The moment Fan Zhhuo finished speaking, the entire forest seemed to fall silent.
The flower spirits that had been singing among the treetops stopped their songs, and the ancient tree spirits all turned their gazes toward the man who dared to confront the Inquisitor directly.
They could all sense it—Lucien was angry.
“Are you telling me how to do things?” Lucien’s expression was as cold as millennia-old ice.
“I’m merely stating the facts,” Fan Zhuo stood his ground without flinching. “If you insist…”
“Enough!”
Old John finally lost his patience. He grabbed Fan Zhuo’s arm and lowered his voice urgently, “Kid, are you crazy? That’s Lord Valois—”
Lucien suddenly sheathed his long sword.
“Forget it,” he said coldly. “I didn’t come here to clean up this mess.”
He turned to Fan Zhuo, a complex gleam flashing in his ice-blue eyes.
“But Fan Zhuo, I have found something… interesting in you.”
Fan Zhuo’s heart tightened.
Found what?
“The sacred power within you is stronger than I expected,” Lucien said slowly, his voice carrying an indescribable tone. “Although its purity still needs improvement, the rate of growth… is very unusual.”
“I don’t understand what you mean,” Fan Zhuo feigned confusion.
“Don’t pretend,” Lucien stepped closer, so near that Fan Zhuo could smell a faint, lavender-like fragrance emanating from him.
“A month ago, you were just a trainee cleric, and now you’ve already reached the level of a priest. Even a genius couldn’t improve this fast.”
“Unless…” He paused, his gaze sharpening, “you have some special cultivation method.”
Fan Zhuo’s eye twitched slightly.
This guy’s perception was too sharp.
“I’m just… more diligent than others,” Fan Zhuo answered with a forced smile.
“Diligent?” Lucien sneered coldly. “Fine, since you’re so diligent, I’ll give you a chance.”
“What kind of chance?”
Lucien took a step forward. Fan Zhuo instinctively tried to retreat, but a massive tree blocked his way—there was no escape.
“One month.”
Lucien extended a long finger, the tip nearly touching Fan Zhuo’s chest. “I’m giving you one month to raise the sacred power within you to Bishop Level.”
“What?!” Fan Zhuo stopped dead in his tracks. “Bishop Level? You must be joking.”
Going from a priest to Bishop Level usually required years, even decades of grueling cultivation!
“I never joke,” Lucien said, his expression as serious as if reading out a death sentence. “If you can do it, I will recommend you to participate in the Female Pope’s healing work.”
“Female Pope?”
Fan Zhuo was stunned.
He didn’t even know the Mechanical Holy Art from his mentor! Having only crossed over three years ago, he hadn’t even scratched the surface of those complex Soulsteel Circuits and Life Extension Spells.
“Can’t my mentor continue the treatment?” Fan Zhuo asked cautiously.
Lucien’s face immediately turned ashen.
“That worthless Nolan?” He ground his teeth, his voice full of disgust and anger.
“The last operation only worsened the Female Pope’s condition! If it weren’t for his incompetence, she would have recovered long ago!”
Fan Zhuo’s heart sank.
It seemed his mentor Nolan’s situation was even worse than he thought.
“Moreover…” Lucien’s voice grew even colder, yet carried an almost reverent awe.
“The Female Pope is a sacred, untouchable existence. Not just anyone has the privilege to see her sacred visage. Nolan was granted the great honor of one meeting; there will absolutely never be a second chance.”
Female Pope… what kind of being is she?
She must be so beautiful—why does even a single glance require a “blessing”?
“What if I can’t do it?” Fan Zhuo asked.
A cruel, cold smile curled at the corner of Lucien’s mouth:
“Then you’ll remain in this prison forever. Of course, that’s if you’re still alive by then.”
A naked threat.
Fan Zhuo took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
One month, to ascend from priest to Bishop Level…
If he followed normal cultivation methods, this was an impossible task.
But…
Fan Zhuo’s gaze involuntarily swept over the beautiful fairy girls nearby.
If he used his “golden finger,” rapidly increasing his strength through “deep contact” with the monster girls…
Maybe… it really was possible?
Thinking this, Fan Zhuo felt his heart race.
One month to reach Bishop Level sacred power…
How many “charges” would that require?
How many different types of “power banks” would he need?
Fan Zhuo glanced at little Green beside him, the innocent tree spirit girl looking at him with worried eyes.
And the night cherry blossoms, Alfea, White Rabbit… and so many other monster girls in the prison…
Fan Zhuo felt his face flush.
If he really wanted to reach that level in one month, he probably had to…
“How about it?” Lucien urged. “Give me an answer.”
“I…” Fan Zhuo swallowed hard as countless scenes flashed through his mind.
“I accept.”
“Good.” Lucien nodded with satisfaction, finally showing the first genuine smile of the evening. “Then, starting tomorrow, focus entirely on cultivation. I will check your progress regularly.”
With that, he turned and left, leaving Fan Zhuo standing alone.
By the time Fan Zhuo returned to the prison, night had already fallen.
He followed Old John through the familiar corridors. So much had happened today; his mind was still a mess.
Reaching Bishop Level within a month… it was impossible not to be nervous. But if he failed, eternal imprisonment—or worse—awaited him.
“We’re here,” Old John said, pointing to the door ahead. “Rest well. Starting tomorrow, your days won’t be easy.”
Fan Zhuo nodded and was about to push the door open when something caught his attention.
“Wait.” He frowned. “Where does Lord Lucien live?”
“Right next door to you.” Old John replied casually. “Why?”
Fan Zhuo’s heart jumped violently.
Next door?!
He instinctively looked at the door beside his own, where a delicate silver plaque hung:
[Special Investigator Lucien de Valois]
Across the hall were two more doors, likely the residences of the two paladins.
In other words… every move he made was within Lucien’s watchful eyes?
Fan Zhuo felt cold sweat trickle down his back.
This was troublesome.
If he planned to “deeply interact” with the monster girls, wouldn’t he be easily discovered?
“What’s wrong? You look so pale,” Old John asked with concern.
“…Nothing,” Fan Zhuo forced a smile. “Just a little tired.”