socalfunplaces Page 196
Page 196
Tiel hesitated.
After a few seconds of silence, she whispered:
“This is the ‘Water of Life’ bestowed by the Holy Emperor, but I don’t know exactly how it was made,” she shook her head slightly.
"Any more questions?" There was a hint of urgency in Tiel's voice, clearly indicating some impatience.
Lu Mingfei knew he couldn't let her go; he had to get to the point.
"One last question." His gaze sharpened. "Among you Awakened Ones, has anyone experienced a... special 'trial'? For example, having your power temporarily bound, requiring you to rely on something else to achieve a certain goal?"
He attempted to connect his "trial of courage" with similar phenomena that might exist.
Teal's expression remained as still as a frozen lake: "I don't know."
Lu Mingfei was not discouraged and tried a different approach to guide her:
"In your opinion, what quality is most important for survival in this world, or for gaining greater power? Is it strength? Wisdom? Or... some kind of 'courage'?"
The moment the word "courage" left her lips, the indifference on Tyr's face shattered like ice being struck by a stone!
Her pupils contracted slightly, her body tensed imperceptibly, and for the first time, her gaze toward Lu Mingfei was filled with scrutiny and suspicion.
"Who are you?!" Teal's voice was sharp and tense.
This was the first time she had asked on her own initiative.
Lu Mingfei was secretly delighted—the curious fish had taken the bait.
The power of emotional manipulation was amplified silently once again, like a gentle breeze blowing across a campfire, making the spark of curiosity that had ignited in Teyle's heart because of "courage" burn even brighter.
He met Teal's gaze and calmly proposed a deal:
"So tell me, why are you in this remote and desolate place? What are you looking for? In exchange,"
He paused, his tone carrying a mysterious allure, "I'll tell you my origins."
Tiel fell silent, his golden eyes flashing as he weighed the pros and cons.
Lu Mingfei remained calm, but the power of emotional manipulation continued to work, repeatedly stirring and amplifying her desire to "know the answer" in her heart.
Finally, Tiel took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and lowered her voice even further:
"……it is good."
She looked around to make sure no one could hear her. "About a week ago, the high priest of the Holy Sun Church had a very important prophetic dream."
Chapter 194 Reaching Cooperation
Her tone became serious:
"The prophecy says that a 'visitor from outer space' appeared in each of the four directions of the permafrost: east, west, south, and north."
"Among them... one is a 'Demon King,' and the other three are 'Heroes.'"
She deliberately emphasized the two titles: "'Hero' will save the Holy Sun, while 'Demon King'... will bring utter destruction."
"In order to confirm the prophecy and to find... or rather, to monitor these extraterrestrial beings, the High Priest dispatched four followers of the Holy Sun to the four directions. And I was one of them."
Extraterrestrial visitors? Demon King? Brave?
Lu Mingfei's brows furrowed instantly! This was practically a direct accusation against him!
Moreover... besides him, there were actually three other beings from "outer heavens"?
Looking at Tiel's probing eyes that seemed to say, "It's your turn to answer."
Lu Mingfei immediately composed himself, a meaningful smile appearing on his face:
"Then, Tyr, is it possible... that the 'hero' you're looking for is right here, even though he's far away?" He tapped himself lightly with his finger.
Tiel's expression froze instantly, his golden eyes filled with astonishment, disbelief, and a hint of instinctive suspicion—this was far too much of a coincidence!
However, considering Lu Mingfei's previous issues...
He knew nothing about the permafrost today.
Therefore, Lu Mingfei is very likely the hero she is looking for.
But it's also possible that he is that demon king.
Because the direction he was in was the direction in which infected people were gathering.
“I know this sounds unbelievable.”
Lu Mingfei noticed her doubts and decided to present more compelling "evidence".
He shrugged. “But right now, I’m going through a test called the ‘Trial of Courage’.”
He deliberately emphasized the word "courage" in "trial of courage".
"Doesn't this sound similar to the 'courage' that you're talking about?"
As he explained, he continued to use the power of emotional manipulation.
Like an invisible adhesive, it continuously reinforced the balance of doubt in Teyle's heart, tilting it toward the side of "faith".
He could sense that Tyr's tense nerves were loosening, and her doubt was being replaced by a sense of "destiny" astonishment.
“So,” Lu Mingfei extended an olive branch at the opportune moment, his tone sincere, “instead of you searching and speculating alone in the vast frozen land, why not act with me?”
"Together, we will uncover the prophecy and... save your holy sun."
Tiel fell silent, his golden eyes scanning Lu Mingfei's face as if examining a crucial object.
The unfathomable mystery surrounding Lu Mingfei, his incredible speed, and the "trial of courage" he is currently displaying.
Moreover, he had previously stopped her because of the infected person.
All this evidence points to one thing: He is the hero!
“Alright.” Tyr finally nodded, her voice still cold, but the aloofness that kept people at a distance had dissipated considerably. “I will travel with you.”
She paused, then added, "But to avoid unnecessary trouble and possible...suspicion,"
She glanced at the tense hunting party and the burly Witt in the distance.
"Please don't let anyone else know about the 'Hero'."
“Okay, Teal.” Lu Mingfei nodded readily, omitting the slightly awkward “Miss”.
He then extended his right hand, a handshake that is perfectly commonplace on Earth.
Tier was clearly taken aback for a moment.
This ancient ritual, symbolizing equality and cooperation, had almost disappeared in her social class and era.
A faint hint of surprise flashed across her golden eyes.
Without much hesitation, she extended her fair hand and gently grasped Lu Mingfei's hand.
"It's a pleasure to cooperate!" Lu Mingfei gave a perfectly timed smile, flicked his wrist slightly to complete the symbolic ceremony, and then naturally released his hand.
He didn't waste any pleasantries and went straight to the point:
"Tir, I want to understand the division of power systems on this land, including the specific levels, so that I can better help you."
Perhaps the confirmation of her "hero" identity had eliminated the barrier, as most of the aloofness and impatience on Tyr's face had faded.
She explained calmly:
"The power of the Awakened is divided into six levels. From lowest to highest, they are: soldier, commoner, elite, general, lord, and legend."
Lu Mingfei's heart stirred slightly.
The naming method is simple and straightforward, and even carries a hint of the "game" vibe that he is familiar with.
"So what level are you at now?" he asked, his gaze probing.
Tyr's chin lifted slightly, almost imperceptibly, a hint of arrogance from her indifferent eyes shining through:
"Third level."
"Amazing!" Lu Mingfei expressed his surprise at just the right moment, his tone filled with sincere admiration.
However, he was calmly assessing the situation in his mind:
According to the general standards of all realms, the attack power that Tyr previously displayed could at most be considered as mid-tier first-order.
Even if her laser were charged to its limit, it probably wouldn't be able to break through his star-body defense, which had undergone multiple trials and tribulations.
However, in terms of attack power...
With his cultivation sealed, he relied on the maximum speed of the Void Soaring Dragon Step to launch a physical attack, the power of which might barely match that of his opponent.
To confirm whether Teyle was hiding her true strength.
He pointed to the massive iceberg that had once served as their hiding place and made a demand:
"Till, can you use your full strength to attack that iceberg?"
"That way, I can also assess roughly where I am in your system, given my current state."
Tiel didn't refuse, and readily replied, "Okay."
She turned slightly to the side, and her fair fingers rose again.
This time, the laser didn't fire instantly, but rather condensed.
The dazzling golden light gathered and compressed wildly at her fingertips, and the energy fluctuations caused the surrounding air to distort slightly, emitting a low hum.
A silent, oppressive aura emanated from the tiger-eared man and his companions, causing them to tremble with fear.
"Shh-!"
Power charged up!
A golden beam of light, much thicker and more intense than before, ripped through the frigid air like a spear of judgment, carrying a destructive aura as it instantly traversed hundreds of meters and slammed into the mountainside of the iceberg!
Boom——!
A deafening roar echoed across the wasteland!
The hard iceberg was blasted open, creating a huge crater several meters in diameter. Ice and rock fragments flew everywhere like cannonballs, and large plumes of ice dust rose into the air, obscuring half of the mountain.
However, the power of the beam of light ultimately failed to penetrate this behemoth, leaving only a shocking wound on the surface of the iceberg.