The more they oppose, the more it shows that I am doing the right thing

The ethereal ringing of church bells echoed in the skies above Farol, and the saints from the Seven Great Churches all grew silent, their attention wholly fixed on the highest floor of the Seven Gods Hall.

As the curtain slowly drew back, the Holy Seal kept flickering until it finally formed the emblem of gears and flames—the insignia of the Alchemical Church. This signified that the first official exam would still be set by the Alchemical Church. Continue reading on NovelBin.Côm

An Su looked up at the third floor, quietly waiting for the chief examiner to appear. The other saints also ceased talking, all eyes gathered on the third floor. After a moment, light and graceful footsteps echoed between the floors,

The first thing to come into view was a snow-white gown, hemmed with glittering gold lace. An Su’s gaze traveled upward and his eyes widened slightly in surprise; the examiner turned out to be an acquaintance.

A year ago, it was she who had supervised An Su’s exam.

— Ai Xueli Xien, the prodigious magician from the magical Xien Family, the youngest Priestess of the Alchemical Church.

There were two Priests in total who had been An Su’s examiners during the saint exams,

The first was Priest Paxi from the Order Church, and the second was Priestess Ai Xueli from the Alchemical Church.

Due to An Su’s frequent troubles with the law enforcement, he met with the former quite often, so they were quite familiar.

But this Priestess Ai Xueli, indeed had not been seen by him for nearly a year. @@novelbin@@

After a year’s reflection, An Su felt that this aunt below had changed significantly.

The once youthful arrogance had been tucked deep inside her eyes, but she remained proud, only her pride no longer revealed itself so readily. She transformed from a little girl into a mature woman, evolving into a truly dignified and elegant noble lady,

After the incident a year ago, although Ai Xueli’s faith was shattered, as the saying goes, no breaking, no building. In order to redeem her shame and conquer her inner demons, she shed her frivolous and playful attitude, cultivated her body and mind, nurtured her nature, eschewed arrogance and impatience, and rejected all meaningless social interactions.

She secluded herself at home, stopped all Church affairs, turned a deaf ear to the outside world, and devoted herself seriously to the study of magic.

—Of course, the main reason was sexual harassment of a minor, currently suspended for investigation.

Whenever Ai Xueli recalled this matter, she seethed with indignation. Who would have thought that the runt was a minor.

However, thanks to An Su’s earnest guidance, after Ai Xueli abandoned her impetuousness and secluded herself, her genius allowed her understanding of magic to advance by leaps and bounds, and she finally broke through her bottleneck.

She was already at the Fourth-Order Peak, and after a year of diligent cultivation, she finally reached the Fifth Tier on her twenty-first birthday, touching the threshold of saintliness, with a future that seemed very bright.

Now emerging from seclusion, Ai Xueli aimed to advance further in her career by accumulating political achievements, hence she took up the position of examiner for the major service examination upon her return.

Her dark past was now buried deep inside her heart; from this day forward, it would be a brand-new future. Those dirty and lowly border people had been left far behind by her, unable to chase after her shadow ever again.

And this was a promotion exam; An Su had just gone through the entrance exam, it was impossible for him to participate.

Upon thinking of this, a perfect and elegant smile bloomed on Ai Xueli’s face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, greetings."

Her lips curled with a faint smile, her eyes sweeping over every saint, making eye contact and waving at each one. Although she still looked down on those not from the Imperial Capital, she would not easily reveal this sentiment anymore.

Except for An Su.

When Ai Xueli’s composed gaze finally fell upon An Su, she was first slightly taken aback, then blinked repeatedly, suspecting she had seen incorrectly.

That perfect and elegant smile instantly collapsed, replaced by the expression of someone who had just suffered from constipation.

An Su waved at Ai Xueli, his face also bearing a faint smile as he politely said, "Hello."

That voice, that tone, that smile, it was indeed the same lowborn.

Ai Xueli had never expected to encounter An Su in a promotion exam. Who had ever heard of someone joining the Church one year and then completing the qualifications for promotion the next year?

Even for a genius like her, it had taken a full three years to progress from saint to deacon.

She observed the boy closely, discreetly using Saint’s Scouting Magic ’Eye of Truth’, and was shocked to find that his progress was even greater than she had imagined,

In just one year, An Su’s Rank had soared from the early Second Tier to an astonishing Medium Period of First Tier. A year ago, as an examiner, Ai Xueli herself was merely at the Fourth-Order Peak.

Ai Xueli felt a twinge of defeat.

She couldn’t imagine what An Su had been through...

A year ago he was a saint, and now he was a deacon.

In just one year, An Su’s progress was nothing short of monstrous.

Ai Xueli’s brow furrowed; since An Su was present, then his two lackeys must be as well...

Her gaze swept over the crowd and surely enough, she discovered the presence of Arthur and Lister.

The next second, Ai Xueli’s pupils shook violently; she couldn’t believe what she saw, covering her mouth lightly.

The progress of Arthur and Lister... was even greater than An Su’s!

She scrutinized the two men, widening her Eye of Truth in amazement, only to find that these two were even more formidable,

In just one year, Arthur and Lister’s Rank badges, which had been merely at the low Second Tier, had astonishingly reached the Fourth-Order Peak, while Ai Xueli, even after a year, was still just a First Tier medium tier!

A strong sense of defeat welled up in Ai Xueli’s heart.