Chapter 421

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

The Council Chairman hurriedly left the tower, no one knew where he went. The other nobles subsequently came to their senses as well and began fleeing this landmark building.

They were once warriors who captured cities and seized strongholds; they understood the principle of capturing the ringleader first to capture the bandits, and did not want to throw away their lives for nothing against Divine Art Knights.

The High Priest curled his lips helplessly, summoned his Young Priest, and said: "Go pick out some white-robed attendants, ones that look pleasing to the eye. Also go to my storehouse and take out that large shield the Prince gave me last time, have it ready."

The Young Priest went off with his round buttocks sticking out. When the High Priest turned back, he was the only one left on the tower. The nobles of Ma La felt only fear toward Divine Art Knights and had no power to borrow from them; they had absolutely no intention of staying and risking their lives. The High Priest could only cast a spell on himself and fly toward the city gate.

On the West Continent, priests are the only group qualified to use spells; the mage system of the Saint Qiao Kingdom, for instance, was long ago slaughtered to the last by them.

Yin Senchen waited patiently for half an hour, then saw the High Priest appear on the city wall wearing a splendid colorful formal robe. A month ago, he would have prostrated himself in obeisance. Now he merely bent his waist subconsciously and straightened up again, counting that as completing the formal ceremony.

"Greetings, Lord Divine Art Knight. I am Iyal, High Priest of the local Water Dragon Temple."

"I am Yin Senchen."

"Ah, could you be a member of the famous Yin Sen Family?" The High Priest's surprise was not entirely feigned. The Yin Sen Family once produced a Divine Art Knight, meaning that, more or less, they would always produce a Divine Art Knight eventually. Only recently, with the Temple War, the Wood Dragon Divine Temple shouldn't have held any grand ceremony...

Yin Senchen nodded slightly and said: "I now serve Lord Chen Yi of the West River Water Fortress; this is my master."

Chen Yi sat on the front of the Raptor, looking rather more normal by comparison.

The High Priest nodded stupidly, then realized something was wrong, but it was too late to salvage.

Yin Senchen called out: "High Priest, may I enter the city?"

"This..." The High Priest hesitated and asked: "Are you a Divine Art Knight of the Wood Dragon Divine Temple?"

"I am but a Wild Knight; the High Priest need not mind."

"No, no, no. The Wood Dragon Divine Temple and Water Dragon Temple have close relations..." The High Priest suddenly realized: "You are a Wild Knight?"

"Yes." Wild Knights are knights of small temples; some are even knights of cults. They hold ceremonies with fewer than ten thousand participants or fewer than ten thousand devout believers, during which they allow outside knights to participate — because in some cases they cannot even find Temple Knights of Combat Skill Level 8 or 9. Divine Art Knights who advance in such minor religions are called Wild Knights. Their combat power is usually lower than that of major temple knights, but they often can choose some special Divine Arts. Right now, unless Yin Senchen wanted to explain Buddhism to the High Priest in detail, the honest description was Wild Knight.

Not being a Divine Art Knight of the Wood Dragon Divine Temple made the High Priest a bit uneasy, but he quickly reassured himself: regardless of which temple the other party belonged to, he was still a Divine Art Knight...

"Open the city gate." The High Priest commanded conspicuously.

"I'm afraid... I'm afraid there's an ambush outside." The gate official didn't want to say this, but if he didn't, the responsibility would fall on him when it was investigated later.

The Young Priest beside the High Priest glared at him and shouted angrily: "Do you think your city gate can withstand a single strike from a Divine Art Knight?"

The gate official thought "it has blessings," but he opened the gate for them. Now there wasn't even a single Temple Knight around; even the best city gate would be useless. Besides, he had received the order and the explanation.

Two rows of boys and girls dressed in white appeared on the left and right of the road.

The white-robed boys had not yet grown beards; they basically had regular features and fair complexions. The white-robed girls were few in number; each was hairy and muscular, and occasionally two slender, delicate ones could be picked out, but their looks were merely ordinary.

Yin Senchen stared at the white-robed girls without letting up, especially their thigh muscles, which were the focus of his attention.

The High Priest understood tacitly and waved his hand, sending the boys away. Then girls respectfully presented a shield.

Unlike Yin Sen's half-body shield back then, Yin Senchen received a sturdy tower shield, over two meters high, capable of shielding his entire body.

"This shield can contain divine power." The High Priest said with a hearty laugh.

"Good, good." Yin Senchen remained immersed in the girls' sturdy thighs and cow-like large breasts. On Earth he had never seen fitness women; all he saw were dieting women, and he was parched with thirst.

The High Priest made a signal, and the white-robed girls surrounded them. These carefully selected girls and boys were originally chosen to solve the problems of Divine Art Knights and High-Rank Temple Knights.

Chen Yi gently released "Pressure Strike," and the High Priest and Yin Senchen shuddered violently.

"You... are also a Divine Art Knight?" The High Priest's eyes bulged like a pitiful old grandpa about to die, but in reality he was a ruthless old man skilled in scheming and familiar with all manner of political struggles. Facing two Divine Art Knights, he quickly gave up and asked: "What is the target of you two lords in coming to Ma La?"

This was retreating to advance.

"Can you represent the nobles of Ma La?" Chen Yi smiled as he examined the buildings inside Ma La, as if looking at his own backyard.

"I am a priest of the Water God Temple."

"Who can speak for Ma La?"

The High Priest smiled benevolently: "Naturally, only the Elder Council Chairman of Ma La, Gasa Ye."

"Where is he?"

"He ran away." Only now did Iyal realize Gasa Ye reacted quickly; it seems being a noble for a long time does increase one's intelligence.

Chen Yi's expression turned unpleasant: "Then there's nothing to talk about?"

"I can only represent the Water Dragon Temple in talks with you." Iyal gave a couple of embarrassed laughs, thinking secretly: They probably can't destroy Ma La anyway.

Yin Senchen whispered in Chen Yi's ear: "Yin Senyong has Divine Art detection."

"Can he find a confirmed Temple Knight?"

"He can distinguish based on the strength of Pocket Qi. Council Chairman Gasa Ye and the other nobles are mostly High-Rank Temple Knights."

"Have Yin Senyong come in."

Chen Yi gave the order, and immediately a student called out from inside the armored vehicle.

He asked again: "Where is your treasury?"

The High Priest revealed a strange smile and said: "My lord, Ma La's treasury can only be opened by members of the Ma La Elder Council, and... there isn't much money inside."

"Two Divine Art Knights aren't enough?"

"The treasury has received blessings; only three Divine Art Knights can force it open." The High Priest's smile carried a hint of sarcasm.

Chen Yi smiled faintly and waited at the city gate.

Yin Senchen, toyed with by a group of muscular girls, was enjoying himself so much he forgot to leave, completely lacking the wise and martial bearing a Divine Art Knight should have. The High Priest failed repeatedly to find a topic and could only treat it as prayer, becoming a complete bystander.

Before long, Yin Senyong and his Earth Dragon appeared at the junction of the ring city highway ahead.

The High Priest's eyelids began twitching hard, twitching hard.

"My lord." Yin Senyong leaped down from the Earth Dragon and knelt on one knee.

Iyal grabbed one hand with the other to keep from losing face and embarrassing himself.

Three Divine Art Knights meant the strength of a Temple Legion; their existence was not a simple addition, but a multiplicative increase in power!

Multiplicative increase in strength!

Multiplicative increase in authority!

"First, find the Elder Council's Council Chairman; second, can your scouting Divine Art locate this city's Treasury?"

Yin Senyong activated his Divine Art first and replied simultaneously: "I can find the place with the most accumulated metal."

In such a city-state, the Treasury's funds are often fluid; expenditures during wartime are enormous.

Chen Yi nodded in acknowledgment, without speaking.

Iyal watched as if he had heard nothing; he did want to recruit these three Divine Art Knights, but he did not feel he had sufficient resources and bargaining chips no matter how he thought about it.

Three Divine Art Knights were already the primitive martial force of a small Temple.

If their luck was good enough, they could completely establish their own armed forces and city-state in a borderland, especially during the Temple War — that was a wonderful time when all manner of demons and monsters danced in chaos.

Ma La, let alone Divine Art Knights, did not have many Temple Knights worth mentioning.

When using the Divine Art "Scouting," Yin Senyong's whole body emitted a dazzling radiance, like a giant light bulb; Chen Yi and the others could all feel the obvious overflow of Source Energy.

Yin Senyong laughed embarrassedly and said: "The range is large; if I wanted to hide myself, I would need to expend Faith Power, and I think it's better not to waste it."

"Your Excellency is wise." High Priest Iyal did not know how he blurted out such a line; it was probably because Chen Yi's Pressure Strike intimidated him, making his spirit unable to concentrate and stably conduct thought.

Yin Senyong ignored him and rapidly concluded the probing, saying: "Found it. Where does the Lord want to start?"

"The Treasury." Chen Yi leapt onto the Raptor; Grand Knight Silva beside him wore a mask and did not utter a word.

Yin Senyong mounted the Earth Dragon and led the way; all along the route, shops and residences were shut tight, as if they were about to be plundered.

Iyal followed tightly behind, staying close to Yin Senchen, whom he felt was easiest to talk to, but as they walked, he felt something was wrong: "This isn't the road to the Treasury."

"At least it's the place hiding the most coins." Amid Yin Senyong's loud laughter, the Temple's small dome appeared before everyone.

"You—!" Iyal's hands trembled. This time he was truly frightened.

Temple property is not as easy to steal as city-state property, and the Water Dragon Temple is also a major Temple, possessing Divine Art Knights far exceeding three.

Three Divine Art Knights and their retinue, like happy little birds, flew into the sacred, gold-coin-splendid cathedral.

"You cannot enter." Before a plainly decorated small chapel, Iyal blocked them with kangaroo-like agitation.

"Oh, we definitely must enter." Yin Senyong immediately pushed aside the respected High Priest, sniffed his nose, displayed his colorful flair, burst in, and directly flipped up the beautiful long-pile carpet.

A downward-facing iron plate shining with Holy Light Blessing was Ma La's Temple Treasury.

Chen Yi, Yin Senyong, and Yin Senchen stood together around the large iron plate. Judging by West Continent prices, the Treasury door alone was worth no small sum.

"You will be cursed..." The High Priest spoke his most threatening words.

Chen Yi narrowed his eyes and suddenly smiled: "I'll give you 10 minutes to summon all of Ma La's Nobles; otherwise, I'll open it."

……(Unfinished. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian. com) to cast Recommendation Tickets and Monthly Tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)