# 917
Chapter 917: Jialan and Merlin
The countless stars scattered across the dome had all gone out, the flowing aurora river had vanished without a trace, and the temple hall, deprived of all light sources, fell into darkness.
The magic circle beneath Merlin's feet crumbled inch by inch. His figure swayed, steadying his tottering body with some difficulty. An uncontrollable flush of crimson dyed his eyes.
Endless whispers疯狂地在他的脑海中回荡。
He furrowed his brows, pressing his right hand gently near his temple, as if struggling desperately. After a long while, that trace of red finally faded. He lowered his hand, his brow creased with unprecedented exhaustion.
"Uncle Merlin? Are you alright?" Jialan steadied Lin Qiye. Noticing Merlin's anguished expression in the distance, she asked with concern.
"I'm fine……"
Merlin waved his hand, glancing at Lin Qiye lying quietly on the ground. "His body is overflowing with faith power. The seal hasn't been fully absorbed yet. Don't move his body arbitrarily. Let him adapt slowly."
"Okay." Jialan nodded repeatedly.
Merlin took a deep breath, walked through the temple hall, and pushed open the gate.
Creak——!
The low, resonant sound of the gate opening echoed through the empty temple hall. Cloaked in a deep blue magical robe, Merlin stepped onto the open ground outside the temple, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings as if examining something.
A moment later, he raised his magical staff. A purple and a green magic circle rapidly took shape beneath his feet, intertwining into two distinct mysterious patterns.
Inside the temple, Jialan, who was keeping watch beside Lin Qiye, saw this scene and confusion flickered across her eyes.
"Uncle Merlin, wasn't the faith power already sealed? Why are you still drawing magic circles?"
Merlin stood in the center of the gradually forming magic circles and smiled. "This is a different set of magic circles."
"For what purpose?"
"The green one is used to temporarily conceal the aura of the faith power. Since this faith power has been poured into Lord Qiye's body, it will inevitably enrage the sanity-lacking Susanoo into a frenzy of pursuit. We need this formation to buy us some time……
As for the purple one, that's a secret for now."
Watching the smile on Merlin's face, Jialan stuck out her tongue.
Before the temple, mystical magical energy diffused through the air. Beside the unconscious Lin Qiye, Jialan quietly watched Merlin, while Merlin gazed down at the magic circles beneath his feet. The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
Under the red moon, a gentle breeze brushed past the wind chimes on the temple eaves, producing clear, tinkling sounds.
"Little girl." Merlin spoke suddenly.
"Hmm?"
"Just who are you?"
Jialan looked at Merlin, blinking her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"To be honest, it's rather embarrassing." Merlin sighed helplessly. "These eyes of mine that peer into destiny can see through the truth of Takamagahara's destruction, can see through the因果 relationships after timeline disturbances, can discern the scheming between the two major divine systems behind this catastrophe……
But today, two things suddenly appeared that I cannot see through.
One is the mysterious existence that protected Yata Mirror from the red moon's corruption; the other……is you."
Merlin raised his head. Those star-traced eyes calmly gazed into Jialan's.
"Your fate trajectory over the past three years is clearly visible. But apart from that, whether looking forward into future predictions or tracing back through the millennia, it's all Chaos……Just who are you? What happened in your past?"
Her long black hair tied with a red cord hung loosely behind Jialan. She raised her gaze to the swaying wind chimes on the eaves and smiled faintly.
"I shall keep that a secret for now as well."
Merlin's expression turned bitter. He shook his head helplessly. "For a mage who has spent his entire life pursuing truth and wisdom, there is nothing more torturing than an unknown mystery……How about this—I tell you the function of this magic circle, and you tell me your past?"
"No."
"……Very well, let me ask a different question then." Merlin extended his hand, pointing to Lin Qiye, who was still unconscious. "Why did you approach him?"
"Because of love."
"I'm asking very seriously."
"And I'm answering very seriously."
"You've lived for over a thousand years."
"So what?"
"How could someone who's lived for over a thousand years fall for a man you've only known for a short while so easily?" Merlin stared into Jialan's eyes, saying seriously, "I've seen your fate over the past three years. From your meeting with him to now, the time you've spent together doesn't exceed a year.
A year of time—even Lin Qiye himself hasn't figured out whether he likes you. For someone like you who's lived for over a thousand years, it's merely a fleeting moment, isn't it?
Don't tell me it's love at first sight. I don't believe in that.
What is your purpose in approaching him?"
Merlin's voice grew increasingly low. He stared intently at Jialan's eyes. The purple magic circle just completed beneath his feet gradually lit up, strands of electric sparks dancing across its surface, terrifying magical energy spreading through the air.
Jialan's deep blue Han robe was ruffled by the surging magical force. She sat quietly beside Lin Qiye, her lips pressed slightly together.
"This question—that's what you really wanted to ask, isn't it?" Jialan spoke softly.
"Mm." Merlin said coolly. "This question, you must give me an answer."
Jialan's gaze shifted from Merlin to the sleeping face of Lin Qiye beside her. Those pure eyes like black gemstones fluttered gently, a hint of tenderness appearing between her brows.
"I have no purpose in approaching him. I only wish to stay by his side……I waited two thousand years for him. How could I possibly harm him?
I know you're wary of me, but there are some things I still cannot tell you……
But I can guarantee—even if the whole world stands against him, I will always be on his side."
Merlin fell silent.
He frowned as he gazed at Jialan for a long while, then finally sighed. The magic circle beneath his feet gradually dimmed.
"You believe me?" Jialan was startled that Merlin had stopped so easily.
"Even if I don't believe, I can only believe." Merlin shrugged, glancing at the unconscious Lin Qiye beside him. "If I really sealed you here, when he wakes up he'll definitely go mad looking for you. Then I'll become the villain who棒打鸳鸯."
"Will he really go mad looking for me? Really?"
"Of course." Merlin raised an eyebrow. "He told me this morning that he likes you."
"He, he, he……He really said that?"
Jialan's body trembled. Two blushes rapidly colored her cheeks. The calm in her eyes had long since vanished, replaced by unprecedented excitement and joy.
"Mm, he's just still confused, unsure whether this is his own genuine feeling or the effect of Cupid's arrow." Merlin waved his hand. "You'll have to explain it to him yourself. The matter between you two must be resolved by yourselves. I can only help this much."
"Cough cough……"
Jialan coughed lightly, suppressing the狂喜 in her heart, sitting properly in the temple, and looking at the figure cloaked in magical robes before her, said sincerely:
"Praise the God of Magic!!"