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Chapter 362: Return
Aldrian felt confused by the lack of reaction from the heavens. Life laws are on the same level as death laws, meaning they can only be comprehended by "higher" beings. He knew this because of his continuous visions, which provided him with such knowledge.
If someone like him, who was still a mere mortal were to comprehend these laws, the heavenly laws would judge whether he was worthy of such enlightenment. He would have to face an immensely powerful heavenly tribulation. The power of such a tribulation was said to be insurmountable, as these laws were considered taboo for mortals.
Now, just like when he comprehended death laws, he should have triggered a heavenly tribulation. Yet, the heavens remained still, leaving him confused.
He closed his eyes and tried to sense the heavens himself. Ever since he had left the Shrine of the Beginning, he had felt an invisible connection to something "higher," something beyond mortal perception, something he believed to be the heavens themselves.
Combining this new connection with his senses, he attempted to feel the presence of the heavens. He then succeeded in connecting to them. Within his domain, the heavens were easily accessible, which only deepened his curiosity.
What was the difference between the heavens inside his domain and those outside of it? Why was the heaven within his domain much easier to sense?
Suddenly, he felt an intent appearing in his mind, coming from nowhere. Unlike that place where he could communicate with the heavens as if speaking, in this world, he could only sense the heavens’ intent.
The intent was quite clear—clear enough for him to interpret and attempt to understand.
"Hmm, what is it? No... heavenly... tribulation... universe... law... stop... me?"
The message seemed fragmented, making it difficult to grasp the heavens’ true meaning. However, from what he tried to understand, he did not trigger the heavenly tribulation because the laws of universe had stopped only for him?
"Is it because I’m already connected to the heavens directly? And I’m being given some leniency or something like that?"
"Young master, is there something wrong?"
Angelica’s voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he smiled at her.
"Nothing, I was just thinking about my newly comprehended laws and how to utilize them later. I’m just excited about it," he replied.
Angelica nodded. She had thought something was wrong because he had gone silent.
After a few minutes, the carriage finally came to a stop, and the coachman’s voice rang out.
"We have arrived, my lord, your holiness."
Hearing this, Aldrian took out a black veil from his storage ring and carefully covered Angelica’s head and face. He wanted to ensure no one would recognize her. Although she rarely left the church, meaning most people had never seen her face directly, there were still some who might recognize her instantly. If that happened, it would be troublesome if a crowd began gathering around them.
The carriage door opened, revealing the coachman, who had already prepared Angelica’s wheelchair.
"Excuse me, Angelica."
"Ah."
Before she could react, Aldrian suddenly lifted her into his arms in a princess carry, making her gasp in surprise. Instinctively, she grabbed his shoulder to steady herself, her gaze unconsciously locking onto his face. This was the closest she had ever been to him, and the realization made her cheeks flush a deep red.
Aldrian gently placed her in the wheelchair before quickly pushing it toward the inn right in front of them.
The coachman, who was also from the church, watched them with a pious expression. Bowing deeply, he then turned and made his way back to the church.
On the journey here, he had witnessed miraculous phenomena—signs that he believed to be divine messages from the heavens. The miracles surrounding the prophesied one did not cease, and even nature itself seemed to follow Aldrian, bestowing blessings upon him.
The coachman felt deeply honored. His faith in the heavens—no, his faith in Aldrian—had only grown stronger.
Aldrian continued pushing the wheelchair, paying no attention to the curious glances directed their way. It was uncommon to see someone using a wheelchair here, but the moment people felt Aldrian’s aura, their instincts screamed at them to mind their own business. None dared to look at him directly.
Aldrian then spotted someone running toward him from the stairs that connected to the second floor. He smiled warmly and positioned himself in front of the wheelchair just as the person leapt into his arms.
Sylphia clung to him tightly, inhaling his scent as if it were the very air she needed to breathe. Aldrian let her embrace him with all her strength, allowing her to "crush" him as she pleased. In return, he held her tenderly, gently stroking her hair.
"What took you so long? What happened to you? Sir Arthur only told me that you were in seclusion and would be staying at the church for a while," she said in a slightly sulky manner, making Aldrian feel guilty.
"I’m sorry for not telling you anything, but I didn’t expect to spend so much time inside the church." He then noticed a few people approaching, smiling at him. Aldrian smiled back, recognizing them as part of his group.
Sylphia lifted her head from his chest and looked behind him at Angelica. She was stunned by how beautiful and angelic Angelica looked, and then turned her gaze back to Aldrian.
"Who is she?"
"Let’s move to a more private location. It’s not good to talk about it here," he replied.
Before anyone could respond, Aldrian and his group suddenly disappeared. The crowd sighed in relief, as Aldrian’s presence, though calm, gave off an intimidating vibe they couldn’t quite explain.
Once they arrived inside his room that Sylphia had been using for the past year, Aldrian finally introduced Angelica to everyone.
"Let me introduce you all to the Saintess of the Heavenly Direction Church, Miss Angelica," Aldrian said, causing everyone in the room to widen their eyes in shock. Even Xin Haotian’s eyes slightly widened as he looked at Angelica. He had never met the Saintess before, but he knew of her fame.
Angelica gave a slight bow.
"Although I’m the Saintess of the church, you can all call me Angelica, just as Young Master Aldrian does. I’m truly pleased to meet you all."
Her soothing voice made the people in the room feel as though blooming flowers had filled their hearts.
Then Sylphia approached Angelica and slightly bent her body in a respectful gesture.
"I’ve heard so many great stories about the Saintess of the Church—how you have used your abilities to help the people of this continent. It’s truly an honor to meet you in person, Your—I mean, Miss Angelica," Sylphia said.
"However, this is surprising to me—that you came to this place with Aldrian. I heard that because of your status, the church doesn’t allow you to leave easily, but to think—" Sylphia stopped mid-sentence as she noticed Angelica’s condition, which was unusual for someone with a cultivator’s body.
"It’s okay," Angelica reassured her. "I’m used to it, and Young Master Aldrian brought me here because of my selfish—"
"I brought her here so I could introduce you all to Angelica. You can become friends in the future. After all, it’s never a loss to make more friends, right?" Aldrian cut off Angelica’s sentence, knowing she would try to make it seem as though she wanted to be here. He wouldn’t let her do that.
Sylphia looked at Aldrian, then back at Angelica.
"Of course," Sylphia said with a smile. "It’s truly great to make a Saintess a friend. I’m really glad Aldrian brought you here. I feel like we’ll have so much to talk about, and we can keep each other entertained."
Angelica smiled at Sylphia, and Aldrian began introducing each member of his group to her. He also explained Angelica’s condition to the others, which made them feel pity for her.
Sylphia then bent down, gently taking Angelica’s hand, which left her stunned.
"I’m truly sorry to hear about your condition. Even with what you’re going through, you still think of helping others and their well-being. That’s truly inspiring," Sylphia said, her voice filled with empathy. She then turned to look at Aldrian.
"As for you, I need to talk to you for a while," she said, standing up. Without hesitation, she grabbed his hand and dragged him outside to her room, which had been vacant for some time.
Angelica watched their interaction, confused.
"Don’t mind her," Eleine’s voice resounded. "She’s his lover, so they must have many things to discuss after being apart for so long."
Angelica’s eyes slightly widened. So, that’s his lover? She nodded in understanding. It made sense, someone as great as Aldrian must have many admirers from the opposite sex.
She suddenly felt a blush rise on her cheeks and tried to hide her embarrassment. However, before she could fully recover, another voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Miss Angelica, I’ve heard so many things about you, and I’m truly curious. Would you mind satisfying my curiosity and sharing your story with me?" Baek Jimin asked.
Angelica smiled at her and nodded.
"Of course, it’s my pleasure."
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In another room, Sylphia, now only in her underwear, revealed her voluptuous body as she kissed Aldrian with intensity. Aldrian reciprocated with equal fervor, knowing how much she missed him, the sound of their smooching echoing through the room.
After a few minutes, she separated her lips from his and looked at him with a desire she couldn’t hide.
"You better satisfy me this time to make up for your absence."
Aldrian smiled, feeling the same desire.
"Of course, milady. I will give you the satisfaction that will take you to heaven."
