It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

"What's your name? Who are you..."

Bai Lin was about to ask the man's name when he caught a glimpse of his face. His face was old and resolute, yet a touch of flesh gave it a simple, endearing quality. His short, graying hair gave him a vibrant look, and his eyes held a sharp, spirited aura. His rather robust build didn't seem much different from that of an ordinary old man. The only difference was a pair of heavy-looking, steel prosthetic limbs, hidden beneath his sleeves.

He squatted beside the lying Bai Lin, with a somewhat cynical smile on his face. Although he looked like an old man, this smile was probably the kind of smile that someone called an "old naughty boy" would have.

"Boy, were you beaten silly? Don't you know who I am?"

Bai Lin's expression suddenly changed from anger to calmness. She looked at the old man who was asking questions, and after looking at him for a few minutes, she lay on the ground and punched out, hitting the old man's jaw perfectly.

With Bai Lin's punching speed, it is almost impossible to block it at this distance. At most, because she is lying on the ground and has no support, her punches will be weaker.

But the old man was so miraculous that he took the initiative and raised his hands, crossing them to block Bai Lin's attack. The crisp sound of metal collision was heard immediately, but he himself was knocked backwards by the force, and he half stood up from a squatting position and staggered two steps.

Unlike before, Bai Lin did not chase after her opponent, and she did not even move her body. She just stroked the fist she had used to attack and muttered to herself,

"It doesn't hurt, it was just a dream..."

"Next time you try to dream, do you dare to hit yourself?"

The old man shook his hands, as if he was in pain, and walked to Bai Lin's side. But Bai Lin closed his eyes again with a look of indifference, and replied,

"Since you know it was a dream, then don't bother me, especially you old man. I don't miss you at all."

Obviously, this old man was someone Bai Lin knew. After being told this by Bai Lin, the old man showed no anger at all. He just chuckled and replied,

"Why? You have the ability you have now, so I have contributed to it, right? You don't have to be so heartless."

"Yes, yes, but so what? You're such a stubborn old fool. I've already decided not to see you again. Now that you're gone, don't bother disturbing the living anymore."

As he spoke, Bai Lin turned over and closed his eyes.

Chapter 548: Sleeping posture is not good

"Boy, you're still the same as before. Even though you've been through so much, your temper hasn't changed at all."

The old man's voice became a little deeper, but Bai Lin's reply was just as casual and a little aggressive as before.

"What do you mean by willful? This is called being firm in your beliefs. Isn't that what I learned from you?"

"You're more malicious and talkative than before, but when have you ever seen me say bad things about someone in a roundabout way? I always speak my mind directly, and you really should learn from me."

Looking at Bai Lin lying on the ground, the old man first sighed, pretending to be helpless, then stretched out a finger and suggested with a smile,

"Well, since you have a problem with me, get up from the ground and have a long-awaited battle between master and apprentice!"

These words, which contained a hint of invitation and provocation, were immediately responded to by the old man. With a "swoosh", Bai Lin's body rose straight up from the ground. Dust flew up in the air, and the old man couldn't even see how she stood up.

Bai Lin put his hands in front of him, clashed his fists together, looked at the old man in front of him, and said,

"That's exactly what I want. Since you're haunting me, why don't I just perform a physical exorcism on you?"

Bai Lin stood tall, looking down from above, taking in the old man and the world before him. The bricks on the ground, the matching sweatshirt on the old man, the tall buildings in the distance, the asphalt road in front of her. Clearly, this was the modern city where she used to live.

Bai Lin himself was also a bit taller than the old man in front of him. This body that couldn't be seen when looking down was in vain, and it felt a bit unfamiliar. She was also in that body now.

"Surprised? You're no longer that invincible and beautiful person you once were. How does it feel to be back to your old, down-and-out self?"

The old man didn't seem to want to miss any opportunity to hit Bai Lin. He quickly said with a thorny tone, and Bai Lin tutted and replied,

"Haha, even if I'm not a beauty, I'm still a handsome guy. Even if my body is not invincible, it's enough to beat an old man like you."

Bai Lin, standing in front of the old man, seemed much more excited than before. He rubbed his hands together and walked towards the old man.

"Ha...ha, you've learned quite well. You said you didn't want to see me anymore, but you haven't forgotten anything I taught you."

After a while, the old man fell to the ground, gasping for breath, looking at Bai Lin in front of him. Although his body was defeated, his mouth was still stimulating Bai Lin in front of him. Bai Lin shook his head and said,

"Now that my body has caught up, then bullying an old man like you is certainly a piece of cake."

"You're just lying. Don't you realize that your physical fitness is still the same as before? You still have all the injuries you need. You've become stronger, but that has nothing to do with your body getting better."

The old man waved his hands repeatedly, denying Bai Lin's statement, and after taking a breath, he continued,

"The reason you're better than before is because you don't make excuses anymore. That's why you can master every technique so easily."

"What do you mean by not making excuses? I was really in poor health before, so what can I do? What? You want to lecture me after I beat you up? You lost in martial arts, but you want to win in literature, right?"

Bai Lin wore a confident smile, seemingly undeterred by the old man's words. However, the old man's sharp gaze pierced through the confusion deep within Bai Lin's eyes. He placed his index finger against the inside of his thumb, then flicked it lightly, sending an invisible stream of air splitting into two, striking Bai Lin in both eyes.

Suddenly, Bai Lin's brain felt like it was being pierced by thousands of needles at once, producing a numbing pain. He instinctively closed his eyes, covered his face with his hands, and cried out in pain. His entire body was dark, and the only thing he could hear was the old man's mocking voice.

"I've told you before, if you don't have faith in your body, don't believe you can master martial arts, don't even believe in your own desire to learn martial arts, and don't believe in the path you believe in! If that's the case, you won't be able to master anything. While firm belief may not necessarily be effective, without firm belief, you will definitely be unable to achieve anything!"

"Look, you came into this world and experienced so much, haven't you become stronger? You've regained the confidence you once had, so you can grow. You're no longer like before, appearing calm on the surface but actually feeling sorry for yourself."

"But what about now? What are you confused about?!"

The old man's voice grew louder and louder, and Bai Lin felt his voice echoing around him like a spiral. It was like a dark tide, sweeping him away from control and dragging him gradually into the abyss.

"But you've gone against your own teachings. As a master, you've put that kind of thing aside first. How can I believe what you say?!"

In pain, Bai Lin roared in resistance, but his voice was gradually swallowed by the waves, just like him, slowly sinking into the endless darkness. Only the old man was left sitting on the sidewalk. He looked at the ground in front of him, sighed a little lonely, and then said in a deep and flat tone,

"So...so I died. You little thing, listen to the old man for once."

-

Bai Lin opened her eyes and saw the dim ceiling. Although this was the longest sleep she had gotten in the past month, her mind felt more groggy than ever. Perhaps it was because she hadn't slept well enough that she couldn't even tell whether she was in a dream or reality.

Looking at the light filtering in from the edge of the curtains, Bai Lin struggled to reach out her hand, but due to excessive force, she flipped over and rolled directly to the floor. The pain from the fall was not enough to wake the iron-willed Saint, and she fainted again, clutching the quilt.

"Your sleeping posture is really ugly, Holy Son."

A cold and eerie voice rang out, startling Bai Lin out of her half-sleep state. Sensing the presence of an outsider, she immediately jumped up, equipped her weapons, and looked around in panic.

He looked ahead in panic.

Chapter 549: Girl in New Clothes

Standing before Bai Lin was a girl who was a head shorter than her. She surveyed Bai Lin with her emotionless red eyes. This strange feeling, as if being stared at by a monster, was surprisingly familiar to Bai Lin.

The girl in front of him was none other than Yamashita Kanon. However, today, she seemed to have changed into a new outfit, so that the sleepy Bai Lin did not recognize her at first glance.

A rather elegant, wide-sleeved black cardigan fell upon Yamashita Kanon's shoulders. It reached her knees, with a hint of burgundy edging, creating a sense of elegance. The wide sleeves and long hem, which seemed to rise in the wind, and the two fluttering collars at the back, added a touch of grandeur.

A deep red undershirt neatly protected the girl's upper body, while her lower body was covered by a pair of tight shorts. While outlining her body curves, it also exposed her white thighs. As for her feet, she wore a pair of calf boots that covered below the knees, and the whole look was called neat and tidy.

The impressive, expensive katana slung across her waist also served as a testament to Yamashita Kanon's professionalism. Compared to her previous kimono, her outfit was more casual, striking the perfect balance between opulence and lightness, modesty and extravagance. She now looked more like a samurai wielding a sword.

Bai Lin put away his weapon, looked at Yamashita Kanon in front of him, nodded with a feeling of approval, and replied,

"Why did you change clothes?"

Yamashita Kanon was stunned for a moment, then looked at her sleeves and clothes, and replied,

"Are you talking about this? This is what the store manager asked me to change into. It's a lot cooler than my old clothes. I'm a little uncomfortable with it, but it's still very convenient for moving around. I'm quite happy with it."

Bai Lin put away the weapon in his hand and touched his chin thoughtfully. Indeed, this outfit is much cooler, but even if Yamashita Kanon wears this outfit, she doesn't look very sexy, although she really shouldn't be sexy at her age... Bai Lin didn't think about it anymore and replied,

"Well, that's pretty good. But why did you suddenly appear in my room??"

Hearing Bai Lin ask this question, Yamashita Kanon's mouth curled up slightly, but she quickly straightened her expression and replied,

"It's just too early to remember."

Such an awkward expression made this seemingly reasonable answer seem a little subtle. Bai Lin held his chin, thinking in confusion...

Thinking back to that day, just waking up early and seeing Yamashita Kanon in her bear pajamas, if I had gone to wake her up myself, the situation would probably have been even more terrifying, right? So she woke up earlier than me just to prevent me from waking her up?

Looking at Bai Lin's scrutinizing expression, Yamashita Kanon felt a little unnatural for some reason. She walked out of Bai Lin's room and said,

"Stand there and look at me. Hurry up and change your clothes and come out."

Bai Lin had gotten used to this cold attitude and somewhat aggressive words. She quickly picked up the quilt and spread it on the bed, then put on her clothes.

After all, Yamashita Kanon's personality is just like that. The two of them are in a transactional relationship now, so it's better to give in a little.

Today, Kong had placed the cold breakfast on the windowsill, with the words "Get up early and eat" written on it. This made Bai Lin speechless. However, there were only two servings of breakfast left this time, and the slight chill was quite suitable for the scene.

In the early morning when the sun was not bright, the two of them ate some cold rice to fill their stomachs and set foot on the foggy streets. Yamashita Kanon, who was standing next to Bai Lin, put on a black hat, as if to conceal her identity. This made Bai Lin want to ask,

"Uh... you can really just walk on the street wearing a bamboo hat? You're a wanted criminal now."

"The store manager has cast a spell on me, preventing outsiders from connecting me to Yamashita Kanon through my appearance. Wearing this bamboo hat is just to slightly conceal my appearance, not to hide my identity."

Yamashita Kanon replied calmly. This type of magic was quite unusual to Bai Lin. Although she wouldn't be recognized as "Yamashita Kanon," her appearance would inevitably attract too much attention. If she caused a commotion and attracted professionals, her identity might be in jeopardy.

Bai Lin also thought so. Although she probably didn't need to fight, she still wore the heavy armor, but without the cloak to conceal her identity.

In heavy Western armor and muscular Japanese attire, one resembled a solemn knight, the other a valiant wanderer. Their side-by-side journey held a special significance. Their destination was the cathedral whose gate Bai Lin had once smashed open.

It didn't take much time for the two of them to get from the empty store to there. When they arrived, Yamashita Kanon stood at the door of the church and said to Bai Lin,

"I have other beliefs, so I don't really want to go into the church. I'll just wait for you outside. You can't get into a fight inside the cathedral, right? Even if that happens, I'll come right away."

After hearing what Yamashita Kanon said, Bai Lin did not feel dissatisfied at all. After all, she was unlikely to be attacked in Camelan. She just wanted such a strong bodyguard because she was afraid that some underground organizations she had taken down would want to attack her. She was a little curious about what Yamashita Kanon said.

"Huh? People with other beliefs can't enter here?"

In Bai Lin's original world, while people of different faiths weren't allowed to visit someone else's "holy place," they wouldn't be strongly repulsed if they did. And since you already believed in a certain god, visiting someone else's place was probably like going to a public restroom; you didn't take their offerings seriously anyway.

"I'm just annoyed by this kind of thing. The believers here like to label people as pagans. Whether it's Sakura or Qianhong, most of the upper city has had conflicts with them. So I don't have a good impression of them, and I don't want to go into such a place."

Yamashita Kanon closed her eyes, leaned against the wall, and said as if she had a headache.

Chapter 550: Greetings

"That's it."

Bai Lin nodded, seemingly understanding, and replied, "Indeed, the level of civilization here is roughly that of the Middle Ages. Although the people are relatively enlightened, fanatics are the most common in this era."

Modern society is full of religious elements, let alone here? It is normal for a smart person like Yamashita Kanon to feel headache.

Looking at the somewhat faded bloodstains on the confession wall, Bai Lin's eyes trembled slightly, and then he did not stop and walked into the church.

-

"how's it going?"

Seeing Bai Lin walking out of the church with an anxious look on his face, Yamashita Kanon, who seemed to have been waiting for a while, asked this.

"I don't know why my...goddess isn't here. I really don't understand what's going on."

Bai Lin was a little excited and almost let it slip, but fortunately it was just two words, and no one could hear any clues if they were not listened carefully. Yamashita Kanon folded her hands and looked at Bai Lin and replied,

"Isn't this normal? The gods I believe in don't respond to every single thing. As gods, they should also have their own affairs. We should do our best and leave the rest to fate, not rely on fate itself."

"But I'm the Son of God, I'm the one chosen by God. How could you not be there when I needed you..."

Bai Lin's hands naturally covered his face, his head drooping slightly, and he wondered what he was thinking. For Bai Lin, the most urgent task was to find a way to completely kill Sheng Qili. But when he needed her guidance the most, she was not there? This timing was really a bit coincidental.

This was probably the first time that Yamashita Kanon had seen Bai Lin so upset. All along, she had only seen Bai Lin in work mode. She had never seen this brave man's words and expressions so emotional. However, this did not affect her at all. Yamashita Kanon replied in her usual calm tone,

"...Perhaps the god wants you to think for yourself, or perhaps has some other plan. I didn't notice it before, but after you entered this cathedral, this feeling has become stronger."

"Ah, what does it feel like?"

"Strictly speaking, it's a scent, the scent of the Goddess of the Wilderness. Have you passed by the Goddess of the Wilderness's ruins recently? I can smell her scent on you, almost like she left a mark on you."

Bai Lin was slightly stunned. After a short while of thinking, she followed Yamashita Kanon's words and said,

"Indeed, I have recently had some interactions with the so-called Wild God. Could it be that she is the one you believe in?"

Yamashita Kanon's expression was unaffected, she simply nodded briefly and replied,

"If you have any clues, please tell me. It might be an opportunity. After all, the Lord of the Wilderness wouldn't just target other people's followers. It's probably some kind of guidance."

Listening to the other person's words, thinking about the fan bone he carried and the image displayed by the moonlight flower, Bai Lin seemed to understand something. Maybe... he had visited the place where the wild god "died".

But can gods really die? Bai Lin was a little confused. Since his girlfriend had mysteriously disappeared, as a god, she was probably fine. He didn't need to worry about her safety, so he decided to put her aside for now. He would solve this problem of the wild god later. Maybe he could get some useful information.

"Well, let's talk about this later. Before that, I have somewhere to go."

Bai Lin's slightly anxious mood disappeared in an instant. Yamashita Kanon frowned slightly and asked doubtfully,

"Where?"

"Just meeting an old friend. You could just come with me."

And so, the two of them embarked on their journey back to Kamitlan. This time, Bai Lin's pace wasn't as brisk as before, but rather a relatively slow one, as she and Yamashita Kanon walked along. She even bought some fruit and other things along the way, seemingly wandering aimlessly. But her eyes remained fixed in the same direction, moving forward with unwavering determination towards the same destination.

Arriving in the upper city, not far from the civilian training ground, Bai Lin took off his helmet and gently knocked on the door of a small bungalow. Soon, the door was opened. The young girl with white cat ears had a faint look of sadness on her face, but more importantly, when she saw Bai Lin, there was a hint of surprise in her eyes.

"Are you...coming to see Grell?"

"Well, he's home, right?"

Compared to the other person, Bai Lin's tone was quite calm. The cat girl in front of her was naturally someone she knew. She was the more lively sister of the cat girl pair, Qinuofu. But now it seemed that she was not as lively as before.