Chapter 215: Words and Legends Endure, Just Like the Footsteps of the Gods.

Chapter 215: Words and legends endure, just as the footprints of gods.

Under the cover of night, the campus of University A fell into a tranquil slumber, with only sparse streetlights casting a gentle glow.

However, from a perspective invisible to the naked eye of ordinary people, a vast shadowy forest hung inverted above the campus.

The forest rooted in the sky, growing toward the ground at every moment.

Its edges sprouted endless dense black branches and leaves, like dark clouds spreading across the sky, expanding ceaselessly.

Some of the lush canopies had already touched the ground, their dark boughs pressing against windows, wedging into the crevices of buildings, long vines hanging down, swaying gently, their tips brushing over the faces of sleeping people, unaware and oblivious—

People were like small fish entangled and numbed by the tentacles of a poisonous jellyfish, unable to sense the unknown toxins spreading within them, causing secret mutations.

Only their silent shadows, cast on pillows, bedside tables, floors... could perceive it.

The once-still shadows gradually changed their postures.

They lifted their heads, gazing at their sleeping counterparts, their ability to think growing stronger, whispering to each other in the darkness.

'I want to live.'

'I so want to live.'

'I want to feel the temperature of a snowflake, to smell the scent of a flower, to sense the wind rushing past as I run... I want to have an independent name.'

If true freedom cannot be given to them, why grant them life?

With thoughts but unable to act;

With emotions, yet unable to express them...

This incomplete "bestowal," is it a blessing or a torment?

Amidst the forest's interference, one shadow after another is granted a flawed, incomplete, and painful existence.

This is the root of the shadows' tragedy, and driven by instinct, they will bring this tragedy to more innocent lives. Soon, one of the shadows can no longer hold back and begins to act.

Dark hands grip the neck of their host, the force gradually tightening. They watch as their host shows signs of distress in sleep, urgently questioning again and again with a desperate heart:

"Who am I? What is my name? Can you give me your name?..."

All pain, struggle, and sin are concealed by the night.

On the surface, the sleeping campus appears as tranquil as usual.

But behind the calm, it seems that some normal order is on the verge of collapse.

"Are there any Ability users who can control or attack the shadows?"

Meng Siyou, seeing the situation deteriorate, anxiously contacts his superior: "Yes, Number One and the other have entered the shadow realm, but before they resolve the issue, we need Ability users outside to control the situation!"

"The shadows are accustomed to silence; with them making virtually no sound, my Ability is useless against them..."

"Are there any idle Ability users specializing in the [Shadow] or [Decay] domains near City A? What about that young [Curse] domain user from Beiyi Village? Send them all here if necessary..."

At this moment, Meng Siyou's pacing comes to a halt.

He turns to look in the direction that Number One had pointed to—

High in the night sky, amidst the shifting shadows of the clouds, a sudden, intensely bright light flickered, like the starlight at the poles, abruptly parting the mist and illuminating the darkness and gloom.

The silver light rose between the shadowy woods, dyeing layer upon layer of forest, coating each leaf with a silvery sheen, making every vein seem to flow with quicksilver, every branch as if cast from pure silver, beautiful like a snow-covered dream.

Meng Siyou could not originally see the forest.

But the moon-like silver light faintly outlined the contours of the forest, allowing him to see its branches, its leaves, its trunk, its roots...

—Like a white, celestial kingdom suspended in the night sky.

Holy yet bizarre, growing in the gaps between dreams and fate.

Only after repeated inquiries from the other end of the phone did Meng Siyou come back to his senses.

"Probably... no need for support."

Meng Siyou slowly regained his speech, finally saying succinctly, "Look out the window, and you'll understand."

A moment later, the sound of a cup being accidentally dropped came from the other side.

Amidst the hurried commotion, the connection was cut off.

Meng Siyou was right; there was no need to explain—anyone near City A who was sensitive to mysterious forces could see the changes in the high sky.

No... it wasn't just near City A.

The silver light oscillated in the high sky, the intertwined "time" domain power refracting like a prism, casting myriad hues, rippling through different times and spaces.

Ripples of time and space spread out, projecting this forest into the skies of different eras, then reflected further by water droplets and dust in the clouds, forming a series of dreamlike mirages.

In 2025, the Ability users gazed up at the jungle gradually turning pure white, many clasping their hands together, suppressing their excitement, and murmuring the revered names of deities.

In the distant year of 1708, during the Middle Ages, a destitute writer woke up slowly on a windowsill cluttered with empty bottles, inadvertently catching sight of an unusual phenomenon in the night sky.

The writer, holding his throbbing head from a hangover, groaned in pain. Alcohol had long permeated his thoughts, often blurring the lines between dreams and reality, leaving him to drown in a world of fantasy.

Half-asleep and half-awake, the writer's eyes fell upon the sky, lingering there for a long while before he shakily pushed aside the bottles, the clinking sounds accompanying the extraction of cheap papyrus paper, already covered with messy drafts.

To capture this fleeting inspiration, seemingly bestowed by the divine, the writer hastily penned down:

"This is a story that takes place in the jungle."

"The young daughter of the Earl, Matilda, meets her lover in the jungle at midnight, hoping to embark on a life of freedom together..."

—Was it the story written in 1708 that came first, or the illusory jungle of 2025?

No one could say for sure.

In the Möbius strip of time and fate, the question loses its meaning.

But words and legends endure, like the footprints of the divine.

...

Li Yin, panting heavily, stopped and stared in amazement at the child before her—seemingly formed from moonlight and mercury. Even as the silver light stung her eyes, she could not look away.

Is this a child of the stars?

Or perhaps, the "divine creature" Wang Lin once mentioned to her?

After leaving Bee-Ant Village, Li Yin, due to her special circumstances, was kept under observation for some time in a specialized ward set up by the Anomalous Affairs Bureau at the hospital.

During this period, people came and went by her bedside. Some were doctors in white coats, while others wore uniforms that Li Yin could not identify, seemingly officials of unknown rank.

These people had a unique aura, exuding a discipline akin to soldiers, yet with an additional… something that made Li Yin's sensitive nerves tremble with a hint of bloodiness.

Once, Wang Lin mixed among these people, holding a bouquet of flowers with a cautious expression, coming to visit her.

When they were alone in the ward, Li Yin quietly asked Wang Lin, "How are the teacher and the other students?"

"They're all fine, all fine, just waiting for you to be discharged safely," Wang Lin pressed his lips together, "But I might take a leave of absence for a while… there are other things I need to do."

Li Yin fell silent for a moment before suddenly speaking, "Who are those people?"

"…I can't answer that."

Without receiving an answer, Li Yin keenly continued, "They… are they related to the monster we encountered? Are you taking a leave of absence to face those terrifying things as well?"

In the quiet ward, only Li Yin's calm questions echoed.

Having just experienced possession by the Moth God, Li Yin was under immense mental and physical strain, looking pale and gaunt, speaking weakly, appearing as if she had not fully recovered from a serious illness. Yet, beneath her disheveled black hair, her eyes were astonishingly clear.

Before Wang Lin could respond, she murmured softly, "That is a world that defies common sense, and now, you too will step into it…"

"Can't you really tell me? What exactly was the thing that almost took my life? I just want to know this, I won't tell anyone."

At that moment, Li Yin's eyes were filled with pleading, staring quietly at Wang Lin.

Wang Lin struggled for a long time, finally clenching his fists and lowering his voice, "It is a divine creature."

"Divine beings... what are they?"

"That is a kind of existence with unfathomable power, closer to the essence of the world than any other creature," Wang Lin said, "To make it easier to understand, you can think of Them as rules beyond human comprehension, phenomena that could have a tremendous impact, like meteors, storms, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions—any force in nature that humanity cannot resist."

"Even if They have no ill intent, just passing by might cause disasters..."

Pausing, an image flashed through Wang Lin's mind, and he added, "But there is also a one-in-ten-thousand chance that They bring miracles and hope."

—Miracles and hope.

Standing in the pure white forest, Li Yin looked at the child before her and understood Wang Lin's final words for the first time.

This is the son of distant stars.

This is the holy son at the feet of the legendary deities.

Her taut nerves finally relaxed, and Li Yin could no longer support herself. Her head tilted to the side, and she fainted.

"Co-co-co!"

The Shadow Bird, startled, grew larger in a panic, using its broad wings to catch her.

Yi Fengchu, however, turned his gaze to the distance, where deformed shadows moved hesitantly under the trees in an area yet untouched by him.

"There," Yi Fengchu pointed out to Number One, "What is that strange creature?"

Number One glanced a few times, tilting its bird head, "It's probably a rabbit? This is a forest; it's normal to have rabbits here."

"..."

The Shadow Bird did not find the rabbit's appearance strange. After a long silence, it finally reacted: "Ah! You mean that rabbits of this appearance are not common in the material world?"

Yi Fengchu thought to himself, not just uncommon, they practically don't exist at all.

Compared to these bizarre creatures, his divine form was far too ordinary.

Number One explained: "The principle of activity in this shadow space is to follow specific rules. Therefore, any shadow realm creatures that want to enter must become something that already exists in the jungle."

"There aren't many roles in this script, and they're highly sought after. So the shadow realm creatures that can't secure human roles have to settle for small animals without lines—well, although they look a bit larger now, they're still considered small animals, right?"

"In short, as long as it's reasonable and conforms to the spatial rules, they can exist."

Yi Fengchu guessed that they were probably attracted by the source of pollution.

His gaze lightly swept over them, and the "rabbits" instantly began to frantically shake their ears, sensing mortal danger. They immediately scattered and vanished.

In the next moment, the jungle where they had hidden was also tainted by "fate," its branches and leaves spreading out with a metallic silver hue.

Withdrawing his gaze, Yi Fengchu asked Number One, "Can you sense where the source of pollution is?"

Number One nodded, then shook its head: "It's very strange; I can identify two directions, both carrying the same fragrant scent."

"One is strong, under a tall tree; the other is weak, right..." The bird beak pointed in Li Yin's direction, "right there on her."

Yi Fengchu raised an eyebrow and moved closer for a look.

A red rose was hiding among the golden hair, and with each step Yi Fengchu took, its delicate petals trembled almost imperceptibly.

Clearly, something was wrong.

Yi Hao gently placed Li Yin on the ground, his beak deftly parting the strands of hair at the back of her head. Upon seeing the situation, he involuntarily drew in a sharp breath.

The rose was growing.

To be more precise... it was growing inside Li Yin's scalp.

The emerald stem and leaves of the rose entwined with her hair, while its slender roots spread out along her scalp, their tips piercing the flesh like needles, firmly anchoring themselves into the skull.

Due to the thin layer of skin over the skull, others could clearly see the network of the rose's roots beneath the scalp—still breathing, rising and falling with the skin, like a living web spreading within the body.

If one were to carefully trace the outline of this "web," they would discover:

These intricate root systems were gradually forming a face.

A face similar to Li Yin's, growing under the skin at the back of her own head.

Gently caressing the petals of the rose, Yi Fengchu felt the trembling between his fingers and laughed softly, "Are you afraid?"

At the sound of his light laughter, Yi Hao's wings trembled, his feathers bristling.

She vaguely sensed the atmosphere, feeling that Yi Fengchu seemed somewhat displeased...

Amidst his anger, every leaf in the silver-white forest turned toward them, like sharp blades reflecting a cold gleam, with slender golden vertical pupils opening between the veins.

Who wouldn't be afraid of this?!

With a blank expression, Yi Fengchu plucked a petal, but his tone remained gentle, "Causing such a commotion in my territory... I thought you would be eager to draw my attention, delighted to see me arrive."

"—You are Li Yin's animated shadow."

Yi Fengchu said with certainty.

Wild Rose could not refute him; the eyeball at its center trembled frantically, pupils shrinking to pinpricks in fear.

Its story was not complicated.

Originally, it was nothing more than an insensate shadow, following its host in mundane obedience.

Until one day, like a meteor streaking through a chaotic consciousness, a mysterious source of power struck it, causing the shadow to awaken abruptly, developing its own thoughts and emotions.

It could no longer endure being merely an appendage to its host.

In the concepts of mysticism, the host and shadow were intimately connected, even sharing the same fate... why couldn't the one who controlled their destiny be the shadow?

Desire burned within the shadow's heart like a raging fire, never ceasing.

Thus, the shadow began to seek every means to invade the material world.

At first, it could only threaten and intimidate Li Yin, hoping to take her place when she was mentally vulnerable;

Later, it conceived the idea of using that mysterious power source to construct this illusory jungle.

—As Li Yin became Matilda, Wild Rose was becoming "Li Yin."

Its roots took hold in Li Yin's skull, growing within her mind. When Li Yin, the protagonist, died, only the shadow could assume her identity and emerge from the jungle.

"I can sense that the source which activated the shadow is very powerful... how did you, so weak, manage to use it?"

No. 1 scrutinized Wild Rose from head to toe, confusion brimming in his beady eyes.

The wild rose curled its branches and leaves, shivering as it said, "B-because it has no consciousness; it’s just an object..."

And the wild rose was fortunate enough to be the one who possessed it.

Yi Fengchu casually plucked another petal, causing the rose to tremble in pain.

Throughout, he acted like a naive child playing with flowers, but only the wild rose, facing his wrath, knew how terrifying this being truly was...

The rose stifled a cry of pain and confessed, "That thing... is buried under the cherry tree in the script! I can offer it to you!"

"Tch," No.1 showed disdain for the rose’s fawning appearance, muttering resentfully, "I could find the source of the jungle for Sir without your help..."

To prove himself, No.1 carried the unconscious Li Yin on his back, flapping his wings to create a strong wind as he flew off in a certain direction within the jungle.

The Shadow Creature moved at incredible speed, and within seconds, No.1 returned, carrying something resembling a necklace in his beak.

He lowered his head to ensure Yi Fengchu could catch the "necklace" steadily.

"It’s this!"

No.1 proudly raised his head, folded his wings behind him, and strutted with restrained pride, like a soldier awaiting praise, "Under the cherry tree, there was a bloody human head buried, with a hole drilled into the skull. This thing was inserted into the hole—it’s at least a high-tier artifact from the Shadow Domain!"

Yi Fengchu lifted the chain and examined the pendant hanging from it, murmuring, "A key..."

It was a heavy, pitch-black key, cold as frost and snow to the touch, with intricate patterns carved into both the head and the shaft, exuding a powerful and ancient aura.

Around the key, shadowy ink-like tendrils spread out, making all shadows within a meter of it abnormally active, even causing No.1 to swallow hard.

Yi Fengchu grasped the key and began to corrupt it.

Instantly, silver-white light seeped into the patterns, slowly outlining the key and transforming it into a texture akin to pure silver.

As the corruption seeped in, a line of unfamiliar cursive text appeared, engraved on the head of the key—

"Sombella."

A voice sounded in Yi Fengchu’s mind: [This is... the name of the legendary “Lost Kingdom.”]