Chapter 71: Radiance

In this world where magic and divine arts existed.

Limb regeneration,

For spellcasters with even a little achievement in related fields, actually wasn't that difficult a matter.

Some extremely powerful existences, or those closely associated with the domain of the dead, could even directly pull the souls of the deceased from the outer planes back to the material plane, making them "reborn."

Of course, the prerequisite was that you could pay a sufficient price.

I wasn't clear about what specific level of strength this priest who believed in the sun god before me possessed.

I only watched with my own eyes as Jeff's gruesome wound, severed from below the knee, bathed in holy light and scabbed over and healed in just over ten seconds.

But the already-lost left leg didn't regrow.

As for the reason...

I could only speculate that either the gold coins weren't in place, or the priest's strength hadn't yet reached the level where he could casually restore injuries.

From his perspective, for an injured stranger, even if he was the sheriff's friend, it was impossible to consume too much without reason to heal him.

"Hm?"

Ingram, who'd originally thought the negative energy entangled deep in Jeff's flesh and blood would be dispelled under the holy light's illumination.

Having just breathed a sigh of relief due to the wound's healing, suddenly noticed a confused expression appearing on the priest's face.

"Sir, is there something wrong?"

He asked somewhat urgently.

The staff's base lightly tapped the ground. The priest furrowed his brow slightly, his eyes gazing at Jeff on the stretcher, slowly speaking:

"What's on him isn't just simple power of undeath."

"There's some kind of even more profound and dark energy parasitizing within."

Hearing this, the sheriff's expression became even more urgent as he pressed:

"Then my friend, he..."

"Don't worry. Having bathed in the Lord's holy light, he won't be in mortal danger. It's just that no one knows what the entanglement of negative energy will bring."

"Is there really no way to eradicate it?" Ingram looked worriedly at Jeff on the ground.

"Find the culprit, find that person whose mind was seized by undeath... perhaps that can eliminate the influence he brought."

I couldn't help recalling Tim, whom I'd driven back last night.

Thinking inwardly:

"His strength is completely within the range I can handle, but after last night's incident, he probably won't show himself again in the short term."

"Finding him again will be somewhat troublesome."

My eyes moved, suddenly noticing the halfling beside me who'd remained silent since entering the church.

At this moment, facing the priest's explanation, obvious confusion showed on his face.

His lips moved, as if he wanted to ask the priest something, but in the end, he actively swallowed the words at his throat.

"Ugh..."

Just as the atmosphere on the scene fell into silence, a somewhat pained moan suddenly came from the stretcher.

"Jeff!?"

The sheriff's expression showed surprise and joy as he couldn't help calling out.

"Where... am I?" Jeff's hands pressed on the ground, instinctively wanting to stand up.

Suddenly realizing his feet were completely empty, unable to exert force.

He couldn't help looking down.

"My! My leg!?"

His breathing, which had gradually calmed under the holy light's healing, once again became rapid.

His pupils contracted, emotions fluctuating, an unnatural flush appearing on his face.

On his shoulder, a warm and firm force suddenly transmitted.

Ingram crouched down, both hands tightly gripping the other party's shoulders, saying in a deep voice:

"Look at me, Jeff, look at me, calm down!"

"..."

This man who'd sat in wagons for half his lifetime had witnessed who knows how many partings of life and death.

To a certain extent, perhaps many years ago, he'd already prepared mentally to die during some mission.

Therefore, he accepted the injury to his left leg very quickly.

Even without needing others to console him, he smiled self-deprecatingly:

"Daisy and the others always complain in letters that I don't come home. Now this is just right. After so many years, I should rest too."

"Haha, I wonder if I'll get the nickname 'Crippled Jeff' in the future."

Facing his friend's performance, Ingram appeared exceptionally self-reproachful.

His hands clenched tightly into fists, his face showing remorse:

"It's my fault! We clearly saw each other during the day. If I'd noticed something wrong then..."

"Hey!" The middle-aged man who'd lost his left leg interrupted, patting the other party's shoulder. "No need. In our line of work, being able to keep your life and retire is already great fortune."

"Right, I still need to thank..."

As if remembering something, Jeff looked gratefully at Xia Nan and the other beside him.

Waving my hand, not wanting the topic to extend further on this, I asked:

"Last night, what did you feel?"

"Feel..." Jeff's expression was thoughtful, recalling. "Like having a nightmare?"

"But there were no clear dream images, just consciousness being extracted from my body, unable to perceive external changes."

It wasn't any useful information.

Jeff was just an ordinary person. Facing the erosion of undeath's power, he had no ability to resist.

Fortunately, after the priest's holy light healing, the most serious injury on his body had also been alleviated.

Moreover, because of his familiar relationship as the sheriff's old friend, he rarely obtained the priest's consent, allowing him to recuperate in the church, using this place's special environment to suppress the residual negative energy in his wound.

Under relevant personnel's guidance, the halfling and I helped send Jeff to the side hall.

For a time, in the grand and empty worship hall, only the sheriff and priest remained.

"Tap."

The air was quiet, only the slight sound of the staff tapping the ground.

The priest turned around, stepped up the stairs, and slowly walked to the altar's edge.

"How much longer?"

Still that same gentle and calm tone as before.

Ingram withdrew his gaze from the door the others had left through.

Stepping forward two paces, his knees bent as he knelt on one knee.

The mace hanging at his waist lightly collided with the stone brick floor.

"Soon."

"Before the next full moon, he should be able to complete the ritual."

The priest didn't respond.

Only gazing at the huge stained glass window ahead that occupied almost the entire wall.

After a long while, he finally spoke:

"Once you pass this step, go to Mengzhong City."

"That place is closest to the Lord."

Ingram's head snapped up instantly, complex emotions flickering in his deep blue eyes.

Then he fiercely lowered his head again, saying in a deep voice:

"Yes!"

Inside the church, silence fell once more.

A beam of morning light shot down from the dome, illuminating countless tiny particles of dust in the air while also falling upon the kneeling Ingram.

Smooth half-long hair hung from his ears to his cheeks. The light plate armor representing his sheriff's identity reflected metallic luster. The golden sun emblem at his sleeve seemed to flicker with faint radiance.

He bathed in light, but his lowered head also caused his face to be shrouded in shadow, unclear.

The kind-faced priest stood high on the steps, once again closing his eyes.

On the magnificent mottled and gorgeous stained glass window before him, the silver-haired man with an indistinct face still held high the scale and law code in his hands.

Illuminating radiance.

-----------------

Rate and review this novel at novelupdates.

( 3 chapters free per review and 1 chapter per rate )

CLICK HERE

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.