Chapter 198 | This Healer Is Built Different

Jesse nodded, and after catching his breath, he spoke: “Yes, they are Rex and Yvonne. They used to be guards of the White family.”

He gestured toward them with a tilt of his head. Rex nodded slightly to Bai Xuan with a respectful attitude, saying nothing more. Yvonne called out softly, “My Lord,” before continuing to support the weak Jesse.

“Back when Lord Edmund began purging the church heretics, Zane led a large force of elites to launch a surprise attack on the manor.” Jesse's voice was low and raspy, pausing slightly when he mentioned the enemy elites.

“Lord Edmund knew that Calais Town couldn't be held, so he arranged for people to send the young lady and the children away through a secret passage. The child you specifically asked us to look after was also sent away with them.”

Bai Xuan immediately pressed, “Where were they sent?”

“Myriad City,” Jesse answered truthfully. “They are under the protection of the White family's main branch there.”

He paused, adding in a low voice tinged with worry, “I only hope the young lady and the others are safe on their journey.”

Myriad City. Bai Xuan understood. This happened to be the destination he was planning to head to after wrapping up matters here.

Jesse continued to explain, “During this time, Rex and Yvonne have been lurking in town, waiting for an opportunity.”

Rex took over the conversation, saying in a deep voice, “Lord Edmund had already anticipated this outcome. He specifically arranged for us to disguise ourselves and hide in town, waiting for the right moment to rescue him and strike back.”

“But Jesse was under constant, round-the-clock surveillance. We couldn't make contact with him at all. Once exposed, all our hopes of staying hidden would have been completely shattered.”

“We originally thought this monster tide would be our only breakthrough,” Rex said, his voice dropping.

“But no one expected the monsters' assault to be so fierce. Let alone seizing the chance to turn the tables, the entire town was nearly completely overrun.”

He glanced up at Bai Xuan, quickly retracted his gaze, and said sincerely, “Fortunately, you arrived in time, My Lord, and saved everyone.”

“What about Edmund? Where is he now?” Bai Xuan pressed on the most critical question.

Jesse fell into a brief silence, his voice heavy. “I was the first to be captured, so I don't know what happened afterward. But knowing Zane's way of doing things, I'm afraid Lord Edmund has met with disaster.”

He turned his head to look at the pile of captives not far away. Among the crowd, a man dressed in a white robe curled up, desperately keeping his head down, trying to hide himself in the shadows.

“That man is Clement, the church priest. He was the heretic Lord Edmund wanted to purge back then.”

Bai Xuan looked over, following Jesse's gaze.

Clement's body shuddered violently. He clearly felt that scrutinizing gaze, but he kept his head buried, not daring to look up and meet his eyes.

His entire body was tense. Although the wound on his waist and abdomen had already healed and the pain had mostly dissipated, that fatal strike from earlier was still deeply engraved in his mind.

He hadn't even been able to see Bai Xuan's movements clearly. He only remembered a flash of light and shadow suddenly rushing toward him, and in the next second, a hollow, agonizing pain tore through his waist and abdomen as a large chunk of flesh was instantly gouged out.

The moment blood gushed out frantically, he collapsed to the ground in terror, scrambling to channel his healing magic to save his life.

When the golden light of healing lit up, he was still shaken and gasping for breath. The wound healed and regenerated rapidly, but the bizarre sensation of the missing flesh growing back made him feel waves of nausea.

Propping himself up on the ground, he barely managed to lift his head and saw Bai Xuan standing in the center of the battlefield, the staff already back in his hand.

At that moment, the fireballs coming from the sides, the arrows piercing through the air from the front, and the sharp blades slashing from behind—all attacks directed at Bai Xuan stopped abruptly an inch away from him.

The onslaught slammed into an invisible magic barrier, bursting into fine ripples of light before completely dispersing.

Without even turning to look back, Bai Xuan simply loosened his grip. The staff flew from his hand, carving a clean arc through the air before its butt end slammed heavily into the chest of a Mage holding a crystal ball.

The Mage fell to the ground at the impact, the crystal ball slipping from his hand and crashing onto the gravel ground, cracking with a web of fine lines.

Immediately after, an explosion of interwoven, spinning light blades erupted from the tip of the staff, sweeping across the field like a raging storm.

Clement's breath hitched, and his pupils contracted sharply. Every Class holder on the field fell one after another. Some didn't even have time to raise their shields, while those who managed to block with theirs still couldn't withstand the violent magical onslaught.

Clement frantically scanned the area, only to find that of the attackers who had been so aggressive moments ago, not a single one was left standing.

He looked down at the newly regenerated skin on his waist and abdomen. It felt warm to the touch, and the pain had completely vanished, but the fear in his heart only grew more intense.

Powerless to stand, he could only lie curled up on the ground. Soon, someone stepped forward and bound his wrists tightly.

Lifting his eyes slightly, he only saw a figure turning to walk away without stopping or looking back. He buried his face deep into the gravel, never daring to look up again.

The dust beneath the wall was stained with the cold sweat dripping from his forehead. The storm of light blades in the distance had already settled, and the evening wind swept up the remaining ashes on the ground, blowing them slowly toward the entrance of the town.

Clement shut his eyes tight, listening to the footsteps passing back and forth around him, but he lacked even the slightest courage to steal a glance.

Soon after, the Greatswordsman's voice reached his ears—from his initial rapid gasping to his shrill, agonizing screams, and then to his intermittent, broken pleas.

After this torture was repeated several times, the voice gradually weakened, eventually fading into a few indistinct, low whimpers as he completely ran out of strength.

Fear enveloped Clement layer by layer. He curled up in the corner, never daring to raise his head or open his eyes.

Soon, two heavy gazes fell upon him one after another, a suffocating pressure washing over him.

He knew he couldn't pretend anymore.

Footsteps slowly approached, finally stopping right in front of him.

Clement could no longer bear it. The Greatswordsman's miserable fate was still vivid in his mind, and he didn't want to end up the same way. Before the other party could even speak, he blurted out on his own initiative.

“I know what you want to ask,” he said, his voice trembling with unmistakable fear. “Edmund is still alive. He's being kept in the church dungeon.”

He paused slightly, waiting anxiously for the reaction of the person before him.

Seeing that no one interrupted him, he relaxed slightly, and his pace of speech quickened a bit. “The only reason he has survived until now is that I've been using divine magic to keep healing him. Zane wanted to keep him alive, but the torture has never stopped.”

He swallowed hard, his throat dry, and continued, “He hasn't confessed to anything, but Zane has... special means.”

Bai Xuan stood silently in place, looking down at Clement who was curled into a ball.

Standing not far away, Jesse's body swayed violently when he heard the news that Edmund was still alive. He almost lost his footing, only managing to steady himself by quickly grabbing onto Yvonne beside him.