Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level?-Chapter 87[Vol. 6] - Diverging Paths of Action

[Vol. 6] Chapter 87: Diverging Paths of Action

“Throughout history, countless renowned sects, governments, and the [Yin-Yang Division] have gathered their might to track and eliminate the [Apothecary].”

“But his movements are unpredictable. Even on the rare occasions when he’s surrounded, whether gravely wounded, pierced by countless arrows, hurled into a deep ravine, or even burned to ashes, he always reappears unharmed shortly thereafter. It’s as though no method can truly kill him.”

“Because of this, some who fear and respect him have given him another title… [The Immortal Apothecary Saint].”

Watching the apprehension in Ling Feng’s expression, Violet nodded silently.

*An unkillable [Apothecary]…* she thought. It sounded just like something out of an urban legend.

Unfortunately, it seemed he had long since left this place. Otherwise, she would have liked to confront him herself.

“Well, in that case—”

“Urgh…!”

Just as Violet was about to continue, a heavy groan echoed through the crypt.

Both she and Ling Feng turned their attention to see Second Brother Tian, his eyes wide and his body trembling. He was collapsing backward, his arms flailing as if trying to say something. But all he could manage were strange, wheezing noises, his limbs twitching as his pupils rolled back. It was as though he was on the verge of death.

“This isn’t good. It must be the [Apothecary]’s backup plan!” Ling Feng exclaimed, rushing forward without hesitation.

She pried open the Rat Spirit’s tightly clenched hands and discovered something shocking. On his knees, a pattern resembling a collar, eerily similar to the one that had appeared on Little Mole’s abdomen earlier, had silently emerged and snugly wrapped itself around him.

The pattern pulsed with a sinister light, tightening like a real noose, constricting Second Brother Tian’s breathing. Within moments, he was almost on the brink of death.

“Ahhh!”

“What… what’s happening?!”

“Help… me…”

As if a chain reaction had been triggered, the remaining members of the Mole Gang, both those who had surrendered and those unconscious on the ground, began showing similar collar-like patterns around their necks. These ominous marks tightened like the ropes of death itself, choking their airways. One by one, the demons collapsed to the ground, writhing and wailing in agony.

“What… what’s happening?!”

The sudden turn of events threw Little Mole into a panic. She had been trying her best to calm the other demons, but now chaos erupted. Although she herself was unharmed, thanks to the priestess’s earlier cleansing of the hidden poison in her body, her friends and family among the Mole Gang weren’t so lucky.

Ling Feng retrieved the talisman she had placed on Second Brother Tian’s knee and exchanged a grave look with the black-haired girl crouching beside her to assess the situation.

“The [Apothecary] truly lives up to his reputation,” Ling Feng muttered.

“He’s managed to modify the [Yokai-Suppressing Seal], turning it into this bizarre, new form.”

“It’s like a pre-installed trap buried inside their bodies. It lies dormant under normal circumstances, but the moment they perform some pre-set action, it triggers instantly, taking their lives and causing a chain reaction. What a lunatic…”

“He really does stick to his principle of ‘not actively killing,’ doesn’t he?” the priestess mused, nodding slightly.

“It seems the trigger was simply saying the name [Apothecary]. I have to admit, he’s a genius~”

“There’s a fine line between genius and madness,” Violet commented, her tone serious.

“This is a real headache. If it were just one or two cases, I could handle it. But for so many to activate all at once… Violet, do you have a plan?”

“Why do I feel like you’re treating me like some cheat-code miracle worker…?”

Violet sighed and shook her head in exasperation. Raising her hand, she summoned the [Eternal Scepter of the World’s Heart] into her grasp.

“Fine, fine. I have a feeling this will make quite a spectacle, but I did promise Little Mole I’d see this through properly. I’m not about to break my word.”

Pointing the holy staff toward the sky, she said, “[Radiance of the Holy Light]”

…………………………

Cangyun Mountains, Peach Blossom Peak.

Atop the mountain’s summit, nestled within a cloud-shrouded stone pavilion above a serene spiritual pool, a silver-haired girl in elegant robes lowered the teacup she had just raised.

Her calm, emotionless eyes shifted from the formation array before her to the distant horizon, where a faint flicker of light caught her attention.

From beneath the sea of clouds, a radiant golden light erupted into the sky. Even from the summit of Peach Blossom Peak, towering thousands of meters above the world, the light was vividly clear and its overwhelming brilliance unmistakable.

“This is…”

The pink-haired woman sitting opposite her, also dressed in a palace gown, turned her head with a gentle smile, the corners of her eyes curving with a playful elegance.

“What a pure light. Such an impressive technique. This must be someone above the [Eternal Life] realm, at least. I wonder what the visitor’s intentions are.”

“……”

After a moment of hesitation, the silver-haired girl shook her head and muttered.

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“That golden light shooting up into the sky… this is the second time.”

The woman smiled.

“Who do you think it is?”

“It’s hard to predict, but no matter what, the plan remains the same. I’ll depart immediately. The rest is up to you.”

“I see…”

Nodding, the woman picked up a chess piece and thoughtfully placed it in the center of the formation array before them. The piece caused a soft ripple of light to flow across the array as she smiled again.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to welcome the guests arriving. I’ve already informed everyone else, so now we just wait for their move.”

………………………….

“We’ve arrived, this is Peach Blossom Peak.”

About an hour later, among the endless, towering strange peaks, the middle-aged, who had been leading the group, stopped and turned to check on the varying figures behind him. After ensuring his supplies were in place, he spoke solemnly.

“As we move forward, we’ll be entering the mountain path of Peach Blossom Peak. While this area is one of the more open and safer regions of the Twelve Peaks of Cangyun Mountain, it is still far from an ordinary mountain range. Since I am one of the more experienced ones, let me share a few reminders. I hope everyone will keep these in mind.”

“First, please avoid intentionally damaging the flowers, plants, and trees along the way.”

“Second, if you encounter a spirit beast that you like, you may take it with you if the other party agrees, but be sure not to force or harm it. If you are found to have done so, the consequences will be very serious.”

“Third, avoid straying from the mountain path. You may encounter unexpected dangers if you do.”

After a pause, Murong Yun added,

“These three rules are the basic guidelines for normal visitors to Peach Blossom Peak. Our situation is a bit different, but it’s still better to be cautious.”

“Mm-hmm, got it, got it! Mr. Murong, you’re always so nagging, like an old lady~”

After teasing the middle-aged man in white for his usual fussing, Violet glanced around, noticing that there weren’t as many tourists as she had imagined. Looking at the small town’s scale, she thought there would be more people on the mountain path.

Murong Yun sighed and replied,

“Miss Violet, please don’t make fun of me. As for the tourists, it’s the off-season now, right after the end of the year. The weather is still very cold, especially up on the mountain. Many spirit beasts are hibernating, and due to the special location of Cangyun Mountain, it’s quite normal for there to be fewer travelers.”

Ling Feng added casually,

“Perhaps that’s why the thief from the [Yokai Controlling Sect] chose this time to make a move. After all, during the busy season, with so many people around, things tend to go wrong more easily.”

“That makes sense, but I don’t think they’d come up the mountain the proper way, right? Didn’t Second Brother Tian mention a tunnel? Do you think the tunnel might be dug upwards?”

As they chatted casually, the group arrived at the checkpoint to the mountain path.

Of course, the so-called “checkpoint” was just a name Violet had given it based on her memories from Earth, and it was actually just a watchtower.

Its job was to check the identification and registration of the incoming visitors. Once confirmed, they would collect a fee, give them some reminders about things to be aware of, and hand out emergency tools for contacting rescue services in case of an accident, one for each person.

The emergency tool was a peach blossom sealed in a container, something like a glass vial.

It was said that as long as the peach blossom was shattered within the Peach Blossom Peak range, the Peach Blossom Guards, who were responsible for maintaining order, would receive the signal and come to provide assistance.

However, doing so would mean the person would lose their right to stay on the mountain, making the emergency tool more of a last-resort measure.

This precaution also reflected the certain level of danger that existed on Peach Blossom Peak.