Lin Ran looked at Luo Qingyan in confusion, hearing her words:
"Huh? What did you say? Symbionts of Misfortune?"
Luo Qingyan suddenly realized she had spoken a bit too freely.
But since things had progressed this far, she could only brace herself and continue:
"Yes, that's right..."
"Symbionts of Misfortune."
"Legend has it that a thousand years ago, at the very moment spiritual energy first surged onto Blue Star, there were some chosen individuals who received a completely different inheritance from the power system of awakened ones."
"This system was known as the Symbiotic Power of the Star of Calamity."
"And those who possessed this symbiotic power were called the Forgotten."
"Because they themselves possessed a natural talent that made most other beings instantly forget them, making it difficult for them to remain in the memories of anyone other than their own kind."
"Besides that, they also possessed the following characteristics:"
"First, the Forgotten cannot cultivate on their own; they can only rely on the Star of Calamity within them to grow naturally."
"Second, the energy substance they use is vastly different from that of normal awakened ones. The magic power within them is entirely replaced by the power of calamity on a one-to-one basis."
"Third, this power can only be granted through innate random inheritance; it cannot be obtained through acquired effort."
"Fourth, the Star of Calamity within the Forgotten causes them to be accompanied by endless bad luck and misfortune throughout their lives."
"Fifth, and most importantly, the Forgotten have an instinctive urge to kill their own kind."
"And no matter how far apart they are, they can sense each other's presence through the Star of Calamity within them..."
"This means that the number of Forgotten alive at any given time is generally not very large."
"Those twelve hazy stars you saw in that vague state of enlightenment very likely correspond to the last of the Forgotten currently alive in the world!"
After listening to Luo Qingyan's lengthy explanation, Lin Ran rubbed his head in surprise:
"These people actually have such a significant background?"
"Then the reason they appeared in my state of enlightenment, did they have ulterior motives towards me?"
"But I'm not one of the Forgotten... Why are they looking for me?"
Luo Qingyan shook her head:
"That... I truly don't know."
"My understanding of the Forgotten is only from stumbling upon fragmented mentions in my family's... extensive collection of ancient texts."
"Their motivations and the missions they carry are likely known only to themselves."
"However, what can be confirmed for now is that the Forgotten more often than not adopt an attitude of detached observation. Apart from killing each other, they rarely get involved in the hustle and bustle of the mortal world."
"But if they have indeed set their sights on you, it's likely not a good sign..."
"These individuals are immensely powerful, their power system is mysterious and cunning, they prioritize results over methods, are extremely ruthless, and view life as cheap—whether their own or others'."
"Getting involved with them, no matter how you think about it, is a recipe for trouble."
"And the most frustrating thing is, due to the tradition of the Forgotten killing their own kind, those among them who survive are often ancient monsters who have grown for countless years..."
"If they decide to unite and achieve something, the ripples they can create are truly terrifying."
Lin Ran, after listening, suddenly chuckled:
"Is that so? Then I'm relieved!"
"I originally thought those stars that inexplicably appeared in my state of enlightenment represented some irresistible, profound forces!"
"If they are just some ordinary people scheming in the dark, then even if each of them were a tenth-order cultivator, dealing with them would be much easier."
"A threat that is out in the open is far easier to handle than a shadow lurking in the darkness."
Luo Qingyan gave Lin Ran a speechless look, and said dejectedly:
"Were you even listening just now?"
"The Forgotten who carry the Star of Calamity within them cannot possibly be considered ordinary people from any angle, right?"
"With the assistance of the Will of the Great Dao, their strength cannot be measured by normal awakened ones of the same rank..."
"This terrifying power system possesses the ability to erode everything!"
Lin Ran remained nonchalant, shaking his head and swaying:
"No worries..."
"As long as the threat is human-based, it can all be considered nonexistent!"
"There is absolutely no one in this world who can perform a dimensional attack on me; it's always me who performs dimensional attacks on them."
"If nothing else, as long as I truly set my mind on hiding, under the cover of the Divine Might Space, even the boss himself would be helpless."
"Let alone a bunch of other miscellaneous riff-raff?"
"Will of the Great Dao? Just some cheap trick!"
"Even if such a thing truly exists, it will undoubtedly be on my side..."
"Speaking of the Son of Destiny, on the entire Blue Star, no one is more favored than me!"
Luo Qingyan choked on Lin Ran's words, coughing several times, her expression even more helpless:
"Putting aside other things, purely in terms of this arrogance, no one in the world is your match."
"Anyway, I've said all I needed to say. You can handle the rest."
"I don't care about other things, but there's one thing you absolutely must promise me..."
"No matter what situation you encounter in the future, you must stay healthy and alive for me!"
Looking at Luo Qingyan's earnest face, Lin Ran smiled again, reaching out to caress her face, helping to relax her tensed muscles:
"Okay, I promise you!"
"No matter what situation I encounter in the future, I will definitely stay healthy and alive!"
"Come on, pinky swear!"
Luo Qingyan's expression finally eased, and she gave Lin Ran a playfully annoyed glare:
"So childish..."
However, although she said that, she obediently extended her little finger and hooked it with Lin Ran's.
Lin Ran nodded:
"I've promised you a condition that is very difficult to achieve!"
"As a reward, won't you promise me one too?"
Luo Qingyan looked at Lin Ran's serious face and nodded with a smile:
"You say it."
Lin Ran grinned, and his previous seriousness vanished without a trace:
"That is, can you switch talents according to my instructions when we communicate in the future?"
"I've prepared dozens of matching outfits for your Fallen Angel and Holy Angel forms, and each one will surely satisfy you."
"Then you'll obediently transform, put on the clothes properly, and just follow my commands."
"How about it, compared to what you said, isn't this not difficult at all?"