Angela of the Funeral

“Oh? A promise from the House of Mars? Although such a promise is indeed a rare opportunity for humans, it is not so reliable for us elves! Furthermore, speaking of such things with your current experience—isn’t that a bit presumptuous?”

Angela’s voice seemed to carry a hint of deliberation, but it lacked the affirmation Po Kong had imagined. This couldn't help but make him feel a bit anxious.

Po Kong naturally knew that as a young man not yet twenty, even with a distinguished status, speaking on behalf of the entire War God family's decisions was indeed a bit hasty.

However, despite the anxiety in his heart, he did not panic in the face of Angela’s questioning.

After a brief silence, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind, and an idea quickly took shape.

“I remember the family records mentioned that you also fell in love with a human during your travels, Senior.”

“If even you, Senior, could cross racial boundaries to find your own happiness, then why can’t we?”

Unexpectedly, Po Kong’s words were like touching a forbidden switch. Instantly, an indescribable and terrifying pressure surged forth like a tide, tightly enveloping both him and Starlight.

This pressure contained an ancient and deep power, as if the entire World Tree were pressing down upon their shoulders.

Their faces instantly turned pale. They felt an unprecedented pressure from Angela—a terrifying weight they had never experienced before.

What weighed down on them now was a horrific aura that seemed to have crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, like countless sharp blades scraping across their skin. Yet, coming from Angela, it seemed so incongruous with her identity.

They suddenly realized that Po Kong’s words might have touched upon a past that Angela was unwilling to mention deep in her heart.

The air in the entire space seemed to freeze, and a heavy, tense atmosphere filled the room, making it difficult to breathe.

Angela’s figure sat up once more within the pressure, but this time she appeared even taller and more majestic, looking down at the two who were nearly forced to their knees.

A complex light flickered in her eyes—anger, pain, and even more so, an unspeakable sense of helplessness and struggle.

“Sigh... forget it.”

With that long and heavy sigh, Angela slowly withdrew the suffocating, terrifying pressure.

She seemed to have cast off a heavy burden, falling back powerlessly into the floating chair.

Her slender figure appeared exceptionally weary at this moment, as if time had accelerated its flow, adding a few traces of age to her exquisite face.

On the other side, though only a few seconds had passed, Starlight and the other were already drenched in sweat.

They felt as if they had just escaped the hands of the Grim Reaper, gasping for air as they tried to calm their hearts, which were nearly leaping out of their chests.

“Indeed... you are right. I’ve read not only your family’s historical records but also all those novels and unofficial histories written based on our deeds. Since that's the case, you should know the title I held thousands of years ago, right?”

Angela’s voice became low and raspy, as if it had traveled through thousands of years, carrying an indescribable sense of antiquity.

Po Kong struggled to steady his breathing, his voice carrying a hint of a gasp as he answered.

“I... I know. Your title is ‘Angela of the Funeral.’ This name is quite famous in both history books and common stories.”

Angela nodded slightly, her gaze deep as she continued to question him. “Then do you know the true origin behind this name?”

Starlight had also flipped through the title and novels Po Kong mentioned during his leisure time at the Spiritual Arts Academy. He naturally had some understanding of that adventure from thousands of years ago, so he spoke up with a hint of certainty in his tone.

“It’s because you once buried tens of thousands of demons who were besieging a city single-handedly. From that battle onward, you earned this resounding title.”

However, Angela’s response was completely unexpected. She shook her head gently, a bitter smile appearing on her beautiful face.

“Heh, I knew you would think that. That’s why I say novels always have a bit of embellishment... Although I did accomplish that with the help of my friends, it isn't the root of the title.”

“Then... what’s written in the books is actually wrong?”

Po Kong looked at Angela with some hesitation. One had to understand that she was a legendary figure he had admired since childhood, yet today he was hearing a different answer from her own mouth.

Angela’s words revealed a complex emotion, as if she were recalling a past she didn't want to touch easily.

“Mm... This title was actually one I gave myself years later when I traveled the continent again. And the ones I buried weren't actually demons... but the irreplaceable dear friends in my life.”

“This...” Po Kong wanted to say something more, but Starlight stopped him with a gentle gesture, signaling him to give Angela space to continue.

“Thinking back to thousands of years ago, I traveled the world under the name ‘Anji.’ I was young then, full of vigor, facing a precarious human kingdom. At that time, magical beasts occupied the wilderness, demons ran rampant everywhere, and people were displaced. The world was a land of misery.”

“On that long road, fate brought me together with several like-minded friends. We had different identities and came from different places, but we traveled together because of a shared ideal.”

“We carried the noble ideal of saving the common people, treading across the entire continent. After enduring many hardships, we finally achieved no small measure of success.”

“As for the one you mentioned—my beloved, the Radiant Elemental Body of that time—he was like all the cursed Radiant Elemental Bodies in the long river of history. In the end, he could not escape the shackles of fate and left me one day without any warning.”

“After he vanished, we searched almost frantically for every possible clue. But in the end, that despair and pain turned our anger toward the demons. We all believed they were the ones who had taken our friend and lover, so a storm of revenge against the demons swept across the continent.”

“Once that crimson path of revenge began, exterminating demons gradually became my unshakable mission. It clouded my eyes, making me forget my original intention as a priest. Instead, I stood side by side with warriors of all races, charging at the forefront of the flames of war.”

“Until one day... when I stood atop a mountain of magical beasts and the remains of my comrades, a sudden wave of clarity hit me. I realized this was not the world my beloved wished to see. In that moment, I seemed to hear his distant call, calling me back to reason and peace.”

“So I resolutely bid farewell to those partners I had fought alongside and embarked on my journey home. I returned to the Star-Song Forest and threw myself into the embrace of the World Tree, trying to use time to heal the scars in my heart and wash away the sins and punishments that stained my hands.”

“As the years passed, when I finally gathered the courage to step outside the forest’s borders again, what greeted me was the news of your ancestor’s critical illness. At that moment, my heart was deeply stung once more. I couldn't believe that the tall figure who had shielded us from wind and rain and guided our way so many times would fall so fragilely before my eyes.”

Angela looked at Po Kong, her words filled with sorrow and reluctance.