Chapter 54: Phoenix Blade
"Rest easy, Holy Maiden. I made it to the end in the Valley of the Undead this time, and I entered the grand hall with Timothy. I think I know the most about what went on in the Mystic Realm and about Timothy."
Thalia, the leader of the Themyscira Sect, stood by, quite pleased with herself. She was really proud of her star pupil. "Hmm."
Holy Maiden Aeliana nodded slightly, her lips parting gently as she turned to Emily, "Tell me, did Timothy ever mention anything about Goddess Sylvia while you were in the Mystic Realm? Or did you feel that his connection with Goddess Sylvia was different from that of ordinary people?"
Emily shook her head, "I didn't spend much time with Timothy, and he never mentioned the goddess. But he seemed quite interested in the 'Uselessness of Spiritual Partners.'"
"Oh?" Holy Maiden Aeliana's expression shifted subtly, but she quickly masked it and continued, "Did you notice anything unusual about Timothy while you were in the Mystic Realm?"
"Unusual?"
Emily hesitated for a moment but then firmly responded, "Apart from his exceptional talent and rapid advancement in skills, I didn't find anything odd about him."
Holy Maiden Aeliana nodded, "One last question then. What do you think of Timothy as a person?"
At this, Emily fell silent.
After a moment, she pursed her lips, her gaze wandering.
Scenes of her time with Timothy flashed through her mind, throwing her thoughts into disarray, making it hard for her to focus.
Even being surrounded by disciples at the Sky Sanctuary, who repeated 'Uselessness of Spiritual Partners' over and over, almost made her thoughts of Timothy fade completely.
But her heart still pounded fiercely.
It seemed she had made a significant decision, and Emily shook her head, "I'm sorry, Holy Maiden, I'd rather not answer that question."
"Emily, you..."
"When the Holy Maiden asks you a question, you should answer truthfully. Is there something you're hiding?" Thalia suddenly seemed anxious.
She hadn't expected Emily to falter at such a moment.
Caught between the revered Holy Maiden and her own mentor who had personally chosen her as a direct disciple, Emily still bowed her head deeply, looking at the ground, her eyes indescribable, "I'm sorry, I can't answer."
Biting her lip, her resolve seemed firmer than ever.
"You!"
Thalia had never imagined that Emily, who had always made her so proud, would do something like this, and she was quite upset.
"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't," said Holy Maiden Aeliana, who then smiled gently, her smile as warm as the morning sun, "You must be tired from your journey to the Mystic Realm. You should rest now. Your sect leader and I will take our leave."
"Thank you, Holy Maiden." Emily nodded slightly in gratitude.
"But Holy Maiden..." Thalia started to say something more but was cut off by a look from Holy Maiden Aeliana.
After leaving Emily's room and walking some distance, Thalia spoke with a tone of deep regret, "I'm sorry, Holy Maiden. I don't know what got into my disciple today, acting so out of character. I'll make sure to discipline her properly once we return."
"It's alright,it's not her fault," Holy Maiden Aeliana said with a gentle smile and a shake of her head.
"Thank you, Holy Maiden."
After a moment of silence, Thalia, still curious, asked, "But Holy Maiden, why do you seem so interested in Timothy? Did you know about his exceptional talents before he entered the Mystic Realm?"
"Sort of," Holy Maiden Aeliana replied, looking off into the distance, her gaze filled with a mix of doubt and curiosity.
Her pale yellow dress fluttered in the wind, outlining her graceful figure.
In the breeze, she seemed as delicate and enchanting as a blooming flower.
"By the way, I'll be holding a grand ceremony at the Blooming Sanctuary soon. Remember to bring a few of your most beautiful female disciples to the event."
Turning back to Thalia, Holy Maiden Aeliana caught her off guard.
"A grand ceremony at the Blooming Sanctuary!"
Blooming Sanctuary held an exalted status even among the many ancient and mystical holy places. This ceremony would surely gather the top cultivators from all around!
...
Sky Sanctuary.
After a few days of a peaceful routine—eating, drinking, bathing, and diligent cultivation—Timothy ran his fingers over the Phoenix Blade resting on his lap.
Truly a treasure of Heavenly-level quality.
The phoenix carved into the blade seemed almost alive, as if it could take flight at any moment, transforming into a fire phoenix.
The blade's crimson body burned like flames, cold to the touch yet seemingly radiating a hidden heat.
However, Timothy could sense that the sword was missing something crucial, perhaps the reason why the Phoenix Blade was now only a remnant of its former Heavenly-level glory.
"System, what do I need to fix this sword?" Timothy thought to himself.
[Ding, system scanning]
[Name: Phoenix Blade]
[Grade: Heavenly-level remnant, critically damaged]
[Solution: Gather the spirits of fire from heaven and earth, infuse them into the blade to reforge its spirit and form]
Timothy frowned, "Sounds complicated."
[Ding, there is another option. The host can spend ten skill points to repair it directly.]
"..."
Timothy fell silent for a long while.
The system was straightforward and brutal.
But ten skill points were just too expensive.
He was already two skill points in debt, and failing to meet the system's deadlines would trigger penalties.
"Sigh, I really need to find a way to earn more skill points quickly," Timothy sighed.
Just then, he heard shouting from below the window: "Let me see Brother Timothy, I've truly fallen for Brother Timothy!"
"My heart belongs to Brother Timothy!"
"Brother Timothy, I love you!"
"What's all this fuss about now?"
Timothy opened the window and looked down to see a large group of female disciples gathered at the base of Sky Sanctuary.
"Who are all these people?" Timothy approached the main gate of Sky Sanctuary, asking the disciple guarding the entrance.
"Brother Timothy!" The gatekeeper's eyes lit up when he saw Timothy, his face breaking into a flattering smile. "What brings you here in person?"
"It's actually not a big deal. It's just that your dashing figure in the Mystic Realm of the three legendary Holy Emperors was accidentally captured by a Memory Orb."
"When the footage started spreading, it caused quite a stir."
"Now, any portrait of you, especially from your time in the Valley of the Undead, has sold out."
"These young female disciples gathered here are all hoping to get ahead of the curve and confess their feelings to you."
"Uh..." Timothy looked visibly embarrassed.
Curious, the gatekeeper asked, "Brother Timothy, are you planning to leave the mountain?"
"I was planning to leave," Timothy nodded.
But given the situation, it seemed it wouldn't be so easy to leave just yet.
"Don't worry, Brother Timothy, I have a way to help you leave."
The gatekeeper grinned ingratiatingly, "My family has passed down a very convenient disguise technique for generations. Once applied, even highly skilled cultivators can hardly see through it. I can use this technique to make you look less attractive, so you can leave the mountain freely."
"That sounds good," Timothy said, pleased with the solution. "But why make me look worse? Can't you make me look even more handsome?"
The gatekeeper laughed awkwardly, "Well... I'm sorry, Brother, but that's beyond my abilities."
"Because I honestly don't know how to make you look more handsome than you already are."
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