Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 6] Chapter 7

[Vol. 6] Chapter 7: Evil Spirits

Evil Spirits are a kind of existence that is both ubiquitous and rare in the [Ancient Spirit Realm].

It is said that these spirits are the lingering resentments left behind by the demons slain during the ancient period, when the Four Saints pacified disasters a thousand years ago.

After their deaths, the demons’ resentment, coupled with their pre-death behaviors and intense hatred toward everything related to the Four Saints, caused them to indiscriminately attack all living beings within the Four Nations.

[Great demons leave behind strong evil spirits, small demons leave behind minor misfortune.]

The meaning of this saying is that powerful evil spirits are typically left behind by equally powerful demons, while ordinary evil spirits are the residual resentments of minor demons and monsters.

However, it is still unclear whether evil spirits are inherently linked to demons, as the truth is that most demons simply die without leaving behind any kind of resentment.

Unlike true demons, ordinary people cannot see evil spirits. However, those with sharp senses may occasionally feel uneasy, such as experiencing a chilling wind or a sense of foreboding when a evil spirit is near.

Naturally, evil spirits are creatures of darkness that fear the vitality of the sun. In most cases, smaller evil spirits avoid crowded areas and refrain from moving around during the day.

The vast majority of evil spirits instinctively hide in the mountains, rural areas, or other remote, desolate places. Many people may live their entire lives without ever encountering one.

Furthermore, the protective talisman that every household in the Western Origin Spirit Kingdom keeps are highly effective at repelling and resisting ordinary evil spirits.

“So, although I’ve seen a few people who were possessed or harmed by evil spirits, most of them were travelers who wandered alone in the wilderness without protective talisman. But for something like this, someone being attacked by a evil spirit at home. It’s really unheard of.”

Zeng Xianzhi said, glancing at the village man who was resting on the bed after Violet had removed the evil spirit, his face filled with confusion and bewilderment.

“Moreover, even if someone did take down the protective talisman from his house, other households still have their intact charms, and they’re not far away. How could the [Dog Demon] just enter a village full of vitality like this?”

On the desk, the black-haired girl, who had been discussing the matter with him, gave a slight nod and seemed to be deep in thought.

“If what you’re saying is true, then I can think of only one possibility,” she said.

Zeng Xianzhi’s expression shifted.

“Oh? Please, Miss Violet, tell me.”

“Most likely, someone deliberately placed the [Dog Demon] inside this young man’s house, or perhaps this evil spirit actually originated from his room. As for the disappearance of the protective talisman… honestly, in my opinion, charms like that can only repel spirits. They can’t really prevent them. Whether it’s there or not doesn’t matter much, it’s almost like a distraction.”

Zeng Xianzhi was silent for a moment, his face turning serious.

“Miss Violet, are you suggesting that someone is controlling the evil spirit to cause chaos? But evil spirits are formless evil beings, how could they be controlled by a human? Moreover, this person has no grievances with other people, so why would they want to harm him?”

“There are ways to do it… But first, let me ask. Does this so-called evil spirit have any intelligence?”

“It’s hard to say,” Zeng Xianzhi responded. “Some well-known evil spirits, like the [Corpse Bone Demon] or the [Heart-Eating Evil Demon], according to records, do exhibit logical behavior, setting traps to lure their prey. They can even appear in the mortal world without needing to possess a living being…”

At this point, the village chief’s tone shifted.

“But based on my experience, spirits like the [Dog Demon] are still classified as evil entities. Lesser, unformed evil spirits, like this one, likely don’t have the ability to perform such precise actions.”

“So, you mean… no intelligence?”

Just as Zeng Xianzhi had said, the [Dog Demon], that murky formless energy, while attached to the young man’s body, seemed aimlessly controlling him to wander, tear at things, and howl. After Violet attempted to expel it with [Purification], the spirit dissipated completely, leaving no valuable information behind.

To be honest, based on Violet’s observations, this evil spirit might have… actually originated directly from within his body. But despite the subtle hints already pointing in that direction, Zeng Xianzhi didn’t seem to have considered this possibility at all.

Perhaps, in the village chief’s mind, evil spirits could only invade from the outside, as a more independent entity. Continuing the discussion seemed pointless.

The young priestess patted her white robe and stood up.

“Anyway, you should be extra careful for now. Though I don’t know all the details, when something like this happens at a crucial moment, it’s probably not as simple as it seems.”

Zeng Xianzhi smiled bitterly.

“Sigh, yes, of all times for this to happen…”

He also stood up, cupping his hands in a restrained gesture of respect.

“Thank you, Miss Violet, for coming to help and driving away the evil spirit from this young man. I will have the villagers check their protective talisman and stay alert for any strangers. Once he wakes up, I’ll ask him about what happened… by the way, do you have any plans next?”

“Who knows? We’ll take it one step at a time. I’ll be going now, and I’m sure we’ll meet again if fate allows. By the way, thanks for the book!”

“Uh, so suddenly…”

Before he could even respond, the young girl casually waved her hand and turned to leave, leaving the village chief unsure of how to react.

…………………………

Half an hour later.

“Heh, this should be good enough,” a black-haired girl said as she arrived at a low mountain cliff that offered a view of the entire Zengjia village. She pulled out a small stool, then took a bag of fresh sunflower seeds she had bought in the Angel City and kept in her backpack, leisurely munching as she waited.

Originally, she hadn’t planned on leaving Zengjia Village so quickly, at least not until after tonight.

From the village chief Zeng Xianzhi, Violet had learned about the celebration they were preparing for, the national foundation day to commemorate the Four Saints’ pacification of the calamities and the establishment of an era of peace, marking the 1000th year of the Four Saints’ reign.

In other words, today was the last day of the 999th year of the Four Saints’ Era.

If that alone wasn’t enough to cause significant commotion, then another matter had been the real source of Zeng Xianzhi’s recent busy schedule.

To celebrate the grand occasion of the 1000th year of the Four Saints’ Era, starting tomorrow, the [Spirit Maiden] would embark on her royal tour, traveling through various parts of the Western Origin Spirit Kingdom, celebrating the festival with the people…

The route would pass through Yangyuan County.

The [Spirit Maiden] had already set off. Although the exact schedule had not been announced and her appearance in Zengjia Village was highly unlikely, no one could completely rule out that possibility.

With her personal bodyguard, the Spirit Guard army, ensuring her safety, there was no issue on that front.

However, to prevent the rural villagers from inadvertently offending the nobility due to their lack of proper etiquette, the prefect of Yangyuan City had already issued a decree to the officials in charge of all nearby towns and villages, urging them to prepare for the grand celebration and to plan for the villagers’ travel, staying ready to welcome the Princess’s arrival at any time.

As the village chief of Zengjia Village, Zeng Xianzhi had naturally received the same order.

What he hadn’t expected, though, was that this was the moment when the evil spirit appeared.

Zeng Xianzhi was indeed warm and hospitable, but he wasn’t a fool. When considering who had the greatest motive around the strange occurrence of the evil spirit, it was obvious that the greatest suspicion didn’t lie with the people of Zengjia Village themselves, but rather with the person who had recently appeared in the area, which is Violet, who had visited the village.

Even though she had treated the villager possessed by the “Great Evil” and shown her intentions, that suspicion couldn’t be completely cleared.

There was no point in saying more. Staying would only make things awkward for Zeng Xianzhi. So, the priestess simply decided to leave.