Sinestro was different from other Green Lanterns. His powerful will didn't stem from protection, but from order, iron discipline, a soldier-like toughness, and a willingness to face death. He believed in order, hoping to establish a utopia in the universe free from war, tyranny, and oppression, and was willing to sacrifice everything to protect it.
Such a person was both great and dangerous.
The continuous autumn rain, after two days, finally stopped.
The dark clouds dispersed, and Coast City welcomed its first autumn sunrise. Luke, in a good mood, sat on a long bench in the backyard, enjoying pastries and sipping red tea, quietly watching the Kryptonian girl practice martial arts on the lawn.
He had never understood how the old beggar managed to trick Linda into becoming his disciple. This wasn't just a verbal apprenticeship; it was a formal initiation with incense, tea, and kowtows.
After they became master and disciple, the old beggar never gave Luke a good look. Every time he saw him, his eyes were filled with vigilance and hostility, like an old hen protecting her chicks from a weasel.
"Hey, kid, have you stared enough? That's my disciple, not your girlfriend. If you want to look at women, go find your girlfriend. Don't ogle here."
Ling Xuzi appeared on the table, unceremoniously picking up a nut cake from the table and tossing it into his mouth.
Luke squinted, "Old man, I've noticed you've been getting more and more arrogant lately, almost floating into the sky."
"A good teacher is hard to find, and a talented disciple is rare. You wouldn't understand this feeling."
Luke curled his lips, wanting to mock him, but changed his words at the last minute, "Did you really pass on the Lingxu Sect's secret techniques to her?"
"I did, I passed them all on. I didn't hold anything back."
"That's not like you."
Luke scoffed, "An old scoundrel who's been swindling for half his life suddenly has a conscience? Aren't you particular about sectarian boundaries, calling them the essence of the nation, not to be passed on, and refusing foreign disciples? Yet you taught them to an alien."
Ling Xuzi stroked his beard and sighed deeply,
"This girl has extraordinary talent, a rare gem encountered only once in several centuries. She's also diligent and hardworking. Though her temper is a bit fiery, her heart is very kind. I won't find another good disciple like her!"
Luke was noncommittal, picking up a pastry and putting it in his mouth. His gaze turned forward, where the girl floated in mid-air, her limbs twisting with her body, performing various strange movements. Sometimes she curled into a ball, sometimes she stood like a poplar tree, and sometimes her legs spread into an inverted 'T' shape...
"That pose is good, it has a lot of developmental potential," Luke mumbled. The next second, a gust of wind brushed his face, and Linda appeared eerily in front of him, saying with a displeased expression,
"What did you just say? What pose? What developmental potential?"
Luke: "..."
"I mean, your movements are graceful and beautiful, with the potential to become a top-tier ballet dancer."
Linda scrutinized him from head to toe and sneered,
"I'm warning you, don't have any ill intentions towards me, or I'll beat you up."
Luke awkwardly said, "Your master is right there, what ill intentions could I have towards you?" After speaking, he quickly winked at the old beggar. The latter's face was frosty. As an old rogue who had spent many years in the jianghu, how could he not understand words like "pose" and "potential"?
That damned kid, he's definitely after my disciple!
The old man didn't cooperate.
Luke could only change the subject, "Since you're here, take your gift."
"Gift?"
Luke nodded, "Your master and I are half-family. Since he's taking a final disciple, as family, I should show my appreciation. Coincidentally, I recently acquired a treasure..."
As he spoke, he opened the bag on the long bench and took out a bright yellow metal box. The lid opened, and under the orange-yellow light, an ancient-looking crystal ring, shimmering with green light, appeared.
"How is it? Isn't it beautiful?"
Linda's eyes immediately lit up, and she instinctively nodded. The ring's style, design, and luster were all top-notch. Besides the green light being unappealing, everything else was perfect.
She really liked this gift.
The old beggar stepped forward, blocking Linda. "You little brat, what are you up to now? I'm warning you, you have a girlfriend. Believe it or not, I'll call Carol Ferris right now."
Luke said speechlessly, "It's just a gift, is that really necessary?"
The old beggar snapped, "This is a ring, understand? A ring! You give a girl a ring and call it a gift? Do you really think I'm old and don't understand anything?"
"You really misunderstood!"
Luke sighed helplessly, looking wronged. He looked at Linda, "Do you want it or not? If not, then forget it."
"Who said I don't want it?"
The girl, as if in a huff, picked up the ring and put it on her index finger, gesturing back and forth towards the sun. The sunlight shone through the gaps between her fingers, casting a pink halo over the green ring. The red, white, and green colors intertwined, looking exceptionally beautiful.
"Not bad, it suits me very well. I'm very satisfied with your gift."
The old beggar: "..."
Luke cleared his throat and smiled faintly, "It's good that you like it. If you like it, keep it safe. Oh, and the ring is not an ordinary item; it tends to run away. Be careful when you wear it. When you're not wearing it, put it in the box. A yellow light will make it behave."
After giving away the gift, Luke felt a pang of regret. He sighed for a long time before reluctantly leaving the backyard.
Ling Xuzi stared intently at Luke's retreating figure. Having lived in the Xiao family for so many years, how could he not know the rascal's nature?
Giving gifts?
Bah!
A weasel paying respects to a chicken—that brat never gave gifts unless he was lusting after someone's body and wanted to get into bed.
"My dear disciple, we can't accept this thing. Nothing good will come of it. Listen to me, quickly return it."
"It's fine, it's just a ring."
Linda stared at her palm. The crystal ring perfectly matched her slender, fair fingers, looking exquisitely beautiful. The more she looked, the more she liked it.
Suddenly, the ring vibrated, erupting with blinding green light. Linda quickly exerted force, clamping her fingers around the power ring, pressing down hard. The vibration grew stronger, emitting shockwaves powerful enough to destroy the highest-strength titanium alloy, yet her fair, tender fingers held it as steady as a needle fixing the sea, unmoving.
After a few minutes of stalemate, the green light weakened, and the ring returned to its original appearance.
"Interesting! It actually tried to escape!"
The girl snorted, raised the ring, and said triumphantly,
"Trying to fly away after falling into Kara Zor-El's hands? Dream on."
...At this moment, in a hospital somewhere in Coast City, Hal, lying on his sickbed, had despair flickering in his eyes. Just now, he had re-established contact with his power ring and then unhesitatingly activated the summoning function to call it to his side. But the result was cruel; the ring couldn't return, held firmly in the grip of the abyssal beast. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free.
"It's over, completely over."
Hal's face was ashen. Since that scoundrel Luke Xiao brazenly displayed the power ring, it meant he had found a way to counter it. This also meant that the difficulty of getting his ring back had increased dozens of times.
Sinestro's deadline was two days; three days had already passed. Although Hal didn't know why, Sinestro hadn't appeared as scheduled, but Hal felt that he might be destined to be without the Green Lantern Corps.
Leaving the Corps, what else could I do?
Looking at his right hand, which now only had two fingers, Hal fell into endless confusion.
----------------------------------
I've already posted 30 new chapters on Patreon!
If you like the story and want to reaad more, please visit my patreon. Every support is very meaningful!
[patreon.com/Kazenova223]
Thank you very much!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"