Chapter 419: Compromise and Seek the Skin of the Tiger
As Dave slashed down, his huge black blade went straight for the statue of Gajero in the temple. The female dark elf who was standing in front of Dave became even angrier when she saw this. She raised her staff and slammed it heavily on the ground. She said in a deep voice, “My incomparably beloved G.o.d, please protect your residence!”
Just as she finished chanting, a black light suddenly flashed on the statue of Gajero. Not only did it block Dave’s black blade, but it also absorbed all the black aura condensed on his weapon.
Dave felt as if his entire body had been drained of energy. He kept retreating and almost fell down the steps of the temple.
Vincent immediately stepped forward to support Dave. He frowned and asked, “How are you? Are you hurt?”
Dave shook his head and said with a terrified expression, “The power of the Demon World in my body has been completely drained. Although I am now a level 30 creature, there is not a single bit of power left in my body!”
After hearing what Dave said, Vincent could not help but turn his head to look at the statue of Gajero. As Dave had partic.i.p.ated in the resistance against Gajero, Vincent could roughly guess that Dave had successfully attracted the attention of Gajero. Therefore, the demonic aura that was given to him through faith had been extracted from his body.
At the same time, Dave’s appearance was changing at a speed visible to the naked eye. His eyes were no longer pure black, and his pale skin had turned into a healthier wheat color. Even though he still had the appearance of an elf, he was very different from all the elves who had obtained power through faith. He maintained a more pure and unbelieving state!
Vincent said to Dave, “You step back first and try to see if you can directly absorb the psionic energy of heaven and earth without faith. Leave the rest to me!”
Dave nodded and said repeatedly, “Then you be careful!”
Vincent did not say anything. He did not even pull out his knife. He just walked into the temple calmly and looked at the High Priest who was exuding charm from head to toe. He asked in a deep voice, “Where’s Darren?”
The female Dark Elf had just finished off Dave with one move. She could not help but look at Vincent with a smug look on her face. She asked in return, “I heard that a few foreign races had barged into Dark Yuan City not long ago. Not only did they kill the local High Priest, but they also destroyed my G.o.d’s statue. Could they be talking about you?”
Vincent’s gaze swept over the statue of Gajero in the temple and said softly, “Not just Dark Yuan City. As long as I see a statue of Gajero, I will definitely destroy it until the Demon Race completely disappears from Elf World!”
The female dark elf could not help but smile charmingly. She raised her hand and beckoned Vincent with her finger, saying softly, “Put down the hostility in your heart. As long as you repent to my Lord Gajero sincerely, you will be able to receive the favor that I have bestowed upon you!”
The High Priest’s voice was like a weak electric current surging into Vincent’s ears, causing his entire body to fall into a state of numbness. It even made Vincent feel that his soul and body were about to separate, he could not help but be attracted by her words.
Vincent was suddenly jolted awake in his heart. He realized that this female dark spirit’s ability was different from any other Dark Elves he had seen before. She could use the aura of the Demon World to increase her charm. She could fill her every move with temptation. At the same time, she could influence the opponent’s mind inadvertently!
What was even more terrifying was that even though Vincent had seen through her ability and was still conscious, he was still deeply immersed in her words. It was as if his soul and body had been separated.
“Sophia, stop!”
At that moment, Melissa shouted and rushed into the temple. She took out her bow and arrow, raised her hand, and shot a sharp arrow at the female Dark Elf’s chest.
The High Priest known as Sophia used her staff to casually push away the arrow that flew in front of her. She was not hurt at all. However, as she was distracted, she stopped her control over Vincent.
Vincent regained control of his body in an instant. He frowned and snorted coldly.
As Vincent’s soft but thunderous snort came out of his throat, cl.u.s.ters of flames began to appear on his body. These flames could protect him when he was under a similar charm ability. It would immediately allow him to activate his Flaming Sun Divine Body to ensure that his soul and body would not be separated again.
At the same time, Vincent looked at Melissa in surprise and asked, “Didn’t you feel anything just now?”
Melissa shook her head and looked at Vincent in confusion as if she did not understand why Vincent would suddenly ask such a question.
Vincent nodded slightly and turned to look at Sophia. He said softly, “Your ability is only useful to the opposite s.e.x, including other races, but it is completely ineffective to those of the same s.e.x. With Melissa present, you no longer have any chance to resist. Immediately tell me Darren’s whereabouts, and I will spare your life for now!”
After hearing Vincent’s words, Sophia did not feel afraid. Instead, she smiled proudly and said in a moaning voice, “So what if I let you guess correctly? Do you think that as a High Priest, I only have this ability?”
After seeing that Sophia was not willing to change her mind, Vincent could not help but squint his eyes. He was ready to capture her directly to interrogate her about Darren’s whereabouts.
Sophia raised her staff and shouted in a deep voice, “Do it!”
Vincent and Melissa were stunned because they thought that Sophia wanted to cast a demonic spell. However, after they listened to her carefully, they did not react for a moment.
What did Sophia mean by making a move?
“Vincent!”
At that moment, an anxious shout came from outside the temple.
Vincent and Melissa turned around and saw two Dark Elves holding long swords on Dave’s neck. They were walking into the temple doorstep by step.
“Naive, too naive! Do you think that the High Priest will only use the spells bestowed by G.o.d? In fact, compared to spells, the believers in the whole city are my most powerful weapon. Now, I advise you to surrender, or else I’ll just snap my fingers and your companion will be beheaded immediately!”
Sophia’s tone became even smugger.
After hearing Sophia’s threat, Dave looked at Vincent and said firmly, “Don’t worry about me, do it now! I believe that you will be faster than them!”
As he was someone who understood Vincent’s strength the most, Dave firmly believed that Vincent would definitely subdue Sophia and save him before he was killed. At the same time, he was prepared to sacrifice himself for this.
Even if Vincent made some mistakes during his attack, causing him to lose his life under the swords of these Dark Elves, Dave had no regrets!
However, Vincent did not make a move. Instead, he swatted away the bow and arrow in Melissa’s hand casually and spread his hands to Sophia. He said softly, “We can surrender without resistance, but you have to agree to one condition of mine! You can see that my companion is willing to sacrifice his own life in exchange for your life!”
Sophia hesitated for a few seconds and then said, “Then I want to hear your conditions first!”
Vincent said frankly, “Tell the army of Serene Spring City to stop murdering its residents. Do not hurt any Dark Elf. If you can do it, the three of us will be at your disposal. If you can’t do it, then we will fight to the death and see who will suffer the most in the end!”
Sophia smiled and said in a low voice, “Deal!”
“Vincent, you are crazy! My life is not that important!”
After seeing that Vincent was willing to surrender for his own sake, Dave could not help but feel touched. He was unwilling to give up.
Vincent turned his head to look at Dave and said softly, “I am doing this to stop the tragedy in Serene Spring City as soon as possible. Otherwise, Darren will not show himself. Even if I kill Sophia, I will not be able to stop the murder in other places!”
Dave could not help but be speechless, but he also knew that Vincent’s method was indeed the fastest way.
After hearing Vincent’s explanation, Melissa, who had her bow and arrow pushed away, could not help but nod her head silently. She chose to support Vincent and his decision.
Sophia, on the other hand, did not care about the communication between Vincent and Dave. She smiled and said, “Since you want to protect all the residents of the city, then it means that I have more bargaining chips in my hands! Not only are your goals childish, but your thoughts are even more naive. You actually directly exposed your weaknesses!”
Melissa’s face could not help but turn cold, because she realized that Sophia was going to use the lives of all the citizens of Serene Spring City to threaten the three of them. This would be an even more difficult situation for them to escape from!
Vincent, on the other hand, looked at Sophia calmly and said softly, “Since you have caught something more important, then you should give the order to stop the killing as soon as possible. Otherwise, if I lose my patience, your life will also be threatened!”
Sophia nodded and said to the Dark Elves who were holding Dave, “Tell the established army to stop and watch over the nearby residents. If they refuse, kill them!”
The two Dark Elves were not surprised at all. Instead, they looked at Dave and asked with a troubled expression, “What about this guy?”
Sophia said confidently, “Now that the lives of the entire city are in my hands, we don’t need to care about this bargaining chip anymore. Besides, he has lost all his abilities. He is just a piece of trash. Let him go first!”
The two dark elves pushed Dave away and turned around to walk out of the temple.
Soon, the screams outside the temple gradually stopped. The entire Serene Spring City instantly quieted down. It meant that the army had finally put down the weapons in their hands. Although it was only temporary, it was enough for Vincent and the others.
Sophia, who thought that she had complete control, looked at Vincent and said with a smile, “You have achieved your goal. However, don’t act rashly. Otherwise, all the residents in the city will lose their lives because of your stupidity!”
Vincent nodded and said softly, “Understood!”
Sophia then raised her staff and pointed it at Vincent. She said coldly, “Although I haven’t seen you fight, I know that your strength must be very terrifying. So, for safety reasons, I have to seal all the power in your body. The process may be very painful, but you must not resist, or else you will know the consequences!”
Melissa and Dave cast a worried look at Vincent because they knew that once Vincent’s power was sealed, it would be the same as losing all the bargaining chips in their hands. At that time, not only would the three of them become Sophia’s prisoners, but when the soldiers of Serene Spring City raised their weapons at the residents again, they would not even have the ability to stop them!
A faint smile appeared on Vincent’s lips as he said to Sophia, “You may fool children with this trick, but don’t even think about sealing my ability to resist!”
“Hahaha!”
Sophia raised her head and let out a burst of maniacal laughter. She turned around and sat on a chair under the statue. She said coldly, “It seems that you really don’t have sincerity. But if you don’t give up your power, I can’t trust you completely. Then, won’t we fall into a dead cycle? Do you want to save your power or the lives of all the Dark Elves in the city? You should make a choice as soon as possible.”
Vincent suddenly raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, “Actually, I have a way to get the best of both worlds. Not only can I save the lives of all the residents in the city, but I can also give you a reason not to seal my power!”
Sophia looked at Vincent again. She raised the corner of her mouth slightly and asked seductively, “Reason? What kind of reason? Are you going to use your body to serve me?”
“Bah, disgusting!”
Melissa could not stand it anymore and immediately expressed her contempt for Sophia.
Before this, Melissa had heard the elders of her family talk about Sophia’s unrestrained style. At that time, she could not believe that as a High Priest, a clergyman who preached for the G.o.ds, would actually be as shameless as what the legends had said.
However, at this moment, Melissa finally understood why her family was labeled as n.o.ble. This was because of her elders’ rhetoric when they mentioned Sophia was too conservative. It was absolutely not excessive for anyone to use dirty words to describe her!
Sophia was ridiculed by Melissa, who was also a woman. She actually changed her previous indifferent att.i.tude. Her eyes instantly became cold, and she glared at Melissa. She said in a deep voice, “What? Do you hate me? Do you look down on me? This can only mean that you are still a naive little girl who doesn’t know what true happiness is! Since you are still a believer of my G.o.d, after I deal with this alien, I will arrange for you to enter the temple and become a clergyman to serve my G.o.d. At that time, you will enjoy the same happiness as me, and that is the happiness from my G.o.d!”
Melissa could not believe what she was hearing. Sophia had actually blamed her shameless behavior on G.o.d. It was as if the reason why she became like this was because of her belief in Gajero.
This was completely unacceptable to a loyal believer!
Melissa frowned and said coldly, “Shut up, don’t insult G.o.d anymore!”
Sophia said proudly, “Insult? You are truly insulting G.o.d by thinking like this! Do you know how much reward I get from G.o.d every time I give up my body? Everything I do is something that the G.o.d acquiesces to! No, it actually is something that the G.o.d encourages!”
Melissa’s face turned cold. She wanted to vomit, but at the same time, she suddenly understood Vincent and Dave’s purpose!
It seemed that they were not lunatics who wanted to become blasphemers on a whim. Perhaps it was because they had seen through the filth behind Gajero earlier than she did.
Vincent saw that the debate between Melissa and Sophia was drifting further and further away from the main topic. He could not help but step forward and block Melissa. He said to Sophia, “I think you should listen to my reason first. Maybe it will make you so happy that you will forget about what happened just now!”
Sophia withdrew her gaze. She looked at Vincent and said impatiently, “Originally, I was very willing to listen to your reason, but now I will only give you one chance. If the conditions you offer do not meet my wishes, then all the residents in the entire Serene Spring City will die!”
Sophia tapped the staff in her hand gently as she spoke. A ball of black light instantly gathered in front of her. As long as she willed it, the ball of light would immediately fly into the air and order the soldiers who were in the city to continue the ma.s.sacre.
Vincent said with a straight face, “The reason is that my ability can help you and Darren collect the Origin Divine Earth! As long as you have the Origin Divine Earth, Darren can replace Jessica’s position as City Lord. I believe that when the time comes, you will also rise in rank, and you will be able to receive a greater gift from Gajero!”
“What did you say?”
Sophia suddenly stood up and looked at Vincent with a shocked expression.
Vincent nodded slightly, smiled, and said, “You didn’t hear me wrong. My ability can help you find the Origin Divine Earth, but the premise is that you have to provide the specific location where Jessica collected the Origin Divine Earth before. As long as you find the exact location, I can bring you to see the Origin Divine Earth with your own eyes. Is this reason enough? Does it make you excited?”
Sophia suddenly fell into silence. Her eyes bounced back and forth between Vincent, Dave, and Melissa. Finally, she sighed and said, “It is indeed a very good proposal, but how can I confirm what you said is true?”
Vincent had long thought of Sophia’s doubts. He stepped forward, stretched out one hand, and made an inviting gesture. He said confidently, “Then it depends on whether you have the courage to see it with your own eyes!”
Sophia did not hesitate at all. She pointed her staff at the sky. The black ball of light in front of her immediately floated into the sky.
After seeing this, Vincent thought that Sophia wanted to turn hostile on the spot. He immediately raised his hand to grab the hilt of the knife at his waist. He was ready to chop Sophia and the black ball of light that was about to rise into the sky into pieces.
“Don’t worry!”
Sophia looked at Vincent with a smile and said softly, “The army of Sere Spring City is well trained. Only when the black ball of light blooms in the air can I be considered to have issued a killing order. As long as you can guarantee my safety, everyone in the entire Serene Spring City will be safe!”
After hearing this, Vincent released his right hand that was holding the hilt of the knife.
Sophia walked to Vincent and reached out to hold his right hand that was hanging by his side. She almost leaned her whole body on Vincent as she said gently, “Now it’s time for you to show me your ability. Don’t let me down!”