"Brother Ming! Move!" Yin cried.
As the spell was about to reach the young master, Yin stepped in between and used her body as a shield. Resulting the two youngster cultivators caught in a devastating blast.
They flung a dozen meters away and were unconscious in an instant. Fortunately, the damage was absorbed by the two so there's no fatal damage.
The priest was aware that the young couple were still alive. He charged the staff with his Qi to finish them once and for all.
"Hah… what a waste." He sighed in pity. "I am sorry, children. But this is the end of your journey, hahaha!"
'Ha! As I expected, thank you for the diversion kid.' Arthur grinned, his reverse suggestion that he gave to Yin worked flawlessly.
Arthur saw his opportunity when the priest lost his awareness of the surroundings. He slipped through into his [Spiritual Domain] as to completely diminished his presence.
He emerged from within the shadow and activated the [Soul Tethering] which gave him 75% of Xiaoqing's attributes.
Stab!
"What in the-"
The priest was confused at first as his chest was drenched with the warmness of his own blood.
It was Arthur's sword, he stabbed him in the back stealthily when the priest was too focused on the young couple.
"This is also the end of your career. O, Holy Priest."
Arthur thrusted his sword deeper into the priest's heart to ensure his victory.
No fancy words or monologues were needed. For him, killing a living being was akin to breathing the fresh air. There was no honor for the dead, only the victor shall write the history.
The priest vomited a mouthful of blood from his mouth as Arthur pulled the sword.
Surprisingly, the priest seems like wasn't in grief nor pain. He smiled, even when the grim reaper slowly approached. "Hah! You think you can kill me with such petty trick like this?!"
"Tartaros!"
The priest swung his staff to the air, he casted a healing spell for himself and schorched the surrounding with a blinding golden light. Even Arthur's sword was rendered useless due to the sheer heat of the spell.
"Burn! Hahaha!"
"Oh, shit!" Arthur jumped backward instinctively to avoid any fatal damage.
"Kkh! It feels like being showered by countless needles!" Arthur grimaced as the burning sensation onslougthed every inch of his skin.
However, his Blazing Skin skill that he got from the Chief Fire Boar nullified the burning effect of the spell.
"How- How you are not dead yet." The priest infuriated upon seeing the silver haired young man stood firmly amidst the smoldering ground.
"That's actually my line. I'm really surprised that you were still alive after I skewered your heart." Arthur used the Appraisals to identify what kind of trick that the priest used.
A few moments later, the system showed him a handful of information regarding the artifacts that the priest used.
"I see… If it's wasn't for that grimoire on your hand, you have already been dead all along. Other than that, you are but a mere mortal. No, just a trash even."
"You dare to mock me, lowly peasant!"
"Lowly 'this', Lowly 'that'. Really though… you think yourself is above all else? Is there any decent individuals left in this land whatsoever? You guys are really make me sick." Arthur says in disdain as he walking out casually from the smoke.
"AVRA!!!"
The priest lashed his wrath by shooting out a barrage of huge fire balls from his staff, hoping the silver white haired young man burned into ashes.
It was indeed quite a fierceful battle, however, Arthur was undaunted even in one bit.
With his [Soul Tethering] skill, he borrowed Xiaoqing's ability to sense any heat sources in the vicinity and also the agility of the beast serpent. Thus, Arthur flawlessly dodged the fire balls and parried the rest that he couldn't dodge.
"Time to end this fight. Arise… Xiaoqing."
A huge summoning circle glowed brilliantly on the ground and made the priest taken aback.
Soonly, a humongous beast serpent emerged from within the shadow. Towering over the terrified priest.
"A Beast Master-" The priest was in utter shock upon learning Arthur's true nature. "Heretic! Unforgiveable! Shall the Flame of Heavens burn your very soul!"
"Xiaoqing, don't kill him yet."
The serpent nodded once. With just a flick of her tail, Xiaoqing dashed onward and appeared in front of the priest in an instant despite her humongous size.
She bite the priest and tossed him up in the air. Lastly, she smacked him with her tail to the ground. A huge cobweb-like pattern was created upon the impact.
Xiaoqing only used not even a quarter of her full strength, but it was enough to crippled all priest's limbs.
"Kuh! Who are you?!"
"I am just a passerby who happened to have an aligned way with those kids and helping them in one way or another. I am sorry, but I'm taking this." Arthur took away the Heavenly Artifact from the priest's hand.
"Heh. A hero wanna be, eh? It reminds me of my younger days. But, I do see in your eyes, there is an unyielding resentment deep inside your soul that even the Holy Water itself can not quench your thirst for blood. Hehe, we do have something in common after all."
Arthur squatted in front of the priest, looking at him with a disdain. "Don't lump me with a trash like you!"
"Hehe! Call me all you like. You may defeat me but the Holy Church will never cease to hunt every heretic that prawling upon this land. Since you have revealed yourself, many will come after you, hehehe!"
"Yes? Is that everything you want to say? I am going to kill you right now." Arthur says, stepping on the priest's neck.
"WAIT!!!! Please don't kill me. I will just walk away and never mentioned yourself. I swear upon my Holy Light." The priest whining like a puppy.
"Oh… Really? That's so wonderful!" Arthur faked his excitement for a brief moment. "But too bad. I won't fall for such a petty trick."
Crack!
Arthur broke the priest's neck with just a flick of his ankle.
Arthur couldn't help but to shake his head. "What a sick maniac bastard."
Before long, Arthur took a glimpse of a shiny Bronze Spatial Ring on the priest's finger. He smiled mischievously as his old habit flashes in his mind.
Hence, he shamelessly took all the priest's belongings as his spoil of the battle. "Don't worry… I will use your goods for a better cause."
Arthur put the Spatial Ring on his finger, the golden staff and the grimoire get into the ring automatically.
It was his first direct encounter with a member of the Holy Church. He wondered, 'If the low rank lackey was already this maniacally sick. Then… what about the higher ups?'
Arthur shuddered in disdain even just to think of it.
"Master, can I have him? I am a bit hungry." Xiaoqing begged, with her mouth already drenched by salivas.
"Do as you wish."
Chomp!
Without further ado, Xiaoqing gobbled up the priest's body and shoved it down to her mouth in one gulp.
[Fire Viper just absorbed 1 Rare Beast Core!]
[Fire Viper received 5 Beast Points!]
[Fire Viper's Beast Point : 5]
"Good girl!" Arthur complimented.