Inazuma, Grand Narukami Shrine, the branches and leaves of the Sakura Tree are lush and swaying in the wind.
Everyone was a little stunned. From this suddenly appearing tree, they felt a true aura.
Kitsune Saigu stepped forward a few paces, gently placed her hand on the Sakura Tree, and slowly closed her eyes.
As power was infused.
She could feel a familiar and special power contained within the Sakura Tree.
This power connected all the Thunder Sakura trees on the land of Inazuma.
Suddenly, a gentle voice came from behind her.
"Kitsune Saigu."
"Makoto!"
This familiar voice made Kitsune Saigu's eyes snap open, and she looked towards the source of the voice.
She was now in an unknown space, and there was no real figure at the place where the voice came from.
There was only a glowing purple energy sphere.
However, even so, Kitsune Saigu understood that the person before her was Makoto, or a remnant of Makoto's consciousness.
"Kitsune Saigu, time is limited, please listen quietly until I finish. This Sakura Tree before you has the power to ward off evil and purify the ley lines..."
Kitsune Saigu did not interrupt, but listened attentively until the end...
"Alright, that's all, Kitsune Saigu. I'll leave the future matters to you."
"Makoto, Ling... has returned."
Makoto was silent for a moment.
"That's wonderful, after a thousand years, that scoundrel is finally back..."
Makoto's tone carried happiness and joy, as well as... regret.
"He is dead."
Kitsune Saigu did not choose to conceal it, and told them the "news" of Ling Feng's death.
"How... could it be."
Makoto felt as if struck by five thunderbolts, trembling.
"Ling... he turned his own life into flames and dispelled the darkness that enveloped Inazuma."
"Everyone was saved, only he..."
Kitsune Saigu's body trembled slightly as she said this, clenching her fist.
Ling Feng's "death" made them all feel ashamed and regretful.
Ling Feng was not from their world, and he had only just returned...
But for them, he exchanged his life for their hope of survival.
"This idiot..."
"Kitsune Saigu, I'll entrust the future to you..."
As Makoto's voice fell, the scene before Kitsune Saigu dissipated like mist, and her vision returned to the Sakura Tree.
Kitsune Saigu's eyes were complex. Of the Six Foremost, only four remained.
She did not know that, on their original destined path, only Ei would remain in the end.
Ling Feng's arrival had allowed those who should have died to survive in the end.
Kitsune Saigu turned around and relayed Makoto's "last words" to everyone.
And at this moment, Ei, filled with unease, was on her way back to Inazuma.
The closer she got to Inazuma, the more uneasy she felt.
By the time Ei finally returned to Inazuma, the darkness had dissipated, but Narukami Island was in ruins everywhere.
Ei clutched her chest, feeling a suffocating tightness and discomfort.
"Ling..."
A streak of purple light tore through the sky, rapidly flying towards Ei Shogunate, which was enveloped by a golden protective barrier.
On Mt. Yougou, Sasayuri and the others fell into silence after hearing Kitsune Saigu's words.
This time, Inazuma had suffered immense losses, a deity had fallen, and the land was almost crippled.
It would likely take a considerable amount of time to recover.
However, even if they could recover, those who had passed away, the warriors, would not return.
Yae looked at the glowing Kanzan Fan in her hand, recalling Ling Feng's words when he entrusted it to her.
She tightened her grip on the Kanzan Fan.
Yae opened the Kanzan Fan, and with a thought, the protective barrier around Mt. Yougou slowly disappeared.
A moment later, a graceful figure landed.
"Ei, you're back."
Ei ignored Sasayuri's words, her anxious gaze sweeping over everyone present.
Everyone was safe, which gave her a slight sense of relief.
Sasayuri, Kitsune Saigu, Chiyo, Yae, ...
Ling Feng wasn't here!?
Ei's pupils constricted, her whole body trembled, and she anxiously asked about Ling Feng's whereabouts.
She still held a sliver of hope, desperately wishing to hear from Kitsune Saigu and the others that Ling Feng was alright.
Perhaps he was just organizing soldiers or doing something else.
But, Ei scanned the surroundings.
Everyone had a look of sorrow, avoiding her gaze, not daring to meet her eyes.
Although Kitsune Saigu and the others remained silent, Ei already understood in her heart.
But Ei remained silent, waiting quietly, longing for a miracle.
After a long while, Kitsune Saigu sighed and spoke.
"Ei... Ling... he... sacrificed himself to save Inazuma."
Ei felt as if struck by lightning, staggering back a few steps, her head lowering in a daze.
Even though she had been prepared, hearing it truly now.
Ei still couldn't believe it, no, she didn't want to believe this fact.
Ei blankly raised her hand.
The past memories of their life together flashed through her mind, along with Ling Feng's final promise.
The wooden Ei's lips trembled slightly, her teeth grinding.
A moment later, a tear slowly traced down her cheek and gently dripped onto the ground.
"Liar..."
"You promised to live well..."
"You promised we'd go to our usual spot to play together..."
"You promised you'd be responsible for me!"
"Ling Feng! You're a liar!"
Ei cried out in anger.
Losing two of the most important people in such a short time, Ei's heart plunged into the abyss.
Above, dark clouds gathered, and heavy raindrops fell, hitting everyone.
Yae stood in the rain, her ears drooping.
Suddenly, the Kanzan Fan glowed, broke free from Yae's hand, and floated in the air.
"Ei, Inu-ko,臭狐狸, Chiyo, Yae."
Ei and the others: !!!
This familiar voice made Ei and the others tremble violently, and they looked up excitedly.
In mid-air, the Kanzan Fan unfolded, and a beam of light shone onto the ground. A translucent Ling Feng stood among everyone.
"Ling!"
Ei couldn't control her excitement and lunged towards Ling Feng, but she passed right through him.
Ei turned her head, her pupils trembling.
"How can it be? Why can't I touch him?"
As if sensing Ei's confusion, Ling Feng turned around, looked at everyone, and smiled slightly.
"I'm sorry, everyone. If you are seeing me now, it means... I have 'died'."
"This is just a recording of me left in the Kanzan Fan. Please listen quietly."
"Actually, I had predicted that I might die during this crisis in Inazuma."
"Don't worry, everyone, I haven't truly died."
Hearing this, Ei and the others were stunned.
Not truly dead?
"I'll tell you the truth. Actually, when I left a thousand years ago, I didn't return to my own world. Instead, I traversed through time and space to arrive at the present."
"Because the situation was urgent, I didn't have much time to explain all of this to you."
"Therefore, I left this 'last words' recording."
"Ei, if you and Makoto had returned together, that would have been truly wonderful."
"If not, don't worry. In the future, I will bring her back with me."
"Until then, Inazuma is entrusted to you, Ei. Makoto and I both believe you can manage Inazuma well."
"Everyone, if you meet me in the future, please don't immediately acknowledge me, especially Kitsune Saigu, Chiyo, and Inu-ko. Do not even meet me. Wait for me... to find you."
"The specific reason, I cannot tell you for now."
"Things will develop as they are meant to. There's no need to worry, just wait."
"Therefore, we will ultimately reunite, but not here, not now."
"So, Inazuma is entrusted to all of you."
As Ling Feng's last words finished, the image disappeared, and the light from the Kanzan Fan faded, falling from the sky.
Seeing this, Yae quickly reached out and caught the Kanzan Fan.
As for Ei, she remained silent after watching Ling Feng's recording.
The others were also silent.
They didn't know if this was Ling Feng's truth or words of comfort to ease their sorrow.
After all, they had clearly witnessed the deaths of Ling Feng and Makoto.
After a long while.
Ei wiped away her tears fiercely, straightened her expression, and walked down the mountain.
Regardless of whether it was true or not.
"I will inherit the will of my sister and Ling, and lead Inazuma towards eternity!"
...
Chihaya Academy, Ling Feng, who was packing his things, suddenly sneezed, and a white liquid dripped from his nostrils.
Ling Feng quickly pulled out a few sheets of paper from his desk and wiped his nose.
"Ah, much better."
Really, it must be Sagiri that guy cursing him behind his back!
"Onii-chan."
"Holy crap, Mirai, you scared me."
Ling Feng was startled by Mirai, who suddenly appeared from behind him.
This Mirai is getting more and more mischievous!
"Hehe, the appointment time with Sagiri-chan is almost here. Let's hurry and find her for lunch."
Hearing this, Ling Feng rubbed his nose and looked up at the clock on the classroom wall.
Indeed, it was noon.
Now, besides the two of them, everyone else in the class had already left.
"Let's go, let's go find Sagiri."
Afterward, Ling Feng took Mirai and found Sagiri, who had been waiting for a long time, on the school's track and field.
As soon as Sagiri saw Ling Feng and the other two, she kept complaining about being hungry.
Ling Feng gave Sagiri a disdainful look.
A cultivator in the Golden Core stage, and you're hungry?
What kind of cosmic joke is this.
However, he didn't keep Sagiri waiting long. Ling Feng took the two of them to the rooftop of the junior high school building, avoiding pedestrians.
With two beautiful girls by his side, Ling Feng didn't want to go to the cafeteria, as it would easily lead to him being "targeted" and make him uncomfortable.
There were fewer people on the rooftop, and it was quiet and free.
The three sat in a shady spot, and Ling Feng conjured three lunchboxes out of thin air.
At Chihaya Academy, you could choose to eat in the cafeteria, bring your own food, or buy bread from the convenience store.
For some reason, most students didn't like going to the cafeteria.
Most of them brought their own meals, followed by buying bread from the convenience store.
Back when he was in junior high and high school, as soon as school ended, everyone would rush to the cafeteria like zombies, running like Bolt.
They weren't even that motivated during PE class runs.
Although he was part of the zombie army back then.
But if he was slow, the line would stretch for miles, and the dishes would be gone in a flash, with no good food left.
Sometimes, even the rice would be gone.
Terrifying, terrifying.
Sagiri eagerly opened the lunchbox she took from Ling Feng.
Immediately, without the lid's obstruction, the aroma of the food gushed out like a volcanic eruption, spreading everywhere.
After years of cooking, Ling Feng's culinary skills were now comparable to Xiangling's.
Sagiri sniffed the aroma of the food in the air, her sky-blue eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but swallow.
"I'm going to eat!"
Sagiri exclaimed excitedly.
Without another word, she picked up a fragrant piece of fried tofu and put it in her mouth.
Mmm...
Delicious!
Sagiri's mouth moved like a hamster, and her face was filled with satisfaction.
Although she was now a Golden Core cultivator and didn't need to eat, she still habitually ate three meals a day.
Enjoying delicious food was also a kind of happiness!
Ling Feng's mouth twitched.
Exaggerating!
His cooking was still not up to par, after all, he couldn't make the food glow and burst out of his clothes with deliciousness.
Then he would still be just an ordinary cook.
Compared to Sagiri, Mirai was much more lady-like, picking up a small piece and putting it in her mouth, savoring it carefully.
Ling Feng turned to look at Sagiri, who was lost in the enjoyment of her food, shook his head helplessly, and asked.
"Sagiri, how does it feel to be back in school?"
"It's not bad. I've made some good friends in class. Some of them are from the art club, and we have things to talk about. I plan to apply to join the art club after school this afternoon."
Sagiri replied with a smile, and it was clear that she was in a good mood.
"That's good. I thought you might not adapt since you haven't been to school for a long time."
Due to some incidents, Sagiri had stayed at home for several years and hadn't even finished elementary school. She skipped directly to junior high.
Ling Feng wasn't worried about her grades, but about her social life.
Even though he had healed some of her social anxiety through special means, she was still very afraid of interacting with strangers.
However, seeing that Sagiri was fine, Ling Feng was relieved.
As for joining a club, go ahead, it's a hobby.
After eating, the three of them took a short nap and then returned to their respective classes.
Back in the classroom, Ling Feng found Mei already sitting at her desk, with her homework spread out.
Truly a good student, so diligent.
In the afternoon, after the third class ended, Ling Feng was about to go home, but the class monitor suddenly walked over.
"Ling Feng-kun, wait. Today, you and Raiden-san are on duty."
"Huh?"
Ling Feng was stunned and looked at Mei, his deskmate, beside him.
Since they had to stay to clean, they had to wait until everyone else had left.
"Alright, I have no problem. Mirai, is it okay for you to go home by yourself first?"
Ling Feng asked, looking at Mirai, who was waiting nearby.
Mirai nodded and said "Okay".
"Ling Feng-kun, you should cherish this opportunity. Many people wanted to help Mei-san before, but she refused, calling it troublesome."
The class monitor said with a smile, then left with her friends.
Ling Feng sat on his stool and continued reading his history book.
He had basically finished reading a history book and had learned a lot about the history of this world.
"Ling Feng-kun, everyone has left. It's time for us to do our cleaning."
Ling Feng was engrossed in his reading when Mei called out. He snapped back to attention and looked around the classroom.
Indeed, there was no one else.
"Sorry, I was engrossed in my book."
Ling Feng smiled apologetically, closed the book, put it in his desk, and went to get the broom to start cleaning.
"Ling Feng-kun, you seem to like history?"
"Yes, history is quite interesting."