Chapter 276: [Ember Teaching Staff]

Xia Nan's gaze followed the perspective of "I," moving away from the corpse on the ground and turning toward the closed gate of the church behind.

He pondered in his heart.

Without a doubt, whether it was from the familiar priest's robe on the opponent or the severed neck and left arm (the previous mummy had scars in the same position), this priest who looked like he had already died was exactly the opponent he had fought fiercely with just now.

But if the scene before him wasn't a delusion, but a real event that had happened in another space-time, then how did the priest he had seen with his own eyes and killed by "I" resurrect, and even turn into the appearance of that living dead mummy?

And watching the grey-black staff with the orange-red crystal embedded at the top, which had already been taken from the priest by "I," why did it return to the altar again?

Xia Nan was incomparably puzzled in his heart.

But for some reason, when his mind operated and he thought about the reason.

What first appeared in his mind were the goddess statue's pair of compassionate and pitiful eyes, which were identical to the bright yellow snake eyes on the priest's snake head.

The memory didn't end.

The perspective swayed, accompanied by the sound of metal armor rubbing, and two iron gloves rested on the church gate.

Pushing open slowly.

Hum—

The dazzling sunlight made "I," who had been in the dimly lit church environment for a long time, squint his eyes involuntarily.

What came into view was a prosperous and open street.

Even if one looked at it from the overall atmosphere or the completeness of the buildings, it was worlds apart from the narrow path piled with ruins and debris on both sides in his memory.

Xia Nan still recognized at a glance that this long street was exactly the path he had taken from the entrance of Gray Valley, penetrating all the way to the church.

It was just that the atmosphere, which had been particularly dilapidated and dead under the reflection of thick fog and stone powder before, had been dispelled by the bright sunlight and the human presence in the air.

Those collapsed walls and debris that made the road look particularly crowded had also returned to their original exquisite and orderly appearance, and small houses with architectural styles similar to the church were lined up elegantly and orderly on both sides of the stone brick road.

The street was crowded with people, and the hawking of vendors and the playing of children were intertwined, looking particularly lively.

But for such a common, exotic, and noisy scene, Xia Nan felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort.

Just like a small flying insect staying on a white wall, or a hair strand stuck on a bright screen, an inexplicable awkwardness and discomfort.

It was the suspicious black spots on the seemingly bright fruit skins of the street vendors, the rotting stench mixed in the sweet and greasy fruit fragrance; it was the skinny, dirty-feathered pigeon chased by the children, only cooing and flapping its wings, but unable to fly no matter what.

The hollow eyes above the exaggerated smiles, the sharp and harsh innocent weird laughter...

It was as if a layer of grey gauze that couldn't be described was draped over the entire world, and a deeper, indescribable aura was invisibly permeating the air.

"I" suddenly looked up.

Immediately, Xia Nan also caught a glimpse of the orange-red sun hanging high in the sky, which was dim and dull like twilight even though it was noon.

"I" tied the staff entrusted by the priest to my waist and walked on the road.

Perhaps having a considerable status, or perhaps adding the identity of an outsider, "I" received unusual attention from passersby.

Even the most mischievous children waited obediently on the side of the road when "I" passed by, only daring to lower their heads, and only quietly raised their heads to look curiously after "I" had walked past.

Considering that his current perspective depended on this body at the time, it was clear that "I" also noticed the countless gazes from behind, and the complex emotions mixed with fear, numbness, and a hint of secret desire that seemed respectful but were actually mixed with fear, numbness, and a hint of secret desire.

"I" chose to ignore all of this.

The sound of firm footsteps echoed monotonously on the stone brick road.

At the end of the road was a small square that wasn't very wide.

In the center of the square sat a gorgeous and exquisite fountain pool with refreshing water surging up.

A knight with a tall, obese figure, wearing full heavy armor, with muscles and fat bulging the iron plates high, was standing quietly by the pool, staring at the dense ripples that kept rippling on the water surface.

"Did the gentleman give you the fire seed?"

The deep eyes under the bucket helmet swept over the staff at "I"'s waist, and a muffled sound like a beating drum sounded on the field.

The metal flail in his hand swung gently, and the chain and iron block rubbed and collided, making a faint and crisp sound.

"It's useless..." The heavy armored knight's helmet turned slightly, as if observing the numb crowd watching from afar. "The fire is about to go out, and no one can escape."

"Look at them... look at me." The turbid voice was filled with inseparable exhaustion and despair. "We are all shackles of this world."

"Kill me." He turned around suddenly, staring fixedly at "I." "Fight, let me return to glory... before the fire seed."

"I" didn't open my mouth to answer.

But the sharp greatsword that had already been drawn from behind and held tightly in the palm had already indicated "I"'s attitude.

Thus, the battle began.

Limited by the first-person perspective fixed in "I"'s body, the things Xia Nan could observe were very limited.

But what could be judged was that "I"'s physical fitness was very strong, and the combat experience was rich, and the swordsmanship foundation was incomparably solid.

Even without showing special abilities like combat techniques or spells, he still suppressed the obese knight in the face of a huge size gap.

The heavy metal flail whistled through the air but never landed on anything, while the greatsword, which looked even clumsier, left sword marks on the bloated iron plates every time.

After only a dozen rounds, the knight opposite was caught by "I," and while dodging the opponent's attack, a sword hilt smashed fiercely onto the back of the obese knight's bucket helmet.

"Dong!"

The obese, huge body swayed and staggered backward, and blood leaked from the cracks in the iron helmet.

His center of gravity was unstable, his heels knocked against the edge of the pool, and his whole person was like a collapsed iron mountain, his huge body falling backward with a boom, smashing into the fountain pool.

"I" sheathed the sword silently.

Not even looking at the corpse in the pool again, the cold gaze swept over the crowd on both sides of the square, stepped over the stone edge in front, and continued to move forward, walking toward the exit of the town.

Passing through the last narrow alley, the air seemed to be fresher; although the pervasive sense of decay hadn't dissipated, the open wilderness behind the low wall also made "I," who had been suppressed in the town for a long time, breathe a sigh of relief.

The left hand brushed lightly over the staff at the waist, "I" moved my feet, trying to cross the simple wooden fence by the stone wall in front, and leave this place.

Carrying the "fire seed" in the priest's words, heading to the royal city to find the last glimmer of hope.

Perhaps because he was about to leave the town, Xia Nan could feel "I"'s originally tense nerves relax for an instant.

His gaze subconsciously lifted, looking toward one side of the town entrance.

His body suddenly stiffened.

Just at the edge of the low wall, on the low stone base, a tall and holy figure stood silently.

The cold sunlight fell quietly, illuminating its flawless white body, clearly outlining the familiar contour—the elegant and soft posture, the stone-condensed gauze skirt fluttering in the wind, and that pair of compassionate and peaceful bright yellow snake eyes. ===== CHAPTER 277 =====