Chapter 109: The Virgo Gold Cloth

The cave was empty, but the space was cramped—no larger than a small room. Though the Thunder Dragon could not enter, the followers of the Bal Sect could, and with Link's strength, there was no way he could withstand their fierce charge. He immediately began searching for something to block the enemy. Soon, he discovered a concealed switch at the cave entrance.

Seeing this mechanism, Link's heart stirred. Hesitating briefly as heavy footsteps echoed outside, he bit his lip and activated the device. Instantly, a stone door slammed down, sealing the entrance. Link breathed a sigh of relief—his gamble had paid off. This mechanism was a door, not the kind of trap often seen in movies.

Outside, the Bal Sect followers’ faces darkened at the sight of their path being blocked. Adam arrived moments later and frowned sharply at the stone door. His subordinate asked, “Lord Adam, what shall we do? Force the door or...?”

Adam remained silent for a moment before saying, “Prepare the unlocking magic. Forcing the door might damage the sacred artifact inside—we can’t take that risk.”

“But the artifact is inside. If those intruders get their hands on it—”

Adam snorted coldly. “Ha. We spent over ten days trying to unlock that lock and failed. Those two intruders might be troublesome, but they’re no match for us. I refuse to believe they can open that lock. Enough talk. Use the unlocking magic. As long as the artifact remains safe, spending some time is no problem.”

“Understood!”

The Bal Sect followers immediately prepared the unlocking magic—a support spell many magicians knew. It activated by sensing the magic within mechanisms, opening sealed doors after some time spent preparing and casting. It was safe, reliable, and had a high success rate.

To the Bal Sect, Link and Ashmida were already trapped fish, unable to stir a ripple. They could afford to wait patiently.

Inside the cave, Link pressed his ear to listen to the outside. When he realized they had no intention of breaking the door down, he finally relaxed. Turning to the still-shaken Ashmida, he said, “We’re safe for now. Wait here. Let me see if there’s anything useful.”

Ashmida nodded, and Link followed the system’s guidance to a wall opposite him. There, he found an unusual cupboard carved with obscure, arcane symbols, pulsating with magical energy—some kind of magical lock.

As Link touched it, the system’s voice sounded again.

“Ding. Detected Death Soul Lock. Can be unlocked using sacred power.”

“Unlocked with sacred power? Haha, sacred power really is a universal key,” Link chuckled inwardly. Then, recalling something, he cast the Shield of Holy Light on himself and Ashmida, enveloping them in a protective holy aura. Only then did he inject his meager sacred power into the Death Soul Lock.

Immediately, the inscriptions on the wall glowed a faint purple. Following this, a low growl filled with malice, hatred, rage, and fear echoed as countless grayish-white vengeful spirits burst forth from the lock. The temperature in the cave plummeted, thick with chilling resentment. In the next instant, the spirits surged toward Link and Ashmida.

Ashmida’s face drained of color at the sight, while Link watched with an unreadable expression. Suddenly, a more piercing scream arose as the spirits struck the holy light shield—only to vanish like creatures thrown into molten lava, instantly evaporated.

It was no joke. Holy Light was the purest radiance, inherently banishing evil. It was especially potent against undead and entities saturated with negative energy. To ordinary people, a holy light shield was robust defense; to the undead, it dealt lethal reflected damage.

Link sneered at the struggling spirits. Of course something called a Death Soul Lock wouldn’t be safe and sound. As expected, a swarm of vengeful spirits attacked.

But simply letting them rage was no solution. These spirits lacked consciousness—mere manifestations of evil grudges, not even ghosts. They only knew to relentlessly assault the living. If this continued, the holy light shield would eventually break.

Thinking fast, Link released a group healing spell—Embrace of Holy Light—but this time, not on his allies. The holy light, a blessing to the living, was a fiery hell to the spirits. They were consumed rapidly in the golden radiance, vanishing without a trace. The cave’s oppressive chill and resentment were purified entirely.

“Done,” Link smiled faintly, turning to Ashmida. “Are you alright?”

Ashmida shook his head and returned a gentle smile. “I’m fine, Archbishop. Thank you for your concern.”

“That’s good.” Link’s gaze returned to the Death Soul Lock. With the spirit trap cleared, the runes dimmed, and the wall began to grind open.

Behind it lay a dazzling white set of ornate armor. Though dusted by time, its brilliance was undeniable. The armor was damaged—cracked in many places—not from age but from prior harm before it was sealed here.

This was the source of divine power the system mentioned. Link stepped closer, recognizing the style as reminiscent of the Sunless Empire era. He’d read about similar relics in the archives of the Heavenly Spirit Sect. This armor was almost certainly from that time, likely belonging to a great figure. Otherwise, the Bal Sect would not have prized it so highly, nor would the system have claimed it held divine power.

Link touched the armor, and the system’s voice chimed again.

“Ding. Detected item with divine power. Can be enhanced using divine power or absorbed to convert into ten points of divine power.”

“Enhanced?” Link was startled. This was his first encounter with a non-system item that could be enhanced with divine power. His curiosity surged, and he whispered, “System, how much divine power is needed for enhancement? What can this be transformed into?”

This time, the system answered plainly. “Ten points of divine power required for enhancement. Can be transformed into advanced equipment: Virgo Gold Cloth. The constellation is randomly assigned by the True God system.”

“Transformed into Virgo Gold Cloth?” Link’s heart pounded wildly. To convert this battered armor into the most powerful Gold Cloth—it was a devil’s temptation he found impossible to resist.

Yet, given the current predicament, Link restrained himself from impulsively transforming the armor. Instead, he tried to understand its abilities and effects, hoping it might aid him.

After some time, he found nothing. Even when worn, it felt heavy but gave no enhancements.

Resigned, Link grit his teeth and converted nine points of divine power. Combining a point granted when Saga became a divine believer, he amassed the full ten points to enhance the armor.

Trapped here, he needed anything that might break their deadlock. Since the armor’s origin and effects were unclear, wasting time was unwise. Once transformed into Gold Cloth, even if he couldn’t use it, Ashmida could. Wearing the Virgo Gold Cloth, Ashmida might not unleash its full power, but it would suffice for self-defense, greatly increasing their chances of escape.

As divine power flowed into the white armor, it burst into brilliant golden radiance, releasing immense energy. Link watched the dramatic transformation, a hopeful smile spreading across his face.

Nearby, the obedient Ashmida was astonished and asked what was happening. Link feigned a vision from the Father God to explain, leaving Ashmida amazed for a long while. “Archbishop, Father God truly is a special deity. Unlike others who rarely intervene with mortals, Father God constantly reveals himself to aid us—a truly great god!”

“Yes, Father God is great,” Link nodded, inwardly scoffing. If circumstances weren’t forced, and Ashmida couldn’t see the truth, no way would the ‘visions’ keep coming. Miracles and divine favors lose value when too common.

Meanwhile, the transformation completed; the entire armor condensed into a golden light sphere. The system’s voice sounded once more.

“Ding. Enhancement complete. Beginning random matching… Matching complete. Transformed into advanced equipment: Virgo Gold Cloth.”

“Virgo Gold Cloth?” Link instinctively glanced at Ashmida, whispering so only he could hear, “Could this boy be destined to become the Virgo Saint?”

As he murmured, the light sphere morphed into a splendid golden armor set forming the image of a young maiden kneeling with hands clasped in prayer—the iconic pose of the Virgo Gold Cloth when not worn.

Though Virgo was not Link’s favorite Gold Cloth, the sight quickened his pulse and made his breath shallow with excitement.

Link reached out to touch the Gold Cloth, but as its data uploaded into his mind, a chill like a bucket of ice water doused him from head to toe.

The Gold Cloth’s attributes were immensely powerful—far surpassing Bronze and Silver Cloths. Even an ordinary person wearing it would instantly attain fourth-tier combat strength or higher, let alone a seasoned warrior.

However, the Gold Cloth was wholly different from other Cloths. Its equipping requirements were far more stringent. Beyond basic demands, the Gold Cloth chose its own master. If it did not recognize the wearer, it simply would not allow them to wear it.

In other words, even if Link wished for Ashmida to wear the Virgo Gold Cloth, if the cloth did not accept him, Ashmida could never don it.