260. He Doesn't Seem that Busy After All
A dozen days passed in the blink of an eye.
Calvin Thompson walked through Courtyard A with a slightly hunched posture, hands clasped behind his back, looking just like an ordinary old man approaching the end of his life.
One by one, the Redeemed Spirits who spotted him silently stepped aside to make way.
They didn't speak to him, only observing as he walked away.
Without the Golden Ledger in his possession, he could no longer preside over the Martial Abbey Cleansing or perform his duties as an abbey priest.
This, however, wasn't the reason the other Redeemed Spirits kept their distance from him.
He had acted unilaterally without consulting others.
Taking advantage of the Patriarch's slumber, he completely disregarded his fellow disciples in Courtyard A, making such a momentous decision without seeking anyone's input.
"I don't want Brother Kane to become a second Brother Fairweather."
"But old fox Thompson is pushing him step by step into that dangerous fire pit."
Several Seekers of Redeemer shot cold glares toward the direction the old man had departed.
Since entering the Martial Abbey, John Kane had wielded the Key of Inspector, and in just over a month, he had acquired the Golden Ledger of the abbey priest.
His path had been remarkably smooth, without a single obstacle or challenge.
All of this had been carefully orchestrated by Reverend Thompson.
Who gave this old fox the authority to make decisions for the entire Martial Abbey?
"The devotional power controlled within that Golden Ledger has declined by thirty percent in just these few days," someone whispered.
Their worst fears had come to pass—Brother Kane possessed not only an extraordinary constitution but also an equally remarkable appetite for power.
Regardless of necessity, he absorbed as much celestial essence into his body as possible, preferring to sort it out later.
"Should we seize a portion for ourselves before he notices what's happening?"
"If everyone starts grabbing what they can, when we truly need this essence—such as during an invasion—we might as well surrender without a fight!"
The Seeker of Redeemer made an angry sweeping gesture with his hand, sharply rebuking his fellow disciple.
After speaking, he took two deep breaths and asked, "What is Brother Kane doing right now?"
The other person thought for a moment before replying: "Relaxing?"
...
In the small attic of the Abbey Repository.
Brother Fairweather cleared his throat and sang the Echo of Icy Resolve once more.
I leaned against the corner wall with eyes closed, listening intently, occasionally nodding in appreciation and stretching contentedly.
After three more times, Brother Fairweather finally paused and asked with eager anticipation, "Brother, could you let me see that thing just once more?"
"..."
I opened my eyes and raised an eyebrow.
"I understand." Brother Fairweather nodded, then activated the illusion formation in the small attic. The barrier blocked both vision and perception from outside. He solemnly sat in the corner, clutching his skeleton frame.
Seeing this, I closed my eyes again.
The Redeemed Spirit in my sea of essence sat cross-legged, now cradling a golden pearl in its arms.
At my command, the golden pearl materialized in my palm and floated gently upward.
Dazzling golden light unfurled like silk threads, weaving into a seven-foot-tall brilliant golden silhouette before me.
Upon its appearance, all the manuals in the attic immediately lost their luster.
Its body was incredibly robust, its face naturally commanding respect and awe.
Crimson patterns extended across its back, resembling a ferocious, savage face.
"Ah!" Brother Fairweather's jaw dropped as he stared transfixed at the Golden Body. Though he was unmistakably a spirit, he could swear he heard his own heart thundering in his chest.
The Golden Body slowly opened its eyes.
A single sweep of its gaze made Brother Fairweather feel as if he might scatter and dissipate.
What struck Robert Fairweather as odd was that after summoning the Golden Body, Brother Kane turned utterly cold and fell silent.
As expected, the Golden Body of the Reborn silently withdrew its gaze and returned to its pearl form, floating gently back into John's palm.
"..."
Robert Fairweather reluctantly removed the formation but made no further requests. After all, when a Golden Body hasn't fully formed and relies on a golden pearl, it's the most vulnerable time for a practitioner at the Fifth Realm.
Taking the next step would open vast horizons, but being ambushed and killed during this vulnerable period would be catastrophic. The fewer people who knew about this, the better.
Brother Kane's trust in sharing this with him was already a profound honor.
Nevertheless, Robert Fairweather felt a lump forming in his throat.
"Brother, what exactly am I feeling right now?"
"Envy, to the point of wanting to devour my flesh and bones." I rose unhurriedly and stored the golden pearl in my sea of essence.
"That's not it," Brother Fairweather shook his head, which was rare for him. "I just feel anxiety. I'm uncertain whether I could attain a Golden Body like yours. Looking at your achievements, I feel I can never catch up."
Knowing the method from my notes was one thing, but understanding the emotions and struggles of common people was something else entirely. Until he truly empathized with the thoughts in those flickers of light, he would never be able to pray for them or cast them at the Redeemer's feet.
Considering this, I challenged him, "It's because you lack aptitude. That's precisely how people without confidence feel."
"..." Robert Fairweather froze for a moment, then gritted his teeth. "Now I truly do feel like devouring your flesh and bones."
"Actually, this thing isn't all that interesting."
I glanced at him and said flatly, "Use it a few times and you'll get tired of it."
Hearing this, Fairweather turned to face the wall corner and said, "Brother, please leave. I need to be left alone."
Seeing that my good intentions had achieved their desired effect, I waved my hand and departed the Abbey Repository at a leisurely pace.
Having closed the golden marble staircase, I let out a sigh.
[Remaining Absorbed Lifespan: 36,100 years]
I had anticipated that forging the Golden Body would be difficult, but I hadn't expected it to be this challenging.
It consumed a full fifty thousand years of lifespan.
The panel indicated that this seven-foot-tall Golden Body was merely a half-finished product, my mastery of the Golden Body of the Reborn method not even reaching Journeyman level.
It would likely rank among the weakest existence in the Fifth Realm.
The reason it stalled wasn't due to insufficient devotional power, but simply because it was taking too much time.
With the Golden Body's protection, I now felt far more confident venturing into the dangerous outside world. I adjusted my black jacket and headed to the Martial Abbey as usual, ready to unwind.
...
A black sedan approached the Martial Abbey. In the back seat, a little girl attempted to comfort a beautiful woman in a white dress. "Don't worry. He must have had something urgent to deal with, otherwise he would have sent you a message."
The woman clutched a silver bell with both hands, staring expectantly at it. John had left without saying goodbye, and for two months, she hadn't heard a single word from him. As far as she could tell, he might never return to Cascadia.
He could have at least sent a message through the silver bell.
"I'm not anxious." After saying this, as if to convince herself, she added with emphasis: "I know he must have urgent matters. He's probably busy slaying vampires and exterminating evil."
Granny Chloe suppressed a bitter smile—if John Kane hadn't quietly left Cascadia, this young lady would never have exchanged that strand of vampire lord's blood for the Martial Abbey Cleansings. This wasn't about cleansing at all; it was clearly an excuse to come to the capital.
Yet, she fully understood Rose. That day in the cave, she had experienced firsthand his commanding presence and powerful pleasure he delivered.
As the sedan stopped, Chloe sighed, jumped out of the back seat, and walked toward the Vampire Hunters headquarters.
Suddenly, she caught sight of two figures from the corner of her eye.
The first figure wore a black jacket and carried himself with handsome elegance, while the second wore a white dress and held a long sword, displaying a full figure and exceptional charm.
The pair stood side by side, engaged in what appeared to be a quiet conversation.
"..."
Chloe's breath caught in her throat, then she quickly averted her gaze, pretending not to notice.
She marched into the headquarters with purposeful steps.
From inside the quietly parked sedan, Rose peered through the tinted glass, observing the scene outside. Her red lips unconsciously formed a pout.
She gripped the silver bell tightly in her hand.
He doesn't seem that busy after all...