Chapter 16: The Saint Son’s Gambit

“It hurts~”

“Good, it should hurt. I’m taking you back to Akamana City. With one of their elders dead, the Demon Roar Cult will surely send more people after us. While I don’t fear them, don’t forget about you, you fool! If you get captured and used as a hostage, wouldn’t I have to eliminate you too?”

Nan Fenghua nodded as if struck by a sudden realization, rubbing her cheek where it had been pinched. She mused inwardly:

‘So, Brother Zhang Luan was worried about me, that’s why he left so quickly. How gentle! Truly worthy of being my Saint Son~’

Zhang Luan, oblivious to the swiftness of Nan Fenghua’s self-delusion, was solely focused on finding a way out.

He surveyed the surrounding trees, shattered and scattered by the recent battle. Bypassing the direction the Demon Roar Elder had come from, he led Nan Fenghua towards Akamana City.

Along the way, the lingering traces of conflict were starkly visible. Bodies from the Demon Roar Cult lay alongside those of the Akamana Temple, painting a grim picture of the brutal battle that had unfolded during Nan Fenghua’s absence.

Even the monsters dared not emerge, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire.

However, the fighting was nearing its end. The loss of an elder had shifted the balance of high-tier combat power, forcing the Demon Roar Cult into a steady retreat.

When he finally brought Nan Fenghua to the gates of Akamana City, the guarding soldiers immediately reported the Saintess’s return to their superiors.

A contingent of silver-armored warriors, led by a mature woman, swiftly rushed out. The woman’s face lit up with a joyous smile upon seeing Nan Fenghua, but the smile abruptly faltered as her gaze fell upon Zhang Luan beside her. She eyed him with a hint of wariness.

“Saintess, you’ve finally returned. And who might this be?”

Nan Fenghua offered a faint smile, completely shedding her previous naive demeanor. She transformed, instantly reclaiming her noble and sacred bearing as the Saintess.

“Godmother, this is Lord Zhang Luan. He is the one who rescued me from the clutches of the Demon Roar Cult.”

This woman was indeed Nan Fenghua’s godmother, the High Priestess of the Akamana Temple, Ye Ying.

“Since he is your rescuer, then I am relieved. Please, follow us. Feel free to state any requests you have; we will fulfill everything within our power.”

Before she could finish, Zhang Luan interrupted her with a dismissive wave, getting straight to the point.

“I want to become the Saint Son.”

Ye Ying’s expression instantly changed upon hearing this.

She assumed Nan Fenghua must have told him about this. Within Akamana doctrine, the Saint Son was essentially the Saintess’s husband! Why was this girl so foolish? What exactly had transpired in the forest that she would bring back a husband?

“This matter depends on the Saintess, she…”

“I agree.”

Again, before Ye Ying could complete her sentence, Nan Fenghua interjected. A surge of secret delight coursed through her; she hadn’t expected Zhang Luan to be so proactive.

Ye Ying fell silent for a moment, taking a deep breath to compose her troubled mind. She decided not to pursue the topic further, instead gesturing to those beside her.

“First, escort the Saintess back to the temple!”

The position of Saint Son was no trivial matter. Who knew what Zhang Luan might have done to Nan Fenghua in the forest?

She knew the girl she had watched grow up intimately. Nan Fenghua was innocent, and her knowledge of romantic affairs came mostly from the romance novels she had tacitly allowed into the temple. But how much of that was real? Were there not countless women in this world deceived by men? Moreover, Zhang Luan was quite handsome. If this was merely a tale of a charming young man tricking an innocent girl, then she, as her godmother, would be utterly derelict in her duty.

Zhang Luan walked beside Nan Fenghua toward the temple. His plan to become the Saint Son had been conceived the moment he first laid eyes on Nan Fenghua.

In his previous life, Zhang Luan had discovered a copy of Akamana’s doctrines after the city’s destruction. Out of curiosity and boredom, he had spent some time perusing it, thus knowing full well that the Akamana Temple had a Saint Son, a position equal in status to the Saintess. However, this position had been vacant for many years, and no one had ever mentioned it.

The reason was simple: Akamana’s true power lay with a woman—Ye Ying, the very person who had come to greet Nan Fenghua. A former Saintess, she had, a century ago, eradicated all high-ranking personnel within the Akamana Temple. Her decision to cultivate a new Saintess stemmed from her profound sense of sin, unwilling to call herself holy anymore. She was a formidable woman, one Zhang Luan, at present, could not hope to defeat.

Therefore, to prevent this woman from suddenly attacking, he remained by Nan Fenghua’s side, using her identity to ensure his own safety.

Of course, even without Nan Fenghua, he possessed the Coin of Choice to guarantee his safety, but that would disrupt his larger plans.

The journey was uneventful. As he stood before the magnificent iron gates of the temple, Zhang Luan knew he was safe. According to Akamana doctrine, active combat was forbidden before the temple. While such rules were often merely for show, some staunchly upheld them, Ye Ying being one such individual.

She watched Zhang Luan, her eyes filled with complex emotions. If it were possible, she truly wished to eliminate this dangerous man, but she could not. Nan Fenghua remained constantly by his side, and here, at the temple, it was even more impossible for her to act against Zhang Luan.

The Akamana doctrine stood firm. Anyone could violate it, except for her. The blood-stained Saintess, burdened by deep sin, could only punish herself in this manner, though she harbored no regrets.

Zhang Luan offered a nonchalant smile. He understood Ye Ying. This very weakness had led to her demise in his previous life, proving her to be a rigid woman who would defend her doctrines with her life.

Passing through the grand gates, Ye Ying immediately dismissed the others, leading only Zhang Luan and Nan Fenghua into the Hall of Saints.

Only the Saintess and the High Priestess were qualified to enter here, yet now there was an additional person, and a man at that.

“Saintess, offer your prayers to the Akamana God. Even if it’s merely to celebrate your return.”

Nan Fenghua hesitated, glancing at Zhang Luan before beginning her prayers.

As her melodious voice echoed through the hall, Ye Ying gracefully waved her slender hand. A thin, silvery-white light membrane enveloped Nan Fenghua entirely.

“She won’t be able to hear anything outside. And this child, ever since she was little, once she starts praying, she won’t stop. So, let’s talk.”

Her eyes were filled with helplessness and resignation. She didn’t want to speak with Zhang Luan, but there was no alternative. The person the Saintess had chosen could not be rejected by a mere High Priestess; it was doctrine.

The moment Zhang Luan saw that look in her eyes, he realized: the position of Saint Son was secured. Everything was unfolding precisely as he had planned.

“Sure, let’s talk. With a beauty like you here to feast my eyes on, I’m certainly not at a disadvantage.”

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