Chapter 220 : The Meaning of Bright Ember
The little fox was toyed with all night long.
In the end, her tail had been completely "broken," hanging limply against her butt, no longer having the strength to lift up.
And that black-hearted girl arrogantly said: "Hmph, a stupid cute little fox also wants to turn the tables and become the master? What wishful thinking."
"Wuu..."
"Be an obedient little pet!"
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......
So even when she woke up the next morning, Lonis's tail was still limp.
This made her too embarrassed to see people... because once the tail drooped down, it would drag on the ground like a broom, not only unsightly but also making her feel ticklish.
"Elucia... no, please don't toy with me anymore..."
Poor Lonis could only beg for mercy submissively.
And it seemed Elucia was in a good mood now, so she said: "Hmph, giving up so quickly, and you call yourself a Hero."
"Anyone would be unable to endure 100 times—this has nothing to do with being a Hero or not."
"Fine, hurry up and come here, I'll massage it for you."
"Eh, still, still going to massage?!"
Lonis covered her tail with a terrified expression.
"This time is different, hurry up and come here."
"Wuu wuu..."
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......
Although very frightened, Lonis quickly discovered... Elucia had completely changed her technique.
When pulling her tail last night, although the movements weren't rough, they always made Lonis feel weak.
But today, Elucia only touched lightly, using her fingertips to knead the fur with nine shallow and one deep motion... This massage method made Lonis feel tingly and numb, as if her whole body was being healed.
"How's that? Comfortable now?"
"Wuu..."
Under the girl's kneading, Lonis's tail regained its spirit and perked up again.
The fur also became large and fluffy as if it had been carefully groomed.
"Mm, that's about right."
"Ma, Master, what are we going to do next?"
"First go eat breakfast, then Princess Sethilu will lead us to the Bright Ember Temple."
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Living in the Bright Ember Kingdom's royal palace, whether washing supplies or supporting facilities were all top-grade.
So this morning, Lonis also had a relaxed and comfortable time.
And in the dining room, everyone also met Princess Sethilu... This silver-haired girl looked to be in good spirits, the temperament between her brows seeming to have returned to the dignity and beauty of their first meeting.
"Student Elucia, Miss Fox Lonis, good morning."
"Princess Sethilu, good morning. How is Lingli's condition?"
"Mm, thanks to everyone's blessing, she's past the critical period. I can now lead everyone to the Bright Ember Temple without any worries."
"Yay!"
Not being excited would be impossible.
In fact, Lonis had already obtained 3 Rainbow Abyss weapons... If she added this one from the Bright Ember Temple, that would make 4.
The journey to collect all 7 would be more than half complete, and her and Elucia's dream would advance another step.
"Hmph, look at your meager ambitions."
However, compared to Lonis, Elucia appeared much more composed. Those crimson eyes didn't reveal any joy—she wasn't even as excited as when touching Lonis's tail last night.
"Then, we'll trouble Princess Sethilu to lead the way... but I heard that the Bright Ember Temple isn't such an easy place to enter?"
"Mm... that's indeed the case. The real Bright Ember Temple is located in the underground continent, a place filled with miasma and corrosive power. But under our royal capital, there's a teleportation gate leading to the temple."
"Even with a teleportation gate, we'd still have to pass through areas of the underground continent, right?"
"We do need to walk a bit, but as a member of the Colotia royal family, I'm naturally able to resist erosion. I'll deploy a protective field for everyone to ensure everyone's safety."
And so it was decided.
Although Princess Sethilu didn't limit the number of people, Dean Cuibia needed to care for the patient together with Senior Yan and couldn't spare time.
And Senior Zhou Mixue seemed to have received an invitation from some noble and also stayed in the royal palace.
So on this trip, only Yi Cheng would accompany them, along with Zhou Suling, this... girl who seemed to fear nothing.
"Yay, it's the Bright Ember Temple! I want to see it too~"
"Suling, but Elucia said... the temple is very dangerous."
Just like in the Boundless Land, Lonis hoped Zhou Suling would stay somewhere safe... but this pink-haired girl seemed enthusiastic.
"I'm not afraid of danger, and... hasn't Little Lo noticed? Every time, Suling has grown?"
"Eh?"
"Like the first time, Suling was so scared of the Headhunter Bats that she was trembling. But later at the Tree of Causality Ruins, she wasn't afraid anymore. Now she's eager to try and can't wait to see monsters~"
Zhou Suling confidently clenched her fist, but before Lonis could say anything, a golden-haired little loli walked over.
"Hmph, you look very confident? But do you know what the Bright Ember Temple represents?"
This little loli wasn't very tall, probably a few centimeters shorter than little loli Elucia. But despite her petite figure, she wore a gorgeous red dress that looked quite eye-catching.
Lonis had seen this little loli before—her name was Nalonaté. Yesterday she had suddenly burst into the exhibition room to tell Princess Sethilu the news of Lingli's serious illness.
"Miss Nalonaté, the meaning...?"
"That's right. The Bright Ember Temple doesn't represent light. It simultaneously represents light and shadow—it represents the opposition and harmony in this world. In other words, if you don't have duality, even if you enter it, you absolutely cannot receive a blessing."
"Duality... what does that mean?"
"A common saying—destruction and hope are inherently one, killing and salvation are also no different."
"Eh?!"
"I'm warning you about the danger of the Bright Ember Temple. If you insist on going, I have no way to stop you."
Having said this, the golden-haired little loli turned and left directly, leaving only Suling standing there bewildered, looking at Lonis at a loss.
"Li, Little Lo! Wha, what does this mean... Why can't I understand?"
"Mm..."
Compared to Suling's complete bewilderment, something came to mind in Lonis's heart.
It was something that happened when she was still a Hero.
At that time, during her journey, she encountered an elderly man on his deathbed.
The old man was travel-worn, looking like he had been wandering in the wilderness for a long time... Lonis, as a Hero, instinctively wanted to help him, sending the old man back to town to rest.
But Lonis never expected...
The old man shook his head and refused her suggestion.
"Adventurer, just let this old fool die here."
"How can that be? Don't worry, I know many people... We'll definitely help you."
"No need. This old fool knows his own illness—it's completely beyond help... Continuing to live in this world would only prolong the suffering."
"Ah?!"
The Hero was startled, looking at the old man in shock.
But he squinted his eyes, those pupils seeming to see through the vast mountains, remembering many things:
"Actually, when I was young, I was an adventurer just like you. So for me, the happiest thing would be to die while adventuring."
"Uh..."
"But I no longer have the strength to cross mountains or go to demon territory alone. So, adventurer, could you do me a favor?"
"What... favor?"
"I want to die with hope and courage, so could you take me to find a monster and let me duel it to the death?"