Pillar of Yita

Fang Hong looked at her in surprise.

The young girl’s face reddened slightly as she bowed her head. She stopped voicing her questions, which essentially meant she was agreeing to Fang Hong’s arrangements. Luo Yu remained silent too, apparently also consenting to the decision.

Tianlan, however, couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

”How did you guys end up thinking of me,” she managed to smile slightly, ”It’s all so indefinite. Let’s just leave it at that for now. Brother Ade should first sort out the issues with Gita and that wooden-headed Knight... I... I’m not in any rush.”

All three of them turned to look at her.

Tianlan said somewhat embarrassedly, ”Why are you all staring at me? I mean it. If I really cared about those guys, I wouldn’t have come here alone, right?”

Fang Hong nodded his head as well.

”If you want to stay, then just stay,” he thought for a moment and replied, ”If there’s any issue with the Twelve-Colored Iris, let them come to us. We can compensate with money, but there’s no way we’ll give up a person. If he dares to mess around, we have our ways to deal with it. Gita is right, after all, the European competition area is our rival.”

Tianlan found his words amusing and burst into laughter.

The young girl laughed so hard that she even shed tears.

It took her a while to stop laughing, and as she wiped her tear-stained face, she said, ”Is this considered poaching, Ade...” She originally wanted to say ’Brother Ade’, but for some reason, the words came out as, ”...Captain?”

Gita and Luo Yu were momentarily stunned, but then they too softly echoed, ”Captain.”

Fang Hong was taken aback for a moment, involuntarily looking back at the Xiangzi standing off to the side. In that moment, he felt a sudden and simple sense of satisfaction.

Meanwhile, not far away, a Lion Person removed the mouthpiece of his pipe, his silver pupils aloof as if watching the clouds on the horizon. He suddenly said, ”It seems the young folks have settled their own affairs. See, I told you there was no need to worry—”

Atira remained silent.

Big Cat People turned his head, and in the pupil that turned into a speckled dot under the sunlight, a lingering light flashed by, ”Do you sometimes feel as if you have already grown old, Miss Atira? Sometimes you need to learn to let go. What’s past has happened long ago. Learn to live in the present, enjoy life, and embark on adventures with the youngsters. Isn’t that fun?”

Only then did the Elf Miss turn her head back and gave him an annoyed glare, ”Elves live a very long life. I’ll still be young the day you die, Big Cat.”

Yet, as she spoke, her tone also turned a bit somber.

Perhaps sometimes, a lengthy life isn’t always so glorious. A long life leaves deep Marks, and it is for this reason that the Longevity Seed tend to seclude themselves from the world, avoiding contact with the world of Mortals.

Because time and friendship can sometimes hurt more than the sharpest Curved Blade.

But Reed seemed fairly unconcerned, as he touched the scar on his cheek and remarked, ”Do you know, Miss Atira, in the traditions of our Lion People, it’s the females who are responsible for hunting and homemaking, so some humans say we fellows are just lazybones, haha!” As he said this, he couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

He continued to laugh as he added, ”It’s just envy from the common folk, really. In fact, us male lions have only one hunt in our lives.”

Atira turned back around, a slight smile on her face, ”Go on then, which girl caught your eye this time? Who is our heroine this time—is it the one with sharp claws, or the one with a beautiful, sleek tail?”

The Lion People laughed, ”This is no joke, Miss Atira, just like that Lizardman Prince,” he pointed to Tainaric, ”in the year Lion People come of age, we also set out alone, searching for beasts much stronger than ourselves, then kill them using only our claws and teeth.”

”It’s a life-or-death struggle. I still remember the taste of blood in my throat, almost sweet,” he said with a sigh, ”But I’m just one of the lucky ones. Many others stay there forever, leaving just a pile of bones, and the sandstorms carry away their names from this world.”

”Despite the danger, year after year, there are always young ones embarking on the journey of their lives—”

Atira turned her head back around, her beautiful emerald eyes looking at him.

Reed packed his pipe with tobacco, then continued, ”Because we must do it. Male lions must take responsibility for protecting their homeland. If he’s too weak, he can’t assume that responsibility.”

He looked at Ade and said lightly, ”And that’s how a boy grows into a man.”

”So, are we being sentimental today?” Atira playfully blinked.

The Lion People smiled faintly but didn’t respond, simply picking up his pipe and squinting his eyes.

”Come on, let’s see our big boys off,” the Elf Miss answered, ”And wish them an early rise to become great men.”

In her slightly squinted gaze,

Lizardman Prince Tainaric was handing a Curved Blade to Fang Hong before bowing to him.

”My human brother,” the Lizardman warrior hissed, ”The trial of the ancient Sages can only be conquered by unity, and you, as the Captain of the team, know the world of humans better than I. I will follow your lead in this trial—this is my Blade, and it shall symbolize our friendship.”

Fang Hong took the Curved Blade and nodded at the latter.

...