It has been two months since Tang Hao retreated.
Ashen Territory changes are happening every day.
The last circle of bluestones in the square has been paved, the six steps of the circular altar have been laid, and the top altar stone slab was closed three days ago.
Niu Gao stood under the altar, looking up at the six-foot-tall building, holding a hammer in his hand, with stone powder still stained on the hammer head.
He gave a rare smile, turned around and said to Chen Jieqi, "Earl, work is done."
Chen Jieqi walks up to the altar.
The bluestone under your feet is warm and moist, and its texture glows with a faint golden light in the sunlight.
He stood in the center of the altar and closed his eyes.
The mark between the eyebrows lights up, and countless light rays as thin as hair gather from all directions,
The villagers of Dawnlight Village, the newly moved farmers, the medicine apprentices of Yang Wudi, the medicine boys of Ye Lingling, and the craftsmen of the Defense Clan.
Every face brings a new ray of light, many times more than two months ago.
The light converged to a certain point above the altar, then poured down and merged into the mark between his eyebrows.
The voice of Sheng Hui sounded in Soul Ring.
"Altars can amplify the efficiency of gathering faith.
When you stand here, you are standing in the center of everyone's attention.
Two months ago, your light was like an oil lamp. Now, it's like a bonfire."
Chen Jieqi opened his eyes. "Is that enough?"
"Not enough. Stone Gate What we need in the back is not a bonfire, but the sun." Sheng Hui paused.
"But you're already on your way."
Taniguchi, Dawnlight Village The old man and the villagers stood on the edge of the square, raising their heads.
The children were riding on the adults' shoulders, their eyes shining brightly.
Yang Wudi stood at the door of the medicine house, holding a herb in his hand. He did not lower his head, but his eyes stopped on Chen Jieqi for a moment.
Ye Lingling stood at the door of the drug store, Nine-Heart Begonia held it in his lap, the petals glowed pink and white in the sun.
Dugu Yan stood on the stone steps of the chapel, holding the registration book in his hand and curling the corners of his mouth.
Dugu Bo was sitting on the stone steps, holding a wine bottle in his hand, not drinking, just watching.
Chen Jieqi said nothing. He walked off the altar and returned to the chapel.
Heaven Dou City, Royal Palace.
Xue Ye hasn't opened his eyes for five days.
The imperial doctor knelt in front of the bed, his forehead pressed against the floor tiles, not daring to raise his head.
Xue Qinghe stood beside the bed,
"Go down." Her voice was very soft.
The imperial physician retreated as if he had been pardoned.
There were only two people left in the bedroom.
Xue Ye's breathing was heavy and messy, like a bellows that was about to fall apart.
Xue Qinghe sat down by the bed and looked at the once majestic and rosy face.
Now it is pale and thin, with sunken eye sockets and prominent cheekbones.
She had seen this face smiling, angry, and tired, but she had never seen it look like this, like a lamp that was about to burn out.
She didn't cry or frown.
But she remembered many things.
I remember being sent to Heaven Dou City when I was nine years old, and appearing in front of this old man as "Xue Qinghe" for the first time.
He touched her head and said, "You will be the prince from now on."
Thinking of her playing his son day after day, trying to figure out his preferences, temper, and weaknesses.
Remembering how late at night he was reviewing the memorial, she brought tea in and he said, "Put it there" without raising his head.
Remembering that he would occasionally ask "Are you tired?", she smiled and said "No."
Those smiles are fake, but the question is real.
Xue Qinghe lowered his head and looked at his hands.
That hand had killed people, poisoned people, and forged imperial edicts.
Now it is holding a bowl of cool medicine.
"Father," she said in a low voice, "I will take good care of Heaven Dou."
Xue Ye did not respond. His breathing became weaker again.
Xue Qinghe stood up and walked to the window.
Outside the window, in the streets and alleys of Heaven Dou City, people are still living as usual.
The sounds of hawkers, carriages and horses, and children's play mixed together, making it noisy and lively. She took out the burnt feather from her sleeve and put it in the palm of her hand.
The feathers were slightly hot. In the Ashen Territory direction, the resonance of another feather was beating in the night, like a distant heart.
She remembered Chen Jieqi saying, "Whether you choose or not, it's up to you."
She remembered her grandfather saying, "God will not wait for you."
She didn't respond to the feather, just clenched it tightly.
Cangmang Mountain Range deep.
The gray-black mist has spread to the outside of the mountains, and the dead trees are like bones stuck in the ground.
Evil Soul Master's stronghold is built in the valley, with wooden houses, tents, fires, and hundreds of figures looming in the mist.
In the center of the stronghold, on a simple altar made of black stone, more than a dozen men in gray robes were kneeling.
A tall figure stood in the center of the altar. There was no hood on the black robe, revealing the face of a pale middle-aged man.
His eyes were gray-black, and there seemed to be something squirming deep in the pupils. It was not a living thing, but some kind of darkness that had been compressed to the extreme.
His breath was cold and thick, like a volcano about to erupt. The man in gray robe beside him lowered his head, not daring to look directly.
"Stone Gate is about to open." His voice was low, as if it came from the ground.
"The Heir of Light has obtained the key, but he doesn't know that the key is also a lock."
The men in gray robes behind him echoed in unison, "Your Excellency is wise."
He raised his hand, gray-black flames beating in his palm.
"When Stone Gate opens, everyone will come together. Don't worry about Dugu Bo, just catch the silver-haired boy."
"Yes!"
The corner of his mouth curved. "The moment he opens the door, the holy light will pour out.
But the brighter the light, the deeper the shadow.
He thought he was purifying the darkness, but he was actually awakening something older."
No one dared to answer the call.
Slaughter City.
Tang San was leaning against the corner, eyes closed, and breathing heavily.
The dark red marks on the arms have spread to the shoulders, from the elbow to the upper arm, densely packed like a spider web.
He opened his eyes and glanced at the south, the direction of Heaven Dou City, the direction of Ashen Territory.
There was a light there, completely different from the violent aura in his body.
He didn't know why he always thought of that light.
Maybe it was because it was so quiet, so quiet that he felt that there was another way to become stronger in the world.
He stood up and walked to the next venue.
Star Dou Great Forest.
Xiao Wu is sitting cross-legged on the bluestone next to Lake of Life, Da Ming is entrenched in the middle of the lake, and Er Ming is squatting behind her.
She opened her eyes and looked down at her hands.
She was promoted two levels, but she knew that this was not enough.
She looked in the direction of Heaven Dou City. There was a person there, a light, and a past that she could not go back to.
"Da Ming." She said.
"Hmm."
"When can I stop hiding?"
Da Ming was silent for a long time. "When you are no longer afraid."
Xiao Wu said nothing. She closed her eyes and continued practicing.
Ashen Territory, night.
Chen Jieqi stands alone on the altar.
The moonlight shines on the bluestone ground, stretching his shadow very long.
He took out the smooth feather from his sleeve, the one given by Qian Daoliu.
The feathers glowed with a faint white-gold color in the moonlight.
Another feather beats in the distance, like a weak heart.
He could feel the temperature of the feather and the person holding it.
He didn't respond.
Just hold the feather tightly and put it back into your sleeve.
He stepped off the altar and looked back at the newly completed altar.
The bluestone glows cold white under the moonlight, and the radial patterns spread from the center to the edges, like the rays of the sun.
The voice of Sheng Hui sounded again.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I'm thinking about that door." Chen Jieqi said, "What will happen next time I go there."
"I don't know." Sheng Hui said, "But no matter what happens, you can't retreat."
Chen Jieqi said nothing, he walked into the chapel and closed the door.
The moonlight poured in from the window and fell on the mark between his eyebrows.
He closed his eyes.
Soon.