Impostor High Priest 30

Chapter 030: The Night’s Baptism

“Lia, are you there?”

A sudden voice startled the dazed Lia. She quickly turned her head, nervously hiding the object in her hand behind her back. It was only when she saw the person’s face that she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Chen Ran, it’s you…”

“Who else could it be?” Chen Ran said with a smile, walking over with a torch. “Someone said you went into the temple, so I came looking for you. I felt you were in here and came over.” Seeing the flashing blue light behind Lia and her nervous expression, Chen Ran’s eyebrows twitched, but he didn’t press for details.

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

“I found it,” Lia nodded.

“If that’s the case, we should go back and prepare. It’s time to leave.”

Lia was silent for a moment before she spoke. “Chen Ran, can you go out first? I’ll be out soon.”

Chen Ran looked at Lia’s apologetic eyes, blinked, and said, “Alright then. Be careful. I’ll wait for you outside.” He said no more and turned to walk out.

Although Chen Ran had always felt that Lia was hiding something from him, he chose not to ask, just like that night long ago. He felt that although he was clever, he had always handled emotional matters with his feelings. People had called him foolish before, but that was just the kind of person he was.

He walked out of the secret passage and looked back at the unseen depths. Chen Ran sighed and said to himself, “Lia, when will you be willing to tell me everything that’s on your mind? Is it just because I’m not strong enough to help you yet?”

In the secret chamber, after seeing Chen Ran leave the passage, Lia lowered her head, her eyes complex as she looked at the Eye of Scathach in her hand. The brilliant blue light was still as captivating as ever.

Lia gently lifted it and then put it in her mouth.

In that instant, a magical power coursed through her body, spreading to every corner. Lia closed her eyes, letting that power reshape her body.

Suddenly, a blue light flashed around Lia. Her body was bathed in the glow of the ice-blue light. As the blue light gradually subsided, it settled quietly within the girl’s body.

Lia opened her eyes again. Her blue-gray eyes had an added, subtle hint of ice blue and were more vibrant than before. She looked at her skin, which had a brighter luster. And this change would become more and more obvious over time—not just her pupils and skin, but also the color of her hair.

Clenching and unclenching her fists, Lia lowered her hands and walked outside.

After returning to the tribe, news of their victory over the demonic Fire Tribe quickly sent the tribe into a frenzy of celebration.

The best food and the best homemade wine were all brought out without reservation. This was an important day worth celebrating.

As the tribe’s benefactor, Chen Ran was naturally praised and revered. Everyone offered him their most enthusiastic compliments. The young girls were especially generous with their affection for the Divine Emissary, even describing his average face as the most handsome.

Not long after, the tribe was about to relocate back to the dead city that had been abandoned by the Fire Tribe for too long. Chen Ran also learned the tribe’s original name: the Sunlit Tribe. He had been calling them barbarians all this time, but some of the tribe’s people felt they were unworthy of the great name of their once-powerful tribe because they couldn’t reclaim their city. And the name, Sunlit Tribe, was restored now that they had reclaimed the stone forest.

Having accomplished his task, Chen Ran had to complete his final lie. He claimed that in order to stop the Demon Lord’s descent, he had been forced to use his reserved power to return to the celestial realm. As a result, his soul had merged with his current body and could no longer be separated. Now, he no longer had the power to return to heaven and could only begin a new journey as a mortal.

These lovely Sunlit Tribe people did not look down on Chen Ran for losing his divinity. Instead, they were moved by his sacrifice. Many of the young girls of the Sunlit Tribe shed tears of gratitude, praising his greatness.

For this, the Great Elder and the eighteen strongest warriors of the tribe, chosen by Chen Ran to represent the Sunlit Tribe’s leadership, unanimously elected Chen Ran as the new chief of the Sunlit Tribe, granting him the power to rule. And with a stable living environment, the Sunlit Tribe would surely regain its former prosperity and return to the glorious era of tens of thousands of people, perhaps even surpassing it.

However, Chen Ran gave up the option of being a mountain king, saying only that he wanted to see more of the outside world. Perhaps one day, when he was tired, he might return to this familiar city to see how the Sunlit Tribe was doing.

The Great Elder and the others swore that they would present him with a new, prosperous tribe.

And so, with all the aftermath settled, Chen Ran could just pat his butt and leave. Even if he didn’t fare well outside, he could still return to the Sunlit Tribe and enjoy their offerings. He remembered the decision of the four women to sleep with him on his first day here and always felt it was a regret (囧).

Everyone chatted happily. Since the burden on his shoulders was gone, Chen Ran was more relaxed and unknowingly drank a little too much. Although he wasn’t drunk, his eyes were a bit hazy.

He was escorted back to his room. Chen Ran dove headfirst into his bed and muttered to himself.

Alright, the damned business here is done, and Lia’s matter is settled along the way. I can finally leave this godforsaken forest. If I stay any longer, a fine young man like me will turn into a savage.

Perhaps it was this excitement that kept Chen Ran from closing his eyes, even though he had planned to rest early.

But just then, a rhythmic knock came from the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Lia.”

“Lia?” Chen Ran was stunned. He hadn’t expected Lia to come to his room at this hour. He thought she just wanted to chat, so he didn’t think much of it and went to open the door.

Lia looked serene under the starlight. She was no longer wearing her hair up for convenience as she usually did. This was the first time Chen Ran had seen Lia with her soft, straight hair down. She now lacked some of her usual heroic spirit but had more of a young girl’s gentleness.

Chen Ran couldn’t help but swallow.

He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but since returning from the temple, he felt that Lia had become even more beautiful. Her whole body exuded a light and ethereal quality that he couldn’t quite describe, which was very attractive. He had initially thought it was a change in her temperament after her worries were resolved.

Lia walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Just as Chen Ran was about to say something, he heard the sound of clothes falling to the floor. A beautiful young girl’s body appeared before his eyes.

As an otaku who had once fantasized about conquering all the beautiful girls in the world, faced with this sudden scene, he was instead frozen in place. Chen Ran only felt his whole body heat up, his blood rushing, and a certain part of him gradually reacting.

“Lia, this…”

“Tonight, don’t say anything, okay?” The young girl lightly covered a few private parts of her body. Her beauty was mixed with a hint of fragility and shyness, making her look exceptionally captivating in the flickering candlelight.

Perhaps it was because he had drunk a little too much that night. Under the influence of that wonderful temptation and the feeling that had been building up all this time, Chen Ran couldn’t help but walk forward. He awkwardly opened his arms and gently wrapped them around her soft waist. Gazing into her autumn-water-like eyes, he lowered his head and kissed her crimson lips…

The night was alluringly quiet, with the faint, clear chirping of cicadas in the distance.

In a small room, the sounds of tossing and turning intertwined into the most beautiful melody, making it difficult to fall asleep.