Evan Lin, who was already feeling a bit disappointed, suddenly heard Master Wan say there was a possibility. Instantly, his heart surged with excitement. "Is what the Master says true? What exactly is this rumor? I'm all ears," Linfeng said eagerly.
"Don't be so impatient, Linfeng. Since my father said he knows of this rumor, he'll definitely tell you. Stormtower's intelligence network is the best in the God Realm—you've probably heard that much, right?" Lena Zhong chimed in.
Master Wan picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and then said, "This rumor goes way back. Very few people know about it, and I can't guarantee it's true. Still, I'm fairly certain there's something to it—where there's smoke, there's fire. Most things aren't just baseless gossip.
It's said that during the War of the Gods, the Phoenix Clan suffered heavy losses. Many of their top experts fell as well. To protect their people, the Phoenix Clan's leader had several severely wounded clan members use Nirvana energy to create a powerful barrier.
This barrier is essentially invisible—it's impossible to detect under normal circumstances. But when the Nine-Star Alignment appears in the sky, the Phoenix Clan's barrier will be revealed. Even then, it only lasts for less than three days before vanishing again.
This detail came to light because, back when the Nine-Star Alignment last appeared in the God Realm, a God-Emperor witnessed the barrier and spread word about it. The news was kept tightly under wraps, likely to protect the Phoenix Clan.
Now, there are still over three hundred years until the next Nine-Star Alignment in the God Realm. Maybe when the time comes, you can try your luck then."
"That's really something—definitely surprising. But do we know where that person saw the Phoenix Clan's barrier? If we don't know the direction, it's pointless, since there's only a short three-day window," Evan Lin said.
"There isn't a specific location, but the sighting was in the south. After all, the south is the hottest region, and the Phoenix Clan originally lived there. Maybe they just used a powerful barrier to hide their territory from outsiders.
It's as if they vanished into thin air, leaving no trace. I'm a bit curious, though—why are you so concerned about Mistress Elena's illness? Shouldn't you be focusing on how to raise your own strength instead?" Master Wan asked.
"You'll naturally learn about this, Master Wan, when the time is right. For now, we're here at Stormtower mainly because its intelligence network is vast. Stormtower knows things others don't. We're hoping to find out the whereabouts of the Phoenix Clan.
Another reason is to ask Master Wan to keep an eye out for people who've ascended to the God Realm in the last hundred years. When I ascended, several friends were close to ascending too. Without Violet Cloud Crystals or Divine Stones, it's nearly impossible to survive in the God Realm. I don't want them to suffer too much hardship.
The third reason is to see Lena Zhong. Back at Rainbow Manor, I promised her I'd come to visit. There's one thing I can tell you, Master Wan—my engagement with Zoe Rainveil has been canceled. Because of the disaster at Rainbow Manor, the news hasn't been announced to the public yet.
And finally, I hope Master Wan can keep these matters confidential. There are many things that can't be revealed to others right now—like the fact that Mistress Elena is still alive, and our preparations to seek out the Phoenix Clan," Evan Lin said seriously as he stood up.
"Don't worry, we'll keep our mouths shut. Maybe one day you'll become my son-in-law—whatever you need, I'll do my best to provide. Honestly, when Lena first told me she'd met a rare, peerless genius, I didn't believe her. I even secretly sent people to investigate you, but your identity was a complete mystery.
At first, I hoped you would join Stormtower so I could focus on nurturing you. This had nothing to do with Lena—it was mainly because I wanted Stormtower to become even stronger in the future. But now, whether you join or not doesn't matter, because our relationship has changed," Master Wan said.
"Thank you for your recognition, Master Wan. I'm truly grateful! In the future, when my wings are fully grown, if Stormtower ever needs me, I'll give it my all," Evan Lin said.
The banquet gradually drew to a close—it ended up running very late. Master Wan and Blue-Shade God-Venerable went off to discuss upcoming events in the God Realm, while Evan Lin and Lena Zhong left Stormtower and strolled slowly through the city streets.
Now that Lena Zhong had restored her true appearance, she was a dazzling sight—drawing countless curious glances along the way. But no one dared show any disrespect, since her clothes marked her as having the highest Stormtower status. Everyone in the city recognized them.
"Linfeng, when are you leaving this time?" Lena Zhong asked softly.
"I've already explained everything, and my time is running short. I plan to leave tomorrow. Even though our time together is brief, the future is long—I know you'll understand," Evan Lin said.
Lena Zhong's expression showed a hint of disappointment—anyone would feel the same, not wanting to part so soon after reuniting with the one they love. Still, she understood Evan Lin's situation, so she smiled and said, "Then I'll see you off tomorrow. Tonight, why don't we just stay quietly in my back garden?"
"That sounds perfect. It's already dusk—why don't we head back now?" Evan Lin replied.
Originally, Lena wanted to take Evan Lin to see Stormtower's lively night market, but after hearing his words, she could only hold back. Not wanting to waste any time, she nodded in agreement.
The two of them returned to Lena Zhong's back garden. This time, they didn't enter that unique space—instead, they sat together on the rooftop, leaning on each other and savoring this rare moment of warmth. Neither spoke, and no one knew what they were truly thinking.
In truth, Evan Lin was feeling pretty vexed—his life seemed cursed by romance, with more women than he could count. He really didn't want to get involved with anyone new; every extra woman just made things harder for the others. Even if they never said it out loud, he knew they weren't happy about it.
Right now, Lin Ruoxi's whereabouts were unknown; Jade was missing too. He didn't know if Chu Qing and Chu Tong had ascended yet. And then there was Princess Serena Hua, the Netherworld's princess—she deeply resented Qingshuang, and he had no idea what her situation was. If his guess was right, she should have ascended to the God Realm as well.
After a long while, Lena Zhong asked, "Linfeng, what are you thinking about?"
"Nothing much—just enjoying the romantic atmosphere with you. Who knows when we'll meet again after tomorrow? I hope you'll devote yourself to your cultivation. One day, I'll need your help," Evan Lin said...