Chapter 111 - Rebirth by Fire

"Just give it up, with your measly third-tier power, which Church believer here isn't stronger than you?"

I snorted. Fortunately, Cysper has been the Pope for thousands of years and has enough tolerance, merely waving his hand dismissively without giving her too much trouble.

"Will you all go to Crescent City as originally planned next?" 

Emerging from the tent, Adrian suddenly asked me after some thought.

"That's definitely the plan. Our original destination was the Sage Council anyway, and I promised to rendezvous with Nicola there..."

I nodded without hesitation in response.

"Go to Crescent City? Sounds good, we can travel together!"

With her sharp ears, Judith immediately perked up at those words, her previous indignant look replaced by excitement at the suggestion.

"I don't mind, but weren't you just ranting about absolutely not staying in the tents provided by the True Church, insisting to head down the mountain alone first?"

I glanced at her coolly. Night has already fallen - I definitely didn't want to descend in the dark, not when accommodation was available here. How foolish would that be?

"Hehe, those were just words spoken in the heat of the moment, thanks to that Saint Angel Cyra almost killing me! Since we're all going together, no need to rush anymore right?"

Of course, Judith wasn't dumb either. Hearing this, she immediately backtracked and shamelessly dragged Mike to personally pick her lodging.

Mike hesitated with an awkward look before finally nodding in agreement. He then quietly instructed Ron to stay with us while he went ahead with Judith first.

"What about you...?"

I was about to ask Adrian his plans when Yulanda walked over, looking utterly distraught and lost.

Everyone quickly asked about Vivianne's situation. Due to her emotional entanglement with Brennan being exposed earlier, Yulanda hadn't participated in our discussion with Cysper. But because of her position, she didn't join Brennan in chasing after Vivianne either, wandering off alone.

"Vivianne is fine, resting in a tent prepared for her. But Brennan stayed behind to keep her company..."

Yulanda looked on the verge of tears as she responded. Hearing that, we understood immediately. But there was nothing to be done - this was the typical development in a love triangle plotline after all. It could only elicit sighs.

That said, this was another world after all. Rumor had it that polygamy was permitted in the Astralrealm Kingdom. So could the three of them eventually...?

Now that would be rather exciting!

"Why fixate on one when the world is full of beauties? Just like this old guy here... Ouch!"

Cyra suddenly chimed in with that inappropriate comment. Before she could finish, I immediately kicked her.

"What was that for?!"

"Will you die if you don't speak?" I snapped back. She still dared to ask? Fortunately, Yulanda didn't seem to catch her words, but Adrian did glance at Cyra with some surprise.

"Your angel friend who shares the name 'Cyra' has quite the peculiar way of referring to herself. Is she always like this?"

"Haha..."

My heart skipped a beat as I hurriedly tried to explain.

"She's summoned newborn angel like me, so her inborn personality is rather unrestrained. Don't mind her too much!"

I deliberately stressed the words 'summoned newborn angel' to remind him of our origins - we had no parents! In the past, I wouldn't have felt so anxious. But ever since that incident where the God of Light invaded my soul's memories, I've been apprehensive, worried Adrian might suspect my identity.

After all, my form in my soul realm was that of a human boy. Wouldn't he find that strange if he saw it? Yet he never reacted or asked me about it, even after leaving the mountain cave until now.

Could it be that I'm just overthinking everything, and Adrian simply never made that connection? But that would be too ridiculous. Now I have no idea what his attitude toward me is or if he looks down on me...

This uncertainty filled me with apprehension and inner turmoil.

"Of course not, I was just curious."

Fortunately, Adrian didn't seem to think much of it, merely scratching his head contemplatively for a moment before dropping the subject.

"Um...since Feliciana is here, those True Church people are preparing to leave and asked me to consult you!"

Seeing me, Yulanda seemed to recall something and spoke up.

"About that phoenix sleeping at the cave entrance, it hasn't woken up at all. Do you know what happened?"

"Really? But Feliciana said it would just sleep for two or three days, right?"

Cyra immediately expressed her doubts before realizing, "Oh right, it's definitely been way longer than three days..."

"Shall we go take a look?"

I inwardly felt bad, having witnessed the effects of light corruption on humans in the trial space. Of course I knew what the problem was.

"What's strange is that the light elements in this phoenix's body isn't excessive at all. So why hasn't it woken up for so many days?"

When we approached the female phoenix, Ron went ahead to examine its condition first before turning to me with a puzzled look.

"Well, about that..."

Unsure how to explain, I went over to the phoenix's head to sense it again myself, feeling a chill run down my spine.

"It's probably because I used a high-level sleep spell directly on its head back then..."

I had no choice but to admit sheepishly. 

Cysper's fighting style involves using low-cost, low-level sleep spells to hypnotize and subdue enemies quickly. But his light element reserves couldn't handle a phoenix's massive body, so he called me for assistance.

As a six-winged angel, I had no such limitations and directly used a high-cost, high-level hypnosis spell, recklessly pumping in three days' worth of light element energy all at once.

That amount was negligible for a phoenix's overall size. But the problem was that like Cysper, I targeted its head too. The massive light influx converged there, resulting in brain death - rendering it effectively comatose.

"So excessive light elements can have this effect?"

This was Cyra's first experience with the side effects. With great curiosity, she went over to examine the brain-dead phoenix - something none had witnessed before. It was still breathing but would never wake again.

"The image of a female phoenix carries significant symbolism for the Cresthaven Papal Dominion. If it dies like this, the male phoenix may not stay either."

A Church believer spoke up worriedly. He wanted to voice complaints but was deterred by my status.

"Hey, Feliciana! There you are!"

As we discussed what to do next - whether to leave the 'deceased' phoenix here or transport it back to the Holy City first - Judith and Mike suddenly approached, probably having chosen their lodgings.

"Judith, you're just in time! This phoenix is done for, but I remember there's a way to save it..."

Adrian's eyes lit up as he gestured for her to come over. But before he could finish, Judith excitedly rushed forward.

"How did I miss such a huge phoenix just lying at the entrance earlier? Weren't we at Sulide Volcanic to study and observe it in the first place?"

"Do you know what to do then? Is some healing spell required?" 

I was out of ideas. Even if I used a mana absorption array to drain all the excess light from its brain, the damage was irreversible. I was considering trying a water-based healing spell, but only knew the most basic level, not knowing if it would work.

"No need for all that trouble!"

To my surprise, Judith dismissed my concerns and instructed the Church believers to start a massive bonfire nearby.

"Heh, did you all forget the phoenix's physiological trait? The legendary undying bird?"

"Oh, rebirth by fire!"

Not just me, even Cyra immediately understood, as we eagerly watched Judith's process with great curiosity. 

Well, it wasn't anything too fancy! In a rather straightforward manner, Judith had the group lift the phoenix and place it on the pyre to let it roast. Those unaware probably thought we were preparing phoenix barbecue for dinner!

As the phoenix's crimson feathers met the raging flames, they immediately ignited and rapidly spread across its body until it was fully engulfed.

"If our wings encountered these flames, would the same happen to us?"

Seeing the sight before her, Cyra seemed a bit unnerved. She glanced at my back but noticed nothing.

"Eh? You retracted your wings?"