In the aftermath of the preceding day's events, Hong Meilin found herself bearing the weight of numerous abuses, insults, and disdain inflicted upon her by her fellow comrades.
Resolute and tenacious, she suppressed these emotions, burying them deep within the recesses of her heart.
Seeking solace and respite, she retired to her tent, hoping that slumber would offer an escape from the haunting echoes of her mistreatment.
Yet, sleep proved to be an elusive companion.
Despite her best efforts to banish the tormenting memories, her restless mind persisted in replaying every cutting remark, every venomous insult.
The relentless mental playback only served to amplify her anxiety and ignite a smoldering resentment towards those who had treated her with such callous disregard.
How could they respond with such vitriol and hostility?
In the depths of her turmoil, Hong Meilin's thoughts wandered to a path not taken.
She couldn't help but contemplate the lives of other women her age, their hearts entwined in the passionate dance of love or the sacred vows of marriage.
In stark contrast, she had poured her entire being into the service of the church, surrendering her personal desires and aspirations along the way.
She couldn't ignore the weight of the contract she had willingly signed with Wang Jian, a pact crafted to secure the lives of her comrades and ensure the church's access to coveted rare ores.
Yet, it seemed that her comrades remained oblivious to the magnitude of her sacrifice, their focus fixated solely on her single misstep.
The larger purpose behind her actions was obscured, overshadowed by their narrow judgment.
As her mind continued its relentless spiral, anger and resentment swelled within Hong Meilin, fueling her growing animosity towards her fellow comrades.
However, she clung to a fragment of understanding that tempered her reaction.
Deep in the recesses of her consciousness, a flicker of recognition acknowledged the faint semblance of justification in their actions, even if it seemed misplaced.
As they made their way towards the ceremony, Wang Jian turned to Hong Meilin with a concerned look. "Hey, are you alright? Your comrades really went overboard with their reaction earlier."
Hong Meilin, her smile unwavering, responded in a calm tone. "Don't worry, Your Highness. They understood that I got caught up in the moment and have already forgiven me."
It was a blatant lie, but Wang Jian maintained his smile and spoke reassuringly. "That's a relief.
It's important for them to realize that even as a Saintess, you have your own life. The church shouldn't be allowed to restrict your freedom."
His words struck a chord within Hong Meilin, her mind drifting into contemplation as she absentmindedly replied, "You're absolutely right, Your Highness."
During their journey, Wang Jian engaged in conversation with her, subtly maneuvering his words to manipulate her perception of the church.
He avoided painting the church as an inherently evil religion, knowing well that Hong Meilin had dedicated her life to its service.
Such a portrayal would be futile and unproductive. Instead, he chose a different approach, skillfully using facts and theories to shed light on the church's self-centered nature.
He emphasized how they employed subtle forms of manipulation and brainwashing to ensure unwavering loyalty from their followers.
In doing so, they secured both public support and maintained their influential political standing.
Wang Jian gradually made Hong Meilin understand that, as a Saintess, she served as a mere instrument for the church's ulterior motives.
With her virtuous nature, purity of heart, and innate charisma, she possessed the power to sway the hearts and minds of the faithful, ensuring their unwavering devotion.
His words worked their magic, gently persuading Hong Meilin to see beyond her naive and idealistic perspective.
They resonated with her own underlying thoughts, which had long been concealed deep within her heart.
Despite the turmoil brewing within her, Hong Meilin managed to suppress her dissenting thoughts, reminding herself that it was not right to harbor negative sentiments towards the church that had provided her with everything she had known.
Before long, Wang Jian's group of four arrived at the ceremony's location. As they reached their destination, Wang Jian exchanged pleasantries with a couple of members from the Butterfly Spirit Race. These women possessed undeniable beauty, though not quite at the level of heroines.
Nonetheless, their allure was captivating. Guided by these members, Wang Jian was led to the center of an ancient array—a marvel of intricate design and ancient craftsmanship.
The array hummed with a mystical energy, its origins veiled in the mists of time. Simultaneously, other Butterfly Spirit members escorted Hong Meilin, Lady Zhuoran, and Bixi Shuyan to different points within the expansive array, each position bearing significance to the ceremony's proceedings.
Soon, Stella made her appearance, clad in a resplendent green gown that accentuated her enchanting allure.
Her figure, graceful and alluring, caught Wang Jian's attention, prompting his eyes to linger with an unabashed gaze.
Yet, he swiftly quelled these impure thoughts, aware that any advances towards Stella would prove futile without leverage over her... at least for now.
The ancestral array stood before them, a complex web of ancient symbols and intricate patterns etched into the very fabric of its existence.
It emanated an aura of power, with each line and curve crafted from rare and mystical materials, imbued with the essence of the Butterfly Spirit Race.
Positioned at specific points within the array, the Butterfly Spirit members stood with solemn dedication, awaiting the signal from their queen to activate its profound capabilities.
They understood their role as conduits, channeling their innate connection with nature to unlock the array's full potential.
With a gentle wave of her hand, Queen Stella signaled her followers to commence the activation process, their movements synchronized with a harmonious dance of grace and purpose.
The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as the array's dormant energy began to stir, as if awakening from a slumber that spanned centuries.
Before long, Stella stood before Wang Jian, a serene smile on her face.
With unwavering confidence, she spoke, her voice resonating with clarity, "Seventh Prince Wang Jian, do you willingly forge an eternal bond as my lifelong comrade?"
Wang Jian's response was calm and sincere as he replied, "Yes."
"I, Stella, Queen of the Butterfly Spirit Race, shall bestow upon you my personal mark, a symbol of our everlasting alliance," she declared, taking a step forward and gently clasping his hands within her own.
In that instant, Wang Jian's eyes ignited with a vibrant brilliance, activating his Blissful Touch ability. Though he knew that stealing a kiss from Stella in this moment would be unlikely, he recognized the opportunity to deepen her fondness for him.
Stella possessed an extraordinary level of luck and spiritual energy, making her immune to the typical effects of Wang Jian's Blissful Touch ability.
Wang Jian wasn't disappointed as he noticed that his Blissful Touch ability failed to work on Stella as this outcome was one that he had anticipated and planned for.
Raising Wang Jian's right hand, Stella drew closer, her captivating lips nearing his skin before pressing a tender kiss upon it.
As the contact was made, waves of intense pleasure coursed through Stella's being, not reaching the magnitude of when Wang Jian had used his Blissful Touch ability on Hong Meilin, yet far surpassing any pleasure she had experienced before.
Simultaneously, a magnificent spectacle unfolded—a colossal manifestation of pure spiritual energy materialized above them, casting a luminous glow upon the surroundings. The sheer magnitude of this phenomenon sent ripples of energy cascading throughout the array.
Almost 90% of the released spiritual energy was effortlessly absorbed by Wang Jian, its potent essence fueling his own transformation.
The remaining 10% dispersed among the other individuals present, granting them a mere taste of this spiritual power.
As if acknowledging the profound change that occurred within him, a delicate pink butterfly mark materialized on Wang Jian's right hand, symbolizing the fusion of his physical and spiritual essence.
Now, his spiritual energy surged to a formidable level, capable of quelling entire armies of King Realm warriors. This unforeseen enhancement surpassed his expectations, delivering an unprecedented advantage.
Yet, there was more. Wang Jian discovered newfound immunity to attacks from insect-type beasts and the disorienting effects of illusionary assaults.
However, the most remarkable boon bestowed upon him in this extraordinary moment was the staggering increase in his luck.
What had once hovered near the threshold of 50,000 now skyrocketed to a staggering 121,000, transforming his fortune into an unstoppable force. His boost in luck had caused his Enchantment Ability to level up at this moment.
[Firstly, if the target has much higher luck than the user, there is now a 30% chance of increasing the target's positive feelings towards the user to 50.]
[Secondly, if the target has luck equal to or below the user's, the Enchantment Ability will instantly increase their favorability towards the user to 60.]
[The cooldown of this skill is now one month.]
And the last was the massive number of Destiny Points that Wang Jian had received from the system.
The staggering number reached 2.6 million Destiny Points.
This meant that after combining it with his nearly 400,000 Destiny Points, Wang Jian now held more than 3 million Destiny Points.
This caused Wang Jian's eyes to flicker with depraved desire as he understood that these staggering number of destiny points that he received were merely from receiving Stella's kiss on his hand and her mark.
If he ever received her first kiss or took her virginity, there was really no telling the number of points he would earn.
Naturally, the connection between them didn't just give advantages to Wang Jian as Stella's luck rose sharply as well and for some reason, her insights in Wind Element rose sharply as well.
It had now reached the peak level before even surpassing it and she gained enlightenment in a Wind Elemental Domain.
This domain was known as Zephyr's Tranquil Empyrean Sanctuary.
Through this domain, Stella could manipulate the vibrations and frequencies present in the air, transforming them into ethereal whispers of unparalleled potency.
These potent whispers of wind could affect the opponent greatly by slowing him down or attacking him with invisible wind blades created through vibrations.
Moreover, these vibrations and frequencies would allow Stella to sense her enemy so acutely that she could easily anticipate his moves.
