Monster Girl Development Master.

As the procession approached the city gate, Zhuang Sen's expression turned grim. It wasn't that he saw anything horrific, but rather that he saw nothing at all. There were no beggars, no poor people, not even farmers entering the city. In front of the empty city gate, only two guards dressed in fine plate armor stood ramrod straight, strutting about like roosters.

There are no poor people to be seen at the entrance of the slum, just like there is no trash in the trash can. Unless it is specially arranged, it is difficult for this to happen. And the way Count Millais dispersed the poor people, Zhuang Sen did not think it would be gentle and polite.

"Darling," Lydia leaned closer to Johnson, her voice low, "Should we make a move?"

"No rush, this fool is just cannon fodder. If we're going to make a move, we'll break his master's hand too." Zhuang Sen composed himself. "But you, have you decided who will be this Earl Millai?"

Seeing that Zhuang Sen's mood had improved, Lydia was relieved: "I think Lady Liya is better, that way you can also grant Lilith the Farau territory at the same time, dear."

As the two chatted, the group passed through the city gate and entered the city. They saw the clean and tidy streets, the solemn and dignified nuns of the Church of the Furies, the long street banquet that was not much different from the previous ones, and the somewhat bloated Earl Millais.

“My lord!” Earl Milai approached Zhuang Sen with great enthusiasm and said loudly, “Welcome to Milai City! As per your request, the city has made all the necessary preparations and is ready to hold a sacred wedding for you and Viscount Dantalian at any time!”

As Count Millais shouted, Zhuang Sen felt the gazes emanating from the rooms lining the road, filled with hostility, resentment, and sorrow. Clearly, Count Millais was deliberately inciting his subjects against Zhuang Sen, this extravagant, ambitious, and wasteful prince. It must be said, this tactic was indeed effective, especially against Zhuang Sen, who had consistently promoted policies beneficial to the common people. Normally, this situation would have undoubtedly inflicted a psychological blow on Zhuang Sen, but unfortunately, he had anticipated it, and he was not the saint these nobles imagined, so he remained calm.

"It does look good. So, did you also do what I asked you to arrange—give each citizen twenty-six gold coins to celebrate my wedding?"

Zhuang Sen spoke in a louder voice than Earl Millais, and also used the [Sacred Hymn] ability, which could increase "persuasiveness." In an instant, he felt that the original malicious gazes had faded a lot, and many gazes had even shifted away. As for where they shifted to... it was hard to guess.

Count Millais's smile stiffened. Just as Zhuang Sen could feel those gazes, the three-time awakened [Steel-Spiked Porcupine] could also sense the shifting gazes. It couldn't help but curse these ungrateful commoners, who had been turned against them by a mere outsider's words! And with a lie at that!

Zhuang Sen watched Earl Milai's amused smile. Although he couldn't read minds, he could roughly guess Earl Milai's thoughts from his resume, and felt even more pity for his intellect. Commoners are easy to fool, but not easy to fool either. Given the shady things Earl Milai usually does in his territory, how much could his subjects possibly trust him? The fact that they believed his previous attempts to shift blame was already a testament to their loathing of the nobility!

That's ridiculous!

Chapter 272: The Sanctuary and the Patriarch

Count Millais's attempt to steal a chicken backfired spectacularly. Not only did Zhuang Sen want to laugh, but the other nobles who heard it also wanted to laugh. After all, everyone knew each other; Count Millais's blatant actions were obvious to everyone except a complete fool. The only one who couldn't laugh, like Count Millais, was Prince Gloria. He hadn't expected Count Millais to make such a fool of himself... Feeling the mocking gaze from Serafina in the distance, Prince Gloria blushed slightly.

However, at this point, he certainly couldn't abandon the plan. He could only comfort himself with the excuse that Earl Milley was just cannon fodder anyway, and the more ridiculous the performance, the easier it would be for Zhuang Sen and the others to lower their guard. Then he rode away first to find his own lodging. Most of the nobles also slowly dispersed, but some nobles still followed Zhuang Sen, not to curry favor with him, but to watch the show. This was because Zhuang Sen was still urging Earl Milley forward, and along the way he kept loudly announcing the distribution of gold coins, which quickly soaked Earl Milley's new clothes with sweat.

Only when Zhuang Sen arrived at his destination—the Sanctuary of Vengeance—did he finally feel relieved and take his leave. Although he had just said that the wedding could be held at any time, it was clearly impossible to hold a wedding immediately upon arrival; even if he was in a hurry, he needed to rest well for a night. Zhuang Sen didn't bother with him any longer, and after letting him leave, he looked up and admired the magnificent building before him.

The Sanctuary of Vengeance is the second largest temple of the Church of Vengeance in the Fallen Star Kingdom, second only to the Temple of Vengeance in the capital. It's also the reason Dantalian chose to marry here; she still maintains her faith in the Goddess of Vengeance, even though, according to information from the ancient monsters, the Goddess of Vengeance might have been just a monster girl in ancient times, perhaps not even as powerful as Holy Lamia. But her faith has never been in any specific person, but rather in the doctrines and good deeds of the Goddess of Vengeance, which naturally won't change because of her status.

"Go in."

Zhuang Sen took Dantalian's hand, looking up at her. Even though he was 1.85 meters tall due to his [Holy Gun Angel] bloodline, he could only barely touch Dantalian's chest and abdomen, still quite small. Dantalian easily wrapped her hand around Zhuang Sen's small hand, revealing a serene smile. Her warm eyes were filled with tenderness as she looked at Zhuang Sen, nodding slightly: "Let's go, darling." At this moment, Dantalian finally understood Celine's feelings. A wedding is not just a ceremony, but also an exchange of vows with a lover, a dreamy date. Even though she and Zhuang Sen had tried so much, she couldn't help but feel her heart racing now, and this was not even the official start of the wedding.

Zhuang Sen took Dantalian's hand, and the two walked into the sanctuary arm in arm. Led by a local nun who had been silently following them, they easily met the local bishop and priests and were given a guest room according to the proper procedures. This time, Zhuang Sen and Dantalian were holding a wedding according to the rules of the Church of Vengeance. According to the procedure, the bride would pray for the goddess's blessing in the temple all night, and then dress and groom herself in the early morning. The groom would then pass the test set by the Church of Vengeance the next day and enter the temple to complete the marriage. Finally, the bride and groom would leave together to complete the wedding.

As the now renowned "Saintess of the Church of Vengeance," Dantalian would naturally choose this traditional wedding style, and Zhuang Sen didn't mind. Even setting aside his relationship with Dantalian, from a purely pragmatic perspective, using a wedding to strengthen ties with the Church of Vengeance, which had always helped him, was definitely a worthwhile endeavor. However, the thought of not seeing Dantalian for several hours made Zhuang Sen somewhat reluctant to part with her. So, despite it being early, he and his wives lingered at the Church of Vengeance until the local bishop politely asked them to leave.

After Zhuang Sen left, Dantalian changed out of the revealing clothes she had worn while frolicking with him, donning a simple, loose-fitting black nun's robe. She knelt before the altar of the Furies in the bridal chamber, silently praying for Zhuang Sen and for the wedding the next day. In the room two doors down, the local bishop of the Church of Fury, who had previously generously granted Zhuang Sen and Dantalian's requests, now wore an angry expression, gritting his teeth as he said, "What a depraved and vile vengeful saint! Not only does she flirt with lustful men, but she also disregards the doctrine, intending to maintain control of the church after her marriage!"

The other nuns and priestesses in the room nodded in agreement, their faces full of indignation. As conservatives, they detested any behavior that violated church rules. Especially since they were backed by the Church of Vengeance and hadn't been greatly affected by the Church's previous decline, but rather enjoyed many benefits after Zhuang Sen's rise, they were even more arrogant and extreme. As for whether they were jealous of Dantalian's reputation as the "Saintess of Vengeance," or of her husband, the Count—no, the Prince—that was a question only they could answer.

Amidst the fervor of the crowd, a woman sitting opposite the local nuns laughed and said, "I told you long ago that Rosa and her disciples had become heretics, but you didn't believe me. Now you know, don't you?"

The woman was beautiful, with flawless skin and long, black and white hair that was both strange and uniquely beautiful. However, when she spoke, her voice was hoarse and aged, like that of an old woman. The local nuns, though they had heard her voice before, were still somewhat unaccustomed to the Patriarch's demeanor. Indeed, the woman appearing in this Sanctuary of Vengeance was none other than Yelena Pepp, the Patriarch of the Church of Vengeance, who should have been at the headquarters of the Church of Vengeance in the capital, ruling over the entire Fallen Star Kingdom.

She sneaked here not because she was bored, but to target Dantalian!

However, it was during a conversation with her fellow believers in Leon that Dantalian "revealed" her control over the church. She had already developed a habit of managing the Church of Vengeance in Leon, and besides, she had long since let go of the influence of this doctrine, so she hadn't bothered to hide it. Therefore, the revelation infuriated the conservative bishop of the area. But even if Dantalian had known beforehand, she wouldn't have cared. She was already at her fourth awakening, and the fifth was probably just around the corner. What did she have to worry about?

She'd rather think about how to guard against those sluts trying to steal her man tomorrow night! She's not Celine, who can't last one night with Zhuang Sen. It's her precious wedding night, so of course she wants to cherish it with Zhuang Sen. Even her sisters can't disturb them... As for Count Millais's plan? Hopefully, they'll launch it soon and come to their deaths.

And so, a calm but turbulent night passed.

As dawn broke, Zhuang Sen, who hadn't slept all night, finished washing up, changed into a dashing red and white suit, and arrived at the gate of the Vengeance Sanctuary.

Chapter 273: Religious Fanaticism

The night passed, and the accompanying secret agents brought back new intelligence, fully explaining Count Millais's actions—simply put, he was using a chicken feather as a component and amplifying it infinitely.

Zhuang Sen and Dantalian's only request was a normal wedding in the style of the Church of Vengeance. However, Count Millais used this as a pretext to impose a royal wedding tax, drive away surrounding citizens and seize their residences and shops, clear out the poor from the slums and forcibly enslave them, and even demand that nuns from the Church of Vengeance serve them. It was only yesterday that Zhuang Sen managed to shut Count Millais up, otherwise the nuns who came to greet them would have been sent to Zhuang Sen by Count Millais, and in Zhuang Sen's name no less.

"We have no choice but to kill them."

Zhuang Sen thought to himself that he had originally wanted to wait a little longer, but now it seemed that Earl Millais was really in a hurry to die, so he had no choice but to grant his wish.

……

As the sun fully rose, Zhuang Sen, dressed in his finest attire, appeared before the Temple of Vengeance. The wide road was lined with cheering crowds, but a closer look revealed that they weren't as happy as they appeared. Unlike Zhuang Sen and Celine, who had thrown a lavish banquet in Starry Night City, where the commoners were genuinely delighted to have received a free meal, Count Millais had forced them to come.

Facing Zhuang Sen was a full-scale display of local vengeful female warriors and nuns, along with bishops and priests of the bloodline, forming a three-tiered formation. The first tier consisted of the female warriors, clad in armor and helmets, arranged in two closely spaced columns like steel walls, through which the groom had to pass. The second tier was composed of nuns, all now uniformly dressed, their figures concealed by wide robes and faces veiled in black; the groom had to find the true guide among them. The third tier, naturally, consisted of bishops and priests. This three-person formation seemed somewhat weak, but it was precisely the most challenging test, as the groom had to "defeat" them.

This is the process of a Vengeance Church-style wedding. Like the traditional weddings of the Fallen Star Kingdom, it also has a legendary origin. It is said that the first believer of the Vengeance Church, a prophet, gained the favor of the goddess through courage and wisdom after suffering unjust persecution, thus completing his vengeance. Of course, under normal circumstances, the difficulty of these trials is moderate. It's impossible for an ordinary person to actually fight a group of elite armored warriors, discern the disguise of a well-trained nun, and defeat the bloodline holder; otherwise, the wedding would be impossible.

Soon, as the ceremonial invocation concluded, Zhuang Sen strode confidently into the midst of the vengeful female warriors. His towering figure was immediately blocked by their armor, and increasing pressure emanated from both sides. Clearly, the female warriors had no intention of holding back; in fact, they were exerting every ounce of their strength. Unfortunately, they were ultimately just ordinary people. Even in their armor, they couldn't budge the elegantly dressed Zhuang Sen. Instead, he strolled past them with ease, without even wrinkling his clothes.

Hundreds of tall, strong, and fully armed soldiers were jostled and scattered by a single man. This visually striking scene finally elicited the first heartfelt cheer from the onlookers. However, only ordinary people were surprised; those with bloodlines found it quite normal. Even Count Millais didn't think much of it, though he still loudly praised it, albeit in an extreme way that made people uncomfortable.

Zhuang Sen then looked at the nuns. After he passed the female warriors, the nuns began to regularly change positions, even covering each other's faces. Although these actions didn't escape Zhuang Sen's notice, he didn't see any clues or hints that should have appeared. Normally, the true guides would have some differences from the others, such as the pattern of their clothing or deviations in their posture. To put it bluntly, this level was essentially a game of spotting the difference, but clearly, this time they didn't want to find any.

It didn't matter; according to the rules, the true guide should carry a dagger, so all he needed to do was find it. Zhuang Sen's steps quickened, his previously unhurried pace suddenly accelerating. In the blink of an eye, he had touched all the nuns, finally stopping in front of one of them. He tapped the dagger hidden beneath her black robe with his finger: "Please, nun."

The nun's face, hidden beneath her black veil, was a mixture of shame and anger, but she had no way to defend herself. She turned and led Zhuang Sen to the final test. Zhuang Sen followed, approaching the local bishop, nodding politely, then grabbing the Holy Lance with his right hand. The local bishop and priests, who were about to make a move, froze, then reluctantly stepped aside under Zhuang Sen's increasingly indifferent gaze.

If we don't allow it, we'll die.

Zhuang Sen had no interest in putting on a show of sentimentality with people who were clearly targeting him. Even if it was Count Millais's instigation, bishops and priests weren't commoners to be bullied by nobles. Besides, Zhuang Sen had openly attacked Count Millais yesterday. These actions could only be their own doing; he didn't know why, but that wasn't important. Since they were disobedient, he'd let the obedient ones manage them. It wasn't far anyway; having Bishop Rosa or Priestess Loris in charge of the sanctuary wouldn't be bad.

Zhuang Sen swaggered into the main hall of the sanctuary. Dantalian had already changed into her wedding dress with the help of Lady Liya and the others. A pure white silk robe enveloped the tall, voluptuous nun, its fitted silhouette highlighting Dantalian's powerful and alluring figure. A white veil veiled her holy and mature face, the partial concealment only enhancing her irresistible charm. Her hands, encased in white lace gloves, rested gracefully on her lower abdomen, standing upright. Though not a single inch of skin was exposed, she possessed an unparalleled holy allure.

Johnson sheathed his holy lance, strode to Dantalian's side, took her hands, smiled at her, and turned to the solemnly standing goddess statue. The local bishop, who had arrived late, looked serious and unsmiling, his anger burning within him. The sight of Dantalian and Johnson so deeply in love, their eyes only for each other, greatly displeased the extremely conservative bishop who believed the goddess was above all else.

Then she spoke, "Dantrian, are you willing to relinquish your power and responsibilities as a servant of the goddess, and marry Johnson Leon as an ordinary man? From this day forward, through poverty and wealth..."

As soon as she said that, Zhuang Sen understood why he was being targeted. But where did this bishop get the audacity and confidence to break the pre-arranged agreement? Putting aside previous contacts, why didn't she refuse when Dantalian asked her for help before? Why did she have to betray him at this time?

It seems they really caught that big fish.

Chapter 274: The Big Fish Takes the Bait

The grand conspiracy between Prince Gloria and Earl Millais only mentioned "exaggerating" and "over-executing" the plot to damage Johnson's reputation and incite a rebellion in the territory. However, Johnson didn't believe Gloria's intentions were limited to that. Given this premise, combined with the information that Earl Millais's territory would be hosting the wedding of Dantalian, and that Gloria was cooperating with the current patriarch of the Church of the Nemesis, it's easy to deduce their true purpose: to use Yelena, the current patriarch of the Church of the Nemesis, to dismantle Johnson's control over the religious sphere, which he had achieved through Dantalian.

This was actually what Johnson wanted. Before, when he only had Leon's territory, the Church of the Nemesis only benefited from Bishop Rosa's support. But now that Johnson's territory had expanded, he couldn't expect the churches in the newly acquired territories to be as obedient, especially given that the current Patriarch, Yelena, was constantly opposing him. The best solution was naturally to eliminate Yelena, but Johnson couldn't simply take Dantalian to the capital to kill her. Therefore, he chose to use a ruse, letting Yelena come out and die on her own.

It seems that the other side has really taken the bait.

Zhuang Sen thought about many things, but only for a moment. To outsiders, he only paused for a moment after Bishop Meryl's very pointed remarks. Then Dantalian spoke up: "Knowing in advance that it would conflict with the doctrine, you agreed to it, but then you broke your promise in the sacred ceremony and became someone else's weapon. Is this how the Church of Vengeance understands the doctrine, Ms. Meryl?"

Bishop Melie's eyes flickered, but quickly hardened. She was upholding the doctrine; this was a necessary step in eliminating heresy: "Dan—"

“Enough,” Dantalian interrupted Bishop Meryl. “If you want my answer, then listen carefully. I will continue to fulfill my duties and authority within the true Church of the Furies. If you cannot accept this, you may leave Prince John’s Domain. Now, bow to your mistress, Meryl.”

Meryl froze on the spot. She hadn't expected Dantalian to answer like that. This was practically splitting the Church of Nemesis, separating the Church of Nemesis within Prince Johnson's territory from the rest of the Church of Nemesis! How could she do this!

Of course she can!

She was a princess, the woman who revived the Church of the Nemesis. The declining Church of the Nemesis had a chance to start anew because of Johnson's rise, and because of her relationship with him. It was because of her that Johnson supported the Church of the Nemesis! Therefore, Dantalian wouldn't have any reservations about violating the doctrine; at worst, she could simply rebuild the church herself.

This sharp counterattack left Mary bewildered. Her mind, filled with conservative doctrines, refused to comprehend the fact. She instinctively looked into the crowd, and Johnson and Dantalian naturally noticed this reaction, following their gaze to the woman in the crowd.

Yelena cursed under her breath, stepped out of the crowd, revealing her carefully crafted beautiful face, and shouted in a hypocritical, sweet voice: "Dantrian! As a priestess, you not only violated the doctrine by currying favor with the nobility, but you also clung to power and manipulated the church, almost turning it into a tool of the nobility. Now you even dare to threaten the righteous and outspoken Bishop Melie. You are a disgrace to our church. Today I will excommunicate you!"

The stunning Yelena attracted a large crowd upon her arrival. As Count Millais and Prince Gloria's people publicized her identity, her righteous speech instantly won the approval of the onlookers. These people did not truly support Yelena; they just wanted to watch the fun. However, before they could even begin to stir up trouble, they were silenced by the dozens of holy spears that rose up. Pretending to be wooden figures, they secretly moved away from the hall that was about to become a battlefield.

This vengeful saintess looks so pure and gentle, why does she resort to violence at the slightest provocation?

Yelena didn't move. Instead, she thought it was a good thing. In this situation, the person who made the first move would be seen as having a guilty conscience and being vulnerable. Besides, she couldn't possibly lose! Even if Dantalian was also a level four bloodline, having awakened three times at her age was already the limit. She couldn't possibly be a match for the Patriarch, who had developed her bloodline to 100% and completed four awakenings more than 20 years ago!

We need to be careful of Zhuang Sen; according to intelligence, he seems to have awakened four times already.

Yelena stared at Zhuang Sen, but Zhuang Sen didn't move. Dantalian, whom she had ignored, spoke up: "Patriarch Yelena, you say I'm currying favor with the nobility, I admit that, since my husband is indeed a nobleman. But in other respects, I can't compare to you. You colluded with the Church of War to suppress our branch, conspired with Prince Gloria to usurp the throne, and now you've first agreed to hold a wedding for me, whom you call a violator of the doctrine, and then reneged and attacked me. You can still say such high-sounding words without blushing at all. I can't do that."

Yelena reacted instantly, looking at Dantalian: "Nonsense! You can even say such slanderous things, you are a disgrace to the Church of Nemesis!"

Zhuang Sen coughed and interjected, "Don't be in such a hurry. I have evidence. You'll be the one worrying later."

As she spoke, Bishop Rosa produced the correspondence between Yelena and the Church of War from a few months ago. Lady Lia then brought out Sister Mary, who had been brought along this time, along with her signed statement. Finally, there was Bishop Melly, who stood there dumbfounded; her presence confirmed the last accusation.

Yelena's eyes darkened, and she barely managed to maintain a calm expression, attempting to continue her sophistry. However, Dantalian was one step ahead of her, pointing a finger and sending dozens of holy spears hovering around her flying towards Yelena. In a moment of haste, Yelena could only organize a defense. Her long, black and white hair grew wildly like weeds, attacking the incoming holy spears, engulfing, breaking, and deflecting them.

Just as she managed to block the attack and was about to use it as an excuse to retaliate, Dantalian calmly began, "Speaking of which, according to the doctrine, any member of the Church of Vengeance can challenge the Patriarch, right? Don't disappoint me too much, Yelena..." Dantalian paused, then deliberately added, enunciating each word clearly, "Heal! Heal!"

Yelena's face suddenly darkened, and her long, trailing hair extended like an enraged venomous snake, striking towards Dantalian. However, Dantalian merely raised her hand and a crescent-shaped golden blade of light shot out, breaking through Yelena's attack. The blade continued its relentless assault on Yelena until Yelena unleashed another burst of black mist, finally dispelling the attack.

The author says:

作者的话：四更~进度更新：月票23/50，催更票17/50，打赏1200/5000

Chapter 275: Bloodline Curse

The sudden outbreak of war caused some chaos within the sacred hall. Fortunately, most of those who had entered were nobles of noble bloodlines and retained a basic level of composure, simply maintaining a distance. Some, confident in their strength, remained where they were, watching the spectacle. For example, Marquis Goldflower and Marquis Norsa. Yelena possessed a level four bloodline, and Dantalian appeared to also have a level four bloodline. Both of them, being level four themselves, felt they were no weaker than the others.

There were roughly a dozen people who shared this view, and some even had time to quietly comment on the battle: "It seems that the Patriarch is quite experienced. Although both sides used two abilities, it is obvious that the princess used more of her bloodline power."

These people's judgment was correct, but they compared it to the wrong object. Monster girls are not ordinary bloodline users; their bloodline power is much stronger, and the number of abilities is not on the same level. But Yelena agreed with her, and even straightened her false waist created by her abilities, and commanded from her superior position: "Dantrian, surrender now, and for Prince Zhuangsen's sake, I can spare your life."

The main reason was that Dantalian had actually demonstrated the power of a fourth awakening, which made Yelena no longer confident of victory. In addition, as long as Dantalian surrendered here, she would no longer be able to threaten her position as patriarch. The Church of the Furies would not recognize a coward who surrendered and violated the doctrine as patriarch. This had already achieved her minimum and most urgent goal.

However, this was merely wishful thinking on her part.

Dantalian didn't bother with further words to Yelena and responded directly with action. A pure white, serpentine flame appeared out of thin air and rushed towards Yelena. The new ability drew gasps from the onlookers, and Yelena herself was on high alert. Battles between bloodline users of the same level primarily depend on ability. Each bloodline user tries to preserve information about their abilities, preferring to finish a fight with a single move rather than a second. Therefore, when an opponent uses a new ability, one must be vigilant, as it's likely a move they believe will end the battle, or at least give them an advantage!

"Did you discover the combination of [Cursed Hair] and [Murderous Mist] and plan to use fire attributes to completely eliminate my hair... How naive."

As Yelena thought this, her hair, half black and half white, began to grow again. It bypassed the serpentine flames that shot from the center and attacked Dantalian from the left and right. The atmosphere became heavy as if she wanted to take Dantalian down with her. Of course, Yelena did not really want to take Dantalian down with her, but she did not intend to defend herself either.

Her bloodline is that of a [Cursed Doll], whose greatest skill is cursing enemies. And when it comes to curses, [Damage Transfer] is a classic technique, an ability Yelena naturally possesses. As long as a strand of her hair, which is part of her body, comes within thirty centimeters of Dantalian, she can transfer all the damage she receives away!

Come on, you arrogant brat, let me use your most prized ability to destroy your flamboyant face and lewd body!

Yelena released black mist to conceal her true intentions. Her face, hidden beneath the mist, twisted wildly, mocking Dantalian's foolishness, but she ignored the obvious contempt in Dantalian's eyes.

When the Cursed Hair was blocked by Dantalian's Holy Shield by fifteen centimeters from her body, the Purifying Holy Flame created serpentine flames that also rushed into the Murder Mist surrounding Yelena. The black mist, which had the effect of obscuring perception and strong corrosiveness, was instantly cleared away by the Holy Flame with the effect of purification. As Yelena wished, the flame serpent wrapped around her body, dispelling the false beauty and exposing her decaying body full of age spots.

Yelena, her true colors exposed, was filled with rage. Her blood boiled, and she no longer cared about Zhuang Sen's presence, preparing to kill Dantalian directly! So when she activated [Damage Transfer], she also activated [Damage Amplification] and [Curse Enhancement], intending to kill Dantalian in one fell swoop.

However, it was of no use.

Holy Ramia has an ability called [Curse Immunity].

Otherwise, why would Dantalian not be wary of Yelena's curse even knowing her bloodline was that of a [Cursed Doll]? Although [Cursed Dolls] do possess an ability called [Curse Penetration], capable of breaking through curse resistance, unfortunately, Yelena hadn't awakened this ability. Therefore, her curse failed completely, unable to transfer the damage. [Purifying Holy Flame] blazed fiercely on her decaying and ugly body, and her piercing screams shook the hall, making the nobles who had just been praising her feel a pang of shame.

"It's over already? Faster than I expected. If I'd known, perhaps we should have taken some time to visit the capital." Zhuang Sen said with a smile, his words sending a chill down the spines of the stunned Earl Milai and the others. Even the Marquis of the Golden Flower and Marquis Nosa, both Level 4 bloodline users, were surprised and puzzled. It wasn't just Yelena's strange decision, but also the powerful lethality of Dantalian's abilities. Level 4 bloodline users possess extremely strong physical attributes and are generally not easily killed in a single blow, unless…

While everyone was lost in thought, Yelena, the "dead woman" they had subconsciously ignored, suddenly let out a venomous laugh. The sound was chilling and eerie; anyone who heard it felt as if someone had stuffed a handful of ice mixed with pebbles into their collar, sending shivers down their spine and turning them pale. At that moment, everyone's attention was once again focused on Yelena.

In the still-burning flames, Yelena, who was originally quite tall, had shrunk to the size of a child. The flames burned away her clothes, revealing her body with rounded joints. Her aged but still somewhat charming face was stiff and fixed, and her flowing long hair had turned into rough threads, slowly burning in the fire.

This is the true form of the cursed doll's bloodline.

But even with all that, it's impossible to defeat Dantalian again, right? She hasn't even revealed her true bloodline form yet!

While the onlookers were still processing the situation with conventional thinking, Yelena unleashed her final blow. Her puppet-like body shattered, revealing a deep, dark void within. Her head fell from her neck, and as the sphere rolled, her pitch-black eyes stared intently at Zhuang Sen and Dantalian, uttering a chilling, venomous curse: "Die!!!"