Chapter 196: A New Storm Had…

Chapter 196: A New Storm Had…

“Hey! Attacking a dragon, have you had enough of living?” Zheng Yichen had just flown up when another black Fireball slammed toward him. He casually caught it in his hand and glared at the attackers with a displeased expression. Not liking direct combat didn’t mean he lacked fighting ability!

Seeing Zheng Yichen prepare to strike back, the few people in strange black robes slightly changed their expressions. Black Mist enveloped them, and their figures quickly blurred— they had clearly used some method to leave. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to fight; after seeing Zheng Yichen grab and shrink that black Fireball with his bare hands, they lost the will to continue.

Not everyone was brainless. Knowing they were outmatched, retreat was the best choice.

“Phew, how did we run into people in such a remote place?” Zheng Yichen curled his lip and tossed the black Fireball in his hand. The flying Fireball struck a giant boulder, easily smashing it to pieces. The fragments burned away completely in the black flames before they could scatter.

The power made Lily’s eyes flash with deep envy, but that envy soon turned to loss. Some things couldn’t be undone once they happened. What she had most wanted to do had already been settled by the Sanctuary Church… which meant that afterward… it seemed there was nothing left she needed to do.

Looking at the dragon before her, Lily’s expression calmed again. Since her last obsession was gone, she might as well follow this dragon’s lead. Even if she disagreed, she couldn’t run away, right?

Zheng Yichen, with the basket slung over his shoulder, didn’t notice Lily’s expression. The earlier incident had left a knot in his mind—not a premonition, but an effect from the Prophecy Art on him. Meeting ill-intentioned people in such a place likely meant a new wave of trouble was coming.

As long as that poisonous Prophecy Art wasn’t truly resolved, he probably wouldn’t get any peace.

This tangled his thoughts. Lifting the basket behind him, Zheng Yichen rested his chin on one hand and quietly studied the little girl sitting inside, who silently met his gaze. After a moment, he spoke up, “Well, how about I find you a place to settle down?”

“You want to abandon me?” Lily stared at Zheng Yichen, her tone flat. “After doing this and that to me?”

“Pah! Speak properly!” Zheng Yichen spat lightly and said with some frustration, “I might run into new trouble later. Having you along would be inconvenient.”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

“Oh, so you’re clinging to me now?” Zheng Yichen clicked his tongue and tapped her head. “I’m not joking.”

“…Neither am I. At least by following you, I feel like something might still happen. Other places… I don’t know what I should do.” Lily spoke blankly, making Zheng Yichen even more conflicted.

If not for his interference and the incident caused by the Undying Witch, her future would likely have been spent in a long, vengeful struggle—either succeeding or failing and suffering a worse fate. Unfortunately, because of the Undying Witch and himself, her future had been deeply altered.

She had unknowingly turned into a special kind of “living dead.”

Seeing her expression—as if she’d say it was better to die if danger came—Zheng Yichen’s tapping finger on her head shifted to a gentle pinch. He rubbed her little head until tears squeezed from her eyes from the pain, then stopped. “What are you thinking at such a young age? No goals? I’ll find you one… Hmm, since the Sanctuary Church helped you, couldn’t you repay them with your future life?”

“I’m useless now.”

“So you want to follow me to grow stronger, then find a way to kill me, right?” Zheng Yichen shook the basket lightly, staring straight at her.

“…If you agree, I’ll try hard as you say.”

“Alright, alright, let’s keep it like this for now. I’ll give you a hand when there’s a chance.” Zheng Yichen mumbled, hanging the basket on his arm. The earlier idea of finding a nice civilian family for her was gone. After seeing her near-death frenzy, Zheng Yichen felt Lily herself was an unstable factor.

Placing her with a civilian family would harm others. Placing her with a special family—aside from whether he had the means—even if forced to succeed, what if she caused trouble later? Wouldn’t that harm her?

“Prophecy Art… what a load of nonsense!” Zheng Yichen grumbled quietly, feeling a headache. Why had he grabbed such trouble back then? He’d wanted a target with no connections, and while there were none, the aftermath was thoroughly terrible.

He suspected the Prophecy Art had played a big role. Zheng Yichen pondered—when he was destined to meet the Saintess, maybe he could try “entrusting the orphan”?

For now, take it step by step. If Dan Marina settled his issue before meeting the Saintess, he wouldn’t need to worry. As for how to handle Lily then… he could just treat it as adopting a little daughter.

Nodding to himself, Zheng Yichen’s tangled mood eased. However, that good feeling didn’t last long. The next day, seeing enemies surrounding them, his face darkened again. So those earlier enemies hadn’t given up… but how did they find him?

Zheng Yichen scanned himself with Mana and found nothing unusual. But on Lily, under Mana stimulation, faint black traces appeared, drifting toward a certain direction as if drawn by something.

When had this been left? How hadn’t he noticed?

“See, this is trouble.” Zheng Yichen rubbed his wrists and set the basket down. Glancing at Lily, who looked slightly nervous, he asked, “So, what’s the procedure?”

Procedure? What was that?

Zheng Yichen speaking first made the lead black-robed man pause. Before he could speak again, Zheng Yichen cut in, “Do we fight straight away or talk first?”

“…This dragon must be crazy.” The leader stayed silent a moment, then waved slightly, signaling the others to stay calm but ready. “Give up. Even with your strength, facing so many of us is hopeless. Better come quietly with— Huh!?”

The speaking leader’s eyes widened as he saw Zheng Yichen yawn and absentmindedly pull out a shining golden greatsword from a book. “Attack!!”