104 Ch. 104 'The Last Breath'

Niken came down from Kazuto's back, and she felt something holding her feet as if she was descending from the air.

"There is something strange about gravity here," Niken commented excitedly.

"Welcome to Shiqu mountain." prompted Lionel. "And you are right about the gravity. It's lighter than usual, allowing you to float for a few moments if you jump high."

"Wow, that's so cool!"

"And for the time being, the white knight won't be able to find us here." after that, Lionel took out a glowing white orb from his astral dimension and threw it upwards.

Kazuto, who was still in his wolf shape, could see the orb above turned into an invisible wall surrounding the area, while Niken didn't see anything.

"Nothing happened?" Niken asked curiously.

Lionel just smiled. "Only the Elementalist knight could see the wall. By the way, Kazuto, go there. There is a hut, maybe you will find what you need."

Kazuto remained unmoved from his place.

"Even though I can't hear you, I know what you think. Don't worry, Niken will be fine. After all, the shack is not far from here, you could still see her clearly."

Kazuto snorted, then headed to the shack where indicated by Lionel.

"What does Kazuto need?"

But she had never heard the answer as a large lump of stone dashed towards her in frightening speed.

Reflexively, Niken raised her hand, hoping to hold the large stone even though it seemed impossible. She closed her eyes and anticipated the massive impact that would hit her.

One... two... three... She counted in her mind, yet nothing happened.

"Open your eyes," Lionel ordered when Niken still did not dare to open her eyes.

After a few seconds, her heartbeat began to calm down and opened her eyes. She was shocked to see what she was facing. Large boulders in front of her turned into small pebbles floating in the air. Furthermore, the flow of the air around her had changed.

"What happened?" Niken asked Lionel, who was standing some distance from her.

Lionel took a stone as big as his grip and threw it to Niken. When it came into contact with Niken's energy flow, the rock broke into the same gravel as the big stone.

"How..." Niken was stupified at the scene that happened in front of her eyes.

"You used your ability to stop time unknowingly. Your range is only small." Lionel scratched the line on the ground right in front of Niken's feet as a boundary. "This is your range zone. If I enter beyond this line, I wouldn't be able to move. On the other hand, any kind of attack that entered your area would be destroyed like this and no longer useful."

"Did I do it?" asked Niken in disbelief.

"Yes, you did it."

"Impossible. I... I couldn't deform the boulder-like this before." the pebbles suddenly fall apart as Niken's energy subside.

"Isn't she amazing?"

"..." Kazuto fell silent when he heard the compliment from Lionel for his girl. "I already knew she is undeniably remarkable. But do you have to test her unprepared like this?"

"She is your inamorata, have faith in her. Her energy cultivation is now doubled as your fusion has successfully merged. She is slightly more powerful than other Time Master. This attack is only a small advance on her." Lionel answered casually.

"If so, why couldn't she do it when that person attacks?"

"No, she couldn't. Her mo spirit was not with her. She needs a mo spirit to maintain the stability of her energy. This place could help her as this place is a substitute for the mo spirit."

Kazuto nodded as he began to understand. While Niken did not understand what they were talking about.

"What are you talking about?"

"About your mo spirit."

"I have mo spirit too?"

"The fact that you can grow up normally and healthy must be one of Liang members has made contact with your energy. The only thing to do is to forge a contract with him when he comes to see you. He should visit you once you reach sixteen, so I wonder if he survived the attack twelve years ago."

"So, there is a probability that he's not alive?"

"Don't worry, he's alive somewhere."

"How do you know that he's still alive? I don't think anyone survived the attack. You said it last time." Kazuto remembered Lionel's words at Niken's and Richard's residence.

"Yes, I did say that. Nevertheless, I remembered Ling Duan once said he felt the presence of mo spirit inside Niken's astral. It meant, her contracted mo spirit to be is still alive somewhere."

Niken looked all over her body. "I don't feel anything."

Lionel smiled again. "I don't feel anything either. Only mo spirit could sense another mo spirit."

"Wait a minute." Niken suddenly remembered something. "You said Ling Duan, could it be uncle Ling Duan?"

"Yes."

"Uncle Ling Duan is a mo spirit?"

"Yes. You don't know? I thought your mother would surely tell you about mo spirit."

"Royal mother did tell me about them, but she never told me that uncle Ling Duan is her mo spirit."

"I see. I wonder why she didn't tell you this?"

"Sir Lionel, if uncle Ling Duan is alive, is that mean, my mother is..."

"..." Lionel shut his lips, not knowing how to answer the girl's question. "I'm sorry I can't give you the right answer. For now, your mother is still alive at the same time she is not. She was barely alive and dying in an untouchable place."

"Can't we see her?"

Lionel shook his head in low-spirited.

Niken was broken-hearted, seeing his mentor's down. She really did not want to lose her loved ones again. She had hope for a while, remembering Ling Duan still alive and healthy, yet her newfound hope just crushed into nothing when she heard the news.

Seeing Niken's face, Kazuto approached him, and holding her hand gave encouragement and solace.

"Will Uncle Ling Duan be okay?"

The truth is Ling Duan pushed himself to find the whereabouts of Niken's mo spirit. He was supposed to be weakened as his master died, but he forced himself to exceed his limit. He didn't know if the old man was still alive or not since their last meeting; he sensed the irregularly tidal energy inside the old man.

Lionel was hesitant to answer. He just realized, Niken has a kind heart and loves everyone she knows. If he tells the truth, will the young girl get even more discouraged?

"He will be fine. I think he was enjoying his retirement somewhere. I don't know where he is now," somewhat he wasn't lying entirely. He did not know where Ling Duan was right now, but he was certainly not enjoying his retirement.

At this moment, Ling Duan used all his last energy to find Niken's mo spirit.

***

Ling Duan entered a cave that no one could see. He walked into a cave that was getting darker the deeper he walked. A helpless old woman was lying above the cold stone bed. Something unexpected happened when Ling Duan heard a weak voice that was very familiar, calling his name.

"Ling Duan? Is that you?"

Ling Duan was overjoyed, seeing his master awake. He knelt on one knee and bowed his head. "Yes, my queen. Ling Duan at your service."

"Did you find them? How is their condition?"

"The crown prince Xiao Yang grew up healthy and became more reliable than when he was sixteen. Even though the memory of him won't come back, I'm sure he will be fine. Princess Xiao Yue grew up into a fine lady. She looks healthy and beautiful. She inherited your stunning looks, my queen. She was gorgeous."

Queen Xiao Feng chuckled, hearing the compliment of her mo spirit weakly. Ah, she wished she could see her only daughter. Unfortunately, her time has come. 

"Then, what happens to them?"

"Since the princess's memory has returned, Princess Xiao Yue has become stronger and braver. It's just that, I still haven't found the princess' mo spirit. I'm afraid the princess wouldn't be able to withstand Muyun's offensive attack."

The lying woman just smiled. "Ah, I see."

"My queen, if you tell me who it is, I could immediately find him. Please tell me who the princess's contracted mo spirit was for Princess Xiao Yue."

"I can't Ling Duan. I promised her to keep my mouth shut until the time came. Don't worry. The woman will wake up soon. And when she wakes up, Yue'er's mo spirit will come and protect her."

"Xiao Feng..." whispered Ling Duan in a shallow voice, even so, the woman could still hear him.

"It's been a long time you haven't called my name. Looks like I can leave in peace. I have run out of time. I'm sorry, Ling Duan ... I don't think I can accompany you any longer than this."

Ling Duan kept his head down, holding back his tears.

"Goodbye." The woman whispered weakly before her last breath.

At the same time, Ling Duan's body's strength and energy evaporated from his body and disappeared. He felt his body had drained to the point he couldn't move a muscle, yet he struggles to hold on his life. There was one last thing he had to do before leaving this world for good.

Ling Duan gathered all of his remaining strength and controlled the elements around him to create a familiar spirit in the form of a bird. Then the bird flew to somewhere.

As soon as the bird disappeared from his sights, Ling Duan finally breathes his last breath.