NOVPUB"Miss Gabriella is sure to have a beautiful cultivation abode... Do all the core disciples in Sacred Sakura have a cultivation quarter like this?" Shui Meiying crouched down and looked closely at the flowers and herbs.
She could see some rare plants and elixirs, but those plants only served as ornamental plants here.
"Yes." Ely nodded in response.
The shrine abode was her home and all of her disciples. She couldn’t say this villa was Gabriella’s cultivation quarter either. However, it was still Gabriella’s property.
"I look forward to visiting your abode one day, Saintess Miko." Shui Meiying muttered under her breath. She couldn’t help but marvel at what Saintess Miko’s abode was like.
"Hmm? Why do the elders have solemn yet enthusiastic expressions? What did Elder Sylvi talk to our great elders? Why did they use a soundproof barrier?" Feng Minyue asked in wonder.
"Uhm, they are discussing something crucial and sensitive." Shui Meiying glanced at the garden pavilion. She didn’t feel particularly curious, but the ignorance made her uneasy.
"We will encounter another Evil God soon." Ely muttered softly.
"!?" Shui Meiying and Feng Mingyue gasped. They stared at Miko in surprise because they didn’t see Miko’s usual tender expression.
"Another Evil God? As far as I can remember, your senior brother has just slain the Tiangong Sacred Land’s great ancestor. He is the Immortal from the upper realm. Did something happen after that?" Shui Meiying felt a great catastrophe would occur very soon.
"No, but we have encountered four Demons or Evil Gods this month. They came with great malice, and we fought them. We predict that next year will not be so peaceful." Ely counted one by one. She and her people had indeed annihilated the four God-tier enemies.
"Fo- four!? Four God-class entities in a month, and Sacred Sakura fought them without suffering any losses?" Feng MIngyue was astonished but also amazed.
"No. We destroyed them. It would be best if you also were prepared. Please accept my little gift." Ely grabbed Shui Meiying and Feng Minyue’s hands and handed them a wooden box.
"This... may I know what’s in it?" Shui Meiying looked at the box in her hand, then looked Saintess Miko in the eye.
"How about you open it first?" Ely replied with a subtle smile.
The two saintesses then opened the wooden box. It contained three types of talismans of different colors, a necklace, and a mysterious magic item shaped like a small lump of white jade.
"Please use this talisman to stay in touch with me. The three of us can communicate with this. This one is for self-protection in an emergency and can be useful for helping you in critical times. Please wear this necklace whenever and wherever. It can save your life. And the last one is not a jade rock. This magic item can create a force field that will protect you even from the 10th Rank experts for two minutes." Ely explained a little about her gifts.
"Top-grade life-saving treasures..." Shui Meiying muttered softly subconsciously.
She had just met Saintess Miko, but her new friend was concerned about her safety. She had never received such a gift, even from her master.
"Saintess Miko... thank you very much. As the liaison, I will do my best for the good relations between the Blood Moon Pavilion and the Sacred Sakura Holy Land. If there is anything you need, please feel free to let me know. I will try my best to fulfill your request." Feng Mingyue was straightforward and expressed her gratitude.
"Thank you very much." Shui Meiying muttered softly as she couldn’t think of proper words to express her gratitude.
"Since you have received my gifts, don’t forget our promises. Please wear the necklace now. I want to see it." Ely put her hands together as she was happy too. She got two saintess to her side.
It was a necklace with a white diamond pendant shaped like a cherry blossom with some snow blue tints. The necklace chain was almost transparent. Shui Meiying immediately put it on and showed it to the Saintess Miko.
Feng Mingyue’s necklace was similar, but the pendant was ruby like a fiery flame.
The two saintesses were satisfied and pleased with the beautiful necklace. They couldn’t possibly forget their promise to the Saintess Miko. Yet, Saintess Miko’s consideration for this gift made their impression soar.
An hour later, Ely and the two saintesses returned to the garden pavilion as they had had enough stroll and chit-chat.
"We’re eternally grateful for all the enlightenment and pointers you conveyed. We look forward to our future cooperation." One of the great elders deputed to speak, but the other five also clasped their hands in respect.
"Good. Return to your respective sect to do everything you need to do. Unexpected things can happen at any time." Sylvia waved her hand, but it looked like a shooing gesture instead.
"See you again." Ely waved her hand, and the two saintesses replied with the same gesture.
The great elders were amazed at how friendly and kind-hearted the Sacred Sakura’s saintess was. For a younger yet superior saintess in terms of talent, Saintess Miko didn’t have the slightest arrogance.
Their respective saintess had become as close as old friends to the Saintess Miko. Thus, their primary objective was achieved.
After that, the guests flew away in two different directions. Feng Mingyue’s group flew south, and Shui Meiying’s group headed west.
Ely looked up at the night sky to ensure the guests had gone far enough before heaving a sigh of relief. She felt more at ease with the two additional sacred sects as close allies.
"Fufu, I’m looking forward to our future transactions with them. We don’t just sell goods and accept requests from anyone but make exceptions for our allies. We can raise the price as we please~" Sylvia rubbed her hands together.
"You look like a crafty scammer. You have no real alchemy, physician, craftmanship, or profound non-combat skills. You haven’t mastered any of those, yet you seem to be able to do everything." Yuuki rolled her eyes.
"We have Ely. She and her disciples can do it and gain tons of benefits. We can even monopolize the market. The Guardian of Dream also often does that, right?" Sylvia leaned her head onto Ely’s shoulder.
"Alright. Please let me know if they request something through you." Ely was amused about how Sylvia tried to help her to make more profit.
"Now, Gabriella’s secret hideout villa has been exposed to them. Is that alright?" Yuuki was concerned.
"That was Gab-chan’s idea. She wanted to test them and used her villa for that." Ely glanced left and right. She had not seen Gabriella since an hour ago.
’Jophi-chan, where’s Gab-chan? Did something happen on her side?’ Ely asked, using the telepathy talisman.
’Master, first senior sister is currently in the meeting room. She and other disciples may still be collecting data on issues that have occurred recently. I heard that a red demon is terrorizing several towns and villages north of the Great Yan Empire.’ Jophiel opened the window on the second floor and waved her hand at her master.
She and her juniors were still sorting out the resources and treasures from the gifts given by their guests.
"Red demon’s terror?" Ely tilted her head slightly. She summoned her Lost Prayer grimoire and checked the quest page.
Unfortunately, she found no hint regarding the red demon’s terror. She tried to probe the red demon by praying to her grimoire. The red demon was a purebred demon race, just a particular evil demon.
"Something happened? A red demon?" Yuuki was curious.
"Mm, an unknown red demon terrorized the Great Yan Empire. Gab-chan and the other Guardian of Dream’s members are currently gathering information regarding that demon." Ely nodded slightly, then closed her grimoire.
"Let’s meet them and see what they’ve got." Sylvia was eager to test her new deadly skills against some strong enemies.
Ely raised her hand to Jophiel, then entered the villa with Yuuki and Sylvia. They headed straight to the meeting room.
Gabriella and the six disciples stood around the table, discussing something that looked complicated and confusing.
Ely’s arrival made them stop whatever they were doing. Gabriella then reported on the newly acquired information in a summary.
"I see... a 5th Rank little red demon spread terror around the towns and villages in the northern Great Yan Empire. It’s near the border with the Northern Realm. Did any of our people get injured or suffer any losses?" Ely looked at the little red demon’s portrait.
That monster was a human-like red monkey but with a goat’s head.
"The red demon recently attacked three small towns and five villages. We have no property or connections there, but we have sent some intel to investigate. We suspect this demon is a newly resurrected Demon God or an Evil God’s reincarnation." Gabriella expressed her concern.
Her master’s words were still vivid in her mind, and they would encounter several Evil Gods soon.
"Monitor this red demon’s movement, but don’t take any decisive action before we know something. This one is just a problematic demon, not a God-tier existence." Ely gave her instruction calmly.
Gabriella and the other disciples felt relieved but also somewhat disappointed. They wished to eliminate the God-tier demon in his weakened state to test the Guardian of Dream’s capabilities without their master’s help. However, the enemy was just a particular troublesome demon.
"Let the nearby righteous sects and renowned clans handle it. We will only take action if they fail." Sylvia threw the problem for the others to handle.
There was no urgency for quick action. The enemy was so weak, and she lost her motivation.
