After another round of thanks, Jared and Flaxseed stepped back into the sun-drenched street, leaving whispers and wary eyes swirling in their wake. Flaxseed had barely set foot beyond the last thatched roof of the town when gave a scoff that carried on the dusty wind.
“Celestia really does rule with an iron fist, doesn’t it? And Celestial Palace’s Sixth Hall sounds worse than that Malevolent Path Hall. Roaring Storm Church, the place we’re looking for, is in between them. It seems level six is a lot more dangerous than level five…”
Jared’s eyes narrowed, dark as stormwater, as studied the southern horizon. “The deeper the water, the slower we wade,” said. “First, we locate Abbot Infinides at Roaring Storm Church, learn what we can about Celestial Palace’s Sixth Hall, and then decide our next move.”
They were about to rise into the sky on a quick Sky Walk when sharp clangs of metal drifted out of the nearby forest, blows heavy enough to rattle leaves from high boughs. A woman’s muffled gasp followed.
Flaxseed brightened at once. “Trouble brewing? Come on, let’s take a look!”
Jared felt it too, an aura laced through the strikes that was neither a cultivator’s spiritual energy nor a demon beast‘s beastial energy. It carried a solemn authority that reminded of the rumors about celestials that Keenan had whispered about.
Silently, they slipped between towering trunks, stopping behind an ancient oak whose roots coiled like serpents around the earth.
Peering through the foliage, they saw a clearing bathed in shifting light where a lone woman fought against three silver-armored cultivators.
She wore a flowing white gown embroidered with faint divine markings. Raven hair whipped around a face as flawless as sculpted porcelain, yet gaze held winter’s chill.
She wielded no blade. Divine power spiraled from fingertips as gestured, each sweeping arc forcing one of the Celestial Guards back a step.
The Celestial Guards, their spears etched with divine wings markings, moved as one, forming a tight triangle that caged in.
“Your Highness, His Majesty decrees that if you return and confess your folly, your life will be spared! Refuse, and we drag you home in chains!” the leader of the Celestial Guards barked, voice metallic inside his helm.
The princess let out a single, razor-thin laugh. “Confess?! I have done nothing wrong. Father would barter me to Enaricus’ son just to seal an alliance! I will not crawl back and bow to that!”
Color drained from the guard’s face. “This is a matter concerning Celestia, not a playground for your whims. Obey, or be taken by force!”
At his signal, the two flankers lunged, spears with menacing aura whistling toward heart. Her cultivation stood at Earthly Immortal Realm Level Seven, and the Celestial Guards stood at Earthly Immortal Realm Level Eight, pressing hard. Step by step, faltered.
One spear grazed shoulder, carving a red slash across white silk. Blood blossomed like crimson ink on snow. Flaxseed whispered, “Another breath and they’ll have the young lady bound…”
A pair of charms already prickled between his fingers. “If really is the runaway noble Keenan spoke of, could tell us plenty about Celestia, and maybe more about Celestial Palace…”
Jared caught the glint in Flaxseed’s eyes, knowing the man’s motives were never entirely scholarly. Still, the princess might indeed be their key. He gave a single nod. “We move, now!”
Flaxseed’s hands flicked.
“Exorcism Charms!” Two streaks of golden light shot out, splashing over the Celestial Guards’ spears. The divine markings dimmed at once, their edge dulled.
Jared blurred forward on a burst of Blazing Stride, reappearing behind the leader of the Celestial Guards. The Dragonslayer Sword gleamed, its point a breath from the man’s back.
“Who…” The guard spun, too slow. A beam of golden sword energy punched through the armor on his shoulder. Steel cracked, blood sprayed, and his cry shattered the stillness of the wood.
