### Chapter 71: Meeting the Princess, Shadow Priest Sivan
After Xue Wenli departed, Su Yu focused his magical power to reinforce the security of the door and window glass, ensuring his surroundings were secure before quickly logging back into the game.
As he re-entered, the countdown for the sixth ring of **Glory of the Plantage Empire** showed only 30 minutes remaining.
However, due to his meeting with Xue Wenli, his time was now limited.
Once online, Su Yu found himself on a street near the **Scholar's Temple**. Checking the countdown, he saw it was now down to just 5 minutes.
"In 5 minutes, with Tima's speed, I might not make it to the palace," he muttered, realizing that he might have to go on foot.
Su Yu examined his set of dual-speed equipment. With his speed now comparable to that of a car, he dashed down the street.
Five minutes later, he arrived at the gates of the **Palace of Plantagenet**.
Kelderon, clad in pale golden armor, emerged from the palace and walked toward the waiting room for summons. Upon entering, he spotted Su Yu, who was slightly out of breath.
"What's wrong, Brother Nemesis? You look pale and exhausted. Did you visit Lanque Street? A new batch of elf slave girls was brought in a month ago—quite the spectacle!" Kelderon teased, his expression knowing.
Su Yu cleared his throat. "Cough, I'm a serious scholar. That sort of place holds no interest for me."
He wore the **Senior Scholar Badge** on his chest, emphasizing the truth of his words.
"Wait, is that the **Senior Scholar Badge**?!" Kelderon exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. Senior scholars were a rare breed, with only a handful being assessed in Plantagenet City each year. They were regarded as treasures of the empire.
"Nemesis is a senior scholar? And so young?" Kelderon felt dwarfed by Su Yu's newfound status.
"Ah, I was rude before! I didn't realize your standing. Please, come in! Her Royal Highness is waiting for you!"
Kelderon's demeanor shifted entirely as he escorted Su Yu deeper into the palace, his previous arrogance replaced with a desire to please.
"Lead the way," Su Yu replied evenly, following him through the dimly lit corridors of the palace.
The **Gorse Palace** felt eerily deserted; the silence was heavy, and dust settled on the roads and buildings, hinting at the empire's declining fate.
As they walked, Kelderon shared the current situation in the palace. The rebel vanguard was just fifty or sixty kilometers from Plantagenet City, and with too few soldiers to defend it, the royal family had already fled to **Forest City** to gather support from various lords.
Only Queen Elijah and a token defense force remained in Plantagenet City. The princess was also merely posturing, attempting to maintain a semblance of order while planning to leave when the enemy drew near.
Su Yu listened intently, knowing this information would be crucial, even if he remained silent.
As they progressed, the presence of guards increased, signaling their approach to the main hall. There, Su Yu finally met Queen Elijah.
Seated on a grand throne was Princess Ailijie, a girl of about 14 or 15, adorned in an opulent brown and white robe and an intricately designed headdress. Her expression was cold, betraying little of the turmoil surrounding them.
Upon entering, Kelderon immediately knelt before her. "Your Royal Highness, this is the adventurer 'Nemesis ' I mentioned. Nolan Village was attacked by the Star Casting Dragon King, and it was he who brought us the news. Additionally, Nemesis is a senior scholar."
"Is that so? A senior scholar?" Princess Ailijie's gaze flickered momentarily at the mention of Su Yu's title, though she quickly masked her curiosity.
"Your Royal Highness," Su Yu bowed slightly, acknowledging her with the respect his position demanded. His new title allowed him to forgo the full formalities of kneeling.
After a brief silence, the princess replied, "I am aware of the Star Casting Dragon King's actions. However, with our internal and external troubles, the royal family is powerless to take action."
"Adventurer, please inform the village chief that I will have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs draft a stern condemnation statement to be submitted to the Wind Chime Empire," she concluded.
At that moment, a fierce gust of wind swept through the open gates of the palace, catching everyone off guard.
The guards ignored it, as if accustomed to such phenomena.
A dark tornado formed in the center of the hall, swirling violently before materializing into a robed figure—a priest cloaked in shadows.
Su Yu recognized the name hovering above the figure's head: **[Shadow Priest Sivan]**.
As Sivan bowed to the princess, he then turned his attention to Su Yu. "Your Highness, I hear there is an adventurer from another world present?"
Before waiting for an answer, his eyes locked onto Su Yu, glinting with hunger like a wolf spotting its prey.
"Hey, I've never encountered the soul of an adventurer from another world. What would it taste like? How about you reward me, Your Highness?"
Sivan began to cast a spell, dark mist surging toward Su Yu, binding him in place.
"Stop, Sivan!" the princess commanded, her brow furrowing. "He is a senior scholar from the Scholar Temple, a treasure to the empire!"
Sivan scoffed at her words. "If it were the **Silver Pine Spire**, I might show some respect, but the Scholar Temple? Those old men from the three sanctuaries? They'd be no match for me even combined!"
As he continued to chant, the thick black fog surrounding Su Yu intensified, and he struggled to break free with the **Senior Scholar Badge**, but it was futile.
Pain shot through him, twisting his soul, and he briefly lost consciousness.
When Su Yu regained awareness, he found himself transformed into a soul form, standing in a stark, white space resembling an arena, surrounded by dark mist.
Opposite him stood an archer, his name clear above his head: **[Master Hunter Zod]**.
Character attributes floated beneath his name.
**[Master Hunter Zod]**
- **Level:** 11
- **HP:** 2000
- **Description:** Possesses a full suite of archer skills, enjoys winning games and eating ice cream.
Simultaneously, Su Yu's main quest updated:
"Ding! Your main storyline has been updated! **[Glory of the Plantage Empire (7/100)]**"
**Mission introduction:** Your soul has been trapped in the 'Soul Realm' of **[Shadow Priest Sivan]**.
**Task requirements:** Defeat **[Master Hunter Zod]** and escape from the 'Soul Realm'!
**Quest Reward:** Skill Scroll **[Insight (Rare)]**, EXP x1000.
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*(End of this chapter)*