Chapter 17: The Storm is Coming

“Good, a good kill. That guy Urbato deserved to die long ago!”

“I heard that Hu Feng, that apprentice Divine Official, was severely injured when he went out to preach before. After losing his memory, he sometimes acts a bit silly. No wonder people say there’s nothing to fear from meeting a madman, but fear meeting a fool. No matter who you are, he’ll just stab you with one strike!”

……

The news of Hu Feng beheading Urbato quickly spread to every corner of the Settlement, causing an unprecedented sensation. In the streets and alleys, everyone was discussing this newly arrived Divine Official who was said to be a bit silly after losing his memory. The Monastery was no exception. Not to mention Elder Akashic, who was rarely seen on ordinary days, but even some Elders who spent years in secluded cultivation were alarmed.

Although the Divine Court had always been powerful, publicly beheading a direct descendant of a powerful family was no small matter. One careless move could trigger a storm of blood and violence, and even shake the foundation that the Divine Court had worked so hard to establish on the Wasteland.

After learning the news, Elder Akashic quickly summoned everyone and sternly interrogated the matter.

“Hu Feng, you… do you know your crime?” Looking at Hu Feng standing below, Elder Akashic had an icy expression. “Who is Urbato? Do you know how powerful the Morgan Family is on the Wasteland? By killing him, do you know how much trouble you have brought to the Monastery and the Divine Court?”

Elder Akashic already had a horse-like face, and in her anger, she looked even more stern and ruthless. Behind her stood several Elders who were rarely seen, each emitting waves of surging Magic Power from their bodies. Their strength was extraordinary.

“Elders, I am not very clear about Urbato’s identity, and I know even less about the Morgan Family’s power. I only know that for a bully who relies on his family’s power to freely harass a holy Nun, not killing him would be the greatest blasphemy against our Divine Court and faith.”

Facing Elder Akashic’s stern interrogation, Hu Feng did not change his expression. As he spoke, he glanced at the people with a look of righteousness. He took off his fiery red Divine Official robe and said calmly, “If everyone thinks I am wrong, then fine, I will take responsibility for what I have done. Elder Akashic, I will return this Divine Official robe to you!”

Blasphemy against a holy Nun?

Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then began to whisper. Urbato’s reputation in the Settlement had always been terrible. Although they did not know the details of the incident for a while, hearing Hu Feng say this, it seemed there was another reason.

“Wait, Hu Feng, don’t be impulsive.” Seeing Hu Feng throw the Divine Official robe on the ground and turn to leave, Ophelia anxiously stood out.

“Ten years ago, our Divine Court’s power on the Wasteland was negligible, but we forged ahead with determination and overcame countless difficulties to preach everywhere. Ten years later, we have built Monasteries and churches one after another on the Wasteland, and gained a large number of devout believers. Our power has grown, but we have also become corrupted. We can’t even protect a little Nun, so what is there to talk about regarding majesty and holiness?” Hu Feng seemed a bit desolate and disheartened. “Ten years have passed, and the Divine Court is no longer the Divine Court of the past. There is no point in me staying here anymore. I might as well continue wandering the Wasteland!”

Before beheading Urbato, Hu Feng had already predicted this scene today and made full preparations to retreat in order to advance.

“Hu Feng, explain clearly. What exactly is going on? Which Nun did Urbato blaspheme, and how has the Divine Court and Monastery become corrupted?” Elder Akashic had an icy expression, emitting a compelling pressure from her body, and her robes fluttered without any wind.

“Elder Akashic, it is not good for too many people to know about some things!” Seeing that Elder Akashic had indeed fallen into the trap, Hu Feng looked a bit sad on his face, but sneered in his heart. This time, not only did he kill Urbato, but he also made him bear a black mark that could never be washed away even after death. He would have nowhere to appeal even if he had grievances!

“Fine, all of you retreat!” Elder Akashic waved her sleeve, creating a gust of cold wind that directly swept everyone out of the solemn main hall, leaving only the White-robed Priestess Ophelia and a few Elders.

“Theresa, come out and explain what happened to the Elders!” Hu Feng clapped his hands. Before his voice faded, the disheveled Nun Theresa walked out from a dark corner. Her eyes were red and her hair was messy, as if she had suffered great humiliation.

“Elder Akashic, Urbato, he… he is not a human!” Nun Theresa was in tears. After sobbing for a while, she continued intermittently, “Recently, life at home has been especially difficult. In order to improve my father’s injury as soon as possible, I went to the wilderness today to gather some herbs and came back a little late. I didn’t expect to run into Urbato and his group returning from a hunt when passing by the Black Wood Forest. Urbato, he… he actually ordered to drag… drag me into the woods. If Lord Hu Feng hadn’t passed by by chance, I… I would rather have died…”

After some manipulation, Hu Feng further deepened the Soul Imprint left deep in Nun Theresa’s mind. Under his instruction, having the pitiful Nun Theresa speak out herself was much more powerful than saying it himself. Even if Urbato came back to life, he probably wouldn’t be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Nile River.

“How audacious, how presumptuous! This is a blasphemy against the Monastery, this is a declaration of war against the Divine Court!”

Looking at the disheveled Nun Theresa, Elder Akashic quickly understood what had happened and was furious. “Good, a good kill! Although the Morgan Family is powerful, for blaspheming a holy Nun, let alone this small branch in Wuhai Town, even the Grand Elder of the Morgan Family would have to pay a huge price. This matter will not be let go like this. Hu Feng, you are now an official First Step Divine Official and can command a squad of Faith-guarding Knights. However, for safety, you had better not go out during this period. Go to the Holy Angel Altar to cultivate in peace!”

Looking at the pitiful Nun Theresa, Elder Akashic believed it without a doubt.

Originally, she was prepared to severely punish the audacious Hu Feng to avoid the Morgan Family going to war. After understanding what happened, she was furious and ordered to summon all nearby Faith-guarding Knights, planning secretly on how to hold the Morgan Family accountable.

Who was Urbato?

Lustful, arrogant, bullying, and committing all kinds of evil…

His bad habits were well-known in the Settlement. If it weren’t for the Morgan Family’s powerful strength, the Divine Court would have tied him to a Burning Stake and burned him to death long ago. Elder Akashic was stern and decisive by nature, but she was also famously protective of her own in the Settlement. If Urbato bullied refugees with no status, she could turn a blind eye, but brazenly blaspheming a holy future Saintess, how could that be tolerated?

“Yes, thank you, Elder!”

Hu Feng bowed. His face remained calm, but he was extremely excited in his heart. Compared to an apprentice Divine Official, a First Step Divine Official had officially become a figure with real power in the Divine Court. He could recruit his own Followers, command a squad of elite Faith-guarding Knights, and his treatment and status were completely different. The Holy Angel Altar was the most secret building in the Monastery, with a Magic Power concentration dozens of times higher than the Saintess Hall. Cultivating there, one could make rapid progress. Ordinary Priests were not allowed to enter. More importantly, he was one step closer to the Holy Bead at the top of the Crystal High Tower!

“Urbato, you did not die in vain!”

Watching the backs of Elder Akashic and the others, Hu Feng smiled coldly and turned to leave. After night fell, he sensed the Soul Summoning Banner and quietly disappeared, returning to the Lich Castle tens of thousands of miles away.

Compared to a few days ago, the Lich Castle was a little different. Squads of patrolling Skeleton Soldiers walked back and forth, closely monitoring the movement around the castle. Under the cover of the Dark Sky Canopy, not even a mosquito could sneak in silently. Although there were no high-level Undead Creatures like Dark Knights or Ghost Dragons guarding it, under the efforts of Yisu, Saratos, and others, the castle’s strength was growing stronger day by day.

Sensing Hu Feng’s presence, Yisu and the others quickly arrived at the Lich Great Hall. Their expressions were as calm as ever, as if they would never have any emotional fluctuations. “Lord, the expansion speed of the Vampire Underground Palace in the west is getting faster and faster. Currently, five outer patrol squads have encountered ambushes by Vampire Squads, and the entire armies were wiped out. Not a single Skeleton Soldier survived!”

The entire armies were wiped out?

Hu Feng frowned. The expansion speed of the Vampire Underground Palace was faster than predicted before. It seemed that a fierce battle was inevitable!

“Lord, let’s take action. If we don’t attack proactively, it will be dangerous if the fast-moving Vampires sneak in and scout out the castle’s situation!” Arnold was worried. Seeing more and more Vampires appearing around the castle, he, as the Zombie Grand Commander, felt great pressure first.

Third Step Zombie Warriors had good strength and defense, but their movement speed was too slow. If they encountered Vampires who excelled in speed, without an absolute advantage in numbers, it would simply be a one-sided massacre. If the strength of the Vampire Underground Palace was allowed to expand rapidly, the Zombie Warriors patrolling outside would face the greatest threat!

“It is meaningless to wipe out the Vampire Squads wandering outside. If we don’t move, we will strike with all our might and directly destroy their headquarters, dismantling the entire Vampire Underground Palace!” Hu Feng paused, drawing a large arrow on the map, pointing straight from the Lich Castle to the Vampire Underground Palace hundreds of miles away. “Investigate again, go deep into the Vampire Underground Palace, and don’t miss any useful information.”

The situation was getting worse, but Hu Feng decided to wait a little longer.

Vampires were born with Sixth Step strength, coming and going like the wind. Their teleportation on the battlefield was hard to guard against. The Lich Legion did not have high-level Undead Creatures to hold the line yet. Encircling and killing small squads of Vampires was fine, but if they encountered thousands of Vampires, that would be trouble!

Since exhausting the Top-grade Crystals left by Ovisis, the power of the Soul Summoning Banner had been greatly reduced, and many powerful Magics could not be cast at all. Hu Feng understood that the only way to deal a fatal blow and destroy the Vampire nest in one fell swoop was to quickly improve his own strength.

“The Holy Bead of the Monastery, I said it’s mine, so it’s mine!”

Looking up at the haze over the Cursed Valley that seemed like it would never dissipate, Hu Feng gripped the Dark Magic Pen in his hand, understanding that it was time to speed up the action. The threat of the Vampire Underground Palace was getting closer, and the entire Wasteland was becoming more turbulent. He couldn’t wait indefinitely. He had to break through to the Demi-god Realm at the fastest speed, and then accumulate strength to attack the Divine Domain Realm!