Chapter 41: A Spark in the Night
As for me… I also obtained an External Spirit Bone — the Dark Gold Terror Claw from the Bear Lord, which became the second spirit ring for my Original Body Spirit.
The Tortoise then became the third spirit ring.
Even so… I still retained both the Myriad Demon King and the Crimson King within me.
As for the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, my relationship with Wang Qiu'er had greatly improved during this period.
I spoke with her often, strengthening our bond bit by bit.
When she met Wang Dong'er for the first time, she was utterly shocked!
The two of them looked almost identical, like perfect reflections of one another.
But after I explained the truth to her, she quietly accepted it without complaint.
Wang Dong'er told me that she didn't need the spiritual fragment that resided within Wang Qiu'er, and that she would treat her as an older sister instead.
From that moment, their relationship became incredibly close—closer than ever before.
After spending some wonderful time with my women, I decided to travel to the DxD world.
At that moment, I closed my eyes and began transmitting the coordinates and commands to the Gate of Space and Time.
Instantly, and without the slightest tremor or resistance, the transition was smooth—almost imperceptible.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in the world of High School DxD.
The current timeline… was over six years before the beginning of the original story.
I briefly thought about taking the girls out shopping—
but after some consideration, I realized it would be pointless.
They came from the DOULUO World, from the unmatched Era of the Tang Sect…
a realm far more advanced than DxD in every aspect.
Nothing in this world would likely catch their interest.
So, I dismissed the idea altogether.
I then set my eyes on a new goal:
to find Akeno Himejima.
I'd overheard a group of people whispering about a young girl being hunted—a half-blood, from the Himejima Clan.
...
After Ji Lin finished his meditation and set his new goal, a day later, he was walking through the dense forest on the outskirts of this strange world.
The trees here intertwined like walls of shadows, and the mist slithered between them like the breath of an unseen creature watching his every move.
He stopped abruptly.
From afar, he heard a faint sound—ragged breathing accompanied by the uneven crunch of trembling footsteps over dry leaves.
Ji Lin's brows furrowed. He turned toward the sound and followed it carefully, his steps silent.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
It was the voice of a young girl forcing her way through the thick shrubs. Her chest heaved violently with each breath, her legs trembling uncontrollably.
Every few steps, she looked back with terrified eyes—haunted by a shadow that pursued her without mercy.
She couldn't have been more than ten or eleven years old.
Her limbs were thin, her frail body nearly breaking under exhaustion. Torn clothes clung loosely to her trembling frame.
Her dark hair was tied in a hasty knot, strands sticking to her dirt- and tear-streaked face.
Then suddenly—
Fweeee!
A piercing whistle shattered the night's stillness.
A fireball shot through the darkness and exploded beside her, scattering waves of heat and dirt, slamming her harshly to the ground!
The girl screamed, her small body trembling from the searing pain that shot through her bones.
"You have nowhere left to run. Surrender!"
From within the shadows, several figures emerged—clad in dark robes.
Spirit Exorcists—surrounding her like wraiths, their faces expressionless, eyes cold as ice.
The girl lifted her head with difficulty, her eyes trembling in fear… yet deep within them flickered a stubborn spark of defiance.
She cried out, her voice shaking: Why… why are you doing this to me?! I haven't hurt anyone!"
One of the exorcists stepped forward, his voice heavy with contempt, as if pronouncing a final judgment: Perhaps you haven't committed a crime… but those black wings of yours—are your greatest sin."
The others exchanged grim looks.
Then he continued coldly: To bear the blood of the Fallen… what a tragedy. There is no escape for you… You must be purified."
"Forgive us, little one… you were never meant for this world."
Their eyes were filled with pity—yet their hands had never known mercy.
Bloodlines… always the bloodlines.
The girl bit her lip until she tasted iron.
Everyone despised her for what flowed in her veins… and sometimes, even she despised it.
That cursed blood.
If it didn't run through her body… perhaps her mother would still be alive.
But even as hatred for herself burned within, she refused to die.
As long as she lived, she was the only proof her mother had ever existed.
She raised her trembling wrist, and from her torn sleeve erupted a faint pulse of demonic energy—wrapping around her like a fragile shield.
Then, from her trembling core, rings of crimson flame burst forth, surging toward the Spirit Exorcists.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The explosions echoed through the forest, painting the night with dancing tongues of scarlet fire.
The girl seized the moment—her black wings exploded from her back, spreading wide and shadowing the moonlight.
She leapt upward, desperate to break through the darkness…
But—
CRACK!
Lightning split the heavens and struck her square in the chest.
A searing pain ripped through her body, and she fell—like a wilted flower beneath an unrelenting storm.
Even her inner spirits crumbled, crushed beneath the backlash of the exorcists' spell.
Her breath came ragged and shallow; her chest rose and fell with muffled groans,every gasp scraping against the edges of death.
"To wield tainted power… and carry filthy blood like that—
Go to hell and repent, spawn of the fallen!"
Their faces were carved from stone, their eyes cold as ancient ice.
The Spirit Exorcists raised their hands in unison.
The final strike was about to be unleashed.
The girl closed her eyes, a faint smile trembling on her lips.
She whispered through the blood in her throat:
"Mother…"
Perhaps… it was fine to end it here—to die at the hands of those who called themselves righteous.
At least then… she might see her mother again.
But before the void could claim her—
A strange sound tore through the silence of the night.
A sudden gust swept the clearing, freezing everything in place.
The trees stopped swaying.
The air itself grew still—as if time had forgotten how to breathe.
"Who's there?!"
The exorcist captain snarled, his pupils narrowing to sharp slits.
All eyes turned toward the darkness.
Leaves rustled and fell…
And from between the shadows, a boy stepped out.
Ji Lin.
Who are you, boy? And why interfere?!
The captain's voice dripped with suspicion and threat.
This world was crawling with strange powers,and for a young man to appear at such a moment—it could only mean he wasn't ordinary.
Ji Lin's reply came calm and steady,his expression confident, almost serene.
Who I am… doesn't matter.
But could you let the girl go?
Three scarlet spirit rings rose beneath his feet,shimmering with a crimson radiance that bled through the mist.
He stood firm between the girl and the Spirit Exorcists,
his presence like a wall of burning resolve.
The captain's tone grew colder.
"Do you even know what she is?"
Ji Lin smiled faintly, a quiet light blazing in his eyes—She's just a scared little girl…Can't you see? Look at her—she's beautiful.
She doesn't need your judgment…she needs to live."
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Hello, dear readers,
I have some wonderful news for you!
I've decided to improve the first chapters
by revising and refining the language to make them smoother and more polished.