The Mighty Mage-Chapter 397: The Truth

Old Mr. Han’s hands trembled as he gripped his cane, his face paling with realization. His throat went dry as he tried to salvage the situation.

"Mr. Long, please... we were blind to the reality of the situation. Had we known Ms. Gu Jin was under your protection, we never would have—"

Long Yifan scoffed, his gaze cold and unyielding.

"Spare me the pathetic excuses. My people intercepted every attempt on her life, and yet, instead of reconsidering, you escalated your efforts. This isn’t arrogance—it’s stupidity."

A bead of sweat trickled down Old Mr. Han’s temple.

The remaining members of the 1% Group exchanged uneasy glances, their confidence utterly shattered.

For years, they had thought themselves untouchable, moving as they pleased within the shadows of the Capital City.

But tonight, they had finally encountered a force they could not reckon with.

Long Yifan stepped forward, his movements deliberate, his presence suffocating.

"Let me make this clear. There will be no second chances. If a single whisper of ill intent towards Gu Jin reaches me again, I will not stop at merely cutting down your organization—I will erase every trace of your existence."

His words carried a weight that pressed down on the room like an iron grip.

The leaders of the 1% Group visibly flinched, their bravado completely stripped away.

Even Old Mr. Han, once considered an immovable pillar of their faction, stood powerless before Long Yifan’s unrelenting authority.

Ni Shulin’s mother hesitated before speaking, her voice meek compared to her usual sharp tone.

"Mr. Long, we understand. From this moment onward, we will cease all hostility towards Ms. Gu Jin. You have our word."

Long Yifan chuckled darkly.

"Your word? Do you take me for a fool? Your word is worth less than the dust beneath my feet. But I will give you a choice—dismantle the 1% Group yourselves, dissolve every alliance, or... I will do it for you."

The silence that followed was deafening.

The leaders of the group shifted uneasily, knowing that defiance meant certain doom.

Old Mr. Han exhaled heavily, resignation settling into his aged features.

"We... we will disband."

Long Yifan smirked.

"Good. See to it that you do. And if I so much as catch a glimpse of any of you conspiring against Gu Jin again, I won’t be as forgiving."

Long Yifan stepped out into the cold night air, inhaling deeply as he slid his sword back into its sheath.

The Silver Tower, once a beacon of the group’s influence, now stood as a symbol of their demise.

One of his subordinates approached him. "What are your orders, sir?"

Long Yifan glanced back at the building, his expression unreadable.

"Keep watch on them. If they make a single wrong move, we finish what we started."

"Understood."

...............

Unaware of the commotion Long Yiufan had caused, Gu Jin returned to her room.

"Hm...now I only need a vast open ground...should I do it in the space?"

"Master you can’t." The space said.

Gu Jin frowned, her fingers lightly tapping against the smooth surface of her desk.

"Why not? The space is vast, unrestricted, and perfect for what I need."

The space, an ancient and enigmatic entity that had long since fused with her consciousness, let out an exasperated sigh.

"Master, while the space may seem like an ideal location, it is not suitable for summoning something of unknown origin."

Gu Jin raised an eyebrow.

"Unknown origin? The summoning stone was specifically crafted for this purpose. Are you saying there’s a risk?"

"Yes. The stone itself is ancient, but its true capabilities remain uncertain. Unlike the structured laws of the outside world, space follows a unique set of principles.

Introducing an unstable foreign entity here could disrupt the delicate balance, leading to catastrophic consequences."

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Then, where do you suggest I open the summoning portal?"

"Somewhere vast, isolated, and capable of withstanding fluctuations in energy. Ideally, a place near an immense mana flow."

Gu Jin thought for a while before nodding.

The summoning element was strange for her. Completely new.

"I should get a teacher." She muttered.

Without a teacher, she wouldn’t know whether she was doing everything right or not.

With that idea, the next day Gu Jin set out to find a teacher.

She had just opened the door and found Luo Meng standing outside.

She was surprised,

"What are you doing here?"

Luo Meng was startled too. He paused before asking softly,

"Master, do you have time?"

Gu Jin nodded after checking the time and led him inside,

"Say."

Luo Meng hesitated before asking,

"Uh...that...master...yesterday you went to Senior Long’s room..."

Gu Jin sighed. She was truly tired and had enough. Even though Luo Meng had saved her, she couldn’t put up with his suspicious behavior every day.

"Luo Meng I don’t think anything could work out between us." She said calmly.

Luo Meng’s breathing hitched, his slowly turned red and he extended his hand but stopped midway.

"Master...I...do you have feelings for Senior Long?"

"I don’t." Gu Jin said calmly.

"However, this has nothing to do with our relationship. The reason why I can’t feel anything for you is because I never saw you as more than a disciple.

There are also certain areas, where I think we are incompatible."

Luo Meng’s expression twisted, a storm of emotions flickering across his face.

His fingers clenched at his sides as if struggling to find an anchor amidst the chaos of rejection.

"Master..." His voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper. "Is there truly no chance?"

Gu Jin exhaled softly, her gaze steady yet devoid of cruelty.

"No, Luo Meng. I will not offer false hope where none exists."

A heavy silence settled between them. Luo Meng looked as if he wanted to argue, to plead, but the unwavering resolve in Gu Jin’s expression stopped him.

A bitter smile curled on his lips. "I understand."

Gu Jin nodded, her voice gentle but firm. "Good. It is better this way."

Luo Meng swallowed hard and straightened his posture, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his inner turmoil.

After a moment of silence, he asked,

"Then can you...please stay by my side for 2 years? I need that much to move on."

Gu Jin was in a dilemma. A life-saving grace compared to 2 years of her life wasn’t much. But she didn’t know if she had enough patience to cope with him till then.

Just as she was debating whether to nod or not, she heard a familiar voice,

"No, she can’t." Long Yifan’s firm voice broke the tension.

Gu Jin turned around and frowned, "What are you doing here?"

Long Yifan flashed her a smile and explained,

"The times are up."

"Hm?" Gu Jin was baffled by his words, but Luo Meng understood what Long Yifan meant. His face turned a bit pale. With a forced composure he turned toward Gu Jin, intending to ignore Long Yifan.

"Jin, the person who saved you for Lamashtu and Erinyes was me. Luo Meng only stole the credits. I had given him a week to tell you the truth but he didn’t." Long Yifan revealed.

Gu Jin blinked, it took her some time to process the truth.

With a blank expression, she turned toward Luo Meng and asked,

"Is it true?"

Luo Meng’s breath hitched, his carefully maintained composure crumbling under the weight of Long Yifan’s revelation.

His lips parted as if to refute the claim, but the intensity of Gu Jin’s gaze pinned him in place.

"Answer me," she said, her voice devoid of emotion.

Luo Meng’s fingers curled into tight fists at his sides.

Shame crept up his spine, his throat dry as he struggled to find the right words.

But what excuse could he give? What justification could make up for the lie he had so carefully maintained?

"I..." His voice faltered, his head lowering ever so slightly. "It’s true."

At first, he had thought of lying but, when Gu Jin turned toward him to ask for the truth, he realized just how much Gu Jin trusted him.

Not to mention, Gu Jin was too smart. She would quickly understand that he was lying.

Silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating.

Gu Jin’s expression remained unreadable, but beneath her calm facade, disappointment took root.

Her hands clenched as she tried to suppress her emotions.

Luo Meng had not only stolen credit for something he did not do but had also used it as leverage to remain close to her.

"So, you lied," she stated, not as a question, but as a fact.

Luo Meng swallowed hard, lifting his gaze in desperation. "Jin, I—"

"That’s enough," she cut him off.

"If you had told me the truth from the beginning, perhaps things could have been different. But now... I have no reason to trust you."

Luo Meng’s face paled. "Please, listen to me—"

Gu Jin turned away, her indifference like a sharp blade severing whatever thread had remained between them.

"There’s nothing more to say. Our paths end here."