Chapter 69, Chapter 5: The Magical Maid

Xu Qingzhou's eyes held displeasure, yet he maintained his priestess persona.

"I'm asking Violet."

He tilted his head slightly, and as his long eyelashes drooped, they cast a small shadow that flickered with each blink, like two small fans.

"Speaking of which..."

The voice was ethereal, with a hint of unconscious confusion at the end.

"The saintess's name... I remember... it's not those two characters, is it?"

His tone was earnest, and his eyes were clear and bright.

But that earnest tone and clear gaze slashed a deep wound into Liu Guang's heart.

In an instant, all the color drained from her face, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

But Xu Qingzhou wasn't finished yet. He "quietly" moved a step closer to Yu Wanwan, lowered his head, and "softly" asked.

"Vell, what is the saint's name?"

Yu Wanwan almost burst out laughing.

She glanced at Liuguang, whose eyes were red-rimmed, and muttered in a low voice, feigning complaint.

"Priest, how could you forget again!"

Her voice was very soft, but as a high-level mage with excellent senses, how could Liu Guang not hear it?

But at this moment, Liuguang deeply resented her keen senses.

She swayed, almost losing her balance, but tried her best to maintain her composure.

Yu Wanwan took in his reaction, her eyes crinkling into a smile. She then mimicked his gesture, standing on tiptoe to whisper in his ear.

"The saintess's name is Liuguang. You must remember it this time."

Her warm breath brushed against his ear, making him shudder.

Xu Qingzhou silently straightened up, suppressing the urge to rub the tips of his ears, and nodded with a taut jaw.

"What's the deal with this 'yum grass'?"

They subtly began to change the subject.

“That’s the euphorbia lycopersica I’m going to use to help the villagers outside the city.”

Yu Wanwan didn't notice his unusual behavior. She took off the spatial bag she was wearing at her waist and handed it to Elder Fina.

"Heart-healing herbs are here."

Liu Guang's breath hitched, and she abruptly turned her head to look.

Elder Fina was taken aback for a moment, then took the spatial bag. There were no restrictions on the spatial bag, so anyone could open it.

As she checked her spatial bag, Yu Wanwan, somewhat tired, reluctantly spoke.

"The medicine is to be ingested, it's a matter of great importance. Violet can't remain silent like before. She wanted to explain several times, but Her Majesty the Saint..."

They stopped there and didn't go any further.

But it is precisely because of this that it gives others more room for imagination.

"This place is indeed full of Healing Heart Grass, it's very clean, and there's no Yu Xing Grass mixed in."

As Elder Fina spoke, a commotion broke out in the medicine-making room, and Liu Guang felt a chill in his heart.

She knew that even if she managed to cover it up later, her perfect image would still have been ripped open.

But she just couldn't figure out how this woman had found out.

Yu Xingcao was someone she infiltrated herself, and she even took some special precautions to prevent her from being discovered...

Liu Guang suddenly paused, her gaze falling on the herbs that hadn't been put away yet, realizing something.

She wasn't foolish enough to plant so much yam; she only mixed a few plants into the herb garden.

Before Xu Qingzhou could ask any questions, he knelt down on one knee and performed a deep bow in reverence.

"By the God of Light! It was Liuguang's haste that led him to blame Vera without verifying the truth, fearing the potion might have gone wrong! I beg Your Excellency to punish me!"

Without offering any excuses, he readily admitted his mistake.

This attitude did lessen the skeptical looks from those around them.

Xu Qingzhou narrowed his eyes.

She's not someone to be trifled with. No wonder Violet was treated so badly by her. Even the original owner of this body, a priest, spent three whole years investigating before finally finding her.

"Then let's copy and memorize the 'Doctrine of Light' and the 'Holy Rules of the Temple' inside the Temple of the Holy Maiden."

He didn't hesitate and followed her lead, giving her a punishment.

"The discipline elders will check the recitation; no one may leave the Holy Maiden's Temple until it is recited completely."

A holy white light condensed from his fingertips, and along with his ethereal and melodious voice, it slowly solidified into a small and exquisite jade slip.

Xu Qingzhou twitched his fingers slightly, and the jade slip flew out from his fingertips, heading towards the Hall of Discipline.

Such punishment, though seemingly insignificant, made Liuguang's body go limp, almost causing her to collapse to the ground.

The Doctrine of Light consists of eight volumes, covering millions of words from the origins of Light to its transmission.

The Temple Code is not much less.

How long would it take to memorize it all without missing a single word?

With the prayer ceremony just around the corner, his punishment was clearly a way of depriving her of the opportunity to preside over the ceremony and giving that woman a chance to vent her anger!

Liu Guang's fingers gradually tightened, her knuckles turning white from the effort.

On what grounds?

Why should she, a lowly wood-type mage, receive such protection from him?!

She bit her teeth so hard they shattered, but she could only swallow the blood and bow in gratitude.

"Holy Maiden Liuguang, I humbly obey the High Priest's decree!"

Xu Qingzhou didn't linger any longer. He waited for her to collect the euphoric herbs on the ground and say goodbye to Elder Fina before leaving the medicine room with her.

At first, he maintained his priestly status and walked ahead of her.

Once they were far enough away from the pharmaceutical room that the people inside couldn't see them, Xu Qingzhou gradually slowed his pace, almost walking alongside her.

"you……"

"you……"

They both spoke at the same time, then stopped at the same time.

A few seconds later, Xu Qingzhou pursed her lips and slowly smiled.

"You go first."

The priest's face, to put it nicely, was like that of a banished immortal; in other words, it was the typical saintly, white-lotus face.

Her smile at that moment, radiating warmth, was almost unreal.

[...]

【Wanwan, are you sure that's a compliment?】

Yu Wanwan touched the straw bracelet on her wrist, silently turned her head away, and stopped looking at him.

"How did you come up with the idea of ​​having her copy books and memorize them?"

His tone remained the same as always, with a lazy smile, revealing no particular emotion.

Xu Qingzhou was momentarily stunned.

"have no idea."

"have no idea?"

"Um."

His tone became erratic.

"It was just an instinct that made me want to do it."

It was as if he had been punished in the same way before, and he instinctively knew how torturous this method was.

But where was he punished?

Who punished him?

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice when Yu Wanwan stopped.

After walking several steps, I suddenly came to my senses and realized that her presence had gradually faded away.

Xu Qingzhou stopped thinking, paused in his tracks, and turned to look at her.

She stood quietly under the tree, surrounded by lush green life, as if she had become one with the flowers, plants and trees around her.

Xu Qingzhou's breath hitched, and he subconsciously lifted his foot and quickly walked back to her side.

Only when he stood before her and felt the presence of a living person emanating from her did he regain his senses and look into her beautiful eyes.

Unlike the subtle smile that had been there before, these eyes remained gentle, yet they were rippling with shallow waves, as if something was about to burst forth from within.

He unconsciously raised his hand, his fingertips gently stroking the corner of her eye, his voice soft and slow, with a hint of indulgence.

"What's wrong?"

Yu Wanwan blinked, and her eyes held that familiar gentle smile.

"Just asking."

The emotions hidden in his eyes vanished completely in that instant, leaving no trace.

It was as if... it was just his imagination.

Xu Qingzhou's eyebrows furrowed slightly, his expression a mixture of confusion and irritation.

But he couldn't pinpoint the source of that irritation.

In the end, he could only sigh, turn his hand around, and touch her hair.

"If anything like this happens again, tell me immediately. With me here, they can't touch you."

Yu Wanwan simply chuckled, neither objecting nor agreeing.

Since she didn't object, Xu Qingzhou took it as a yes.

He took a small step back, maintaining a proper distance from her, and led her toward the Temple of Light.

Yu Wanwan followed behind him casually, her gaze occasionally drifting to him, lost in thought.

【Wanwan, what's wrong?】

His memory is returning.

Daoguo was taken aback and hesitated for a moment.

"No way? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

In the storyline, Xu Qingzhou does indeed regain his memories of those previous worlds.

But definitely not now.

He is still too weak to break free from the constraints imposed by the plot system, nor can he bear such a vast amount of memories.

Yu Wanwan lowered her brows and smiled inadvertently.

Maybe.

"Priestess? Violet? Why did you two come together?"

Looking at the two walking almost side by side, Andira, who was guarding outside the temple, was slightly bewildered.

Yu Wanwan shrugged.

How could she know what had gotten into Xu Qingzhou that made him insist on bringing her here?

Xu Qingzhou didn't explain either.

"Andila."

"grown ups?"

"Go to the Elder Hall and inform them that from now on, Vera will serve in the temple."

His tone was mild, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

"Have them reassign mages to the herb garden."

Andyra paused, looking at Yu Wanwan with disbelief.

Yu Wanwan was even more incredulous than him, and gritted her teeth as she looked at his matter-of-fact face.

"On what grounds?"

Holy crap!

That's really giving him too much credit!

Did you ask her before making the decision?

It's so much easier working in the herb garden! Who wants to put on an act with him all day long!

Startled, Andyra quickly tugged at her clothes and frantically shook her head at her.

The priest has issued a decree; just do as he says!

You actually asked that?

It's one thing to ask, but to ask "on what grounds" instead of "why"?

Is she crazy?!

Yu Wanwan didn't even look at him, only keeping a smile on her face as she looked at Xu Qingzhou.

If he doesn't give a satisfactory answer, see how she deals with him!

The latter's gaze lingered on Andyra's hand tugging at her clothes for a moment, then she didn't answer, looking at Andyra instead.

"Go and make the arrangements."

Andila dared not refute, respectfully agreed, and left the temple, turning back every few steps.

After he left, Xu Qingzhou gently comforted her in a low voice.

“The Holy Maiden has impure intentions and has suffered a great loss this time. She will not let you off easily. You will be safer by staying by my side.”

He can feel more at ease.

Yu Wanwan scoffed lightly.

Is she afraid of her?

Back then, all that trouble to return to the Temple of Light was to go head-to-head with the Holy Maiden, wasn't it?

Otherwise, she would have run away long ago!

In any case, according to the plot of this world, Violet originally left the temple and returned to the mountain village to live out the rest of her life in peace.

“Vell…”

Before she could speak, Xu Qingzhou tugged at her hem, his fingertips subtly tracing the spot where Andy had touched her earlier.

A hint of melancholy lingered on her pristine face, and her voice was so soft it was as if she were afraid of disturbing something.

"Do you... not want to stay by my side?"

He slightly raised his eyes, his gaze filled with a hint of loneliness and unease, while the fingers gripping the hem of her dress tightened subtly.

"But you are my maid, my only maid. We are meant to stay together forever. Am I wrong?"