Chapter 356

In that imperceptible dark space, a handsome boy with magnificent white hair was doing something profoundly abstract with his excellent face.

He was licking someone else's tail furiously.

This tail is too much—it keeps teasing me.

So cruel! I'm going to lick it with my tongue!

Lick lick!

Of course, licking alone, beyond satisfying some twisted psychology, is actually useless.

Herbert wants monster materials, not to fulfill his dream of licking a snake-woman's tail… really not.

If you absolutely must lick, just ask Teresa—she wouldn't refuse.

That's right.

Thus, Herbert's reckless, death-seeking act at this moment has no other meaning—it's purely a reluctant move to gather materials.

At this moment, his eyes held no desire for the snake tail, only hunger for monster materials.

Ability!

A new ability!

An epic-level new blessing!!!

For that beautiful new power, Herbert risked being beaten to death by the Ash Bishop and bit down hard.

Gnaw the tail.

Ah—crack!

But since he couldn't break through the scales' defense, his action wasn't truly "gnawing"—it was, in essence, always "sucking."

Suck suck suck…

Aside from making the Ash Bishop feel itchy, it caused no real physical harm—except mental harm.

In causing mental harm, the effect was outstanding!

Herbert had nearly broken through the Ash Bishop's mental barrier.

Slurp slurp slurp…

"…"

And the Ash Bishop, after realizing that even forcefully flicking her tail couldn't shake off this fool who dared to die, fell completely silent.

Forcefully flicking would definitely get rid of him.

But that would surely reveal the truth to the Knight-Lord.

And if she didn't flick, she'd have to keep enduring.

"Suck… ha!"

She suddenly calmed down, took a deep breath, and sighed deeply.

Without raising her head, she weakly waved her hand at the Knight-Lord, making a shooing gesture.

"…uh."

The Knight-Lord understood, but dared not leave directly.

After hesitating, he still mustered his courage and asked tentatively: "Your Grace, that… cough, the candidate selection? How should we decide?"

A strand of the Ash Bishop's hair hidden in shadow twitched, then was forcibly suppressed.

"You!"

She paused, swallowed the curse almost on her lips, and said slowly: "... I said, you choose the candidate."

"Anyone will do."

"Whether it's the legendary Holy Knight who worships the Sun God, or a Wu Seng who doesn't, even a Penitent Nun from the Inquisition—it's all up to you."

"Understood?"

She forced down her rage, lowered her head, and spoke word by word.

You fool, didn't you understand what I just said? Could it mean anything else?

Are you deliberately teaming up with this Bai Chi, Herbert, to piss me off?

Herbert, this Bai Chi, has already been punished—do you want the same fate?

Though she couldn't shake him off, the snake tail had tightly coiled around Herbert's waist, slowly tightening like a threat.

Creak creak…

As the long snake tail tightened, Herbert's body emitted a series of soft cracks.

Yet even so, "facing death," Herbert continued obliviously, lost in sucking.

Slurp slurp slurp—

He even licked harder!

Others fear it—I'm excited!

This thrill of mortal danger is simply too exhilarating.

Watching him like this, the Ash Bishop's sense of utter disbelief now outweighed her shame and anger.

She laughed bitterly, a cold chuckle escaping her lips: "Heh, ha, hehehehe…"

"Fine, fine, fine—this is how it is, is it?"

The Knight-Lord silently stepped back, sensing the Ash Bishop was on the verge of explosion.

Yet even so, he mustered his courage again and said: "No, Your Grace, what I mean is… I already have some candidates, but need more time to consider."

"Your Grace, please let me explain my reasoning."

To avoid being outright rejected, he spoke rapidly: "This time, I want to send a non-legendary cultivator."

"Whether the Sun Church wants the Solar Battle Armor or simply wants us to take a stance—we shouldn't agree to their demands so easily."

His expression was as solemn as ever—yet for some reason, it felt especially tense at this moment.

The Knight-Lieutenant silently took another step back and said, "We must show our stance."

"Although we lent out the battle armor, it must be worn by our own cultivators, and that cultivator's strength must not exceed Legend."

He slightly curled his lips in a cold sneer: "Through this method, we can silently express our protest."

Do you support their actions?

From the standpoint of responding to the request, the Mist Monastery has shown face.

Do you not support them?

From the choice of personnel sent, you could say so too.

Didn't you ask for people?

Fine, here you go—a beautiful but useless vase.

Complaints?

What do you have to complain about?

We sent you the support cultivators you requested, and we let him take the armor you asked to borrow—what else are we to be blamed for?

The Knight-Lieutenant took another quiet step backward and said in a low voice:

"We must teach the Sun Church one lesson—the Mist Monastery is not a subordinate of the Sun Church."

"It never was, and it never will be."

"Let them understand that our support for you stems only from sharing the same stance, and our willingness to stand with you in defending justice."

"Beyond that, your conflicts with other gods have nothing to do with us."

"I am not a tool for them to flaunt their power, nor do I wish to become such a tool."

"And if they seek to force us into submission… then let them try."

"If they truly make such a decision, then they no longer belong to the Light."

He finally stepped to the edge of the barrier and smiled coldly, scoffing: "A stubborn sun will ultimately be shrouded in mist."

The Knight-Lieutenant's thoughts were simple and direct.

Since the Sun Church issued its "request" with arrogance, don't blame the Mist Monastery for being uncivil.

If you do not respect us, then we need not respect you.

Equal return.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, blood for blood.

But after all, both sides have been close "allies" for years, fighting evil side by side—still far from tearing the veil of civility; their methods remain subtle.

Upon hearing this, the Ash Cardinal suppressed her anger and looked with surprise at the Knight-Lieutenant, who had unknowingly retreated over ten meters from her.

She nodded, sighing: "To think of this… hmm… you've truly grown up. You're no longer that child who, back then, only knew how to throw tantrums and strike out in anger after quarreling with that idiot who only slept."

The Knight-Lieutenant gave a bitter smile and said helplessly: "Your Grace, my fight with him was over a hundred years ago."

"But you two are still quarreling, aren't you?" the Ash Cardinal snorted.

What are you pretending?

Do you two ever stop bickering?

You're both Cardinal-Red Robes now, yet still childish.

"... Yes, but I must explain—I was only reacting defensively; he provoked me first," the Knight-Lieutenant explained weakly.

The Ash Cardinal ignored him and nodded: "Your thinking is sound. Those people really have gone too far—they deserve a lesson. Do as you say."

"Also, you've said so much—have you already chosen a suitable candidate in your heart?"

The Knight-Lieutenant nodded and said softly: "Yes, there are several candidates."

"The chance to go to the Radiant Holy City is rare. The Monastery has many cultivators who revere the Sun God and are compatible with the Angelic Battle Armor—they are all suitable."

"Beyond that, I have one candidate I favor most… Herbert."

After mentioning the boy, the Knight-Lieutenant hesitated slightly, but then said seriously:

"Your Grace, you may doubt my judgment and wish to spare him from danger, but he truly meets all the requirements."

"I once refused to let him go on external trials, fearing the risks were too great—but he has never disappointed me."

"Whether training alone in the Mist Mountains or leading a team into dark territories, he has passed every test perfectly… and each time with marked improvement!"

Recalling the changes he noticed each time he saw Herbert again, the Knight-Lieutenant felt a deep sense of awe.

"He is not a fragile flower that withers in the storm—he is a tree that grows significantly after being battered!"

The Ash Cardinal fell silent after the Knight-Lieutenant mentioned Herbert's name.

She wanted to say—wasn't that brilliant boy you're describing the one currently gnawing on my tail right now?

But the Knight-Lieutenant misinterpreted her silence, thinking she was hesitating.

So he added with a teasing tone: "Besides, his handsome appearance fits the role of a vase perfectly."

"From past deeds, though young, his courage is extraordinary—he has immense boldness."

The Knight-Lieutenant spoke with humor, smiling rarely: "If you ask me, once he lets loose, he wouldn't just dare draw a blade against a Legend—he might even commit sacrilege against an Epic!"

But before he finished, he was cut off by a furious, low growl.

"Enough!"

The Ash Cardinal clenched her teeth, restraining herself from just beating the heck out of this suspiciously sarcastic fellow.

What did you mean by that just now?

Are you pointing at me?

Are you?

Are you deliberately pointing at me?

"Huh!?!"

The Ashen Bishop was furious, and the Knight Commander who had been rebuked was even more completely dumbfounded.

He swallowed hard, thoroughly numb.

What's wrong?

Wasn't I just making a joke?

Is it worth getting this angry?

Alright, I'll never joke around again…

A moment of bravery, exchanged for a lifetime of inferiority complex. JPG

Looking at his thoroughly dumbfounded appearance, the Ashen Bishop quickly realized she had lost her composure and said slowly: "…Forget it, you may go."

Feeling the Ashen Bishop's mood swing again and again, the Knight Commander really couldn't hold back and asked: "Your Grace? What on earth has happened to you?"

And the concern mustered with courage ultimately earned someone else's complete breakdown.

The Ashen Bishop finally couldn't hold it in any longer, suddenly raised her head, and roared: "I told you! Now! Get out!!!"

Get out of my sight!

"Yes!"

Scolded once again, the Knight Commander seemed to have made some kind of resolve, or perhaps finally received permission. Relieved, he turned and strode away, diving headfirst into the rift for departure.

He no longer wanted to know what had happened to the Warden; he just wanted to leave this place as fast as possible!

Gone, gone!

"…"

And when there was no one else left in the space, and the Ashen Bishop no longer needed to hide, she made her move.

She picked up her longsword, slowly raised it, and without even drawing the blade, swung it forcefully toward beneath her skirt.

Whoosh—Smack!

The scabbard viciously struck the "Tail-Licker" on the rear, sending him flying like a golf ball!

A figure suddenly shot out from beneath the skirt, crashing straight into a floating bookshelf in midair.

Crash, crash, crash!

He smashed through four bookshelves before barely stopping inside the fifth, then was buried by the falling books.

Crash!

Before five seconds had passed, from among the scattered toppling books, Herbert poked his head out, turned to the side, and spat out a mouthful of bloody foam.

"Pfft, cough, cough."

But in fact, that wasn't the snake-tail's blood… it was from his own mouth.

He chipped his tooth!

Although the struck spot on his rear throbbed with pain, Herbert actually only looked miserable and hadn't suffered any substantial injury.

It was also hard on the Ashen Bishop to hold back her strength — to be able to restrain herself even like this.

"Oh, hiss…"

Herbert, rubbing his rear as he slowly stood up from the pile of books, grumbled at the Ashen Bishop: "Don't be so rough on the butt."

As he complained like this, what greeted him was no teasing, only the cold gaze the Ashen Bishop shot over from the shadows.

"What did you do?" the monster girl wearing the Archbishop's outer skin asked coldly.

In a tone that was calm but not peaceful at all, she interrogated the youth who had committed the sacrilegious act.

"Are you asking me?"

The youth, however, appeared quite relaxed and answered casually: "Just now, I probably just kissed knowledge."

Herbert grinned, showing his teeth stained with fresh blood, and gave the Ashen Bishop a smile that was both brilliant and bloody.

"This isn't my fault — it's that the 【Knowledge】 you showed me was simply too tempting; I was deeply bewitched by it."

The Ashen Bishop could be said to be a vessel of all manner of secrets, and to a certain extent could also be said to be knowledge itself.

Looking at the Ashen Bishop, who gave no response, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and he said softly: "So, this is the secret you've been trying to hide all along."

Herbert sighed with feeling, and then, just when the Ashen Bishop thought he was about to make some demand based on it, he spoke seriously.

"Please rest assured, I won't use this to blackmail you for anything; I will properly keep this secret for you."

He bowed slightly, giving the Ashen Bishop a respectful salute in a special posture, and said softly: "Because I am also a Keeper of Secrets of the Secret-Keeping Court, am I not?"

(End of this chapter)