Chapter 62: Western Fantasy Romance (IV)

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Chapter 62: Western Fantasy Romance (IV)

The Pope and the Holy Maiden were departing from the Holy Church at the same time. This was the first occurrence since the position of Holy Maiden had been established. However, it did not cause much of a stir. The only real difference was that the attendants now had to prepare supplies for two people instead of one. Naturally, in a world where social rank and personal strength determined nearly everything, the arrangements made for Holy Maiden Areya’s journey received far less attention than those prepared for Pope Aesop.

Miao Lichen casually fastened the storage bracelet his attendants had prepared onto his wrist. Inside was practically everything one could possibly need. There was enough food to sustain him alone for an entire year, while the clothing was so abundant that he could wear a different outfit every day for one or even two years and still have garments left over. Every single piece was of exceptional quality. There were also countless miscellaneous magical tools, whether useful or not. Of course, crystal cards—the equivalent of modern bank cards in this world—were absolutely indispensable. This was far from his first journey, so he no longer felt any particular emotion upon seeing these preparations. For an enormous organization like the Holy Church, assembling such supplies was an effortless task.

As he walked through the Yas Forest, the distant roars of wild beasts echoed faintly through the trees, yet not a single magic beast appeared before him. The instincts of magic beasts far surpassed those of humans, but Miao Lichen knew that, no matter what, they would never perceive him as a powerful being through his aura alone. The Qixiu internal energy was something neither humans nor magic beasts in this world could sense. Unless Miao Lichen deliberately used it, anyone standing before him would regard him as nothing more than an ordinary person.

He casually tossed the scepter into the storage bracelet instead of placing it within his system space. It was clear that this staff, revered by the world as a divine artifact, was nothing more than an optional accessory to Miao Lichen. Two elegant, slender swords, far more refined than any blade commonly found in this world, appeared across his back. He gathered his long, loose hair into a high ponytail, the tail sweeping gracefully across his shoulder. Although his naturally slender frame still gave him a somewhat delicate appearance, he now carried a distinctly heroic and spirited air.

His foot landed lightly upon a leaf. The leaf did not tremble in the slightest, as though it bore no weight at all. His movements were truly as light as a feather. After passing through so many worlds, the Qixiu internal energy within Miao Lichen had evolved far beyond its original form. Even the limitations once imposed on his light-body skill by internal energy consumption had long since disappeared. Furthermore, with the Saint rank cultivation this body possessed upon arriving in this world, he was technically capable of flying through the air. Of course, whether Saints or anyone else in this world, no one could remain airborne for very long. Those who could truly rely on flight as a practical means of travel were likely limited to wind mages and the legendary beings who had reached Divine rank.

The Yas Forest bordered three of the continent’s great empires: the Mante Empire, where the heroine resided; the Nia Empire; and the Thor Empire. Three of the continent’s five great empires shared borders directly with the forest, while the remaining two bordered the Sven Sea, which, together with the Yas Forest, was recognized as one of the Three Great Forbidden Regions. Countless small duchies and principalities were scattered between these major powers, and together with the third forbidden land, the Foken Desert, they formed the entirety of the Aote Continent.

Before Miao Lichen had traveled very far through the forest, he heard the sound of lively voices ahead. From their conversation alone, it was easy to tell that they belonged to a group of young men and women. Their voices still carried the immaturity of youth, mixed with the reckless confidence of adolescence and, naturally, the arrogance that came with noble birth. Even without seeing them, Miao Lichen already knew exactly who they were.

It was the Griffin Family’s annual trial for the younger generation. Whoever returned from the outer region of the Yas Forest with the greatest number of magic beast trophies would be declared the victor of the competition. The winner would receive rewards from the family, naturally consisting of cultivation-enhancing pills and magical equipment. Originally, Minea Griffin, the heroine, had not been qualified to participate in this trial. However, because she possessed a fiancé who inspired far too much envy, her half-sister—the true legitimate daughter of the Griffin Family—had deliberately arranged for her to join this expedition. The purpose was simple: to ensure that Minea died within the Yas Forest.

Although the Griffin Family was already powerful enough, they still could not afford to abandon their marriage agreement with the royal family. Not to mention that Minea’s fiancé was one of the most likely candidates to become the next Emperor. Therefore, if anything happened to Minea, the most talented and influential direct descendant daughter of the family would have the greatest chance of becoming the one to fulfill this marriage arrangement.

“Only by going deeper into the forest can we obtain greater rewards. If everyone stays around the outskirts, how are we supposed to determine who’s truly stronger? Anyone who’s afraid of dying should just stay behind.” The young woman’s clear voice carried unmistakable pride. As she spoke, she cast a glance toward the girl huddled quietly in a corner nearby. Of course, Afra Griffin had never acknowledged Minea as her elder sister. To her, Minea was nothing more than an obstacle standing in the way of her future. As long as Minea died, the position of Prince Clappen’s fiancée would belong to her instead.

“There are no cowards in the Griffin Family. I will follow Lady Afra.” One of the young men hurriedly expressed his stance after hearing Afra’s words. As members of the collateral branches of the Griffin Family, they naturally needed to win the favor of the legitimate heirs, especially someone as talented as Lady Afra. Everyone currently following behind Afra had the same intention of pleasing her. Her true competitors had already separated from the group when they entered the forest. As for Minea Griffin, another daughter of the current Griffin Family head and likewise a member of the legitimate line, she was completely ignored.

After some pushing and urging among them, the group finally decided to enter the inner region of the Yas Forest, the place that adventurers considered the true Yas Forest. Minea, who was regarded by those family members as extremely weak and only capable of following behind the others, remained silent. The eyes that had been clear and innocent just a moment ago flashed with a trace of darkness. Looking toward the depths of the Yas Forest, her hand slowly tightened. Perhaps the original Minea would not have been able to see through these people’s intentions, but how could Shu Guyun fail to recognize such childish schemes? These people wanted her dead. How could she possibly allow them to have their way? Those who had once tried to kill her had already entered eternal slumber, and the people of this world would be no exception.

Miao Lichen sensed that faint trace of killing intent and paused his steps for a moment. A slight smile appeared at the corner of his lips before he continued moving deeper into the forest. If he wanted to meet the heroine, there would be opportunities at any time, so there was no need to rush. A gentle breeze passed through the forest, yet not even a shadow of him could be seen. Finally, when he was approaching the center of the Yas Forest, Miao Lichen slowed his pace. Before him stood a gigantic magic beast, its pair of green eyes filled with fury. Beneath the body of the magic beast, the vague outline of a child could be seen.

In this world, hair colors and eye colors came in countless varieties. If they were gathered together, they could probably form an entire rainbow, with colors still left over. However, blood-red eyes and ink-black hair were characteristics unique to demons. In this regard, demons were far more domineering than the celestials. Golden hair and blue eyes could be found everywhere across the continent, but demons alone possessed a trait exclusive to their own kind. This was something demons took pride in, yet it was also the reason they were destined to be unable to integrate into the society of the Kedor Continent. It was said that before the Demon Realm and Divine Realm appeared, demons had already been a group rejected by humans and other races. One could only say that being too domineering was not always a blessing.

Miao Lichen drew his twin swords. With nothing more than two casual Qixiu skills, he brought the enormous magic beast crashing down beneath his blade. Of course, he had deliberately ensured that the beast would not fall onto the child beneath it. Although Miao Lichen knew that the child was clearly not as fragile as he appeared. Using the hilt of his sword, he tapped the beast’s head and easily extracted a crystal-clear magical core into his hand.

The emerald-green core contained a faint trace of red in its center, resembling a drop of red ink falling into clear water. It possessed a strange and unique beauty. However, to the people of the Kedor Continent, such a magical core represented something entirely different. It meant that before its death, the magic beast had already become corrupted by darkness, or in other words, had been demonized. Of course, this was merely what he saw. That faint trace of crimson was something that even an ordinary Saint, or even someone from the Divine rank, would never be able to detect. After all, this was the work of the Demon King himself.

Miao Lichen’s eyes shifted slightly as he reached beneath the magic beast and lifted the child into his arms. The child looked to be only four or five years old. Being moved caused him to slowly open his eyes, revealing pupils as dark and glossy as black gemstones. There was something unexpectedly pitiful and delicate about his appearance. His silver-white hair intertwined with Miao Lichen’s own strands of white hair, blending together so perfectly that they seemed almost indistinguishable from one another.

Miao Lichen frowned slightly as he placed his hand on Servius Joy’s arm, which looked as though it would snap with the slightest force. Something seemed to flash through his previously indifferent eyes. After meeting Servius’s gaze for a moment, he appeared to have reached a decision. “Little one, from now on, you will follow me. With a physique this pure, it would truly be a waste if someone else were to taint it.”

Thinking about the setting of this novel, Miao Lichen could not help but laugh softly. In this story, the souls most desired by demons were those belonging to people with the purest physiques. Yet the physique most suitable for cultivating the Holy Church’s techniques, and even one capable of allowing an angel to descend, was also the purest physique. In other words, they were complete opposites. However, the ancient gods, including the Divine King, Demon King, Elf King, Dwarf King, Dragon King, and other existences of that level, all possessed pure physiques.

Naturally, there were subtle differences between their pure physiques. The Divine King was most suited for the power of light, while the Demon King was most suited for darkness, and so on… This was precisely the loophole Miao Lichen could exploit. The reason Aesop Leslie, an orphan, had become the Holy Church’s Holy Son and eventually the current Pope was because of his pure physique. Therefore, as the current Pope, it was entirely possible for him to have left behind a child because of this same pure physique.

Servius Joy tightly held his small, delicate face expressionless, his gaze toward Miao Lichen filled with obvious vigilance. His eyes remained fixed for a long time on the two shining swords floating behind Miao Lichen, carefully examining the body that, compared to his former peak state, seemed unbelievably fragile—so weak that it appeared as though it could be broken with a single squeeze. Yet it was this very body that had effortlessly touched him. Moreover, it had done so without allowing him the slightest chance to resist. For the Demon King, an existence with an extreme obsession with cleanliness, such a thing was completely unimaginable.

“Fine.” Servius lowered his head slightly and glanced at his current miniature body, becoming even more dissatisfied. It was simply far too weak. Although the overwhelming power that had originally belonged to him had been greatly sealed due to entering the Kedor Continent, and the altar had even been unable to maintain his true form, his standards had not decreased in the slightest. The man before him was at least a powerful existence within the Kedor Continent, someone whose strength he currently could not resist. For a demon, submitting to power was not something unacceptable.

“Very good. I will take good care of you.” Miao Lichen nodded naturally and reached out to gently ruffle Servius’s soft hair, which happened to be the same color as his own. Seeing the child instinctively avoid his touch, the smile at the corner of his lips became even more pronounced. “However, little one, you also need to show me abilities worthy of my attention. Do not make me feel that saving your life was unnecessary.”

Miao Lichen naturally knew that even without his appearance, Servius would have been fine. Although the Saint magic beast would have left him severely injured, he would eventually have been picked up by the heroine and taken home to be raised. Because of his serious injuries, he would have been forced to remain by her side for a long period of time. Then, captivated by her uniqueness, he would become the first man to fall in love with her. He was the original first male lead of this story. However, because this male lead was unwilling to cooperate with the heroine’s journey of gathering a harem, his popularity was eventually surpassed by Aesop, who was handsome, bright, and exceptionally gentle toward the heroine.

“I will not become a burden!” Servius naturally assumed that Miao Lichen thought him too weak. He gave a soft snort, but at this moment he had no idea how he could recover his strength. It was all because of those damned believers. If not for them, how could he possibly have been forced to show weakness before a human?

“I hope you can live up to your words.” The smile on Miao Lichen’s lips grew even brighter. As expected, his way of thinking was different from that of humans. All he wanted was for him to learn the power of the Holy Church. A Demon King who possessed the power of the Holy Church was truly something worth looking forward to.

Servius Joy no longer paid attention to this human who refused to believe in the greatness of the Demon King. He turned around and walked toward the outskirts of the forest. He glanced once more toward the very center of the forest, slowly tightening his hand into a fist. Then, without looking back, he continued forward.

However, it was not long before he stopped. A faint blush appeared on that overly pale face. He had truly been too careless. He had actually embarrassed himself in front of a human. For someone who relied on his own power and considered eating to be an unnecessary act, someone whose nourishment came from the souls of humans that they could never even imagine, this was an unacceptable situation.

“Little one, so you were hungry. What would you like to eat?” Miao Lichen walked over to Servius’s side and gently pinched his soft cheek. Seeing that the other party did not bristle in anger, he took out a plate of delicate pastries from his storage ring. The intricate and elegant patterns clearly showed the style of nobility.

There was a hint of hesitation in Servius’s eyes, but he still reached out and took a pastry. He slowly chewed and swallowed it, his calm and unhurried movements making it impossible to tell whether he was pleased or displeased. His long eyelashes lowered, casting faint shadows across his face. If some weird aunties were to see him, they would surely want to pull him into their arms and cuddle him.

Miao Lichen kept holding the plate out with one hand, his fingers gently moving through Servius’s soft hair. A faint smile curved at the corner of his lips. The atmosphere between the two was exceptionally peaceful. To an outsider, it looked like a perfect scene of a father and son.

The sound of swallowing echoed beside them. Servius stopped the hand that was about to reach toward the plate of pastries again and turned his gaze away.

A young girl was carefully watching them. She seemed somewhat at a loss, her small face flushed bright red. The cheap clothes on her body had become even more wrinkled from her nervous fingers twisting them, yet she seemed completely unaware of how disheveled she looked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” she said softly.

Miao Lichen led Servius by the hand as he walked toward Minea. He placed the plate of pastries into her hands. Of course, he already knew that her gaze had been lingering on the twin swords behind him the entire time. The swords were completely different in style from those of this world, and the dual-sword fighting method also differed from the common combat techniques here. Both were enough to attract Shu Guyun’s attention. Naturally, she was not moved by the feeling of encountering something familiar in a foreign land. Instead, she was already considering how she could make use of this person, or even silence him permanently.

“It’s fine. Little one, don’t go any farther inside. That is not a place you can enter right now.” Miao Lichen turned around and gently rubbed Servius’s hair. Looking at his slightly displeased expression, he could not help but laugh softly. “They are only a few desserts, so don’t worry about them. I have plenty more here. I can definitely make sure you eat until you are full.”

Servius nodded, but the hostility in his eyes toward Minea remained. She had taken something away from him that he had obtained from a demon. For the Demon King, who had not tasted human food for who knew how many years and had only consumed flavorless souls instead, this was an unforgivable offense.

The heroine’s first meeting with the Demon King not only failed to increase his favorability toward her, but directly caused her initial favorability to drop into negative numbers. It was truly… a cause for celebration.

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