Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 6] Chapter 181

[Vol. 6] Chapter 181: The Bequest

Outside the [Void Prison].

The golden light that had enveloped the black-haired girl, seemingly radiating from beneath her very skin, gradually faded. She finally opened her eyes, which had been shut for so long. The golden hue in her gaze receded, returning to their usual silvery-blue brilliance.

Xiao Kong, who had been impatiently waiting for quite some time, hurried over.

“How was it, Violet?”

Violet glanced at her, a fleeting moment of daze crossing her expression before it quickly turned into a playful smirk.

“Are you asking about me, or about the situation inside the [Void Prison]?”

Xiao Kong blinked in surprise before catching on, shaking her head with a helpless sigh. Her expression visibly relaxed.

“Alright, seeing how calm and composed you are, it looks like everything’s fine. You even withdrew your consciousness so quickly. I thought you’d run into some trouble.”

“You know me well, huh~”

With a chuckle, Violet quickly set aside her teasing demeanor, her expression growing slightly more serious.

“The threats inside the [Void Prison] have all been neutralized. There shouldn’t be any further risks of it regenerating. And along the way, I discovered something rather interesting.”

“You really managed to handle everything by yourself… impressive. By the way, Violet, has something about your aura changed?”

“Oh? How so?”

Xiao Kong rested her chin in her hand, thinking for a moment.

“It’s hard to put into words, but the… blinding intensity you had before seems to have mellowed. It’s like some force has balanced it out. Did you really find some kind of benefit in there?”

“Benefit… you could say that. It seems you don’t know much about the [Void Prison] yet. I’ll explain more when I have the chance. But for now, take a look at this.”

As she spoke, Violet withdrew her hand from the swirling, multicolored black orb beside her. Despite the orb being an intangible projection with no physical substance, she pulled out a small, jet-black stone about the size of her palm.

“What’s this?”

“I’m not sure,” Violet said, holding the black stone. “But after I cleared out all the [Feather of Destruction], I found this. It seems to have been left behind by the [Heaven-Opening Sect] in its final moments, and I was told to keep it safe.”

She glanced at the distant sky obscured by spatial fissures, then turned back to Xiao Kong with a smile.

“Looks like we don’t have the full picture yet. Let’s see if this thing holds any secrets.”

Examining the stone, Xiao Kong quickly noticed a small, barely visible indentation. Pressing it gently, a pale white glow emerged from the stone, forming a holographic-like projection. The figure was about ten centimeters tall, displaying the upper half of a person’s body.

Though slightly blurry, it was clear that the figure was a middle-aged man, likely in his forties, dressed in an ornate robe with a formal design. His facial features bore a faint resemblance to Murong Yun, and considering the connection to the [Heaven-Opening Sect], he was probably an ancestor or elder of that lineage.

The projection began to speak.

“I am Murong Qingshan, the 32nd Gate Master of the [Heaven-Opening Sect]. I leave behind this recording as my final message…”

Xiao Kong’s eyes lit up with recognition.

“Ah, it’s a [Memory Stone]! This kind of artifact is pretty rare and valuable, and only the Spirit Veil Tribe has the resources to produce them. How did something like this end up in the [Void Prison]?”

Violet nodded slightly.

If even the well-informed Xiao Kong considered it valuable, this stone clearly had significance.

“It must have been left here by either the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden] or someone from Spirit Veil Immortal Island for the [Heaven-Opening Sect]. They’ve always had close ties.”

As the two chatted casually, the projection continued speaking.

“The sect’s base was attacked without warning. The assailant was only one individual, yet their power far exceeded anything we could have imagined. What’s worse, they seemed to have a specific advantage against our [Heaven-Opening Sect] techniques, as if targeting us deliberately.”

“This individual used a mysterious artifact to seal off our base, then began massacring our disciples. We fought and retreated, clashing over a hundred times. From their appearance and abilities, we finally identified them in ancient records.”

“They were the legendary Ancient Great Yokai, [Manliu]!”

“Ancient Great Yokai are incomprehensibly powerful and unpredictable, beyond the capabilities of human strength to resist. However, they should have all been eternally sealed in the [Void Prison] long ago. How could a creature like [Manliu] still exist in this world?”

“Though we don’t fully understand, one thing is certain: if such a creature were to attack the [Heaven-Opening Sect], there must be something it desires. And for beings like it, what it seeks among mortals is likely extremely limited.”

“It must be after the [Void Prison].”

The middle-aged man in the projection paused briefly, then turned to look into the distance, as if noticing something. His tone became hurried.

“My [Heaven-Opening Sect] ancestors were guided and instructed by the [Spirit Veil Saint Immortal] to guard one of the [Void Prisons] and the [Grave of the World]. Fully aware of the immense responsibility, we have upheld this duty for nearly a thousand years, passing it down through generations without a moment of neglect…”

“According to the ancestral teachings, the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden] gave us a secret directive before her departure. [Heaven-Opening Sect] must diligently guard its duty for a thousand years. After a thousand years, changes would come to the [Ancient Spirit Realm], and at that time, new guidance would arrive, and we were to act accordingly.”

“For this command, we prepared for generations, pouring all our efforts into strengthening the sect. Yet, in the final century before fulfilling our mission, the secret was leaked, and our legacy was destroyed… Alas, I, Murong Qingshan, am deeply ashamed before my ancestors and before the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden], who entrusted us with this task.”

The last Gate Master of [Heaven-Opening Sect] sighed heavily, but his expression quickly turned resolute.

“At this point, there’s no value in investigating how the secret was leaked. [Heaven-Opening Sect] may fall, but the [Void Prison] is far too important. It must not suffer any harm.”

“We’ve already activated the final safeguard left by the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden], preparing to use the power of the [Void Prison] to send this space directly into the [Grave of the World]. That place, imbued with the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden]’s power, will suppress any demonic entity, preventing them from entering. Even [Manliu] will be no exception.”

“This [Memory Stone] will be sealed within the [Void Prison] using a secret technique during the brief window when it activates. I imagine… if anyone ever sees it in the future, it would likely be the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden] herself or someone acting on her orders.”

“The barriers between the two realms are immense, and forcibly transferring this space to the [Grave of the World] will result in the annihilation of all life within it. None of us will survive. I leave this message for two reasons. First, to warn those who come after us. Be vigilant, as incidents like [Manliu] may not be isolated.”

“Second, if this [Memory Stone] ever makes its way back to the [Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden], I, Murong Qingshan, on behalf of [Heaven-Opening Sect]’s thousands of disciples who perished in this conflict and the countless ancestors before us, wish to say this— ‘You need not feel regret. We fought not only because of our promise to you but also for the [Ancient Spirit Realm], for our home. Though [Heaven-Opening Sect] is destroyed today, we have no regrets’!”

The Gate Master bowed deeply, showing solemn respect to an unseen point in the distance.

“May our legacy endure. May the [Ancient Spirit Realm] flourish and never again see the rise of demonic forces. We are leaving now. The future… is in your hands.”

With a faint *swish*, the projection faded, and the surroundings fell silent once more.

“So that’s how it is…” Xiao Kong murmured, lost in thought.

“[Manliu], huh? So there really are Ancient Great Yokai that escaped the purges, hiding in the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. It seems they’re starting to stir.”

Violet, having also watched the projection, took a straightforward approach and asked her knowledgeable companion, Xiao Kong.

“What kind of beast is [Manliu]? Is it powerful? I don’t think I’ve ever read about it in the books.”

Xiao Kong nodded, taking a moment before explaining.

“Yes, [Manliu] is extremely rare. There are likely fewer than ten in existence, which is why there are so few records about them. But among the spirit beasts, they’re considered one of the most powerful. They possess intelligence and reasoning comparable to that of true living beings.”

She paused briefly before continuing.

“[Manliu], also known as the ‘Headless Warrior,’ is a four-armed creature with immense strength and an indestructible body. It thrives on battle, loves to fight, and prefers consuming the refined bodies of skilled warriors. Its most fearsome feature is a mouth located in its abdomen. This mouth only opens when it encounters a worthy opponent, devouring the enemy’s body and absorbing their strength for itself.”

“As you know, most spirit beasts, regardless of their power level, are born from corrupted entities within the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. [Manliu], however, is an extreme form of this transformation, arising from the corpse of a headless martial artist. It represents the pinnacle of combat prowess. Through battle and observation, it can effortlessly learn martial techniques that would take others decades to master and adapt them into unique, personal moves.”

“The longer it lives, and the more enemies it fights and consumes, the stronger it becomes. But that’s a trait shared by many spirit beasts.”

“I see… sounds kind of interesting,” Violet remarked, nodding thoughtfully. The Ancient Great Yokai were indeed fascinating. Each more mysterious than the last. She couldn’t help but wonder if she might encounter one in the future.

Violet nodded firmly.

“Alright then. Since we’ve figured out the cause of [Heaven-Opening Sect]’s destruction and identified the culprit, as well as resolved the risks posed by the [Void Prison], it seems like we’ve fulfilled the conditions to clear this realm.”

She looked around with a faint smile.

“We’ve gained quite a lot here, but it’s about time we leave.”