The Old Maiden

With the aid of a teleportation scroll, Allen, accompanied by Ophelia and the others, swiftly arrived at Wuhai Town, located tens of thousands of miles away.

The Sunset Wasteland is a land of harsh conditions, rife with monsters and demons. People here cling to survival, seeking refuge in the fortress-like settlements scattered across the land. Wuhai Town, though often referred to as a town, is little more than a larger settlement, far less grand than the towering Lich Castle. Nevertheless, it is a lively place, with bustling trade caravans and formidable demon hunters frequently passing through, giving it an air of vibrant activity despite its size.

To the east of Wuhai Town stands a singular, imposing tower, its height reaching the clouds. Made entirely of white layered stone, the tower's walls are engraved with runes that exude a faint holy aura, and from a great distance, one can hear the ethereal strains of sacred hymns drifting on the breeze.

The Holy Maiden Monastery!

Under Ophelia's guidance, Allen entered the sacred monastery and took a seat in a side chamber. Through the window, he could see nuns in white robes walking by, their flowing garments barely concealing their graceful forms, leaving a tantalizing, fleeting impression.

At the pinnacle of the tower, a radiant crystal bead, no larger than a basketball, glows with a pure, powerful energy. From several miles away, one can feel the overwhelming surge of its magical aura, as though it were an enormous crystalline vein sealed within. Allen, entranced, was drawn to it.

"Such pure energy... this holy bead is mine!"

Allen's gaze sharpened as he sensed the potent energy emanating from the crystal. His own magical core stirred with hunger, eager to devour the energy contained within.

Each time he reached a new threshold in his cultivation, he required an immense amount of energy. The recent raids had yielded numerous crystals, but their quality was subpar—only enough to quench his thirst temporarily. To break through, he needed to absorb a vast quantity of energy.

As he pondered how to seize the holy bead, Ophelia, who had stepped out briefly, returned. Her face showed a hint of reluctance.

"Allen, under normal circumstances, no men are allowed to stay in the Holy Maiden Monastery. However, given your immense sacrifice as a missionary, you deserve our hospitality. I have done all I can, but... I'm afraid..."

Disappointed but not overly concerned, Allen responded with a nonchalant shrug. "Teacher Ophelia, it's fine. I can easily find an empty patch of land in the settlement to stay. After all, I've been wandering the wasteland for years."

"It's not that you can't stay here, it's just… Elder Akashi, who's been in deep meditation and training for years, has suddenly emerged, vehemently opposing it. She insists that you must undergo a small test before you can stay!" Ophelia's cheeks flushed slightly, as if uneasy and guilty.

"Elder Akashi? Has my identity been exposed?" Allen stiffened, a chill running down his spine. Even before entering the monastery, he had sensed several powerful auras, his instincts screaming of imminent danger.

The Holy Maiden Monastery is an institution under the Divine Court, dedicated to training pure holy maidens who stand in opposition to the evil undead. Each monastery is guarded by powerful figures, and if they discovered the presence of death magic within him, it would be disastrous!

After a brief silence, Allen composed himself, carefully suppressing the death aura within him. He followed Ophelia toward the Holy Maiden's Hall. For him, both the monastery and the Divine Court were perilous places. However, having made it this far, he wasn't about to leave empty-handed. He was determined to see what kind of danger awaited him.

Unlike other places, the Holy Maiden's Hall was adorned with runes and angelic carvings. As soon as they entered, the faint strains of sacred hymns filled the air. Within the hall stood several young nuns in white robes, forming a circle around an intricate magical array. At the top of the hall sat an elderly woman with silver hair, her expression cold and her eyes shut, as if in deep contemplation. Beside her stood a nun, pure and immaculate, her demeanor aloof and indifferent to Allen's presence.

Tall and slender, her hair as black as ink, her robes flowed gracefully, revealing delicate, pale feet beneath. Though her expression was detached, the purity of her white robes made her seem almost otherworldly, like a goddess untouched by mortal concerns. Allen, despite his usual composure, couldn't help but glance at her more than once.

"Elder Akashi, this is Allen, the missionary we encountered in the wasteland." Ophelia led Allen before the elderly woman and bowed respectfully.

The elderly woman opened her eyes, her piercing gaze cutting through Allen like a chilling wind. "Oh, so you are Allen? I've heard that you were imprisoned for quite some time by an evil lich. I'm curious, how did such an evil being let go of a missionary of the Divine Court so easily?"

Her expression remained icy, her entire being radiating an aura of sharpness and hostility, as though she regarded Allen not as a devout missionary but as a vile undead. Every inch of her, from her body to her very hair, exuded a fierce magical aura, her strength immeasurable.

"It's simple. The lich was trying to extract the so-called 'Divine Realm of Races' from me. As long as I remained silent, he couldn't bring himself to kill me," Allen responded with a bitter smile. "After enduring endless torment, I had resigned myself to dying in the desolate castle. But to my surprise, the lich perished at the hands of a passing dark knight, and I managed to survive by sheer luck."

"Oh, so you do know the Divine Language? Write some ancient characters for me to see!" The elderly woman's voice was sharp, her expression suddenly animated, as she directed a nun, named Theresa, to bring him paper and pen.

"Of course!"

Allen took the paper and pen, paused for a moment, then, with a subtle smile, began to write three characters—Old Maiden. His strokes were fast, yet the writing was hasty and barely legible. If it were a calligraphy exam, it would certainly fail, but to the nuns, it was magnificent, as though dragons and phoenixes were dancing across the page. Theresa, her expression still impassive, handed the paper to Elder Akashi with utmost care.

"Mm, not bad. Indeed, these are the square characters passed down from the ancient gods. Allen, what do these characters mean?" Elder Akashi nodded, her face softening slightly as she examined the scrawl.

"In the Divine Language, these are the best wishes one can offer to a woman, wishing her purity and beauty like that of an angel, and a lifespan as long as the heavens and earth themselves!" Allen responded respectfully, though inwardly, he cursed the elderly woman as a lifelong spinster. Her cold, stern face left him feeling a deep distaste.

"Mm, indeed, every nun is a pure and beautiful angel!"

The flattery worked. Elder Akashi smiled, solemnly folding the paper with the three characters and keeping it close to her chest, perhaps intending to study it in the future, hoping to decipher the ancient divine secrets it contained. After a moment of silence, she spoke, her tone distant and commanding.

"Nuns, light the holy fire and welcome this devout missionary. May the baptism of the Lord forgive the sins of us all!"

With a sweep of her sleeve, the nuns began to chant, their voices soaring in sacred harmony, filling the hall. The crystal stones embedded in the walls lit up one by one, radiating brilliant light, and the magical array on the floor began to spin rapidly. Soon, the holy bead at the top of the hall released a surge of divine energy, forming a beam of light that enveloped Allen completely. The overwhelming divine energy poured into him, infiltrating every pore, driving out and purifying the death aura within his body.

Danger!

Allen, though outwardly calm, felt a surge of panic inside. The divine energy and death aura were fundamentally incompatible—like water and fire—and in such a powerful flow, the slightest misstep could lead to complete annihilation. Seeing the cold, calculating expression on Elder Akashi's face, Allen quickly realized the peril she had planned for him.