"Ow—"

"Good. That means you’re alive. I’m taking you back to Acamana City. The Mighty Thunder Sect lost an elder—they’ll send more hunters. I could crush them all, but *you*," he pinched Nan Fenghua’s cheek, "are a liability. If they snatch you as a hostage, I’d have to kill you too. Understand?"

Nan Fenghua nodded with exaggerated realization, rubbing her stinging cheek. *So Zhang Luan was worried about me all along… How gentle. Truly worthy of being my Holy Son~*

Unaware of her lightning-speed self-delusion, Zhang Luan scanned the shattered forest. Avoiding the path Elder Muhong had taken, he steered her toward Acamana City.

Battle scars littered their route: corpses in Mighty Roar Cathedral robes tangled with fallen defenders of Akamana Temple. The scale of slaughter during Nan Fenghua’s absence was horrifying. Even monsters stayed hidden, fearing collateral damage.

The tide had turned. With one elder dead, the Cathedral’s forces were retreating.

When they reached Acamana City’s gates, guards rushed to announce the Holy Maiden’s return. A squad of silver-armored warriors emerged, led by a poised woman. Her face lit with relief at the sight of Nan Fenghua—until she spotted Zhang Luan. Her smile vanished. Eyes sharp with suspicion, she demanded:

"Holy Maiden, you’re safe! But who is *this* man?"

Nan Fenghua’s demeanor shifted instantly. The silly grin melted into serene grace.

"Mother Superior, this is Lord Zhang Luan. He rescued me from the Mighty Thunder Sect."

The woman was Ye Ying—High Priestess of Akamana Temple and Nan Fenghua’s mentor.

"A savior of our Holy Maiden deserves our gratitude. State your reward. We shall grant it."

Zhang Luan cut her off with a wave. "I want to be the Holy Son."

Ye Ying’s expression froze. *Did this girl blurt out our sacred doctrine? The Holy Son is meant to be her husband!* Her mind raced. *What happened in that forest? Why bring back a groom?*

"This requires the Holy Maiden’s—"

"I consent."

Nan Fenghua’s interruption made Ye Ying’s jaw tighten. She inhaled deeply, forcing calm. *This can’t be rushed. What if he manipulated her?* She knew this girl—raised on smuggled romance novels, utterly naive about men. *And this Zhang Luan… handsome, dangerous. A classic seducer.*

"Escort the Holy Maiden to the Temple!" she ordered sharply.

Zhang Luan walked beside Nan Fenghua, his plan unfolding exactly as envisioned. In his past life, he’d studied Akamana’s scriptures after the Temple’s fall. He knew the Holy Son’s seat existed—a position vacant for centuries. Why? Because Ye Ying, the bloodstained former Holy Maiden who’d slaughtered the old leadership a century ago, now ruled. Too powerful to challenge directly. Staying near Nan Fenghua was his shield.

(Though his Choice Coin could save him if needed—disrupting his plans was unacceptable.)

They stopped before the Temple’s gilded gates. Safety. Akamana’s doctrine forbade combat here. Ye Ying, bound by guilt, would never break that law.

She glared at Zhang Luan, fingers twitching. *I should end him now.* But Nan Fenghua clung to his arm, and the sacred grounds held her back. *This doctrine is my penance.*

Zhang Luan smirked. *Predictable. Her rigid faith got her killed last life too.*

Inside the Sanctuary of Sages—reserved only for Holy Maidens and High Priestesses—Ye Ying dismissed the guards. Alone with the intruder, she gestured to Nan Fenghua.

"Holy Maiden, pray to Akamana for your safe return."

Nan Fenghua hesitated, glancing at Zhang Luan, before beginning her hymn. Ye Ying’s slender hands wove a shimmering silver barrier around her.

"She hears nothing beyond this veil. And once she prays, she never stops." The High Priestess sighed, resignation in her eyes. "So. Let us talk."

Zhang Luan’s grin widened. *The seat is mine.*

"Sure. With a beauty like you around, I’m not complaining."