Ailendra watched Murphy burst through the door, a flash of astonishnt in her eyes.
This was a complete departure from the script she had envisioned. The Rainbow Dragon Breath could indeed see through to the truth, but she had clearly blended it with the aura of a Desire Demon. It was supposed to trigger a scene of amorous passion.
What shocked her even more was the Black Light Energy that had suddenly erupted from Murphy’s body. It was clearly...
As her thoughts raced, Murphy’s sword was already upon her.
The Knight’s Sword thrust forward with a sharp, piercing whistle, a faint black sheen flowing along its blade.
Ailendra quickly raised her hand, and an invisible energy barrier instantly materialized before her.
CLANG!
The clash of blade against barrier produced a deafening roar.
Murphy felt as if his sword tip had plunged into a thick swamp, unable to advance another inch.
With a flick of his wrist, his sword style changed abruptly, transforming into several illusory afterimages that struck at Ailendra from different angles.
Ailendra’s expression grew solemn. Complex runes materialized around her body.
These runes wove together in the air, forming a net that blocked all of Murphy’s attacks.
But with each collision, she could feel the force of his blows growing stronger. That dark, powerful Qi was slowly eroding her defenses.
Seeing the situation turn against her, Ailendra suddenly shot a blinding white light from her fingertip.
This light was not a direct attack. Instead, it transford mid-air into countless fine threads of light that flew toward Murphy like a spiderweb, seeking to entangle him.
Murphy hastily retreated, his sword flashing continuously, but a few threads of light still grazed his arm, and he imdiately felt a numbing sensation.
"Stop!" Ailendra shouted, seizing the opportunity.
Murphy steadied himself. Feeling the numbness in his arm, he knew he might not be able to win. "What do you want to say?"
Ailendra carefully examined the energy flowing around Murphy’s body and asked tentatively, "Are you one of the chanical Witch’s people?"
Murphy’s heart stirred. He thought of the Black Light Energy within him and imdiately played along. "That’s right. It’s just as you think."
Hearing his answer, Ailendra’s expression imdiately beca respectful. "My na is Ailendra. I apologize for my earlier offense. I am willing to compensate you for it."
She took a crystal radiating a faint golden light from her robes. "This is a Titan’s Blood Crystal, extracted from the remains of an ancient giant. It can help one advance further on the Path of the Great Knight. Please, send my regards to the great chanical Witch."
Murphy didn’t reach out to take it. He simply gestured for Ailendra to place the crystal on the ground. "Why exactly are you here? And why did you move against my... niece?"
Ailendra gave him a strange look. "Your niece?"
Murphy grunted in affirmation.
"Fine, we’ll call her your niece," Ailendra said with a sigh of resignation. "I was originally just looking for an apprentice with the aptitude to be a Wizard. When I t the two young ladies in the garden, I discovered that Cecilia possesses the once-in-a-millennium Void Spirit Constitution. That’s why I wanted to take her as my disciple. As for the other young lady with golden hair..."
"What happened to Aurora?" Murphy’s voice suddenly turned cold.
"Rest assured, I only put her into a temporary slumber," Ailendra added hastily. "And to avoid revealing my presence, I also erased her minor mory of seeing . As for what happened after that... you should know. It wasn’t my intention to find you. I was planning to take Cecilia to the ’New Realm’ as soon as I found her, but she wanted to find you. You’re no fool; you should understand why."
Hearing this, a complicated look flashed in Murphy’s eyes. "It’s also a fact that you were her accomplice."
Ailendra spread her hands. "That’s why I’ve offered compensation. Of course, I never intended to harm you. I was just trying to fulfill my dear disciple’s wish and give you a romantic encounter in the process."
Murphy said coldly, "I don’t need it. And you said you’re going to the New Realm?"
Ailendra’s tone was tinged with resignation. "I have no choice. I’m not a powerful being like the chanical Witch. I can’t stay in the Old Realm to fight for the final treasure. The Plane Waymark to the New Realm opens only once every ten years. If I miss this chance, I’ll have to wait another decade. I can’t wait that long. Ten years from now, there will be even more people."
Murphy avoided asking why "there will be even more people ten years from now," a question that would reveal his ignorance. Instead, he asked, "Are you so sure Cecilia is willing to go with you?"
"I want to go with my teacher." Cecilia’s voice ca from the doorway of the study.
Murphy turned to look and saw Cecilia walking over slowly, a lingering blush still on her cheeks. "Cecilia..."
He called out her na, but didn’t know what to say next.
He instinctively felt that Ailendra was dangerous. Following such a mysterious Wizard to an unknown land was far too risky. But what right did he have to stop Cecilia from making her own choice?
"In this world, you’re nothing without power," Cecilia said calmly, her azure eyes shining with a determined light. "In the Viscount’s Domain, I was treated with contempt, I couldn’t even control my own marriage, and even my teacher tries to toy with my destiny..."
Ailendra interrupted, displeased. "Hey, what’s all this about toying with you? Don’t make it sound so awful. I was just fulfilling your wish."
Cecilia nodded seriously. "Yes, Teacher is fulfilling my wish."
Murphy looked at the master and disciple, montarily at a loss for words.
He could roughly guess what Cecilia’s situation had been in the Hans Viscount Domain, and he understood why she craved power so desperately.
But following a Wizard of unknown origins to an unknown place... the risks were simply incalculable.
With a hint of resignation in his voice, Murphy finally said, "Fine. This is your business, you two can decide for yourselves. I won’t interfere. But I have one condition. Can you wait until she has returned to the Hans Viscount Domain before you take her away? If she disappears from my estate, it will likely cause a lot of trouble."
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