CA – Chapter 55
Chapter 55
The illusion was woven from the original body's memories, and everything that appeared before Tang Qiu's eyes were scenes from the original owner's perspective at that time.
Tang Qiu stood outside the hall, unable to take another step. She frowned slightly and suddenly turned her head, searching for something. Priests walked back and forth past her, but none were the figure she was looking for.
A strange noise came from within the hall. A heavy object broke through the roof and fell from above, causing the priests and clerics inside to cry out in alarm.
Tang Qiu turned and went inside, passing through the circle of priests. With a single glance, she saw the familiar yet strange figure lying on the ground. Golden hair partially covered her face. She seemed to be struggling to breathe, her hand clutching the clothes on her chest so tightly that her knuckles turned white. A complex and indecipherable mix of emotions—pain, excitement, joy—swirled in her sky-blue eyes.
This person was the original owner of the body she currently occupied, Grace Augustine.
Seeing her lying on the ground in agony, Tang Qiu, like the priests and clerics present, subconsciously looked up at the hole in the roof.
A priest who was close to Grace went over to help her up, but the moment he touched her arm, she forcefully held him down. Grace's forehead was covered in cold sweat. She gritted her teeth and said, "Don't touch me."
Moonlight shone down on Grace through the hole in the roof. Her body seemed to elongate slightly, and as if something was tearing her apart from the inside, she couldn't help but throw her head back and let out a pained groan. Her long golden hair slowly turned snow-white from the tips upward, dyed by the moonlight.
Fluffy white wolf ears emerged from her hair, and her hands became long and powerful, her sharp nails glinting with a cold light. Bathed in the moonlight, Grace transformed into a werewolf before the eyes of the many priests and clerics.
Tang Qiu stared at her, stunned. A cacophony of noise filled her ears. She subconsciously turned her head and saw that the priests and clerics, who had just been looking on with concern, were now chanting spells, their eyes wary and hostile.
...She now knew who was responsible for the deaths of those torn-apart priests and clerics of the Gosse Church.
It was a one-sided slaughter.
Grace, having just transformed into a werewolf, was enraged by the light magic. The werewolf's speed and strength were unleashed to their fullest extent within the small hall. Not a single priest or cleric could escape. The priests who heard the commotion and rushed in from outside unknowingly joined the fight against the werewolf, lining up to meet their deaths.
Splattering blood stained the solemn and holy hall red. Tang Qiu slowly retreated from the most intense part of the battle to the entrance. Thanks to the Black Witches, she now had a resistance to such gory scenes, so she could still watch everything unfold with a calm gaze.
The slaughter gradually ceased. Grace stood in a pool of blood, her golden hair matted with filth. Her pure white priest's robes were unrecognizable. She sat on the ground, somewhat exhausted. The wetness on her body was uncomfortable, and she frowned as she cast a cleaning spell on herself.
Tang Qiu walked through the bloody path to Grace's side and looked down at her, studying her carefully. She noticed that Grace seemed neither surprised nor panicked by her sudden transformation into a werewolf.
She reached out toward Grace's waist, where, just as she expected, three Space Gems were already placed.
The original owner knew she was a werewolf all along. Tang Qiu stroked her chin, a thoughtful look on her face.
To have plundered the Church's belongings before transforming on the night of the full moon... could the original owner have hidden her identity and entered the Church just to rob it?
But Tang Qiu couldn't think of any other reason. She lowered her gaze to Grace, who was still sitting on the ground recovering her strength, and fell into deep thought.
Time seemed to stand still. The wind howled outside, rattling the doors of the hall. The faint sound of footsteps, masked by the wind, approached the hall. Tang Qiu and Grace turned their heads at the same time. A tall, slender figure, cloaked in the bright moonlight, walked to the entrance. Backlit, her face was obscured, and only the long, snow-white hair hanging over her chest was visible.
Grace narrowed her eyes. Upon recognizing the newcomer, a flash of displeasure crossed her sky-blue eyes. She stood up, her voice a little hoarse. "Ophelia... why are you the one picking me up?"
Only when the white-haired werewolf came closer did Tang Qiu realize her eyes were the same sky-blue color as Grace's. Upon closer inspection, she was surprised to find that the woman's facial features bore a resemblance to Grace's.
After the white-haired werewolf appeared, the illusion suddenly became unstable. The surrounding scenery began to blur and distort. Tang Qiu frowned and subconsciously took two steps toward the white-haired werewolf, wanting to hear their conversation more clearly.
However, she had just taken a single step when the white-haired werewolf suddenly raised her hand and, without warning, seized Grace's neck. She was facing Tang Qiu's direction, so Tang Qiu clearly saw the undisguised killing intent and fury in those cold eyes.
The white-haired werewolf's powerful aura was incredibly intimidating, and the ruthlessness in her actions was chilling.
Grace grabbed the white-haired werewolf's wrist with both hands, trying to struggle. However, her strength was useless against the other. In her desperation, her sharp nails scratched the white-haired werewolf's arm—the greatest harm she could inflict.
Grace's snow-white hair slowly returned to its normal color. The hands gripping the wrist lost their strength, and her sky-blue eyes turned a dull gray. The white-haired werewolf casually tossed the body to the ground, turned, and left with a cold expression.
The kerosene lamps on the walls suddenly exploded. Kerosene splashed onto the pile of corpses, and scattered sparks quickly grew into a sheet of fire. Tang Qiu, who had witnessed everything, stood in the sea of flames, watching the white-haired werewolf's retreating back. Her eyes gradually deepened, and her hands, hanging at her sides, unconsciously clenched and unclenched twice.
Ophelia... a werewolf...
The illusion shook violently. The hall shattered into countless fragments and then suddenly broke apart. The thick black fog rushed in again. Tang Qiu steadied herself, calmly waiting for the next illusion to arrive while pondering how to escape from this one.
However, the next illusion was slow to come. Instead, her senses began to return. A chill spread from the soles of her feet throughout her body. A hand was wrapped tightly around her waist; she could feel someone holding her in a half-embrace.
A familiar scent enveloped her, gradually calming Tang Qiu's somewhat chaotic thoughts after witnessing the original owner's memories. She slowly opened her eyes to complete darkness.
Lucille, who was holding Tang Qiu, keenly sensed the change in the person in her arms. She looked down at the blonde priest's face and saw that her expression was not good. Thinking of something, she frowned and asked, "What did you see?"
Her tone carried a slight tension, but Tang Qiu, her thoughts still in disarray, didn't notice. She stood up straight and couldn't help but touch her own neck, saying in a low voice, "Some bad memories."
The original owner's despair as she struggled helplessly, only to await death, left Tang Qiu feeling deeply uncomfortable upon recalling it, perhaps because she now occupied this body.
So, seeing that scene, she couldn't help but associate it with herself.
Seeing that Tang Qiu was still trapped in the illusion and couldn't snap out of it, Lucille directly opened a bottle of Holy Water of Light and held it to her lips. She glanced around and said faintly, "This Dark Formation wasn't targeting us."
The Dark Formation had a primary target; otherwise, they wouldn't have escaped the illusion so easily.
As for who the primary target was, it could be none other than Erin.
The coolness on her lips brought Tang Qiu back to her senses. She obediently drank the Holy Water of Light from Lucille's hand. Hearing her words, she nodded. "It must have been set up specifically for Erin."
They had only been affected by the residual power.
Just as Tang Qiu finished speaking, the surrounding dense fog receded again. This time, however, Tang Qiu and Lucille were not separated. The surrounding scene was no longer the Church or the royal palace of Edry, but the perpetually gloomy and eerie Witch City.
"It's Erin's illusion," Tang Qiu said softly, stroking the staff in her hand.
Lucille had no interest in other people's memories. She glanced around, and then her figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.
Tang Qiu didn't follow Lucille. Instead, she raised her staff and began to chant in a low voice. A soft, white light emanated from the top of the staff, spreading outward and dispelling the surrounding dark aura.
As the area covered by the white light expanded, the illusion began to distort and blur. Lucille emerged from the shifting illusion, carrying Erin, who was still immersed in the phantasm with no sign of waking.
Tang Qiu paused, bent down, and touched Erin's forehead. She pressed the staff against Erin's chest and directly used an Intermediate Purification Spell.
Erin's brow furrowed unconsciously. The gray furball nestled in her arms scurried out just before the purification spell was released, diving underneath Erin.
For a Black Witch, an Intermediate Purification Spell was like being doused with a bucket of ice-cold water. Erin shivered and, clutching her chest, began to cough violently.
Tang Qiu withdrew her staff and looked down at the incessantly coughing Erin, waiting patiently. Finally, she saw her slowly open her eyes.
"Are you all right, Erin?" Tang Qiu put away the silver-white staff and replaced it with her ordinary one. Although she trusted Erin, there were still some secrets she didn't want her to know.
Erin stared blankly for a moment, looking at Tang Qiu and then at Lucille. The light gradually returned to her gray eyes. She silently reached out and hugged Tang Qiu's leg. Her voice was hoarse from a dry throat. "Grace, you're finally here."
Tang Qiu looked at Erin, who was exuding an air of vulnerability, with a peculiar expression. After a moment's thought, she reached out and patted her head, her tone gentle. "I'll get you out."
"Are you okay?"
Having calmed down, Erin grabbed Tang Qiu's arm and slowly stood up. She let out a faint sigh and shook her head. "If you'd come a few days later, I might have died here."
Reliving her most dreaded memories over and over again, Erin had truly been on the verge of collapse.
The gray furball bounced at her feet. Erin glanced at it and bent down to pick it up. The reason she had been able to hold on for so long was thanks to this little guy.
Tang Qiu casually glanced at the gray furball. Seeing that it looked the same as before, she lost interest and looked away.
They were still within Glanna's Dark Domain, and the Intermediate Purification Spell she had cast on Erin wouldn't last long. They had to leave this place as soon as possible, or Erin would fall back into the illusion.
A vampire's senses remained sharp within a Dark Domain. They had been teleported by the Dark Formation while trapped in the illusion, so they were no longer where they had first entered.
On the way out, Lucille scouted ahead while Tang Qiu and Erin followed behind. Erin's body was weak, and she felt top-heavy as she walked. She pulled her cloak tightly around herself and, to distract herself, kept talking to Tang Qiu. "Did only the two of you come to save me? Did you not run into a red-robed witch?"
Erin was very familiar with Glanna's strength. Although Tang Qiu and Lucille were right in front of her, and they were currently looking for an exit, she still felt very uneasy.
She knew Glanna's personality all too well. Letting them go just like this was not her style.
"Don't worry about that red-robed witch." Tang Qiu knew what Erin was worried about, so she patiently explained the current situation at the manor. "She's tied up with the werewolves. She won't be able to bother us for a while."
"And it wasn't just the two of us who came to save you." Tang Qiu said, observing Erin's expression. "There was also a demonic skeleton from Mark's Grocery Store and a 4th generation vampire."
Erin was taken aback, her tone surprised. "A 4th generation vampire?"
Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow. "You didn't know?"
Erin looked at her blankly. "No." She scratched her head, and as a thought occurred to her, her nose crinkled. She muttered, "A 4th generation vampire... how much would that cost?"
After saying that, she looked at the blonde priest with a moved expression. "Thank you, Grace."
Tang Qiu gave her an inscrutable look, shook her head, and said with a smile, "No need to thank me. Just don't forget to pay the fee when we get out."
Erin: "..."
How many bottles of Holy Water of Light would that be!
The three of them walked in silence through the black fog for a while. They had already left the range of the Dark Formation, so Erin's nerves gradually relaxed. After lamenting her soon-to-be-gone Holy Water of Light, she sidled up to Tang Qiu to talk again.
"What's this about werewolves?"
While surveying their surroundings, Tang Qiu patiently replied, "Didn't you mention in your distress letter that Eva and Jillian were captured with you?"
"The werewolves value their kin greatly, so I had Mark's Grocery Store send a letter to the Wolf Race's territory."
"However, they value their kin even more than I imagined. Nearly a hundred werewolves came to rescue Eva and Jillian."
As she spoke of how much the werewolves valued their kin, the image of the white-haired werewolf, Ophelia, killing Grace flashed before Tang Qiu's eyes. She frowned.
"Nearly a hundred werewolves?" Erin's eyes widened, her face filled with joy. With so many werewolves at the manor, it was no wonder Glanna had overlooked them.
The anxiety Erin had been feeling finally subsided.
The three of them walked a little further before Lucille, who was scouting ahead, suddenly stopped. She lowered her eyes to sense the situation in front of them. To Tang Qiu, who had come over to ask, she said in a low voice, "We seem to have run into those werewolves."
Tang Qiu froze, frowning. "...Can we go around?" Because of the recent illusion, she didn't want to meet any werewolves right now.
She still knew nothing about that white-haired werewolf, Ophelia.
"We can't go around." Lucille paused, looking Tang Qiu over. Seeing her worry, she asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Tang Qiu touched her face. "My cloak..."
Lucille took a black cloak from her Space Gem and draped it over Tang Qiu, carefully tucking her hair inside the hood. Looking at Tang Qiu, whose face was half-hidden, her expression shifted slightly. "They're here," she said in a low voice.
Erin didn't quite hear their conversation, but she was somewhat surprised by the intimate atmosphere between them. A vampire and a priest... Erin found it a bit strange, but then she remembered that she herself was a Black Witch, and Tang Qiu had still come to save her regardless of the danger. Suddenly, it didn't seem so strange anymore.
The reason for all of this could probably only be attributed to the blonde priest being a very special person.
She was the first priest Erin had ever met in her life who was willing to get close to a Black Witch. So she, too, couldn't help but want to be close to her, even though her dream of being a priest had long been shattered.
Just as Erin was watching the blonde priest, lost in thought, a heart-stopping pressure suddenly descended. She snapped back to reality, her legs reacting faster than her brain as she darted behind Tang Qiu, looking at the dense fog with confusion.
The figures of werewolves slowly materialized in the fog. They had long since discovered the location of Tang Qiu's group of three, so they used their numerical advantage to surround them from all sides.
Fanny dispersed the fog for several meters around them, giving Tang Qiu and the others a clearer view of the werewolf party. Eva and Jillian stepped out from the group. The former went up and pulled Erin out from behind Tang Qiu, asking, "Does what you said last time still count?"
Erin looked at her blankly. "What did I say?"
Eva glared at her and reminded her, "Eighty bottles of Holy Water of Light."
Erin, who now had Tang Qiu to rely on, silently shook her head. "...It doesn't count."
Eva snorted coldly and walked away. Jillian watched her pass by in a huff and shook her head slightly. She walked up to Tang Qiu and asked in a low voice, "Did you send this letter to the werewolf territory?"
Tang Qiu glanced at the parchment in her hand and saw that the handwriting was indeed hers. She nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, I did."
Jillian folded the parchment and said calmly, "Thank you. As repayment, we will escort you out of here."
Although the hood hid half of the blonde priest's face, Jillian could still see the corners of her lips curve up slightly. Then she heard her reply in her usual gentle tone, "It was a small matter. There's no need for thanks."
Jillian gave Tang Qiu a slight nod, then returned to Fanny's side and whispered a few words in her ear.
Fanny had little interest in Tang Qiu and the others. If not for the fact that the letter sent to their territory was from a priest, she would never have saved someone from the Church.
After Jillian finished speaking with the other party, she gave a cool nod, turned indifferently, and led her people away.
Jillian deliberately walked at the rear of the group to keep an eye on Tang Qiu's trio.
With the werewolves clearing the path ahead, their journey became much smoother. Even when monsters suddenly appeared to launch sneak attacks, they were intercepted and dealt with by the werewolves first.
While talking with Jillian, Tang Qiu had discreetly observed the werewolves. Aside from the few who had transformed into their original forms, she did not see Ophelia's figure among the rest.
She lowered her gaze slightly, staring at the ground beneath her feet, lost in thought.
Jemma, clutching her arm, broke away from the group and approached Tang Qiu, trying to strike up a conversation. "Are you a priest? Do you know how to use healing spells?"
Tang Qiu returned to her senses and glanced at Jemma. She saw that besides wariness and curiosity, there was not much hostility in her eyes. She nodded and said with a smile, "Healing spells are a required form of light magic for every priest."
Her speech was neither fast nor slow, and her voice was so gentle that it made people want to get closer. Jemma's guard unconsciously lowered a bit. She showed her arm to Tang Qiu, her tone dejected. "Can you do anything to treat this?"
Jemma wasn't clear on the abilities of priests; Tang Qiu was the first one she had ever met. She only thought that light magic was the bane of dark energy, which was why she wanted to give it a try.
However, if Tang Qiu's attitude hadn't been so gentle, Jemma probably wouldn't have asked her for help and would have just turned and left.
The wound on her arm was shocking. A large patch of flesh was gone, and the stark white bone was exposed. Tang Qiu's brow furrowed at the sight. She took out two bottles of Holy Water of Light, opened them, and poured them onto Jemma's arm. Then, she hovered her palm above it and softly chanted a spell.
The power of light, combined with the Holy Water of Light, expelled the residual dark energy from Jemma's arm and slowly began to heal her injury.
A tingling sensation replaced the intense pain. Jemma blinked, and the corners of her mouth slowly turned up as she happily watched the wound on her arm heal bit by bit.
Tang Qiu just cast a few simple healing spells to suppress Jemma's pain, then gave her a few bottles of Holy Water of Light, instructing, "If you want the wound to heal completely, I'll help you treat it after we leave this place."
Jemma nodded happily and carefully put away the Holy Water of Light.
Because she needed to use healing spells, Tang Qiu had stopped in place for a while. Lucille had been standing guard by her side the whole time, observing their surroundings while she healed Jemma.
Her gaze happened to catch a glimpse of some light red powder on the ground. She looked down and asked faintly, "What is this?"
Erin followed her gaze and also looked down. Because her vision wasn't as good as a vampire's and was obscured by the fog, she couldn't see anything. She could only squat down to investigate out of curiosity. A single glance made her face change drastically. "...This is bad."
Tang Qiu heard the commotion and walked over. "What's wrong?"
Erin picked up some of the light red powder from the ground and sniffed it. The cloyingly sweet scent made her face turn pale. She pressed down on her slightly trembling hand, stood up, and said with a grave expression, "We have to get out of here, quickly."
"There's E Leaf powder on the ground. This powder will detonate if it comes into contact with an open flame." She knew Tang Qiu and the others didn't know what E Leaf was, so she explained it concisely and quickly. "E Leaf is an extremely rare material that witches use to cast witchcraft. It's rumored to grow in the Dark World. The force of its explosion can kill a 3rd generation vampire."
Erin's voice was a little frantic. "I'm not lying to you, it's true. A thousand years ago, a Black Witch used this to kill a 3rd generation vampire."
Tang Qiu placed a hand on Erin's shoulder and said soothingly, "Don't panic. Let's leave this place first."
They caught up with the werewolf party. Tang Qiu called out to Jillian and briefly relayed what Erin had said. Jillian's expression grew solemn. She immediately said to the werewolf beside her, "Assume your original forms and carry them with you."
She ran to Fanny's side and saw her frowning at the fog ahead. Her heart sank.
Monsters were approaching them. Pinpricks of light shone through the dense fog.
Tang Qiu looked up and scanned her surroundings. She saw a monster with a torch in its mouth flash past in the fog, and her expression became grave. She had been wondering why the red-robed witch hadn't continued to summon monsters to deal with them, nor had she stopped them from rescuing people. Why hadn't she withdrawn the Dark Domain and left as soon as possible?
It turned out that the red-robed witch hadn't given up at all. She was greedy enough to want to keep all of them here.
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