Chapter 129: Dawn in the Formative World

"Yes, this is the Sun Stone, a product of ancient alchemy. The energy within it is actually extremely volatile, but the power of alchemy forces it into a stable whole; the light is merely a radiation of that power."

Mulan explained to Farolinchi, who leaned in involuntarily. Both their faces were illuminated by the radiance of the Sun Stone, and the visibility within the room increased significantly under its glow.

"Although it is very close to sunlight, it does not harm me at all."

Farolinchi touched his face, then pulled up his sleeve to check his arm; there was no reaction under the light. Under normal circumstances, if Farolinchi were in direct contact with sunlight, his skin would begin to burn and even fester. Even on a heavily overcast day, lingering outside for too long could cause his exposed skin to develop a condition similar to severe burns.

"Yes, but its light is very similar to sunlight—at least, it appears so. Therefore, for the path of the Resurrector, the Sun Stone is also an important material. It can likewise help construct the Resurrector's 'Formative World,' perhaps even playing a more vital role than it does for the path of the Radiant Knight."

Mulan lifted his hand and tapped the Sun Stone gently. Amidst the slight "thumping" sound, there was also a sensation of faint, rippling light waves.

"In fact, although both paths value light, the Radiant Knight leans toward pure radiance, while the Resurrector leans more toward the sun. For me, taking half of this Sun Stone is enough; I will leave the other half for you."

Farolinchi finally tore his gaze away from the stone and looked at Mulan.

"Really? This thing must be very valuable. You're just giving it to me?"

"Yes, I'm giving it to you. Consider it as you owing me another favor."

As he spoke, Mulan drew his cane sword, *Fang*, and swung it down lightly, cleaving the Sun Stone in two.

"Tsk, it's truly miraculous. Even though the power within is so volatile, it doesn't explode when cut like this, and its texture is even somewhat softer than ordinary stone."

After saying this, Mulan placed half of the Sun Stone aside, closed the box, and handed it along with the remaining half to Farolinchi.

"Take it. During this time, I will rely on my memory to tell you as much as I can about the path of the Resurrector, and I will explain my personal insights in detail. I have about a week before I need to return to Digao, so use today to get a feel for it first."

Because of the wolfsbane, Owen had previously told Mulan it would be best to return to Digao within a month. Now, with signs of his injuries worsening, Mulan knew that once the news reached Digao, they would certainly urge him to return.

As Mulan spoke, he placed his sheathed cane back on the table, took off his gloves, and gradually entered a state of ethereal calm. Feeling a shift in the atmosphere, Farolinchi slowly retreated two steps. After settling his mind, Mulan reached out and touched the surface of the Sun Stone.

Mulan opened his mouth slightly, and a low but powerful voice emanated from him. It was a melody imbued with magic—the oath of the Radiant Knight.

"I come from the ancient battlefield; a resilient will is my weapon, and eternal faith resides in my vows. Before me is darkness, behind me is light. Radiance is my armor, and courage is my blade. I yearn for the brilliance of the light, but I will also charge into the boundless night, fighting to the death, never retreating, until the very end..."

The brilliance of the Sun Stone intensified with Mulan's voice. Within seconds, the light had flooded the room. The radiance seemed to writhe, causing the shadows of Farolinchi and Mulan to flicker incessantly.

Farolinchi could not help but shield his eyes; at this moment, the light of the Sun Stone was like the true sun, making it impossible for him to look directly at it.

Mulan, however, stared straight at the stone. He, too, felt as if he were looking at a blazing sun, but within this sun, he saw other visions. His will seemed to detach from his body, and the light of the sun appeared to stretch into the distance.

Mulan felt as if he had stepped into a lucid dream. His will pushed forward, and the light and shadow of the sun ahead were unique. In his mental vision, his fingers covering the stone became blurred, causing the sun's radiance to layer in an orderly fashion, casting beams of light far into the distance, like the activation of a Dawn Sigil.

Farolinchi had been forced back to the wall, and now he actually felt a searing pain. The Sun Stone in Mulan Jonster's hand was now like a true sun.

If Farolinchi had a deeper understanding of mysticism, he would have known that this phenomenon was called "Trait Manifestation," which was generally closely linked to the Formative World, and it was clearly radiating and affecting reality.

But even as the pain took hold, Farolinchi remained silent. He did not want to disrupt Mulan, and he was willing to believe that Mulan was certainly not intentionally torturing him.

The oath from Mulan's lips had drifted away from the standard text of the Radiant Knight, becoming more profound, distant, and resonant.

"What I chase is the seed of dawn, the light of hope. My longing for victory and my conviction will surely transform this dawn into the sun within my heart..."

*Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...*

A faint sound of searing echoed from Farolinchi's body, and wisps of blue smoke began to rise from his face and exposed hands.

Farolinchi's muscles tensed, and he was forced to close his eyes, his will battling the intense pain while he remained shocked by Mulan's transformation.

After a long while, the light finally dimmed, returning the Sun Stone to its normal state. However, because the contrast had been so stark, the room now appeared quite dim.

Farolinchi's body trembled slightly, and wisps of blue smoke were still rising from the burns on his skin. Some of his clothing showed signs of being scorched. Seeing this, Mulan turned, stunned for a moment, before immediately realizing what had happened.

"My apologies, Farolinchi. I didn't realize it would cause this. Are you alright?"

"Do I look like I'm alright to you?"

Farolinchi's retort made Mulan exhale in relief; it seemed the injuries were not as severe as they appeared.

"This also proves that breaking through my Formative World won't be too difficult, and its power of existence will be very stable. Yes, quite stable indeed!"

"How arrogant." Farolinchi remarked sarcastically.

Mulan walked over to Farolinchi and helped him toward the door.

"Let's go. How about we find a coffin for you to sleep in, or perhaps a graveyard?"

"I don't want to go back into a graveyard."

"Then a coffin it is."

Though Farolinchi was in pain, the ease with which Mulan spoke to him made him feel remarkably relaxed. He realized vaguely that what he had just witnessed was far more than just an insight into the Radiant Knight's path.

It was a feeling of being trusted—it was the atmosphere between friends.

"I don't want one of those filthy coffins, and the smell shouldn't be too strong."

"Fine, fine, I'll do my best. But it's unlikely to be completely odorless. After all, I don't know if a new coffin would have any effect, and we don't have the time for experiments."

In Solence, Mulan held a high level of authority; whatever he needed would be provided as quickly as possible.

About half an hour later, someone delivered a coffin still caked with mud to Farolinchi's room.

The coffin had already been opened. Not only was it reeking, but it was also stained with bits of uncleaned rotting flesh. It was clear the coffin had been damp, and even though it had been wiped down, some murky water had seeped onto the floor.

Farolinchi and Mulan stared at each other.

"I'm telling you, Mulan Jonster, I would rather die than lie in this thing!"

"That's a bit dramatic. I don't think it's that dirty. Look..."

Mulan pointed into the coffin. As Farolinchi's attention drifted, Mulan pushed him directly into it. The latter immediately tried to struggle, but how could his strength compare to Mulan's, especially while injured?

*Bang!*

Mulan closed the coffin lid and held it down. Farolinchi inside began pounding and cursing, but soon, he stopped struggling.

It was dirty, and the smell was pungent, but... it felt so comfortable.

That was what Farolinchi felt at that moment.