Versatile Mage c1-2021, page 541
The Dark Execution Ground had disappeared entirely, but there was still a pool of water where the gate initially was...
No one dared to get any closer. Only Pang Lai, Song Qiming, and the others were nearby. They were still staring at the Gate of Hell that had closed up long ago in disbelief.
Suddenly, the ground turned scorching hot. A spectacular pillar of flame burst out of the black pool. The flames soared into the sky, evaporated the raindrops and split the stormy clouds in half...
The light shone upon the Citadel of Athens, bringing warmth to the drenched city!
"Is this..." Song Qiming was astounded. He stared at the flames that had appeared out of nowhere in disbelief.
The flames lasted for some time, their warm light shining down upon the area within a hundred kilometers, like a sacred ritual.
Finally, Song Qiming and Pang Lai both saw two feeble figures being sent out by the fiery pillar. It was like they had ridden the current of the flames from another plane back to this world!
"It's Mo Fan and Xinxia!" Song Qiming was the first to react.
Pang Lai was excited, and in utter disbelief, too.
Didn't they already fall into the darkness? How was it possible for them to make their way back? Where did this abnormal pillar of flames come from? It was countless times purer and stronger than the flames that Mo Fan normally had!
Pang Lai and Song Qiming had countless questions, but they had to save the two first.
Mo Fan was carrying Ye Xinxia. He landed on the ground under Song Qiming and Pang Lai's protection.
The fiery pillar slowly dissipated as soon as the two landed safely on the ground, as if it was there to escort them. The place returned to calm gradually.
Mo Fan placed Xinxia on the ground so Han Ji could treat her wounds. He walked toward the fiery pillar was.
"How did you..." Han Ji was just about to ask.
Xinxia said in a soft voice, "It was Little Flame Belle, she sacrificed her life to summon the Fire Calamity."
Pang Lai, Song Qiming, Han Ji, and Zhu Meng realized what had happened. They looked at Mo Fan's grieving back, not knowing how to comfort him.
Song Qiming was the most familiar with the Little Flame Belle. The little creature had grown up at Mo Fan's side. She was intelligent, adorable, and charming. When the old Mages could not do anything to save Mo Fan and Xinxia, it was Little Flame Belle that had sacrificed her life to save them...
---
Mo Fan reached the spot. He could feel some heat on the ground still. He saw a tiny red leaf on the ground too. It was light as a feather, and had fallen before the Calamity Fire completely disappeared.
Mo Fan cautiously reached out his hands and held the last fire leaf that Little Flame Belle had left behind preciously.
He kissed the leaf softly, yet it felt like his heart was being torn apart. It was so painful that he was struggling to breathe.
"Brother Mo Fan..." Xinxia's voice came from behind him.
Han Ji helped Xinxia over to where Mo Fan was. Xinxia placed her hands on Mo Fan's back before reaching for the fire leaf that Little Flame Belle had left behind. "Let me hold her," Xinxia said.
Mo Fan raised his head. He did not speak as he slowly handed Xinxia the fire leaf.
Xinxia held it carefully and closed her eyes.
Glowing dust like tiny crystals flew out of Xinxia's body. She was eventually shrouded by a sacred light as a blurry, godly figure appeared behind her...
Her hair slowly drifted up, revealing her perfect face. As her eyes sprang open, they looked completely different!
The girl was no doubt Xinxia, but she had such a stern expression that it felt like she had turned into a different person, especially the eyes that clearly did not belong to her!
Xinxia was glowing now, and gradually merged with the light. The others were utterly confused, but they soon heard the clear sound of a heart beating.
A small heart made of light floated out of Xinxia's c.h.e.s.t. It landed on Xinxia's hands, and the fire leaf that Little Flame Belle had left behind.
The fire leaf slowly merged with the heart of light, turning into a fruit in Xinxia's hands when the light eventually disappeared.
"It...it's the Spell of Resurrection!"
"The Spell of Resurrection!"
"She has the Spell of Resurrection!"
The light of the Spell of Resurrection was so unique that every member of the Parthenon Temple could recognize it instantly. Many Adjudicators and Guardian Knights had surrounded the place. They had witnessed Xinxia use the Spell of Resurrection in person, they had witnessed how the Soul of the Parthenon Temple had descended upon the place!
Who would have thought that the girl that was accused of being Salan, the girl that was dragged into the Realm of the Dead by Hayla, would possess the Spell of Resurrection!
The Guardian Knights initially wanted to apprehend Mo Fan and Xinxia, but they all dropped to their knees with their heads on the ground upon witnessing the scene.
The Adjudicators and the Mages of Faith half-knelt on the ground, too. The believers in the Hall of Faith were completely astounded. When some of the old believers who had seen the light of the Spell of Resurrection bowed sincerely, the rest of the believers began to kneel too!
The living had to endure the pain inflicted by death, and the only way to eliminate that pain was the Parthenon Temple's Spell of Resurrection!
---
"Brother Mo Fan, " Xinxia smiled. She never thought she would possess such power, nor had she ever been so relieved as when she had saved Little Flame Belle's life.
Mo Fan was left in awe, staring at the Calamity Fruit.
Little Flame Belle was born from a Calamity Fruit. Did that mean Xinxia's Spell of Resurrection had brought Little Flame Belle to reincarnate?
"Brother Mo Fan, she's still the same Little Flame Belle, but she needs the purest and strongest baptism of fire to be reborn," Xinxia cautiously placed the Calamity Fruit in Mo Fan's hands.
Mo Fan held the Calamity Fruit. He could feel the heat inside the Calamity Fruit, and a rhythmic pounding like the beating of a heart.
"Xinxia, you..." Mo Fan immediately realized something. He raised his head and looked at Xinxia.
Xinxia let out the purest smile and shook her head, "It's fine, we are sharing the same heart. I'm not with you always, but from today on, as long as Little Flame Belle is by your side, my heart is with you, too."
Her steps were slower. She could never catch up to Mo Fan's pace. However, the Little Flame Belle would always stay by Mo Fan's side. They would go on adventures, fight battles, share moments of joy and sorrow together… and now, she did not need to worry about Mo Fan and miss him so much.
It was the best ending that Xinxia could have hoped for!
Chapter 1189 - I Told You I'm Going to Take Your Life
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
The rain started pouring again. The petals that rose into the air were scattered by the raindrops. Not many of them were left intact.
Izisha looked down coldly from the observation tower. She was like a phantom without a spirit, she did not have the slightest living presence.
The believers were not facing her. They had placed all their attention on the girl, and were bowing to her. It meant that her plan had failed. She had failed to take out all the Saintesses, and had failed to claim the Soul of the Parthenon Temple.
The girl had obtained the approval of the Soul of the Parthenon Temple, meaning that the Soul of the Parthenon Temple would not acknowledge a new master for the next ten years. Izisha could not afford to wait another ten years!
---
Below the sacred mountain, Dulanc was hiding in a shed in low spirits. He leaned against the pillar feebly, his face contorted.
He had clearly abused his powers. The Clergyman of the Holy Judgment Court would soon arrive to sentence him. He had no chance of living without Izisha's help.
But then again, would Izisha have the power to save him?
The Soul of the Parthenon Temple had been Awakened. It had granted the girl they had accused of being Salan the Spell of Resurrection. It was a deadly blow to the people behind the conspiracy. It was impossible for them to recover now.
The whole Parthenon Temple would turn against them!
"Great Magistrate, we should leave at once. Izisha is surely going to pretend that she knows nothing, but it won't be so easy for us," Dulanc's personal bodyguard spoke up.
Dulanc gathered his thoughts. The man was right. He could not just sit here and wait for his death. There was no way Izisha would admit that she was responsible for everything that had happened. Running away was the only option he had!
Dulanc immediately fled toward the sacred mountain while everyone was bowing to the girl. He headed for the Mediterranean Sea.
Dulanc still had some connections. He believed he could easily escape the disaster that was about to befall him. He just needed time to plan for a comeback.
Dulanc and his bodyguard fled the city. They could already see the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. The city and the sacred mountain were still not in order. No one put any attention on them.
Dulanc turned around and looked at the Citadel of Athens and the sacred mountain as he felt the sea breeze.
"Great Magistrate, we have to leave now," the bodyguard prodded him.
"I can't accept it! We were so close to getting the sacred mountain under our control! It's not just the Citadel of Athens, but all of Europe too... but I have to run away like a coward now!" Dulanc snapped.
Everything had been going according to their plan. Dulanc had smelled victory the moment he cast the Dark Execution. It had guaranteed their victory in the past, taking out Wen Tai, yet to his surprise, the Dark Execution had failed this time, not to mention that it was against a young man!
-Who exactly was that Mo Fan? How could he possess such terrifying power? How did he even save her from the grasp of the God of Death!?-
"But there's nothing you can do now; if you really don't want to leave, I do have an idea," the man said.
"What? What idea!?" Dulanc was startled. He glanced at the bodyguard that had followed him for fourteen years.
The bodyguard had always been Dulanc's trusted aide. He was not the smartest, but Dulanc was very satisfied with his ability to complete the orders given to him. Dulanc was a little suspicious; even he was utterly helpless under the circ.u.mstances, how could the man come up with any brilliant plan?
The bodyguard stepped closer. He seemed rather mysterious.
Dulanc was feeling impatient. Perhaps he did have a brilliant plan?
As such, Dulanc took the initiative to step closer. However, the bodyguard suddenly stabbed Dulanc's heart with a dagger made of ice.
Dulanc did not expect the blow at all. His other men had already left when they realized the pinch they were in. They knew Dulanc was in deep trouble. The loyal bodyguard was the only person that stayed by his side, as such Dulanc trusted him even more while cursing his other men countless times.
To his surprise, the bodyguard who seemed to be ready to die for him suddenly showed his true colors. His face was full of hatred and disgust, as if he had nursed this grievance for a long time. The bodyguard's face even contorted with all the excitement he was feeling!
The dagger was made of ice. Dulanc did not die instantly from the blow. The chill was spreading from his heart to the rest of his body.
Dulanc stared at the bodyguard in disbelief. He still did not understand the reason behind it.
He heard the sound of heels tapping on rocks. Dulanc saw two legs wearing sharp heels coming toward him slowly...
Dulanc slowly lifted his gaze and saw a sharp chin and a pair of emotionless eyes.
"I said that I came to do two things, and the second thing was to take your life. Are you really that forgetful?" a cold voice said disdainfully.
Dulanc saw the woman's face. This time, it was not covered by black lace and a hat, allowing him to see her face clearly.
"It's...it's you!" Dulanc began to truly panic. It sped up the rate of his life being drained away.
"There's no reason for you to stay any longer in this world. I have already sent your family down there to wait for you. I didn't leave a single one out, including your beloved bastard," the woman said.
Dulanc totally lost his mind after hearing the words. He lunged at the cruel woman recklessly.
The woman did not move. Dulanc fell right at her toes as he totally lost all his energy to stand up properly.
Dulanc broke down mentally in an instant, his tears mixed with his snot. No one knew he had a bastard son in this world. Dulanc was extremely displeased by his daughters. None of them had inherited his wisdom and capabilities, until he surprisingly found his bastard son. Dulanc suddenly had some anticipation in his life. He even started paving a path for his son so he could inherit his power...
Dulanc had taken everything into consideration. Even if he failed, his son could still obtain great power in the future. However, Dulanc totally lost his will to live when he heard about the death of his son from Salan!
"Shi Qinghua, Essendale, and you, Dulanc… I'll leave Izisha for the lucky last," the woman said. She sounded like she was murmuring to herself.
Dulanc was already a dead man. The cold slowly took his life away. He died on a remote beach where no one would come, in ragged clothes, his face full of pain and despair...
His body would be corroded by the sea breeze and the heat of the sun. People rarely came to this place. When someone eventually discovered his corpse, they simply assumed it was the body of a victim involved in some kind of shipwreck, or someone that had been tossed into the sea...
Dulanc had thought about his death. It would surely take place in a huge church. The people would hold a great funeral, with children dressed in white clothes like angels singing for him. His descendants and his friends would be dressed in the most luxurious outfits, expressing their gratitude for the things he had done. Many powerful people would come and salute him!
It was nothing like the situation he was in now. He was forced to flee for his life in guilt and would now die a horrid death. His body would rot and stink while every single person of his family was brutally massacred!
"You have done well over these years," Salan glanced at the bodyguard, whose hands were stained with blood.
"Madam, it's the only thing I lived for since he was set up," the bodyguard replied.
"Do you have any plans after this? You can come with me if you don't," Salan said.
"I'm sorry, I can't do that; you have killed too much. I believe he wouldn't want you to do that either, so many innocent lives..." the man answered in a serious voice.
"I only gave him my promise on the condition that he stayed alive," Salan said.
"How did the girl awaken your Cardinal Blood Stone, could she be..." the man asked seriously.
The bodyguard no longer had any drive in his eyes after he took Dulanc out. However, he felt a glimpse of anticipation rising in his heart when he asked the question.
"Go ahead if you want to follow her, but we are surely going to stand on opposite sides one day, and I won't show any mercy when that happens," Salan said calmly.
"You are right, she is nothing like you. She reminded me of Master when I saw how calm she was facing the Dark Execution." The man looked relieved.
He knew how cruel and wild the woman before him was. Luckily, their daughter had inherited the personality and temperament of her father.
"That is why I didn't want to have anything to do with her."
"So you abandoned her?"
"Yeah, she would grieve for a little dragonfly for the whole day. She's kind and naive toward everyone, and I was disgusted by it. It kept reminding me of your stupid master."
"Don't describe my master like that; he was the smartest person in the world!"
"I told him I was going to kill as many people as he had saved if he died, but he still chose to die … he chose to believe in hypocrites instead of an evil but honest person like me. Isn't that stupid?"
"So you're doing all these because you hated him?"
"The people that cast the black stones were already dead in my eyes; he's the one that I truly hated."
"Madam, this is my last time calling you madam. If we are to meet after today, I'll do everything I can to take your life."
"Do as you please."
Chapter 1190 - The Final Judgment
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
Ten days later, the Citadel of Athens and the sacred mountain were still shrouded by a gloomy rain, but the crisis and the Dark Execution were finally put at an end by a fair judgment!
Two ex-Clergymen and two current Clergymen were responsible for supervising the Magistrates. They had to decide if the Magistrates had cast their votes for personal gain!
Five Magistrates who had colluded with Dulanc were busted. The rest of the Magistrates that voted with the black stones were fine, but they were still punished for not being able to assess the case objectively!
Dulanc's corpse was found two days ago. The rotten body had a great stench. However, the body was present in court. The five Magistrates standing behind the body had grim faces!
Izisha was seated on the other side. She was also being interrogated by the four Clergymen. As long as the investigation continued, her freedom had been taken away, and her role in the Parthenon Temple had been temporarily suspended too! During the trial, Izisha only had one identity: the main person suspected as being responsible for the conspiracy. Once she was found guilty, there was only one outcome: her soul would perish!
Normally, a normal person would die after being executed. However, considering that she had just come back to life, sentencing her to death would not be effective. Her soul had to perish. At that time, even the strongest evil spell could not resurrect her, nor was it possible to turn her into a living dead, or an undead. She would cease to exist in this world!
