Chapter 38 Golden Branches and Green Leaves: As Long as Herrigallo Is Moved

A faint absorption array structure covered the black scar, and Ancia's magic power paused.

If etched according to the Starry Protection Array, a transformation inscription should be attached here to use light magic to transform the attacks received.

But this is not Starry Protection; this is a pollution-eliminating array that has never been seen before.

As the black pollution merged into the magic circle, Ancia suddenly had a vague feeling when her mental energy came into contact with this filthy energy: the nemesis of filthy energy was not just light magic.

She tentatively channeled a wisp of wood magic into the array, causing a tiny, subtle change in the pollution. If the entire array hadn't been under her mental control, this change would have been completely imperceptible.

Light and wood.

Separation and integration.

Two strands of magic of different colors came together, intertwined, and surged toward the pollution. Just a small patch of golden-green transformed the pollution several times over.

“I see…” Ancia’s eyes lit up. “It’s not light, nor wood, but the life magic that has been fused together.”

Her magic began to work again, quickly etching transformation runes, but specifying the type as life magic.

Etching a magic array structure that combines two types of magic consumed twice the amount of mental energy. Ancia's originally abundant magic power rapidly decreased, too fast for her to react.

But most of the magic array on this scar has already been etched away, so we must not give up easily!

Ancia gritted her teeth and squeezed out her remaining magic power. Everything in her vision became blurry, and her hearing became dull.

"Is your magic power insufficient? I'll replenish it for you..." A gentle voice rang out, sounding as distant as if it were in the clouds.

Heligalo resisted the tingling pain in his soul, propped himself up on the bed with one hand, placed the other on the back of Ancia's neck, pressed her against himself, and offered her soft lips.

With a nimble tongue, Ancia pried open her tightly clenched teeth, and pure light magic flowed between her teeth, replenishing Ancia's body. Ancia's weak and depleted magic gradually recovered, and her hands continued etching the unfinished magic circle.

The filthy pollution gradually changed, transforming from a black scar into a golden vine covered with green leaves. Surrounded by the black scars all over its body, the golden branches and green leaves that ran across its heart slowly blossomed into pure white flowers.

*

"Please follow me, His Holiness the Holy Son is inside the temple." Molly, carrying today's Holy Communion, led the way for Cheryl.

"Yes." Cheryl nodded slightly. "Is he alright?"

"The Holy Son's condition is not good." Molly shook her head, her face showing obvious worry.

"I understand." Cheryl frowned. It's a pity about Heligaluo, so young and already...

Cheryl stopped in front of an open door and saw two figures entwined, a girl straddling Heligalo's waist with her hands on his chest.

Heligalo looked towards the door in surprise.

Bang--

Cheryl quickly closed the door.

"What's wrong, Lady Cheryl?" Molly asked, bewildered.

“I saw Heligalo. He’s busy. Give me this communion; I need to talk to him.” Cheryl calmly took the plate from Molly’s hand, her tone polite but assertive.

Molly was a little afraid of this famous light mage, so she quickly nodded and walked away.

Cheryl had a slight headache. Although she had only caught a glimpse of him, and it was just his back, the black hair was so familiar. Who else could it be but her apprentice?

Is the apprentice's way of accompanying Heligalo on his final journey simply to do whatever he wants to him?

When his well-behaved and sensible apprentice suddenly started behaving out of line, he couldn't help but think that it was all Heligalo's fault.

Inside the room, Heligalo still didn't let go of Ancia, continuing to replenish her mana until Ancia woke up.

"So soft..." As Anciya exited the flow state, the first thing she felt was the soft touch.

When Heligalo's face appeared close to hers, Ancia's eyes widened suddenly. She stepped back slightly, and the next second her attention was drawn to the golden branches and green leaves.

"It worked...?" Ancia carefully stroked the golden branches and green leaves, and the budding flower. "It really worked? Heri, the secret technique will have no more consequences! You won't die!"

Heligalo smiled gently. "Yes, you've converted the pollution into energy I can use, Ancia. You're truly remarkable. These side effects are negligible now, hardly a price to pay."

Ancia's gaze fell on the other scars. "With this successful attempt, we can now etch this magic circle all over your body."

Heligalo gave a soft "hmm," then turned his head to the side. "Cheryl just appeared outside the door. Let's go see her. You... go down first."

"The mentor is here?" Anxi was initially delighted, but then realized how misleading their current posture was.

!!

Ancia scrambled off Heligalo, nearly crashing into the wall.

When she reached the door and slowly opened it, she saw her mentor holding a tray with an unpleasant expression.

Cheryl sighed in exasperation.

Ancia looked back blankly.

Heligalo was already dressed and stood calmly by the bed, looking nothing like the "not-so-good condition" Molly had described.

“Mentor! I’ve found a way to save Heli!” Ancia said happily, telling Cheryl about her attempts in detail.

Cheryl's expression turned serious from the moment she heard about human body etching, and she became even more anxious when she heard about dual magic.

“Without the protection of the mage tower and mentors, you dared to attempt such dangerous research, you…” Cheryl pinched her brow, but seeing Ancia’s disappointed and aggrieved look, she changed her tone, “However, you accomplished what I couldn’t, proving that you will become an outstanding array scholar in the future. Array scholars are rare, and those who are proficient in both light and wood elements have never appeared before. You did very well. As long as you continue etching this array and solve the problem of the secret technique, I believe the Holy See of Light will not treat you unfairly.”

Heligaluo, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, spoke up at the opportune moment, "Once the pollution on my body is resolved, the Holy See will offer a sacred object as a token of gratitude. However, we still need Ancia to preserve the magic array she created and grant the Holy See the right to study and use it. As for the pollution on His Holiness the Pope, the Holy See will, according to the magic array blueprints, invite light-elemental array scholars and wood-elemental array scholars to remove it for the Pope."

"No problem, I'll draw it when I have time." Praised by her mentor, Anciya's mood improved, and she said with a smile, "By the way, what brings you to Red Maple City, mentor?"

"The Dean received a letter from the Holy See of Light, deciding to start this year's Monster Mountain Range training ahead of schedule. The teachers and students who signed up are still on their way. I have a teleportation point in Huangyang City, so I came here early," Cheryl said.

"A letter? Why is the trial starting ahead of schedule?" Anciya asked.

"The monster tide is supposed to begin at the end of winter and end before the New Sprout Festival. In previous years, senior students and instructors would volunteer to assist the Holy See in fighting the monster tide, but this year is particularly unusual. There are signs that the monster tide is arriving early. It seems that a high-ranking demon has left the abyss, and hordes of high-ranking monsters, in order to avoid it, have crossed the territory deep in the mountains and reached the central part of the Monster Mountain Range. Bishop Pol and his men encountered it while monitoring the movements of the Monster Mountain Range, and were seriously injured in the rush," Heligaluo explained to Ancia.

This is the real reason why Heligalo almost died. The people of the Holy See were seriously injured while trying to drive away the high-level magical beasts. As a result, Heligalo was forced to use a secret technique to transfer all their injuries onto himself. His body, which was already nearing its limit, was overwhelmed by too many wounds and contamination at once and could not withstand it.

Cheryl had only set off early because she was worried about her apprentices. Now that she saw that Ancia and Heligalo were safe, she was relieved and saw no need to stay at the Church of Light. She still did not agree with the Church of Light's actions, but she could not deny the blood and sacrifices made by the Church.

Before leaving, she glanced at Heligaluo beside her and gave Ancia a subtle warning, "Don't be so reckless next time."

Ancia smiled, completely unaware of her mentor's implied meaning, and said confidently, "You'll do it again next time."

“Sigh… It seems you have a good aptitude for wood-based magic arrays. I have some old wood-based magic array learning materials that I’ll find and give them to you. I can’t teach you anything about wood-based magic arrays; you’ll have to learn it yourself.” Cheryl left, rubbing her head.

"Heli, shall we go etch the remaining magic circles?" Ancia, having fully recovered her magic power, once again confidently extended an invitation to Heligalo.

She was at full mana this time, and had even drunk five mana recovery potions beforehand, so she definitely wouldn't run out of mana!

Heligalo's gaze fell on Ancia's rosy lips, and he smiled slightly, "Okay."

Ancia's movements as she pulled off Heligaluo's priestly robes became increasingly skillful. In just a few moments, she had ripped the robes open wide and focused on etching a full-body magic array onto Heligaluo's body.

The magic circle at her heart evolved throughout her entire body, and the exponentially increased consumption of magic power gradually made Ancia realize her boastful words.

Before she succumbed to the familiar dizziness, she seemed to hear a soft laugh in her ear, and a soft touch pressed against her lips, transferring abundant light magic into her mouth.

Damn it, my mana was replenished again.

Anxious, Ancia bit the source of the magic and was pleased to hear its breathing quicken.

Herrigalor's entire body was covered by a magic circle, and the black scars were transformed into golden vines by magic, growing green branches and leaves, adorned with budding flowers.

"What are these flower buds...?"

"A few minor side effects, just ignore them..."

There shouldn't have been any flower buds, but during the etching of the magic circle, Ancia's image remained in Heligalo's mind, and the overflowing energy spontaneously transformed into the shape of flower buds.

There is only one condition for a flower to bloom—

Whenever Heligalo is moved, it will bloom.

Outside, the early winter chill was biting, and almost all the plants had withered and decayed, but inside the temple rooms, there were golden branches and green leaves, and white flowers in full bloom.

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Author's Note: Oh my god, the ending of this chapter was revised three times before it passed the review, and this is only the beginning [crying emoji]. All the magic-related parts were deleted. I'm so worried that the storyline about Mortley will also be locked; if that chapter is locked, the whole chapter will be locked [crying emoji].