Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest

Three days later.

After Luo Xiu and Intis set out from Sina City, they passed through dense forests, crossed the barren Gobi and empty sand dunes, and finally arrived at the "prosperous city".

Right in front of them, the outline of the towering walls of Songyuan Main City was becoming clearer and clearer.

"... My Lord."

Intis's voice sounded from behind Luo Xiu.

Luo Xiu turned around and looked at Intis, who was wearing a light gray gauze hat and dressed as a lady from an aristocratic family.

"What's wrong?" Luo Xiu asked with a smile.

"I don't understand... why are you so determined to ask me to wear this light gauze hat?"

Intis's tone was deep, and the pair of white cat ears under her gauze hat were shaking with his emotions.

"...You should be thankful that you didn't grow two more tails, Intis."

Luo Xiu shook his head, turned his back, and said to Intis with his back to her: "Otherwise, I would have asked you to wear Loli... a long velvet dress."

Not noticing the strangeness in Luo Xiu's words, Intis lowered her head and fell into thought.

"You must never let others know that you are a 'body destroyer', understand?"

Luo Xiu reminded her for the last time, "Especially in Songyuan City, you must never let anyone else find out... especially those extraordinary people."

"...I understand, my lord."

As she spoke, Intis took out two scarlet flowing magic crystals from the bracelet on her arm - the "storage bracelet" that Luo Xiu gave her to advance to the triple destiny, and gently crushed them.

The scarlet mist light lightly covered Intis's outline, obscuring her spiritual aura.

"I will hide myself well, my Lord."

Intis said, "Please rest assured."

Although Intis said so, Luo Xiu still felt a little uneasy.

He was glad that he used the "two-faced doll" to clean up Intis before she was promoted to the triple destiny.

Otherwise, with Intis's "physique" and "resistance", she would grow dense fur and sharp claws during the fusion process with the civet cat, and it would be difficult to hide these characteristics for her...

Although Intis showed an attitude of indifference, Luo Xiu couldn't.

Now Intis is equivalent to his waiter and his assistant. In his interactions with some important figures in the main city of Songyuan, he really needs someone like Intis to help him maintain a certain image.

"It's just..." Luo Xiu was also thinking about other problems.

"But the Intis in the previous life didn't seem to become what I thought...?"

In the previous life, she might not have chosen to go further in the fate of [Red Lotus], and there might be some other opportunities...

"..."

While Luo Xiu was thinking, he and Intis had already arrived at the gate of Songyuan City on horseback.

The civilians and caravans preparing to enter the city lined up in long lines on both sides, waiting for the guards to check their identities and baggage.

Occasionally, there were knights or nobles on horseback, passing those civilians and merchants in the middle and walking straight to the gate - they were the upper class of the empire and the ruling class.

These knights or nobles only needed to show the emblems symbolizing their noble status, and the guards would make way for them. Then, they would enter the city with high spirits under the respect and envy.

Although Luo Xiu, as a clergyman, could indeed pass through in this way, for him now, this was too eye-catching and easy to attract unnecessary attention.

So, they followed behind the merchants, waiting for the team entering the city to move forward slowly.

The inspection process for merchants was much slower than that for civilians. The guards carefully checked the large and small cargo boxes to prevent any items that violated the imperial ban from mixing in.

The waiting process is often accompanied by boredom. Luo Xiu felt a little bored, so he began to look around.

In the civilian team on the other side, they mostly gathered in twos and threes, each with their own small circles, and only talked about their own topics.

Some of them were civilians with relatively clean clothes.

Their identities were relatively clean, and their status seemed to be more superior. When they were inspected for entry into the city, they were also more likely to pass the guards' inspection and enter the city.

However, Luo Xiu also saw another scene at the same time.

In the civilian team, there were more ragged clothes and thin faces with dust on their faces.

Next to them, the thin packhorses were carrying patched bags. It was not difficult to guess their identity as refugees - they were wanderers who left their hometowns to avoid something.

There were quite a few such people, and they were also taciturn and did not talk much with other well-dressed people.

On the civilian side, the speed of passing the inspection was faster.

Soon, the first wave of wanderers began to be interrogated by the guards.

"Are you from Kuma Territory? Hmm..."

"Why are there so many refugees from Kuma Territory these days?"

"Forget it, the lord did tell you... get out of the way, I want to check your packages."

A guard who was interrogating muttered a few words, roughly tore open the wanderer's package, and searched inside for a while.

The wanderers were indifferent to this and let the guards turn their packages upside down.

Nothing particularly prohibited was found, but the guard still took out a rusty kitchen knife from the vagrant's package.

"You can't bring this in."

The guard threw the kitchen knife into a wooden frame on the side, and then said to the vagrants in front of him:

"I brought it from Kuma, and the lord has arranged a place for you to live."

"After entering the city, the temporary camp of the relief center is not far ahead. The people inside will take you to Iron Cross Street-Vincent Lane, where there will be a special director responsible for settling you."

"...Okay."

The vagrants who passed the inspection answered indifferently, and then led the packhorse, staggering step by step towards Songyuan City.

"...Tsk, next one."

The guard shouted loudly, and the team on the civilian side moved forward a little bit.

...

Luo Xiu withdrew his gaze from them.

He knew very well what happened behind this.

- "September Plague"!

The Nolan Empire, Kuma Territory, is one of the origins of this protracted plague and several outbreaks.

Songyuan Territory is closest to Kuma Territory, and many civilians who escaped the plague chose to seek refuge in Songyuan Territory as their first choice.

"Vincent Lane" on Iron Cross Street in the main city of Songyuan is the "quarantine area" specially opened by the lord for these refugees.

Now, those infected with the plague have not appeared in Songyuan Territory on a large scale, but the lord has already taken precautions against such a situation.

While thinking about these, a light and shadow appeared in front of Luo Xiu.

The carriage of the caravan in front had passed the inspection and drove into the city.

It was Luo Xiu and Intis' turn to check, and the eyes of the guards were watching them closely at this time.

"We are guests who have come to Songyuan City to stay at the invitation of the Golden Country Bank."

A friendly smile appeared on Luo Xiu's face, and he gently said to the guards: "I am Luo Xiu Carlos. I received an invitation from Mr. Gonzalo Manston and came to Songyuan City to visit a friend."

While speaking, Luo Xiu extended his hand to Intis, and Intis handed him the identity certificate that had been prepared long ago, as well as all the documents and papers.

Among them, there was Luo Xiu's identity certificate as "Luo Xiu Carlos", the eldest son of the prestigious "Carlos Family", and Intis's identity certificate as his sister "Index Carlos", as well as the emblem from the Manston Family and the pass they obtained through special channels.

The guards took these certificates and documents from Luo Xiu and checked them carefully.

After confirming that there was no problem, the guards also smiled and nodded slightly to Luo Xiu and Intis.

"So you are a guest of the Golden Country Bank. Please go ahead. If you need anything, you can go to the office of the mansion for help."

"Thank you." Luo Xiu smiled and nodded in response.

Luo Xiu and Intis continued to ride towards Songyuan City.

...

Luo Xiu first came to the place where he was staying.

—— Wolf Hunting Tavern. It was a tavern run by retired veterans.

The reason why Luo Xiu chose this place was nothing but the full sense of security.

The owner of the tavern was a veteran with the title of "Wolf Hunting Knight". His name was Isaac Neves, and he had served in the Empire's "Knights of the Nation".

The Empire's "Knights of the Nation" were all "Throne Knights" with the fate of [Supreme], and they were the most elite extraordinary people in the Empire, without a doubt.

Unlike the "Templar Knights" of [Glorious], the "Throne Knights" are loyal supporters of the [Supreme] rule. They are the strongest shield of [Supreme], and they are also the sharp swords that they rely on to cut through thorns and break through the road ahead.

And the owner of the tavern, Isaac Neves, is also a transcendent person with the [Supreme] destiny. When he retired from the Knights of the Nation, he had reached the fourth destiny.

Luo Xiu and Intis then lifted the curtain and walked into the "Wolf Hunting Tavern".

What came to their faces was a suffocating smell of old wine and heavy smoke and dust that had accumulated for a long time.

Heavy footsteps came from deeper in the tavern and got closer and closer.

Not long after, in front of Luo Xiu, a sturdy old man suddenly appeared, looking at Luo Xiu and Intis with deep eyes like a wolf hunter.

The old man was the owner of the tavern, Isaac Neves, the former "Throne Knight" of [Supreme].

"Throne Knight" Isaac, with his strong and powerful figure, is just like Leonard; his beard is shaved very clean, with a small tuft of beard, matched with his flowing silver-brown hair, he exudes a strong aura.

"Drink? Or stay in the hotel?" Isaac asked concisely, his voice sounded like thunder.

"We stay in the hotel." Luo Xiu replied, "We have booked and will stay here for 20 days."

"Twenty gold coins." Isaac blurted out the high price, "Put the money on the table next to you. Then, you can go up and choose a room by yourself."

Twenty gold coins... Luo Xiu suddenly felt a pain in his flesh.

Compared with the rent of the White Antelope Hotel in Sina City, the "Wolf Hunting Tavern" is much higher.

But Luo Xiu did not bargain with Isaac, he knew what this high price meant.

——Isak, the former [Supreme] fourth-level "Knight of the Throne", as long as the guests stay here for one day, he can protect the guests' safety for one day.

This is Isaac Neves, the perfect reputation he has accumulated for a long time, and this is what Luo Xiu, who is targeted by the "Black Fang" assassins, urgently needs.

Compared with one's own safety, twenty gold coins is a very low price.

…

After counting out twenty Nolan gold coins from the money bag and placing them on the table pointed by Isaac, Luo Xiu and Intis went up to the second floor and selected the one in the center from the room with the door half-opened. One room.

Entering the room, there is a bunch of cast bronze keys hanging on the wall. That is the key to the room.

Luo Xiu took off the key and put it into the storage bracelet, then closed the door, opened the window, and ventilated a little.

Intis turned into a civet cat, jumped onto the window sill gently, and looked out at the scenery outside the window.

As the incarnation of a civet, Intis doesn't actually need much sleep. She just needs to find a place to lean on and take a nap like this.

There was only one bed in the room, and Intis didn't dare to jump on that bed before his "Lord" could.

Luo Xiu didn't say anything more, he just patted the quilt gently to shake off the dust on it.

…

After tidying up the room a little and changing into relatively formal clothes, Luo Xiu took Intis and left the "Wolfhound Tavern".

Luo Xiu came to the main city of Songyuan this time for two main purposes.

——Go to the "El Dorado Bank" to obtain investment income, and go to the "Black Sword Mansion" to participate in their antiquities auction. The former can pass at any time, while the latter still needs to wait a few more days.

At the "Black Sword Mansion" in the main city of Songyuan, their auction is held every three months, and the most recent auction was held three days later in mid-September.

There are no other big arrangements for the time being, so Luo Xiu plans to go to the Law Department branch in Songyuan City first to get some convenience from someone and meet old friends by the way.

…

Songyuan City, Wind Chime Square.

[Supreme] A branch of the Department of Justice is located here.

The manager of this branch, "Grand Arbitrator" Landauer, was busy dealing with various matters and was a little overwhelmed.

Some time ago, a Holy Inquisitor named "Connor Luen" came all the way from Red Maple City and asked himself to return to Red Maple City with him to deal with a disturbing matter involving the city owner's collaboration with the enemy. crime……

Landauer had just finished handling the mess there, including ordering the trial of "Red Maple City Lord" Lodiv, appointing a new city owner, and counting and compensating the losses of the "Holy Judges" of the Sina City Church. wait.

Among them, the first two items have been properly arranged, but Landauer is a little unsure about the loss compensation for the last item.

He couldn't figure out the attitude of the higher-ups about this, and he wasn't sure whether they just wanted an explanation from the Sina City Church, or real money and silver compensation.

As for the Sina City Church, they did not send anyone to inquire about the progress here. Landauer then focused on other things.

Just recently, the higher-ups have been very vigilant about the changes in the "Dark Principality", and almost all the [Supreme] people have focused their attention on investigating their movements.

Coupled with the recent frequent outbreaks of plague, [Supreme] has no extra energy to devote to other matters.

But Landauer has not forgotten that the Sina City Church is still waiting for him to give a corresponding attitude.

After all, something like the Lord of Lodiv City happened. Although they [Supreme] were destined to rule in the empire, they did not dare to offend those [Glorious] priests too much.

The church in Sina City is small, and the "City Lord" of the "Supreme" who intends to murder the priest is the "Grand Arbitrator" Landauer. He is also very clear that once [Glory] betrays the empire, the empire's faith will completely collapse. , what serious consequences it will lead to.

And if the "archbishop" in the main city of Songyuan becomes angry, Landauer is afraid that he will not be able to eat and walk around.

Just when Landauer was struggling with how to properly convey their [Supreme] signal to the church in Sina City.

Suddenly, Landauer's golden eyes suddenly flashed with light.

His spiritual body slowly emerged from the side, bowed slightly to Landauer, and then said:

"My lord, we have a visitor."

"It's a priest. He claims to be from Sina City and has made a special trip to visit you."

"..."

Landauer's eyes suddenly became profound.

He stood up, walked to the mirror, and arranged his luxurious clothes to make him look more stylish and dignified.

After confirming that there were no problems with his own image, Landauer turned back and glanced at his spiritual body.

"Go tell the waiter and let him convey my message..."

Landauer said:

"Please wait for that guest, I will interview him personally."

…