Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level?-Chapter 168[Vol. 6] - The Ancient Town and the Destroyer

[Vol. 6] Chapter 168: The Ancient Town and the Destroyer

When three women arrived at their destination, the silver light curtain was already surrounded by emptiness, with no one in sight.

Violet glanced around at the swaying sea of blood-red flowers, her brows furrowing slightly.

“Didn’t Murong Yun say he’d come ahead to check things out? Where is he? Did he go in without waiting for us?”

“That doesn’t seem likely. That guy isn’t the reckless type…”

Seeming to feel a bit confused as well, Miss Xiao Kong, who had already prepared for battle and placed Miaomiao into a special space, hesitated before offering her thoughts.

“Could something have happened to him?”

“There’s no such thing as coincidence, every incident has a reason. It’s not that simple,” Violet replied, turning her gaze to the silver-haired girl beside her.

“Hen, I’ve been holding off on asking this for the sake of trust. But now that we’re here, you owe me an explanation. Why did you want me to find the ruins of the [Heaven-Opening Sect]?”

Hen smiled faintly, meeting Violet’s intense gaze.

“You seem a little upset.”

“…You know I don’t like being manipulated, even by you. The only reason I’ve trusted you unconditionally so far is because of certain special factors.”

“Let’s be honest, we haven’t known each other for that long, and you’re not the person I’ve been searching for. Trust goes both ways, and I can’t accept a partner who keeps so many secrets.”

After a brief silence, Hen nodded.

“The [Heaven-Opening Sect] is a branch left behind by the Spirit Veil Immortal Island in the Ancient Spirit Realm. It was originally established by the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden herself to guard a critical secret.

“That secret is closely tied to the past [Demon Rebellion] and the upcoming [Four Saints’ Immortal Selection Ceremony]. But something went wrong, which is why things have fallen into their current state.”

“Over a hundred years ago, the [Heaven-Opening Sect] was destroyed, and the secret it guarded was scattered into the [Endless Wasteland Sea]. This was an unplanned and unstable factor, but it could serve as your starting point to understand the entire situation as the Chosen One.”

“Trust me, this will only benefit you. I would never harm you.”

“The [Heaven-Opening Sect] was established by the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden?”

Violet’s lips twitched slightly. Her previously serious expression turned a bit odd before she quickly shifted the topic.

“So, what exactly is the secret it guarded?”

“I don’t know. It was part of a plan left behind by the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden herself, and not even divine insight can uncover its details. I only know that guiding you here is the right course of action, but the specifics must be discovered by you personally.”

The silver-haired girl emphasized again, “Helping and guiding the Chosen One is my mission, but that’s the extent of what I can do. I can only offer suggestions. How you proceed is entirely your decision. And I have never seen you as a pawn to be manipulated.”

“……….”

Violet stared at Hen’s face, so strikingly similar to the one in her memories, for a long moment before finally letting out a quiet sigh and accepting her explanation.

“Sooner or later, I’ll demand a proper explanation from you. Don’t think you can brush me off easily when that time comes.”

…………………………………..

Though its manifestation was different, the space beyond the silver light curtain, the ruin of the [Heaven-Opening Sect], was another world entirely, just like the remnants of [Ryznes].

As soon as Violet stepped inside, she immediately felt the uniqueness of this place.

It was startling. The ruin’s interior was enveloped by a barrier that blocked spiritual power from spreading and sealed off spatial movement. Exactly like the tomb that imprisoned the [Nameless Demon Sovereign].

The familiarity of the sensation left little doubt in her mind. This was created by the same hand.

In other words, this place was indeed closely tied to the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden.

“Looks like an ancient town,” Violet observed.

Unlike the complete desolation of the world of [Ryznes], the ruins of the [Heaven-Opening Sect] still retained some semblance of vitality. The plants on either side of the path were lush and green, and though the sky was dim, it wasn’t entirely devoid of light. Similar in atmosphere to the [Endless Wasteland Sea].

At that moment, a light drizzle was falling from the sky, soaking the ground and rooftops alike.

The silver-haired girl immediately retrieved three paper umbrellas from her ring and handed them to Violet and Xiao Kong before opening one herself to take in their surroundings.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

“The architectural style here resembles that of the civilization from a millennium ago, but the level of weathering doesn’t match. It’s likely a replica, and it hasn’t been abandoned for very long.”

“Looks like the [Heaven-Opening Sect] members were pretty nostalgic,” Violet remarked as she casually opened her umbrella and surveyed the area.

They were standing at what appeared to be the entrance of the ancient town or perhaps the edge of the ruin.

Not far ahead stood a tall and intricately crafted white stone archway, over ten meters high. However, about a third of its center had been destroyed by some unknown force, leaving it incomplete. The inscriptions that once adorned the archway were now illegible, eroded by time and rain.

Only a fragment of the ancient script for the word “Gate” could be faintly discerned. Around the broken archway, wild grass grew unchecked, and moss had spread across its surface, giving it a desolate and dilapidated appearance.

From a distance, the outline of the town’s buildings appeared relatively intact, but signs of battle damage were evident in many areas. It was clear that the [Heaven-Opening Sect] had fought numerous fierce battles against invaders, and the conflict must have been devastating.

“Let’s head inside and take a look,” Violet suggested.

Passing through the fractured archway, they were greeted by rows of beautifully crafted buildings with a classical aesthetic. The town’s center featured a wide cobblestone road, designed for carriages to pass through. However, many sections of the road bore cracks and damage, likely caused by the trampling of heavy objects.

The signs of destruction were everywhere, yet there were no remains of local residents. It seemed likely that survivors like Murong Yun had already collected and buried them. Although the members of the [Heaven-Opening Sect] were few in number, such acts of respect were still within their capabilities.

As Xiao Kong walked under her umbrella, her eyes lingered on the widespread collapse and cracks along the streets. A look of astonishment crossed her face.

“This… doesn’t look like damage caused by humans. It seems more like the work of some kind of spirit beast or monster with immense physical strength. What exactly wiped out the [Heaven-Opening Sect]?”

Hen stopped in her tracks, crouched down, and motioned for the others to come over.

“Take a look at this.”

Footprints.

Indeed, deep footprints embedded in the hard blue stone pavement.

The prints were about twice the size of an adult human’s hand and pressed a full foot deep into the stone. The marks were perfectly clear and intact, with no surrounding cracks, as if they had been stamped into metal. Something almost impossible to believe.

But stone and metal behave differently under pressure. Normally, an overwhelming force would shatter the stone entirely, not leave behind such clean, penetrative indentations.

This meant that the creature responsible for the footprints possessed speed and strength far beyond what any human could achieve.

“At least [Bright Mist] Realm, maybe even [Ultimate Transformation] Realm,” Xiao Kong deduced immediately. “For humans, such a being would be as disastrous as a natural calamity.”

Violet nodded in agreement.

That meant a minimum level of 60, possibly even above level 70. In contrast, most human sects could only reach [Seeker of Immortality] Realm, around level 40, as their peak. At best, they might have a single [Eternal Life] Realm expert equivalent to transcendent-tier. The disparity was staggering.

“No wonder the once-prosperous [Heaven-Opening Sect] was wiped out overnight. But this happened just over a hundred years ago. Back then, high-level experts in the [Ancient Spirit Realm] were already rare. Only a handful could reach this level… Could it have been one of the [Seven Heavenly Demon Lords] again?”

That said, Violet had crossed paths with the [Seven Heavenly Demon Lords] multiple times. While it was true that some among them were at the [Ultimate Transformation] Realm, only two of them. [Bone Immortal], the old man, and that fierce [Heart-Eating Evil Demon] fit the description. Neither of them were strength-based powerhouses, so it was unlikely they were responsible for destroying the [Heaven-Opening Sect].

Could it be the work of another hidden, powerful faction? Or perhaps there were more enemies that hadn’t shown themselves yet. Maybe there weren’t just seven, but dozens?

This was a mystery worth investigating.

One or two [Bright Mist] or [Ultimate Transformation] Realm enemies might not be a big deal to Violet, but it was important to note that the [Heaven-Opening Sect] was just one of hundreds of sects wiped out in a single night. Such destruction couldn’t have been achieved by a handful of powerful individuals alone.

As for whether the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden was Violet’s past self, that remained unclear. However, since arriving in the [Ancient Spirit Realm], many elements of [Dawn]’s history had increasingly aligned with Violet’s own experiences. Their fates seemed to be converging, even showing signs of merging.

The obliteration of [Heaven-Opening Sect], clearly targeting the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden, meant that whoever was behind it would inevitably come for Violet in the future.

At that moment, Hen, who had been examining the footprint, suddenly spoke.

“The [Seven Heavenly Demon Lords] are mere opportunists, insignificant in the grand scheme. Violet, the true threat in the [Ancient Spirit Realm] has always been one and the same. I can now confirm that the destruction of the [Heaven-Opening Sect] is undoubtedly connected to them.”

The black-haired girl’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“You’re saying… the Demonic Beasts?”