At this critical moment, a figure dressed in resplendent attire emerged from the grand cathedral of the Holy Cultivator Guild's branch headquarters.
He donned a bishop's robe and walked unhurriedly to the city hall's main gate, arriving just in time to block Ashu and his companions.
"Ah, Enforcer Kyle, who has injured you so badly?"
Kyle frowned as he looked at the old man. This guy's timely appearance suggested he had received a tip from the cultists.
"High Bishop Midaldas, it was those damn cultists," he replied.
"Cultists, in Riven?" Midaldas feigned surprise, his gaze slowly shifting to Ashu.
He knew Ashu had become a follower of Cidi.
Ashu, in turn, was observing the old man. With his graying short hair, standing around five feet seven inches tall, and of average build, he appeared to be a typical elder. However, his brown eyes held a profound depth, like bottomless wells of power.
"Your Excellency Kagreia, good day," the old man finally greeted Anna Kagreia, standing beside Ashu, without uttering a word to Ashu.
"Midaldas, what do you want?" Anna asked coldly.
A bishop of the Cultivator Guild wouldn't be idle enough to chat on the street, even if it was a branch bishop. His appearance here meant this was his business.
"I just sensed a strong odor of gunpowder, so I came to investigate. Oh, my, how did the mayor's office end up in such a state, and covered in vines?"
From where they stood, they could see the damaged walls of the mayor's office, with vines weaving through the cracks like green threads.
Faced with Midaldas's feigned ignorance, the group had little to say.
The only thing left unspoken was the unspoken tension between them.
Then, Midaldas said with deep meaning, "I never expected the cultists' infiltration to reach this point. Your Excellency Kagreia, should I request an order from headquarters to summon The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns?"
The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns?
Ashu looked at Anna. This was beyond his understanding, but the name alone suggested they were formidable.
"Do as you please. It's none of my concern," Anna replied coldly.
"No, of course, it is your concern, Your Excellency Kagreia," Midaldas's gaze fell, his words carrying hidden meaning. "You should know that only the relentless and cold-hearted The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns can purge the cultists from Riven and restore peace. They possess the most effective intuition, and all heresies will be exposed in their sight."
Hearing this, Ashu understood.
This stubborn old man had the same intentions as Cidi's bishop and the Kidopriest.
They all sought to access the knowledge of the witch, willing to go as far as requesting the military might of The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns.
Perhaps they had some way to avoid The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns' detection, but Ashu found it hard to say.
"You say... how does this concern me?" Anna's deep blue eyes emitted a strong aura of killing intent, as if freezing the surrounding space.
Though she had only recently recovered to the formal cultivator realm, she had many desperate methods at her disposal. Anyone who dared to harm Ashu would face her wrath, no matter if it was a branch bishop or The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns, even if a celestial deity were to come, she would fight until the bitter end.
Bishop Midaldas was taken aback by Anna's attitude. He had expected her to try to defuse the situation, but he hadn't anticipated such a strong reaction.
He quickly changed his tone, "Because, Your Excellency, you live in this area. As the bishop, I must ensure the safety of the residents and the stability of your life. That's the connection."
"Let's go." Anna ignored him and led Ashu out of the city.
As Ashu helped Enforcer Kyle to the city gate, Kyle could no longer hold on and was about to faint.
"Alright, alright, just take me to my family. I can only escort you this far... I, really, can't, take the pain anymore..." Kyle gritted his teeth, his breaths coming in short gasps.
Just as he finished speaking, a tall woman walked over with an elegant stride. She wore blue high heels and a form-fitting long pants that accentuated her statuesque figure. Ashu glanced sideways and noticed that this statuesque figure was topped by a middle-aged face. She had golden hair in an elegant bun, and her eyes exuded an air of nobility and distance.
When she looked at Kyle, it was as if she were looking at an animal.
"You've made a mess of things, and Mother is not pleased," the woman said, ignoring Kyle's injuries and instead offering criticism.
Kyle, however, forced a weak smile despite his pale lips.
"Big sister, don't talk about that. Save my life, quick."
With that, Kyle's spirit relaxed, and he passed out.
"Hmph." The woman extended her right hand to Ashu, "Give him to me."
Ashu didn't refuse. The only person who could make Kyle relax so much must be someone he completely trusted.
He removed Kyle's arm from his shoulder, and the woman took him with one hand. Her eyes scanned Kyle's chest and abdomen, and her arm glowed with a green light.
"See you later." The woman bid farewell and immediately left.
Watching the two depart, Ashu could only think of packing his bags and leaving right away. Now that he had killed someone, staying here would only make him feel more uneasy.
"What about her?" Ashu looked at the dazed woman they had brought along.
She was an important witness who could testify to Kyle's collusion with them.
"From her appearance, she seems to have been summoned by the Cidi cult to entertain the mayor. If the spellcaster isn't killed or the spellcaster doesn't voluntarily release her, she will remain in this state," Anna explained.
"That would be a trouble if we take her home."
"But we can't return her to the Cultivator Guild either. If they extract her memories, it would directly prove our involvement with Enforcer Kyle. That would be solid evidence for a beheading."
"Then we should take her with us."
Anna thought for a moment and whispered, "Ashu, you could try taking over. You are now a believer of Cidi and can use summoning secrets. Modify the summoning ritual slightly, and you might be able to transfer her to your name."
"That's too risky. Such an obvious target, if The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns discover her, I'll be in danger," Ashu said. "By the way, how much do you know about The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns?"
Anna was like a treasure trove of knowledge, while Ashu, a farmer, had limited access to information over the eighteen years of his life.
She replied, "The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns are twelve special nuns dedicated to hunting demons. They are selected through rigorous screening even before birth. Once born and deemed qualified, they are immediately enrolled in the Holy Cultivator Guild headquarters and undergo brainwashing from a young age. As adults, even without cultivation, they have a significant restraining power over the Evil God faction."
Being brainwashed from a young age is truly pitiful. People raised this way are likely nothing more than executioners for the Holy Cultivator Guild, like machines.
And now, Ashu was a believer of the Evil God Cidi. He had sung praises of Cidi at the altar, directly receiving Cidi's attention. The altar was like a landline phone, and Cidi's immense power could turn it into a video call, performing facial recognition.
This is why Cidi's bishop was extremely panicked. If Ashu continued his praises, Cidi would choose Ashu, thus abandoning the bishop. Even though the ceremony was interrupted, Cidi's gaze had indeed fallen on Ashu, creating a one-sided connection. This connection represented the "Evil God faction."
The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns, even without cultivation, had significant restraining power over the "Evil God faction" upon reaching adulthood. This meant that if The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns approached Ashu, he would be immediately exposed. It was a natural predator-prey relationship, like a cat and a mouse.
"We need to go into the mountains and hide for a while," Ashu suggested for his own safety. "I need to diminish the evil power of Cidi on me, otherwise, The Twelve Demon-Hunting Nuns will cause trouble when they arrive."
"Don't worry. Bishop Midaldas can only request one of the twelve at most. One person's search range is very limited, and I can avoid them. Once Enforcer Kyle wakes up, we'll leave this place as quickly as possible."