Chapter 70: Yaine Was Right, Pretty Things Are Deceptive

Glaring at the short outsider before him, the priest fumed, his hand holding his staff trembling with rage.

However, the one before him remained seated on the ground, smiling calmly as if oblivious to the priest's anger.

While the two were locked in this standoff, the scrawny earthwalker who had been contemplating his life noticed something unusual ahead.

The beautiful maiden, presumably a manifestation of the divine, seemed to be performing a ritual on the seven Earthwalker soldiers.

She gently cupped one soldier's face, gazing into his eyes with a sweet smile.

The Earthwalker soldiers around him watched enviously, while the soldier himself was overcome with emotion. He stared into the maiden's eyes, breathing heavily, thinking to himself that even kneeling wasn't enough to show his devotion. He clasped his hands together so tightly that they nearly bled.

Then, the maiden slowly opened her mouth.

For some reason, the soldier instinctively did the same.

A strange, mist-like energy began to flow from the soldier's mouth, twisting in the air before drifting into the maiden's mouth.

Suddenly, two golden beams of energy shot from the maiden's eyes, directly into the soldier's.

A harrowing scream erupted from the soldier. The veins in his arms bulged as his body convulsed violently. Clearly, he appeared to be in excruciating pain.

The surrounding soldiers panicked, backing away in fear and confusion, their eyes darting between the priest and the maiden.

They didn't understand why the holy blessing ceremony included such a torturous step.

And outside the shrine, seeing that the ritual had begun, the priest's face darkened.

He struck the ground with his staff, releasing an invisible wave of energy.

Instantly, all the scrawny earthwalker saw was darkness enveloping, like an unseen force was trying to drag him into the abyss.

But the next moment, a hallowed light split the darkness.

When the scrawny earthwalker regained his senses, he found the priest several meters away with a terrifying gash across his chest, clutching the staff that had broken in two parts.

The tall outsider had also changed her attire. She now wore gleaming mithril armor, with a visored helmet that only revealed her sharp wolf-like eyes. In her left hand was a shield, and her right wielded a sword shimmering in holy light, purifying the blood that had stained it.

"Wh-what's going on…" The scrawny Earthwalker's mind was whirling.

What was that just now? Why did this lady knight strike the priest?

Was it to save me? Could what I just saw be related to the priest?

But why would the priest attack them?!

While he was lost in thought, another agonizing scream echoed from the altar.

Everyone looked toward the sound and saw another Earthwalker soldier being subjected to the same ritual by the maiden.

The first soldier now stood lifelessly to the side, unmoving as if his soul had been sucked out.

The other soldiers, realizing something was wrong, tried to flee but were caught by roots that suddenly sprang from beneath the bridge, suspending them in the air as they struggled and cried out.

"Haa… So there's really no army from another world after all." The short outsider casually discarded his tattered chainmail and sighed. "To think I was worried it was related to the Tyrant. What a waste of time."

With that, he grabbed Chick, the scrawny earthwalker, and slung the latter over his shoulder. "Since that's the case, we're out of here. Bye-bye."

Seeing this, the priest made an attempt to give chase but was blasted by another bout of holy light. He crashed into the temple wall, coughing up blood as another wound opened on his chest.

"Bastards! Foreign swine! How dare you defile the divine! You will pay for this!" the priest snarled as he raised the broken staff and slammed it into the ground.

At once, the whole area started shaking. The outer walls of the shrine rotated while the training ground seemed to be split and divided into smaller plots. From the cracks that appeared, constructs similar to the concentric shrine rose, like layers upon layers of hemispherical barriers attempting to encase the area.

The three fleeing away hadn't got far before a wall abruptly rose and obstructed their path.

But in the next second, a silver beast appeared beneath them. It spread its cloud like wings and lifted off, carrying the trio and flying off.

However, the outermost structure of this space had already formed a complete dome, enclosing the entire area.

"Heheh, struggle all you want. There's no escape," the priest sneered as black threads emerged from his chest wound, stitching the gashes close.

Then, he stood up, took a deep breath, and chanted an incantation.

An invisible wave rippled out, and a golden glow flashed in the eyes of soldiers standing by in the many large training grounds.

————

————

Moments earlier.

Yaine and the others were still on the top floor of the tower, scrutinizing the tranced Earthwalkers, trying to awaken their consciousness.

Suddenly, the tower began shaking violently.

"What's happening?" Mervant was the first to react. "Guys, stop! Something's not right!"

Hearing the clamor, Liu Ji instinctively rushed to Yaine's side even though he didn't know what was going on.

Yaine immediately cast a sensing spell, her face darkening before she shouted, "This isn't good! The tower is sealing up! Get out of here!"

Grabbing Liu Ji, she leaped out of the nearest window, casting a shield midair to cushion their fall.

Osar didn't hesitate either, grabbing Girunini and jumping out too.

But as soon as they were through the window, Osar saw a wall rising to meet them. In a panic, he clung on to the tower with his backhand, narrowly avoiding being crushed.

He didn't have any time to catch his breath, though, as another structure surged from the side, forcing him to dodge again.

On the other side of the tower, Mervant had just exited with Calidora when he saw Guoguo also leaping out.

Unfortunately, she found herself pincered by two growing structures on both sides, and suspended in midair with no foothold, she could only watch as the walls closed in.

Mervant didn't think twice; he pushed his speed to the limit, managing to grab Guoguo and escaping the crushing walls by a hair's breadth.

Overpowering in the air, Mervant, Calidora, and Guoguo finally saw the full scale transformation.

The entire underground space had been completely reshaped into a labyrinthine fortress.

And, because of the sealing structures that emerged, they had completely lost sight of their companions.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read