All Things Are Contracts

The blood moon in the sky originally had the power to disturb minds and couldn’t be looked at directly. However, at this moment, a second moon rose in the sky, illuminating all lands and warming the world. Under its light, even the blood moon seemed to become gentler. Tonight was destined to be an extraordinary night. The great migration movement had just begun, and moving such a large population was an extremely troublesome matter.

In the Eastern Kingdom, Sun City, as the city with the most abundant sunlight and the richest production of illumination stones, abandoning it was an extremely difficult decision. So even though it was outside the formation’s range, Sun City hadn’t made many moves yet, with the Eastern Kingdom only sending a powerful Spirit God Realm expert to guard it.

“Sigh, if we can’t even protect Sun City, I don’t know how much more our Eastern Kingdom’s people will suffer,” Eagle King Zhan Yunfei, the city lord of Sun City, stood on the high tower of the city lord’s mansion, overlooking the quiet city. Beside him stood a white-haired old man with sharp eyes, holding a dragon-headed cane.

“Lord Zhan, we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate,” the old man said. Sun City held a special position as an important producer of illumination stones for the Eastern Kingdom. Once abandoned, many civilians would lose their supply of illumination stones, so the Eastern Kingdom hadn’t fully made up its mind.

As they were about to say more, a cold wind swept by, chilling their necks.

“Not good! They’re really here!” As the saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Zhan Yunfei’s worst fear had come true – the Nightmares had targeted this place.

A black shadow fell from the sky, instantly covering the Illumination Tower, not letting a single ray of light escape. When Zhan Yunfei and the imperial envoy named Long Qianxu approached, they found it was a huge monster like a giant squid, large enough to envelop the entire Illumination Tower.

“A monster controlled by Nightmares?” Both frowned. After the Illumination Tower was blocked, traces of Nightmares appeared densely around, ambushing the city and preparing for a massacre.

“My Sun City lacks everything but illumination stones! Activate the formation!” Zhan Yunfei shouted, his order spreading everywhere. Soon, Sun City lit up again, formations within formations protecting the entire city. Ordinary Nightmares below the King level didn’t dare approach, but the attackers included not only King-level Nightmares but even Lord-level ones.

“The formation’s protection is far inferior to the Illumination Tower, it can only prevent invasion from those Nightmares of average strength. Envoy Long, please take action and quickly deal with the monster on the Illumination Tower. I’ll hold off that Lord-level Nightmare!” Zhan Yunfei said. He knew he might not be a match for a Lord-level Nightmare, but he could hold it off for some time.

“Alright!” The Spirit God Realm Long Qianxu walked on air, attacking the giant squid monster. His dragon-headed cane transformed into a hundred-meter-long giant dragon, smashing into the squid, but it felt slippery and caused no substantial damage. The squid’s tentacles suddenly lashed out, sending Long Qianxu flying with one hit. Long Qianxu’s body crashed through numerous buildings before stopping, having suffered considerable injury.

“Not good, it’s a Great Lord-level Nightmare!” Long Qianxu made his judgment. This squid monster was possessed by a Great Lord-level Nightmare, far beyond his ability to handle. On the other side, Zhan Yunfei was also being overwhelmed by the Lord-level Nightmare, completely unable to fight back.

“I’m afraid Sun City can’t be held. But if we retreat, I fear not a single civilian in the city who hasn’t been evacuated will survive!” Long Qianxu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze grave. His Majesty’s unwillingness to abandon Sun City seemed to be a wrong decision. Although he had already called for help, it was uncertain whether they could hold out until reinforcements arrived.

The formation was constantly being damaged by the Great Lord-level and Lord-level Nightmares, with many gaps appearing. Soon, a large number of Nightmares would enter the city. At this critical moment, the Goddess statue that had been silently watching over the human world suddenly lit up, its radiance interweaving with the bright moon in the sky, like a second Illumination Tower. Nightmares that had entered the city were swept by the light, disintegrating in an instant.

“What’s happening? Has the Goddess manifested?” Long Qianxu and Zhan Yunfei looked at the radiant Goddess statue with incredulous expressions. Soon after, a graceful figure flew out from the Goddess statue, directly towards the squid Great Lord on the Illumination Tower.

After they clashed, the squid Great Lord fled in pain. The light of the Illumination Tower once again covered the land, and the Lord-level Nightmare that hadn’t retreated in time was easily erased by the graceful figure. A city-destroying crisis was so easily averted.

“Envoy Long, are you alright?” Zhan Yunfei came to Long Qianxu’s side. Both looked at the now calm Goddess statue, dumbfounded. “Did the Goddess just manifest?” They were still in shock, while around the Goddess statue, countless people had already fallen to their knees, weeping profusely.

The Goddess’s manifestation was not coincidental. Wherever the Celestial Star shone, the Illumination Goddess’s graceful figure could easily reach. Even though Nightmare attacks were unpredictable, and it was unknown which city they would ambush, the Illumination Goddess’s ‘Celestial Star Wheel Illumination’ sheltered most of the world’s cities. As long as there was a Goddess statue as a medium, she could instantly reach any location. This was the absolute power of humanity’s strongest being, solving an unsolvable situation with her own strength. But as a price, the Illumination Goddess would temporarily lose her freedom, transforming into the Celestial Star, always on standby.

Soon, the human great migration plan was terminated. People could return to live in their own cities. The Illumination Towers and Goddess statues formed two barriers. Even if Nightmares could break through the Illumination Towers, they had no way to deal with the Goddess statues.

In a teahouse, three people with different appearances and attire gathered. One was dressed as a monk, one as a Taoist, and one as a scholar. Among these three, Zhanyue knew two. One was the ascetic monk Zhanyue had met briefly before, and the Daoist was naturally the Alchemist who had taught Zhanyue flying sword techniques and alchemy. As for the scholar, he was the Storyteller mentioned by the Alchemist.

The three sipped tea, looking together at the moon on the horizon, their eyes filled with deep respect.

“I didn’t expect she really hadn’t died,” the Alchemist sighed.

“This is an immense blessing for us,” said the Storyteller, a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar in blue robes, refined and elegant.

“Amitabha,” the ascetic monk chanted.

“Monk, stop chanting. The three of us inherit the ancient ‘Buddhist’, ‘Taoist’, and ‘Confucian’ traditions. We should bear the heavy responsibility of saving the world and helping people. Yet both during the last Corpse Emperor disaster and this calamity, it was the Illumination Goddess who stepped in to resolve them. Are we three just here to watch?” the Storyteller said.

“During the Corpse Emperor disaster, you and I weren’t even born yet. It was our seniors who watched. I won’t take that blame. Back then, we three agreed to strengthen humanity in our own ways. I wonder, after all these years, what have you all done?” the Alchemist looked at the Storyteller and asked.

The Storyteller said irritably, “Why are you staring at me? ‘White Cloud Tower in the sky, Moon Reflection Pavilion on earth’ – the masters of White Cloud Tower and Moon Reflection Pavilion are both my disciples. Now my sect is full of talents, and given time, they will surely become pillars of the human race.”

If the Storyteller’s words were to spread, few would dare believe that the legendary White Cloud Tower and Moon Reflection Pavilion were both established by him.

The Alchemist, not to be outdone, said, “I entered the world through alchemy. Which of the four great alchemy masters today hasn’t received my favor or guidance? Even Alchemy Capital was built under my guidance. I can say I’ve devoted myself wholeheartedly to the revival of human alchemy. Moreover, I’ve broken through to become a ninth-grade alchemist, on par with the Vermilion Bird Lord of the past. The Vermilion Bird Lord wanted to revive alchemy but died halfway. I’ve fulfilled the will of our predecessors. Compared to the Vermilion Bird Lord’s era, human alchemy has made great strides, with the number of alchemists increasing many times over.”

After they finished speaking, they both looked at the old monk, seeming to ask, what have you done all these years?

The old monk smiled helplessly and replied, “This poor monk has only made some progress in cultivation.”

The Alchemist and the Storyteller understood that this old monk hadn’t supported any forces or spread any teachings, but was solely focused on his own cultivation.

“What level are you at now?” the two asked sincerely, as this concerned the future of humanity.

“Compared to the realm of the Four Symbol Lords of the past, only stronger, not weaker,” the monk didn’t lie, his words reassuring the Alchemist and the Storyteller.

“The three of us, plus Dragon Lord of the Dragon Clan and Winged Saint of the Bird Clan, are enough to match the Four Symbol Lords of the past. This means that in terms of top-tier combat power, we’re not inferior to the Goddess’s era. If the Nightmares want to fight, let them come. We have nothing to fear. I plan to go to the Academy Town first to communicate with Thunder Lord. He might know more information about the Goddess,” the Alchemist said.

“As for you two, please continue to investigate why Nightmares no longer fear the Illumination Towers. The problem with the Illumination Towers must be solved. We can’t solely rely on the Goddess’s Celestial Star Wheel Illumination. We need to share her burden,” the Alchemist added. Then, the three parted ways with different goals.

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