Having lived for more than a hundred years and having been forced to ignite his Life Seed many times so far, Edric's father had less than a couple of years to live.

His only hope to prolong his life was to advance further in his Knight training, becoming a King of Knights.

Unfortunately, his talent ultimately limited him.

No matter how much he tried or how many resources he consumed, he'd never be able to push himself across this threshold.

But now, a way to break through these shackles had appeared, giving the Marquis a choice.

And clearly, he had already made his decision.

Marquis Lavender was prepared to risk his own life and reputation, all in order to grasp that light of hope.

Though that light was small, it didn't matter.

For him, it was his only chance to survive.

Just as Edric was contemplating, the expression of Marquis Lavender suddenly changed.

His dull eyes bypassed the figure of his son and wandered behind him, finally landing at one of the hall's four corners.

Immediately, his body jerked, while his aura fluctuated violently.

"Who?!", he questioned, his roaring voice echoing throughout the hall.

A large amount of Life Force escaped his Life Seed and emerged from his body, transforming into a purple sword and floating in the air before him.

This was a skill that had been passed down by the ancestors of the Lavender family, useful even when facing Great Knight opponents—Purple Sky Slash.

Under the control of the Marquis, the purple sword seemed to possess a will of its own.

It dashed across the room and reached the corner he was staring at before swinging down.

Though the slash seemed standard and unassuming, it possessed unimaginable power.

The air along the sword's path parted, and the stone walls of the room trembled, as if an earthquake were happening and the hall was about to be demolished.

The edge of the purple sword glowed with a sharp light as it reached the shadow and slashed across it.

"Mphm!", a muffled groan soon came from within the shadow.

Drops of blood splashed across the floor, dyeing the corner crimson.

At the same time, the shadow twisted and, from within it, a figure walked out.

The figure was cloaked, wearing a long golden robe and a hood that covered their face, concealing any prominent characteristics that could betray their identity.

Yet, a small hole had unknowingly formed across their abdomen, revealing the smooth, pale skin hidden beneath.

Clearly, this was the place where the Purple Sky Slash had struck, leaving behind a thin wound.

Seated on the golden throne, the eyes of Marquis Lavender narrowed as he stared at the robed figure.

Though the small opening only exposed that this individual was a woman, the familiar hateful aura that he had faced many times before let him understand her true identity.

"Hmph! A member of the Demon Cult!", the Marquis snorted while his eyes gleamed.

"I didn't expect that a mere True Knight would dare to intrude into our stronghold. It seems that the Holy Sect has not shown its fangs for a long time, and people have begun to underestimate us."

As he spoke, the Marquis's frail hands pressed against the throne's armrests, helping him rise to his feet.

The moment he did, continuous popping sounds echoed as his spine straightened, and his shoulders were brought back.

The fragile appearance that he had possessed throughout this time disappeared in an instant, now showcasing the true demeanor of a Great Knight.

Waving his hand, the Marquis wrapped Edric up with a gust of purple smoke before hurling him out of the room, ensuring that he would not be harmed.

Then, he turned towards the intruder. He didn't speak but took action.

Large amounts of purple Life Force flew out of his body and surrounded him, transforming into thick armor that wrapped him completely.

A purple sword formed in his right hand, and after he weighed it for a brief moment, his figure vanished.

When he showed up again, he had teleported before the member of the "Demon Cult" and was in the middle of waving the purple sword forward.

Just like the Marquis had mentioned earlier, the intruder was indeed only a True Knight. Yet, despite the large gap between them, she wasn't completely helpless against his charge.

Faced with the sudden attack, the robed woman didn't use her Life Force but instead brought out a golden scepter.

Clutching it tightly in her hand, she murmured something in a soft, inaudible voice.

Instantly, a brilliant light formed at the gem embedded in the scepter's tip before it shot forward, ready to meet the sword's sharp edge.

The next moment, the two clashed.

In an instant, the golden light and the purple sword offset each other, ending up as equally matched.

Seeing this, neither of the two parties stopped.

The Marquis swung his sword and performed another Purple Sky Slash, while the robed woman lifted the scepter and defended.

While the two were engrossed in their battle, though, they didn't notice that a third person had unknowingly appeared in the room.

In fact, that person stood not far away from the shadow that the robed woman had just stepped out of.

Staring silently at the scene unfolding outside, Liora's expression remained calm.

She was not surprised by the robed woman's arrival, having long sensed her existence.

In fact, Liora had caught the robed woman entering the room at the same time as she did.

Just like Marquis Lavender, she also recognized her identity.

However, she used an entirely different term than he did.

'A member of the Holy Church...', Liora thought.

Her crimson eyes concentrated, studying the methods utilized by the woman to defend against the Marquis.

The familiar holy power surrounding the scepter fell in her eyes, as well as the power of the "blessed" equipment that only the Holy Church could produce in this world.

'It seems that I am quite fortunate. With this person here, it will be far easier for my plan to succeed.'

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