The robust knight who followed leapt down from his thunder horse, and a sharp, slender rapier silently slid from beneath his cloak. Before the surrounding knights could even make out the faint blur of the blade, the corpse lying face-up on the ground already had a small slit cut into the armor on its chest. After a careful inspection, the robust knight solemnly said, “My lord, this fellow truly had wood-elemental enhancement magic for protection, and it had reached a rather high level. If it weren’t for the cycad wood arrow, I’m afraid it would have been difficult to break through his protective magic.”

The robust knight was filled with admiration. Just moments ago, he had thought that the commander’s use of the sacred cycad wood arrow was overkill, but that notion was instantly dispelled. The thief lying dead on the ground still had skin that felt incredibly tough to his blade, which could only mean that this man’s wood-elemental hardening magic had reached a masterful level. Unfortunately for him, he encountered the cycad wood arrow, and it was fired by the commander himself, infused with holy energy—enough to pierce through anything in its path, be it armor or magic.

“All right, Evelyn is here. Let him take a look, and our task will be considered complete.” Without further words, the middle-aged knight seemed somewhat weary, his gaze falling on the riders galloping in from afar. He had sent word to them at the first opportunity; they were coming to verify the results.

Before the majestic thunder horses even arrived, the leading figure floated down from horseback without moving a muscle. The exquisite land-flight technique left the knights wide-eyed in amazement, nearly dropping their eyeballs to the ground as they couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

As if he hadn’t heard the knights’ praise at all, the figure who had flown over landed directly beside the small pit. With just a glance to confirm, he gave an almost imperceptible nod to the middle-aged knight. A strange sound, as if from the nasal cavity, came from within the figure shrouded tightly in a large cloak: “Very good, it’s him. Commander, your task is complete. On behalf of the Archbishop, I extend our sincerest thanks to you and your knights.”

“You’re welcome, Lord Evelyn. Please convey my regards to the Archbishop, and pass along our loyal blessings.” The middle-aged knight had already dismounted, politely placing his hand over his heart and bowing. The arrogance on his face had long since vanished, replaced by a warm smile. The other knights also dismounted, respectfully standing behind their commander and saluting courteously. In the presence of an Inquisitor from the Holy See, none dared show the slightest disrespect or irreverence.

Chapter Two: The Art of Deception

As if suddenly sensing something, the figure wrapped tightly in a cloak, leaving only a pair of bright eyes exposed, suddenly cast his gaze toward the woods not far behind the knights. It was a shadowy oak grove, with some unknown vines faintly visible, coiling around the tall trunks of the oaks, clawing and twisting, exuding a strange aura. Even under such brilliant sunlight, the gloom and eeriness of the woods could still be felt.

The sensitive middle-aged knight also sensed the corrupt stench emanating from deep within the woods—a scent unique to undead creatures. For these knights of the Holy See, devoted to the light, this was the most detestable and hateful of odors.

The cloaked figure quietly extended his left hand, which had been hidden beneath his garments. It was a wrist that appeared almost too slender, with the thumb pressed tightly against the index and middle fingers, resembling a finely carved jade crystal artwork sparkling in the sunlight. A white halo, about the size of a pigeon egg, began to form at his fingertips. In an instant, it became a sphere of light. The tightly pressed index and middle fingers suddenly flicked outward, and the sphere shot like an arrow into the darkness of the woods. “Pop”—a muffled, crisp sound came from deep within the forest, followed by a series of “crash” noises as skeletons shattered, and finally, all returned to a deathly silence.

Staring in astonishment at the tightly wrapped figure before him, the middle-aged knight felt an indescribable shock. This Inquisitor’s Holy Sound Demon-Breaking Spell had reached such a level that he didn’t even need to chant an incantation to form a tangible sonic light sphere. It seemed the Inquisitor’s cultivation had already entered the Crucible stage. He truly needed to work harder, or else he would fall further and further behind in the mastery of holy arts.

Effortlessly disposing of the bothersome undead creatures, the figure made no unnecessary movements. His form glided away like a silent ghost, vanishing from sight in an instant, appearing more than ten meters away in the blink of an eye. Before anyone could even see how he moved, he had already drifted off into the distance, leaving only the ethereal flutter of his robes lingering in everyone’s vision.

The middle-aged knight gazed enviously at the receding figure soaring through the air. Such mastery of land-flight technique required not only a high level of wind magic, but also depended on one’s innate talent—not everyone could reach such heights. The elusive Evelyn’s accomplishments in this area were enough to make any peer feel ashamed. The middle-aged knight considered himself no weaker than the Inquisitor in terms of strength, but he admitted he was far inferior in the cultivation of holy arts. After all, he had many more important matters to attend to, and the difference in strength was not solely reflected in the mastery of holy arts.