"Before we were born..."
Feng Yan's voice was calm.
But as these words fell, the newly born world she had created with her mind seemed to have even the wind stop still.
In the air, an invisible layer of gloom quietly spread.
Lin Qingyue keenly captured this change.
It seemed that for Celestial Gods like Feng Yan, the term "Ancient God" was also a taboo.
"Sorry."
Lin Qingyue spoke, her voice breaking the dead silence.
"I made you remember something bad."
Feng Yan slowly came back to her senses and shook her head at her.
Under the calmness on her face was a solemnity that could not be completely dispelled.
"It is no matter."
"You helped me unravel my heart's knot, I will naturally speak everything I know."
Her gaze was clear, looking directly at Lin Qingyue.
"This is both a thank-you and... a warning."
Feng Yan gently waved her hand.
The light flames flowed in front of her, and two prayer mats materialized out of thin air beside Lin Qingyue's sandalwood tea table.
She sat down first, making a "please" gesture to Lin Qingyue in an elegant posture.
Lin Qingyue did not stand on ceremony and sat cross-legged in front of her.
"This continent is now jointly guarded by the four of us Celestial Gods, corresponding to the four cardinal directions of the Four Symbols."
Feng Yan's voice sounded again, as if she were unveiling a secret history completely buried by time.
"I am the Vermilion Bird of the South, governing fire and rebirth. As you have seen, my temper is not very good, and I tend to get stuck in dead ends."
She actually offered a candid self-deprecating remark, a relieved smile of having survived a disaster flitting through her clear eyes.
"Besides me, there are three others."
"The Azure Dragon of the East governs wood and vitality. He is the oldest and most learned among the four of us... an old fossil."
"The continent's chronicles were written almost right under his nose. When it comes to this place's history, no one is more well-informed than He."
"The White Tiger of the West governs metal and slaughter, a complete battle maniac."
Feng Yan's tone became somewhat subtle.
"He has been stationed in the Endless Battlefield in the west of the continent for years, suppressing the monsters emerging from the spatial rifts. You had better pray not to meet Him when He is in a bad mood."
"The Black Tortoise of the North governs water and defense, with the calmest temperament."
She paused, as if searching for a suitable word.
"Or rather... the most silent."
"He guards the Sea of Guixu in the north. It is said that He hasn't moved from His spot for thousands of years, spending most of His time sleeping."
"Trying to get anything out of Him is harder than making the White Tiger put down His weapon."
With just a few words, the images of the other three Celestial Gods took shape vividly in Lin Qingyue's mind.
She listened with great relish.
Well, this was first-hand gossip about the gods, worth its weight in gold.
"The four of us have an unwritten rule: king does not meet king," Feng Yan continued.
"Each of us guards a different region, and we do not interfere with one another. First, it's to avoid clashes between our Divine Power, which could trigger anomalies in heaven and earth."
"Second... it's because our temperaments just don't get along."
She admitted, "I am the most 'explosive' and 'direct' one among them, so my trial was the simplest and most straightforward: either defeat me in a fight, or convince me."
"I'm lucky you chose the latter."
"As for the other three..."
Feng Yan's expression grew even stranger.
"The Azure Dragon considers Himself exceptionally noble and aloof, with so many rules they could fill an entire mountain. The White Tiger believes power is everything, and if you try to reason with him, he'll explain physics to you with his fists. And the Black Tortoise... you'd probably have to find a way to prove you aren't just a part of His dream first."
After hearing this, the corner of Lin Qingyue's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
These weren't the Four Celestial Gods.
They were clearly four different kinds of eccentrics.
An ultimate old antique, a violent battle maniac, and a ten-thousand-year-old shut-in.
Adding in this "retired" Big Sis who explodes at the slightest provocation.
This Celestial God F4 Group truly consisted of a hidden dragon and a crouching phoenix, each one more formidable than the last.
The difficulty of this Dungeon called the "Shadow of the Ancient God" was probably beyond imagination.
"Since that's the case," Lin Qingyue suppressed her urge to complain, grasping the key point.
"The most likely person to know the secrets of the 'Ancient God' would be that most senior and learned Senior Azure Dragon?"
"Correct."
Feng Yan nodded, her expression returning to seriousness.
"When it comes to the history of this land, no one knows it better than he does. He guards the authority of 'Vitality'; no abnormal withering or decay escapes his senses."
"If any foreign entity were to invade, he would absolutely be the first to notice."
She looked at Lin Qingyue, her clear eyes holding a well-meaning warning.
"He dwells in the 'Forest of Jianmu' at the easternmost edge. But you must be mentally prepared; his stubbornness is far beyond your imagination."
"Getting him to speak is likely harder than shattering my despair."
A brand new and extremely challenging mission objective was thus placed before Lin Qingyue.
To pry open the mouth of a God who had lived for countless ages and possessed an absolutely stubborn personality.
This difficulty was far greater than providing psychological counseling for Feng Yan.
Lin Qingyue nodded, committing the keywords "Forest of Jianmu" and "Old Stubborn Azure Dragon" to memory.
Just as she was pondering how to win over that Old Sir Azure Dragon, Feng Yan's gaze suddenly sharpened.
Her eyes fixed on the adventurer's backpack at Lin Qingyue's waist.
More accurately, they rested on the feather in the side pocket, which was faintly emitting a fiery glow.
It was a feather she had shed during one of her unconscious fits of Wrath.
"This thing will be even more useful to you."
Feng Yan looked at the feather, a trace of relief flashing in her eyes.
Everything from the past should be let go.
She extended a fair, jade-like finger and pointed remotely at the feather.
A wisp of pure golden Divine Fire, devoid of any scorching heat or destructive aura, escaped her fingertip.
It transformed into a living golden bird, silently merging into that Vermilion Bird Fire Feather.
Screech—!
A high-pitched, clear phoenix cry exploded in the depths of Lin Qingyue's soul!
The feather, which had only been faintly glowing red, instantly erupted with golden light as dazzling as the sun!
The feather's shape remained unchanged, but the aura flowing upon it transformed into a magnificent, molten-gold liquid.
Each strand of the feather seemed to contain a miniature star, brimming with boundless life and the power of flames!
Lin Qingyue's profession panel frantically updated at the same time.
[ Your item "Vermilion Bird Fire Feather" is undergoing a qualitative change... ]
[ The item has received the Divine Power Blessing of the "Vermilion Bird of Rebirth"! ]
[ Quality has been upgraded from "Legendary" to "Mythic"! ]
[ The item has been renamed to "Blessed Fire Feather of the Vermilion Bird"! ]
Finally, a brand-new attribute panel was clearly presented before her eyes.
[ Blessed Fire Feather of the Vermilion Bird ]
[ Quality: Mythic ]
[ Slot: Accessory ]
[ Attributes: Intelligence +150, Faith +100 ]
[ Special Effect 1: Embrace of the Fire Phoenix. Fire Element Resistance +50%, Fire Element magic-related effects increased by 50%. ]
[ Special Effect 2: Undying Flame. When taking fatal damage, the Fire Feather will automatically activate, renewing 50% of your Health and dealing a powerful fire shock to surrounding enemies. Cooldown: 72 hours. ]
[ Description: A feather of the legendary Divine Beast, the Vermilion Bird. It carries the wrath and rebirth of an ancient Deity, and finally transformed into a pure blessing. ]
[ Note: It has sensed an aura of the same source on you; the special effects spread, taking effect on the entire team. ]
This...
This wasn't a simple equipment upgrade anymore, this was a complete transformation!
"This... is way too precious."
Lin Qingyue felt unusually embarrassed.
"It's not too precious."
Feng Yan shook her head, a gentle smile on her face.
"You helped me find a new 'Path'. This is far beyond what a mere external item can measure."
Her gaze was clear, yet it saw far into the future.
"This is both a gift of thanks and an investment."
Then, her tone shifted, tinged with the playfulness of a newly reborn young girl.
"What you will face next are my three old colleagues, as well as that unknown 'Ancient God'."
"The stronger you are, the greater the chance of solving the problem. I don't want to have just 'retired', only to turn around and find the place I'm supposed to spend my retirement has been overturned."
These words, spoken with both sincerity and wit, left Lin Qingyue with no reason to refuse.
She solemnly donned the brand-new Mythic Fire Feather.
A warmth originating from her soul immediately spread throughout her entire body, as if she were immersed in the light of a newborn sun.
"Then, it is time to leave this unpleasant place."
Feng Yan glanced around the newborn world she had personally created, her eyes showing no hint of lingering attachment.
The past was already gone.
New life awaited outside.