The Villain Princess survived the Imperial Riot

Chloe couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure this is torture?"

"otherwise?"

"I'm always worried that Your Highness will execute them if they disagree..."

"Of course, useless people must be executed," Hestia said cheerfully, eager to harvest the secret arts of the mystics. Noticing Chloe's grim expression, she teased, "I'm not going to execute you, so what are you afraid of? Sister, my team is still full of vacancies, and it's time to hire someone."

Chloe didn't say anything, but shivered a few times, as if the cold wind had penetrated her thick hunting suit and sweater. Even when she left Coral Pier, her body was still cold.

She circled around cautiously for several times, and after making sure no one was following her, she quietly blended into the shadows, transforming into a moth with wings and disappearing into the night sky.

If Hestia were here, she would definitely be able to see that Chloe copied Logan's power.

As Chloe said, the Cocoon Sisters worship the ancestral deity Cocoon Mother, the origin of the moth. This ancient deity has been sleeping for who knows how many millennia. Her domain is the original love path of the moth source and the transformation path of the blade source.

Therefore, the Cocoon Sisterhood's symbol is a three-character knot, representing both the path of unity and the path of kingship, the polar opposite of rebellion and conspiracy. They roam the Dreamland not following a single myth or beacon of omniscience, but rather sharing power and bonds through pacts, bound by loyalty and love to ensure they never get lost in the Dreamland.

The main roles of the sisterhood are the "Lenti Sisters" and "Cocoon Girls." Even the most philanthropic sisters have limited energy, so each Cocoon Girl maintains an odd number of members: 3, 5, 7, or 9. Few groups exceed ten. The "Lenti Sisters" lead, and the "Cocoon Girls" follow. Positions can be interchanged, provided one's seniority and charm earn the respect of all the sisters.

[Moth Heirs] are independent of the group. They are the sentinels and sharp blades of the sisterhood. They can form a link with any sister and cocoon girl to share part of their group's power, and can also copy the secret arts of other secret practitioners in the form of mimicry.

At this moment, Chloe was using the power of [Moth Heir], which came from the blood she extracted when she attacked Logan.

It would be a waste to not use it. If the imperial lackeys really tracked it to their lair, the Cocoon Sisters' base in Yunling could basically be declared abandoned.

The journey was uneventful.

The place where Chloe returned was not the Perfume Club on Ledin Island, but the Infant Welfare Home in the Green Vine District of the Lower City, which was affiliated with the Church of Radiance.

Here (this is where the Yunliu Ridge line comes in), the sister's mother's base is located, the perfume club and the fashionable clothing store are just another layer of disguise for Ling and the others. The so-called darkness lies beneath the lamp. Even if the Empire ever goes crazy and wants to kill people, it won't target such a vital ally as the Church of Radiance.

These days, natural and man-made disasters are a constant stream, and even places like Yunling, known for its pleasant climate, are experiencing a harsh winter. One can only imagine how difficult life is for ordinary people. Countless impoverished families can't afford to raise their children. If they don't want to be sold into slavery to wealthy families, then sending them to the orphanages run by the Church of Radiance is the best option.

Of course, not all orphanages treated abandoned babies and children kindly. The fundamental purpose of most orphans was to extract subsidies from the Church and the Empire by using the baby quotas. The children of the Green Vine District were much luckier, as they encountered not greedy old maids but the "ulterior motives" of the Cocoon Sisters.

It was late at night, and the spacious courtyard was quiet and silent. A few bright candle wall lamps were always on, but the light was not as dazzling as the one in the tavern.

A young nun, dressed in a burqa and veil, stood beneath the moonlight, fireflies and moths dancing in the scattered halo. Suddenly, she looked up at the bell tower, its back to the moonlight. A shadow fell, and then, a female figure, skin covered in fine, snow-white scales and moth wings on its back, emerged from the darkness. It was Chloe Rousseau.

"How's it going?" the nun asked with a smile.

"Don't mention it. I really don't want to do this kind of mission again." Chloe returned to normal and waved her hands repeatedly.

"Didn't you say last time that Hestia Heberus was the most beautiful woman alive and that not having a few rites of passage with her would be a regret in life?"

"Really? I feel like she's going to eat me at any moment." Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The Thorny Pig Wine Alley is gone, and the Iron Army slaughtered hundreds of people to pieces. The smell of blood wafted through several streets. But the Black Hand Guild won't hold us responsible for this. I guess they won't be seen near Cloudtop City for a long time. But that vicious princess, the Empire really is..."

She opened her mouth, but stopped herself from speaking.

"Don't be afraid of this temporary threat. We can abandon everything here and leave at any time." The nun smiled faintly. "So, do you have any clues about the healing potion carrying the bacterial factor?"

"Here." Chloe casually threw out a tube of potion. "It's very vibrant, but I can't tell if it's related to the fungus."

"Um……"

The nun opened the potion, dipped a few drops on her index finger, and licked it with her pink tongue.

She savored it for a long time, and suddenly revealed a playful smile.

"Why, it's not fungus remains?"

"It smells familiar, but not entirely." The nun shook her head, pondering, "Compared to the potion I got this summer, the enchantment is still there in this bottle, but it's twisted in a unique way, losing the mark of the 'Daughter of the Wild Mushroom'."

"I do not understand……"

"There are two possibilities. One is that the Fungus Skeleton believers have abandoned the 'Wild Fungus Daughter'. Then, the 'Wild Fungus Daughter's' mark will naturally dissipate, and it will no longer be able to suck the culture dish through the Fungus Skeleton Factor."

"You should talk about the second possibility. I know with my toes that those bugs won't give up their only hope of a comeback."

"The second one is the one I least want to face." The nun sighed and looked at the moon sadly. "We have lost the clue to the fungus."

"Why? The medicine they developed is in Yunling, so it must be hidden somewhere deep in the mountains and forests!"

"They're already lost, so it's impossible for them to have such sophisticated extraction, filtering, and concentration technology. What if all the clues we're following are just smokescreens they're releasing?"

"This potion can't be fake..." Chloe muttered.

"The potion is real, but it's been modified. Remember what I told you? The fungus carcass is just a tool. If I remove the deceptive influence from the fungus, I can turn it into a fully active potion. There are quite a few secret cultivators who master the art of potion making, and a good number of them can be found among those arcane sorcerers who refuse to dream."

"Have I been doing this in vain? So who are we tracking down now?" Chloe found it hard to accept for a moment.

"Not entirely. Like I said, this potion still has the allure," the nun murmured. "But the worm inside has changed. The Fungus Followers must have made a deal with other worms."

"Then...should I continue following this clue?"

"Investigate." The nun nodded. "It would be best if we could help the Empire uncover the real culprit behind this and secure the greatest benefit for the Cocoon Sisterhood."

"Okay..." Chloe's face fell.

"It seems that the princess gave you a very bad second impression."

"I can't say she's bad. I think she has a pair of very fragrant and soft feet. It's just..." Chloe pondered, "She's too strong. I'm not good at dealing with such a woman. Shouldn't a princess be the kind of arrogant and wild little fool who falls down at the slightest push?"

"It seems that I am weak in your eyes?"

"A gentle woman like Sister Marilyn is wonderful. Who dares to truly say you're not strong? They'd be bedridden for three days!" Chloe said seriously, then became conflicted. "But when I face her, I feel like I'm facing a dragon hatchling that's already devoured humans... Well, I'm afraid of her, and I'm also afraid she'll turn my sisters into slaves branded with the Tower's mark."

"Sometimes, being properly restrained isn't a bad thing. Haven't you ever played with the slave girls of the Perfume Club?" The nun smiled and shook her head. "Chloe, although we tolerate changes, our struggle stems from unity. You yearn for freedom, but don't go too far, or you'll be too much for the sisters to hold you back."

"Okay, okay," Chloe muttered, "but only moth heirs can enjoy the benefits of different sisterhoods."

"After you've taken the photos... no, after you understand everything, I'll ask for permission to perform the Sister-Mother ceremony for you." The nun stroked Chloe's head and said gently, "You need a sister of your own. Love may be forgiving, but it's not infinite. You need to learn to love, rather than covet the care of your sisters."

"Marriage is the grave of love." Chloe muttered in words that only she could hear.

Even though the love between sisters is tolerant, the love between groups is not shared. At most, it is open to the [Moth Heirs] traveling in various domains to a limited extent, giving them additional powers.

When Chloe thought about becoming a sister's mother and the fact that she could only have 2 pairs, 4 pairs, 6 pairs, 8 pairs... well, in short, a very limited number of jade feet, she felt like she had fallen into the hell of poverty.

"Alright, go and rest first. I'll analyze the ingredients of this potion and write a report. You can give it to the princess as needed." The nun waved her hand, but Chloe hesitated and asked, "Anything else?"

"Marillian... my power is beginning to wane again, so..."

The nun rubbed Chloe's head lovingly. In her eyes, this young [Moth Heir] was no different from a little girl obsessed with candy. "Come with me."

"Um, is Luvy okay?" Chloe smiled shyly, which was totally inconsistent with her capable hunter attire.

"She may not be asleep yet, you can go and ask her." The nun sighed softly and smiled helplessly.

"Great!"

Chloe jumped seven or eight meters high, flew into the sky, and crashed straight into a half-open window.

The nun shook her head slightly, turned and walked towards the corridor of the courtyard. However, before she took a few steps, a small shadow gradually grew larger and landed in the flower bed in front of her. The nose was a little swollen.

The nun said with some amusement, "I already told you that she doesn't like you."

"But she didn't refuse the first time." Chloe cried.

"You're too competitive. Who could resist eight arms? Lu Wei has a cold personality. She wanted to give in, but you kept pushing her too far. Besides, you weren't even born when she debuted. Who would tolerate a little girl riding on their head?"

"Wow..." Chloe put on a frustrating smile, "Marillian, is it too late for me to go to your room now?"

Volume 24: Dreamers: . Morning Talk

At daybreak, Hestia slept for half the night and spent the rest of the time studying the border area in the Witch's Book.

In this world whose outlines basically overlap with reality, the scenery is abstract and dreamy, and various spiritualities are dotted in the ever-changing manor, as subtle as ants crawling quietly under the bushes.

After several days of observation, she has now determined that the symbols and images formed by the secret spirituality are not without pattern, and to a certain extent also reflect the traces left by the secret practitioners' activities.

The traces usually last for half a day, and if the secret practitioner has used his powers, they will be more obvious.

The reason why Iyana's traces covered most of the villa was not only because she was a high-level secret practitioner of Wanzhao, but also because of her fairy assistants throughout the villa.

"So, Clara's traces usually appear on the outer walls. During patrols and alerts, the High Knight's power is always released."

These traces were originally very faint, and even a senior secret practitioner like Iyana could not usually detect them, but they were clearly visible in the border area.

Hestia remembered that there were branches of spiritual practice called psychics, who could also achieve similar reconnaissance effects through occult techniques.

"The person who created the Witch Book originally went there to hunt down secret cultivators."

This made Hestia even more curious about why this artifact, which was tailor-made for witches, was in her mother's hands.

If her mother was really a witch who hunted secret cultivators, as the heir to the Grand Duke of Lorraine, it would have been easy for her to kill a few secret cultivators. Why did she die young?

In addition to her confusion about her mother's generation, Hestia was also concerned about the traces of the golden worms.

Typically, traces of esoteric spirituality appear as lines or surfaces at intersections, much like animal tracks. Iyana, Clara, and the blade cultivators hiding in the menagerie all fit this pattern. As for the reclusive Aynive, she's been researching something in the library, hence the Golden Book Tower's impenetrable presence within the library, like a stubborn resident.

But the golden worm is different. It roughly follows the life trajectory of Matildahl, but there is no continuity. Instead, it jumps around and leaves "dot beacons" in different areas.

Hestia guessed that either the little bug, Matildahl Miller, was not yet mature and was weak, or it was related to the big bug that infected her.

After regaining consciousness, Hestia stretched lazily and pressed the button on the bedside. Immediately, a "ding-ling-ling" wake-up call rang out from the maid's room.

About ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter."

"Greetings to you, Your Highness."

Viola was dressed in a maid's outfit, her posture stiff, like a poor puppet being pulled around. The black-haired girl was still a little sleepy, but she tried to cheer herself up so as not to look dejected.

"You don't seem to have gotten enough sleep. What were you doing last night?"

"I'm reading a book and I'm a little obsessed. Sorry..."

"what book?"

"It's the biography of a secret cultivator on the path of wisdom. Madam Ainiwei said that I have the potential to become a secret cultivator, so..." Viola answered in a squeaky voice, fearing that she would be labeled "disloyal" by the princess.

Especially after learning that every member of the royal family was a secret cultivator, she became increasingly worried that the princess would take offense and tie her to the High Knight's chariot.

She doesn't want to be a cold-blooded butcher!

Hestia nodded, not blaming her for the incident.

Whether a mortal can become a Mystic Cultivator depends on their Root Compatibility. This is reflected in many aspects, including but not limited to race, personality, experience, thoughts, and mental state. An eighteen-year-old with a passion for the Blade Root might be suited to becoming a disciple, but at forty, he might become a devoted follower of the Tower. If he is already old, a Mystic Cultivator would be more suitable for a wise man with a broad perspective on life.

If one's nature is not compatible with the Dao, even if one has not been bewitched, it is easy to lose oneself in the Dream Realm and completely disappear from the world's sight. If someone without talent insists on going through the ritual to enter the Dream Realm, going mad is the inevitable result.

It is not a bad thing to let Viola get familiar with the world of esoteric cultivation in advance. Moreover, the future Apostle of Radiance is a genius in arcane magic. If he becomes an esoteric cultivator in the path of wisdom, he can also be of great help.