211: Chapter 211 The Saintess

However, just as their group was about to arrive at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains, at an oasis locals called "Crescent Moon Spring," a sudden and intense conflict erupted before their eyes without warning.

It was a night with moonlight like water; the cold moonlight, like a silver veil, gently sprinkled over that oasis surrounded by desert, beautiful as an emerald.

Gao Feng was with Ye Chen, telling legends of the stars in the sky by the spring, while Big Fool and Gong Qianxue kept a vigilant watch on the surroundings.

Suddenly, a rapid sound of air being torn, accompanied by several angry shouts filled with murderous intent, erupted from the Euphrates poplar forest on the other side of the oasis, breaking the tranquility.

In a clearing in the forest, a tall foreign woman with long, silvery hair as bright as moonlight and eyes as clear as the purest sapphires was being surrounded by over a dozen Jianghu figures brandishing strange weapons and exuding a fierce aura.

The woman was stunningly beautiful, her features as exquisite as the gods' most perfect creation, but her beautiful face was filled with coldness and vigilance, like ten thousand years of ice.

She held a vintage-looking emerald green staff in her hand. Every time she waved it, it could stir the surrounding plants, turning them into lethal vines that whipped wildly at those attacking her.

Her strength was immense; every gesture carried a power filled with the rhythm of nature, completely different from the martial arts of the Central Plains!

However, the group of Jianghu figures attacking her were no pushovers; among them were three Peak sixth-order experts!

The rest were also battle-hardened fifth-order experts.

They coordinated well, their attacks vicious, clearly having come specifically to hunt this woman down.

Although the woman was powerful, two fists cannot fight four hands. Under the relentless, tide-like siege of the opponents, the power within her was being rapidly consumed.

Her originally fluid movements began to become sluggish, and her breathing gradually grew rapid; she was clearly falling into a disadvantage.

"Demoness! Stop your desperate struggle!" a burly one-eyed man holding a ghost-head broadsword roared with a sinister grin. "Surrender obediently and come with us, and you might suffer less physical pain! Otherwise, don't blame my brothers for being ruthless to a flower!"

Upon hearing this, the silver-haired woman's blue eyes flashed with deep disgust and determination.

She said nothing, only driving the staff in her hand more frantically. Thicker vines, like dancing giant pythons, swept toward the one-eyed man!

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Brothers, all together now! The Church has promised a heavy reward. As long as we can capture her alive, we won't have to worry about food and drink for the rest of our lives!"

Upon hearing the word "Church," Gao Feng's eyes narrowed slightly.

He originally didn't want to meddle in other people's business; after all, Jianghu vendettas happened every day, and he was no savior—he couldn't manage it all.

However, since this matter involved the Taixi Church of Light that he found so incredibly disgusting, the nature of the situation was completely different.

Just as Gao Feng was pondering, Gong Qianxue beside him could no longer just watch.

"Bullying the few with the many—what kind of heroes are you!"

Gong Qianxue's cold, clear voice rang out in the forest like an oriole leaving the valley. She was naturally a person who hated evil, unable to stand such scenes of bullying.

Before her voice had even faded, the large bow in her hand had already been drawn into a perfect full moon!

"Swish!"

An arrow of energy without a tip, under the cold moonlight, traced a streak of light almost invisible to the naked eye. With the momentum of a thunderbolt, it arrived first despite being shot later, striking with absolute precision on the back of the one-eyed man's ghost-head broadsword just as he was about to slash down!

"Clang!"

A crisp sound of metal clashing suddenly rang out!

The one-eyed man only felt a terrifying, irresistible force surge from the blade, shattering the web between his thumb and index finger instantly, blood flowing freely!

His ghost-head broadsword, weighing over a hundred catties, could no longer be held. With a "clatter," it flew out of his hand and embedded itself deeply into a nearby Euphrates poplar tree!

This sudden arrow left everyone present in shock!

The group of Jianghu scum stopped their attacks, looking toward the direction from which the arrow had been shot with faces full of horror.

In the moonlight not far away, a woman wearing black tight-fitting clothes, with a slender figure and a veil covering her face, revealing only a pair of eyes as bright as cold stars, stood quietly holding a longbow, radiating a cold aura that kept others at a distance.

"Who are you? How dare you meddle in the business of the 'Thirteen Eagles of the Western Regions'! Are you tired of living?" the one-eyed man, clutching his bleeding hand, shouted with bravado.

Seeing that Gong Qianxue had already made a move, Gao Feng said calmly to Big Fool, who was already itching for a fight beside him: "Big Fool, go. End it quickly, and leave no survivors."

"Got it!"

Big Fool cracked that iconic big mouth of his, revealing a mouthful of stark white teeth. His mountain-like, burly body took just one step forward, and the entire ground shook violently!

He didn't even use any weapon, just strode forward like a heavy chariot charging, rushing fiercely toward the "Thirteen Eagles of the Western Regions," who were already scared pale.

"Seeking death!"

A Jianghu scum closest to him, seeing Big Fool charging empty-handed, flashed a vicious look in his eyes. He swung the mace in his hand with all his might, smashing it down hard toward Big Fool's head!

However, the scene that followed made everyone feel a trembling from the depths of their Soul!

Big Fool didn't dodge or evade; he didn't even glance at the whistling mace, just casually raised his left arm to block in front of him.

"Bang!"

A dull, heavy sound like striking leather!

That mace, crafted from refined steel and covered in sharp barbs, upon striking Big Fool's seemingly flesh-and-blood arm, felt as if it had struck a mountain forged from ten-thousand-year black iron!

The Jianghu scum felt an indescribable, terrifying force of recoil surge madly into his body along the shaft of the mace!

His arms were instantly shattered into compound fractures by this immense force!

And that incredibly hard mace, under this terrifying impact, was forcefully crushed into a strange "V" shape!

"Ah——!!!"

The shrill scream came to an abrupt end in that man's throat.

Because Big Fool's fan-like hand had already grabbed his head as easily as an eagle catching a chick.

"Crack!"

A crisp sound of bone breaking rang out.

That man's head, like a crushed watermelon, sprayed red and white everywhere!

This bloody and shocking scene instantly terrified the so-called "Thirteen Eagles of the Western Regions" until their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, their livers and gallbladders splitting in fear!

They finally realized what kind of terrifying existence they had provoked today!

"Run! Run quickly!"

The one-eyed man was the first to react. He let out a terrified shriek and turned to flee into the dark forest.

However, he had barely run two steps when a streak of light silently pierced his heart from behind.

In the face of Gong Qianxue's god-like archery and Big Fool's unreasonable, terrifying strength, the outcome of this so-called battle had been doomed from the start.

In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, those dozen or so "Thirteen Eagles of the Western Regions," who had run rampant and committed countless evils in the Western Regions, had all turned into cold corpses, lying scattered in a pool of blood.

After dealing with this group of Jianghu scum, Gao Feng slowly led Ye Chen out from the shadows.

He cast his gaze toward the silver-haired woman, who was still holding her staff, looking at them with a face full of vigilance.

"Miss, there is no need to panic; we mean no harm." Gao Feng said in as calm a tone as possible.

That silver-haired woman, who was Evelyn, swept her sapphire-like eyes back and forth across Gao Feng, Big Fool, and Gong Qianxue.

She could clearly feel that each of the three people before her possessed terrifying strength enough to crush her easily.

Especially the young man who looked the most ordinary, yet gave her a feeling of being as unfathomable as facing an endless abyss, made her feel a trembling from the depths of her Soul!

She tightened her grip on her staff and, in slightly stiff but very fluent Central Plains language, asked coldly: "Who are you? Why did you save me?"

Gao Feng smiled faintly and said: "Just seeing injustice and drawing a sword to help. But as for you, Miss, it seems you have been targeted by people from the Taixi Church of Light?"

Upon hearing the four words "Taixi Church of Light," Evelyn's body stiffened significantly, and the vigilance in her eyes grew even stronger.

"Are you also running dogs sent by the Church?"

Gao Feng couldn't help but laugh at this. He shook his head and said: "Miss, you have misunderstood. To tell you the truth, I am the master of this Eastern continent, the current Emperor of the Wu Dynasty, Gao Feng."

"As for that so-called god of light and his Church..." A flash of undisguised contempt and disgust crossed Gao Feng's eyes, "In my view, they are nothing more than a group of swindlers hiding in dark corners, pretending to be gods and ghosts."

Hearing Gao Feng's disrespectful words toward the "god of light," a look of astonishment finally appeared on Evelyn's cold face. Her attitude softened slightly because of this.

In the conversation that followed, Evelyn finally let go of her internal vigilance and told Gao Feng about her origins.

It turned out that, just as Gao Feng had guessed, she came from the distant Taixi Empire.

She belonged to an ancient Druid sect that worshipped the "Nature Goddess" and had a Legacy spanning thousands of years.

However, in the past hundred years, as the power of the Church of Light, which worshipped the "god of light," grew, their sects, which worshipped other deities, were labeled as "heretics" and suffered bloody and cruel persecution and cleansing by the "Inquisition" belonging to the Church.

Her people were almost completely slaughtered, and as the only Saintess of this generation of the Druid sect, in order to escape the pursuit of the Inquisition and to find hope for reviving the sect, she had to flee all the way east to this legendary and mysterious Eastern continent.

The bloody facts she recounted about the interior of the Taixi Empire—how the Church of Light used the name of the god of light to exercise dictatorship and cruelly persecute believers of other faiths—perfectly matched the intelligence Gu Shenwei had risked his life to bring back, and were even more detailed and specific.

This gave Gao Feng a clearer and even more repulsive understanding of that so-called "Church of Light."

After finishing her account, Evelyn stared intently at the Eastern Emperor before her with her blue eyes.

She discovered that while this man's eyes were filled with a domineering and majestic weight like mountains, they lacked the undisguised greed and desire found in the eyes of Taixi nobles.

In his eyes, she saw a grand demeanor that seemed capable of encompassing all things in heaven and earth.

A thought uncontrollably and wildly sprouted in her heart: perhaps... this powerful Eastern Empire would be the only and final hope for their Druid sect!

Thinking of this, Evelyn hesitated no longer. She put away the staff in her hand, slowly knelt on one knee before Gao Feng, placed her right hand over her chest, and performed the ancient, most solemn ritual of submission of the Druid sect.

"Great Eastern Emperor," her voice was cold yet firm, "Evelyn Moonwhisper, the last Saintess of the Druid sect, wishes to offer you my eternal loyalty."

"I wish to become the sharpest blade in your hand, to pierce the hypocritical heart of the Church of Light for you. I only implore you to find a place for my long-homeless kin to settle and thrive within your vast kingdom."

Gao Feng watched quietly as the exotic woman knelt before him, offering her loyalty. His deep eyes showed no ripple of emotion at her stunning beauty, nor was he ecstatic at her pledge of allegiance. All that remained was a calmness and depth, like a monarch surveying his own territory.

He slowly reached out and, with an irresistible, gentle force, helped Evelyn up from the ground. He spoke calmly: "I accept your loyalty. I can also promise you that within the territory of my Wu Dynasty, as long as you abide by our laws, I will carve out a piece of land for your Druid sect where you can thrive. There, you may worship your Nature Goddess, and no one will disturb you because of your faith."

"However," Gao Feng's tone shifted, his calm gaze seemingly able to pierce through the human heart, "I never make a losing deal. I have given you and your kin a place to settle, so what, in return, can you bring me?"

Upon hearing this, Evelyn felt no offense; instead, a sense of relief rose in her heart. An emperor who only spoke of interests was far more reliable than a hypocrite full of empty talk about benevolence and morality.

She straightened her supple waist, and with eyes like sapphires, met Gao Feng's gaze without fear. She replied in a voice full of confidence: "Respected Your Majesty, I may not be able to charge into battle for you. However, what I can bring you is what you currently need most—the most detailed and truthful intelligence about the Taixi Empire."

"I understand that Empire far better than any spy under your command. I know their social structure, their aristocratic classes, and their military organization. I know the intricate factional struggles within the Church of Light. I know what their so-called 'Holy Light' power actually is, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. I even know about that terrifying organization hidden in the deepest part of the Church of Light, known as the 'Inquisition'—their strongholds, their modus operandi, and the true strength of their Cardinals."

"I will become the most precise, invisible poisonous needle that you insert into the enemy's heart."

After hearing Evelyn's words, a satisfied smile finally appeared on Gao Feng's face. He nodded and said: "Very well. From today on, you are the 'Western Intelligence Advisor' of my Wu Dynasty and will temporarily stay by my side. As for your kin, you can find a way to bring them to the Anxi Protectorate of my dynasty, and I will order people to properly settle them there."

An Alliance concerning the future direction of two vast civilizations was quietly reached in this Populus euphratica forest, stained with blood and moonlight, in such an seemingly casual manner.

From then on, Gao Feng's small Dao-seeking team gained an exotic silver-haired Saintess.

Her addition added a touch of novelty to the originally somewhat dull journey.

Little Ye Chen was filled with endless curiosity about this silver-haired big sister who looked like she had walked out of a painting and was too beautiful to be real. He would always follow behind Evelyn, asking questions about everything.

"Sister Evelyn, why is your hair silver? Were you born like this?"

"Sister Evelyn, why are your eyes blue? They are as beautiful as the stars in the sky!"

"Sister Evelyn, was that an Immortal Spell you used just now to make those vines move? Is it more powerful than the sword techniques of our Heavenly Sword Sect?"

Facing this innocent and lively child, Evelyn's face, usually frozen year-round, would rarely melt into a gentle smile.

She would patiently answer Ye Chen's various strange and whimsical questions in her Central Plains language, which carried a hint of an exotic accent. Sometimes, she would even perform some harmless nature Spells, such as making a withered little flower bloom again or summoning a few beautiful little birds to land on Ye Chen's shoulder and sing, making the little guy giggle and laugh with joy.

Big Fool's attitude toward Evelyn was simple and direct. He had witnessed Evelyn's strength with his own eyes and knew she was someone personally approved by His Majesty the Emperor. In his simple mind, Evelyn was classified as "one of our own."

He was still responsible for finding delicious food every day, only now, whenever he found a whole roasted lamb, he would specifically save an extra lamb leg for Evelyn.

As for Gong Qianxue, as the only other female in the team, her attitude toward Evelyn was more complex.

On one hand, she sympathized with Evelyn's plight and felt a sense of empathy for her turbulent experiences.

But on the other hand, she instinctively harbored a faint sense of wariness and guard against Evelyn's innate, stunningly beautiful appearance, as well as the mysterious and powerful aura she possessed.

However, as the journey deepened, when she discovered that although Evelyn was cold on the outside, she was kind and pure on the inside, and that she always maintained the respectful yet distant boundary that a subordinate should have toward a monarch when dealing with Gao Feng, the guard in her heart gradually dissipated. The two would occasionally chat softly about some feminine topics.

For Gao Feng, the significance of Evelyn's joining was far more than just a "Western Intelligence Advisor."

In the subsequent journey, he spent most of his time in conversation with Evelyn.

Like a dry sponge, he frantically absorbed everything Evelyn recounted about that distant and unfamiliar Taixi Empire.

Evelyn held nothing back; she explained everything she knew to Gao Feng in minute detail.

From the Taixi Empire's deformed political structure where "imperial power" and "theocratic power" coexisted, but theocratic power vaguely loomed over imperial power; to their rigid, almost immobile, pyramid-like social hierarchy composed of kings, grand dukes, marquises, counts, viscounts, barons, knights, free men, and serfs; to their warfare model centered on heavy infantry phalanxes and heavy cavalry charges, as well as the unique "Temple Knight" order composed of fanatics who were unafraid of death.

Evelyn's account opened a brand-new window for Gao Feng, giving him an unprecedented, three-dimensional, and profound understanding of the enemy he was about to face.

However, compared to this macro-level intelligence, what interested Gao Feng even more was the unique power system Evelyn possessed, which she called "Natural Power."

On a clear afternoon, when they were resting in a valley with lush water and grass, Gao Feng finally opened his mouth to make his request to Evelyn.

"Evelyn, could you demonstrate this 'Natural Power' you speak of for me? I am very interested in this power that is different from martial arts."

Evelyn was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then nodded. She walked to a withered Populus euphratica tree in the center of the valley that had long since died from lack of water, and slowly closed her blue eyes.

She stretched out her slender, fair hands and gently placed them on the cracked tree trunk.

The next moment, a visible, soft, emerald-green light filled with the breath of life slowly radiated from her palms, quickly enveloping the entire withered tree as if it possessed its own life.

Everyone present held their breath, watching this magical scene quietly.

Under the shroud of that emerald-green light, the lifeless Populus euphratica tree began to undergo incredible changes at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Its cracked bark began to become moist and elastic again; its withered branches sprouted new, tender green buds; countless emerald-green leaves quickly grew from those buds, stretching their bodies toward the sunlight!

In just a few dozen breaths, a withered tree that had been dead for who knows how many years was miraculously brought back to life in Evelyn's hands, becoming lush, leafy, and full of vitality!

This miraculous scene left little Ye Chen dumbfounded. He couldn't help but reach out and rub his eyes, wondering if he was dreaming.