Chapter 960 — Deepening the Conversation
Blade of Dawn · Page 3 of 5
"It seems you didn't even sense that a god once attempted to cleanse your memory," the Dragon God Enya said unhurriedly. "In fact, when I realized I was facing a vast, boundless, infinite sea of memory that was rapidly self-repairing and conducting protective reorganization every second, I knew this would be the result."
Gaoyang's expression gradually turned serious. "What else did you discover?"
"Please rest assured, I did not pry into your memories—I have no authority in that regard. Even if I did, I doubt I could see anything useful in your memories, or guarantee my own safety in the process," the Dragon God laughed. "After all... you are closely connected to the Pathfinder, and no god would willingly collide head-on with the Pathfinder's legacy."
The hand Gaoyang used to hold the oak cup trembled very slightly—he knew this tiny tremor could not escape the eyes of the "god" across from him.
"What else do you know?" He raised his head and looked at the other.
"Not long after your 'resurrection,' I noticed the changes occurring in the human world," the Dragon God merely smiled plainly, Her expression seeming as though it would never change greatly. "You brought many things to this world, a considerable portion of which exceeded the developmental stage of mortal society at the time, and also exceeded the knowledge and experience the true 'Gaoyang Cecil' could possibly possess. Though you have always been very careful to make yourself seem like an ordinary human, in my eyes... it still isn't quite enough.
"I have gathered many clues, but there is no need for me to tell you every one of them. Here, I merely wish to greet the 'real you' in the name of the Dragon Gods—the Dragon Gods bid you welcome, Wanderer from Beyond."
"Wanderer from Beyond..." Gaoyang couldn't help but laugh. "Actually, at first that was just something I used to scare those dark cultists..."
"But it isn't entirely fabricated, either," the Dragon God said, watching Gaoyang with something between a smile and a smirk. "And it suits rather well the description of an 'alien soul'—one that came from nowhere, descended for no known reason, and serves no known purpose. Wouldn't you agree?"
"...It seems the bond between the dragon race and the Pathfinders runs deeper than I imagined."
The Dragon God did not answer that. He only looked Gaoyang up and down with a certain appraising gaze, then asked, curious: "There is one thing I have been wondering about, actually—even granting that you have some connection to the Pathfinders' legacy, what you are using at present is still nothing but a human body. A very fragile body; I mean no offense—I could crush the shell you now wear with a single finger. Yet you accepted my invitation anyway. You set aside the vast empire you had only just founded and came to Tarrande with two 'guards' who are barely worth mentioning... Are you truly not afraid that the dragon race means you harm—or that I, this 'god,' mean you harm?"
Gaoyang lifted the oak cup and took a sip, then raised one eyebrow. "You were the one who issued the invitation. Twice, in fact."
"Issuing an invitation is one thing; keeping the appointment is another," the Dragon God said, clearly unwilling to accept a perfunctory answer. "By any ordinary reckoning, your present standing in the mortal world means you should not act so rashly. From the standpoint of caution, both Tarrande and the 'Dragon God' are factions of unclear allegiance as far as humanity is concerned. And considering what you already know of gods, you ought to feel a certain natural hostility toward me. That is precisely why I am all the more curious... In circumstances that warrant such vigilance, what gave you the confidence to come to Tarrande and keep this appointment?"