Saintess

As Quinn Shepherd traveled, he couldn't help but marvel—just in Lodo City alone, divine-ability users were countless. One could only imagine how many such experts existed throughout the entire Everpeace Empire.

Right now, the Imperial Preceptor of the Everpeace Empire couldn’t command all these forces, but if the opposition were wiped out or subdued, the empire’s overall strength wouldn’t be weakened at all—in fact, it would rise dramatically!

At last, he arrived in Yong Province. Unlike Lodo City, Yong appeared as a land of peace and prosperity—people living in comfort, thriving everywhere. As Quinn passed by a field, he saw several martial artists casting spells, channeling wind into blades to help farmers harvest drought rice.

Quinn stopped to watch. He noticed these martial artists were using arts from the Cult of the Heavenly Demon, manipulating wind to help several households finish harvesting. Once done, they went to settle accounts with the farmers.

One of the girls said, "Don’t dry the rice today—there’ll be rain by evening."

The farming families thanked them repeatedly.

The martial artists noticed Quinn standing by the field, watching them, and were curious. The girl approached, stopped a short distance away, and greeted him respectfully: "Senior brother, is there something you need?"

Quinn smiled warmly. "Are you from the Wind Hall?"

The girl was startled and didn’t dare reply. Quinn smiled, "I saw you using the Autumn Gale Ground-Skimming Art just now, so I had to ask. Was it the Wind Hall Master who taught you this move?"

The girl hesitated, then said, "It was Hall Master Ray Zhengyin of the Wind Hall."

They quickly asked for advice, and Quinn sat down by the field ridge, patiently explaining the intricacies of this move’s power circulation and fine control.

"This move has several variations—wind blades don’t always have to skim the ground."

Quinn performed Autumn Gale Ground-Skimming Art again, his fingers vibrating so the wind blades stood upright and attacked upward. He said, "Spell arts, sword techniques, and Battle Skills are all connected. Autumn Gale Ground-Skimming may be a spell, but it can be recast as sword technique or Battle Skill at any time."

He suddenly took out a Saber Pill, gave it a shake, and curved sabers flew out, executing Autumn Gale Ground-Skimming. The technique’s variations weren’t as subtle as pure spell-casting, but its power multiplied several times.

Quinn grabbed two scimitars, and saber-light surged as he spun them, sending saber-lights skimming the ground—also Autumn Gale Ground-Skimming, but even stronger than with the Saber Pill!

Quinn sheathed the sabers, and one by one they flew back, clanging into the Saber Pill.

He looked back and saw the boys and girls staring in astonishment.

Quinn smiled and asked, "Did you understand?"

A girl muttered, "How can a spell become saber technique or Battle Skill? Even Hall Master Ray can’t do that…"

Quinn encouraged, "Who says a spell must always be used as a spell? Using it as saber technique or Battle Skill is perfectly natural. When you practice spells, don’t be bound by convention or others’ experiences."

The boys and girls pondered his words.

Quinn explained the essence of the move several more times. Once they’d mastered it, he asked, "You don’t go to school? You’re all still young—why not attend primary school?"

A boy answered bitterly, "We’re poor—how could we afford school? We only earn a little during busy seasons. The Holy Cult teaches us spells, sword arts, and Battle Skills so we can make a living and not starve."

"I see."

Quinn reflected, then suddenly heard a familiar voice: "Good teaching, and good learning."

Quinn turned quickly, saw who spoke, and greeted them: "Patriarch. Enforcer Elder. When did you arrive?"

The youthful Patriarch had appeared nearby, accompanied by the Enforcer Elder. The elder smiled, "We’ve been here a while. Passing through, we saw you teaching spells and stopped to listen."

The Patriarch praised, "Giving you the Grand Fostering Heavenly Demon Sutra was absolutely the right choice. Others who learn it may only unlock one or two uses, but you’ve discovered so many. Excellent."

Quinn asked, puzzled, "Aren’t spells supposed to be used like this?"

The Patriarch laughed, "They should be. Previous Cult Masters were just too stupid to think of it. Let’s go."

Quinn agreed, and with Lina the Spirit Fox followed him toward Yong City.

"Oh! I forgot to ask who he is!" a girl exclaimed.

The boys and girls stared blankly as Quinn and the others walked away. A boy muttered, "He called that other youth Patriarch and the old man Enforcer Elder. So who could he be...?"

"His insight is even higher than Hall Master Ray’s. He must be a big figure in our Holy Cult!"

On the way, Quinn saw more Cult of the Heavenly Demon disciples using spells to dig channels, plow fields, or fly up to trees to pick fruit.

But most of their spells were incomplete—few had learned the full techniques.

This time, Quinn didn’t stop to teach them the complete spells. There were too many Heavenly Demon disciples, spread across the land, and teaching them all alone would take forever.

"There are especially many Holy Cult disciples in Yong Province."

The youthful Patriarch smiled, "What do you think of this scene?"

"Patriarch helped the Imperial Preceptor found universities and primary schools, but our Holy Cult disciples have nowhere to study. He remembered the world but forgot the cult."

Quinn shook his head, "Patriarch should build primary schools and universities within our cult so our disciples don’t fall behind the times."

The Patriarch smiled, "That’s the Cult Master’s job, not mine. Young Cult Master, this will be your responsibility from now on."

Quinn was stunned. "Why didn’t Cult Master Li do it forty years ago?"

"Cult Master Li was obsessed with women—entranced by the Cult Mistress, he had no room for the world in his eyes."

Quinn was speechless. So it all came back to Granny Sue; back then, Cult Master Li must have been utterly bewitched by her and missed the reform era.

By comparison, Dao Gate and Great Thunderclap Temple couldn’t adapt to the Imperial Preceptor’s reforms. Though they’re holy lands of orthodoxy and Buddhism, each master only teaches a handful of disciples.

The Cult of the Heavenly Demon is different—its halls are overseen by Hall Masters, who rarely teach disciples directly and only occasionally pass down techniques.

The Holy Cult could easily set up primary schools and universities within the cult. As for the Great Academy...

"Outstanding disciples can attend the Imperial Academy."

Quinn considered, "If I select outstanding disciples from our cult and send them to compete in the Imperial Academy exams, letting the academy nurture them—then the Holy Cult will surely thrive!"

The youthful Patriarch glanced at him and sighed, "If only you’d been born forty years earlier."

He led Quinn into the city, where crowds of citizens bustled about. Quinn wondered, "Is our Holy Cult’s headquarters really in the city? Isn’t that a bit conspicuous?"

The Patriarch led him to the City Lord’s Manor. Without announcing themselves, they entered; inside, many senior Heavenly Demon Cult members had already gathered: Hall Masters, Guardian Elders, Inspectors, Protectors, and Heavenly Kings.

When the Patriarch and Quinn entered, everyone rose to greet them.

Quinn returned the greeting. The Patriarch nodded and asked, "Is everyone here?"

A Guardian Elder replied, "The Cult Mistress and Saintess haven’t arrived yet, and King Qian is still missing."

The Patriarch nodded, "Then let’s wait a bit longer."

Soon, a sweet and seductive voice called out, "Quinn and Patriarch have arrived?"

Hearing this, Quinn felt his blood rush to his head. The other Hall Masters and Elders blushed, clearly excited, as if the voice belonged to their dream lover.

Even the Patriarch was distracted, his expression changing as he barked, "Sue Youyu, behave yourself!"

Granny Sue’s voice came from outside, "Spoilsport."

The Patriarch flew outside and shouted, "Why did you show your true face? You’ll turn the coronation into chaos… You should look as ugly as possible… It’s your foster child becoming Cult Master, and you want him smitten with you… That’s more like it. Get inside."

Quinn and the others inside breathed a sigh of relief. Several white-haired elders and Heavenly Kings wiped sweat from their brows and calmed themselves.

Outside, the Patriarch and Granny Sue entered. The old woman looked around, spotted Quinn, and smiled.

"Granny!"

Quinn hurried up to Granny Sue, took her hand, and whispered with a smile, "Granny, I know you were at the Imperial Academy. You never even changed your surname…"

Granny Sue was puzzled, "I never went to the Academy—I just watched you from afar. Besides, with the Patriarch there, I was never worried for your safety."

Quinn laughed, "Still pretending, Granny? I’ve already figured you out—you’re the one at the Imperial Academy, aren’t you?"

"The Saintess is here!" a loud voice announced suddenly.

Quinn was about to say Serena Yunxiang’s name when he saw her enter. Granny Sue whispered, "The Saintess and Cult Master were classmates—both admitted to the Imperial Academy together."