As the auctioneer's voice rang out, a seventh-level priest of the Church of Light who was passing through the city frowned. He hurriedly asked the person beside him, "What's the story with this auction item?"
The auction house employee accompanying him explained, "A down-on-his-luck nobleman who hasn't cultivated Battle Qi or magic, but whose body has reached level six."
"Are you interested, Priest?"
The priest of the Church of Light knew, of course, that Angel Descent required a sacrifice. A body that had reached level six on its own could summon a ninth-level angel. If the body was allowed to shatter, the summoned angel could briefly wield the power of the Saint Realm. That would make it a formidable fighting force for the Church!
Just as he was about to call out a bid, someone in the same private room had already shouted, "Eighty thousand gold coins."
In the private room opposite the Church of Light's, someone from the Dark Church was also lying low. They bid as well: "Eighty-five thousand."
At that point, the priest of the Church of Light had no choice but to invoke the Church's name. He called out, "The Church of Light bids one hundred thousand gold coins!"
Upon hearing the voice from Private Room One, the people from the Dark Church stopped bidding.
"Leader, what do we do now?"
The Dark Church's man in charge gave a cold snort. He knew that they were in the Bright Empire's territory. Though this wasn't the heart of the Empire, they could still infiltrate the area. But their forces were limited, and they couldn't match the Church of Light fighting on home ground.
Knowing they couldn't let the Church of Light obtain a level-six body so easily, he said, "Go get in touch with them."
His subordinate glanced at the leader and understood. Their only option now was to join forces with other enemies of the Church of Light!
At the same time, a nobleman in one of the private rooms told his attendant, "Send word about this."
Before long, the Divine Beast Sect's spy network in the city also learned that a level-six body had appeared. They had long been secretly battling both the Church of Light and the Dark Church, and knew full well that both sects could perform Angel Descent.
"Leader, we just received word from our informant. A warrior whose body alone has reached level six has appeared at the auction!"
The Divine Beast Sect member who had been reading looked up at his subordinate and asked seriously, "Is the information reliable?"
"Absolutely!"
Just then, another subordinate hurried in. He glanced at the one still giving his report and stood to the side without speaking. The Divine Beast Sect member who had been reading said to the subordinate who had finished reporting, "You may go."
After the first subordinate left, the newcomer said, "Leader, the Dark Court sent word. The Church of Light won a level-six body at the auction."
"Understood."
Once all his subordinates had left, the young Divine Beast Sect member closed his book and stood up.
"For the glory of the Divine Beast Sect, there's no harm in working with the Dark Court this once."
He sent all his informants out. This was the Church of Light's sphere of influence, and they were at a disadvantage. Their only chance to act was along the route taken by the group heading to the Bright Empire's Holy Capital.
The city was near the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Heading north would take them into the range, while heading west would lead into territory controlled by the Bright Empire. The Divine Beast Sect controlled the south, and the Dark Court controlled the land east of the Magic Beast Mountain Range.
The Divine Beast Sect members therefore assumed that the people from the Church of Light would most likely travel west by land to the Bright Empire's Holy Capital. The leader asked the subordinate who had just come in, "Have you found out?"
"Someone took a boat downstream."
The young man who had been reading furrowed his brow. Heading downstream made no sense. The river's lower reaches were controlled by the Divine Beast Court. Why would they abandon the shorter route for a longer one?
Sure enough, a little while later, he heard another report from his subordinate. Someone else had taken a prisoner cart out through the west gate and headed west by land.
"What about the people from the Dark Court?"
"They went after that group."
The young man paced back and forth in the room. After a moment, he asked, "Has anyone else set out?"
"No."
After giving his report, the subordinate looked at the indecisive leader and asked, "Leader, which route should we take?"
"Wait a little longer!"
An hour later, another group secretly carried the unconscious Matthews, a young level-six mage, onto a boat and headed downstream.
"Leader, just as you predicted. Another group just took a boat downstream!"
"Hmph. What a pack of hypocrites and schemers. After them!"
Half a day later, Matthews slowly awoke. Looking at his bound hands and feet, he realized he'd been sold. Just then, a young man beside him spoke: "Hey, you're awake."
Matthews understood him and nodded. Hadn't this young man been bought by a noblewoman? Why was he here too?
Matthews discreetly looked around. There was no one guarding them. His hands and feet were still bound, and the young man was locked in a cage. Matthews no longer felt like continuing the conversation. He didn't know much of the language spoken in this world, and talking to the young man wouldn't get him any useful information. It was better to save his strength and plan an escape.
Aboard the boat traveling downstream, the seventh-level priest of the Church of Light who had bought Matthews was drinking tea. He knew there were spies from the Divine Beast Sect and the Dark Court in the city, and they would certainly try to sabotage the transport of a body that could summon a ninth-level angel.
So he had sent out several decoy groups in advance and chosen the downstream route, which seemed the least safe. They would disembark partway through the journey and continue by land, where others would meet them.
He had brought only a sixth-level warrior and two fifth-level warriors with him. A small group would attract less attention and be harder to spot.
Just as they thought they were safe, someone caught up with them.
At their head was the young leader of the Divine Beast Sect, a seventh-level warrior. He swung his blade straight at the boat. The strike forced it to a halt.
Then a nearby Water Element mage unleashed a spell he had been charging for some time.
"Ice Seal of a Thousand Miles!"
In an instant, layer upon layer of ice spread along the river toward the boat.
With the boat already damaged, the spreading ice brought it to a stop in the river, whose current was not particularly strong.
"What's going on?"
The priest of the Church of Light had been meditating when the boat shook from the young leader of the Divine Beast Sect's attack. By the time he reached the bow, the river had frozen over, and members of the Divine Beast Sect were charging toward the boat across the ice.
"Dance of the Fire Serpent—"
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