Ina's Fortune

"Xia Lun, how do you plan to deal with him?" Aina's gaze shifted between Mian and Xia Lun. "Letting him go back is definitely not an option—that would be far too dangerous… The safest method is still…"

Aina didn't finish her sentence.

Xia Lun's expression grew complicated.

In this regard, he couldn't bring himself to be as decisive as Aina, to let an innocent person die because of the mess they had caused.

Aina sighed.

She would just have to wait and see. If she acted directly, Xia Lun would never be able to get past it in his heart.

She knew him too well—this man who always carried responsibility on his shoulders, who, even when facing the most dangerous enemies, never lost that precious kindness.

...

Mian sat dazedly on the ground, with no one to help him up.

He had also overheard the conversation between Xia Lun and Aina, and now roughly understood what was happening.

"My situation… isn't it bad?"

Mian picked himself up off the ground, brushed the dust from his clothes, and looked nervously at the two before him. "Inside my body… is there something else?"

"I'll find a way to save you." Xia Lun's expression was solemn as he reached out his left hand and patted Mian's shoulder. "You can trust me."

Mian's gaze involuntarily drifted to the flaming sword still in Xia Lun's right hand. His Adam's apple bobbed, but he ultimately said nothing.

"He… probably won't come out for now." Mian suddenly spoke, his fingers unconsciously pressing against his own chest. "I can feel it… he's very weak."

"That could be a disguise." Aina coldly retorted, her sharp gaze cutting like a knife, as if she wanted to slice open Mian's flesh and see what was hiding inside. "If he comes out and takes over your body again, no one can bear the responsibility or the consequences."

Taken aback by the sharp reply, Mian fell silent, helplessly clutching the hem of his clothes.

"That… what kind of terrifying existence is it?" Mian couldn't help asking, his eyes revealing deep fear. His body had been taken over by some sort of evil god…

"He's our son," Aina replied.

Mian: …

The unexpected answer left him momentarily speechless. He opened his mouth, and it took several seconds before he found his voice again: "Uh… Mr. Xia Lun, he's your… son?"

Mian showed surprise, his gaze sweeping back and forth across their faces in disbelief, asking somewhat incredulously.

After all, in his eyes, Aina and Xia Lun still seemed quite young…

If their son was already that old, how young were they when they had him?

Even if he estimated their age on the older side, say thirty, and their son's age on the younger side… well, around the teens, that would still be normal enough.

No, no—what he should be worrying about right now wasn't that.

The real question was how he was going to survive. Mian could feel Aina's faint, spider-silk-like murderous intent coiling around his neck.

"Mr. Xia Lun! Whatever it takes… I'll cooperate." Mian nervously swallowed. "Is there a way to get him out of my body?"

Xia Lun was also at a loss, his brow furrowed into a knot. If he used forceful means, he would definitely harm Mian's soul. Even if he could drive Aise out of Mian's body, Mian would likely be driven mad by the deep-rooted agony.

"Can you sense that guy's condition specifically?" Aina asked in a low voice, stepping forward, her long robe swaying in the breeze. "Has he said anything to you?"

"No… nothing." Mian thought carefully before shaking his head. "Since he entered my body, there's been no communication between us. It was like… like having a long, drawn-out dream, and when I woke up, Mr. Xia Lun's sword was already aimed at me."

"Oh… Teacher Enlaisi might know something." Mian suddenly looked up again.

At the thought of Teacher Enlaisi, a trace of gloom and desolation crept into Mian's eyes.

The esteemed mentor he had once looked up to had actually used him. The training he put him through was all meant to turn him into a vessel for that being. This betrayal was like a dull knife, slowly cutting into his heart.

"Is your body alright?"

Xia Lun studied Mian's physique.

He hadn't forgotten that Mian's body still contained the energy of an entire magic stone vein.

"I feel okay…"

He just felt a bit bloated, his internal magic unprecedentedly abundant, as if it would never run out.

But it seemed he had no right to wield that power. The magic fluid in his body was like congealed gel, flowing with severe obstruction. It felt like being a beggar guarding a mountain of gold but unable to spend a single cent.

Xia Lun looked down at the ground beneath his feet.

Since all the magic had gathered in Mian's body… the magic stone vein below was probably already shattered.

Right now, Aina was holding up the entire Olifando, but that was obviously not a permanent solution. She couldn't maintain it forever. This miracle city, which had floated for centuries, was now facing the fate of falling.

"What a pity." Xia Lun sighed, shaking his head, a look of regret in his eyes.

"What's a pity?" Aina asked.

"Olifando, such a magnificent city, is about to fall soon."

With Aina around, there were almost no casualties—that was already a blessing in the midst of misfortune. Otherwise, if Olifando were to crash into the lake, none of the commoners in the city would have survived.

"Why would it fall?" Aina tilted her head and asked.

"Uh… wasn't what kept Olifando floating above the lake the magic stone vein below? And the repulsion stone foundation blocks? That's what you told me before." Xia Lun gestured as he recalled the city's mechanics. "Now that the magic stone vein has been drained, the repulsion stones will lose their effect…"

"Hmm, not bad, Xia Lun—you've been paying attention in class." Aina smiled and playfully scratched Xia Lun's palm, the affectionate gesture easing the tension slightly. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this."

"Take… take care of it how?" Xia Lun was baffled. That was an entire magic stone vein, the very foundation of Olifando's existence.

Mian's heart also clenched. Olifando was going to fall? He couldn't imagine any way to replace an entire magic stone vein either.

"I happen to have three idle magic stone veins under my command." Aina waved her hand casually, as if offering some worthless little gift. "I'll just donate one to Worland, and that'll be that."

Both Xia Lun and Mian froze, staring at Aina's matter-of-fact expression, momentarily at a loss for how to react.