Page 28

"Excellent, thank you, Lord Lanster. You're the most noble and courageous knight. And thank you, Sister Hai Ruo, too. Without you, we wouldn't have been able to escape. Those werewolves were so foolish, using the anti-magic ring that Sister Hai Ruo herself created against you. If not for the lack of a staff, she would've struck that werewolf down with a lightning bolt," the half-elf girl cheered up upon hearing the reassurance from her admired knight.

"I see now. The mage freed herself, subdued the guards, healed the paladin, and then all of you escaped together under the cover of night. I must admit, your intelligence and teamwork are commendable," the icy beauty of a mage observed.

"Who's there?" The priestess called out, startled by the sound, only to spot a familiar figure standing atop a massive boulder.

"It's you?" Sword Master Lanster immediately recognized his nemesis.

"Werewolf monster!!" The half-elf trembled in fear at the sight of the nightmare creature.

"............" The frosty mage remained silent, unleashing a bolt of lightning without hesitation.

The electric flash flickered and vanished as the brilliant arc was absorbed by the dull silver-blue glow in my hand. In the previous battle, this enchantress's high-level lightning magic had destroyed all my magical equipment. Now, however, I merely used the weakest form of Starlight Aura, yet it already demonstrated the defensive power equivalent to advanced anti-magic gear, leaving one to marvel at how Aura was truly developed to counter magic.

Leaping off the rock, Sword Master Lanster was the first to charge, brandishing a long blade he'd taken from a guard, imbued with his Aura Starlight, slicing towards me. Had it been a day ago, I would have dodged or blocked. While Lanster's sword couldn't severely injure me, it could still draw blood. But now, I stood still, allowing him to strike.

Not just Lanster, every human present was stunned. They watched as his blade flashes struck my body, yet I emerged unscathed, calm and composed. Unbeknownst to them, each time the blade connected with me, a small cluster of silver-blue radiance intercepted it, dispersing the faint blue Aura on the sword. "Aura Clash," a common technique for Aura manipulation, typically used in weapon or shield defense to nullify an opponent's Aura damage. However, my execution was exquisite, relying on skin perception to initiate the minimum amount of Aura and defend with my body alone, surpassing everyone's expectations.

Having demonstrated the power of my "Azure Starfall" Aura, I lost patience with the Sword Master before me. I kicked him away in a fit of rage and then unleashed a Nine Yin White Bone Claw mid-air. A loud boom echoed as five claw marks, each a yard long and half a foot deep, scarred the earth before the humans.

What defines an expert's demeanor? What embodies a grandmaster's aura? The awe-struck silence that followed my move was the perfect illustration.

I was still basking in the glory of being an expert when the arrival of the werewolves ruined the moment. The humans seemed to have lost their will to resist and didn't attempt any counterattacks.

"Master, what should we do with these humans?"

I hadn't made up my mind yet, but at that instant, a daring idea suddenly surfaced in my mind.

"Hmm, the women should be sent to the War God Temple for sacrifice. As for the men, castrate them and sell them to the gladiatorial arena. A Sword Master like him should fetch a high price."

"No, you can't do this! He's a noble knight. You should demand a ransom and let him go. You can't hurt him!" The first to protest was the half-elf, Avril, who admired the Sword Master.

"Isn't this how it works among humans? Unfortunately, this isn't the human world, where nobility holds no value. Or to put it another way, if that orc noble we captured yesterday were taken back to the human realm, would there be a chance for us to ransom him back?"

The half-elf maiden fell silent, but the nearby Priestess found her voice.

"So, Sir Werewolf, if we can offer equivalent compensation, would you spare them?"

"As long as you can offer a sufficient price, I won't mind letting you go. But don't try to deceive me with empty promises. Your equipment is already my spoils of war. I can't imagine what else you could offer."

"I, Bai Lanling Xide, a High Priestess of the Radiant Temple, am willing to swear a divine oath and become your follower, serving you for the rest of your life as payment for sparing my companions."

"Lanster, no! I'd rather give up my life than allow you to do that!" Before I could say anything, Lanster rushed forward recklessly. No wonder, the divine oaths of the Light Goddess held immense power. Once sworn, they couldn't be broken. Moreover, it wasn't just ordinary servitude; even if I were to request something inappropriate, she would have no choice but to comply. Lanster's greatest wish was once for Bai Lanling to swear a divine oath and become his follower. Now, however, he hated that very oath.

"The loyalty of a High Priestess is indeed valuable. However, while you've paid the price of becoming a follower, you've also spared yourself from being sacrificed at the War God Temple. This sacrifice isn't enough to redeem all your companions. Unless..."

"Count me in too. I'm willing to sign a slave contract with you. Is that enough?" The half-elf, Everlue, immediately volunteered.

"The value of the two of you is enough for me to let this human Sword Master and his attendant go. What about you, mage? It seems your alchemy surpasses your magic. If you're willing to work for me, I'll spare you. How does that sound?" I swiftly shifted my attention to the last person.

"I don't care." For some reason, the mage, Hai Ruo, seemed indifferent to life or death. Her expression reminded me of my unforgettable past-life's thief, Mei Chao Feng, despite their vastly different appearances. At this moment, the resemblance was striking.