Chapter 71: Radiance

In this world where magic and divine arts exist.

Limb regeneration,

For those spellcasters who have achieved some accomplishments in related fields, it is actually not a very strenuous thing.

Some extremely powerful existences, or those closely related to the realm of the dead, can even pull the souls of the dead back from the Outer Planes to the Material Plane, making them "reborn."

Of course, provided you can pay a sufficient price.

Xia Nan didn't know what level the strength of this priest who believed in the Sun God was.

He just watched with his own eyes as Jeff's hideous wound, severed below the knee, healed and scabbed over in just over ten seconds while bathing in the holy light.

But the lost left leg didn't grow back.

As for the reason...

He could only guess that the gold coins were not enough, or that the priest's strength hadn't reached the level of restoring wounds at will.

From the other's perspective, for an injured stranger, even if he was a friend of the sheriff, it was impossible to consume too much to heal him for no reason.

"Hmm?"

Ingram, who had thought that the negative energy entangled in the depths of Jeff's flesh and blood would be dispelled under the illumination of the holy light,

Had just breathed a sigh of relief because of the healing of the wound, when he suddenly noticed the puzzled expression on the priest's face.

"Sir, is there anything wrong?"

He asked somewhat anxiously.

Pointing the scepter lightly on the ground, the priest frowned slightly, his eyes fixed on Jeff on the stretcher, and spoke slowly:

"What is on him is not just simple undead power."

"There is also some kind of deeper, darker energy parasitic within it."

Hearing this, the sheriff's expression became even more anxious, and he pursued:

"Then my friend, he..."

"Rest assured, having bathed in the Lord's holy light, he will not be in life-threatening danger. It's just that no one knows what the entanglement of negative energy will bring."

"Is there no way to eradicate it?" Ingram looked at Jeff on the ground with worry.

"Find the culprit, find the person who has been deprived of their sanity by the undead... perhaps you can eliminate the influence they bring."

Xia Nan couldn't help but recall Tim, whom he had repelled last night.

He pondered in his heart:

"The strength is completely within the range I can handle, but after that incident last night, he shouldn't show up again in the short term."

"It's a bit troublesome to find him again."

His eyes turned, and he suddenly noticed the Halfling, who had been silent since entering the church.

At this moment, facing the priest's explanation, a clear look of confusion appeared on his face.

His lips parted, as if he wanted to ask the priest something, but finally swallowed the words that reached his throat.

"Hoo..."

Just as the atmosphere on the field fell into silence, a murmur of pain suddenly came from the stretcher.

"Jeff!?"

The sheriff's expression was pleasantly surprised, and he couldn't help but shout.

"Where... where am I?" Jeff supported himself on the ground, instinctively wanting to stand up.

Suddenly realizing that his feet were empty and he couldn't exert any force.

He couldn't help but look down.

"My! My leg!?"

His breathing, which had gradually calmed down under the healing of the holy light, became rapid again.

His pupils contracted, his emotions fluctuated, and an unnatural flush appeared on his face.

On his shoulder, a warm and tight force suddenly came.

Ingram squatted down, his hands tightly gripping the other's shoulders, and said in a low voice:

"Look at me, Jeff, look at me, calm down!"

"..."

The man who had sat in a carriage for half his life had seen countless partings.

To some extent, perhaps many years ago, he had already prepared himself psychologically to die on some mission.

Therefore, he accepted the injury to his left leg very quickly.

He didn't even need others to enlighten him, and he laughed at himself:

"Daisy and the others always complain in their letters that I don't go home; now it's just right. After so many years, I should rest."

"Haha, I don't know if I'll get the nickname 'Limping Jeff' in the future."

Facing his friend's performance, Ingram felt exceptionally self-blaming.

Seeing his hands tightly clenched into fists, his face filled with regret:

"It's my fault! I saw you during the day, if I could have discovered the clues at that time..."

"Eh!" The middle-aged man who had lost his left leg interrupted, patting the other's shoulder, "No need, in our line of work, being able to retire with our lives is already great luck."

"By the way, I have to thank..."

Seeming to remember something again, Jeff looked at Xia Nan and the other beside him with gratitude.

Waving his hand, not wanting the topic to extend further, Xia Nan asked:

"Last night, what did you feel?"

"Feeling...?" Jeff looked thoughtful, recalling, "It was like having a nightmare?"

"But there was no clear dream image; it was just that my consciousness was pulled out of my body, and I couldn't perceive the changes in the outside world."

Not any useful information.

Jeff was just an ordinary person, facing the erosion of undead power, he had no ability to resist.

Fortunately, after the healing of the priest's holy light, the most serious injury on his body had also been alleviated.

And because of the familiar relationship with the sheriff, he rarely received the priest's approval, allowing him to recuperate in the church, using the special environment here to suppress the negative energy remaining in the wound.

Under the guidance of relevant personnel, Xia Nan and the Halfling helped send Jeff to the side hall next door.

For a time, in the magnificent and empty chapel, only the sheriff and the priest remained.

"Patter."

The air was quiet, with only the slight sound of the scepter pointing to the stone floor.

The priest turned around, stepped onto the steps, and walked slowly to the edge of the altar.

"How much is left?"

It was still the same gentle and calm tone as before.

Ingram withdrew his gaze from the door where the few had left.

He took two steps forward, bent his knees, and knelt on one knee.

The prism hammer hanging at his waist collided lightly with the stone floor.

"Soon."

"Before the next full moon, he should be able to complete the ritual."

The priest didn't reply.

He just looked at the huge stained-glass window that almost occupied the entire wall in front.

After a long while, he said:

"After you take this step, go to Mengzhong City."

"There, it is the place closest to the Lord."

Ingram looked up instantly, complex emotions flickering in his azure eyes.

He lowered his head again fiercely and said in a low voice:

"Yes!"

In the church, it fell into dead silence again.

A beam of morning light shot down from the dome, illuminating countless tiny dust particles in the air, while also sprinkling on Ingram, who was kneeling on one knee.

Soft, medium-length hair hung from his ears to his cheeks, the light plate armor representing the sheriff's status refracted metallic luster, and the golden sun emblem on his sleeve seemed to flicker with a faint glow.

He was bathed in light, but his lowered head left his face shrouded in shadow, making it unclear.

The kind-faced priest stood high on the steps, closing his eyes again.

On the magnificent stained-glass window in front, the silver-haired man with a blurred face was still holding the scale and law book in his hands.

Shining with radiance.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 72 =====