Back then, she had not been like she was now. She had still been terribly weak.
But with that person around, nothing had seemed to be a problem. Though he was usually rather unreliable, he would always step forward at the crucial moment and stand at the very front.
Her eyes had room for him alone, with no space left for anyone else, yet he had then said those words.
"Respect and remembrance need not be entrusted to lifeless objects. This is already enough... yes, already enough."
The sunset had still been a brilliant red then, but it had begun sinking toward the sea, gradually submerging as it bid farewell to the day, as though that person were bidding farewell to them.
Their shadows had stretched so long beneath the sunset, just like the moments her gaze had lingered on him, so long that she could not bear to look away.
He had paused, drawn her into his arms, and gazed at the sunset's afterglow with a touch of wistfulness.
"The sun is setting... how beautiful."
"Mm, it is time. I shouldn't keep people waiting any longer. Yaozhu, Yulai, take good care of yourselves. Goodbye."
Dazzling wings of seven-colored light had spread behind him, carrying a power they could not understand. Radiant light had swirled, warping space, before finally transforming into a streak of azure light amid a tremor, merging into the sunset's afterglow and vanishing.
Unwilling to accept it, she had reached forward, wanting to catch something.
But in the end, she had caught nothing. Nothing at all.
She could only embrace the air he had left behind and breathe in its faint lingering warmth, trying to hold on to that little bit of tenderness, that sliver of possibility.
But she could not do it, nor could she act.
A hundred years ago, she had been far too weak. Without power or strength, she had been unable to accomplish anything.
That was also what had given her a true driving force for cultivation. She no longer wanted to be unable to do anything.
Yet a century had passed, and she had everything, only to have lost him.
Without her noticing, tears gradually wet her eyes.
Only when a sudden chime rang out did she start back to her senses, hurriedly wiping away her tears and composing herself.
Within a few breaths, she had recovered, returned to her seat, and taken up her pen, settling back into work.
Everything was as it had been, as though nothing had happened.
"Come in."
At the sound of her cool voice, the office door opened, and a young man stepped through, mildly surprising Leng Yaozhu.
The visitor was a young man with fluffy, medium-short blue hair, trimmed just right to fall to his ears. His gray-green clothing complemented his cool bearing, a long scarf was wrapped around his neck, and he held a particularly unusual book.
An ancient sheepskin cover bound the book, its yellowed corners revealing the weight of accumulated years. He looked refined and mysterious.
The title "Oma Advent Calendar" was printed prominently on the cover.
She could not help calling out the name of the person before her.
"Woz?"
Of course, she knew the person standing before her.
He was one of the Spirit Pagoda's eighteen Heavenly Pillar Tower Masters, as well as an extremely powerful Titled Douluo.
His identity was mysterious and his background unusual. He had been a contestant who suddenly appeared during one of the Spirit Pagoda's selections.
At the time, they had been selecting a Heavenly Pillar Tower Master for Eastsea. After considering her own circumstances, she had chosen a tower master position more advantageous to her family and had been forced to give up the Eastsea branch.
Originally, she had wanted her younger sister to take the position, but this man had suddenly appeared and inexplicably taken first place, claiming it for himself.
He had excitedly shouted something about how this was the king's homeland, the birthplace of all history, and how he would remain here until that person appeared.
Nobody knew what he was talking about. If not for his coherent speech and normal wording, they might have taken him for some sort of missionary.
Besides, Woz had done nothing resembling missionary work. He merely revered the person he spoke of, and everything he did was for that king.
Nobody knew whom he meant, but he certainly had the strength.
Supposedly, Qiangu Dongfeng had once tried to recruit him over this, only for Woz to refuse on the grounds that he was the king's retainer.
Thinking of it still made her want to laugh. Back then, Qiangu Dongfeng's family had been riding high, holding what could be called absolute authority within the Spirit Pagoda.
Woz's words had angered him, so the two had arranged a fight.
No one knew the final result, but from then on, Qiangu Dongfeng had no longer dared to trouble Woz.
At that point, Leng Yaozhu could hardly fail to realize what the outcome had been.
She had heard it had apparently been a crushing defeat. No one knew exactly what had happened; everything came from rumors circulating through unofficial channels.
But this had undoubtedly dealt a blow to the Qiangu family's prestige, and the fact that they had not even dared voice an objection had only made everyone speculate further about what lay behind it.
Though she did not know the circumstances, Woz had undoubtedly done her a great favor.
Even she had tried to recruit him, but Woz had declined her overture, bowing politely instead and saying a string of inexplicable things she could not understand.
"I understand your thoughts, but your waiting is not without meaning. History will give you an answer."
To this day, she remembered those inexplicable words from Woz.
It was not as though no family or faction had been taken in by Woz and actually duped into believing in that king, but the final result had apparently amounted to nothing.
One could say that, in her eyes, Woz was a powerful lunatic who spoke coherently and seemed like a normal person.
Still, there was one good thing: Woz had no intention of opposing her and could even be considered half an ally. Though unreliable, he had actually handed her authority over the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda.
She had been deeply grateful and had remembered the favor.
Yet he had still smiled, shaken his head, and politely declined her thanks.
"No matter. All of this is for the king."
She did not understand what sort of bewitching potion that "king" had fed him to leave Woz so utterly entranced.
If she had not secretly investigated Woz herself and found no connection to evil Soul Masters, she would have feared that this ostentatious fellow was an undercover agent sent by the Holy Spirit Cult.
"Once you understand the great undertaking the king is destined to accomplish, you too will understand his greatness." In response to her confusion, Woz had proudly offered this answer, which sounded impressive without making any sense to her.
Since she could not understand, there was no need to learn too much about it. Leng Yaozhu was not someone with excessive curiosity.
"Is something the matter, Woz?" Leng Yaozhu's voice was somewhat cold. Rather, she was very cold toward every man other than that person.
Normally, he would only contact her when something came up while handling Eastsea's administrative affairs. The rest of the time, he stayed holed up in his room, clutching that book of his. She truly could not imagine what would bring him to seek her out on his own.
Still, this was a good opportunity to repay the favor.
Woz paid little heed to Leng Yaozhu's coldness. Instead, he wore a smile, his voice carrying a trace of suppressed excitement.
"I merely came to remind you that your long, painful wait is not without result. The great advent shall ultimately return. I hope you do not miss it and leave yourself with regrets."
Woz was hinting at something, but Leng Yaozhu could not understand at all what this riddle-spouting man was saying.
After speaking, Woz turned and left with his sheepskin-bound book in his arms, without the slightest reluctance, leaving only the soft sound of the door closing.
"Huh?"
Leng Yaozhu looked utterly bewildered, nearly losing her grip on the pen in her hand.
What was this guy talking about?.jpg