Chapter 24: The Saint Child’s Errand

Breathing the biting air, Zhang Luan settled onto a block of ice, poring over a tome of divine magic. The Flames of the Stars coiled around him, keeping him warm against the chill.

Ye Ying sat beside him, idly munching on chocolate. A cluster of snow elves frolicked comfortably on her black-stockinged thighs.

After a considerable while, Zhang Luan stretched languidly, observing the sky as it gradually lightened to a pale, fish-belly white. He then addressed Ye Ying.

“I’ll be taking this book. You don’t mind, do you?”

Ye Ying gazed at him, a strong urge to call him shameless surging within her. Yet, she was powerless to act; the doctrine forbade it.

“Suit yourself. What do you need that book for? You’re not a magic-user, so taking it serves no purpose. Besides, it holds no special power and won’t enhance your combat prowess.”

“It has its uses.”

With those three words, he answered Ye Ying’s question and effectively silenced her. Ye Ying said no more, though she desperately wanted to pummel Zhang Luan. The doctrine, however, reminded her that she must not defy the actions of a Saint Child; she had to obey.

****

Stepping through the teleportation gate, Zhang Luan dispersed the Flames of the Stars from his body. At this very moment, a fierce light streamed into the Hall of Saints, signaling the dawn. Nan Fenghua remained in prayer, oblivious to Zhang Luan and Ye Ying’s departure.

Ye Ying walked over to her side and poked her with a finger, causing the sound-proofing barrier around Nan Fenghua to vanish.

“Your Highness, the Saintess, your prayers may conclude now.”

Nan Fenghua snapped back to reality and rose from the floor. Only then did she notice Zhang Luan’s presence, her face instantly blooming with joy. Ignoring Ye Ying’s somewhat resentful gaze, she approached Zhang Luan and spoke shyly.

“When did Big Brother Zhang Luan arrive?”

“Ahem, Your Highness, the Saintess, he is now the Saint Child. At least within the Hall of Saints, you must address him as such. It’s written in the doctrine, don’t forget.”

“Oh~ So, it’s Big Brother Saint Child? Hehe, when did Big Brother Saint Child arrive? You didn’t even call for me. You haven’t been sitting here long, have you?”

Zhang Luan reached out and gently pinched her cheek twice, earning a disgruntled look from Ye Ying.

“I came to hear your prayer chant. Now that I’ve heard it, I should be going. I have some matters to attend to, so I won’t linger.”

Zhang Luan gave her two more gentle pinches before striding out of the Hall of Saints. By now, the sun had fully risen, and a new day had begun.

Inside the Hall of Saints, Nan Fenghua watched his retreating back, a crestfallen expression on her face. She had imagined Zhang Luan would come to propose marriage, only for this to be the outcome.

Ye Ying stared at her, speechless, silently praying. She had no desire to deal with this ungrateful girl who had forgotten her Godmother the moment she thought of a husband.

****

After exiting the Hall of Saints, Zhang Luan entered the temple. At this hour, many people had already gathered, quietly offering their prayers. Several individuals, noticing Zhang Luan appear from the rear, had their eyes light up. They immediately surrounded him, bowing with utmost piety, and respectfully addressed him.

“Is this gentleman the new Reverend? Do you require an attendant, sir? Or even just someone to run errands!”

“Reverend, please forgive me! I did not bear that child…”

A cacophony of disorganized voices erupted around Zhang Luan, transforming the once tranquil temple into a bustling scene. These were the most ordinary of people.

However, their faith in the divine was absolute. In their eyes, a Reverend was an emissary of God, and to converse with a Reverend was to converse with God itself—the greatest blessing they could imagine.

Regrettably, Zhang Luan was no Reverend. Even his position as Saint Child was merely a means to an end, acquired specifically to achieve his objectives. He snapped his fingers, and the power of Creation exploded in the air.

The entire temple instantly fell silent. Several guardians rushed out to maintain order. Zhang Luan observed their fervent expressions, secretly marveling at how effective the Akamana Mountain Temple’s propaganda had been.

Akamana City boasted approximately three to four million residents, and among them, if one were to count the devotees of the Akamana God, there would likely be over two million. This was a substantial demographic.

Seizing the opportunity while the guardians restored order, he slipped away from the temple amidst the commotion.

People on the street cast curious glances his way as he emerged from the temple. After all, the temple had only just opened at this hour, and anyone leaving it was most likely an internal staff member.

Zhang Luan ignored their stares. Today, he intended to acquire some arrows. While the Bow of Finality could conjure energy arrows, these couldn’t imbue the Flames of the Stars or the power of Creation, significantly weakening his burst damage.

Therefore, he required physical arrows. Ordinary arrows could be purchased from any street vendor, but Zhang Luan desired to commission some specialized ones.

After all, with the Bow of Finality, a mythical weapon, at his disposal, it would be unthinkable not to procure fitting arrows to accompany it.

However, custom arrows weren’t something an ordinary blacksmith could forge. They required a specialized artisan. Conveniently, he knew of a blacksmith in Akamana City who could meet his demands.

“Yo, welcome! What can I get for you?”

The blacksmith shop owner appeared to be a man in his early thirties, seemingly rather unrefined. Yet, Zhang Luan knew this fellow was the finest blacksmith in all of Akamana City.

“I need some arrows.”

“Arrows, you say? There are plenty in that barrel over there. Ten copper coins each. How many do you need?”

Zhang Luan shook his head. He wasn’t looking for those; he needed a different kind of arrow.

“You can customize arrows, can’t you, Mountain Sealing Artisan?”

At these words, the man’s expression instantly darkened. He stopped his work, casually tossing aside the glowing hot branding iron. His gaze turned dangerous as he fixed it on Zhang Luan, crimson energy swirling around him, poised to erupt in violence at any second.

“Who are you? Are you here to hunt me down? I haven’t been a Mountain Sealing Artisan for a long time; I’m just a common blacksmith now. If you’re looking for trouble, I wouldn’t mind becoming a Mountain Sealing Artisan one more time to kill you before leaving this city.”

His words were laced with a palpable sense of danger, yet also tinged with alarm.

“Relax, I’m not here to kill you. Didn’t I just say? I need arrows, custom-made arrows, many, many arrows.”

The man clearly didn’t believe him. He stared at Zhang Luan, questioning him intently, “Where did you learn about me? If your answer satisfies me, I’ll give you a discount.”

Zhang Luan, of course, knew about him from his previous life.

In a particular side quest, this man had ventured alone into the territory of a Golden Victory Dragon, battling it for seven days and seven nights. All he sought was a single scale to forge the world’s first artificial myth. Alas, he ultimately failed and perished in a great catastrophe, a truly regrettable fate.

Naturally, Zhang Luan couldn’t reveal this to the man directly. He had already devised a plausible story before arriving.

“Ailya. I know Ailya Maoyin. I met her during an adventure, and she told me your story.”

As the woman’s name left Zhang Luan’s lips, the man’s pupils constricted sharply. He shouted, utterly agitated, “Where is she?!”

“Dead.”

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