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Upon seeing the pale, coughing priest appear, several villagers immediately stepped forward, seemingly wanting to help him. However, the priest gently waved them off, refusing their kindness. Coughing, he approached Mengdie and her group, glanced at Mengdie, and said, "Please... everyone, calm down... cough... They may not be the wolf-hunting squad sent by His Majesty, but with my letter of recommendation, I believe... cough... His Majesty will eventually send troops to solve your major concern."

The old priest's continuous coughing seemed to bring him almost to the point of suffocation with each word he spoke. Surprisingly, the villagers around, who seemed to hold this 'Great Sage' named Cotton in high regard, gradually changed their angry expressions to ones of reverence and stepped back.

"Who is he?" Mengdie whispered to Xiu.

"This? This is Father Cotton, known as the Great Sage of our time, the chief priest of the Grand Church, and the only cleric in the Luweil Empire allowed to enter the throne room and participate in politics. For decades, he has been traveling around the world, using a special divine power to transfer people's ailments to himself, thus saving lives. Frequent use of this power has led to his own body being riddled with diseases, suffering immensely. In essence, he's a great priest who sacrificed his own health to save others, earning him the title of 'Sage'," Xiu replied softly.

Mengdie gave a nod, taking a closer look at the frail old man before her. His body indeed seemed weak, his pale and haggard face almost devoid of color. Yet, he managed to maintain a broad smile and exuded confidence and hope to each villager.

After calming the villagers, Father Cotton extended his hand... not towards Mengdie, but towards Granny Gluma, who was behind her.

"Child of the Goddess, do not be afraid. No one can harm you."

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Hesitant at first, Mengdie stepped aside. Granny Gluma, looking at Father Cotton extending his hand, was moved to tears of joy and knelt before him.

After a round of consolation, Granny Gluma finally stood up. Father Cotton also dispersed the villagers. At Granny Gluma's earnest invitation, Mengdie's group and Father Cotton were invited to her house. Although some villagers had also invited Father Cotton, he had declined.

Granny Gluma's house was located at the western end of the village. Looking westward from her door, one could see a vast, boundless forest. On closer inspection, numerous bloodstains could be seen trailing from the village into the dark forest. Undoubtedly, these were left by people or animals brutally dragged into the woods.

Mengdie sighed softly at the sight of the bloodstains not yet covered by dust. Following Edward's lead, she entered Granny Gluma's dilapidated house.

At first glance, Mengdie could only describe the room as "terrifying." Wolf claw marks covered the walls, cabinets, and bedding. Just from these marks, one could imagine the mental torment Granny Gluma experienced each night. It was hard to imagine how the old woman had survived this long without the hidden underground storage room she showed them under her bed.

"Come, everyone, please sit. I'll go boil some water."

Granny Gluma was excited to have guests. Bending her back, she picked up a kettle to scoop water from an almost empty barrel. Mengdie, unable to bear watching, stood up, took the kettle and ladle from the old woman, and gently seated her. Then, she boiled just a little water, enough for two cups, and placed them in front of Granny Gluma and Father Cotton.

"Here, Granny, you were upset just now. Drink some hot water to calm down."

Granny Gluma, overwhelmed by Mengdie's unexpected gesture, was about to protest, but Mengdie had already handed her the cup of water. Unable to refuse, Granny Gluma slowly sat down and took a sip of the warm water, tears of gratitude welling up in her eyes again. Father Cotton watched silently, nodding his head imperceptibly.

After reintroducing her group, Mengdie quickly began inquiring about their primary objective—the whereabouts of the Black Flame Snake.

"Granny, did the soldier who was killed see some people with black tattoos on their shoulders in the forest?"

Granny Gluma thought for a moment and said, "Shoulders... tattoos? Ah, yes, I think there was something like that. Sadly, the soldier's neck was bitten, and he was bleeding out, dying shortly after..."

Recalling the horrific scene, Granny Gluma's hands trembled as she held her cup. Nia quickly came forward to support her.

Yes, Sasa's information was accurate. Mengdie felt encouraged, her tail slightly lifting.

"Then, Granny, did the soldier mention exactly where in the forest he saw the Black Flame Snake?"

Mengdie asked hopefully. After all, she needed to find the King's Cup to save Aya!

However, the old woman's response brought great disappointment to Mengdie:

"Well... he just barely mentioned seeing people with tattoos, but then the soldier died..."

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