The Saintess's Former Blade

Albert led the way, with Kexi following behind, and Selina walking on Kexi's outside.

After turning two corners and making sure no one was around, Kexi breathed a sigh of relief and said in a low voice, "Thanks, Mr. Albert."

Albert didn't turn around, he just waved his hand. "No need to thank me."

"However," Albert turned and smiled at him, "Young Master Kexi, you've got some nerve. Coming to the vault with the Order poster on your head, do you think this is a market?"

Kexi grinned. "I had no choice. Jinhsi is still lying down, and I need the Bloodleaf Viburnum to heal her wounds and clear my name."

"Injustice?" Albert stopped and looked back at him.

"I was framed." Kexi's tone was firm. "Those guys from the Fractsidus made a fake to impersonate me, stabbed Jinhsi, and ran away. I didn't even lay a finger on Jinhsi."

Albert nodded, his expression unreadable. "I know your character."

Kexi felt a warmth in her heart and was about to say something touching when Albert added, "Everyone in Montelli knows you're just a spoiled brat who only knows how to write love letters. How could you possibly have the ability to assassinate the magistrate of Jinzhou?"

Kexi's face instantly darkened.

"Mr. Albert, that doesn't sound like a compliment to me."

"I was just praising you," Albert said, taking another step forward with a hint of a smile. "You're incompetent, so you're definitely not the murderer. That makes perfect sense."

Selina, standing nearby, couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Kexi turned her head and glared at her. She immediately wiped the smile off her face and put on an expression that said, "I didn't hear anything."

Albert led them through a narrow corridor, and after a while, he suddenly turned his head and asked, "So, what exactly do you want to take from the vault?"

"Bloodleaf Viburnum," Kexi said, "Two plants from the rare specimen collection."

Albert raised an eyebrow. "Bloodleaf Viburnum? That's a rare find; there are only a handful in the vault."

"I know. Baizhi said this stuff has a miraculous effect on people who have lost a lot of blood, Jinhsi just happens to need it."

Albert nodded, asked no further questions, and led them into a narrower passageway.

At the end of the corridor was a heavy metal door, next to which stood a terminal device.

Albert took out a card and inserted it, and the metal door slowly slid open to both sides.

Behind the door was a small storeroom, its lights much brighter than those in the corridor.

Rows of display shelves lined the wall, stacked with sealed glass jars containing various oddly colored medicinal herbs, minerals, and specimens.

Albert walked to the third shelf, reached down and took down two deep red glass jars from the top shelf. The jars were labeled and contained dark red leaves with veins that crisscrossed like blood vessels, gleaming with a dull luster under the light.

"Two Bloodleaf Viburnum." Albert handed over the jar. "Is that enough?"

Kexi took it, looked at it, and nodded. "That's enough."

He handed the jar to Selina, Selina took it carefully.

Kexi turned around and looked at Albert, her expression much more serious than before.

"Mr. Albert, I owe you a favor for what happened today. Once I've cleared my name, please don't hesitate to ask if you need any help."

Albert waved his hand. "No need for favors. You just need to cure the Magistrate Jin and have the arrest warrant withdrawn, then Montelli's business can return to normal. The treasury hasn't had any new business for three days in a row. If this continues, I'll be starving."

Don't worry, I'm even more anxious than you are.

Albert handed the two jars to Selina, clapped his hands, and said, "Alright, you've got the stuff. I'll see you out."

"No rush." Kexi didn't move.

Albert turned to look at him. "Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

"I need your help with something," Kexi said politely, a smile on her face.

"What's up?"

"Please turn around first."

Albert frowned, looking at him suspiciously. "Turn around? Why?"

You'll see when you turn around.

Albert hesitated for two seconds, then turned around, muttering, "What are you up to, you little rascal—"

Kexi raised her hand and delivered a swift chop to Albert's nape.

Albert collapsed, Kexi caught him.

Selina's eyes widened, and she nearly dropped the jar in her hand. "Young Master! What are you doing!"

"Let him sleep for a while." Kexi pulled the access card from Albert's pocket and waved it in front of him. "I'll borrow this card for a bit."

"Young Master, what are you doing?" Selina's voice was low, but the tension in her tone was no less. "There are Echo Guards everywhere here. Do you know how dangerous it is?"

"Know."

"Then you still--"

"Selina," Kexi interrupted her, "You take these two plants and Albert with you. Find a safe place to wait for me."

Selina was stunned. "You're not leaving?"

I have something else to take care of.

"What's up?"

Kexi did not answer.

Selina's face grew increasingly grim. "Young Master, what exactly do you want to do? Explain yourself!"

"I'm going to the Echo collection area."

"The Echo Collection Area?" Selina frowned. "What are you doing there?"

"I need to grab something."

What is that?

"A knife."

Selina paused for two seconds, then put the jar she was holding on the ground and said in a curt tone, "I'll go with you."

"No."

"Young Master--"

"Selina," Kexi stood up, looking her in the eyes, her expression much more serious than usual, "This matter could implicate you. I can't let you take that risk."

"I'm not afraid."

"I know you're not afraid." Kexi reached out and patted her shoulder, "But I can't. Listen to me, take your things and go with Albert first. I'll come find you after I've finished things here."

Selina's lips were pressed into a thin line, and her eyes were slightly red.

She stared at Kexi for several seconds, then took a deep breath, bent down, and picked up the jar again.

"Young master, please promise me one thing."

"You say."

Don't leave me.

Kexi understood what Selina meant.

What she actually meant was, "Don't die in there, you must come back alive," but she expressed it very subtly.

You truly are a master of sweet talk.

Kexi laughed, "Don't worry, I'll lose anyone but you. I'm tough as nails."

Selina didn't say anything more.

She supported Albert with one hand and held the jar with the other.

She took a few steps, then stopped and looked back at Kexi.

Kexi waved to her, and she bit her lip, turned her head, and quickened her pace.

Kexi watched her disappear around the corner before glancing down at the access card in her hand.

He put the card away and turned to leave.

Echo Collection Area.

Kexi used Albert's access card to pass through three security gates. When the last gate opened, a huge warehouse appeared in front of him.

The warehouse had a high ceiling, and rows of display shelves were neatly arranged, filled with various shapes of Echo.

Each item was labeled with its number, origin, and energy level.

Kexi glanced at them and saw that most of them were low-level samples, with energy reactions so weak that they were almost negligible.

But he didn't intend to pick and choose; he raised his hand and shouted in his mind.

"System, give it to me."

[Hint: Absorbable energy units detected. Initiating conversion--]

Aleph-1's power surged from his palm, transforming into a stream of red light that swept through the entire warehouse like a vacuum cleaner.

One by one, the Echo on the display shelf lit up, their frequencies extracted and flowing into Kexi's body along the red light stream.

The energy bar on the system panel began to jump.

Fifty-three thousand.

Fifty-six thousand.

Sixty thousand.

Sixty-four thousand.

Kexi watched the energy bar surge upwards, a wide grin spreading across her face.

Although the energy of each of these Echo is not high, their large number adds up to a considerable sum.

The light stream swept across most of the warehouse, and the energy bar finally stopped at 78,000 points.

We are still 22,000 short of 100,000.

Kexi withdrew her hand and stretched her wrist.

He turned his head and looked at the door at the deepest part of the warehouse.

The door was thicker and heavier than the surrounding display shelves, and a label on it read "Special Item, No. 007".

He walked over and swiped Albert's access card to open the door.

Behind the door was a separate small room, with lights shining down from above onto the display stand in the center.

A knife lay horizontally on the table. It had a long, slender blade, was entirely black, and had a dark red sheen at the edge. Dark strips of cloth were wrapped around the handle.

Kexi's eyes lit up when she saw the knife.

"I'm so glad to finally see you."

The sword used by Saint Fleurdelys at the Avinoleum Seminary, Tidal Rain, is said to still contain some of her power from before she was crowned a saint.

He reached out and picked up the knife, weighing it in his hand.

It was lighter than he had imagined, and it fit perfectly in his hand.

The dark red patterns on the blade shimmered slightly under the light, as if something was flowing within the blade.

[Hint: High-energy weapon detected. Absorb?]

"Absorb my ass." Kexi tucked the knife behind her back. "This is mine."

Just then, the vault alarm went off.

Holy crap! They even have insurance!