After the Lord of the Abyss Awakens - Chapter 105.2

Xiu Si was shocked by his own bold idea.

No, this wasn’t just an “idea” anymore, it was ambition, a very great ambition.

If it were before, Xiu Si would probably have thought himself too arrogant – he was just a mortal, how dare he even dream of such things, but now…

Xiu Si surprisingly said, “It doesn’t hurt to think about it, what if it really becomes possible?”

With so many children, making a planet for Them to play with would be nice too.

Xiu Si seemed to envision that scene of family reunion, his eyes gradually filling with happiness, his lips uncontrollably curving upward.

But as he kept thinking, he still thought of his eldest cub.

With so many children found, why was there still no trace of his eldest?

Of course, Xiu Si would prefer to find his eldest himself, but currently he only knew his eldest was in subspace, even if he wanted to search, he didn’t know where to look.

Moreover, subspace was so dangerous, he couldn’t take Lelagin and the others there.

Perhaps… he could ask that god?

Xiu Si thought of Otherworld God 007, the biological father of the little light body. The otherworld god must be very clear about subspace matters, and might know about his eldest child’s situation.

But the little light body’s father… seemed to have a not-so-good temper.

Never mind then.

Xiu Si shook his head. If asking for the god’s help failed, it would be troublesome – it’s easy to invite a god but difficult to send one away. Things still had to be done steadily, they couldn’t be rushed.

****

At this time, the silver cat and the Siamese cat had a quarrel in the courtyard.

The silver cat wanted to enter the study, but Siamese cat “accidentally” stepped on His tail, causing Him to puff up in anger, wanting to have a big fight!

The Siamese cat was never afraid of fighting. He hated it most when any demon tried to approach Father before Him, no matter which demon, it was absolutely not allowed!

So They really started a battle for affection in the courtyard, making the watching big orange cat and gray cat speechless.

The big orange cat’s eyes were dead, “What happened to the agreement not to fight?”

Gray cat: “This should be considered Their traditional skill now, right? We’re used to it, just don’t let Father find out.”

The big orange cat turned his head, fixing his gaze on the gray cat, asking with concern: “Inpos, are you alright?”

The gray cat nodded, “I’m fine, we’ll talk when Amon returns.” As he spoke, His eyes gradually became determined, as if whatever the result might be, He could completely accept it now.

The big orange cat felt relieved internally. With the Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother not here, those few troublemaker demons were likely to cause problems. As the steady demon, He naturally had to maintain face and keep those troublemakers in check.

However, the big orange cat sniffed, turning his head toward the kitchen. It smelled so good, Lelagin had started cooking.

Seeing the big orange cat’s greedy expression, the gray cat couldn’t help saying, “Brother Beleth, don’t eat too much, be careful not to get fat like Third Brother.”

The big orange cat choked, pretending to be mature and declared righteously, “I’m not wanting to eat, I’m just helping Father taste test!”

The gray cat shook his head, as if seeing the big orange cat’s heavyweight future.

****

A few minutes later, Xiu Si left the study, not passing through the courtyard, and walked to the bookstore.

Upon seeing Xiu Si’s arrival, the well-behaved store-watching short-legged cat eagerly ran over.

“Meow meow!”

Xiu Si smiled while opening his arms, and the short-legged cat agilely jumped into his embrace.

Xiu Si patted the short-legged cat’s head, “Was watching the store tiring today?”

“Not tiring meow~”

The short-legged cat shook his head, the pink panda bib around his neck looking extremely cute.

Xiu Si laughed, squinting his eyes. “Really?”

Father is asking if it’s true, then I can’t lie meow!

The short-legged cat blinked, thought for a moment, and honestly answered. “Except for a few humans who often lingered around, there weren’t any other troubles meow.”

“There are such people?”

Xiu Si immediately became nervous and hurriedly said, “If they do bad things to you in the bookstore, you must tell Father, okay?”

“Okay meow.”

The short-legged cat thought for a moment, seemed a bit hesitant, but still innocently said.

“They’re so strange meow, they ask me to call them auntie meow.”

He didn’t understand what that meant, it just felt a bit strange meow.

Xiu Si’s previous tension immediately disappeared, thinking haha, so it was just aunties.

The short-legged cat seriously said, “Yes meow. And uncles meow.”

Xiu Si couldn’t help but smile.

“Meow?”

The short-legged cat tilted his head, seemingly not understanding what Father was smiling about.

Xiu Si lifted Him high, holding Him at chest level, explaining. “They mean no harm, they just like you too much.”

The short-legged cat was shocked, “Like meow?”

Xiu Si nodded, one hand supporting the cat, one hand pinching the short-legged cat’s pink-white paws, “They’re like Father, they all really like Cele.”

The short-legged cat was slightly stunned, then a blush appeared on his face, seemingly embarrassed and at a loss, his paws appearing somewhat awkward to place, fortunately the fur concealed His shyness.

That silly appearance actually added to His cuteness.

Looking at Him, Xiu Si couldn’t help but feel emotional. It was hard not to think that his Cele being able to safely pass through over eight thousand years and finally return to him was definitely not an easy thing.

It must have been thanks to his brothers and sisters’ protection, otherwise his Cele was really quite easy to deceive.

There was no help for it, Cele’s [Innocence] was set by him personally. He had thought being innocent and pure was a beautiful thing, and still thought so now, but how to put it… his Cele was a bit too innocent.

Xiu Si couldn’t help but worry, especially afraid that He might be deceived by bad people in the future, although he himself wasn’t particularly good at judging people either.

The short-legged cat blinked, His tail suddenly curled up, thinking He had said something to make Father unhappy, His brows furrowed into ‘八’.

And this appearance made Him even more endearing.

Xiu Si’s heart was melting, and he blurted out, “It’s okay, you don’t need to change anything, your innocence and purity will be protected by Father!”

“Meow?”

The short-legged cat was stunned, didn’t understand, just knew one thing. Father loves me so much meow! I also love Father so much meow!

He moved closer, affectionately nuzzling Xiu Si’s face, raising His beautiful light green eyes, happily saying, “I’ll protect Father meow!”

“Haha.” Xiu Si laughed.

This old father’s heart was warm, he felt he had always been under his children’s protection.

****

A few minutes later, Xiu Si walked out, preparing to flip the sign at the door to “Temporarily Closed.”

But he suddenly stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixing on a person at the door.

The person wore ordinary wizard robes, straw-gold colored long hair braided into a plait, small pouches tied to their belt, bangs somewhat long covering their eyes, faintly visible were ordinary blue eyes carrying a somewhat misty feeling, looking quite young, their manner revealing a kind of unworldly awkwardness.

Upon closer inspection, he was carrying books in both hands, about a dozen on each side, all being rather valuable published books.

The short-legged cat was lying on the table, feeling somewhat elated due to the heartwarming parent-child conversation earlier, and hadn’t noticed the movement outside.

Xiu Si stood at the doorway, quietly looking at the other person, then suddenly spoke. “You are…”

That person seemed to be in a daze, only awakening when Xiu Si spoke, and hurriedly said, “I’m a… a magic apprentice delivering books.”

The library would send books to his place periodically. And today, the person they sent…

Xiu Si looked at the other person, unusually not taking the books immediately, but remained silent for a moment.

The apprentice seemed to feel nervous, voice trembling as they said, “Is… is something wrong?”

Xiu Si stared at the apprentice, as if trying to see the eyes behind their bangs, and after a few seconds slowly said, “You remind me of someone I know.”

“…Is that so.”

The apprentice seemed to freeze for a moment.

“Yes.”

Xiu Si nodded, turned around, and looking back said, “Come in first, it must be inconvenient holding those books.”

“Ah, alright.”

The apprentice hurriedly walked into the bookstore, and the moment they stepped over the threshold, they finally caught the short-legged cat’s attention.

The short-legged cat narrowed its eyes, its gaze falling on the apprentice, as if observing, even deconstructing them.

The apprentice seemed unaware there was a cat in the house, slowly put down the books, then turned their head, pausing for a moment before saying, “Mr. Yi Xiusi, these are the books that Mentor Millard insisted I deliver to you, he said they might be useful.”

“Is that so? Please convey my gratitude to Mr. Millard for his help, and tell him I’ll visit him at the association when I have time.”

Xiu Si’s tone was polite, very friendly, but also seemed to carry a sense of distance, making it difficult to tell whether he wanted to develop a deeper relationship.

The apprentice seemed to be stunned for a moment, their empty hands slowly falling to their sides, taking a few seconds before responding. “Alright, I will relay your message to Mentor Millard.”

“Thank you.”

Xiu Si walked to the counter, positioning himself right beside the short-legged cat.

The apprentice’s eyes beneath their bangs were focused on something unknown, and after a delayed reaction, suddenly asked, “Who was it?”

“What?”

Xiu Si looked at the apprentice, as if not understanding their question.

The apprentice paused for a second, then shyly said, “Earlier, you said I reminded you of someone.”

Xiu Si nodded, saying calmly, “You remind me of someone I met recently, a gentleman called Priest Xilin.”

“…That person?”

The apprentice lowered their head slightly, their tone subdued, with unreadable emotions.

Perhaps it was disappointment, or anger, or even hatred.

But it was too well-concealed, nothing leaked out.

At this moment, the short-legged cat’s face unusually darkened, standing up, its eyes fixed on the apprentice.

Then Xiu Si seemed to remember something and continued. “And another person.”

“Who?”

The apprentice asked quietly.

They stood by the bookshelf, about four steps away from Xiu Si.

This distance was neither far nor close, but undoubtedly, it was a distance where one could kill without a trace.

It was one step further from the short-legged cat.

At this moment, Xiu Si looked at the apprentice, his black pupils calm, and spoke as if calling out a name.

“Arnold.”

“…”

The apprentice fell silent, then suddenly said, “That sounds like a name from long ago.”

“Yes, it’s been over eight thousand years, hasn’t it?”

Xiu Si didn’t hide anything, “I just happened to remember him recently.”

The apprentice paused, “You must be joking, how could it be over eight thousand years? As far as I know, except for the otherworld hero Luo Jie, no human can live for over eight thousand years.”

“Is that what you think?”

Xiu Si didn’t refute, but chose to ask instead.

The apprentice said, “A human’s soul has an even more limited lifespan than their body. Even with an immortal body, the soul would still perish from early deterioration.”

“So it’s not that the body can’t live past eight thousand years, but that the soul can’t?”

Xiu Si seemed to be hearing this theory for the first time.

The apprentice fell silent, “Yes, human souls are the most easily worn out among all living beings’ souls. Normally they can only live for a hundred years. Some special humans can live longer, but they must pay a great price for it. The soul’s lifespan cannot be changed.”

After saying this, they added, “That’s what it says in ‘The Encyclopedia of Soul and Flesh.'”

But Xiu Si asked, “Why do human souls have a lifespan limit? Why are they the most easily worn out?”

The apprentice paused slightly, opened their mouth as if ready to answer his questions, but then stopped, and after a few seconds said, “I don’t know either. ‘The Encyclopedia of Soul and Flesh’ doesn’t explain these two questions.”

“Is that so.”

Xiu Si didn’t pursue it further, but instead looked outside, as if noting the changing light.

The eyes behind the apprentice’s bangs glowed red, seemingly filled with a hint of ferocity and obsession.

They should leave now – the short-legged cat’s stare had become almost tangible.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Yi Xiusi, it’s getting late, I should go.”

The apprentice lowered their gaze, then quickly walked out, not waiting for Xiu Si to say anything.

Xiu Si watched their departing figure thoughtfully, his gaze slowly falling, carrying a hint of gravity.

****

The apprentice had barely left the bookstore when they couldn’t help but look back once more, their face dark.

They needed to leave quickly, their consciousness repeatedly emphasized this fact, but their body wouldn’t cooperate, feet refusing to move, causing them to miss their opportunity.

Or perhaps, this opportunity never existed at all.

The evening sun filled the alley, and suddenly a young man appeared at its entrance.

He appeared lazy, as if just awakening from sleep, His eyes showing irritation, but even more so a cold killing intent.

His magical power dominated the entire area, no being could escape.

The apprentice’s steps faltered as they turned to look toward the end of the alley.

There stood a young man with a cold demeanor, snake-like eyes piercing, and beside him stood another proud young man.

The snake-eyed youth said. “Is it this one?”

The proud youth answered. “Most definitely.”

The apprentice’s body stiffened as they immediately looked up.

On the building opposite, two more young men stood.

One had a relatively kind face, the other’s appearance made it hard to determine their gender, both coldly staring at them.

The apprentice subtly stepped back, but caught sight of a noble-looking elven youth standing beside them.

Without a doubt, they were surrounded, with nowhere to escape.