LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 401: Reaching Mount Taixu
Lost in her memories, the buried grief of twenty years resurfaced, threatening to overwhelm Bernice. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her head.
"[Bernice] means 'bringer of victory'."
Kiana's voice, soft and reassuring, reached her ears.
"Ren told me that a person's true name is a precious treasure. Your father must have been a remarkable man, giving you this name with his deepest blessings."
"Perhaps it was his blessing that allowed us to survive Coral Island and the airport incident."
Kiana's gentle words soothed Bernice's aching heart.
She looked up at the girl, younger than herself, her clear blue eyes radiating warmth. A sense of healing washed over her.
Her fatigue and sadness dissipated like clouds in the wind.
Tears flowed down Bernice's cheeks, gently wiped away by Kiana.
"Thank you." Her voice was hoarse.
Kiana had saved her life twice, and now, unknowingly, she'd saved her soul.
To Bernice, Kiana was a true savior.
From this moment on, Kiana's name would be etched in her memory.
In this broken world, God can't save us, but I believe she can. Bernice didn't speak the words aloud, but they became a silent prayer.
"Your order~"
The enthusiastic owner arrived with three steaming bowls of noodles. Bernice quickly composed herself, and Ren steered the conversation away from her past.
They ate like ordinary friends, chatting casually.
Ren didn't eat. Kiana ate two bowls.
Bernice insisted on paying, thanking them again before leaving them alone.
She'd intended to tell Kiana about Schicksal covering up the truth of Coral Island, but decided against it.
"Some chase wealth, others fame, but for her, those things don't matter."
Remembering Kiana standing beside Ren, Bernice smiled. "At least my savior has something more precious."
With her heart at peace, Bernice boarded the bus to her hometown, Kiana's words rekindling her longing for her mother.
Hiss
The bus stopped. Bernice stepped off, gazing at the familiar scenery.
"Nothing's changed. I wonder if Mom..."
Whispers reached her ears.
"Is that her?"
"Must be. Look at her clothes. Only those kinds of people dress like that."
"Hahaha, I told you. Just like her mother. The daughter will only..."
Their cruel words pierced Bernice's heart, shattering the fragile peace Kiana had restored.
She looked up, meeting their judging eyes, like leering demons.
"No… no..."
Her hands trembled. The healing warmth vanished, replaced by a familiar coldness.
...
"Oops, almost got caught."
After Bernice and Kiana left, the street returned to its usual calm. No one noticed the figure materializing in the shadows.
It watched Kiana and Ren walk away, then took out a file, scribbling something on it.
"Artificial stigmata, such flawed technology. Once it goes haywire, death is almost certain. Stabilizing a B-rank Valkyrie's out-of-control stigmata, perfectly absorbing and repairing the damage in such a short time…"
"Tsk, even the lab rats can't do that."
"Combat strength rivaling a full-fledged Herrscher, connections to the Obsidian Concord, and such efficient Honkai suppression abilities… intriguing. But even more interesting is his closeness to the Herrscher of Void. Mutual admiration between monsters, perhaps?"
The figure lowered its pen, a playful smirk on its face.
It stepped forward, and sunlight filtering through the eaves revealed its features.
Short gray hair, gray eyes, and—a face identical to Ren's.
"After all… one's a Herrscher, the other, practically dead. A perfect match, wouldn't you say?"
...
"..."
"What's wrong?" Kiana asked.
"Nothing. I thought someone was watching us." Ren looked back.
"With so many people on the street, it's not surprising."
"True."
"We're here." Kiana stopped. Ren followed her gaze, a towering mountain filling his vision.
It pierced the sky, its cliffs and jagged peaks a testament to nature's raw power. Its sheer scale was awe-inspiring.
Of the Five Great Mountains, I alone am revered.
"This is Mount Taixu."
Mist clung to the mountainside. Kiana inhaled deeply, sensing the weight of millennia.
"This is where Sempai lived."
She approached the cliff face, touching the sharp rock, her gaze following the narrow path upwards, where stone steps snaked towards the summit.
"Let's go."
They ascended the misty path, the calls of unseen birds echoing around them.
"The Honkai energy concentration is abnormally high," Kiana frowned, realizing the bird calls were echoes. Mount Taixu was eerily silent.
"Perhaps Fu Hua left something behind."
"I hope so."
They climbed the steep steps, reaching a wide platform halfway up the mountain. A faint black and white taijitu was visible at its center.
Kiana recognized it. It was identical to the mindscape Fu Hua had created during her training in ARC City.
"This is the Taixu Sect's training ground."
It wasn't Kiana who spoke. Ren looked up. A woman with long brown hair, dressed in white, stood nearby, sweeping fallen leaves with a straw broom.