Hellfire Blossom

"Welcome, Holy Maiden."

At Sky Sanctuary, dressed in flowing pink robes, Holy Maiden Aeliana walked through several forbidden areas.

A fragrant breeze brushed past her as she smiled at a few guards clad in silver armor and asked, "It seemed like I saw a Demonic Sect disciple on my way here. Why would a demonic cultivator come to Sky Sanctuary?"

"Reporting to the Holy Maiden, that Demonic Sect disciple came to deliver a message to the Goddess. However, the letter was handed directly to Goddess Sylvia, and we are not privy to its contents," the guard quickly replied.

"I see." Holy Maiden Aeliana nodded, not overly concerned.

After all, a mere Demonic Sect disciple was nothing for Sylvia, who could easily crush him with a flick of her finger.

"You may leave now."

Holy Maiden Aeliana gracefully proceeded towards Sylvia's residence, her steps as delicate as if treading on lotus petals.

Goddess Sylvia was known for her aloof and resolute nature, a force to be reckoned with.

Whether it was the sacred lands or the dynasties.

Even the mightiest powers would not dare to provoke Sylvia lightly, always treading carefully around her.

Thus, even though Holy Maiden Aeliana was one of the few who could actually converse with Sylvia, she never dared to overstep.

"Whoosh."

But as she pushed open the door, she caught Sylvia seemingly hiding something quickly, a hint of panic on her face.

"Sylvia, what's wrong?" Holy Maiden Aeliana asked, puzzled. She had never seen Sylvia look this way before.

After all, Sylvia was usually like an unmeltable glacier, her stunning face never betraying any emotion.

"It's nothing, just lost in thought while contemplating the Dao, got a bit distracted."

"Really? Then why did I think I saw a faint pink light just now?"

"No, you must have seen wrong."

Sylvia quietly hid the love token behind her back, setting up several seals to block any traces.

Holy Maiden Aeliana: "But I clearly saw..."

Sylvia: "Absolutely not!"

Holy Maiden Aeliana: "But..."

"Whoosh."

A chilling gleam swept through, the aftermath splitting the house in two with a sword's force.

With a thunderous crash, the house collapsed.

Holy Maiden Aeliana felt a chill run down her spine.

Had that sword struck her, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Ha ha ha, must have been my eyes playing tricks on me, probably because I didn't sleep well last night."

Holy Maiden Aeliana laughed awkwardly, though her face was filled with distress.

"That's better."

Sylvia's beautiful face remained emotionless as she finally sheathed her sword.

As the cold wind blew through the ruins, Holy Maiden Aeliana stood there awkwardly.

After a long while, looking down at the landscape below Sky Sanctuary, Sylvia finally relaxed and sighed out of nowhere, "You've been the Holy Maiden for over eight thousand years, haven't you? Have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?"

Holy Maiden Aeliana was clearly startled, feeling that this question didn't sound like something Sylvia would ask.

But after a moment's thought, she quickly replied, "Of course, I've thought about it. Naturally, it's to eradicate all Demonic Sects, strengthen the righteous path, and ensure the people of the world live in peace and prosperity."

Sylvia shook her head, "That's not what I meant. I mean, everyone has their own life to live. Have you ever thought about what you should do for yourself, aside from serving others?"

"This..."

The more she heard, the more Holy Maiden Aeliana felt something was off.

Because the Sylvia she was speaking to now seemed very different from the one she remembered.

In her memory, Sylvia had always been cold and aloof, unwilling to engage in worldly conflicts and unconcerned with anything beyond her duties.

Not to mention discussing matters of the heart.

Suddenly, a terrifying thought struck Holy Maiden Aeliana.

Could it be that Sylvia actually had someone she cared for?

Impossible, absolutely impossible! She was the venerable Goddess Sylvia, standing at the very pinnacle of Sky Sanctuary!

Countless chosen ones, holy sons of sacred lands, and princes of dynasties couldn't even catch her eye.

How could she possibly have suddenly developed feelings for someone?

Holy Maiden Aeliana also recalled that two hundred years ago, Sylvia had delivered a lecture in front of the righteous factions about the "Uselessness of Spiritual Partners," which had sparked quite a trend at the time and still held some popularity.

Biting her lip, Holy Maiden Aeliana couldn't help but ask, "What exactly do you mean by a different kind of life?"

Sylvia paused slightly, her cheeks inadvertently flushing a bit, "I, no, I have a friend who thinks a different life would be one where you don't have to worry about the world all the time, but instead, spend more time doing what you like."

"Like what?"

"Like traveling, exploring the beauty of mountains and rivers."

"What else?"

"Or maybe visiting the towns of mundane dynasties to buy some exquisite delicacies, experiencing the life of ordinary people who can't cultivate."

"Is there nothing else besides these two?"

Holy Maiden Aeliana pressed on, feeling she was getting closer to the truth.

"What else, what else..." Sylvia fell silent for a long time before finally pursing her lips, her temples blushing as she stammered, "My friend thinks that falling in love with someone who truly loves you isn't such a bad idea."

As she spoke, her gaze began to dart around, and her slender legs unconsciously pressed together, like a child internally conflicted about sneaking some candy.

Holy Maiden Aeliana suddenly felt her head explode, stuttering as she opened her mouth, "Sylvia, this friend you're talking about, it wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"

Who exactly had Goddess Sylvia developed unusual feelings for?

A Persian prince? The foremost holy son of the Persian sacred lands?

But clearly, none of these were the right answer.

"Could it be?"

Suddenly, Holy Maiden Aeliana remembered the figure of a Demonic Sect disciple she had incidentally spotted on her way to Sky Sanctuary.

"Could Sylvia's strange behavior now be related to him?"

"This!"

For a moment, Holy Maiden Aeliana's shocked eyes widened, her gaze becoming distant.

...

On the sixth level of the Flame Tower, even after consuming ten bottles of Fire Resistance Potion and with the blessing of the Ancient Saintly Body, Timothy was beginning to struggle against the relentless inferno that seemed like a raging beast ready to devour him at any moment.

Feeling the intense pain from the burns, sweat slid down his forehead, and Timothy seemed on the verge of collapse.

However, just then.

[Your impact on Holy Maiden Aeliana's psyche has earned you a reward, Hellfire Blossom]

Timothy: "What the hell?"