Nonsense! How could my adopted son be a villain?

Xu Lingguang stared at it in a daze for a long time before murmuring, "Is this a scene from ancient times?"

One cannot discuss ice with a summer insect; if humans had not witnessed it firsthand, it would be difficult for them to imagine how magnificent and splendid the ancient times dominated by the gods must have been.

Lan Jian stopped at the top of the hibiscus tree and carefully selected the thickest and most stable branch before putting Xu Lingguang down.

"The Fusang tree has existed since ancient times, growing in the land of sunrise. Originally, there were two trees growing together, but one of them was forcibly transplanted to the clan's territory by an ancestor. It is said that the ancestor's partner was a phoenix, and he stole the Fusang tree to please his partner."

Xu Lingguang found it amusing: "What about the other one?"

"The other one was also coveted by other races, but the Three-Legged Crow was furious after one of its Fusang trees was stolen. It strengthened its defenses against the Fusang tree, and no one succeeded in protecting it after that. Later, when the Mountain and Sea Realm was destroyed, the Fusang tree withered away."

Lan Jian lowered her voice: "This one, however, survived because it was transplanted to the clan's territory. The Fusang tree was planted by the Three-Legged Crow clan and grows in the land of sunrise, so you can glimpse some of the past through the branches of the Fusang tree. If you like, you can come and see it often in the future."

Did you used to come here often?

Xu Lingguang turned to look at him. The much larger Chenghuang had its front paws crossed and its head slightly raised. Its satin-like silver-white fur was dyed a brilliant gold by the sunlight, making it look as sacred and awe-inspiring as in legends, without a trace of gloom.

But he remembered that when Lan Jian was injured, he rested on the blue stone platform under the tree.

I just wonder what he feels when he sees scenes from the past through the gaps in time.

Xu Lingguang put himself in others' shoes and felt that it was probably not so pleasant.

Lan Jian turned her head to meet his gaze, paused for a moment, and said frankly without trying to hide anything: "In my early years, I rarely went near the Fusang tree. Later, as I got older, I would only rest under the tree when I had nothing to do. Occasionally, I would see those past events through the branches, and I was still able to deal with them peacefully."

Now, perhaps because he has Xu Lingguang by his side and someone to accompany him, he can talk about these past events calmly.

Lan Jian's gaze passed through the layers of hibiscus leaves and looked north.

In the far north, in the desolate land, miasma permeates the air, and faint cries echo through the air. In previous years, he never dared to come to the top of Fusang. Whenever he heard the mournful cries of the ancient gods swirling in the lost land, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger and resentment in his heart.

But now, this powerless resentment has been properly contained, transforming into another force suppressed deep within the heart.

Lan Jian lowered her head and nuzzled against Xu Lingguang, saying, "After some time, I want to go to the Land of No Return. Will you come with me?"

"The Land of No Return?"

When Xu Lingguang first heard him mention this name, it was somewhat unfamiliar. After thinking about it carefully, he remembered that there was indeed a place called Wujian on the Shangyang Continent. It was said to be located in the far north and was an even more desolate and terrifying region than the demon capital Wujian City.

The place was filled with miasma, haunted by howling spirits, and the living were forced to stop.

"What are you doing there?"

Lan Jian didn't want to burden him with the heavy fate of the ancient gods, so he simply said, "That place should be the closest to the Mountain and Sea Realm. I often go there to worship my kin."

Upon hearing this, Xu Lingguang agreed without hesitation: "When are we going? If it's for worship, according to human customs, we need to prepare offerings. What are the customs of the Chenghuang clan for worship?"

Lan Jian had never imagined that offerings were necessary for worship. He paused, then hesitated and said, "No... right?"

After a while, he said again, "I have never brought offerings before."

He was too young when he left the Mountain and Sea Realm, and his parents and clansmen left in a hurry. No one taught him any customs for worshipping his deceased relatives.

Xu Lingguang was speechless. Seeing him frowning in distress, as if trying hard to recall if there were any customs, he said, "Never mind, I'll prepare it then. We'll follow the customs of the human race. They shouldn't mind, right?"

His grandmother passed away early, and Xu Lingguang handled all the funeral arrangements. He was quite experienced in visiting graves and paying respects to ancestors.

"They won't mind. In ancient times, everyone was born and raised by nature, and there weren't as many rules and customs as humans."

Lan Jian thought that if his clansmen were still alive and the Mountain and Sea Realm had not been destroyed, when they saw him bringing Xu Lingguang back, they would probably just cradle their heads over to look at him curiously, and then whisper among themselves, wondering if such a weak human would die at the slightest touch.

This thought made Lan Jian even happier. She couldn't help but reach out and pull the person in front of her, pressing them against her and rubbing against them, murmuring softly, "If they were still here, they would probably like you a lot."

Xu Lingguang was pinned down by him, and Mao Mao covered his head and face, making it hard for him to breathe. He barely managed to endure it for a while, but finally couldn't help but reach out to push him away.

But the more he resisted, the more Lan Jian refused to let go, even pressing her head against him and gently rubbing her chin against his body.

Lacking physical advantages, Xu Lingguang struggled for a while before finally giving up and lying down in the pile of fluffy things in despair.

Hey, I have to say, it's actually quite comfortable.

It's no worse than a latex mattress.

Perhaps it was the warm atmosphere, or perhaps it was the gentle sunlight that made him feel so comfortable, but Xu Lingguang, who was just lying there relaxing, fell asleep without realizing it.

The sound of the wind rushing by and the soft breathing of Lan Jian were all I could hear.

In his dream, Xu Lingguang could even feel something sticking out its tongue and licking his face. He subconsciously thought it was Lan Jian and was about to reach out to push it away, saying "Stop messing around," when he was suddenly startled awake by a clap of thunder.

The violent thunder seemed to explode in his mind, even more powerful than the nine-fold tribulation thunder that Xu Lingguang had ever seen.

He sat up abruptly, his unfocused gaze not yet refocused, when he heard a crackling sound of electricity, like a broken machine trying to restart, interspersed with mechanical electronic sounds.

"Buzz...buzz, connection...successful, host binding...successful, buzz..."

The sound came so suddenly and strangely that Xu Lingguang even wondered if he was still dreaming. He looked around blankly and met Lan Jian's concerned gaze: "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

Not dreaming.

Xu Lingguang's expression was strange, and his feelings were even more indescribable.

The mechanical voice in his head continued, as if the delayed network had finally been fixed. The mechanical voice was no longer choppy, and it said coldly and stiffly, "Please read the world background and begin the mission as soon as possible."