Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 6] Chapter 52

[Vol. 6] Chapter 52: What Are They After?

Afterward, the Qilin explained the general situation that had just occurred to the senior members of the Spirit Guards.

Though it avoided the more sensitive topics, saying only that Violet had helped it solve a major problem that could have led to the destruction of Yangyuan County, without mentioning anything about the [Divine Catastrophe], just this much was enough to make everyone extremely grateful and regard the priestess as a hero.

After all, this was a fact acknowledged by the [holy beast Qilin] itself.

With that, many of the problems that had arisen in the [Tidal Deep Valley] were finally put to rest. The Spirit Guards, along with the exploration team led by Murong Yun, stayed on the island for one more night. Once they confirmed there were no further threats, they prepared to escort the captured [Yokai Controlling Sect] members back to the surface.

Though they had asked the Qilin if it wanted to explore the outside world, Violet’s suggestion was gently declined.

It probably wanted to remain here, continuing to accompany the late West Saint Yuan Qianqiu, quietly awaiting the arrival of its own end.

Violet had considered helping it with the problems caused by the corruption of the [Feather of Destruction]. However, she realized that, with its companion gone and its deepest desire fulfilled, the Qilin seemed to have lost its longing for this world

Having borne the weight of a thousand years, the holy beast was tired.

Rather than focusing on physical issues, what it needed now was a true rest, free from all responsibilities.

It was alright. Based on Violet’s simple examination, while the Qilin had reached the end of its life, for a creature with such a long lifespan, it still had at least another ten years or so left, barring any unforeseen accidents.

Since Violet was still relatively unfamiliar with the mysterious and terrifying law of [Nothingness], and given that the problem with the [Feather of Destruction] had seemingly been solved through the intervention of the golden-eyed Violet, it seemed best to stay in the [Ancient Spirit Realm] for now. Once she gained a deeper understanding of this power, she could understand the Qilin’s perspective.”

There was still plenty of time.

The return journey went much more smoothly than the arrival.

Not only was there the added strength of the Spirit Guards, but after the previous earthquake, the disappearance of the Yazi, the self-sacrifice and purification of Yuan Qianqiu, and the eradication of the [Feather of Destruction], the evil spirits in the [Tidal Deep Valley] had been significantly weakened. Most of them had vanished without a trace.

Though there were still a few remnants here and there, they posed no threat to the experienced explorers and soldiers.

Soon after, everyone followed the ropes that had been set up through the giant hole in the center of the [Tidal Deep Valley], which had appeared during the earthquake, and returned to the surface.

“Phew, this is really something. It feels like it’s been ages, even though it hasn’t been that long… I guess this is what ‘like a lifetime apart’ feels like.”

Bai’er said as she looked up at the sunlight that was once again shining down from the sky, stretching lazily. Ling Feng, who had always worn a heavy expression, also seemed much lighter now, nodding slightly.

After all, the biggest problem had been solved.

Since yesterday, the exploration team that had first entered the [Tidal Deep Valley] had barely gotten any rest. The continuous battles and unforeseen events had drained everyone’s energy.

Except for someone like Violet, who defied common sense, even Ling Feng, who had reached the [Eternal Life] realm, showed signs of fatigue after relaxing.

By the way, it seemed that the backlash she suffered from forcibly using the secret technique to reinforce the [Seven Stars Evil-Subduing Seal] had mostly healed on its own, without any interference from Violet herself.

This illogical self-healing ability, aside from her formidable strength, was definitely related to the bloodline power she had previously demonstrated. It even made Violet think of someone named [Dead Soul], also from the [Ancient Spirit Realm] and with gray hair.

Oh, and there was another person who hadn’t been defeated by fatigue and still seemed full of energy.

“Outside the [Tidal Deep Valley]… it turned into this? I see now. No wonder the army was able to march in so easily, could it be because of the earthquake earlier…?” Murong Yun murmured to himself, looking around in surprise.

Unlike the other exploration team members, who were more or less injured or had already been buried underground, he seemed to be in perfect condition, as if he could still fight another three hundred rounds.

A freak. A real freak.

In addition to the [Glorious Blessing] that Violet had once cast on him, Murong Yun’s physique definitely had something unusual about it. No wonder he had been able to explore the perilous [Tidal Deep Valley] alone, even surviving a counterattack from a divine artifact and still bouncing back. This Murong… must be hiding a lot of secrets.

On the ground, the woman who had once met them briefly, a beautiful Taoist priestess named Qin Xuan, who served as the Guardian of the [Yin-Yang Division], was still waiting anxiously. When she finally saw someone emerging from the depths of the valley, she quickly led her group to meet them.

“Everyone! Below…”

The Spirit Guard army operated on its own system, so there was no need to specifically report the situation to her. However, Murong Yun turned around to look at the team, now reduced to less than half its original size, and gave a bitter smile.

“It’s a long story, I’ll explain it later. Where is Prefect Wen Fu?”

Qin Xuan’s face grew serious as she nodded.

“The recent upheaval from the earthquake destroyed more than thirty percent of the buildings in Yangyuan City, including surrounding villages. The people suffered heavy casualties, and countless disaster victims are displaced. Yangyuan County is in complete chaos now.”

“What’s worse, the violent tremors caused a breach in the [Spirit Prison] of Yangyuan City, where many dangerous criminals were held. Those vicious criminals and monsters took the opportunity to kill the guards, break out of their cells, and escape amidst the turmoil caused by the quake. Many of them have already fled the city and disappeared without a trace.”

“The city guards and the [Yin-Yang Division] have already mobilized under Prefect Wen Fu’s orders to provide disaster relief, rescue the people, and capture the escapees. They have no time to spare, so I’ve been left here to manage the situation.”

“That sounds serious…”

As she listened to the low conversation between Murong Yun and Qin Xuan, Violet, who had been thinking about the events from earlier, was quickly distracted and couldn’t help but comment without holding back.

“Hey, hey, is your prison made of tofu? It can be broken so easily just by a little shake? Could it be that someone cut corners on the budget…?”

Seeing the priestess approach, the two quickly turned to face her. Perhaps after being properly reprimanded last time, Qin Xuan’s expression was noticeably more cautious, and with a hint of helplessness, she explained.

“Senior Violet, the [Spirit Prison] is a specially designed facility for imprisoning those with extraordinary abilities. It was built with the intention that even a [Seeker of Immortality] realm expert couldn’t break it. This is a serious matter, and no one would dare cut corners when it comes to the funding. The structure’s strength is certainly not the issue.”

“The reason so many prisoners have escaped is partly due to the extreme intensity of the tremors, and partly because, it’s said, some criminals had disguised themselves and infiltrated the Spirit Prison beforehand. They took advantage of the breach in the magical formation caused by the earthquake to launch a sudden attack, killing the guards and working together to worsen the situation to this point,” Qin Xuan explained.

“Those criminals seemed to have known about the earthquake in advance, which made it impossible to prevent…” Murong Yun added with a nod.

“It seems like this was a premeditated operation. Perhaps even the traitors from the [Yokai Controlling Sect] who infiltrated the exploration team were part of their plan… It’s a strong move,” Qin Xuan said.

“The [Spirit Prison]… Could they be behind it again?”

Ling Feng, who had also moved closer to the group, pondered for a moment before exchanging a glance with Violet. It seemed they had reached some kind of silent understanding.

“The Seven Heavenly Demon Lords,” Violet thought.

From the appearance of the [Sky Wanderer] in the Crystal Palace beneath the Inner Sea, when it attempted to attack and kill Ling Feng, it seemed that a much larger force had been interfering behind the scenes throughout this entire incident.

The instigation of Yazi, provoking it to attack the seal and causing the earth tremors, followed by using the resulting chaos to spread confusion, open the [Spirit Prison], and attract the authorities’ attention, leaving them overwhelmed. This entire series of events felt orchestrated.

While the intervention of Violet and others, along with the precautions and sacrifices left by Yuan Qianqiu, had prevented the true catastrophe caused by the collapse of the seal, it didn’t mean that the enemy’s plan had completely failed.

If their goal wasn’t to destroy Yangyuan County entirely, then what was their true objective, hidden under the chaos created by this series of disturbances?

As Violet pondered, her gaze shifted to the large number of Spirit Guard soldiers emerging from the deep gorge.

The Spirit Guards… Thanks to their timely arrival, they were able to quickly subdue the [Yokai Controlling Sect] members. But now, it seemed that these people might just be bait.

Bait… Wait a minute!

Suddenly, Violet’ heart skipped a beat.

“Hey, if the Spirit Guard army is here, then what about the Spirit Maiden!?”