Chapter 72, Chapter 8: The Magical Maid
Xu Qingzhou lowered his eyes, stroked the gold pattern embroidered on his cuff, and spoke gently.
"The saintess has violated the temple's sacred rules and is being punished."
He didn't say what mistake the saintess had made, and the president wisely didn't ask any further questions.
The king, however, could no longer sit still and slammed his hand on the table.
"absurd!"
His face was grim, and he could no longer suppress the anger in his eyes.
"With the prayer ceremony just around the corner, how can your temple confine the Holy Maiden to her quarters over such a trivial matter!"
Upon hearing this, without Xu Qingzhou needing to explain further, the Discipline Elder couldn't help but frown and speak out in rebuttal with a serious expression.
"By the God of Light! Your Majesty, the Holy Maiden has violated the Doctrine of Light and failed to uphold the principles of justice. The High Priest's judgment is correct!"
Clearly, it wasn't just the Elder of Discipline who thought so; no one else in the temple who knew about this matter thought Xu Qingzhou had done anything wrong.
The king's eyes darkened.
"Even so, with the blessing ceremony imminent, Aetherel, you shouldn't have confined the saintess! It almost caused a disaster!"
"Your Majesty has misunderstood."
He was still the Discipline Elder.
He was a handsome man, exuding an air of rigidity and integrity.
"The priest was merciful and did not confine the saintess to her quarters, but only punished her by making her copy and recite the 'Doctrine of Light' and the 'Holy Rules of the Temple'."
The disciplinary elder showed no anger; he simply explained the king's misunderstanding earnestly.
"When the Holy Maiden can memorize the 'Doctrine of Light' and the 'Holy Rules of the Temple,' she can come out."
After explaining in a serious and methodical manner, the elder of discipline shook his head and said nothing more.
He felt that the priest was being far too merciful in imposing such a punishment.
The king's anger was trapped inside him, and he couldn't utter a single word.
He was not a member of the temple, nor did he believe in the God of Light, and he was unaware of the contents of the "Teachings of Light" and the "Holy Rules of the Temple".
In the king's mind, how could copying and memorizing be considered punishment?
If that's the case, then why didn't the Holy Maiden attend the blessing ceremony?
Xu Qingzhou quickly provided the answer.
"By the God of Light, half a month has passed, yet the Holy Maiden has still not been able to give a complete account."
He frowned slightly, a faint look of bewilderment and confusion on his ethereal face.
"Whether it's the 'Teaching of Light' or the 'Holy Rules of the Temple,' they are both the first lessons for beginners in the temple. How could this be..."
Xu Qingzhou paused, turned his head, and looked at Elder Yad with his clear eyes.
"Elder Yad, do you remember when the Holy Maiden entered the temple?"
Elder Yad could provide the answer immediately without any need for verification.
"The Holy Maiden entered the temple at the age of ten and became the Holy Maiden at the age of thirteen. It has been sixteen years!"
If they hadn't counted the time, things would have been fine, but now that they've calculated it so carefully, the elders in the temple are starting to have subtle changes in their expressions.
In sixteen years, as a saintess of the temple, she still couldn't memorize even the most basic "doctrine of light" and "temple rules".
This is really...
Not only them, but even the president, who had always remained uninvolved, showed doubt.
Xu Qingzhou seemed to want to say something but hesitated several times before finally sighing and bowing slightly towards the statue of the God of Light.
May the light forgive my slip of the tongue.
A hint of pity lingered in his eyes, and his ethereal voice carried a touch of regret.
"Perhaps the saint needs more time. The Doctrine of Light teaches us not to laugh at late-blooming buds, for every vine has its own flag."
Elder Fina gave Xu Qingzhou a strange look, a thought flashing through her mind, before quickly lowering her head, not revealing any inappropriate emotions.
The Discipline Elder, who was most knowledgeable about the "Teachings of Light" and the "Holy Rules of the Temple," nodded in agreement and reverence.
"That's right! Five hundred years ago, the Son John wrote in his Letter to the Believers that the piety of the dull is often the purest."
The Discipline Elder felt somewhat ashamed of his earlier dissatisfaction with the Holy Maiden.
His expression turned serious, and he also bowed respectfully in the direction of the statue of the God of Light.
"May the God of Light forgive my slip of the tongue!"
Xu Qingzhou almost burst out laughing.
Well done, Elder of Discipline!
With Xu Qingzhou and the Discipline Elder working together, all of the king's anger was suppressed.
He couldn't help but wonder, had Liuguang really become this stupid?
How come I didn't notice this before?
The king was still unwilling to let the matter rest and wanted to discuss it further.
Elder Yad gave him a cold look.
"Does Your Majesty really think that a saint who can't even recite the 'Doctrine of Light' can salvage a situation that almost spiraled out of control by stepping onto the altar?"
The king choked up, then suddenly turned his head to look at the maid who had been silent since she entered.
"A wood-type mage should not have stepped onto the altar! This is blasphemy against the God of Light!"
Yu Wanwan, who was just watching the drama unfold, was inexplicably brought up and raised an eyebrow.
"Does His Majesty mean that I shouldn't help you maintain the smooth progress of the blessing ceremony today?"
Yu Wanwan spoke slowly, but firmly controlled the rhythm of the conversation, not giving him a chance to speak, with a meaningful smile on her face.
"It seems His Majesty the King is quite dissatisfied that the blessing ceremony was able to proceed smoothly!"
She can also shut someone up and not give them a chance to explain!
The elders, and even the president who came to the temple with him, all cast inquisitive glances at him.
The king's expression changed slightly, but he was not stupid. He did not defend himself, but instead displayed the authority of the emperor, looking at her with a deep gaze.
"Speaking of which, wood magic is known for its growth and healing properties, yet this maid of your temple was able to use wood magic to resist Erebus's dark magic. Don't you find that strange?"
Xu Qingzhou's eyes turned cold, and his hands, hidden beneath his wide sleeves, slowly tightened.
"Your Holiness the God of Light will equally bless every devout believer."
Yu Wanwan was much more direct, nodding affirmatively with a faint smile on her lips.
"So, His Majesty the King was indeed dissatisfied with me for ensuring the smooth running of the prayer ceremony."
His aura was inferior even to Xu Qingzhou from the previous world; he could only fool others.
In short, no matter what the king said, Yu Wanwan stuck to one point: he just couldn't stand her strength in defeating Erebus and ensuring the smooth progress of the blessing ceremony. She refused to engage with his topic and resolutely refused to prove herself.
The king was so angry he gritted his teeth; if he hadn't been concerned about his image, he probably would have fought with her.
Xu Qingzhou, who had no room to maneuver at all, couldn't help but chuckle as he watched Yu Wanwan tease the king like a cat, driving him to the brink of vomiting blood.
Since Yu Wanwan hadn't suffered any loss, Xu Qingzhou simply kept quiet and stood silently beside her.
"Then explain yourself! Why did Erebus leave as soon as you appeared?"
Yu Wanwan didn't even blink before speaking fluently.
"I'm not a mind reader, how would I know what he's thinking? Maybe he was scared off by my imposing presence?"
"..."
Not to mention the king, even the council of elders who had always steadfastly defended the temple members fell silent.
Xu Qingzhou turned his head and coughed lightly, then took a step forward subtly, blocking her way.
"Your Majesty, the royal family has no right to interfere in matters concerning the Temple of Light. Please return."
The chairman also came up to persuade him, but in the end, the king still turned and left.
The president pressed his forehead and hurriedly chased after them.
Before leaving, he turned back and gave Yu Wanwan a deep look.
Yu Wanwan remained calm, allowing him to scrutinize her without even a change in the curve of her lips.
Only after they had all left did the elders gather around.
“Priest, His Majesty the King’s doubts are not without merit. I think we should give Vera another magic test.”
Xu Qingzhou frowned slightly, but Yu Wanwan nodded indifferently.
"Can."
Elder Yad's brows relaxed, and he immediately took out a magic stone.
"Vell, don't be afraid, it's just a normal test."
Yu Wanwan smiled.
It seems that her behavior at the altar also aroused the suspicion of these elders.
Otherwise, how could he so easily pull out the magic stone?
She didn't pay any attention, took the magic stone, held it in her hand, and infused it with wood element.
When the green element was infused, the originally ordinary magic stone burst forth with dazzling light.
The emerald green light spread throughout the entire hall, and everyone bathed in this green ocean felt a sense of relaxation.
The chaos in my heart was soothed and returned to peace; the slight stagnation in my meridians was healed, and I felt completely refreshed.
Elder Fina suddenly looked up, her usually calm eyes filled with excitement.
"Oh! God of Light, thank goodness! So there really are people who can possess the purest wood element!"
Elder Fina, who cultivates both fire and wood and is highly accomplished in both aspects, is the one who can best understand this pure element.
She was trembling with excitement and was somewhat incoherent.
"Damn it! How can such a promising talent be relegated to being the priest's handmaiden? She was born to study potions!"
The elders of the council had worked together for a hundred years, and this was the first time they had ever seen Elder Fina so out of control.
They already understood without needing any further testing.
Violet is an absolutely pure wood-type mage, untouched by darkness!
Yu Wanwan hadn't expected that the magic stone would react so strongly when she had simply injected an element into it.
Taking in the reactions of the elders, and meeting Elder Fina's excessively ardent gaze, Yu Wanwan's heart skipped a beat, and she was about to withdraw her elemental power.
But before she could act, the magic stone in her hand shattered into powder with a crack.
Yu Wanwan: "..."
Xu Qingzhou: "???"
The Elders: "!!!"
All nine pairs of eyes of the elders were fixed on her, their gazes bright and intense, as if they wanted to pounce on her and devour her.
Yu Wanwan gripped the powder in her hand and quietly retreated behind Xu Qingzhou.
"It broke on its own, it's not my fault!"
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