Hiding on the Rooftop

"Over there!" Lucia Lu quietly signaled Faustin to come over, then led her to a secluded spot where no one could see them.

"I heard you went to Wildlands City with Claire last time?" Lucia Lu asked.

"Yes, Divine Lady Lucia."

"What did you go there for?"

"Um..." Claire looked troubled. "Senior brother told me not to say."

Lucia Lu asked directly, "Were you looking for someone?"

"Did Faustin tell you? I asked him for help," Claire said.

"I guessed," Lucia Lu replied. "Did Clearpool go to look for Baxa?"

Claire's eyes widened in surprise. "Divine Lady Lucia, you really can see through everything!"

Lucia Lu: "Did you find him?"

"Yeah. We found him... but I don't know what Senior Brother wanted with him. He wouldn't let me know."

Lucia Lu didn't say anything.

Claire didn't know, but Lucia had a pretty good idea.

Clearpool has taken over the Heavenly Moon Empire, and wants to wipe out the Southern Mystic Empire to avenge the woman he loves.

But he probably doesn't have enough power.

Just so happens, he also absorbed the Silver Clementine Kingdom.

With the Silver Clementine King making introductions, he's probably trying to team up with Baxa...

"Claire! Claire!" Faustin came running over, bubbling with joy—he was so happy he was practically about to do somersaults.

"Why are you here too?" Claire rolled her eyes.

"I came to the banquet with my master! What about you? Did you come with your master too? Where is your master? I should go pay my respects..."

In Lucia Lu's memory, Faustin was always the type to blush at the drop of a hat.

She never expected that, when he met the girl he liked, he'd suddenly grow a much thicker skin.

She smiled and said, "You two chat. I've got something to do, so I'll head off."

She didn't have anything to do.

She just didn't want to stare at them so obviously.

After walking away, she glanced back—and saw Faustin actually grab Claire's hand.

Claire tried to shake him off a few times but couldn't, so she just let him be.

"Wow! Smooth operator!" Lucia Lu couldn't help laughing, then headed up to a rooftop, half-reclining to enjoy the view.

The Divine City of Cangwu was truly beautiful.

Towering green mountains cast their shadows, lush and majestic.

The Divine City at the foot of the mountains was grander and more vibrant than any city she'd ever seen—beautifully arranged, bursting with color.

Rumor had it, as long as you had enough Legacy Stones, you could buy absolutely anything here.

She had to go wander around and check it out—otherwise, this trip wouldn't be complete...

But... her thoughts drifted back to Marcus Xuanchen.

She was so preoccupied with that mess, she couldn't even enjoy shopping.

"Hiding out on the rooftop?" Soren Lann suddenly appeared beside her.

Lucia Lu shot upright, eyeing him warily.

"Don't act like a startled bird." Soren sat down next to her. "What, you think I'm going to eat you?"

Lucia Lu: "..."

"Relax! I won't." Soren said. "I just don't want you to treat me as a brother anymore—I want you to see me as a man."

Lucia Lu: "..."

"Lucia, the first time I met you, you were only four or five hundred years old," Soren said. "When I came to greet my master, I looked up and saw you. I remember thinking, 'How could there be such a pure, untouched little girl in this world?' Thank the heavens I got to meet you."

Lucia Lu: "..."

"Later, I ascended," he continued. "When I woke up, I saw you calling my name and crying your heart out. Once again, I thanked the heavens for letting me survive—to see my little girl shed tears for me."

He reached out, just like before, gently stroking her hair: "Lucia, I like you. I like you so, so much. My biggest wish is to spend my life with you."