Unless one can push the defensive barrier to its absolute limit and shatter it in one go, breaking the barrier requires reaching the realm of a Sword Saint.

Yet, Mo Han was inwardly astonished; this Saintess of Light seemed not to have attained the level of a Grand Magus. How, then, had she manifested this power? He gazed at her with unconcealed curiosity.

Shuiling'er seemed to sense Mo Han’s doubt and spoke to him, saying, “Don’t be puzzled, look at me. I am borrowing the power of a divine artifact to manifest this Holy Light Barrier. Moreover, once it’s cast, I’ll need a full fortnight to recover.”

Mo Han chuckled, saying, “Heh heh, a divine artifact? What kind of divine artifact? Your Church certainly possesses quite the treasures. Could you perhaps bestow a couple upon me?”

Shuiling’er remained silent upon hearing this, merely fixing Mo Han with a stare that made him utterly uneasy. He quickly added, “Never mind, I take it back. The way you’re looking at me is like a female wraith; it’s terrifying.”

Hearing Mo Han’s words, Shuiling’er couldn’t help but let out a little burst of laughter, saying, “So you do have moments of guilt? It seems your skin isn't as thick as imagined. There’s still hope for you; not bad.”

Mo Han, instead of showing embarrassment at Shuiling’er’s comment, let out a drawn-out sigh, saying, “Alas, it seems my composure is still lacking. I need further rigorous training. Otherwise, why do I become flustered so easily?”

As soon as he finished speaking, not only did Shuiling’er laugh, but the Dark Saintess opposite them also let out a soft giggle.

The Dark Saintess spoke up, “This is the first time I’ve encountered someone as interesting as you.”

Hearing her words, Mo Han quickly retorted with a teasing tone, “Ah, are you saying you find me interesting? How embarrassing for me! Alas, it’s such a bother being handsome; people are drawn to me wherever I go. If being handsome were a crime, I would have committed a transgression of heavenly proportions. Heavens above, such a sin.”

After saying this, Mo Han noticed the few individuals behind the Dark Saintess visibly shudder.

Mo Han had fully expected the Dark Saintess to erupt in fury after his audacious remark. Unexpectedly, she didn't get angry but merely chuckled, “Little Priest, if you continue to flirt with me, I might actually start to like you, you know.”

Mo Han felt a wave of dizziness coming on, inwardly cursing. He had met his match.

Behind him, Shuiling’er spat out an oath, “Shameless! Truly without a shred of decency.” A moment later, she added, “What a shameless woman.”

This prompted Mo Han, standing beside her, to interject, “Big Sister, please, next time you curse someone, maintain a continuous stream! Don’t pause in the middle—you’re making me jump out of my skin with anticipation.”

Shuiling’er replied coldly, “If you weren't such a shameless person, why would you fear my curses?”

Hearing Shuiling’er, Mo Han was momentarily struck speechless…

The Dark Saintess on the opposite side, catching Shuiling’er’s words, responded with a chilling tone, “Keep cursing. In the eyes of your Church, isn't the Dark Church merely a collection of shameless wretches anyway? I’d like to see how you plan to escape the grasp of us shameless people today. How long can your Holy Barrier hold? Just stay put inside obediently; I have all the time in the world.”

With that, she walked over to a tree, sat cross-legged, and began meditating. The masked figures surrounding her also formed a tight circle, sitting down around the periphery.

This gave Mo Han a splitting headache. He turned to look at Shuiling’er beside him and noticed her face had turned somewhat pale, with beads of fine sweat trickling down her forehead.

Mo Han knew that the more powerful the magic, the greater the drain on mana. Feeling a twinge of pity, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, “When I shout ‘Retreat,’ drop the barrier immediately. I have my own way of dealing with them.”

Shuiling’er felt Mo Han’s masculine warmth enveloping her, his breath tickling her nostrils. The sound of his voice near her ear caused her face to flush crimson, even her ears turning red. Strangely, she did not lash out at Mo Han for his forwardness. Instead, she looked at him quizzically, her eyes filled with unspoken questions.

Mo Han smiled at her and said, “Trust me. Do exactly as I say, and I promise I will get us out of here.”

Saying this, he slowly walked to the edge of the barrier and called out to the Dark Saintess, “Hey, I’m talking to you, the whatever-your-name-is Saintess! Could you come over here for a moment? I have something to discuss with you.”

The Dark Saintess retorted, “It’s the Dark Saintess. What is it now? What trick are you planning?” Mo Han laughed, “How would I dare plan anything? I’m the fish on the chopping block right now; you call the shots. As long as you don’t assault me first and then kill me, then assault me again and kill me again, I’ll be perfectly happy.”

This string of nonsense made Shuiling’er’s face burn red again, but she refrained from scolding him this time, seemingly having developed immunity to his wild ramblings.

Even the open-minded Dark Saintess couldn't help but blush slightly. She snapped, “A dog’s mouth only spits out foulness! Still, she walked towards Mo Han, stopping before the shimmering light curtain. “Speak. What’s your ploy?”

Mo Han slowly approached her and said, “What I need to say is… Drop the curtain.”

Mo Han suddenly roared the words. Hearing him, Shuiling’er quickly retracted the barrier. Simultaneously, a surge of deep blue light erupted from Mo Han’s body, and he lunged toward the Dark Saintess, attempting to seize her. The Dark Saintess gasped in shock, attempting to evade, but caught completely off guard, she couldn't possibly dodge Mo Han’s fully charged, long-prepared strike. The blue figure flashed once, and Mo Han’s hand clamped around her neck. Her subordinates only then snapped to awareness and shouted, “Release our Saintess at once, or we will tear you limb from limb!”

Mo Han looked at them coldly and commanded, “If you don’t want your Saintess dead, vanish! Otherwise, you can start preparing a funeral.”

The black-clad figures exchanged nervous glances, frozen in place, unsure what to do.

The Dark Saintess in Mo Han’s grasp spoke with icy composure, “I never expected you to be so vile, no different from the hypocrites in the Church of Light.”

Mo Han chuckled, “Heh heh, Your Holiness the Saintess, if I hadn't used this maneuver, I’d be the one captured by you. Would you call that vile? Should I have just stood there and waited for you to deal with me? If the roles were reversed, wouldn’t you do the exact same thing?”

The Dark Saintess merely let out a cold snort in response to Mo Han’s words.

She said coldly, “You, a Great Swordsman, masquerading as a Priest to launch a surprise attack—is that not the definition of despicable behavior?” The Dark Saintess herself possessed the skill level of a Great Swordsman, which is why she dared approach Mo Han, initially believing him to be a defenseless Priest. She hadn't anticipated that Mo Han was a Great Swordsman of her own caliber. Caught entirely unprepared, his sneak attack succeeded in one swift move.

Mo Han laughed again, “When exactly did I claim to be a Priest? Is there a law preventing a Great Swordsman from walking the streets wearing clerical robes? Besides, I find the Priest attire suits me quite well—it accentuates my extraordinary handsomeness. So, I wore it. You just misinterpreted things, hehe.”

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