Dimensional Judgment Arrives

"You are?" Mirajane froze when she noticed Ling Yuan.

"Oh, he's Laxus's friend, and my benefactor," Makarov said with a smile, slumping onto the counter the moment he returned to the guild. (Reference to Himouto! Umaru-chan.)

"Laxus's? Nice to meet you, I'm Mirajane." Mirajane exclaimed in surprise, then quickly extended her hand.

"Hello," Ling Yuan replied with a smile.

He shook her hand lightly before letting go.

The entire guild was boisterous.

Honestly, this kind of environment was a bit too noisy for Ling Yuan.

But... it was undeniably inviting.

The three members of the Thunder Legion clung to Laxus, unable to be pulled away.

Laxus could only reluctantly accept it.

"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Mirajane smiled, noticing Ling Yuan's expression.

"Indeed, it's a very nice place," Ling Yuan nodded.

"I think so too. The guild is my home. Wherever my family is, that's the warmest place."

Ling Yuan stared blankly at Mirajane, subconsciously raising his hand and patting her head.

"Huh?" Mirajane blinked.

Before she could speak, Ling Yuan softly said, "Soon, you'll be reunited with your family."

Mirajane's pupils contracted. Family...

But by the time she came to her senses, Ling Yuan had already walked towards Laxus.

"Laxus, I'm heading off now," Ling Yuan said to him.

"Not staying for a bit longer?" Laxus asked, his expression returning to its usual cool demeanor.

Ling Yuan stretched. "I haven't finished typing the code yet. I need to get back to work."

He paused. "Laxus, try to smile more often. You seem much more energetic now than you used to be."

"I don't need you to tell me that," the Lightning Dragon retorted haughtily.

"Then I'll be going," Ling Yuan said, unbothered. He chuckled and waved to everyone in Fairy Tail.

Taking Ophis's hand, The next moment, they both vanished from their spot.

After Ling Yuan left, Mirajane approached and asked, "Laxus, who exactly was that gentleman?"

Looking at the spot where Ling Yuan had disappeared, Laxus closed his eyes and chuckled softly. "Who knows? I can't quite figure that guy out, but at least... he gave me a good impression."

Chapter 27: A Heads-Up

PS: I got Yoimiya on a single pull!

Returning to his familiar room, As soon as he stepped back inside, the Blazing Key appeared in his hand.

The Eight Paths Stars were shining.

Blue mist emanated from the Eight Paths Stars, gradually forming into a colossal Demon God.

"Oof, that hurts!"

The moment it appeared, its head hit the ceiling, and it let out an expression of pain. (X=X)

Well, that's a failed debut for the Demon God.

"Shrink down a bit. My place can't handle you like this."

Ling Yuan wasn't surprised at all. He calmly poured himself a glass of water.

After testing the height of the ceiling beams, the Phoenix obediently reduced its size to about two meters and floated in mid-air.

It looked at Ling Yuan and softly asked, "King of the other world, can you tell me where this is?"

"Didn't you just say it yourself? This is another world," Ling Yuan replied, looking at it in surprise. Does it have the brain of a fish?

Phoenix: "..."

After carefully sensing the aura of this world, the Phoenix opened its eyes. "So, this is indeed another world?"

"Of course. Otherwise, why do you think your connection to the Sacred Palace was severed?" Ling Yuan took a gentle sip of water.

"You... how do you know that? Is it true, as Lord Ugo said, that beings from higher worlds can observe our every move?" the Phoenix asked in shock.

By all rights, no one besides the seventy-two Demon Gods should know about the existence of the Sacred Palace.

This is another world, and Ling Yuan knows about the Sacred Palace's existence. It's hard not to make a connection.

"That's an exaggeration. At most, I just know the future direction of your world."

Phoenix: "..."

That's even scarier!

The feathers on Phoenix's ears drooped.

It was hard not to feel a sense of loss.

Isn't this what King Solomon called controlling destiny?

Lord Ugo had always been searching for a way to break free from destiny, only to find that his own world's destiny was still firmly in the grasp of another world?

The world of the Magic Flute was entirely centered around destiny. King Solomon saw within the creator god Il Ilah that everyone's destiny was being manipulated by Il Ilah, which is why he wanted Rukh to change from black to white, thereby distributing it equally to everyone.

To give everyone the ability to control their own destiny.

Soon, Phoenix had a new question: "Then, Lord Ling Yuan, I can feel an endless and terrifying amount of energy within you. With such power, you shouldn't need my strength, right?"

"Who said I don't need yours?"

"Huh?" Phoenix blinked.

"On the contrary, I need your strength the most." Ling Yuan slowly stood up.

He walked over to Phoenix, looked up at the bare-chested Phoenix, and blushed.

After all, he was still Chu; it was normal to feel a little something.

"Bring your head closer."

Phoenix didn't understand, but obediently lowered his head.

Looking at the enormous head in front of him, Ling Yuan felt a pang of emotion.

Could such a big head swallow mine in one bite?

Just as Phoenix was still feeling confused, he felt a warm hand press on his head.

"?"

Ling Yuan and Phoenix made eye contact. Ling Yuan asked, "Do you want to bite, no, do you want to grasp destiny?"

Ling Yuan felt a little flustered, almost blurting out his inner thoughts.

"Can destiny be grasped?" Phoenix's dark pupils stared blankly at Ling Yuan.

"Of course, as long as you want to. And, I know the future destiny of your world. How about signing a contract with me? Become my Demon God and fight for me. In return, I'll help when your world is in danger."

"This." Phoenix's pupils lit up.

Yes, why hadn't she thought of this?

If she couldn't control destiny herself, why not let someone who knew destiny help break it?

Seeing Phoenix's wavering, Ling Yuan decided to add fuel to the fire: "Well, for better communication between us, how about this: I'll tell you who the real mastermind behind everything is."

"The mastermind?"

"It's not Elmeron or Il Ilah, but David. David Johns Abraham."

"David?! But he's dead!"

Phoenix was shocked.

David was King Solomon's father.

"He is dead, that's true, but don't forget, after people die, their souls transform into the form of Rukh."

"And all the Rukh in Almatran were taken by Il Ilah. This means that the Rukh of all the dead people in Almatran are alive within Il Ilah. David is no exception."

The so-called Il Ilah was the creator god of the world called Almatran, a creature that looked like a tentacle monster.

"This!"

Phoenix was stunned.

Ling Yuan's words completely shattered her worldview.

This was the first time she had ever heard of such a thing.

Doesn't that mean everyone isn't dead, but just separated by an invisible barrier?!

"After telling you this, can you serve me wholeheartedly?" Ling Yuan looked at the large head in front of him, speaking calmly.

Phoenix stood up.

She placed one hand over her chest and lowered her head: "I, in the name of Phoenix, swear to become your guardian Demon God, to hold you as my king. From this day forward, you are my only king."

"I will never betray you, until eternity!"

In the end, she was originally his Metal Vessel.

Since she had already recognized him as king, this represented her choice.

But Ling Yuan's actions deeply moved her.

He treated her not as a tool, but as an equal, sharing this secret with her.

The thought that her loved ones might still be alive brought a smile to Phoenix's face.

"Ahem, before we do anything else, I need to find you some clothes," Ling Yuan said with a fake cough.

Those giant cat ears bouncing around were just too shameless!

"?"

"It's not necessary. Our skin as Demon Gods is our clothing."

As she spoke, Phoenix's pink wings reappeared from the void around her.

They then slowly covered her body.

Beneath the giant cat ears, the tips of the two pairs of wings crossed, holding her perfectly.

Ling Yuan: "..."

Honestly, it was convenient, but he felt a strange emptiness in his heart.

"Phoenix, when I summon you outside from now on, appear like this. But when you're summoned at home, go back to your previous form," Ling Yuan said shamelessly.

"Your wish is my command, Your Majesty." Phoenix didn't feel anything was wrong with this.

Her previous form had always been her attire; this new form felt awkward and restrictive.

After dealing with Phoenix's matter, Ling Yuan put her back into the Blazing Key.

He turned to Ophis, who had been staring at him the entire time, and asked with a smile, "Little Phi, what do you want to eat for lunch today?"

"Stare—"

Ophis made a strange sound.

Ling Yuan: "..."