He is the leader of the Tantric sect in Chagdu.

Chapter 81 The Cooing Winged Lion

As night fades and dawn breaks, darkness descends.

Believe me, most people don't want to get up at 6 a.m., so this time can be used to do some niche things —

For example, "tilt".

early morning.

The grand ceremonial pool, radiant and chilling.

In a daze, with Xiaobai's reminder, Ai Yi also realized that dawn was coming and silently slipped into the Red Pool.

Stepping on a thin layer of crimson liquid, Ai's figure solidified in this empty world—he looked around and realized that it had been a long time since he had been to this place since joining the Foundation: before him were familiar pure white doors, the cracks leaking brilliant light, still flowing smoothly like blood, sacred and cold.

"Hey, Boss Crow?"

Not hearing the familiar cooing sound, Ai was a little puzzled, so she tried to call back her two birds.

Black and White Gugu responded from afar with a few "I'm busy with important things, don't disturb me" and "TD", and then fell silent.

So he had no choice but to wait there for a while, and chatted with the doorman: "It's much brighter here now."

Since Xiaobai was repaired, Aiyi has not seen those crawling and wriggling Shadow Worms in this place, and this area has returned to the control of Radiance.

"Because Brother Men has become stronger!"

Xiao Bai arrogantly said, "The Pure White Secret Seal has been reopened, and the Path of Heavenly Light has been extended, with its radiance rising again. Although it is still only a small part, it is enough to overturn a certain subtle confrontation that is taking place—at least those disgusting things won't be able to get in for a while."

"What disgusting thing?" Ai asked casually out of curiosity.

"A bunch of filthy things that only dare to peek into this red pool when the radiance is weakening—don't ask too many questions, it's a bit too early for you to want to help the radiance right now—I will naturally tell you when you are more mature."

"All right."

Ai had no intention of courting death. He obediently wagged his tail. The deeper he ventured into the invisible realm, the clearer he became of one truth: uncontrolled curiosity can kill not only the cat, but also the fox.

The mysterious forces that act without reason don't care if you're Mr. Green or Mr. Blue. This red pool is never short of malice. Just by mentioning your name, some beings may climb into the mortal world through the "secret" passage. Be very careful.

He turned his attention back to the scene.

The changes brought about by the sprouting cannot be fully discovered in a short time. With insight becoming a passive skill, the fox can now freely enter and exit the Grand Gift Pool—besides the "birthplace" beneath his feet, more areas within the pool are also vaguely revealed to him.

His advanced insight allows him to see more ethereal points of light through the shallow pool of liquid—those realms within the pool, which previously required "beacons" to locate, are now like stars in the night sky, sparse but some of them visible.

Now, he needs to add a prefix to the area beneath his feet to distinguish it.

"Depth 0 · Mudflats—The Starting Point"

"Those places—can I go to all of them?"

Ai pointed at the points of light and exclaimed excitedly, "Don't we need secret histories as guideposts?"

"The secret history guides you to the lost lands, and what you can see are the unseen kingdoms that have not yet been lost—they are part of the ecosystem of the Great Gift Pool—don't get too excited, most of the places you can see now already have owners, so it's not your turn."

"Tch—I thought I could mark my territory in the pool." Ai pouted. "Too bad."

Little White quickly poured cold water on him: "You're just starting out. The limit of your insight should be 'Depth 1 - Shallow Bay.' The White Tower is built right there. The Foundation, and even most of the pool territory controlled by the entire Nest, are gathered near the White Tower. Look at this."

The glow coalesced into an arrow, pointing to a location: this was also the brightest point of light in Ai's field of vision.

Clearly, this is the "White Pagoda".

In addition, with the White Pagoda as the central "hub," two slightly darker "fulcrums" radiate outwards, and then an even darker circle of light spots gathers into a cluster surrounded by dense fine lines, intertwined like a spider web, indistinguishably woven together.

Ai glanced at a few: "Depth 0 - Huanye Lake Aquaculture Farm".

"Depth 1 - Anselm United Industries"

"Depth 1 - Burial Agency Location"

Hundreds of districts, large and small, are like tightly interlocked gears and levers. Points and lines spread outward in a complex yet harmonious form, enveloping and covering the vast, invisible territory, outlining a huge outline filled with an unparalleled sense of oppression.

This is the territory occupied by the Foundation—no, the entire "Lolanda Sanctuary" in the pool, almost covering everything within Ai's visible field of vision.

"Wow, it's huge! I've only ever seen this in databases before —" (See ① at the end of the article)

Ai sighed, her large ears twitching twice before drooping limply. "I was thinking of getting a couple of plots of land for my family, to farm, raise fish, do some infrastructure work—but it seems like there's no place for me?"

"There should still be some vacant land—but most of it is wasteland that has been rejected. Either there are no resources, or the cost of clearing it out far exceeds the return. Good places will definitely not be left for you."

The door suddenly dimmed the light from the screen, as if whispering: "Unless you can privately control and develop a completely new kingdom that has never been discovered by outsiders—"

"————"

Ai Yi's mind raced, and she was about to say something when she was interrupted by the next sentence from the door.

"Oops, here it comes."

The next moment, a muffled sound came from all directions, accompanied by a very human-like knocking tone: "Gurgle, is anyone home?"

This sound—

—Not the Crow Boss?

Ai Yi was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "Please come in—"

He quickly realized that his decision to let them pass was a bit rash, because the ensuing commotion seemed a bit too much.

The pool water beneath their feet began to overflow, the ground seemed to tremble, and the waves continued to spread towards the end of the starting point.

"What is this—?"

Ai tilted her head blankly.

Before me was a scene difficult to describe. A vortex slowly opened up from the ground, and out emerged a huge, furry head, with a smooth, glossy mane around its neck—it was clearly a lion.

Abstractly speaking, the door seemed to be opened too small, so the lion was half-stuck inside. After sticking its head out completely, it couldn't squeeze its body out as well. So, with a lion's face that should have been majestic but now looked inexplicably aggrieved, it weakly asked Ai for help.

"Guh, help—help—"

Ai's expression stiffened; she felt this approach wasn't quite right. After a moment's hesitation, she waved at Xiaobai, exclaiming with anguish, "You're just going to stand there and watch?"

"Well----"

The next moment, a large, thick mass of light tentacles emerged from the doorway, widening the passageway as it pulled the strange lion inside.

Only now did Ai see the full picture of this visitor: he was stunned and didn't know where to begin complaining.

—First of all, this "distinguished guest" seems to be too big.

He now looks like a child who has done something wrong, curling up in a corner, his face full of grievance, but even so he occupies a huge space, conservatively estimated to be as tall as seven or eight stories.

It's about the same whether it's turned sideways or not.

"Move aside for me," Ai commanded expressionlessly. Then she watched as the clumsy lion carefully stood up, wiggled its back—two, three, four, a total of four pairs of small wings—and lay down in another corner away from the fox.

"Guh, I'm sorry—" he apologized weakly, his eyes, which were bigger than Ai's whole body, blinked twice with teary eyes, looking embarrassed and awkward.

Ai looked at the strange beast that resembled a chimera: the lion's head was fine, but its body was covered with downy feathers instead of fur. The pure white feathers, almost without any other colors, were densely layered like scales, reflecting a radiant glow, making it appear sacred and elegant.

The four pairs of wings behind it—though they look beautiful, are clearly out of proportion. Compared to the enormous size of this beast, they seem more like decorations than organs, and it's unclear whether they can even be used for flight.

This is a ————

"Winged Lion"?

The word suddenly flashed through Ai's mind—she seemed to have seen it in the foundation's archives before.

This is an extremely ancient type of winged being, retaining both animalistic features and wings—they are a naturally mysterious species, and one of the most elite races, born with intelligence comparable to adult humans, noble and powerful, and active in various fantasy works in the form of "legends".

—But what's up with this pterosaur that looks like a pushover?!

"Uh—don't be nervous."

Looking at the pitiful appearance of the giant beast, Ai Yi didn't know how to comfort it. One of its claws was almost taller than a person. If she touched it with even a little too much force, it would probably feel like being pricked by a needle.

He tried to calm the big guy down: "How about I introduce myself first—I'm Ai, a friend of Mo Ya. What's your name?"

Upon hearing the mention of the Raven, the winged lion finally remembered the purpose of its journey. It roused itself, puffed out its chest, and declared, "Coo! I am the youngest son of the Lion Apostle under the Winged King. You may call me Asina Nidintu Bal Fraartes Martia Tritanta Ihmis—"

"stop."

Without any mercy, Ai Yi interrupted the talkative lion, took a deep breath, and had no idea where to vent her pent-up urge to complain.

"He can practically recite the family tree to me!"

"I should know his father."

The door suddenly interrupted quietly, "The Silent Raven is the king of the Winged Ones. He has a big territory and a group of lion apostles under him. I remember it was an old lion. If it is his offspring, it is not surprising. You have never seen an adult winged lion. They are several times bigger than this. This one is a mini version."

"Did I do something to upset Boss Crow?"

Ai looked dazed and muttered to herself, "He looks like a kid, why would He send this guy to torment me?"

-useless!

"Um----"

Doorway pondered for a moment, then guessed, "Perhaps Mo Ya feels that it's easier to get along with people of the same age?"

—What the hell is this guy's age!

"I no longer believe in winged brain circuits."

The Winged Ones are a strange bunch, and it's very likely that problems started with their leader.

Ai Yi was speechless. He turned to look at the winged lion, whose introduction he had interrupted and which now seemed to have reverted to its timid appearance. His head was throbbing, and he could only rub his temples and say, "Could you... shrink a little?"

This guy, whose name is as long as his family tree, blows like a gale every time he speaks, making the fox feel like it can't stand up straight.

"Okay, okay."

The lion with the strange verbal tic finally realized that there was something wrong with its size, and hurriedly agreed. Then, a flash of white light appeared all over its body, and its huge body shrank little by little.

As the light faded, the cramped space finally opened up again. Ai squinted and saw a boy who looked about fourteen or fifteen years old, roughly the same age as her original body. He had a head of soft white hair. Although he was quite handsome and cute, his blank expression completely ruined his overall demeanor.

—They really are the same age, and look like they're the same age, right?

She doesn't seem very bright—the kind of person you could easily sway with a single piece of candy.

The winged lion stood timidly before him—the four pairs of wings on its back were surprisingly proportioned this time.

Ai took a deep breath, deciding that a commanding tone would be more convenient: "You, your name, Simba, is too long to pronounce, so I'll just call you Simba. Any objections?"

"Gurgle—"

The little lion grumbled aggrievedly, but remembering that the guy in front of him was a friend of his boss, he didn't dare to object and said weakly, "Then let's call him Simba."

—Why do I not feel like a poet?

A sudden wave of guilt washed over the fox, like an older man bullying a child, and he could only sigh, "What did Mo Ya send you here for? And where are his own people?"

"Guh, Your Majesty—it seems you've recently regained a long-lost power and are quite busy, so you sent me here to help you complete the tilt."

Simba finally remembered the mission of this trip and looked a little more serious. "If you're ready, let's begin."

—So direct.

Talking to the straightforward lion is truly delightful. Ai wagged her tail, a little embarrassed, "I think I haven't collected a few ritual materials yet. Will that cause any problems?"

The inclination towards the implied is still missing a finger bone from the mute, an ounce of charcoal—but Simba shook his head indifferently: "Most of the materials for the ritual are only used to establish communication with the 'Master of the Path,' and to obtain permission. You are a friend of the King; it's just a matter of a verbal request. These favors are dispensable."

—Alas, even the mysterious world is a society based on human relationships.

"So I've brought you the most essential part."

As he spoke, Simba clasped his hands together as if in prayer, then took out a long, jet-black feather from his palm and carefully handed it to Ai.

"Gu, the king said this is for you—you can hold it in your hand or put it in your hair during the ceremony. Gu, its power is more than enough to complete the tilt, and you can decide how to use the rest."

It was an unremarkable feather, understated and seemingly without any superfluous special effects—but after staring at it for a while, Ai Yi was already filled with shock.

Then, he simply threw away the feather that he had secretly plucked from Gugu earlier.

Because the light screen in front of you reads: "Feather/Mysterious Item/Pale Crimson: A feather shed by Sichen. It doesn't seem to belong to the original body, but to any mystical scholar, it is a genuine mythical object. The ashes that constitute it are extremely pure. Using it only to complete your tilt is a waste of its potential. Hurry up and study alchemy, otherwise you'll just be staring at it helplessly. Do you still want to craft divine equipment by hand?"

"Note: A similar feather—you even have one on you. Sigh, the second generation of the Secret Society is truly invincible."

Ai's ears stood up very high.

—Oh ho!

①: Information provided exclusively to the foundation's internal think tank.

The Foundations of a Mysterious Worldview: The Grand Gift Pool

Depth 0 - Mudflats: A level separated from the real world by only a "veil". Most of the time, it still "follows the laws of physics" - ordinary matter from the real world can exist here unconditionally. Conversely, it is also relatively easy to retrieve the original things from this place back to the real world. (Note: Fresh produce farms are generally built at this level.)

Depth 1 - Shallow Bay: The level where mystical scholars appear most frequently. Almost all research institutes, hubs, and outposts are located here. The mystery and nature are relatively balanced here, and the physical and spiritual are willing to coexist, each retaining a separate influence. It is the best area for carrying out "long-term activities." (Most core facilities are located at this level.)

Depth 2 - Deep Harbour: A level where mystery surpasses nature, where pure matter has no medium to exist and will dissolve in the red liquid. This is a realm dominated by formless essence—a boundary where spirituality outweighs physical form. Innate, mysterious life forms are often born here—distributed in the form of tribes, such as the Fairy Capital and the Kingdom of Immortals. (At this level, secret essence and mystery have become necessities for survival.)

Depth 3: The Old Capital: Lost kingdoms piled up like overturned sandboxes, boundless ruins towering higher and more limitless than mountains and earth—scars of the world, the skeleton of history everywhere—nameless beast skeletons lie buried at the bottom of Ash Lake, giant tombs hollow out tree trunks, I see stalactite caves flowing with turbid blood, crimson ancient trees and broken cliff paths—this is the end of civilization and history. (Lost kingdoms, endless treasures, sealed history, all remain there!)

Go and find it!

Depth 4 - Bottom of the Pool: The level inhabited by the true forms of the Divine Stars and the Great Ones. History has been completely dissolved into questions. Countless lost things float in the ceaseless crimson tide—it is far removed from the "material world," becoming a realm belonging only to the spiritual. A tiny ripple here, if it rises to the surface, might cause a cataclysmic upheaval. (Those who arrive here must follow the natural order.)

Depth 5? (No one knows what lies beneath the bottom of the pool. Out of scientific rigor, we've placed a depth of 5 here, but it may never be needed.)

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