The domineering-looking middle-aged man seated at the center of the thrones looked down at Vahn and spoke in his booming voice,
"Child of Demon, know this. You stand here alive not because of the Saintess’s protection, but because Destiny itself has chosen you. In time, you will understand. But if you wish to become a disciple of this Holy Land, you must undergo the entrance test like any other. You will be granted no special privileges. Are we clear?"
Vahn nodded unwillingly. He understood they were just trying to restrict his growth, to keep him in check, and always see him buried in weakness.
Destiny and Fate were just a set of excuses.
For now he had no choice but to accept their treatment, but Seraphina’s eyes narrowed coldly.
"Patriarch, this isn’t fair. As my spouse, does he not deserve better treatment? And do you all, revered elders, not see the Light affinity within him? Would you still dare call him tainted by evil?"
She said all this in a bitter tone, as if she was dissatisfied with the treatment.
From the looks of things, she had some authority over this Holy Land.
Patriarch Dimidium’s eyes softened, and so did the elders.
"Seraphina, do not mistake us. We act not from cruelty, but from purpose. An untempered steel cannot be forged into a sharp weapon unless it endures the fire. What we demand of you is no curse, but the path of your refinement."
Vahn almost laughed at their so-called righteousness. Their words might hold some truth, but in reality, it was always the privileged who managed to stay ahead of everyone else. He had learned this bitter lesson back on Earth.
Even in this life, without the privileges he had received, he wouldn’t be standing here now. He acknowledged that truth from the depths of his heart.
Yet, he never believed privilege alone was the key to success. Privilege only gave one an edge over the masses. True success came when it was combined with relentless hard work.
"No. I do not agree. My husband will stay by my side no matter what," Seraphina replied firmly.
She knew that if he became just an outer disciple or even an inner court disciple, he would not be allowed to come near her. Because she was the Saintess.
Vahn suspected the same. If that truly happened, the Divine Bonding System would become useless.
He had to find a way to stay close to her.
"This child," a female elder sighed, while the others frowned in displeasure.
Patriarch Dimidium then raised his hand. "Seraphina, we understand you wish to stay close to your spouse, but that is not the way of the Dao. He must undergo strict training and discipline. Otherwise he will be a waste to our Holy Land.
Still, considering your relationship, we will not restrain you from meeting each other. Regardless of his rank, he will be granted a special privilege to remain close to you. However, since we cannot reveal your relationship with him yet, he will be introduced to others as your servant. You should be mature enough to understand this, Seraphina."
Being a shrewd man, Dimidium knew well how to compromise.
From the looks of it, Seraphina’s position as Saintess carried even more weight than Vahn had originally thought.
Seraphina seemed satisfied with the compromise, though she still wondered how Vahn would feel about being given the status of a servant.
She turned to him, seeking his reaction.
Vahn only offered a calm smile, as if he had no complaints about the arrangement.
In truth, he couldn’t have been happier. They had practically given him exactly what he wanted.
"I take it both of you agree. If so, Seraphina, take this boy to the Holy Ascension Stairs and test his talent with your own eyes, lest you later claim we rigged the exam," Dimidium declared, sounding quite confident that Vahn would perform poorly.
Seraphina bowed slightly in response. "I will do exactly as you said, Patriarch."
From there, she and Vahn departed.
Once they were out of sight, ridiculing laughter rose from one of the elders.
"That boy looks so naive and innocent. I am sure we don’t have to worry about him too much."
"Yes, with his presence near the Saintess, she will only grow stronger. One day, she may even become the strongest among the Seven Saintesses."
"This is truly a great fortune for our Holy Land."
Patriarch Dimidium shook his head, his long white hair spilling wildly across his shoulders.
"Respectable Supreme Elders, we should not underestimate the Child of Destiny too much. We may have bound him through the Forbidden Ritual, but he is still a threat if he ever breaks free. And his Void Refining Physique might be far scarier than we realize. If it goes out of control, it could turn into a curse for the Saintess instead of a blessing."
"Haha, you worry too much, Dimidium. We only need to make sure that boy never rises to his full potential."
One goateed elder stroked his beard, a thin smile plastered across his withered face.
"True. But first, let us see how much potential this young man truly has."
All of them nodded silently, their gazes piercing far into the distance toward the scene unfolding between Vahn and Seraphina.
Under the bright sun, Vahn and Seraphina stood before a mythical stairway that seemed to stretch into the clouds.
As usual, a few young aspirants were attempting to climb the steps, hoping to change their fate by joining the Holy Land.
Suddenly, a wave of gossip rippled through the crowd, growing louder with every passing moment.
The aspirants turned curiously and froze in place when they saw Saintess Seraphina approaching with an unknown boy at her side.
Buzz...
A sudden wave of pressure descended from above, scattering the weak-willed aspirants like insects.
Some clutched their backs and howled in pain, yet the yearning to glimpse the divine beauty kept them calm.
Even the female aspirants stood in awe.
"Heavens! She is so beautiful! I want to be just like her!"
"Blasphemy! How can a chicken compare itself to a phoenix?"
"Shut your mouth."
"But who is that boy beside her? I heard she never interacts with men..."
"Who knows. But if the Saintess herself is here, that means something interesting is about to happen."