Chapter 29 Holy Church

Andal's holy church is made of white holy stones, which is as flat as a mirror. Even if they are far away, you can see the white halo reflecting over the sky from afar. Like a miracle, people can't help but worship her and worship her.

At this time, it was still early. Celestine Leo and his escort and partner - a female swordsman from the East - Lu Yuewu slowly trad through the foggy and humid streets in the morning. The cooking smoke from the kitchen came out of the houses on both sides, bringing the aroma of milk and honey, and the taste of toast and minced meat soup was also mixed. Occasionally, one or two shouts broke the silence of the morning.

"Are you sure?" The oriental girl, who had been silent, asked in the gorgeous morning light, "Facilitate cooperation."

"Do your best." Leo thought for a moment and replied, "But I don't have hope."

"Do you seem to be very pessimistic?"

"As the mage said, no one can control other people's minds except gods." Looking at the sky that became red due to the rising sun, he also said helplessly, "You have seen so many mages. Who of them is kind to us?"

"At least it can reduce opposition." Lu Yuewu said, "Rosie stayed at home all day. She is going crazy."

Their conversation was terminated by the appearance of pedestrians. The residents who lived here walked out of the door after breakfast, and they came towards them in twos and threes for the same purpose. People talked in a low voice as they walked, and from time to time looked up at the white church that was not far away. Since then, more and more people seem to come from all directions to surround them.

Lu Yuewu vigilantly touched the hilt hidden under the cloak. Li Ou hurriedly grabbed the girl from a foreign country. They are all believers of Our Lady of Andal. He explained in a low voice.

"But among them... it's hard to protect..."

He pointed to his dress, "So we also have to pretend to be pious."

Today, he took off his alchemy badge, wearing only a light blue shirt, brown trousers and a long cloak. Lu Yuewu's previous custom-made dagger was asked by him, tied to his calves, and his trouser legs covered it tightly. He dares not reveal his identity. Alchemists who disrespect and blasphame gods have no good reputation among believers, and they are almost equal to demons. He doesn't want a secret conversation to turn into public condemnation.

Soon, the believers were as dense as sardines. During the crowd, they crooked and became involuntary when they came to step on their legs. It's a big mistake to choose today. Li Ou had no choice but to complain that he completely forgot that today was the day of worship.

The conversations of the believers converge in a mess, like a hive full of bees. But from the words he occasionally heard, it was not difficult for Leo to hear the fear and uneasiness in their hearts. No wonder there are so many believers who come through several urban areas not far away today. They are trying to get comfort and strength from their devout faith to regain courage.

As they walked to the square in front of the temple, the believers slowed down and suddenly calmed down. This moment was like being enchanted, and time suddenly stopped. The believers are looking forward to it devoutly. When the bell in the church rang for the sixth time, the carved gate made of pure gold opened in a roar, and the believers queued up silently and orderly, followed them.

In the bright and magnificent church, the statue of the goddess warrior supports the 100-meter dome depicting the story of the gods. The wall of the temple is inlaid with colorful glass, and the sunlight refracts in, and the church is shrouded in the flowing colors, which looks magnificent and dreamlike. The Virgin in a silk robe held her hands forward. At her feet, honey candles were surrounded by fragrant candles, and the wreath and the gold and silver holy grail full of holy water surrounded her. A sacred scripture full of divine texts is placed on the platform under the statue.

On both sides of the altar, six holy white knights with bright armor stood separately with solemn eyes. The boys and girls in the choir wore white and gold robes, holding hymns in their hands and sang hymns in a childish voice.

The bishop, dressed in a purple robe and decorated with gemstone ribbons, walked to the altar. By this time, the believers had stood neatly and lowered their heads to listen to the bishop reciting the scriptures. In the midst of boredom, Li Ou glanced around with the afterglow of the corners of his eyes and suddenly found that Miss Bachelor wore a plain robe and buried her head in prayer in the crowd.

The bishop's chant resounded through the church, and soon the believers came in in harmony. They recited the scriptures loudly, and in the gorgeous light and blurred fragrance, they seemed to have reached another world and the kingdom of God on the other side.

The prayer lasted for a long time, during which some believers continued to join in. Li Ou took the opportunity to walk to the bachelor's side. I didn't expect to meet you here." He joked doubtfully, "When will the bachelor worship God?"

"The chief bachelor once said--" The other party responded with a smile, "Although it is an indisputable fact that God has passed away, as the strong men of that era, they still deserve our respect." I'm doing it physically and experiencing the deep meaning.

Deeply, he didn't see it. He only saw other pictures. You won't work hard**.

"I won't listen to it today." Miss Bachelor cleverly avoided his accusations and accusations. I'm just a witness."

Li Ou frowned, and they didn't expect it to be her. The eye of insight into reconciliation with the mage has a plan for a long time, but it is facilitated by the female city owner. She sent a black thorn, either completely deceived or she was confident.

"Are you already an adviser to the city owner?" Lu Yue stared at her with sword-like eyes.

She replied with a sincere and formulaic smile, "It is reasonable for a bachelor to be the consultant of the lord of a city."

So the answer to the question is the latter one? If Miss Bachelor sincerely assists, it means that... Leo suddenly realized that all the rumors in the streets and alleys are complete scams! He has a deep understanding of the methods of the female city owner, so there is only one result: her weakness, her retreat, and her being manipulated as a puppet, all of which are showing weakness. He couldn't help but be grateful because he never refused. In Game of Thrones, if you stand on the wrong team at the beginning, you will never be a winner.

When the prayer was coming to an end, a priest came over and led them to the back hall.

Behind the church is a colorful corridor made of countless stained glass. They couldn't help but create an absurd illusion that the soul was out of the body and was walking in the magic tunnel to the kingdom of God. At the end of the corridor is a prayer hall, which is connected to the silent hall in the priest's mouth.

Unlike the majestic beauty of the church, the Temple of Silence is surrounded by black stone, and the walls are bare without any decoration. Only three narrow windows can penetrate the sun. A priest in a black and blue pullover was turning his back to them and knelt on the ground and gently prayed to the silver Madonna wearing a flower crown in front of him.

The priest left quietly. They waited for a moment before the priest finished his prayer and stood up. Welcome, distinguished guests. He pointed to the thin cushions of crude cloth on the ground and motioned them to sit on the floor.

They sat down one by one. But the hard and cold floor made them uncomfortable. Since then, the priest has been entertained with bitter buckwheat tea. But the guests follow the Lord, and they have to be patient.

Because the wind chaser of the Wind Rock Tower had not come for a long time, the priest with white gray beard broke the silence. Miss Bachelor, what is the record of black magic in the desperate castle? He asked, "Is there a way to deal with it?"

"Fight magic with magic. No steel can stop its invasion. This is well-known nonsense.

"But how to resist?" The priest said, "Priests and white knights can be blocked by spells, but what about believers? They are all mortals, with no magic weapons, only close the door. But wood and stones can't do anything about it. It's not a sword."

"I don't know." Miss Bachelor admitted helplessly, "I can't help it."

Isn't it easy to let the Virgin Mary of your faith show miracles? Li Ousheng swallowed this sentence back. We can only hope that the originator will appear as soon as possible. He changed his words.

However, the priest seemed to have only heard the disrespectful words in his heart. He looked up at the statue of the Virgin Mary, "Maybe this is the test of the sheep given to her by the Virgin Mary. Only those who have a firm belief can survive the safe and sound. Go to hell with your Virgin Mary. The priest recited a few scriptures and then said, "Mr. Sir, Your Eye of Insight has asked me for help, and he told me about your curse..."

Li Ou quickly interrupted him, "Can we go out and talk?" Lu Yuewu stood up with him. He gently advised, "Moon Wu, wait for me here for a while, okay?" Her eyes were full of doubts, but she still sat back obediently.

They walked from the Palace of Silence to the prayer hall before stopping.

"Your Excellency, you can say it now." Li Ou sat down on the bench and said sincerely, "Don't hide it for me. If you have something to say, please say it directly. I'm already mentally prepared."

The priest sighed and sat down beside him. Forgive me for nothing I can do." He said slowly, "I have never seen such a strange curse. It neither hurts the body nor tortures the soul, it is so dormant.

"It's waiting to wake up, like a hibernating snake?"

"That's right." The priest said, "I read the classics and even arranged the mysterious divine literature, and there is nothing I can do about it... Your Excellency the Eye of Insight mentioned that you have encountered a ghost?"

"He is a drowning man summoned by the eight-claw sea monster worshipped by Leo Islanders."

"Oc-claw Sea Monster?" The expression on the priest's face suddenly became angry and sad. He looked up at the statue of the Virgin and hesitated for a long time before slowly opening his mouth, "I can't lift the curse because the power of the curse is unique." He finally told the truth, "It's more like... more like... magic power..."

The priest exhaled and leaned almost weakly on the chair. Divine power." He kept repeating, and his face was sad and crying.

God power? Li Ou just wants to laugh. Will a sea monster without IQ be a god? This is a big joke.

"Don't you believe it?"

"Why should I believe it?" Li Ou asked, "Will a mollusk without a head become a god? Also blame it for the curse I bear?" He would rather believe that it was because of witchcraft, because of the magical horn.

Faith can create gods. The old god is dead, and the new god will stand.

So you spread your faith to create a woman from nothingness? Leo thinks this is more incredible than Arabian Nights. Even if you take ten thousand steps back, "Your Excellency, don't forget the alchemist's oath." He whispered in the other party's ear, "--no fear of gods."

When they returned, the priest was expressionless, but Leo could still feel his anger. Lu Yuewu looked at them, her eyebrows were locked, and her eyes were full of doubts. What do you need to avoid talking about?

He glanced at Miss Bachelor and tried to lead Lu Yuewu's thinking astray. "It's just about Lord Tunus. There's nothing to worry about." He said.

After a while, a white knight finally led the wind chaser to come late. The mage who collapsed in the chair a few days ago now wrapped his skinny body in a dark cloak, and the shadow of the hood covered his face and came tremblingly. His legs and feet were weak and he was out of breath. As soon as he entered the room, he couldn't wait to sit down and breathe heavily. Even the wind could not help him.

He is indeed old. Everyone present will think so. In just a few steps, he will show fatigue, which will make people wonder whether he has enough energy to suppress the mage* and resist the dilemma of domestic and diplomatic difficulties.

When the mage gasped and his face was no longer blue, Li Ou opened his mouth, "Lord Wind Chaser, you should have made the final decision. Whether we accept or refuse, we are waiting for your answer.

At such a juncture, the wind chaser suddenly fell silent. He lowered his head and seemed to die quietly in the black room. What he is worried about, what he is afraid of, and why he began to look forward again. Perhaps only the magical goddesses of the past know.

"I've been thinking about it for a long time." After a long time, he said, "The mage can't take full responsibility for this matter; we are not the only one at fault. Without the aggressiveness of alchemists, without the suppression of alchemists, the mages would not be so angry, would not take such extreme measures, let alone listen to the instigation of people with ulterior motives..."

Ah, is this shiring responsibility or intensifying contradictions? Everyone frowned because of this.

"...they are all tempted to do... those things..."

He is still defending his apprentices and grandchildren. Li Ou thought that his eyes are really blind and his ears are really deaf. He can only see the one-acre of land of the mage tower, and he can't see the flowery world one step away from the tower. The wind he chased had long been old, dead and dying.

"This is not just the mage's fault. I admit it, so we would rather take a step back or even a few steps.

The wind chaser looked up at him. His old eyes are cloudy and lack vitality. But from the day you visited me until now, I haven't felt your so-called sincerity. The mage repeated his words, "Step back? How long is the step?"

A step back is to let the alchemists hide from you! Because you are the source of filth and the source of plague! Li Ou told him angrily, "Don't take our concessions as weakness! Please talk to the eye of insight to bargain. We only need the exact answer now: yes, or not."

The wind chaser turned his eyes to the other two. The priest and I are just witnesses. Miss Bachelor reminded, "Everything is up to you. Good or bad." He said in a low voice with a little angrily, "You are forcing me to make a choice."

"We don't have so much time to work, Mr. Wind Chaser." Miss Bachelor said something fair. The black morning light stared at it, and the black magic came back. They are inextricably linked to the mage, so we urgently need your assurance and commitment. Make sure that you are not involved and promise that you will cooperate with the actions we will take.

Li Ou originally thought that the outsider's words would make him think, but he didn't expect that he was still stubborn, and even held on, making trouble for no reason, and said blasphemy words in front of the priest in the temple. If the gods have not passed away, do you still need us to take an oath of divine supervision? The wind around him was roaring, but everyone here was also very angry.

"Unfortunate, this is impossible." The priest said bluntly, "Otherwise, the magic goddess will personally impose divine punishment and need to swear?"

He knew that he had lost his words, "If the gods still exist, how can it be my turn to try my best?" The wind chaser sighed weakly, "As I said that day, no one can understand what others think except gods, so I can't guarantee that everyone can do it. No one can force what they are thinking about and trying to do. Although I don't know what the result will be, I'm willing to try.

"Sorry!" Li Ou interrupted him coldly, "After listening to you, I don't think so. I don't want to try to do something that is impossible to succeed at all. He stood up and said, "Your Excellency, I'm really sorry to trouble you today. Miss Bachelor, please tell the lord of the city that when Fengyan Tower is replaced by a wise and charming successor who can make other mages willing to obey, let's continue the discussion. I hope it's not too late."

He ignored the face of Tie Qing, the pursuer, and pushed the door out with Lu Yuewu, but he bumped into a panicked priest.

"Your Excellency, it's not good, it's not good." He lay on the ground and shouted loudly. Something big has happened."

In the magnificent church, a believer lay face down on the ground. He was surrounded by people with fear, but they seemed to feel the excitement and refused to disperse.

"Fights a few witnesses to go to the apse and ask all the rest to leave." The priest ordered the white knight, "Tell them that today's prayer is here, and the church will be closed immediately."

The White Knight used his sword, and the priest persuaded the believers with his tongue. The golden gate immediately coincided and made a dull sound.

"He's dead." The priest checked and said, "A sudden death."

"No, Master." A priest hurried from the apse. "The witnesses said that they saw a gray shadow coming in from the wall and flying through the church."

"What evil thing dares to invade Andal's sanctuary?" Another priest sneered, "Is this a lie they made up?"

However, Li Ou and the others were silent. They looked at each other and felt awe-inspiring.