High Priest Breaks Through

Along the banks of the Yulan River, the scenery on both sides was beautiful and pleasing to the eye.

The people aboard the ship seemed to have grown bored and were looking for some other entertainment.

Hearing that someone wanted to issue a challenge, they all gathered around.

"Oh? You want to steal my women? Are you sure?"

Olivier looked curiously at this fellow. Broad and brawny, he was said to be the descendant of a major Yulan Empire clan. His name was Stani, and he had gone to O'Brien Warrior Academy to study before returning home. Earlier, he had expressed his affection for Sophie and Jessica.

Olivier was not angry. With his strength, something like this merely added a little amusement to the journey.

"What? Scared? A pretty boy like you doesn't deserve Sophie and Jessica."

Stani said arrogantly.

Quite a few people had been attentive toward Sophie and Jessica along the way, yet Olivier had never interfered. Even the fist technique he practiced looked soft and feeble, making everyone feel that he was somewhat weak.

"My lord, I'm so scared. You have to protect us."

Sophie pretended to be frightened as she clung to Olivier's hand and acted coquettishly, though there was not the slightest trace of fear on her face.

Sophie was lively and independent. Having spent a long time with Olivier, she had developed an understanding with him and could tell that he wanted to tease someone, so she joined in the fun.

"Heh, this is the first time someone has dared to steal what's mine." Olivier enjoyed having the beauties nestled against him on either side as he spoke calmly. Though he was not angry, he had no desire for there to be a second time.

"In that case, go cool your head in the Yulan River."

With a wave of his hand, there was no visible movement, yet Stani had already flown out and fallen into the Yulan River.

The people aboard the ship were either rich or noble, so naturally their strength was not weak. There were quite a few at the seventh or eighth rank, and four or five at the ninth rank. Yet almost no one could see clearly how Stani had been thrown into the Yulan River.

"A Saint-level expert."

Several ninth-rank experts guessed as much. Though they had not seen what happened, they knew that a ninth-rank warrior absolutely could not have done it.

"The Yulan River's scenery is beautiful enough that one cannot bear to spoil it. I do not wish for something like this to happen a second time."

Olivier coldly swept his gaze over those who had been currying favor with Sophie and Jessica. The aura of a Saint-level expert flashed past and vanished.

From then on, no one dared show attentiveness toward Sophie and Jessica again.

The next morning.

Olivier finished cultivating.

"I can faintly sense fluctuations of the Profundity of Light Element and the Profundity of Darkness Element. You cultivate two completely opposing elements at once. Are you Olivier?" The masked woman had not left and finally spoke.

Whenever Olivier practiced Taiji Fist, he was also comprehending the Darkness Elemental Profundity and the Profundity of Light Element. This always caused faint elemental fluctuations, though those who had not comprehended profound mysteries could barely sense them.

"A mask means you should be beautiful. You're also very strong. I'm curious who you are."

Olivier neither admitted nor denied it.

There were only a handful of female experts on the Yulan Continent. Olivier did not know much about the Yulan Empire's Saint-level experts. Judging by her aloof manner, perhaps she was an unknown recluse who had been cultivating in seclusion.

"Why don't you guess?"

The masked woman seemed to be in a good mood when she saw Olivier's curiosity.

"What Law do you cultivate?"

Olivier asked again.

"You have to give me some clues."

Seeing that the masked woman remained silent, Olivier continued.

"Life."

"Are you the High Priest's disciple?"

Olivier remembered that the High Priest liked to wear a mask and cultivated the Life Law. His first thought was that she was the High Priest's disciple.

The masked woman neither confirmed nor denied it. Like Olivier, she treated silence as an admission.

"With your strength, what use is that cultivation method to you?"

The masked woman asked.

Saint-level experts, especially those who had comprehended the profound mysteries of Laws, cultivated for ten days, half a month, or even years at a time. She was very curious what benefit such a short period of cultivation each day could bring.

"Must I only do something if it benefits cultivation?" Olivier countered.

In truth, on the Yulan Continent, where strength was supreme, many Saints cultivated bitterly, while many below the Saint level desperately sought breakthroughs. Naturally, the masked woman found it difficult to understand his actions.

Not to mention that Taiji Fist was vast and profound and helped with the Laws of light and darkness, the fact that he felt refreshed and clear-minded after every session was enough for Olivier to persist.

He thought of the elderly ladies who danced in public squares in his previous life.

"You can think of me as an ordinary civilian with no strength, simply exercising. It's a way of life, or perhaps a form of entertainment."

"In the morning when all things awaken, life is vibrant. Persisting in my fist practice leaves me refreshed and clear-minded. The true meaning of life lies in this very moment."

Olivier spoke with great enjoyment. At that moment, he seemed able to breathe alongside all things and merge with heaven and earth.

With a tranquil and empty heart, one could naturally sense more.

The masked woman was influenced by Olivier, by the tranquility and clarity of his state of mind, and entered a state of harmony with nature.

In Sophie and Jessica's words, Olivier was like a magnet at that moment. He could draw in one's soul, lead one to experience nature's vitality and beauty, and radiate boundless charm. This was when he attracted them the most.

Everyone possessed the power to influence others and personal charm. The stronger one's soul and the firmer one's heart, the more capable one was of influencing others.

The masked woman was involuntarily drawn in, following Olivier's state as she explored the vitality of heaven, earth, and all things, as well as nature's beauty.

Her soul felt immensely joyful. As she sensed the Laws between heaven and earth, she naturally comprehended many mysteries of the Life Law.

A primordial, ancient power that shook the soul suddenly descended. It completely enveloped her, and the surrounding space twisted.

It isolated the masked woman from the other areas. Her entire body actually began to float.

Olivier was no stranger to this power. It was precisely the force that had descended when Rutherford became a god, except the power descending now was clearly much stronger than before.

This power would not harm the people nearby, but everyone aboard the ship, even those far from the shore, sensed it.

"That mysterious woman is actually a Saint-level expert." Ordinary people only knew that Saint-level experts could stand in midair.

"Could this be the legendary ascension to godhood?" A powerful ninth-rank expert, whose clan had Saint-level experts, had heard descriptions of becoming a god and cried out in shock.

This exclamation drew many people's attention. They knew this ninth-rank expert's identity and trusted his knowledge.

"Ah, I can actually witness the birth of a god. I have no regrets now." Another ninth-rank expert said excitedly.

"She wears a mask just like the High Priest. Could she be the High Priest's disciple? Does our Yulan Empire now have two gods?"

Someone else spoke.

The people aboard the ship cried out and discussed it among themselves, but their eyes remained fixed on the masked beauty in the sky, afraid of missing a splendid moment.

At the same time.

At the foot of War God Mountain in the O'Brien Empire.

"Catherine, you finally broke through, while I..." The War God felt regret and helplessness in his heart.

Within the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

"Catherine broke through. She actually got ahead of me." Dylin had already reached the peak of the lower god level and felt that he could break through at any moment.

On the Arctic Ice Plain.

"Has Lady Catherine broken through to become a middle god?" Rutherford had visited several gods after becoming one himself and had met Catherine.

At some luxurious location on the Yulan Continent, Cesar held two beauties in his arms.

"Lady Catherine, I only just broke through to become a lower god. How did you immediately break through to become a middle god?" Cesar had originally been at the peak among the several gods of the Yulan Continent, excluding Beirut. Now he had fallen to the second tier, which left him somewhat dissatisfied.

In the Dark Forest, Beirut sensed it and smiled faintly.

"A middle god? So it's Catherine. Interesting."

Olivier discovered that this was not a Saint-level expert becoming a god, but a lower god breaking through to become a middle god. Since she cultivated the Life Law, she had to be Catherine, the High Priest of the Yulan Empire.

"My lord, sh-she became a god?"

Sophie and Jessica asked Olivier in shock, their minds still somewhat dazed. This was far too distant from their world.

Olivier said nothing and merely nodded.

A green crystal appeared within Catherine's body. This was Catherine's divine spark, radiating a powerful aura. The crystal was slowly transformed by the power of heaven and earth, becoming increasingly powerful until it underwent a qualitative transformation and reached the middle god level. At the same time, her body was transformed to the middle god level as well.

"Could Catherine have become a god within her body?"

Olivier remembered that the original story had never mentioned whether Catherine had a main body and a divine avatar. Seeing this, he guessed that she did. Of course, it was also possible that her main body and divine avatar were not together.

Once the advancement was complete, that primordial, ancient power that shook the soul quickly receded and disappeared.

Catherine also returned to the ship.

No one aboard the ship even dared breathe too loudly. This was a true god.

"Olivier pays respects to the High Priest. Congratulations on your breakthrough."

Catherine swept her gaze around before turning it toward Olivier. Olivier felt that it was necessary to show proper respect, so he gave a slight bow.

Catherine did not deny it. Once the people around them heard this, they realized that the woman before them was the High Priest, guardian deity of the Yulan Empire. They all fell to their knees and shouted, including the sisters Sophie and Jessica.

"We pay respects to the High Priest. Congratulations on your breakthrough."

Catherine said nothing. A gentle force lifted everyone up.

At the same time, a force wrapped around Olivier, Sophie, and Jessica. They transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the sky, leaving behind the crowd, who had yet to recover their senses.

"This is kidnapping."

Catherine took Olivier and the two women to the High Priest's residence in the imperial capital of the Yulan Empire before long. It was an ancient Magic Tower, a simple, timeworn, and elegant structure.

Olivier was somewhat displeased. Although he had gotten a free ride, she had brought him to the Yulan Empire's imperial capital without asking his permission.

He also knew that he had just helped Catherine break through to the middle god level, so she should be in a very good mood.

At the same time, this High Priest was rather kind. According to the story's development, she later went to the Life Realm because she believed it was more peaceful, its people kinder, and slaughter rarer. This showed her character.

So she probably would not make things difficult for him.

"Countless people would love the chance to come here, yet you're unwilling?"

Catherine was in a good mood. Her voice was no longer so cold and instead carried a touch of feminine warmth.

Olivier had actually been able to lead her into comprehending the Life Law. In her eyes, he was an invaluable treasure, and naturally she could not let him go. So, struck by inspiration, she had simply kidnapped Olivier and brought him here.