191: Chapter 191 The Heroic Souls Return to Their Places, the Three Elders Enter the Tombstone

After Guardian Lin Jingyun left Yongning City, Ling Shuang stood alone in front of the Monument of Heroes, not moving for a long time.

The morning light spilled over her white hair, casting a faint golden hue.

In her hand, that fragment of the battle blood spear was still slightly warm, as if it still carried the warmth of Zhou Zhiting's palm.

In her ears, she seemed to still be able to hear Song Xinghe's hoarse voice, speaking of those endless monitoring data.

She lowered her head, looking at the three tombstones in front of her.

Zhou Zhiting's monument was engraved with her lifetime's military exploits, Song Xinghe's monument was engraved with every drop of effort he poured into the Star Sea, and the line of characters on Guardian Lin Jingyun's monument was still emitting a faint golden light — "Guardian Lin Jingyun, protecting the Star Sea, protecting the original aspiration."

What fine words.

Ling Shuang thought, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

This Disciple had never disappointed her.

In the distance, the morning bell of the Guardian Academy had already struck three times, and Yongning City had completely awakened.

Laughter and chatter from the common people drifted through the streets and alleys, the fragrance of breakfast stalls wafted past the city walls, and Disciples of the Guardian Academy shouted chants in the Martial Arts Arena.

Everything was continuing, as if nothing had happened.

But Ling Shuang knew that everything had changed.

Zhou Zhiting was no longer here, and Song Xinghe was no longer here.

Those old brothers who had followed her all their lives, those veteran generals who used their lives to hold back the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders at the Seal, were all gone.

Their names were engraved on the Monument of Heroes; their stories remained in every corner of the Star Sea.

She took a deep breath and turned to walk towards the Alliance Grand Hall.

There were still many things to do, and she could not let sorrow stop her steps.

Inside the hall, representatives from various domains had already arrived.

Seeing Ling Shuang walk in, they all stood up and saluted.

Ling Shuang waved her hand to signal them to sit down, walked to the main seat, and her gaze swept across the audience.

"Everyone, Guardian Lin Jingyun has returned," she said straight to the point.

Gasps of astonishment instantly sounded within the hall.

Tears of pleasant surprise flashed in Shen Qiuyu's eyes, and representatives from various domains all showed expressions of relief.

Over these past days, the disappearance of Guardian Lin Jingyun had always been the heaviest stone in everyone's hearts.

Now that the stone had landed, everyone felt relieved.

"Did the Patriarch... recover?" a young representative stood up and asked, his voice carrying anticipation.

Ling Shuang nodded: "He has recovered, and is even stronger than before."

"He has already gone to the edge of the Star Sea to investigate newly emerged spacetime wrinkles."

The atmosphere in the hall instantly became much more relaxed.

With Guardian Lin Jingyun around, the Star Sea had its backbone.

This was a consensus of hundreds of years, which had never changed.

Ling Shuang continued: "Calling everyone here today is also for another matter."

"Although the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders is dead, you all heard the words of Director Song Xinghe before his death."

"There are even more powerful existences in the Void Abyss, and they will come sooner or later."

"We must be fully prepared and cannot afford the slightest slack."

She paused, her gaze becoming solemn: "Starting from today, the Investigation Department will expand its monitoring range to cover all domains and peripheral regions of the Star Sea."

"The Realm Guardian Army will maintain full strength, and the defense Formations of all domains will be inspected once a month."

"The Guardian Academy will accelerate the cultivation of talents, especially Disciples in Formations and rune Dao."

Representatives from various domains nodded one after another, and no one raised any objections.

Everyone had witnessed firsthand the terror of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders.

If there were even more powerful existences, the Star Sea must never lower its guard.

After the meeting ended, Ling Shuang did not return to the small courtyard, but instead went to the Investigation Department.

The nine-story tower still stood on the east side of Yongning City, and the runes on its outer walls were still slowly flowing.

But walking inside, one felt that something was missing.

Missing was that figure leaning on a cane, limping yet never willing to stop, and missing was that hoarse yet forever clear voice.

Shen Qiuyu was busy in front of the star map, and seeing Ling Shuang walk in, she hurriedly stood up and saluted.

"Senior, why have you come?"

Ling Shuang waved her hand, signaling her to continue working.

She walked to the star map, looking at those dense points of light.

On the star map, the situation of various domains of the Star Sea was clear at a glance.

The flow of Spiritual Veins, the concentration of Spiritual Qi, the fluctuations of spacetime... every piece of information was crystal clear, without a single error.

This was a System built by Song Xinghe with his whole Life, and it was the most precious legacy he left to the Star Sea.

"Qiuyu, how many Disciples does the Investigation Department currently have?" Ling Shuang asked.

Shen Qiuyu thought for a moment: "There are three thousand seven hundred formal Disciples, and more than two thousand probationary Disciples."

Ling Shuang nodded: "That is enough."

"But training must be strengthened, especially in monitoring and early warning."

"Every Disciple must learn the experience left behind by Director Song."

Shen Qiuyu nodded solemnly: "Senior, rest assured, I will definitely accomplish this."

Ling Shuang stayed in the Investigation Department for an entire day.

She checked every monitoring record, inquired about the operation status of every detection point, and even personally climbed to the top floor of the tower to look at the core monitoring Magical Artifact personally designed by Song Xinghe.

The Magical Artifact was still operating, and the runes were still flowing.

But the person who operated it was no longer there.

When the setting sun went down, Ling Shuang finally left the Investigation Department.

She stood under the tower and looked back.

The nine-story tower cast a long shadow in the setting sun, like a silent giant guarding Yongning City.

"Xinghe, your Investigation Department is very good."

"Rest assured."

She turned around and walked towards the Guardian Academy.

On the Martial Arts Arena of the Guardian Academy, Disciples were practicing in the evening.

Thousands of young Disciples formed a square array, raising their star spirit guardian swords in unison. The sword light flickered in the setting sun, resembling a golden ocean.

Ling Shuang stood at the edge of the field, looking at these young faces.

Among them were humans, the Yao Race, geniuses from various domains, and children of ordinary commoners.

They wore uniform green shirts, shouted uniform chants, and performed uniform movements.

She recalled back then when the Guardian Academy was just established, there were only a few hundred Disciples.

Now, there were already tens of thousands of people.

Every domain had a branch academy, and countless young people enrolled every year.

The Dao-guarding method had spread to every corner of the Star Sea.

"Senior." A young instructor walked over, bowed and saluted, "The Disciples want to listen to you talk about the past."

Ling Shuang looked at those expectant faces and smiled slightly.

"Alright, then let us talk about it."

She walked to the center of the Martial Arts Arena, and the Disciples gathered around and sat cross-legged.

Thousands of eyes stared at her, like thousands of stars.

Ling Shuang opened her mouth, her voice hoarse yet clear: "Do you know who established the Guardian Academy?"

The Disciples answered in unison: "Patriarch Bai Yunzhou!"

Ling Shuang nodded: "Correct, it is the Patriarch."

"But do you know why the Patriarch wanted to build the Guardian Academy?"

The Disciples looked at each other in dismay, and no one could answer.

Ling Shuang continued: "Because the Patriarch said, guarding the Dao is not the business of one person, but the business of a group of people."

"No matter how strong a single person is, they cannot guard the entire Star Sea alone."

"Only when everyone unites can we truly guard it."

She paused, her gaze sweeping across every young face.

"Back then, when the Patriarch built the Guardian Academy, there were only a few hundred Disciples."

"There were no dormitories, so they set up tents on the open ground."

"There were no teaching materials, so they wrote them themselves."

"There was no experience, so they groped while teaching."

"But no one retreated, no one gave up."

"Because they knew they were doing a great thing — protecting the Star Sea."

The Disciples listened quietly, their eyes filled with reverence.

Ling Shuang continued speaking, telling how Bai Yunzhou fought a decisive battle against the Void Sovereign, how he established the Guardian Alliance, and how he fought a bloody battle against the Ash-Eater Clan.

Telling how Zhou Zhiting fought bloody battles on the Eastern Front, and how she fought desperately with the Void Emperor.

Telling how Song Xinghe created the Investigation Department, and how he used his Life to ignite the star map.

She spoke for a night, and the Disciples listened for a night.

No one felt sleepy, no one lost focus.

Those stories, those names, and the people who guarded the Star Sea with their lives had been deeply imprinted in their hearts.

Early the next morning, Ling Shuang returned to the small courtyard beside the Monument of Heroes.

Guardian Lin Jingyun had not returned yet, and that wispy golden point of light was no longer under the base of the monument.

But the chaotic-colored light at the top of the Monument of Heroes was still bright, and the three tombstones stood quietly in the morning light.

She walked in front of Zhou Zhiting's monument, squatted down, and gently stroked the characters on the monument.

"Zhiting, yesterday I went to the Guardian Academy."

"Those children wanted to hear about you."

"I told them, telling them how you fought bloody battles on the Eastern Front, how you fought desperately with the Void Emperor, and how you used your Life to hold back the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders."

"They listened very carefully, and many people cried."

Her voice was very soft, as if chatting with an old friend.

"I handed the fragments of your battle blood spear to Jingyun."

"He took it to the edge of the Star Sea to investigate those spacetime wrinkles."

"He said you would bless him."

The fresh flowers in front of the monument swayed gently in the wind, as if responding to her.

Ling Shuang smiled, stood up and walked to Song Xinghe's monument.

"Xinghe, yesterday I also went to the Investigation Department."

"Qiuyu manages the Investigation Department very well, and those monitoring Magical Artifacts are all operating normally."

"Your star map is still shining above Yongning City, and everyone can see it."

She looked up at that eternal star map.

"Rest assured, the Investigation Department will not disband."

"Those Disciples will continue to monitor the Star Sea for you and continue to issue early warnings for you."

The points of light on the star map flickered once, like Song Xinghe nodding.

Finally, Ling Shuang walked to Guardian Lin Jingyun's monument.

The line of characters on the monument face was still emitting a faint golden light — "Guardian Lin Jingyun, protecting the Star Sea, protecting the original aspiration."

She looked at that line of characters and smiled.

"Jingyun, when are you coming back?"

"Teacher misses you."

In the distance, a streak of golden light slashed across the horizon, speeding towards the direction of Yongning City.

Ling Shuang looked up, seeing that streak of light getting closer and closer, finally landing in front of her.

Guardian Lin Jingyun stepped out from the light, his expression somewhat exhausted, but his eyes were still bright.

"Teacher, I have returned."

Ling Shuang looked him up and down, confirming that he was not injured before setting her mind at ease.

"How was it? Those spacetime wrinkles?"

Guardian Lin Jingyun shook his head: "It was just the residual energy fluctuations of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders, not a new threat."

"I have already purified them all."

Ling Shuang breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."

Guardian Lin Jingyun walked to the three tombstones and bowed deeply.

"Senior Zhiting, Senior Xinghe, your Disciple has come to see you."

He stood up and looked at Ling Shuang.

"Teacher, I want to do something."

Ling Shuang looked at him: "What thing?"

Guardian Lin Jingyun looked towards the direction of the distant Guardian Academy: "I want to compile the stories of Senior Zhiting and Senior Xinghe into the teaching materials of the Guardian Academy."

"Let every generation of Disciples know that someone once guarded the Star Sea with their lives."

Ling Shuang was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Alright, I will help you."

The two stood side by side in front of the monument, the morning light spilling over them, stretching their shadows very, very long.

In the distance, the morning bell of the Guardian Academy rang once again, its sound passing through the streets and alleys of Yongning City, through the square in front of the Monument of Heroes, and through everyone's heart.

Ling Shuang took a deep breath and said softly.

"Zhiting, Xinghe, rest in peace."

"The Star Sea, we are guarding it."