Facing an Ancient God for a Year

Chapter 867: Chapter 865: Ignite (39) Chapter 867: Chapter 865: Ignite (39) So you’re saying that this time I’m not even a firefighter but a psychologist?

As the idea of observing and understanding others arose, Fu Qian seemed to gain a new understanding of the nature of fire.

Based on previous deductions, the fire was akin to a pollution of Unseen Hillock.

If Unseen Hillock itself is the manifestation of a person’s will, then could this actually be a form of mental pollution?

Unfortunately, healing people isn’t my strong suit.

And the difficulty of this task was visibly great; not to mention the state of the illness, it seemed I was entirely unable to communicate with the patient.

Wait a minute, who said I couldn’t?

The next moment, Fu Qian recalled his first experience entering Lake Heart Hall—the sky filled with Ghosts blocking and chasing, with escape routes being sealed off one by one, leaving only one path open.

This sole “path,” wasn’t it a kind of message conveyed to me?

Even when I embraced by Ghosts and further integrated into this world, the fate Yuan Fang saw was broadly in the same category.

Was this the patient’s way of communicating with me?

Though it seemed a bit mystical, in a situation where violent methods would only worsen the condition, communicating with the “patient” and guiding them towards self-purification seemed to be the only option.

But this clearly created a paradox—without integrating into the world, I could not communicate with the patient or guide them; integrating meant being bound by fate, making Yuan Fang’s seen future inevitable, and the mission doomed to fail.

An unassailable feeling—was this the so-called fate?

…

Regardless, as the old saying goes, if the prompt for mission failure hasn’t appeared, there must still be a chance.

Thinking positively, my decision to interact with the natives was undoubtedly correct—Yuan Fang was the only one who could reveal fate to me.

“So, is this also why the Crystal Demigod dislikes you?”

After settling his thoughts, Fu Qian looked at Akasha with a smile.

“A good friend turning into a criminal, I can understand that sentiment.”

“You talk too much.”

It seemed that Akasha’s emotion had calmed a bit because of her narrative.

However, faced with Fu Qian’s comment, she still spoke in a frosty tone.

“That makes sense, one should focus during a meal.”

Unexpectedly, Fu Qian actually nodded in agreement with her statement.

Between speaking, he gestured, and Old Master Xiumeng, who had just been in the corner, peeked out, visibly trembling.

The recent icy blast had clearly affected him on both mental and physical levels.

But presumably because Ballard particularly instructed him, even so, he faithfully remained at his post without fleeing.

“The food can be served now.”

Fu Qian, with a pleasant expression, said to him.

The five minutes were up.

Akasha and her companion clearly hadn’t expected Fu Qian to pay such close attention to this, unsure of how to react.

Yet Fu Qian, regardless of their reactions, looked at the plates set before him, took a bite, and was very satisfied with his decision to choose this place.

“Are you not eating?”

Seeing that Akasha and her companion were indifferent to the delicacies, Fu Qian felt it was a grave wastage.

“Not hungry yet, it’s enough to watch you eat.”

Akasha forced a smile.

“That’s a shame.”

Fu Qian sighed with regret.

“There won’t be any left soon.”

That’s surely an exaggeration, isn’t it?

This comment even made Akasha somewhat puzzled.

Was this an irony about Crystal losing control of his emotions just now, turning the dining room into an ice cave?

However, Crystal had clearly calmed down by now, the frost swiftly dissipating. Even if things were to freeze, it wouldn’t happen immediately.

Fu Qian, however, didn’t bother with her confusion and hurriedly stuffed another bite into his mouth.

…

Given Akasha’s duo each harbored their thoughts, the restaurant was exceptionally quiet for a moment, except for Fu Qian’s chewing, no other sound.

Just as he swallowed the second mouthful, the only empty seat at the table suddenly got occupied by someone.

With lifeless eyes and pale face, it was Old Master Xiumeng, whom they had just parted with not long ago.

Clearly in a bad mood, he appeared with a cold expression.

And his two bodyguards seemed completely oblivious to this, each lost in their thoughts.

…

“Haven’t left yet?”

While pondering, Fu Qian greeted Xiumeng.

The scene before him somewhat resembled Nepheli’s appearance, where even the Demigod was deceived, unable to detect anything unusual.

But as a witness, Fu Qian knew there was a fundamental difference between the two.

The current state of Akasha’s duo was more akin to having their cognition replaced by illusions, what they saw wasn’t the reality at all.

It was like surveillance footage in movies that had been swapped—actually, the same was happening to him now.

Old Master Xiumeng merely made him see that he was sitting here; it didn’t necessarily mean he was actually here.

Knowing that it was a carefully designed trap, aside from Akasha’s duo acting as bodyguards, there were heavily armed forces keeping watch from a distance.

Deceiving the three of them was one thing, could Xiumeng possibly cast illusions on each of these individuals too, making them oblivious as well?

As for why it wasn’t just him who was tricked, while Akasha’s duo were completely fine, the reason was quite simple—if they couldn’t see Old Master Xiumeng here, would they have no reaction to his talking to thin air?

The only explanation was that they couldn’t see this scene.

“Mr. Andiel.”

Fu Qian’s cordial greeting clearly complicated Old Master Xiumeng’s feelings.

But urgent matters at hand, he quickly took a deep breath to explain.

“The matter isn’t finished yet; no rush to leave.”

“Are you here to question me? Honestly, I’m innocent, and didn’t you guys manage to escape smoothly?”

“Of course not, that was just a minor inconvenience.”

Xiumeng slowly shook his head.

“I’m here because I have something to ask you. Considering this isn’t the best place, shall we change locations to talk?”

Planning to find a place for a severe interrogation?

Seeing Xiumeng making a hand gesture inviting him, Fu Qian secretly thought and immediately refused.

“Sorry, I’m still waiting for lunch, let’s just talk here.”

Joking, he still had to observe the patient’s feedback through Yuan Fang; following this man could delay many things, possibly even causing the mission to fail!

As for what Old Master Xiumeng wanted to discuss, Fu Qian had a rough idea in his mind.

As a mature leader, due to the strife for honor, the likelihood of his members being endangered was extremely slim, especially at such a peculiar time.

The Hunting Squad staying here instead of leaving could only mean one likely reason: although Logan’s treatment plan had problems, they hadn’t given up and were still looking for a solution.

And his own secretive behavior was suspected of knowing some undisclosed secrets.

“You seem to have misunderstood your situation…”

Old Master Xiumeng, rejected, squinted his eyes, not masking his displeasure at all.

“The only reason for this conversation is merely to avoid wasting resources.”

Well aware of Fu Qian’s stubbornness, he next moment spared no words, pulling out another flame talisman and casually crushing it.

Almost simultaneously, a familiar sensation of spatial confinement enveloped Fu Qian entirely.