Chapter 1583: Trouble

In the realm of Mystique, where the verdant garden bloomed in quiet harmony and tall bamboo swayed gently in the breeze, time seemed to rest in stillness.

A child with greenish hair and amber-like eyes that glowed under the sunlight walked at a leisurely pace across the narrow bridge toward a pavilion that floated above a clear turquoise pond. His steps were light, almost carefree, as if nothing in the world could trouble him.

The boy looked about thirteen, slender yet sturdy, a quiet strength carried in his posture. Yet an air of innocence was etched upon his face, like a child who had never once glimpsed the darkness of the world. As he stepped into the pavilion, his gaze was drawn to an unfinished painting resting upon the wooden table.

The painting depicted a woman standing with her back turned, surrounded by a sea of purple flowers as she gazed into the distance. Though her face was hidden from view, Jade recognized her at once. Even from the silent curve of her figure, he knew exactly who the woman was.

"Don’t touch that painting, Jade. You know Master doesn’t like his things touched." The fire spirit appeared beside him out of nowhere.

"I know," Jade muttered pouted. "I was just looking." His eyes lingered on the canvas, careful not to move too close.

After a moment, he spoke again, his voice softer this time.

"Zhao Papa really likes painting Mama Lory and the bluebells," Jade said, then continued studying the painting quietly. "I’ve seen many of his paintings. They look the same, but from different angles. Sometimes she stands with her back turned, sometimes she’s looking at him... but it’s always the same."

His fingers hovered near the edge of the table, careful not to touch the painting. "Mama Lory, standing in a sea of Bluebells flower."

The fire spirit glanced at the painting but did not dare move too close, afraid that even a stray spark might scorch the canvas. His master cared little for most of his works, but when it came to paintings of Madam, it was an entirely different matter.

"I suppose Master is trying to capture every moment from the first time he met Madam," the fire spirit said, though it was nothing more than a shallow speculation. In truth, he could never fully understand why his master did the things he did; after all, no one could truly comprehend that man.

"He seems to love her very much..." Jade muttered in a quiet voice. He turned to the fire spirit, his innocent eyes filled with curiosity. "Is it because Mama Lory saved him? You said they met because Mama Lory found Zhao Papa dying in the forest and saved him, and that Zhao Papa searched for her for years." His eyes glinted with anticipation, eager for an answer.

The fire spirit scoffed. "You think a man like him would give himself away just because he was saved once?" he said with clear ridicule. "There are many ways for a man like Master to repay a debt, and giving himself would be the last thing he would ever do. Though I admit Madam’s sudden disappearance did spark his curiosity at first... but that was all."

"Then why?" Jade asked, confusion written plainly across his face.

The fire spirit let out a heavy sigh. "I don’t know for certain," he said at last, his gaze drifting back to the painting. "But I guess that she saw through him, and she was not afraid."

He studied the canvas quietly before continuing. "Madam never looked at him with wariness or calculation. She did not fear him, nor did she admire him the way other women did. No... she saw him for what he truly was." His voice softened. "A lonely man who had everything, and yet nothing at the same time."

Jade pondered for a long moment before muttering, "Father loves Mom for who she is. He accepted everything about her, but why... why did their story end in tragedy?" Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes, trembling but refusing to fall.

The fire spirit had witnessed everything that had happened to Mevissa and Ezra through his connection with Zhao Li Xin.

Through those memories, he more or less understood the turmoil stirring within the innocent boy. Yet understanding did not make offering comfort any easier. After all, he was only a sword spirit, not a father, not a teacher, and certainly not someone skilled with gentle words.

In the end, he could only choose honesty. "I don’t know how your mother and father were raised," the fire spirit said with a quiet sigh, "but I know how Master and Madam were raised."

He paused, choosing his words carefully. "There are very few things in this world that could hold Master down. Not his prestige as a member of the royal family, not his status as a prince, nor even his position as the most powerful sect leader. He never cared for fame or wealth, you see, that man had no pressure point to use."

His gaze drifted toward the painting. "And Madam... she was raised to be a ruler, not a pampered princess. She was intelligent, grounded, and wise beyond her years.

She understood that life was not made of flowers and rainbows, and that happiness was something one had to fight for, nothing is ever free, and everything has it cost. Thus, manipulating her was not going to be an easy task." The fire spirit fell silent for a moment before continuing in a low, thoughtful voice.

"If they ever shared a similarity, it was this, since the day they were born, they had both lived their lives standing on the edge of a blade. Because of that, they cherished every fleeting moment they were given in this world: the time they spent together and the memories they shared. They cherished the time they spent together and wished they had been given just a little more time; therefore, they would protect that little time they had with everything they had... even if it would only grant them a little more time together."

"They fought..." Jade murmured.

"To their last breath," the fire spirit replied firmly. "Because, Jade, your life is your own responsibility. Whether it turns out good or bad, in the end, it will always rest in your hands. You are the one who decides."

"I decide..." Jade repeated softly, his ember-like eyes beginning to glow.

"Yes, kid," the fire spirit said, his voice steady and resolute. "You decide what kind of person you are going to become."

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The next day, Lory and Zhao Li Xin drive toward the area suspected to be contaminated by Bael’s poison. The road leading there had long been sealed off by the military, checkpoints stationed at every entrance, soldiers standing guard with strict orders not to let anyone pass without official permits.

The atmosphere was tense, heavy with unease, as if the land itself carried a silent warning.

Of course, sneaking in was never difficult for Lory. The contaminated zone stretched across a vast area, far too wide for soldiers to guard every corner, especially when the entire country was on high alert due to Bael attacks erupting in different parts of the world. In the end, there would always be blind spots, and Lory knew exactly how to slip through them.

As soon as she arrived, Lory’s steps slowed.

The scene before her was painfully familiar. Blackened soil spread across the land like a festering wound, the earth dry and lifeless, plants withered beyond recognition, their brittle roots clawing helplessly at the air.

The air itself felt heavy, tainted, carrying the faint scent of decay and poison. It was the exact same sight she had seen when she first arrived in Mevissa’s world.

A cold certainty settled in her chest.

This was Mevissa’s doing, or to be more precise, Zalchana’s. It seemed the nightmare Zalchana created had finally reached this world, and this... was part of Lazarus’s plan. That damn*d snake, Lazarus, he has been dead for so long, but that creature still haunts them to this day.

"Seriously, this time I’m going to destroy the root of Lazarus’s plan without leaving a single trace," Lory muttered through gritted teeth, her annoyance barely contained.

Zhao Li Xin gently stroked the top of her head, his touch calm and reassuring. "Don’t worry," he said quietly. "I’ll make sure of that too."

Lory lowered her gaze to the blackened soil at her feet, to the dried plants whose roots jutted out like broken bones. The land looked as if it had already died. ⅇℓ.

"I’ll try to purify the poison here," Lory said softly.

She closed her eyes.

A moment later, a soft purplish light began to radiate from her body, then spread slowly, drifting outward like countless glowing fireflies, scattering across the land before falling gently like a quiet rain.

Wherever the light touched, the blackened soil gradually turned fresh brown again, the air lightening, the earth briefly breathing once more.

For a brief moment, hope flickered in Lory’s eyes, unfortunately, only for a moment. Just a few minutes later, the brown soil slowly darkened again, turning black as if the land itself was being devoured from within, and the light faded.

Lory opened her eyes and frowned. "It didn’t work."

She bit her lip, frustration and disbelief mixing in her expression. Even Zhao Li Xin was slightly taken aback. This was the first time he had seen Lory’s power fail so completely, and the result spoke for itself, Zalchana’s poison was far more dangerous than they had expected.

"What should we do?" Lory asked, looking at Zhao Li Xin with clear worry in her eyes. 𝔣𝖗ⅇℯ

"In this case, are we going to have to rely on the Saintess’s power... which means Zalchana too?" Lory’s face was engulfed with horror.

The thought made her chest tighten.

She felt cornered, trapped in a situation where every option seemed to lead back to the enemy. If Zalchana’s power was the only thing capable of countering this poison, then Lazarus would hold the advantage, and that was the most dangerous part.

Lory clenched her fists slightly, her gaze lingering on the corrupted land. She could not even begin to imagine how the enemy would exploit this situation, but one thing was certain: they would end up playing right into the enemy’s hands.

Zhao Li Xin understood the gravity of the situation just as clearly. If they failed to find a way to purify this land, they would be walking straight into a carefully laid trap.

The enemy was already using this disaster to elevate the Saintess’s reputation, turning fear and desperation into blind admiration.

Once the people began to see her as their only salvation, her influence would grow rapidly, and with it, the influence of the S.A.I.N.T. organization would spread just as quickly. Luxemborough would benefit from this as well, quietly strengthening its position behind the scenes as public trust and support gathered around the Saintess.

When that moment came, the Saintess and Luxemborough would gain more supporters and rise into a formidable force, backed by the world’s sympathy and trust. With both public support and moral justification on their side, they would have the means and the reason to challenge Harland and the Lucient family’s authority.