Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 6] Chapter 24

[Vol. 6] Chapter 24: The Spirit Maiden and the holy beast

After Murong Yun finished recounting his strange encounter with a complex expression, the room fell into silence.

It was not due to doubts about the truth of his story, but rather because the powerful individuals present, each with their own experiences and methods, were contemplating the significance of the events he described from their own perspectives.

In the end, it was Violet who spoke first.

“So you believe that the strange beast was the legendary Western holy beast, the Qilin? You’re sure about that?”

This time, Prefect Wen Fu nodded in agreement.

“I have already asked an artist to depict the beast as described by Mr. Murong, and compared it to the image of the Western holy beast from our Western Kingdom. It bears at least seventy to eighty percent resemblance.”

It seemed that Ling Feng had noticed something from Murong Yun’s description, or perhaps already knew certain things. Her delicate brows had been furrowed since the beginning, and after a moment of pondering, she spoke in a low voice, tinged with a hint of warning.

“Mr. Murong, Mr. Prefect, if the appearance of the holy beast Qilin happened in this manner, from my perspective, perhaps we should not further interfere.”

To her stance, Wen Fu didn’t seem surprised.

“Miss Ling Feng means that the holy beast Qilin did not intentionally reveal itself to humans, but that Mr. Murong’s accidental intrusion disturbed its rest, forcing it to act and expel him… Is that correct?”

Seeing the grey-haired young woman remain silent and only offer a noncommittal look, Prefect Wen Fu’s demeanor shifted. Gone was his earlier gentleness, and he solemnly shook his head.

“Initially, I shared the same view as Miss Ling Feng, believing that we mortals should not disturb the resting place of the holy beast, and I didn’t intend to make Mr. Murong’s experience public…”

“But what you don’t know is that just a few days ago, this office received an urgent flying letter from the higher-ups, requesting information about whether there had been any strange phenomena or disturbances caused by demons or evil spirits in our Yangyuan County recently.”

“Indeed, there have been such phenomena, such as the golden light that inexplicably shot up into the sky on the night of the year’s end, or the near-simultaneous report from Mr. Murong about his encounter with the holy beast Qilin. While I don’t fully understand these events, I could only truthfully report the situation back to the capital, and soon received new imperial orders.”

Prefect Wen Fu’s sharp and profound gaze swept across the room, particularly landing on the three newcomers, including Violet. He spoke slowly, emphasizing each word.

“The higher-ups have ordered this office to immediately investigate the situation in the [Tidal Deep Valley] and deploy personnel to search for and confirm the details of the holy beast Qilin. The tone of the command was so stern that it could almost be described as unequivocal.”

“The reason for issuing the recruitment order and spreading the news of the Qilin’s appearance in Yangyuan County, inviting heroes from all over the world to gather in this city, is due to explicit instructions in the imperial edict.”

“I believe the higher-ups must have some more precise information, which is why such a specific and accurate command was issued. In any case, we must act according to the order.”

“An imperial command…”

Ling Feng furrowed her brows slightly and exchanged a glance with Violet, before turning to address the three in front of her.

“Prefect Wen Fu, may I ask who exactly issued this command? Was it from the Six Ministerial Offices in the capital, the three Elders of the Auxiliary Court , or… the current Saint?”

Wen Fu raised an eyebrow in surprise at the question from the young woman. He stroked his short beard thoughtfully.

“Miss Ling Feng seems to have a good understanding of the internal workings of our Western Kingdom’s court. However, you’re mistaken. Although the flying letter was delivered quickly, direct correspondence with the capital is not an overnight matter. Therefore, this office reported to another influential figure who is closer to our Yangyuan County.”

After a moment of contemplation, Prefect Wen Fu let out a light sigh.

“Well, as the saying goes, ‘Trust those you use, distrust those you suspect.’ You should all be aware that there is currently a noble figure from the capital who is conducting an inspection tour across the land, celebrating the millennium of our Ancient Spirit Realm.”

“You mean… the Western Origin Spirit Maiden?”

“Exactly. To be honest, that noble figure is currently on her way to Yangyuan County.”

……………………………

After the discussion on the Qilin matter, or rather, after various tests and inquiries, Prefect Wen Fu finally took his leave, accompanied by Murong Yun and the silent Yin-Yang Officer, Qin Xuan, who had hardly spoken a word throughout the meeting.

To continue the investigation into the [Tidal Deep Valley] and search for the holy beast Qilin, Violet and the other two women would temporarily stay in the specially provided guesthouses in Yangyuan City, along with the other recruited experts, to ensure they could be reached by the authorities at any time.

According to Murong Yun, the tides in the [Tidal Deep Valley] do not follow a fixed pattern. One month, the tide may rise at the beginning and fall at the end, while the next month it could be reversed. He had not figured out the specific pattern and could not determine when the next opportunity to enter would be. However, it would likely be within a month at most.

The recruitment was still ongoing, and it was said that at least 100 strong experts were to be gathered. If the timing worked out, it was possible that even the [Spirit Maiden]’s elite guard might join the operation. However, as for how the [Spirit Maiden] herself felt about this matter, Prefect Wen Fu was clearly unable to give a definite answer.

Soon, the sky grew darker.

As the host, Prefect Wen Fu had arranged accommodations for all the recruited experts, and the residences for Violet and the other two women were particularly luxurious. It was likely an attempt to keep the priestess, a formidable cultivator at the [Eternal Life] realm, happy and willing to lend a hand when needed.

“Western Origin Spirit Maiden, Qilin…”

This Western Origin Spirit Maiden must know something, and… so does Ling Feng.

Changing into soft pajamas and lying on the plush blanket in a “?” shape, Miss Priestess casually swung her smooth little feet, wrapped only in short socks, in the air while muttering the names of the two figures she was most concerned about.

While she had initially become involved in this matter out of boredom, the more Violet learned, the more convinced she became that there was a deep, dark secret lurking behind the rumors of the holy beast.

This matter, the appearance of the Qilin, was no coincidence.

That holy beast… was likely actively drawing certain people to find it, and perhaps the high-ranking officials of the Western Kingdom had already known that the Qilin was hiding here, along with other deeper secrets.

Furthermore…

“Ling Feng… what is her true identity?”

Since Prefect Wen Fu had mentioned the [Spirit Maiden] of the Western Era, Ling Feng’s expression had obviously turned somewhat strange. Moreover, although she and Bai’er were both experts from the Yin-Yang Division in the capital, the Yin-Yang Officer from Yangyuan County, Qin Xuan, didn’t seem to recognize them.

Although Violet had already noticed they weren’t telling the full truth, she could understand why they kept quiet. But now that it had become more obvious, it was hard not to pay attention.

It would be great if Xiao Guang were here.

Although that girl was a bit foolish and couldn’t give any valuable advice, she was the only person Violet truly trusted and the only one she could truly rely on.

At times like this, it would be nice to have Xiao Guang who would listen patiently so that she wouldn’t have to keep everything to herself.

Ah, I really miss her.

Ugh, this is bad. Who’s really relying on whom here?

With that thought, Miss Priestess suddenly leaped out of bed with a swift flip, then slapped her smooth, pale cheek with force, shaking off her thoughts and boosting her spirits.

“Alright! Since things have come to this, let go of the boring worries and go out for a stroll, see if I can find something interesting!”