Gezé Sun Day

“Come on, let’s see if you die first, or if I collapse before you.”

Facing Yuwen Hao’s rabid assault, Fan Qiuming was clearly overwhelmed.

“Hahaha… Is that all you’ve got?”

The situation flipped in an instant. Because his physique couldn’t match Yuwen Hao’s, Fan Qiuming dared not trade blows with him. He could only manage to barely fend off the attacks.

“This lunatic really doesn’t fear death!”

Gritting his teeth, Fan Qiuming unleashed all his mental strength, eyes fixed on his opponent, searching for an opening.

When Yuwen Hao raised his sword to strike, Fan Qiuming seized the chance, pulling back to gather his own power. Then, channeling his spiritual energy into his blade, he surged forward with a slash.

“With this strike, let’s settle it once and for all!”

A flash of sword-light. Suddenly, a deep gash split Fan Qiuming’s chest, running from shoulder to abdomen.

He dropped to one knee, using his sword to keep himself from falling.

Behind him, Yuwen Hao turned around—his own sword had been cleaved in two.

“No… no… impossible, this… this is… sword energy…”

Before he could finish, Yuwen Hao fell backward, his body severed in two just like his sword.

“So, it seems… I’m the one who survives this time…”

Summoning all his strength, Fan Qiuming stood, wiped the blood from his blade, and made sure none of the remaining Yuwen clan members could get back up. He searched their bodies for anything useful.

He found the bandages they’d previously taken from him and wrapped his own wounds.

Seeing there were still some bandages left, he glanced at Shangguan Wanwan lying in the corner, then shook his head.

Around midday, Shangguan Wanwan’s consciousness slowly cleared. She felt the cool sensation of water at her lips and drank greedily.

Opening her eyes, she found Fan Qiuming’s grinning face before her.

“Why is it you? Where’s Yuwen Hao? Or… are we both dead? Did Yuwen Hao kill you too? I’m sorry, I dragged you into this.”

Her voice was weak and soft, as if she’d already accepted death.

“Nonsense. If you die, I certainly won’t. Lucky for us, we’re both still alive.”

Fan Qiuming wasn’t pleased by her words. Why was the first thing she did after waking up to curse him dead? (This woman doesn’t look like a good person at all!)

She looked around. The mist was still thick, but they were no longer in the cave, but back in the woods, beside a small creek.

Right then, she realized she was leaning in Fan Qiuming’s arms.

“Are we really alive?”

She could barely believe it.

Seeing the bandage on Fan Qiuming’s shoulder and the patch on his face, she guessed he, too, had been injured.

Looking down, she realized her own wound had been freshly wrapped in clean bandages. Her face flushed red in an instant.

“You actually took advantage of me while I was unconscious.”

But this time, her tone lacked any real anger.

“I didn’t want your wound to get infected. Your clothes were filthy! I even applied medicine for you—my own, which I almost never use. Don’t move around, or you’ll tear the wound open again.”

“How many times is this now? You’re like a child.”

Fan Qiuming scolded her as though he’d suffered some great loss.

Shangguan Wanwan just lay there, feeling incredibly calm. She was too weak to do anything.

“Hey, your name is Fan Qiuming, right? You’re not an ordinary person, are you? To escape Yuwen Hao?”

“More or less. But Yuwen Hao is dead…”

“Dead?”

She couldn’t believe it.

“You killed Yuwen Hao?”

He nodded.

“Was it hard?”

“Seems I misjudged you before. You’re here for the divine ruins atop Phoenix Tree Mountain, aren’t you?”

“So, you’re all here for the ruins,” Fan Qiuming sighed.

“Is risking your life for something like this really worth it?”

Shangguan Wanwan fell silent, clearly thinking of her fallen clan members.

“So, which organization are you from?”

Shangguan Wanwan asked.

“Why so curious about me?”

Fan Qiuming smiled.

“Forget it if you won’t say. Still pretending to be so mysterious.”

She pouted.

Fan Qiuming helped her sit against a tree and stood up.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

Shangguan Wanwan called out anxiously.

“What, can’t bear to see me go? My leg just went numb from you lying on it—I need to stretch.”

He shook his leg, and Shangguan Wanwan realized she’d been tricked, a blush rising on her cheeks.

Just then, a flash of white light streaked across the sky, making them both dizzy.

“Was that lightning?”

Shangguan Wanwan looked up, puzzled.

“No, not lightning. There’s a sense of space-time tearing in the air.”

Fan Qiuming’s expression grew serious.

“This must be the Geze Day. The entrance to the divine ruins is about to appear.”

“What is Geze Day?”

Shangguan Wanwan was unfamiliar with the term.

“It’s the phenomenon caused by a supernova explosion. Sometimes, strange things accompany it: intense flashes, and even consequences like space-time distortion.”

“There was a trace of space-time on the mountaintop earlier. The entrance must be up there. We need to hurry.”

He looked at Shangguan Wanwan.

“Can you walk?”

She tried to stand, but weakness left her unable to move.

“Never mind, then.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up.

“We’ll have to do it this way. Hang on tight.”

With her in his arms—carrying her princess-style—Fan Qiuming ran towards the summit.

Along the way, he realized he wasn’t the only one heading up.

Almost everyone was converging on the mountaintop.

Elsewhere, Xuanlong was frantically trying to contact Fan Qiuming, but his phone was dead.

What had begun as a simple investigation of the divine ruins had become complicated by the sudden arrival of Geze Day, which had advanced the timeline for the ruins’ opening.

Xuanlong worried this was beyond Fan Qiuming’s abilities and feared continuing the mission might be dangerous.

“Damn it, I can’t get through. Send a squad to Phoenix Tree Mountain right away—make time even if you have to. Minglong can’t be allowed to have an accident.”

Xuanlong slammed his fist on the desk.

“Calm down. He’ll be fine,” Wolong said, patting his shoulder.

“Even though Geze Day came unexpectedly, Minglong’s fate star is still bright. That means he’s not in danger.”

“Let’s hope.”

Xuanlong sighed, but worry gnawed at him.

On Phoenix Tree Mountain, the summit was growing nearer and the mist denser. Visibility had fallen to less than fifteen meters.

But no matter how thick the fog, Fan Qiuming didn’t slow down, always moving in a sure direction.

“You can see through the mist?”

Shangguan Wanwan was surprised.

“I can’t, but I can sense the right way. Don’t worry.”

As they neared the summit, Fan Qiuming stopped. Not far ahead, several figures stood before the entrance to the divine ruins.

“Who are they…”

“They’re from the Dongfang family.”

Shangguan Wanwan recognized them at a glance.

“But where’s Dongfang Jingming?”

“He must have already gone in. These people are just guarding the entrance,” Fan Qiuming guessed.

“So what now?”

“We barge in, of course. Hold on tight.”

Sword in one hand and holding Shangguan Wanwan with the other, Fan Qiuming charged straight for the entrance.

“Clear the way! Swords are blind—watch out or you’ll get hurt by mistake!”

He waved his sword haphazardly, herding the guards aside as if they were ducks.

Caught off guard, they were easily bypassed, and Fan Qiuming carried Shangguan Wanwan into the divine ruins.

The guards stared at each other in astonishment.

“What was that? A giant black rat? They just slipped inside?”

“I think it was two people.”

“Should we chase them?”

“Chase them? Brother Jingming told us to guard the door.”

“Well, we didn’t do a great job, did we?”

“Doesn’t matter. Let’s just keep watch.”

Inside the divine ruins, the scenery shifted. The mist was gone, replaced by a towering waterfall and a vast lake.

The spiritual energy here was incomparable. If the city’s energy was a drop of water, and Phoenix Tree Mountain a bottle cap’s worth, then the ruins contained a flowing stream.

Fan Qiuming set Shangguan Wanwan down and looked at the familiar scene. He was now certain: this divine ruin was his Mingxuan Mountain, and his Mingxuan Hall sat atop the waterfall.

He crouched by the lake and drank. Instantly, coolness soothed his throat and his wounds stopped hurting.

This lake water was the Fountain of Life, capable of speeding healing. Fan Qiuming had recovered under this waterfall before.

“It’s beautiful here…”

Shangguan Wanwan gazed at the waterfall, then at the groves of phoenix trees behind them.

In the distance, a floating island drifted in and out of view—Fan Qiuming’s Mingxuan Hall sat atop it.

Fan Qiuming fetched some water for Shangguan Wanwan. As soon as she drank, strength flooded back into her limbs, and her pain faded.

“Why do you seem so familiar with this place?”

She looked at him, puzzled.

“It’s a secret…”

He smiled.

She found herself less and less able to read this man. Since their first encounter, he’d saved her twice and brought her into the divine ruins.

She knew that without Fan Qiuming, she’d never have made it here—she’d have died in that cave.

“What’s with that look? Staring at me like that—don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me?”

He grinned at her.

“Who… who would like you, narcissist. Just because you saved me twice, you think I’ll throw myself at you? Dream on! I won’t fall for you just because you bandaged me and took care of me…”

As she spoke, her face grew redder, eyes darting away, avoiding his gaze.

“Should I take that as a confession?”

Fan Qiuming almost couldn’t keep from laughing at her reaction.

“You…”

She was about to retort, when she saw behind him—Dongfang Jingming had appeared out of nowhere, trying to ambush Fan Qiuming.

“Watch out!”

Quickly, she pulled Fan Qiuming aside, taking the full force of Dongfang Jingming’s blow herself.

Fan Qiuming stared in shock as Shangguan Wanwan was sent flying.

“Foolish… Sacrificing yourself to save an ordinary person. The Shangguan family was never so… utterly stupid!”

“What did you say?” Fan Qiuming’s fists clenched, bones cracking audibly.

“Dongfang family, you’ve really provoked me now.”

Drawing his sword, Fan Qiuming charged straight at him…