Chapter 27
Did he want to send him away?
Lance had never this bravely looked at Bai YueSheng in the eyes.
In the vast water temple, Bai YueSheng sat upon the stairs paved from kyanite stones. Lance was sitting below. When he raised his eyes upwards, the depths of blue colored eyes was the same as the water running through the temple, evoking the feeling of waves entering a person's heart.
Bai YueSheng had his chin in his hands, returning the look with an interested expression. This was the first time he had seen Lance angry.
So he was angry?
Lance had been with Bai YueSheng for over four years. He had never asked for a single thing. But this time, only this time, he used all his courage to say, "I want to stay in the water temple."
The clear child's voice was very moving. But like a bird with beautiful feathers, because it was too gorgeous, it made one not want to let it spread its wings to fly away.
Bai YueSheng smiled slightly. "Don't worry. The water temple will always be your home."
These words were like a soothing balm for the heart. Lance's frantically beating heart slowly calmed down.
Bai YueSheng thought for a few moments then added, "You don't need to be so retrained. I'm your godfather, your family."
Lance looked up and the joy that appeared in the small, jade-like face face couldn't be suppressed.
Several indrawn breaths could be heard in the temple. Although they were all Lord Gods, when seeing such an adorable child, they were all quite moved.
"So cute! So cute!" The Goddess of the Hunt was quite young. She was completely won over by Lance's innocent appearance. She couldn't help wanting to get close him. She wished she could give all the gems she possessed to him.
Bai YueSheng felt that his little fellow was a little more vivacious than before so he also felt happier. "That's enough. Let's dine."
Afterwards the meal time was very harmonious.
Lance was young but he had matured early. Although Bai YueSheng didn't want to send him away but he could keenly feel that Bai YueSheng didn't like him to be too quiet. Just as De Mo had said, his godfather liked cheerful children.
But how to be… cheerful?
Was it to smile more?
Lance began to adjust himself. He stopped being trying to be invisible like before and began to mix with others more, learning to communicate more. A smile was now often appeared on that small face and the beauty of it was deeply shocking. Like a shining sun, brighter than the stars. It made the people that liked him become even more attracted to him, but it also made the people who disliked him dislike him even more.
His life was like this, anxiously and carefully balancing on the edge between two extremes.
Until the moment of violence came once again. At that time Lance looked down at the blood on his hands expressionlessly.
He didn't know exactly how he had killed them, but he remembered what they did.
In another two months would be his godfather's birthday. The Lord God's birthday is celebrated every ten year cycle. For this occasion Lance had spent many years preparing a present. He collected the rare ice elements of the northern ice city. He nourished them with solidification magic for more than three hundred years, finally completely blending together to slowly form an exquisite headpiece.
But now these dirty gods had used underhand methods to destroy and completely shatter it.
Lance knew his actions were not correct but he still did it.
The eleven year old youth did not panic like he did when he was eight years old. He calmly cleaned up the environment, destroying all evidence of him having been there. He made it look like an accident and then found an appropriate alibi for himself.
It was simple. Right now he had his own followers. With his "cheerful" personality he has attracted many such "friends". He could without much effort make people believe in him.
Everything panned out as he expected. Although he didn't have De Mo's help, he could still take care of this incident.
However although he had washed the bloodstains off his hands but the dark cloud it left on his heart wouldn't dissipate.
Some things once they happened once or twice then the bottom line would be broken. The third or fourth time would occur naturally.
The sixteen year old Lance became the most mesmerizing youth in all of the Midgard.
He had a lofty lineage as the godson of the the Water God Xin Lin. He had an intellect to be proud of, he was the Central College's youngest graduate to finish with honors in all subjects. This was an achievement none of the the Lord Gods could even match. He was handsome, elegant, aristocratic, polite and gentle. When he smiled it made people forget to breathe. His manner of doing things was always perfect and generous, no one could find any fault with it.
If there was really a Sun God arising in Midgard then there was no question it was Lance Steene.
But beneath the bright sunlight, there was always a darkness hiding.
Lance had another face that no one knew about.
He no longer tolerated any humiliation, insults or bullying.
This was a world in which the strongest would win and from the beginning to end, he would never allow himself to be weak.
That eight year old child who had panicked at the sight of the blood had vanished, nowhere to be seen. Replacing him was a terrifying man who could smile and pierce the hearts of others.
Bai YueSheng's mission was going relatively smoothly. The Ocean God and the God of the Underworld were becoming more and more restless.
{T/N: "冥神", I'm really not sure about this one. I googled it and came up with the Marvel God "Chthon", who is apparently one of the gods of the underworld? LOL not sure. And as for why there's a Water God and also an Ocean God, please don't ask me…..}
His many years of careful plans have gradually yielded results. The conflict between the peace faction and the war faction of the gods have become gradually magnified. Under the secret control and aid of Bai YueSheng the war factions have become more powerful, obtaining more resources for the god race of Midgard, and at the same time growing ever more proud and arrogant.
On one side was the war faction who struggled and fought across the planes and on the side was the peace faction sitting there doing nothing. The friction between the two grew bigger and bigger, each couldn't stand the other.
Bai YueSheng was waiting for the final straw. Once the two factions began fighting then the twilight of the gods would occur.
This day Lance came to pay his respects to Bai YueSheng. After his personality became more lively, Lance didn't wait any longer for Bai YueSheng to come to see him but would appear himself in front Bai YueSheng every time he had a spare moment.
Bai YueSheng didn't dislike this. Actually it made him quite happy. This child was obedient and clever, liked to smile and his mouth was very sweet. He was very adorable.
He didn't know where this child had learned that he liked to eat the red berries from the Jurassic Forest. Every time he would bring the sweetest and freshest ones, the vibrant color and the sweet juices that appeared every time the skin was removed really made Bai YueSheng's heart very happy.
Lance was already very handsome and his height shot up speedily. Every time Bai YueSheng saw him he could help but sigh. If it continued like this then it wouldn't take long for this fellow to become taller than him!
Lance's mouth wore its usual smile. He said lowly and gently, "Father."
Bai YueSheng had finished his bath. He wore a plain white robe and his hair still dripped with water. The silver hair like moonlight glittered like gemstones.
Bai YueSheng looked at him. "You didn't go somewhere to play during your holidays?"
Lance said, "I went with my classmates to visit Indigo City to do a mercenary mission. I only came back last night."
Bai YueSheng smiled slightly. "You're pretty brave. Even though you haven't graduated you dare to go to Indigo City. It's a dangerous city near the northern border."
Lance smiled, "It's only a "D" grade mission."
"That's still very impressive." Bai YueSheng said. "I was forty when I went to Indigo City for the first time."
Lance followed up on this and said, "But father your first missionary mission was the "S" grade mission to battle the half-giant. You won a resounding victory and personally cut off that off that monster's head."
Bai YueSheng smiled. "That story has been vastly exaggerated."
Lance knew Bai YueSheng's personality so he didn't say anything more. He quickly changed the subject. "I brought some Ke Lan biscuits, do you want to taste them?" A specialty produce of Indigo City, Ke Lan biscuits were a dessert made from six colors. The outside was crispy and it was sweet without being cloying. It could only be made correctly in Indigo City, the taste in other places was not even one tenth of it.
Bai YueSheng's sweet tooth couldn't be changed no matter how many lifetimes he lived. As soon as he heard it his appetite was wetted. He smiled and said, "Such a good thing, why didn't you take it out earlier?"
Lance raised his hands like a waiter. He sent up the gold box together with the red berry juice that he had specially prepared.
Bai YueSheng sat on the soft couch. He lifted the Ke Lan biscuit with one hand and tasted it. "It's very delicious."
Lance said, "The way back was a little bumpy. Although I protected the box with all my energy, it still might have lost some flavor."
Bai YueSheng waved his hand. "It's already very good. You really put in a lot of effort."
"As long as you like it." Lance said. His gaze flickered and then he said, "I'll help you dry your hair."
Bai YueSheng said, "There's no need. It will dry by itself soon."
But Lance had already stood up. He held a clean towel and stood behind Bai YueSheng. "Let me help, it will dry faster."
Bai YueSheng smiled. He slightly turned and caught his wrist. "Come here and talk to me. These things should be done by servants, not you…"
He didn't finish his words. Lance reacted like he he had been burnt. He jerked his wrist out his grasp, the movement was quite violent.
Bai YueSheng was shocked.
Lance realized his reaction was too big. He hesitated awkwardly for a moment and then the corners of his lips lifted up, and he smiled. "Father, please allow your son to pay this respect."
His expression was very calm as though what had just happened was Bai YueSheng's imagination.
Bai YueSheng didn't reject him again. He turned back, away from Lance.
"This child is a bit strange." Bai YueSheng said to Ah Jiu.
Ah Jiu had been quite concerned about Lance this whole time. After all it was his idea to take him in in the first place. Although the loli had grown up big and he felt somewhat disappointed, but since they had decided to raise him they had responsibilities. As long as he was in the water temple, Ah Jiu would pay some attention to him.
Of course after observing him for so many years, he had reached a conclusion. This child was too obedient, too compliant, too easy to raise.
Slowly as Lance grew up, Ah Jiu began to pay less attention to him.
Now that Bai YueSheng spoke, Ah Jiu replied. "We should take some more care. After all he's not a child anymore."
After the experience with Qiu ChangFeng, it was no wonder Ah Jiu spoke like this.
Ten years allow he was just a small sprout. But now the sixteen year old youth was mesmerizing and it was his development phase. Whatever thoughts a teenager should have he would naturally have.
Bai YueSheng agreed. "Yes, we should take more care."
In this world of gods, Bai YueSheng hadn't had any romances. He maintained his purity so well that even Ah Jiu had to reevaluate his opinion of him. Of course it wasn't that Bai YueSheng suddenly changed his personality, it was just that his world's setting was too damning. The Water God Xin Lin was too above earthly desires.
He was kind, gentle, noble and holy so of course he couldn't have any messy personal affairs. And because he wasn't a homosexual, if Bai YueSheng really wanted to have a romance it would have to be with a woman.
Even thinking about it made him wilt. Bai YueSheng thought about it and decided to just romance his right hand this lifetime.
Because of this matter, Bai YueSheng consciously began to maintain his distance from Lance. Of course he didn't make it obvious. It was only that he spent more time away from the water temple.
If it wasn't for the heterosexual setting, Bai YueSheng wouldn't have minded having some kind of relationship with Lance.
It was obvious this child wasn't like Qiu ChangFeng. Qiu ChangFeng's childhood was warped. After he did those things Bai YueSheng should have had some put his guard up but at that time Bai YueSheng was young as well and too careless, leading the tragedy aftwards.
But Lance Steene was different. He had lived in the water temple since he was five. Bai YueSheng knew he hadn't paid a lot of attention to him but he had provided him with a stable life.
This kind of environment might not be enough to raise and innocent and romantic child, but at the very least they shouldn't be psychotic right?
So if Lance really had those intentions towards him, Bai YueSheng didn't mind spending this lifetime with him.
However it was really a pity that Xin Lin was heterosexual and so Bai YueSheng's only goal was the complete the mission successfully. He could only distance himself from Lance.
If it was only like this, Bai YueSheng definitely wouldn't have had such an extreme reaction afterwards to being violated. After as someone who doesn't easily feel shame, even that wasn't beyond the limits of endurance.
The time passed and it came time for Lance Steene's coming of age ceremony.
Turning eighteen was a special time for the race of gods. It was the time they finally left their childhood behind, moving into the long and endless road of becoming an adult.
Lance had the mark of the awakening of a Lord God. His coming of age ceremony was very important. Because on this day his awakening would begin. Although the duration of the awakening would take a long time, but it was important to have a good start.
These two years of distancing himself had yielded good results. Recently Bai YueSheng felt that Lance was becoming more and more aloof towards him. The old adoration and wanting to be close had vanished. These days he had even heard that Lance had a girlfriend. It looks like the problems had been really resolved.
These couple of days Bai YueSheng had some spare time and thought he would give Lance a surprise. It would be his way of making up a little for the two years of being distant and cold.
He heard that Lance was in Indigo City so Bai YueSheng began his journey to the northern border, thinking to bring him back personally for the coming of age ceremony.
Who knew that at the end of this journey, he would see that kind of sight.
Indigo City was quite tumultuous. Because of Bai YueSheng's interference all these years, the Nine Lord Gods existing in a precarious state. When the people on the top argued, then those at the bottom would start fighting. Although it wasn't easily apparent in the central areas of Midgard, but a border city like Indigo it was quite obvious and uncontrolled.
But Bai YueSheng never thought he would see that kind of stranger-like Lance.
Inside the bordering forest, the half-giant had fallen to the ground. His skull had been split into two pieces. His heart had been pierced with an enormous sword and inside the spill of red blood, several bright and glowing golden stones could be seen.
Half-giants were fallen titans. Although they had lost their godhead, they possessed something that the gods desired and that was the elemental stones that could vastly increase god powers.
It was clear that his half god possessed this elemental stone.
In order to battle this kind of ferocious creature, it has to be one of the most powerful mercenary groups in Indigo City.
When he saw the elemental stones the leader of the group was extremely delighted. He said excitedly to the person next to him, "Young Lord, thank goodness for you!" His manner of speech was extremely unrefined.
Standing inside that group was a beautiful youth. His body was tall and long, his hair was golden and his eyes were blue. The smile on the corner of his lips was like a dewdrop in the early morning, mixed with pale sunlight, it was very mesmerizing.
He said softly, "I should be thanking you." After he spoke he raised his hand and without warning attacked the rejoicing mercenary leader.
The blood blossomed from the man's back and stained the youth's white finger. The air became filled with a terrifying violence.
But from the beginning to the end the youth kept his smile. His face was like a painting, elegant and refined like an angel standing in hell.
Bai YueSheng never expected that Lance could be like this.
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