitted—no failure!"
"We obey the Sword Seat and Witch Seat's command!" the crowd answered in hushed voices.
Daedalose asked, "If we encounter church sorcerers..."
Sonia froze slightly. She couldn't help looking back toward Jialesi in the distance, where towering high-rises and interconnected lights stretched out like stars that had fallen to earth, or like a distant dream.
A single thought between heaven and hell.
Certain boundaries, once crossed, left no way back—leaving not even room to defend oneself.
"Sword Princess, let me lead the team this time," Diya suddenly said. "Go back and watch over Yaxiu."
"No need." Sonia pulled her gaze back and turned toward the white fog ahead. "I resolved myself long ago.
"Four Pillar Cult, hear my command: whoever blocks our path is no person; whoever blocks the Sky Light is no person; whoever blocks us is no person!
"Slay all enemies on sight!"
"Understood!"
As the group advanced toward the white fog through the shadows, Diya lowered her voice and said to Sonia, "This dense fog connects both the Starry Sky and All Stars."
"You've said that many times already."
"So, could there be such a possibility?" Diya said nervously. "If Yaxiu also enters the dense fog from the Country of All Stars right now, we might actually run into him inside!"
The Paw-Stretching Sword Saint froze. Lowering her head in silence for a moment, she asked, "If we do run into him, could we rescue him directly and bring him back?"
The little empress thought about it, then shook her head. "Unlikely. It should still be that those from the Starry Sky return to the Starry Sky, and those from All Stars return to All Stars."
Sonia smiled faintly. "If that's the case... then I'd rather not run into him."
Diya blinked and nodded. "True enough."
Chapter 821