Reunion in Fenlai City

After leaving the small town plagued by the contaminated mine, Lin Qin continued his journey. He traveled eastward, traversing the vast territory of the O'Brien Empire, and even ventured into the edge of the Arctic Ice Plains—a region with an extremely harsh environment bordering the empire—to undergo bitter training for a period. By utilizing the extreme cold to further temper his body and will, he gained a deeper understanding of the "stability" and "bearing" aspects of the Earth Element profound mysteries.

Months later, when he stepped back into relatively warmer regions, he heard a shocking piece of news: Fenlai City had been destroyed.

According to rumors, an unimaginable catastrophe had descended upon that prosperous royal capital, the core of the Holy Alliance. Details varied, with some claiming it was a world-shaking battle, while others said an unimaginably terrifying entity had descended. The final result was that Fenlai City was reduced to ruins, the Radiant Church suffered heavy losses, and a large number of powerful experts perished.

Lin Qin immediately thought of Aileen. She was at the Magic Guild in Fenlai City!

For the first time, a sense of urgency stirred in his heart. He immediately changed direction, rushing toward the Fenlai Kingdom at his maximum speed.

When he arrived at the former location of Fenlai City, what he saw was a shocking, massive ruin. Broken walls, charred earth, and the lingering scent of chaotic and terrifying energy still hung in the air. The once-prosperous royal capital had now become a living hell.

He landed on the edge of the ruins, his spiritual energy spreading out like a tide as he carefully searched for signs of life and traces of the Magic Guild. Most of the area was deathly silent, but near a relatively intact complex of buildings far from the original city center, he sensed concentrated life fluctuations and the familiar aura of a magic barrier—it was a temporary shelter and stronghold established by the Magic Guild.

He walked over quickly. The perimeter of the stronghold was guarded by mages and warriors, their expressions filled with the exhaustion and vigilance of those who had survived a disaster.

"Stop! Who goes there?" a guard blocked him.

"I'm looking for Aileen, a water-style mage," Lin Qin said directly.

The guard looked him over, seemingly sensing his extraordinary temperament, and said, "Please wait a moment, I need to report this."

Not long after, a familiar figure wearing blue mage robes and a slightly slender frame ran out quickly from the stronghold. It was Aileen.

She looked more mature than before, with a trace of lingering exhaustion and sorrow between her brows, but the moment she saw Lin Qin, her eyes lit up, and a look of incredulous joy appeared on her face.

"Lin Qin! It really is you!" Aileen's voice trembled slightly.

"I'm back." Lin Qin looked at her and said calmly, though his eyes softened significantly, "I'm glad you're safe."

Aileen walked quickly to his side, looking at him carefully as if to confirm he wasn't an illusion. "I heard you were in the O'Brien Empire... I didn't expect you to return so suddenly. Everyone outside is talking about what happened to Fenlai City, right?"

"Yes, I heard. What happened?" Lin Qin asked.

Aileen's eyes dimmed, filled with lingering fear: "That day... it was terrifying. The sky seemed to split open, and an extremely horrific entity appeared... the aftermath of the battle destroyed the entire city. Under the protection of the Guild Master and several elders, the Magic Guild barely managed to raise a barrier and escaped here with some of the people. So many died..." Her voice trailed off.

Lin Qin was silent for a moment. He could imagine the horror of that catastrophe. "It's good that you survived."

"What about you? During this time..." Aileen looked up, watching him with concern.

"I was training in the O'Brien Empire and went to the Arctic Ice Plains," Lin Qin said simply. "I just broke through to the Saint Realm not long ago."

Aileen opened her eyes wide in shock once more. The Saint Realm! Although she had been mentally prepared, hearing it with her own ears still left her stunned. She looked at Lin Qin and could feel that unfathomable aura about him, vast as the earth itself, completely different from when he had left.

"Congratulations..." she said sincerely, then felt a bit dejected, "I... I have only just touched the threshold of an eighth-rank mage; I am still very far behind you..."

"No rush, follow your own pace," Lin Qin said. "What are the Magic Guild's plans for the future?"

Aileen composed herself and said, "Fenlai City is destroyed, and the Holy Alliance exists in name only. The guild headquarters is discussing moving to another safe place; they might re-establish the headquarters in the Yulan Empire or the O'Brien Empire. This is just a temporary stronghold."

She looked at the dilapidated surroundings and invited him softly: "It's not very convenient here, why don't you come to my temporary quarters to sit for a while? Even though it's very simple."

Lin Qin nodded.

The place where Aileen lived was a small room simply cleared out within the stronghold, containing only a bed, a table, and a chair, but it was kept very tidy.

She poured a glass of water for Lin Qin, feeling a bit embarrassed: "Conditions are poor, this is all I have."

"It's fine." Lin Qin took the glass.

The two sat down, and for a moment, both were silent. Having been separated for over a year, experiencing their own hardships and growth, their feelings were complex upon reuniting.

"Lin Qin," Aileen broke the silence first, her voice very soft, "When Fenlai City was destroyed, I... I was so scared. I was afraid I would never see you again."

Lin Qin looked at her slightly reddened eyes, his heart stirring. He wasn't very good at expressing emotions, so he simply reached out and gently took her hand resting on the table. "I'm here."

Three simple words, yet they caused Aileen's tightly wound heartstrings to suddenly relax, and tears couldn't help but slide down. She gripped Lin Qin's hand back, feeling the warmth and strength from his palm, as if she had found the most solid reliance.

After a while, Aileen wiped away her tears and smiled a bit sheepishly: "I'm fine now. It's just... seeing you, I got a little emotional."

She paused and asked, "What are your plans now that you're back? Will you be leaving again?"

Lin Qin pondered for a moment and said, "The situation on the continent is becoming increasingly chaotic. The Dark Church is active, and there are likely hidden truths behind the destruction of Fenlai City. I need to continue improving my strength. I will likely travel in the Yulan Empire or even further afield."

He looked at Aileen: "With the Magic Guild moving, what are your thoughts? If you want to stay, I can..."

"No," Aileen shook her head, her eyes becoming firm, "I don't want to be separated from you again. Wherever you go, I will go. Although my water-style magic isn't strong, I can still help with healing, support, and daily care. I won't hold you back."

She looked at Lin Qin and said earnestly: "I know your path is long and difficult. I don't ask to catch up to you, I only hope to keep watching your back and be by your side whenever you need me."

Lin Qin looked at her determined eyes, and a warm current surged in his heart. He wasn't a person who needed to rely on others, but having someone willing to follow and support him unconditionally—that feeling wasn't bad at all.

"Alright." He nodded, giving his promise, "Then we go together."

A brilliant smile bloomed on Aileen's face, as if it had dispelled all the gloom.

Lin Qin stayed at the Magic Guild's temporary stronghold for a few days. On one hand, he spent time with Aileen and helped her handle some preparations for the relocation; on the other, he learned more details about the destruction of Fenlai City from the guild's remaining records and personnel, especially regarding the terrifying experts who appeared during the battle, suspected to be from the "Plane Prison."

The situation on the continent was indeed even more complex and dangerous than he had imagined.

A few days later, Aileen submitted her application for a temporary leave of absence to the Magic Guild. Together, the two left this place of sorrow.