Ni Tian System, don't panic, let's wait and see how things develop.
Outside the Dark Palace, a group of masked men in black were buzzing with discussion.
"Could this be a trap? We shouldn't go in!"
"Ha, what is there to be afraid of? He's already finished! He was hit by the ancient curse cast by Mo Ge earlier!"
"It's about time we chose a new leader for our Dark Mage Faction."
"Don't tell me you still want to bow down to some punk."
"Fine, then let's go in!"
These increasingly harsh voices reached the ears of Yi Yan and Yi Yu.
Yi Yu's silver pupils flashed with a fierce glint, while Yi Yan remained entirely indifferent beside him.
"You've all come! Excellent! From this moment on, you are no longer Dark Mages, but ordinary people who will never possess magic for the rest of your lives," the young man on the throne said coldly.
Gazing up at the breathtaking youth upon the throne and the peerless maiden standing by his side, the crowd caught their breath for a fleeting moment before remembering why they had come.
"Who do you think you are to turn us into ordinary people?"
"That's right... Who do you think you are? Aren't you just a little bit better-looking? Little punk!"
"If you don't have the ability, get off the throne before it's too late. Step aside and let someone capable take your place."
"Have you all said your piece? The power I once bestowed upon you can just as easily be taken back." With a sneer from the youth, the crowd collapsed in agony, dropping to their knees on the ground.
"You—what did you do to us?"
"Fools. In truth, from the very moment you stepped foot into this palace, your dark magic has been slowly draining out of your bodies," Yi Yu said, casting a glance at Yi Yan as he spoke.
"The exit—there was something wrong with it, wasn't there?" Yi Yan seemed to realize something all at once.
"That's right. Ah-Yan, if you had abandoned me back then and left on your own, you would have ended up just like them!"
[Host, this guy is so cunning. He's a match for you, Host.]
"Then I suppose I should consider myself lucky. Thank goodness my sudden burst of benevolence for some reason..." Yi Yan said leisurely.
Inwardly, however, she was thinking: *Thank goodness I didn't act rashly.*
"Yi Yu, you wouldn't dare..." Meet a miserable...
"Eh? Who am I? What am I doing? Where am I right now?" A group of people suddenly looked at each other in bewilderment.
Feeling that it was about time, before the crowd could clear their heads and recover, Yi Yu activated the magic array on the floor and with a flick of his sleeve, banished them out of the Dark Forest.
"You even wiped their memories. You really do leave no loose ends," Yi Yan praised.
"From now on, apart from this Dark Palace and the forest, there are no more Dark Mages in this world! Even if there are, I won't interfere casually." Yi Yu's silver eyes sparkled with a mesmerizing brilliance.
"Then it's my turn, right?" Yi Yan chuckled repeatedly.
Her laughter sounded exceptionally clear and warm within the cold, silent palace.
"Ah-Yan, you—let's not rush!"
"Are you going back on your word? Cough, cough." Yi Yan was instantly on high alert.
"I won't go back on it!" the youth replied solemnly.
"Then what do you want?"
"Please call me by my name first, Ah-Yan! Make it sound nice." As the corners of Yi Yu's lips curved into a smile, it only served to accentuate his striking looks.
Ah, truly handsome! Forgive me for lacking the vocabulary! Aside from being handsome, there was simply no other way to describe how soul-stirring the youth's smile was.
[Host, I have a feeling he's playing you. Why don't you just give in a little? Let's leave here early so we can get on with investigating the Lis Family, the female lead's family, and finding the ultimate mastermind behind the scenes.]
Looking at the youth's focused and expectant expression, Yi Yan found it rather difficult to refuse. Fine! She would just say something nice.
"Ah-Yu," the maiden said politely and softly.
Hearing this, Yi Yu felt not only joy, but a sense of fulfillment he had never experienced in his entire life.
He was filled with such joy and satisfaction simply because the maiden before him had called his name.
"Are you happy now, Ah-Yu!" Yi Yan said politely once more.
At that moment, Yi Yu produced a crystal ball from seemingly nowhere and motioned for Yi Yan to place her hand upon it.
[Host, he's going to divine your future! Looks like he really cares about you!]
I suspect this result won't yield any divination. After all, I am merely a passing traveler in this world... arriving by accident, and bound to leave just as suddenly.
For a long time, the crystal ball remained completely unresponsive.
"Ah-Yan, may I borrow a drop of your blood?"
Without a moment of hesitation, Yi Yan nodded and agreed.
Upon the addition of Yi Yan's blood, the dull and lifeless crystal ball finally emitted a beam of white light.
Yet Yi Yu's expression grew increasingly grave.
How could this be? Still no result! Why is it that I cannot divine your future, Ah-Yan? For the very first time, panic gripped Yi Yu's heart.
Did he foresee something, Ni Tian System?
[No, Host! I think he couldn't see anything, which is why his expression is so unusually grim.]
"Ah-Yu, is there a result? If not, it doesn't matter. I have never believed in destiny, nor that this ending is predetermined—cough, cough, cough," Yi Yan asked.
Noticing that the maiden's complexion grew paler by the fraction of a minute, Yi Yu knew her condition could brook no further delay.
"No. Let me send you out first! Be careful of everything out there, Ah-Yan!"
"Mn, I know! Don't worry, Ah-Yu!"
"Goodbye, Ah-Yan."
"See you... later, Ah-Yu..."
Before Yi Yan could even finish her sentence, Yi Yu teleported her away.
*I don't want you saying goodbye to me, Ah-Yan. Only I am allowed to say it to you, because when I say it, it means we will meet again.*
*But if you say it, we might never cross paths again.*
*Oh, Ah-Yan, Ah-Yan! Do you know? For the very first time in my life... apart from my own fate being rather bizarre,*
*Your destiny is even more unfathomable. It is nothing but a blank expanse of fog...*
Outside the Dark Forest, Yi Yan walked alongside the crowd of ordinary people who had lost both their magic and their memories, heading toward the Light Mage Faction.
Several perimeter guards of the Light Mage Faction checked the group and verified that they were ordinary people, not mages wielding dark magic.
They promptly sent someone to report the matter to Mo Ge.
"Please wait a moment. Due to the large number of you, we need to notify our leader, Mo."
[Host, that guy timed everything so perfectly.]
Indeed, it was all arranged rather neatly. He placed me right in the middle of a large crowd of ordinary people. When the time comes, I can just cobble together some plausible excuse.
[Yet I feel like Host is a bit depressed.]
Not at all! Why would I be unhappy?
[Well, Host feels that...]
Feels what? That unreasonable guy wouldn't let me say goodbye to him. Isn't that a clear sign that he intends to come find me again so we can say goodbye properly?
If I had said goodbye first, then perhaps—*END*
[Still, Host, even though he completely disbanded the Dark Mage Faction... he will eventually return for revenge.]
I know, that's how the plot develops next. The unavoidable, repetitive progression of the story.
[Anyway, Host will still be able to meet your Ah-Yu again. Hehehe!]
...