Alibuda Chronicles Part 1: Volume 4, Chapter 5

Chapter Five: The Knight of Light

couldn't use evasion to get through battle as usual. This time, I faced the orcs head-on, and my injuries were severe. Even while unconscious, I could still feel the excruciating pain that made me grit my teeth.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on my side on a soft feather bed, my mouth dry and my back aching. The injuries from fighting the orcs, while not breaking my bones, had severely damaged my muscles. Without a period of recovery, I definitely couldn't fight anyone.

During my unconscious period, I seemed to hear Ah Xue's voice intermittently. I could feel that she was concerned about me while I was unconscious due to blood loss. However, every time I heard her voice, another very gentle and refined male voice would also appear, telling her not to worry too much. I didn't know who that person was, but for some reason, I felt very anxious, extremely anxious.

Later, I felt my whole body warm up, as if I were being directly exposed to sunlight. It was a holy sorcerer using a healing spell. Soon after, I woke up.

"Ah, Ah Xue..."

"Don't call, she's not here."

Opening my eyes, I didn't see Ah Xue, nor the beautiful winged girls. The first thing I saw was a large face.

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

"Peeling an apple for the patient. In this situation, what else can I do?"

"That's not what I'm asking. I want to know why you're peeling an apple here? Where is everyone else?" "

Oh, I'm an old man. In all sorts of adventure stories, old men like me are always doing odd jobs. Everyone else has gone to a meeting to celebrate, so of course I have to come here to be a handyman."

Sitting on a chair not far from the bed, peeling an apple with a small knife, was Mao Yan'an. He had already washed and changed his clothes and still looked as dashing as ever, but his face was a little bruised. He told me that after arriving at Skeva City, Neon, in her haste to reunite with her tribesmen on their campaign, carelessly tossed him aside, causing him to fall against a tree, breaking branches as he tumbled down, leaving him bruised and battered. It's easy

to imagine that Neon, not being foolish, had become suspicious of Mao Yan'an after these mishaps. Having reached her destination, she felt no need to endure anything and began to retaliate in small ways.

From Mao Yan'an's account, I roughly understood the entire situation.

Although they knew beforehand that the Zoroastrians were about to attack and had hastily prepared, the disparity in strength was too great. When the Zoroastrian forces appeared and launched their attack, the Feathered Clan still struggled to cope. After several days of fierce fighting, thanks to the natural defenses and protective barriers, although there were no major casualties, they were utterly exhausted.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate, and a truce was declared for the night. That very night, we were to infiltrate Skeva's city, causing a commotion among the orcs and prompting them to divide their forces for a search, thus creating an opening in our main camp. The Feathered Clan, seizing this opportunity, launched a surprise attack. Led by the Neon Sisters, who had just joined them, they burned several key strongholds in the orc camp, causing them food losses and inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy

in the chaos – a very successful operation. The Feathered Clan, to their credit, managed to rescue Ah Xue and me from the chaos of the attack. They told us that the one who pulled us from the thousands of orcs was Neon's senior brother, Fang Qingshu, the first disciple of Master Xin Chan of the God of Light Palace.

"Fang Qingshu? That pretty boy?"

Recalling her last impression before losing consciousness, the man was as handsome as a god in a painting. When he used holy magic, his whole body was enveloped in a faint glow, making him look like a sun god descended to earth. No wonder so many girls were infatuated with him.

However, just thinking about being saved by a man was unpleasant enough, and the thought of him holding Ah Xue at the time made her even angrier.

"Don't call him a pretty boy so casually. You were able to recover so quickly only because he used a recovery spell on you. Otherwise, you might not have woken up even if you had been unconscious for several more days."

Mao Yan'an had just finished speaking when a commotion broke out outside.

"Master, has Master woken up yet?"

Ah Xue, who had no other strengths but was more energetic than anyone else, quickly pushed open the door and rushed straight to the bedside.

"Oh, Master, are you alright? Ah Xue was so worried about you."

Her concern was palpable, and her haggard appearance evoked pity. Seeing the bandages and dressings on her head and hands, one could imagine the injuries she had sustained in the battle. I felt a pang of heartache and was about to ask when a gentle, pleasant voice sounded from outside the door.

"Brother Lan, have you woken up? Also, I heard Teacher Mao has come too, is that true?"

A man pushed open the door and entered. Truly worthy of the title "Knight of Light," the room seemed to be bathed in light the moment Fang Qingshu entered. The dazzling sunlight streamed in as he opened the door, making his golden hair shine brilliantly, almost blinding. His warm smile was like the gentle sunlight in winter, even his teeth, revealed with a smile, were so white they shone.

Now I think I understand a little better why some people can burn their very existence to illuminate the darkness. If it were someone like this, even without a fire, he'd be dazzling enough.

He arrived with Ah Xue, seemingly to offer his condolences, but the moment he entered, his gaze was completely drawn to another target. Not me, but the uncle surnamed Mao who was peeling an apple.

"Teacher? Is it really you? I thought you might come to the Feather Clan, so I made a special trip to the Southern Barbarian Lands. It's wonderful to have met you. It's been two years. How have you been?"

It was unexpected that Mao Yan'an and Fang Qingshu were not only old acquaintances, but judging from Fang Qingshu's attitude, he also showed great respect to this uncle surnamed Mao, whose teacher I didn't know. This made me suspicious again. I looked Mao Yan'an up and down, wondering what kind of ability this washed-up court painter had to be able to get close to a celebrity like Fang Qingshu.

Mao Yan'an glanced back at me awkwardly, shrugged, and exchanged pleasantries with Fang Qingshu. It sounds like Mao Yan'an, while serving as the court painter in the Golden Flower Federation, frequently interacted with the Palace of Light, getting to know Fang Qingshu, who was studying there. He instructed Fang Qingshu in literature and painting, and even took him on trips to many places, thus earning Fang Qingshu's gratitude and respect.

(Seriously, this guy doesn't seem like a big shot at all, yet he's so good at networking?

This question was unanswerable for a moment. Later, Mao Yan'an formally introduced me, saying I was the martial arts instructor of the Royal Guard of Alibuda.

A hint of doubt flashed in Fang Qingshu's eyes. At first, I thought he thought my martial arts skills were undeserved, but Mao Yan'an later told me otherwise. There was a reason why this guy was considered the number one expert of the new generation. Appointing someone with low martial arts skills as the Royal Guard instructor was not unusual in the current era where noble bloodlines dominated, but he clearly remembered the list of high-ranking officials in the Alibuda Kingdom for the past ten years, and there was no instructor named "Blue Eagle" on it.)

"So it's Instructor Lan, nice to meet you. Instructor Lan, you... wait? That title sounds like..."

Fang Qingshu glanced meaningfully at Mao Yan'an, who wore a smug, indifferent smile. I repeated the title to myself twice. "Instructor Lan, Instructor Lan," if I said it too quickly, wouldn't it sound like... you

scoundrel? Now I know why Mao Yan'an deliberately bragged about me being a martial arts instructor—he was intentionally setting me up. The Japanese sisters might not say it, but they probably started looking down on me the moment they thought of that title.

Undeniably, Fang Qingshu's manner of treating people was impeccable; he was remarkably polite and courteous, even to the point of being unbecoming of his status. Young talents like him, especially those from a noble family, were usually arrogant and extremely disliked. Neon, due to her frequent travels for cases and interactions with various social classes, adopted a relatively humble attitude, which was already a rare exception. However, when encountering someone like me whom they disliked, they still directly expressed contempt and kept their distance.

But Fang Qingshu gave a different impression. Whether one liked him or not, his demeanor was remarkably modest, never making anyone he spoke with feel the slightest discomfort. Even without a smile, his amiable tone and words conveyed sincerity, preventing any sense of malice and making one willing to befriend him.

One could imagine that when he used this attitude to deal with various江湖豪杰 (jianghu hao, a term referring to heroes and outlaws), even the most ferocious figures would easily be softened by him, leading to a few drinks and the establishment of a friendship. Such charisma is called leadership charm. If one's own qualities are already outstanding, coupled with this charisma, one will naturally be invincible in the world.

Logically speaking, I should have been influenced as well, because no matter how hard I tried to find fault with this person and thus dislike him, it was all in vain. I have to admit that the Palace of Light has cultivated a near-perfect young hero.

However, when I saw him chatting and laughing with Ah Xue, enjoying themselves immensely, a surge of anger rose up, and my chest felt incredibly sore. I felt like a sulking child, doing things that showed no sense of propriety.

Fang Qingshu seemed to have noticed something was wrong and, after a few polite words, prepared to take his leave. To be honest, this guy's self-control is truly remarkable. He endured several of my mild but not overt sarcasm without showing the slightest anger. To have such composure at such a young age, I really don't know how the Cihang Jingdian trained him.

Before he left, another guest arrived. The door was pushed open, and a group of Feather Clan women stepped in, the strong visual impact immediately catching my eye.

Not every winged person can fold their wings, and because they possess wings on their backs, the battle attire of winged female warriors is very simple for ease of movement. They wear two-piece, lightweight armor, with metal headbands covering their hair, leaving them almost completely naked. Their lower bodies are clad in a triangular, hip-hugging leather armor, its curves tightly cut along their genitals; their upper bodies are covered by a breastplate that just covers their breasts, and their boots reach to their knees, protected by copper plates.

Winged women are mostly slender and bony, not known for their full figures. This attire, while revealing their snow-white waists, flat stomachs, and shapely thighs, does not appear obscene; instead, when they spread their wings, they give a very athletic impression.

"Are you awake, esteemed guest? Welcome to Skeva Song Tower City. I am Katrina, temporarily assuming the position of Chieftain of the Feathered Clan. I am writing to express our gratitude for your timely assistance."

A group of Feathered Clan women entered, led by a beautiful woman in brocade robes, in addition to Neon. As she spoke words of thanks, her hands moved with graceful, flowing gestures, like a bird spreading its wings, culminating in a deep bow as she crossed her arms.

Mao Yan'an explained in a low voice that this was the Feathered Clan's custom of showing respect to honored guests. But who exactly were these "honored guests"—Fang Qingshu, Mao Yan'an, or me? This was a difficult question to answer.

I sized up this beautiful woman who was acting as chieftain. She was about thirty years old, strikingly beautiful, with a rare resolute glint in her eyes. She was dressed like the rest of her tribe, except that her headband was adorned with a diamond-shaped cat's-eye stone, and she wore a plain white gauze robe over her armor, giving her a striking blend of martial prowess and captivating beauty.

As instructed by the Dragon Maiden, my mission was to deliver a message and a token to her, but the current situation was complex. Revealing directly that the Dragon Maiden would be delayed might have adverse effects. Just as I hesitated, I noticed a flash of horror in Katrina's eyes as she looked at my face, as if she had seen something strange.

That fleeting glance, seen only by me, immediately aroused my suspicion, prompting me to decide to continue concealing my identity.

"The Blue Sect of Alibuda… um, Young Hero Blue, because of your righteousness, we were able to seize the opportunity to strike the enemy. To our Feathered Clan, you are our benefactor." It

should sound convincing, but it would be best if it were true. In short, since I didn't die, my previous "risking my life" had come at a price, though it didn't seem to have much effect. While the look Neon gave me wasn't as obviously contemptuous as before, all the women in the room, including her sisters, were focused on the handsome man standing by the door, Fang Qingshu.

In contrast, I only received attention from two women. One was Ah Xue, who at least had some conscience; the other was Katrina. Her occasional glances made me suspicious. Could this Feather Clan leader be a woman with unusual tastes? Otherwise, why would she ignore the two handsome men and stare intently at me, an ordinary-looking person?

Later, I overheard Katrina and Mao Yan'an's conversation; they were old acquaintances. Mao Yan'an even visited Skeva Song Tower City every few years to relay messages between the Cihang Jingdian and the Feather Clan.

The number of Feather Clan members gathered in Skeva Song Tower City was approximately three to four thousand. Thanks to effective training, the tribe can mobilize young and old alike in any battle, making them a veritable elite force of universal conscription. However, the tribe lacks outstanding talents; only a handful can be rated as level four or higher. Even the "strongest" tribe leader, Katrina, only possesses level five cultivation. If they were to fight the Fire Worshiping Cult, whose experts are numerous, the situation would be extremely precarious. Therefore, they urgently issued an invitation to many experts to assist them.

"It is a great honor for our Feathered Clan to receive your generous assistance. Thank you all."

"Treating the tribe leader is too kind. However, in a battle between two armies, the courage of a single man cannot turn the tide. Judging from the current situation, the Feathered Clan is at a disadvantage. I wonder if the tribe leader has any good strategies to repel the enemy?"

The speaker was Fang Qingshu. Leaning against the door with his hands clasped, his unhurried tone possessed a calming charm, drawing everyone's attention to his words.

“Young Master Fang is right, and we have made some preparations accordingly,”

Katrina said. “Please follow me.”

Having received healing spells, my wounds were almost completely healed. However, the blood loss and physical weakness caused by the fierce battle were beyond the healing spells to cure. Supported by Ah Xue, I followed them to see what preparations the Feathered Clan had made to ensure victory in this war, which was not on our side.

Looking at the scenery outside and the locations of the other four towers, I knew we were currently in the Red Building to the west, and Katrina led us towards the White Building in the center.

As we climbed the winding staircase, at the very top of the White Building was a rather large hall. At the tip of the conical roof, there was a transparent area—the strangely shaped crystal I had seen before. Under the sunlight, it shimmered with a rainbow of colors, illuminating the entire hall; everything felt like a dreamlike glass wonderland.

In the center of the hall stood a large object shrouded in a long curtain. It was impossible to tell whether it was a statue or an altar.

Only one thing was certain: even I, with my mediocre magical skills, could sense a faint sense of holiness emanating from behind the curtain.

"As you all may already know," Katrina explained, "our Feathered Race's greatest pride lies in our ability to develop levitation technology for large objects using various crystals and our unique bloodline magic. Phoenix Island was the pinnacle of our research."

Since Phoenix Island's disappearance, this technology had almost been lost. It wasn't until she established the Skeva City, gathering Feathered Race descendants from all sides to collaborate for many years, that they were able to revive the technology. However, due to incomplete practical methods and the lack of incantation manipulation by those with Phoenix bloodlines, the current level of achievement is far from comparable to what it once was. Even so, they still built a floating city.

Skevago means "Skywalker." The bases and peaks of the five towers are made of special crystals, easily resonating with the levitation spell. The towers also contain numerous air sacs and wings to aid in levitation. When the entire levitation spell is activated, with the help of these elements, the city of Skevago can detach from the ground and float in the sky, moving with the wind.

Apart from the Feathered Race, the various beast races of the Southern Barbarians have almost no aerial combat capabilities. In other words, once they float in the air, even if thousands of troops attack from below, they are helpless against the Feathered Race. In the past, the city of Skevago has relied on this method to evade enemy attacks several times, gaining the opportunity to grow and thrive.

"Originally, we wanted to use the same method again this time, but the Fire Worship Cult targeted our weakness, choosing this critical juncture to attack..."

The Feathered Race's levitation magic is greatly influenced by the timing and location. The yin and yang energies of heaven and earth change cyclically. This year, unfortunately, is a year of yin dominance and yang decline. Especially in the first few months, the yin energy in the southern barbarian regions was extremely strong, while the yang energy was extremely weak, resulting in many roads being filled with miasma

. The rotation of yin and yang is a natural law of mutual generation and restraint, nothing to be alarmed about. Top-tier mages even take advantage of this opportunity to practice special spells during yin years. In the southern barbarians, beast mages also use this rare opportunity to create special yin-type beasts, allowing them to grow rapidly during the season when yang energy is at its weakest. However, for Skeva's City, which draws energy from the true fire of the sun, this crisis is very serious, because in the absence of sufficient energy, the levitation spell, which can barely be activated, is completely rendered useless.

"We knew this too, so when we floated away last time, we specifically chose this secluded place in the remote mountains and treacherous waters, hoping to quietly spend the first half of this year. Who knew that there were indeed experts in the Fire Worshiping Cult who saw through our weaknesses, sent out many spies, found the city, and launched a large-scale attack."

Unlike before, although the Feather Clan received the news, they were unable to activate the city and fly away. If they were to abandon the city, firstly, they couldn't bear to give up their years of accumulated wealth, and secondly, without the cover of terrain, they would be more easily defeated one by one by the enemy. Helpless, they could only sit in the city and watch helplessly as the enemy surrounded them.

Katrina said, "Because we knew the situation was unfavorable, we invited help from all sides and gathered our strength, hoping to safely overcome this crisis."

Mao Yan'an said, "Yes, but the Fire Worshiping Cult is powerful. Although the Beast Master has not yet emerged from seclusion, and the experts from the four clans are not half present, the overall situation is still beyond our reach. If we were to fight head-on, I'm afraid... what does the clan leader intend to do?"

We know what that "I'm afraid" means without even having to say it. Although Neon was not weak, he was still no match for Fang Qingshu, the chosen one of Cihang Jingdian. Even he himself had just admitted that brute force could not turn the tide, and those with even weaker strength dared not harbor any illusions.

"No, regarding the strategy for dealing with the enemy, our basic idea is still to activate the floating city and avoid direct combat. However, this time we need the help of the heavens, and the ideal time is noon fifteen days from now. Therefore, I hope to get everyone's assistance in defending the city until that moment." "

Hmm, fighting for the women of the Feather Clan is a man's honor, of course, it's not a problem. But according to the celestial calculations, although the Yin energy will begin to recede and the Yang fire will begin to rise fifteen days from now, it will probably take another three months to return to its blazing intensity, enough to make the city float. Am I wrong about this?"

"No, not at all. Therefore, we must rely on external forces."

At Katrina's signal, several female warriors pulled down the curtain of the large object in the hall, revealing what was inside.

"Oh? This is..."

Pushing aside the heavy veil, a massive mirror stand was revealed. It stood a good two and a half feet tall, made of a metal I didn't recognize—neither gold nor copper, its surface faintly glowing with a yellowish hue. Its form was ancient and simple, and only upon closer inspection did I realize its extraordinary nature.

The mirror stand was engraved with things, not ordinary beautiful patterns, but rather the positions of the stars in the sky, capturing the shimmering Milky Way; the two movable rings near the center represented the orbits of the sun and moon, making the entire mirror stand a clear and detailed star chart.

"Oh, truly amazing! I've never seen anything so intricate before."

I exclaimed inwardly, almost uttering a wrong word. Turning my head, I saw Mao Yan'an and Fang Qingshu simultaneously leaning closer to examine it, their faces filled with seriousness.

Due to limitations in equipment and technology, drawing a complete star chart was no easy task. The technology for observing faint stars was only developed in the last two hundred years, making highly sophisticated star-gazing instruments extremely expensive. Often, only the royal magic academy of a single country could possess them. However, the one I saw when visiting the Royal Magic Academy of Alibuda was far simpler than this one; judging from Fang Qingshu's expression, even the Cihang Jingdian probably didn't have such a sophisticated star-gazing instrument.

Strangely, this mirror platform appears to be an ancient artifact over five hundred years old. At that time, observation technology was not yet mature; how could they have manufactured such a thing? Judging from the faint sacred aura emanating from it, this mirror platform might have once been a magical device with some function. Could it be… that this mirror platform hides some secret passed down from the ancestors of the Feather Clan?

"Judging from its appearance, this is… the Great Sun Mirror, isn't it?"

Remarkably, although he was the first to name the mirror platform, Fang Qingshu's tone carried a hint of uncertainty.

"Young Master Fang is indeed insightful. This is truly the treasure passed down through generations of my Feather Clan, the Great Sun Mirror."

A look of surprise flashed in Katrina's eyes; she clearly hadn't expected her origins to be so readily recognized.

"No… I only remembered the Great Sun Mirror when Teacher Mao discussed rare and precious artifacts."

Looking at the star map on the mirror, Fang Qingshu murmured, "However, I truly didn't expect this treasure to actually exist…"

Mao Yan'an stood beside him, smiling silently as he looked at the mirror. I sensed that this mirror seemed to have some legends I didn't know about; I'd have to ask about it privately later.

"To be precise, this Great Sun Mirror isn't complete. We only obtained the base. As for the mirror itself, it was lost when it was passed down from our ancestors."

Katrina's words reminded me that in the center of the mirror, there was a circular gap—where the mirror should have been placed—but it was completely empty. If this mirror was originally a magical artifact, then without the mirror's surface, leaving only the stand, it would be impossible for it to function properly.

"Because there's no mirror, the Great Sun Mirror cannot function. For so many years, we've spent a great deal of manpower and resources searching for a mirror, but to no avail. With this decisive battle imminent, and having exhausted all other options, we have no choice but to ask Master Xin Deng to help us create a substitute mirror."

At Katrina's prompting, Neon carefully took out a tightly wrapped mirror-like object from their baggage. Unpacking it, they found it to be a transparent mirror. Its size matched the perforation on the Great Sun Mirror's stand, and its material was the same seven-colored crystal found on the tops of the five towers; it appeared crystal clear, with iridescent light flowing through it.

To polish a stone into such a smooth mirror, without a single flaw, is naturally no easy feat. I've heard that the Heart Lamp Hermit is the world's foremost craftsman, and with his mastery of fire magic, he's the perfect candidate to create high-level magical artifacts. However, I've also heard he has an eccentric temperament. If it weren't for the sake of the Japanese, it would have been incredibly difficult for the Feather Clan to get him to do it.

"Is this Third Uncle's Three Lives Mirror?"

Staring at the mirror, Fang Qingshu showed surprise.

"What is a Three Lives Mirror?"

Before I could speak, Ah Xue had already asked.

"It's a high-level magical artifact from the Cihang Jingdian Palace, currently only the Heart Lamp Hermit knows how to make."

Mao Yan'an said, "As long as there are monks with sufficient cultivation who chant incantations to the magic mirror, you can see your past life in the mirror. However, I don't know if there are still any monks who can use this kind of magic..."

It's very magical, but I have indeed seen related records in the Blood Nightmare Records, so I'm not surprised. I just glanced at the mirror a few more times.

Katrina said, "With the mirror, the magic of the Great Sun Mirror can be used. Although it's much different from the original effect, it's enough to activate the levitation array and make the city rise into the air. At noon fifteen days from now, when the yang fire is just beginning to recover, it's the minimum energy requirement to activate the Great Sun Mirror. Please hold on until that moment."

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