If Reimu in a rage was terrifying, a silent Reimu was chilling... Perhaps it was merely a psychological effect born of guilt, but facing a sullen and taciturn Reimu, Lin Luo genuinely felt immense pressure. That kind of spiritual "torture" was no less intense than confronting the Oni Miko.

For Reimu, losing something of that nature was absolutely unforgivable, and not just once! However, after going through a burst of berserk energy, she had calmed down completely and fully recalled everything that happened last night... Truthfully, she bore some responsibility for the incident; she was the one who initiated things, she was the one who actively seduced him, and even the first round of the 'push-down' game began with her!

The moment she recalled last night's events, Reimu felt a fever rise in her core, possessing an urge to find a block of tofu and smash her head against it. She truly couldn't fathom how she could have been so ** last night. Was it really because she drank too much at the banquet, leading to drunken licentiousness?

How to resolve this predicament was currently troubling Reimu.

"Um... could you please say something?" Seeing Reimu remain silent for so long, Lin Luo finally couldn't bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer and couldn't help but speak, "Whether you want to kill or slice, at least say something before you act, right?"

Lin Luo appeared remarkably upright and righteous when he said this, but inwardly, he felt like crying. Pushing the girl led to a hatchet; if everything were his fault, he could accept it, but the problem was... everything was orchestrated by Yukari Yakumo. Although he was the one who physically pushed her, the process felt like a dream to him, utterly lacking in reality. He wished he had at least been more aware during the act!

To be threatened with a hatchet over a "spring dream"—in a sense, he had surpassed Kakeru.

"We'll consider this matter concluded!" Contrary to Lin Luo's expectations, Reimu didn't press him further. Instead, she stepped down from the Golden Throne, speaking with her back to him, "Let's just pretend it never happened." With that, she walked straight ahead.

Although it seemed like Reimu had genuinely let it go, Lin Luo could still detect the barely suppressed gritting of teeth and unwillingness hidden in her tone.

Lin Luo couldn't help but offer a wry smile. Since Reimu claimed the matter was over, he certainly wasn't going to run headfirst into the muzzle of a gun... Well, for now, let's act as if nothing happened.

Thinking this, Lin Luo also stepped down from the Golden Throne. However, before he could even take a step, a gold brick flew toward him, striking him squarely on the head with a bang. From across the room came Reimu's furious roar, like a savage girlfriend: "Carry all the incense money back to the shrine!"

Lin Luo rubbed his head, finding a large lump had formed... For someone with his constitution to develop a lump, Reimu’s strike carried considerable force. An ordinary person would have likely suffered a fatal head injury.

Glancing at the pile of gold bricks and incense money beside him, which was taller than he was, Lin Luo realized carrying it all back alone would be troublesome. Just as he was about to ask Reimu for help, he noticed her walking with a slight limp, and he could faintly hear her muttering something about her "butt hurting"...

"Fine," Lin Luo decided that asking Reimu for help at this moment would not only be cruel but might also get him killed.

...

Because of the "harmonious and loving" relationship that had developed with Reimu, while she stopped shouting threats, she also refused to give him a pleasant look. Under these circumstances, it was clearly impossible for Lin Luo to continue staying at the Hakurei Shrine. Thus, after several instances of offering a warm greeting only to be met with cold disdain, coupled with Reimu's glaring and jaw-clenching fury, Lin Luo had no choice but to move to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Perhaps separating for a while to cool down was for the best... Come to think of it, when did he even start living at the Hakurei Shrine?

The Scarlet Devil Mansion readily accepted him. After all, for Remilia to ascend to True Ancestor status, a steady supply of Lin Luo's blood was indispensable.

Besides Yukari Yakumo, no fourth party knew about the affair between Lin Luo and Reimu. This was fortunate; otherwise, he might have been relentlessly hunted by certain individuals.

After that day, Lin Luo lingered in Gensokyo for another half a month. Aside from the daily life of complaining and being complained about in the Scarlet Devil Mansion, he frequently visited other places. For instance, the Netherworld and Eientei were his most common destinations. Firstly, both locations housed supreme experts who offered him room to grow; secondly, necessary exchanges were paramount... Of course, he still visited the Hakurei Shrine, but well, no need to mention it.

Cultivation and daily life coexisted—this marked Lin Luo's final half-month in Gensokyo. He had intended to stay longer, but for some reason, he felt a growing sense of unease, a premonition that if he didn't return soon, something major might happen. Thus, early the next morning, Lin Luo announced his intention to leave Gensokyo to everyone.

Although neither Host had signed a contract with him, this was not a problem that could be resolved quickly. Kaguya still had three unresolved challenges. If he was fast, they might be solved within days, like the previous two, but if he delayed, it could stretch for years, and he didn't have that much time to dedicate solely to Kaguya. More importantly, he still hadn't fully grasped the nature of the five challenges.

As for Reimu, it was even more straightforward. Her existence was tied to Gensokyo's existence. Before finding the Thirteenth Hakurei Miko, even if Reimu willingly left with him, Yukari Yakumo absolutely would not let her go. Moreover, considering what he had done to her recently, her not flaying him alive was already quite generous... A contract? Dream on!

Even if they needed to use a child as a breakthrough, it would require at least ten months of gestation! Besides, it was still uncertain whether Reimu was even carrying his child.

As for the Hosts' safety, he didn't need to worry too much. Kaguya was a novice, yet she was Earth-rank; few Walkers could surpass her. Furthermore, the Heart-Demon Seizure wouldn't affect her, and with Eirin Yagokoro protecting her closely, the danger factor was practically zero.

Although Reimu's compatibility wasn't at one hundred percent, she was invincible within Gensokyo, and given her personality, she likely had no Heart-Demon. Moreover, Yukari Yakumo understood the God War quite well; she would never allow any Walker to harm Reimu.

More importantly, even the strongest Walker, the Evil King, had been repelled. Which other Walker could gain an advantage in Gensokyo? Even if another full-scale Gensokyo War occurred, it would purely be an act of seeking punishment... Having learned some of the truth about the God War, they wouldn't show mercy as they did last time.

Lin Luo wasn't abandoning Reimu and Kaguya; it was just that there were too many unresolved issues. Within the limited time, he couldn't solve these fundamental problems, so he had to look toward the future... He believed he would return to Gensokyo one day, just like in the Type-Moon world; the unfinished regrets would be resolved then!

In the spacious courtyard of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Lin Luo and the four of them—Lilly, Yvaine, Mercurius, and Sakuya—stood in the center. Beside them were Remilia, Marisa, Kaguya, and about twenty other girls, all of whom had participated in the Gensokyo Full-Scale War, including Reimu, who had been giving him the cold shoulder recently... Upon learning Lin Luo and his group were leaving, a farewell banquet was inevitably held.

Confirming that only Lin Luo and the three girls he brought would depart, Sakuya remained hesitant... whether to leave or stay.

Remilia already knew about the God War and expressed no opinion on Sakuya's decision; it was entirely up to Sakuya herself.

Although Remilia let go, this made Sakuya even more conflicted.

"Since you find it hard to decide, you should stay here for now," Lin Luo said with a smile. This wasn't just a casual remark; staying in Gensokyo was also beneficial for Sakuya. There were many powerful individuals here. If she worked hard, with her aptitude, she might become very strong quickly. Moreover, in terms of current safety, his world was far inferior to Gensokyo.

"Very well," since Lin Luo had said so, Sakuya stopped struggling and nodded, deciding to remain in Gensokyo. Lin Luo felt a bit disappointed but respected her decision.

Finally, as the farewell banquet concluded, Lin Luo summoned the Starlight Avenue. The dazzling column of light was brilliant, but before he could step inside, a familiar voice echoed from within the Avenue: "Hahahaha! Myouou, your world is nearly mine now. You're too late!"

Hearing this voice, Lin Luo's expression changed drastically, because the owner of the voice was... the Evil King!

"What... what is this?" Not only Lin Luo but everyone around heard the Evil King's voice clearly. In the preceding period, they had gained a general understanding of the God War, and from the Evil King's words, it sounded as if Lin Luo's world had already been conquered by him!

"Father!" The faces of the three girls—Lilly, Yvaine, and Mercurius—were no better than Lin Luo's; they were all shocked. Even Yvaine asked, "Has our world really been breached?"

"That's unlikely," Lin Luo didn't think so. If the Evil King had truly occupied his world, the Hosts within that world surely wouldn't still be alive. If they died, he would be affected, but everything was normal now; no one had died, and no one's life was in danger. Therefore, the Evil King's words likely lacked substance. But... why could the Evil King transmit his voice here through the Starlight Avenue?!

Also, the Evil King clearly left this plane. Where was he transmitting from? What was the point of him saying this to him? Just to make him uneasy?

The multitude of questions gave Lin Luo a profoundly ominous premonition. Though he didn't know exactly what had happened, no matter what, he had to return immediately. Since the Evil King uttered such words, even if he hadn't fully conquered his world, he was probably already moving to do so.

But... he couldn't fathom how the Evil King managed to infiltrate his world?!

"Mistress, I apologize." Almost simultaneously with hearing the Evil King's words, Sakuya suddenly turned and bowed to Remilia, her face showing a hint of apology mixed with firm resolution.

If she had any hesitation before, Sakuya's mind was now clear. Although the time spent with the residents of the Sky Castle wasn't long, they were comrades who had shared life and death. Her comrades were now in danger, and she couldn't stand by idly. She... had to leave Gensokyo!

"Go on, go on," Remilia waved dismissively, a formidable smile curling on her lips as she spoke proudly, "Don't worry about the Scarlet Devil Mansion; it will function normally even without you. However, there is one order you must execute, or I will not agree to let you leave."

"Mistress, please tell me," Sakuya nodded without hesitation.

Remilia placed her hands on her hips, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The next moment, her eyes snapped open, fixing their gaze on Sakuya, and she spoke solemnly and firmly: "You must... come back alive!"

"Mistress..." Sakuya’s eyes widened instantly; she hadn't expected Remilia’s condition to be this. She felt an inexplicable surge of emotion and tremendous encouragement. Her eyes, faintly hinting at tears, met Remilia's as she solemnly affirmed, "Yes, I swear to obey this order until death!"

"We're sorry, we can't go with you," Kaguya said softly from the other side, her tone tinged with worry.

"I know, don't worry," Lin Luo nodded. Reimu and Kaguya going would be useless. If Reimu left Gensokyo, her strength would plummet to its lowest point; even with a massive surge, she would peak at Spirit-rank. Such strength would be meaningless against the Evil King. As for Kaguya, although she was Earth-rank, her strength hadn't fully recovered after her recent rebirth. Even if she could contribute to the fight, letting the Evil King see her again would render the charade from half a month ago meaningless.

Therefore, those two could not accompany him to the Sky Castle. As for the others, there was no need to mention them. Although Lin Luo desperately wanted to bring someone like Youmu Konpaku or Yukari Yakumo, that was clearly a pipe dream.

As Lin Luo and the four from the Sky Castle stepped onto the Starlight Avenue, although the gazes of those outside were laced with unease, Lin Luo smiled confidently, instead offering comfort: "Don't worry, it's just a rather lively farewell and welcome ceremony."

Although the Evil King was strong, Lin Luo wasn't defenseless. Based on the strength he learned about the opponent during the Gensokyo Full-Scale War, combined with his cultivation results over the past half-month... If he were in his own world, even against the Evil King, he was confident the chances of victory were fifty-fifty. His world would be protected by him!

Subsequently, the Starlight Avenue ascended. Watching the receding landmass, Lin Luo closed his eyes.

"Farewell, then."

Farewell, Gensokyo! And... here I come, Sky Castle! RO