"You... what are you?"
"What? Woman, you are mine."
Tabitha's face froze, a trace of anger flashing across her beautiful features.
"I am the High Priest of the Papal State, Tabitha. I am not yours."
Li Meng grinned, reaching out to pinch Tabitha's chin.
"Woman, you don't have a choice. The Papal State's envoy group has been wiped out by me, and you are the only survivor."
Upon hearing this, Tabitha's face turned pale.
The Papal State's envoy group was annihilated?
And the culprit is this guy in front of her?
Tabitha looked at the strange man before her with fear.
"That's right, you should be afraid of me. Woman, you have two choices: become my slave—you're too beautiful to kill—or, of course, I could kill you. After all, you've seen me and know I'm the one who attacked the Papal State's envoy group. As a notorious villain, I won't let you go, wahaha!"
The feeling of being reckless is truly exhilarating.
Looking at the beautiful woman in front of him, Li Meng grinned.
Maybe he was born to be a bad seed.
When he steps into the role of a villain, he does it with great skill.
Li Meng released the woman's chin.
"Now... I'll give you five seconds to decide!"
Li Meng held up five fingers.
In Tabitha's eyes, he began counting down slowly.
"Four, three..."
As the countdown continued, Tabitha's expression changed.
She was the High Priest of the Papal State; how could she become a slave?
"Two, one!"
At the moment the countdown ended, Tabitha felt a terrifying killing intent envelop her.
Her body trembled, and the instinct to survive made her subconsciously kneel to the ground.
Her voluptuous waist and hips were raised high, outlined enticingly under her tattered robe.
"Master..."
Tabitha uttered the words with a face full of humiliation.
Tears glistened as they flowed from her eyes.
She, who held a high position, had lost her dignity just to stay alive.
"Being alive is really great, wahaha!"
The woman's humiliation made Li Meng laugh heartily.
Li Meng pulled out a silver collar from his black robe and personally placed it around Tabitha's neck.
The collar was very snug and small, with golden runes on its surface.
Others would only think it was an expensive magical item.
"You should know what this is!"
Tabitha rose and knelt on the ground, touching the smooth collar on her neck.
"This is a good thing; it can increase your magic recovery speed."
A magic item that increases magic recovery speed?
Tabitha could feel the surrounding light magic seemed to be more abundant.
Li Meng grabbed Tabitha's hand and pulled her up, then lifted her into his arms.
"I'll take you back to Layo City, and then you'll be free!"
Free?
In Li Meng's embrace, Tabitha's face lit up with joy, but soon dimmed again.
Now that the Papal State's envoy group was completely wiped out, how could she explain being the only survivor?
Even if she returned, she would be scrutinized and suspected.
"It's not unusual for one or two people to escape from such a large envoy group. You're not the only survivor; a few coachmen also survived. I let them go on purpose. I don't need you to stay by my side; you are still Tabitha, the High Priest of the Papal State."
Upon hearing this, Tabitha fell silent.
What was the purpose of the Black Robe?
Could he be planning to use her to overthrow the Papal State?
"I'm not interested in the Papal State!"
Tabitha's expression shifted slightly, filled with speechlessness.
Was he a worm in her stomach?
How could he guess what she was thinking?
"Alright, let's go!"
In the forest, there was a loud bang.
A figure soared into the sky, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.
In the high sky, Tabitha clung tightly to her master's neck.
Oh my god, is this flying?
The vast world made Tabitha's heart tremble with shock.
Even a Sword Emperor didn't have such physical prowess.
Was he a flea?
With just one leap, Layo City appeared in the distance.
That night, in Layo City, at the West Wind Inn.
The newly nightfall Layo City was bustling.
Passing travelers and adventurers brought vitality to Layo City.
Tonight, the West Wind Inn welcomed a pair of strange guests.
"A superior room for three days, with top-quality meals for each day."
The innkeeper behind the counter looked curiously at the two people in front of her.
Both were clad in black robes, though their sizes varied.
Li Meng placed a gold coin on the counter.
"Is this enough?"
The plump innkeeper's face was full of smiles.
"More than enough, more than enough!"
The innkeeper quickly pocketed the gold coin and handed a room key to Li Meng.
Li Meng took the room key and led Tabitha upstairs.
"Guests, would you like dinner prepared?"
"Bring it up in two hours."
"Alright, alright!"
As one of the top inns in Layo City, the West Wind Inn had a decent environment.
The corridor was lined with magical lamps.
The crystals used by humans seemed to be versatile.
Crystals could convert into various elemental magic.
Even the city's wells were powered by crystal magic.
The underground sewers also exuded a rich water element.
The inn was quiet, the corridor silent.
Li Meng and Tabitha arrived at the door of room 307, one after the other.
"Even the door has a magic barrier?"
Li Meng could sense a layer of magic on the door.
Though the defense was negligible, it was enough to deter ordinary people.
Li Meng swiped the room key across the door.
The magic barrier on the door vanished instantly.
Li Meng pushed the door open and led Tabitha into the room.
"Not bad!"
The room was spacious, worthy of being a superior room.
It had a living room, a bedroom, and a bathroom.
The bathroom even had a small bath.
A crystal was embedded at the bottom of the bath, with water continuously flowing from it, keeping the bathwater fresh.
"Um... Master, I'd like to take a bath!"
Tabitha removed her black robe, her gaze fixed on the bathroom.
Li Meng grinned, turning to wrap his arm around Tabitha's waist.
"Let's go together!"
Tabitha blushed slightly, nodding gently.
A hint of anticipation flashed in her eyes.
Bathing together would allow her to see her master's true face.
Li Meng led Tabitha into the bathroom, his arm around her waist.
Soon, the sound of splashing water echoed in the bathroom.
In the bath, Li Meng sat comfortably, leaning against the edge.
The cool water felt quite refreshing.
Beside him, Tabitha looked at her master with a face full of speechlessness.
She had hoped to use the opportunity of bathing to see her master's true face.
But the master remained the same, his true face obscured.
Though the black robe was gone, the cloth bandages remained.
In the water, the master resembled a mummy with a silver ball for a head.
"Is that a cloth bandage?"
Tabitha reached out cautiously to touch her master's arm.
The bandage was smooth, its material unknown.