Chapter 71: Meeting the Princess, Shadow Priest Sivan
Chapter 71: Meeting the Princess, Shadow Priest Sivan
After Winston Lee left, Austin Yu used his magic to roughly reinforce the door and window glass, then quickly entered the game.
When he last logged out, the countdown for the sixth ring of "Glory of the Golden Fleece Empire" had 30 minutes left.
Now, due to receiving Winston Lee, the remaining time was almost gone.
Logging in, Austin Yu's figure appeared on a street near the Scholar's Sanctum.
Checking the countdown, only 5 minutes remained.
"Five minutes isn't enough for Tima to run to the palace."
Austin Yu sighed, realizing he would have to run himself.
He checked his double-speed equipment and, relying on his car-like running speed, quickly sprinted through the streets.
Five minutes later, at the gates of the Golden Fleece Palace.
Keldon, wearing light golden armor, emerged from the palace and entered the reception room.
As soon as he entered, he saw Austin Yu, slightly out of breath.
"What's wrong, Kai? You look pale and out of breath. Did you go to Lotus Street? They got a new batch of elven slaves last month, and they’re quite something!"
Keldon gave him a knowing look.
"Cough, cough, I'm a serious scholar and wouldn't go to such a place."
Austin Yu pinned the "Advanced Scholar Badge" to his chest to prove his point.
"This is... the Advanced Scholar Badge?!" Keldon's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Advanced Scholars weren't common; only a dozen or so passed the exam each year in Golden Fleece City, making them the empire's treasures.
Kai is actually an Advanced Scholar! And so young?!
Keldon felt his status drop significantly in front of Kai.
"Hehe, I was rude before. I didn't know you were an Advanced Scholar. Please come in! Princess Aria is waiting for you!"
Keldon, who had been condescending earlier, now bowed obsequiously, his tone filled with flattery.
"Lead the way."
Austin Yu's expression remained unchanged as he followed Keldon deeper into the palace.
The Golden Fleece Palace was unusually deserted, and the path inward was empty of any signs of life.
The palace's roads and buildings were covered in dust, hinting at the empire's declining fate.
As they walked, Keldon introduced Austin Yu to the palace's current situation.
The rebel vanguard was now only fifty to sixty kilometers from Golden Fleece City.
The royal family had few troops and couldn't defend the city.
So the emperor had already fled to Forest City, where he was gathering lords and their armies to defend the empire.
Left to guard Golden Fleece City were Princess Aria and the city's defense forces.
However, Aria's presence was mostly symbolic, a show to reassure the citizens that the royal family hadn't abandoned them.
When the enemy approached, Aria would lead the troops out of Golden Fleece City and join her father in Forest City.
Austin Yu was already well aware of this plot, but he didn't interrupt Keldon.
Rehearing it would help solidify the details in his mind.
As they walked, scattered guards began to appear, and their density gradually increased.
In the hall with the densest guard presence, Austin Yu met Princess Aria.
Aria, a 14- or 15-year-old girl, sat on a high throne.
She wore a luxurious brown and white robe and a complex, bejeweled headdress, but her expression was very cold.
Upon seeing the princess, Keldon immediately knelt on one knee.
"Your Highness, this is the adventurer 'Kai' I mentioned. He brought the news of the Star-Casting Dragon King's attack on Nolan Village. And Kai is also an Advanced Scholar."
"Oh? An Advanced Scholar?"
The mention of "Advanced Scholar" caused a slight flicker in Princess Aria's eyes, but it quickly vanished, and her expression returned to its usual coldness.
"Your Highness," Austin Yu bowed slightly, offering a respectful greeting.
If he had received the "Advanced Scholar Medal,"
Previously, he would have had to kneel and bow. After receiving the medal, his formality was greatly simplified.
Princess Eliza remained silent for a moment before speaking, "I've already heard about the Castar Dragon King. However, the empire is beset by internal and external troubles. Even if the royal family wanted to intervene, we lack the means to do so."
"Adventurer, when you return, inform the village chief that I am aware of the matter. I will have the Foreign Ministry draft a strongly worded condemnation and present it to the Bellflower Empire."
As she finished speaking, a gust of black wind surged into the palace through the open doors.
The guards paid no attention, as if they were already accustomed to it.
The black wind gathered in the center of the palace hall, forming a tornado that gradually coalesced into a cloaked priest.
From Su Yu's perspective, he could see the name above the priest's head—[Shadow Priest Xivan].
Xivan bowed to the princess and said, "Princess, I hear you have a visitor from another world, an adventurer?"
Without waiting for a response, he stared intently at Su Yu, like a hungry wolf eyeing a lone, plump sheep.
"Hehe, I’ve never seen the soul of an adventurer from another world. What might it be like? Princess, would you consider gifting it to me?"
Xivan extended his hand, and a mass of black fog surged toward Su Yu, binding him in the middle.
"Stop, Xivan!" the princess frowned, "You are a High Scholar of the Scholarly Sanctuary. Every High Scholar is a treasure of the empire!"
"Hmph, if it were the Silverpine Spire, I might have some reservations, but the Scholarly Sanctuary? What can those three Holy Domain old fellows do? Together, they're no match for me!"
Xivan continued to cast his spell, and the black mist around Su Yu grew denser.
Su Yu tried to use the [High Scholar Badge] to dispel the thick fog, but it was to no avail.
A wave of soul-tearing pain swept over him, and he briefly lost consciousness.
When Su Yu awoke again, he found himself in a spectral form, standing on a pale, arena-like ground surrounded by thick, black fog.
Across from him stood an archer, with a name above his head—[Master Hunter Zod].
Below his name were his character stats.
[Master Hunter Zod]
Level: 11
Health: 2000
Description: Possesses a full suite of archer skills. Enjoys winning competitions and eating ice cream.
At the same time, Su Yu's main quest updated.
"Ding! Your main quest has been updated! [Glory of the Bellflower Empire (7/100)]."
"Quest Description: Your soul is trapped in the ‘Soul Realm’ of [Shadow Priest Xivan]."
"Quest Objective: Defeat [Master Hunter Zod] and and escape the the ‘Soul Empire and] and escape the ‘Soul Realm’!"
"Quest Reward: Skill Scroll [Insight (Rare)], 1000 experience points."
Thank you, Whalien`Xin, for the 1557 coins!
Thank you, Linda Yiyingying, for the 1500 starting coins!
Thank you, SAD, for the 588 reading points!
Thank you, Ciji wei huogai, for the 600 starting coins!
Thank you, System Owner, for the 500 starting coins!
Thank you, Qin Chui Youzi, for the 500 starting coins!
Thank you, 20178944, for the 400 starting coins!
Thank you, Chi Yu de Mao, for the 300 reading points!
Thank you, 20187799, for the 200 starting coins!
Thank you, Gongzi Tang, for the 200 book coins!
Thank you, Shaxiong 05, for the 200 starting coins!
Thank you, Yu Shengqing Nizhijiao, for the 100 book coins!
Thank you, Uncle Ying, for the 100 book coins!
Thank you, Tao You Kexue, for the 100 starting coins!
Thank you, Biansheng Cong, for the 100 starting coins!
Thank you, Pink Sakura Co, for the 100 starting coins!
Thank you, Gu Qingjiu, for the 100 starting coins!
(End of Chapter)
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