Seeing the enemy catching up, the expressions of Jorik and his squad instantly turned exceedingly ugly.

  "What do we do?" Jocelyn shot an inquiring look at Jorik.

  Jorik's expression shifted several times before he finally gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Split up and run!"

  Hearing this, the expressions of the other three changed slightly, but they knew it was the best option.

  If they ran together, the only outcome would be complete annihilation.

  By splitting up, there might still be a glimmer of hope.

  As for who would ultimately survive, it all depended on their individual luck.

  Without further hesitation, the four decisively scattered in different directions.

  Gwendolyn took out a gemstone, refreshing her Jump spell, and sprinted away like a gust of wind. At the same time, she glanced back and saw the violent snowstorm chasing after Jorik.

  Seeing this, Gwendolyn bit her lip. A flash of sorrow crossed her eyes. She knew Jorik's chances of survival were slim to none.

  But now was not the time for grief. The enemy could catch up to her at any moment. She had to escape back to White Ice City as quickly as possible.

  After running with her head down for fifty to sixty kilometers, her vision suddenly widened. She had finally made it out of the forest.

  Just as Gwendolyn was rejoicing, a sudden chill crept up her spine.

  Without a second thought, she activated her Blink Magic Tattoo, disappearing from her spot in an instant.

  Bang!

  Countless sharp ice spikes pierced through the ground where she had just been standing. Freezing mist spread out, covering the ground in a layer of solid ice.

  "Oh?"

  A low sound of surprise echoed. The Winter Frost Priest narrowed his eyes at Gwendolyn, who had appeared out of thin air dozens of meters away. A mocking sneer touched his face.

  "Your reflexes are quite fast."

  Gwendolyn stared at him, her face pale, her mind in absolute turmoil.

  He caught up this quickly!

  What about Jorik and the others?

  Seemingly reading Gwendolyn's shock and doubt, the Winter Frost Priest said coldly, "No need to guess. I've already taken care of your three companions. Now, I will send you to join them."

  Although she had expected it, hearing that Jorik and the others were dead still sent a surge of grief and indignation through Gwendolyn's heart. She glared at the enemy through gritted teeth, and seven or eight gemstones instantly appeared in her palm.

  Even if she wasn't his match, she wouldn't just sit back and wait for death!

  The Winter Frost Priest watched her actions coldly, a look of derision flashing in his eyes.

  A mere Wizard Apprentice actually dares to resist. She has some guts.

  He slowly raised his hand, preparing to kill this audacious Apprentice.

  But right at that moment, a melodious voice suddenly rang in both of their ears.

  "Excuse me, sorry to intrude."

  The moment the voice sounded, the Winter Frost Priest violently retreated backward. Simultaneously, crystalline light surged around him, instantly condensing into over a dozen ice shields that guarded him impenetrably from all sides.

  Only after doing this did he look toward the source of the voice, as if facing a mortal enemy.

  A woman!

  A beautiful woman wearing a black evening gown!

  The Winter Frost Priest's expression was filled with extreme wariness and vigilance.

  Until the moment this woman spoke, he hadn't sensed her presence in the slightest.

  If she had intended to harm him, at such close range, he probably wouldn't have even had time to react.

  The thought caused a fine layer of cold sweat to break out on his back.

  "It's you!"

  Gwendolyn, on the other hand, wore a look of pleasant surprise.

  Who else could this sudden arrival be but the Vampire Wizard from earlier!

  "We meet again." The woman nodded at Gwendolyn with a gentle expression.

  Seeing this interaction made the Winter Frost Priest's heart sink.

  "Who are you, Your Excellency? Why are you interfering in our affairs?" the Priest asked in a deep voice.

  The woman glanced at him and smiled. "I have no interest in interfering in the war between Aurora City, Red Lotus City, and the Winter Frost Church. However, it is rare to encounter a girl with such delectable blood. I can't just watch her die."

  Hearing this, Gwendolyn didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She never imagined that one day she would be saved because her blood was "delectable."

  The Winter Frost Priest's face darkened. "So, Your Excellency insists on interfering?"

  The woman replied softly, "You can understand it that way."

  The Priest was about to speak again when the woman shot him a profound, chilling look.

  In an instant, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His entire body convulsed as if electrocuted. His face turned deathly pale, and crimson blood simultaneously flowed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

  Catching his breath, the Priest looked at the woman as if he had seen the devil itself. Not daring to utter another word, he turned and fled without hesitation.

  By the time Gwendolyn reacted, the Winter Frost Priest had already disappeared into the forest.

  She instantly grew anxious and yelled at the woman, "Why did you let him get away?! He killed my companions!"

  The woman shot her a strange look and said unhurriedly, "They were your companions, not mine. He has no grudge against me. Why should I kill him?"

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Gwendolyn froze, completely dumbfounded.

  Weren't Vampires supposed to be cruel and cold-blooded?

  Why does this woman seem to draw such a clear line between gratitude and grudges?

  "You seem to be thinking something very rude," the woman said. "But whatever, I'm in a good mood, so I won't hold it against you."

  "Speaking of which, I saved your life this time. Shouldn't you repay me?"

  Gwendolyn took a deep breath, quickly regaining her composure.

  Technically, the woman indeed had no obligation to avenge her, and she had genuinely saved her life.

  "What do you want as payment?"

  "Your blood, of course."

  Gwendolyn had anticipated this. Without thinking, she said, "Fine, take it yourself."

  "By the way, if I use my blood as payment, can you kill that Winter Frost Priest from just now?"

  A meaningful look instantly appeared on the woman's face. She smiled and nodded. "Of course."

  "Then we have a deal!"

  The woman smiled. She extended a pale index finger and pointed in the direction the Winter Frost Priest had fled.

  The next second, Gwendolyn vaguely heard an incredibly miserable, blood-curdling scream echo from that direction.

  A few seconds later, a cloud of blood mist surged out of the forest and arrived before the woman, coalescing into a humanoid shape.

  Despite the twisted facial features, it vaguely resembled the Winter Frost Priest from moments ago.

  With a flick of the woman's finger, the humanoid blood mist let out a silent wail before dissipating into the air.

  Gwendolyn watched this scene in absolute shock. Alongside a feeling of vindication, she felt an inexplicable sense of awe.

  A Rank 4 Priest had died right before her eyes, just like that.

  Although she had already guessed that the woman was powerful, this level of strength was far beyond her imagination.

  "There. The transaction is complete. Remember the payment you owe me." The woman withdrew her hand with a placid expression, as if she had merely crushed an ant.

  Gwendolyn snapped back to her senses and asked in astonishment, "You're not collecting it now?"

  The woman chuckled lightly. "The price for killing a Rank 4 Winter Frost Priest isn't that cheap. If I collected it all at once, you'd be sucked dry into a mummy."

  Gwendolyn was rendered speechless once again. It took her a few seconds to remember to ask, "Then when do you plan on collecting it?"

  "Hmm... let me think," the woman pondered. "If I absorb two hundred milliliters of blood from you every day, it should take about a year."

  Gwendolyn's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Are you going to follow me around all the time?!"

  The woman pursed her lips and smiled. "Is that a problem?"

  "But... can you even enter White Ice City?"

  "Of course," the woman said with a beaming smile. "I possess a Traveler's Pass issued by the Astral Alliance. I have unrestricted access to any territory under their jurisdiction. White Ice City belongs to the Astral Alliance, doesn't it?"

  A Traveler's Pass?

  This was the first time Gwendolyn had ever heard of such a thing.

  But judging by the woman's expression, it was likely true.

  Did that mean this woman truly intended to stay by her side indefinitely?

  Gwendolyn's feelings were incredibly complicated. For a moment, she didn't know how to react.

  Normally, having a High-Tier Wizard following you around year-round would definitely be a good thing.

  But when that High-Tier Wizard was a Vampire who also needed to draw two hundred milliliters of your blood every day, it ceased to be a pleasant arrangement.

  However, since she was the one who had incurred the debt, Gwendolyn hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing.

  Looking on the bright side, this woman was a High-Tier Wizard after all. Just a little bit of resources leaking from her fingertips would be a massive fortune for Gwendolyn.

  Like that Purified Soul Crystal from before.

  At worst, she'd just trade more blood for it!

  Thinking this way, Gwendolyn's mood lightened considerably.

  "By the way, what is your name?" the woman asked.

  "I am Gwendolyn."

  "My name is Enevia. You can just call me by my name from now on. I dislike overly formal titles."

  Gwendolyn acknowledged it. After a slight hesitation, she said, "I want to go collect my companions' bodies. Is that alright?"

  "Of course," Enevia nodded.

  With Enevia's help, Gwendolyn quickly found the bodies of Jorik and the others. With a gloomy expression, she stored them away, preparing to bring them back.

  From beginning to end, Enevia merely stood to the side with a calm expression, neither interfering nor speaking.

  After collecting the bodies, the two headed back toward White Ice City.

  As they neared the city, Gwendolyn suddenly said, "Wait a moment."

  Enevia turned to look at her in confusion.

  "Do you want to change your clothes?" Gwendolyn pointed at her evening gown. "Entering the city dressed like that will draw too much attention."

  "Is that so."

  Enevia lifted the hem of her skirt and spun around in place.

  "Although I don't care about such things, since it bothers you, I will change."

  She snapped her fingers. The black evening gown instantly dissolved, turning into black smoke that coiled around her body before rapidly gathering again, transforming into a black robe that enveloped her anew.

  During that brief process, the fleeting glimpse of perfect, snow-white skin was enough to make even a fellow woman like Gwendolyn feel a slight flutter in her heart.

  Do all Vampires have such amazing figures? the girl couldn't help but wonder.

  "Alright, let's go."

  Enevia took the lead, walking toward White Ice City.

  Gwendolyn snapped back to her senses, sighed, and quickened her pace to keep up.

  Red Maple City, Battlefield Buffer Zone.

  Thick smoke billowed over the sky above a castle that had just seen a fierce battle. The scene was one of utter devastation.

  Blood-drenched corpses were scattered everywhere among the collapsed walls and stones.

  Pierce stood atop the city wall, gazing at the distant sky.

  A cold corpse lay at his feet. Three snowflake patterns were faintly visible on the blood-soaked sleeves.

  Compared to the previous Fortification No. 89, the garrison at Fortification No. 17 was much stronger.

  Not only had the number of Winter Frost Priests increased to four, but one of them was even a Rank 3 Priest.

  Yet, for Pierce, who had broken through to the Liquid Phase, this battle had been far easier than the last.

  After he crushed the four Winter Frost Priests with overwhelming force, the Turin soldiers' will to resist plummeted to rock bottom. They were quickly and easily wiped out by the swarm of Fog Crows.

  For this battle, Pierce hadn't even needed to deploy the Oak Guards.

  "My Lord, everything is here."

  Sophia approached him, holding up a spatial badge with both hands.

  Pierce took it, glanced inside, and a look of satisfaction flashed across his eyes.

  One deity statue, three miniature statues, and four Eyes of Winter. It would be enough to refine at least three Faith Crystals.

  In addition, there were three hundred and thirty milliliters of holy water, easily worth over six hundred Merit Points.

  Unfortunately, they hadn't found any rare resources like Demonic Fine Steel, otherwise, the haul would have been even greater.

  "With the maximum mission reward of 1,000 Merit Points, plus the six hundred from the loot, it's enough to exchange for five Sprouts of the Holy Spirit. That will last me a very long time."

  Pierce immediately made his decision. He would return, go into seclusion to cultivate for a period, and only come back out to earn Merit Points once the Sprouts of the Holy Spirit were used up.

  He was beginning to get used to this rhythm of executing a single mission and then cultivating for a stretch.

  He had to admit, the feeling of his strength rapidly soaring was incredibly addictive.

  "Let's get ready to head back," Pierce said, putting the spatial badge away.

  Sophia and Payne immediately complied. They turned and jumped off the wall to bring the Giant Eagles over.

  But right at that moment, Pierce's expression suddenly shifted. He looked up, gazing into the distance.

  At the edge of the sky, a black dot was flying toward them at extreme speed.

  Pierce raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.

  "They got here quite fast this time."

  As the distance closed, the true identity of the black dot became clear.

  It was a middle-aged man wearing a white priest's robe. Four snowflake patterns were clearly embroidered on his sleeve.

  A Rank 4 Winter Frost Priest!

  Could he be from the Mithril resource point nearby? Pierce thought to himself.

  In mere moments, Andrej arrived above the castle.

  He looked down at the ruins, then at Pierce standing alone on the city wall. A look of shock and uncertainty flashed in his eyes.

  The enemy only sent one Wizard?

  Could he be a Rank 2 Wizard?

  Andrej instantly raised his guard. He spoke in a deep voice, "You—"

  But before his probing words could even finish, Pierce had already raised his hand. Liquid metal coalesced in his palm, instantly forming a brilliantly shining silver spear.

  In the next second, lightning erupted.

  Thunderburst Overcharge + Focus + Lightning Runes + Lightning Elemental Power!

  A violently blazing, tyrannical aura swept across a thousand-meter radius in an instant.

  Looking at that spear, which seemed to be forged from tangible lightning, Andrej felt a sudden chill shoot straight up his spine.

  Without hesitation, he summoned several ice shields, blocking them in front of him.

  In the blink of an eye, the lightning spear appeared before the ice shields, crashing into them like a meteor.

  Only then did the ear-piercing sonic boom of its flight suddenly explode!

  Crack!

  The five ice shields couldn't hold on for even a fraction of a second before they violently shattered into dust.

  The lightning spear continued unabated, striking Andrej directly in the chest. In an instant, halos of light flashed wildly across his body. It was impossible to tell how many divine artifacts had been shattered in that single moment.

  Fortunately, that split-second delay gave Andrej just enough time to cast a divine spell.

  An impossibly brilliant, azure sphere of light materialized at his fingertips. Carrying a bone-piercing cold, it struck the lightning spear. As the lightning and the cold clashed and intertwined, both were completely annihilated.

  Catching his breath, Andrej didn't hesitate for a second. He turned and flew away, fleeing into the distance at an even faster speed than when he had arrived.