The maid gave in to temptation

Strax left the church and found himself face-to-face with Carlos. He greeted him silently, "Have a safe return," Carlos said, bowing. Strax nodded; he now had a valuable ally. With two Master-level Cultivators on his side, not to mention Xenovia, his strength had grown considerably.

He mounted Apocalypse and began riding through the city, resuming his normal route.

"Now... I need to increase my cultivation. Once I reach the next level and stabilize my strength, I'll start taking action... I need to focus on cultivation first. After that, I'll follow that damn voice from the Garden of Swords. Running away won't be an option then; I'll have to face the Academy... What happens after that, only God knows," Strax thought as he descended into the city, leaving the church behind.