Since Lilith's Infernal Saint Form doesn't get her Stage suppressed, then…
If Lilith keeps leveling up in her Infernal Saint Form, I'll soon have a familiar whose Stage is far above my own body's Stage.
When I fight another familiar user of the same rank, we'll both send out our Elite 1 star familiars.
Then Lilith turns on Infernal Saint Form and jumps from Elite 1 star to Elite 5 star—the opponent will want to cry.
Also, Logan carefully compared the Stat differences between Lilith's succubus form and her Demon Lord form.
Aside from the specialty Stat Mind power only getting a 130% boost, all other Stats get a 200% boost.
With that kind of burst power, Lilith's fights in the material world won't be weaker than other familiars either!
After he figured this out, Logan took a deep breath, reached out and patted Lilith's head, and said encouragingly, "Good work. Rest up now. Let the four Twin-Headed Wolf Fae scout the way."
With that, Logan waved to Sawako and Yelena, then went ahead with Lilith into the forest.
Infernal Saint Form can level up?
Then every monster in this Blood Cultivation Realm will become Lilith's EXP—none of them will get away!
Watching Logan's back fade from view, Yelena and Sawako looked torn.
"Yelena, I feel something's off with this Blood Cultivation Realm. Don't you think there are too many Elite 3 star monsters?" Sawako resummoned her Centaur and hopped onto its back.
Yelena also leaped onto the Icebound Phoenix's back, eyes thoughtful: "The intel didn't say exactly how many Elite 3 star Stage monsters are in the Blood Cultivation Realm, but those six rushing us just now clearly went beyond the norm."
"Maybe the intel really is wrong."
"And haven't you noticed? No rescue team has shown up yet."
"Maybe something really went wrong."
After hearing Yelena's analysis, Sawako's face grew even more serious.
She might be bold and carefree, but she stays calm in a crisis.
After only a moment of thought, Sawako looked toward the deep forest with firm eyes and said, "Right now, staying near Logan is probably the only way to stay safe."
Then she kicked the Centaur's flank and rushed into the forest like the wind.
Seeing this, Yelena and the Icebound Phoenix didn't hesitate and followed the Centaur into the trees.
…
On the road ahead, Logan led Lilith and the four Twin-Headed Wolf Fae, cutting down monsters all through the forest.
Every goblin assassin, bloodthirsty leech, and giant anaconda they met turned into Lilith's EXP.
The loot those monsters left behind—whether weapons and gear or magic materials—all went into Logan's bag.
Logan had planned to share some with Sawako and Yelena, but the two of them politely turned it down, saying Logan had protected them the whole way.
They were nobles and a bit proud, but they weren't stupid.
Right now, even their safety depends on Logan.
Why risk angering Logan over a bit of loot?
They even noticed Logan was farming monsters on purpose, and took the initiative to help him lure more.
With the Icebound Phoenix scouting from high above, and the Centaur using its War Charge skill, the monsters across the whole forest were herded to Logan and Lilith like on a conveyor belt.
Soon, around a clearing in the forest, heaps of monster corpses piled up, each as tall as three people.
After Logan and Lilith finished off the last monster, they set out again, heading deeper into the woods.
What disappointed Logan was that they never ran into any more Twin-Headed Wolf Fae.
Because of that, Lilith's Infernal Saint Form had only just leveled up to Elite 3 star.
[Familiar: Lilith (Infernal Saint Form, 10% unlocked)]
[Race: Succubus (Infernal Saint Hybrid)]
[Attribute: Dark]
[Ranking: A-level 1 star]
[Stage: Elite 2 star → Elite 3 star]
[Talent: Natural Charisma, Expert in Passion]
[Skill: Weaken Will, Life Drain, Enslave Mind (controlled 4/4), Mind Lash, Infernal Saint Form]
[Stats: Power 70 → 85, Stamina 74 → 94, Mind 151 → 179, Agility 93 → 111]
…
In theory, Elite 3 star is already the Stage cap for monsters in this Blood Cultivation Realm.
But Logan still felt there were many strong monsters hiding here.
"Let's check some other areas."
Logan said to Sawako and Yelena behind him. Then he mounted a Twin-Headed Wolf Fae and kept going deeper into the forest.
At the same time.
Outside the Blood Cultivation Realm, in the area held by the Templar Knights.
Nancy Priest and Principal Charles sat outside the portal, quietly waiting for Evelynna to return in triumph.
"With resources from half of an Elite-level Blood Cultivation Realm as the base, plus the Temple's years of stockpiled assets, that child Evelynna should get a blue-green familiar space at least, maybe even push for blue." Charles stroked his beard with a smile, looking like everything was under control.
Seeing him so optimistic, Nancy Priest frowned a little. "The Saintess carries a heavy burden. Her goal should be purple."
She paused, and her voice grew more serious. "For that goal, the Temple is fully prepared."
When Charles heard that Nancy Priest planned to help Evelynna open a purple familiar space, his eyes went wide and he began to stammer, "Lady Priest, I heard a purple familiar space needs the sacrifice of an A-level familiar. Don't tell me you've even prepared that?"
"An A-level familiar? Evelynna has more than one," Nancy Priest replied with a smile, but her eyes were ice-cold.
Charles realized how deep Nancy Priest's plans ran, shrank back a little, and grew even more eager for Evelynna's achievements.
As they kept discussing how to train Evelynna, the air around them suddenly turned thick and heavy.
Sensing something wrong, Nancy Priest bristled like a hedgehog and shot to her feet.
But even that simple move left the enraged Nancy slightly out of breath. "Quick! Everyone, use Familiar Possession!"
"It's the Black Church attacking!"
Hearing the words "Black Church," the Temple Knights at the scene all went on high alert, as if facing a deadly enemy.
Right after that, roars rang out—some like lions, some like eagles.
Each Temple Knight summoned their Silver-maned Griffin and let it possess them.
In an instant, the Knights in ornate armor began to sprout hair.
As steel-hard feathers pushed out one after another, the Temple Knights all turned into bird-like warriors.
Charles stayed by Nancy Priest's side and summoned his T-rex familiar to possess him as well.
"This attack by the Black Church was likely planned," Charles said, tense as he finished the familiar possession ritual. "Hold the portal! I'll go in first and check on the Holy Girl!"
With that, he turned and charged toward the portal.
But he wasn't teleported at all. Instead, he slammed hard into a barrier disguised as the portal.
Noticing something wrong with the portal, a hint of panic crossed Nancy Priest's face. "Damn, Evelynna is in danger!"
In a rage, Nancy Priest fully unleashed the power of holy light, and a pair of holy light wings suddenly spread from her back.
"I'll go to the City Lord. Maybe we can use their portal to get in." With that, she leapt up, ready to fly toward the military camp.
But just then, rays of holy light suddenly flared.
Countless figures came into view, riding the Holy Light.
Looking closer, Nancy Priest was shocked to see that all thirty Temple Knight bodyguards who were supposed to follow her orders and help Evelynna explore the Blood Cultivation Realm were here.
The cross medallions they wore for protection were all shattered.
Seeing this, Charles dropped all politeness. He grabbed one of the more clear-headed Temple Knights and asked, "What happened? Why did you come out? Where is Evelynna?"
Sensing Charles's urgency, a few Temple Knights traded looks, then spoke with effort: "Her Highness the Holy Maiden got separated from us. We ran into a pack of monsters—dozens of Two-Headed Wolf Fae. Each one was at the Elite, 3-star stage."
Hearing that, Charles stomped down, and the stone slab under his foot cracked.
As a senior official of Twilight City, he knew better than anyone that there should have been only one Elite, 3-star monster in that Blood Cultivation Realm.
It was the one he and Mark, working with the army, had thrown into the realm.
"Damn it. This has to be those Black Church lunatics. What are they trying to do?"
…