Chapter 17: The Abyssal Church’s Premature Appearance

“The Abyssal Church?”

A tremor ran through not just Liyang, but also Yalin, who had been covertly observing from a short distance.

It was an insidious organization whose very name sent shivers throughout the entire kingdom, undeniably the novel’s most formidable antagonist.

They proclaimed that the world was governed by deceitful deities, asserting that only the descent of a true god could usher in genuine salvation.

Yet, if the original plotline held true, the Church shouldn’t have made its appearance so prematurely.

In the initial chapters, their name was merely alluded to a handful of times, with their formal introduction reserved for the mid-story arc.

By his calculations, this timing coincided almost precisely with his own brutal demise.

However, given his current encounter with them at this specific juncture, it implied…

‘Had I just stumbled into the main plotline?’ Yalin mused, stroking his chin.

In truth, this conjecture had already formed in his mind the moment Liyang removed her hood.

After all, Yalin was intimately familiar with this particular dragon maiden.

She had not only been in the same class as his former self but had also made numerous appearances throughout the novel’s narrative.

Unlike peripheral characters such as Wendy and Luluti, Liyang was, in fact, a bona fide major supporting character.

Initially, she had been a brainwashed antagonist, constantly lurking by Celeste’s side, seeking an opportune moment to eliminate her.

However, as the plot advanced and her machinations were exposed, Liyang’s brainwashing was successfully undone.

Inspired by Celeste, she successfully reformed, joining the protagonist’s party and embarking on a life of intimate companionship, brimming with sweet, affectionate moments.

During the climactic battle against the demonized Yalin, it was her unwavering encouragement that enabled the ‘Feng Aotian’ (TL Note: A common web novel trope referring to an overwhelmingly powerful and often arrogant protagonist) protagonist to conquer her psychological burdens, steel her resolve, and personally send her childhood friend, whose bonds had become tenuous, spiraling to their ultimate end.

When Celeste was consumed by guilt over Yalin’s death, Liyang was the first to embrace her tightly, her voice choked with emotion as she reassured her, ‘This isn’t your fault.’

Ah, what a beautiful bond of sisterhood, what a fervent connection!

Were he not the one destined for that demise, Yalin might have been moved to tears himself.

“Impossible! Father, Mother… they would never stoop to colluding with people like you!”

A furious roar, laced with an undeniable tremor of fear, suddenly erupted.

Liyang, her emotions spiraling out of control, raised her hand without a moment’s hesitation.

In that same instant, a storm of extreme frost swept forth, coiling around her.

With her at its epicenter, the pooled water beneath her feet rapidly froze, and crystalline ice began to spread outwards in shimmering tendrils.

She was an exceptional student at the Academy of Arcane Arts, having undergone practical magical training since childhood.

In the domain of ice magic alone, she even surpassed Celeste in proficiency.

This profound skill was precisely why she possessed the confidence to attend the rendezvous unaccompanied.

“Oh my, oh my, such immense magical power… truly worthy of Lishuang’s child.”

Facing the biting chill, the Man in Black remained utterly unperturbed, instead beginning to applaud with an air of leisure.

“Shut your mouth!” Liyang’s eyes instantly blazed red.

Her mother’s name.

That name, unspoken for years, long since relegated to the shadows of memory, was now uttered by this individual.

It was utterly unforgivable!

In the frigid air, countless ice shards coalesced into menacing spikes, each exhaling a chilling white mist.

The very next moment, these ice spikes tore through the air with a piercing shriek, descending upon the Man in Black like a torrential downpour.

Yet, in the face of such a ferocious assault, the Man in Black simply shook his head, casually extending a single finger.

Boom!

Before him, the ice spikes seemed to collide with an invisible barrier, instantly shattering into a fine powder.

It was Liyang’s full-force attack, one that even a seasoned court mage would struggle to withstand head-on.

Yet, the man before her had effortlessly repelled it, his movements as light as if he were merely brushing a snowflake from his shoulder.

The sole discernible effect of the onslaught was the gust of air that swept back his concealing hood, revealing his face.

Upon seeing that face, Liyang’s breath hitched, and she instinctively recoiled a step.

“Impossible… it’s you, Nabel!”

That face, etched into her memory from countless wanted posters, was utterly unmistakable.

A figure of sacrificial rank within the Church, the very orchestrator of countless mages’ deaths—she had never imagined he would manifest in this place.

“For you to recognize me, that truly is an honor.”

A faint smile played upon Nabel’s lips.

Despair began to slowly consume Liyang, as she realized her chances of victory were virtually nonexistent.

Yet, even in the face of such overwhelming odds, she harbored no intention of surrender.

Gritting her teeth, Liyang swiftly regulated her breathing, intending to conjure her magic once more, but her movements abruptly froze.

Her body refused to budge, as if ensnared by some indescribable, unseen force.

Liyang desperately cast her gaze downwards, only to discover that, imperceptibly, a black tendril had snaked along the ground, silently coiling around her ankle.

The disparity was immense.

Both in magical prowess and in the crucible of combat experience.

Nabel had initiated his assault even before Liyang had raised her hand, yet she had remained utterly oblivious.

The shadowy tendril continued its relentless ascent, winding its way up her smooth calf.

Its cold, viscous touch sent a profound shiver of revulsion through her very core.

She yearned to scream, to struggle, but her throat felt as if it had been filled with lead, rendering her utterly voiceless.

Fear gradually eclipsed her anger, slowly eroding her dwindling will.

Liyang’s petite frame trembled uncontrollably, and tears of humiliation streamed ceaselessly from her eyes.

“Don’t make that face, now. Rest assured, if you cooperate, it won’t hurt too much.”

A gentlemanly smile graced Nabel’s features.

“Things return to their rightful owner; surely you grasp that basic principle, don’t you? Therefore, I shall reclaim the Eye of Nihility.”

“As for you, since you are a student of the Academy, we shall permit ourselves a little… *utilization*… Heheheh…”

Upon hearing that chilling laughter, Liyang’s trembling intensified, and her consciousness began to fray at the edges.

“Please… someone, anyone, save me…”

This was the sole thought remaining within her heart.

Meanwhile, Yalin, concealed in the shadows, maintained an impassive expression.

Only after Liyang was thoroughly subdued did he sigh, as if bothered by an inconvenience, and recall the Conceptual Deity he had dispatched.

This simply wouldn’t do; if he continued to squander his resources at this rate, he would truly be reduced to scavenging for food.

Seriously, you’re supposed to be part of the protagonist’s main party; how can you be such a mere mob? Did your defeat CG just pop up instantly?

In any case, based on the current intelligence, the next stage of the plot should involve Liyang’s brainwashing by the antagonist.

The brainwashed Liyang would then forget her past memories, seeking every opportunity to approach Celeste and ultimately eliminate her.

The question remained: what was he to do now?

For any transmigrator, a perennial question often arises—when confronted with the unfolding main plot, should one intervene, or remain an observer?