Chapter Forty-Eight: Fallen Leaves, Guslo

Several days later, in a secluded courtyard beside the Springwater Garden of the imperial villa, beneath an ancient banyan tree that had stood for countless years and would require several people to encircle it, Qiankun lounged leisurely on a recliner, absorbed in an old, thick tome of magic.

“Ancient magic arrays truly possess their own subtle and mysterious qualities; though they share similarities with the formations of the Primal World and the Stellar Transformation World, they remain fundamentally distinct.” After who knows how long, Qiankun closed the book with a gentle motion, his eyes narrowing as he gazed into the distant western glow of the setting sun. “The Finlay royal family’s collection of books is just as I expected. Though it contains all sorts of spells for the seven elemental laws, they’re limited to spells from the first to the ninth rank. There isn’t a single Saint Domain forbidden curse among them. For a royal lineage that has survived for only a thousand years, their foundation is still insufficient, incomparable to a great power with ancient roots like the Church of Light.”

As the sun slowly set, Qiankun, lost in contemplation of the magic array knowledge he had just studied, suddenly sensed something and opened his eyes.

“My lord, an envoy from the Church of Light has come, requesting an audience with you.” With quiet footsteps, a voluptuous and still enchanting woman in her thirties or forties approached, respectfully reporting to Qiankun.

So they’ve finally come. At her words, a gleam flashed in Qiankun’s eyes, and a smile played at his lips as he stood up. “Where are they?”

Moments later, Qiankun met the envoy in the living room—a gaunt old man, so thin his white robe seemed several sizes too large, his hands shriveled and claw-like, nothing but skin and bone. This old fellow, with eyes half-closed and a faint, curious smile, regarded Qiankun as he entered.

“Qiankun, is it? Greetings. My name is Fallen Leaf, an ascetic from the Church of Light,” the old man greeted him with a smile but did not rise.

Qiankun paid it no mind, sitting directly in the seat of honor and regarding the old man with a mild smile. “Lord Fallen Leaf, I’ve heard of you. You’re the leader among the ascetics of the Church of Light, aren’t you?”

Fallen Leaf chuckled, nodding. Then, with a meaningful look, he said, “You know a bit about me, but I know nothing of you.”

“And what is it Lord Fallen Leaf wishes to know?” Qiankun replied calmly.

Fallen Leaf waved a hand dismissively. “The Church of Light is interested in but one thing—your attitude toward the Church.”

Qiankun shook his head lightly, a hint of self-mockery in his tone. “Lord Fallen Leaf, the Church of Light has deep foundations and many experts. What threat could a mere Saint Domain expert like myself pose? What harm could I possibly dare bring?”

Fallen Leaf only smiled noncommittally. “That sounds reasonable enough. But tell me, why should the Church of Light believe you?”

“Then what must I do for the Church of Light to be convinced?” Qiankun pressed.

Fallen Leaf’s gaze flickered, and after a brief silence, his lips curled into a cold smile. “It’s quite simple. Kill someone for us.”

“Killing? Another Saint Domain expert?” Qiankun asked with interest, as if unsurprised.

“Yes—a Saint Domain expert from the Dark Church,” Fallen Leaf replied solemnly.

Instead of answering directly, Qiankun arched a brow and asked, “How strong is this Saint Domain expert from the Dark Church?”

“Not especially powerful. Mid-tier at best among the Saint Domain. You should be able to handle it, yes?” Fallen Leaf replied indifferently.

“Very well, I can help the Church of Light with this. However, I can’t do it for nothing, can I?” Qiankun replied after a moment’s thought.

Fallen Leaf’s smile was unreadable. “And what is it you want?”

“I want every forbidden curse spell of the seven elemental laws,” Qiankun’s request made Fallen Leaf pause in surprise.

Recovering quickly, Fallen Leaf frowned, his gaze sharpening. “All the forbidden curse spells for the seven elements?”

“Lord Fallen Leaf, this request costs the Church of Light nothing, while I’ll be risking the enmity of the Dark Church by killing one of their Saint Domain experts for you. If the Church won’t even agree to this, I’d say you’re lacking in sincerity,” Qiankun replied somewhat displeased.

Fallen Leaf’s eyes glinted as he pondered, then nodded calmly. “Very well. I have the authority to agree to your terms.”

“Here is all the information on the Saint Domain expert from the Dark Church,” Fallen Leaf said, producing a stack of documents with a wave and sending them to Qiankun.

Qiankun accepted them, shaking his head with a laugh. “The Church of Light certainly comes prepared. Well then, Lord Fallen Leaf, if there’s nothing else, I won’t see you out.”

“No need. Once it’s confirmed that the Saint Domain expert from the Dark Church is dead, I’ll return to find you,” Fallen Leaf replied, standing to leave.

“Very well. When the time comes, Lord Fallen Leaf, do remember the forbidden curse spells of the seven elements that you owe me,” Qiankun said lightly.

Fallen Leaf walked straight out without a word. Qiankun paid it no mind, lowering his gaze to the documents in his hands.

...

In the Black Lion Kingdom, within the territory of the Dark Alliance, there stood an ancient mansion in Mad Lion Town that had endured for centuries, occupying nearly a third of the town. The estate was filled with guards, maids, and servants—but even more with alluring women of every shape and beauty. The master of the estate, Gusroro, known as the “Mad Lion,” was a powerful Saint Domain expert. He had entered the Saint Domain decades ago, holding considerable status within the Dark Church, and was infamous for his domineering nature and lust for women.

Over the past decades, under Gusroro’s secret manipulation, the Dark Alliance and the Holy Alliance had waged multiple wars, both sides suffering heavy losses. Gusroro himself had covertly slain several ninth-rank experts of the Church of Light. If not for the protection of the Dark Church, the Church of Light would have sent a mighty Saint Domain expert to kill him long ago.

Yet Gusroro never imagined the Church of Light would actually send someone for his life—and that person would be Qiankun.

Suppressing his aura, Qiankun slipped quietly into Gusroro’s estate, following the overwhelming presence of a Saint Domain expert straight to his target.

On the roof of a building inside the mansion, Qiankun observed a scene below: over a dozen stunning, elegantly dressed women in their late twenties or thirties stood in a line, their faces pale, bodies trembling in fear and anxiety.

From within the house, the wild laughter of a man and the anguished screams of a woman rang out, clear to Qiankun’s ears.

Soon, a man’s guttural roar sounded, and the woman’s screams abruptly ceased.

With a crash, the door was violently flung open, and out strode a naked, burly man—his body as hairy as a black bear, his face covered in bristling stubble. Blood stained both his lower body and his mouth. Grinning hideously, he pounced like a wild beast on a voluptuous woman in her thirties, who trembled in terror. As she screamed in fear, he tried to drag her back into the room.

But just as the burly man, laughing maniacally, was about to drag the woman inside, his body suddenly froze. Eyes wide with horror and disbelief, he stared at Qiankun, whose figure appeared before him like a ghost.

“Divin... Divine...”

With a soft sound, Qiankun simply pointed at his brow, and the man’s massive head exploded like a watermelon.

“Truly a human beast!” As the terrified beauty collapsed to the ground in shock, Qiankun cast a look of disgust at the headless corpse of Gusroro. His gaze swept over the lavish carpet, where the mutilated remains of a woman lay in a pool of blood. Frowning, he shook his head, flicked his hand to take the spatial ring from Gusroro’s finger, and vanished from sight.