Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 237: Audience, Secret Talk and Ceremony (6k)

The next day, early in the morning.

Red Maple City Church, Glorious Church, inner courtyard.

The "Guiding Pastor" Colen arrived at the "High Priest's Residence" early and submitted a request to the "Chief High Priest" Luo Xiu.

Colen also brought a new guest - Lord Nelson came to the church again and hoped to meet the high priest of the church. He said that the border court learned about what happened in the church before, so he came to express condolences.

Luo Xiu had just woken up from the ringing of the church bells in the morning. He tidied his clothes, went downstairs to the first floor of his residence, and received the guests in the reception room.

"Greetings, Lord Luo Xiu, the 'Grand Priest'."

Lord Nelson nodded to Luo Xiu and then said with a gloomy look:
"I have learned from Lord Baines of the Border Court what happened to the church before... I am deeply sorry."

"It is our responsibility as the defenders to allow the pagans to sneak into Red Maple City unimpeded. I apologize to you, Lord Luo Xiu. Lord Baines of the Border Court also asked me to convey to you that such a thing will not happen again."

"...You don't need to be too hard on yourself, Lord Nelson."

Luo Xiu shook his head and said slowly:
"This is the full picture of 'war'."

At this time, the church's "high priest" Luo Xiu had a calm expression, and it seemed that he had not had too many ups and downs in his mood because of what happened before. Lord Nelson observed his expression and responded at the right time:

"Fortunately, the church wiped out all the invaders. And you single-handedly killed the enemy's 'Leopard' and 'Deputy Commander', which is a proud enough achievement."

"You crushed the enemy's plot to decapitate them, and even put them at a real disadvantage. On behalf of Red Maple City and the Border Court, I thank you for your outstanding contribution. This will give us more options when formulating tactics."

After a pause, City Lord Nelson smiled faintly and said:
"In order to express condolences and gratitude, and to strengthen the friendship between the Border and the Church, Lord Baines asked me to donate 10,000 imperial gold coins to the Church in the name of the Border, as compensation for the victims and to repair the damage to the Church."

"...Yes. I understand." Luo Xiu nodded and responded, "Thank Mr. Baines for me."

"I will definitely relay that, Lord Luo Xiu."

Seeing that the church's "High Priest" Luo Xiu accepted the "holy donation", Lord Nelson breathed a sigh of relief, and the task given to him by the "Grand Inquisitor" Bainesto was finally completed.

He then changed the subject and said:

"After the enemy's plot to assassinate you was thwarted, they stopped their activities and hid in their tents. The situation on the battlefield outside the city became much more stable for a while."

"Now, the defenders are all very motivated because of this, and we think this is a rare opportunity."

"While the enemy is weak, we plan to fight outside the city and take this opportunity to wipe out the enemy in one fell swoop to eliminate future troubles."

"And this...I need to seek your advice and also seek your help."

The garrison led by the City Lord's Mansion is ready to fight the dark vanguard outside the city? Since Nelson was assigned by the "Great Inquisitor" Baines to come to the church, this should also be what the "Bianting" wants to express... Luo Xiu thought about this in his mind, and he nodded lightly at the same time, and said to City Lord Nelson:

"You can go back and tell Mr. Baines that the church will fully support the decisive battle."

"But I also have a sincere advice for you - the battlefield you choose for the decisive battle should be as close as possible to the area we already control. The enemy has quadruple fate 'beast tamers' and 'cursers'. If they are determined to defend... to completely defeat them, we will also have to pay a heavy price."

"I hope you can remember one thing, Nelson. This is just the vanguard of the enemy. And since the 'Fang Head' has appeared, I believe you should also understand that the 'Executioner' behind them is not far away."

"..."

When Nelson heard the church's "high priest" say this, a solemn look appeared on his face.

"You are right, Lord Luo Xiu."

Lord Nelson said, "Then, our primary goal in launching a decisive battle against the enemy is to clear the battlefield within 20 miles. As long as we drive the enemy out of this distance, we will win."

"As for what you said about the possibility that the Executioner is approaching, I will also report it to Lord Baines truthfully. Lord Luo Xiu, after the emergency meeting of the Border Court is over, I will send someone to inform you of the decision on the decisive battle."

After saying this, Lord Nelson stood up, bowed deeply to Luo Xiu, and said:

"Then I shall take my leave, Master Luo Xiu. I understand that you are very busy, so I will not bother you any further."

"Well, I await the results of your discussion, Mr. Nelson." Luo Xiu said with a smile, as a response to Nelson's farewell.

Then he watched Nelson turn around and walk out of the reception room, while the "Guiding Pastor" Colen saw him out of the church courtyard and back to the city lord's mansion.

……

After Lord Nelson left, Luo Xiu also left the high priest's residence and went to the preaching place in the inner courtyard.

The chief officer of the mission, the "Paladin" Maeyev, was handling the complicated aftermath affairs in the sanctuary.

When he saw the "high priest" Luo Xiu coming, he temporarily put aside the matters at hand and greeted Luo Xiu.

"Has Lord Nelson just been here?" Luo Xiu nodded and asked Mayyev.

"The city lord did not come here in person, but his steward did come once and donated 10,000 gold coins to our Saint in the name of the mansion and the 'Border Court'."

"Are you here for this matter, Lord Luo Xiu?" Mayev asked back.

Luo Xiu nodded, as a sign of agreement.

He then said to Mayyev: "I just learned about this. Their 'holy donations' are for pensions and church repairs, so the money should be arranged according to their 'original intention'. After that, you ask someone to prepare a statement of expenditures and send it to the desk of my Holy Office and the bishop."

"I understand." Mayyev nodded and said, "I'll arrange it as soon as possible."

"And Maeyev."

After explaining the previous matter, Luo Xiu then asked Mayyev: "What is the current financial situation of the church? Is everything normal?"

"Everything is fine, Master Luo Xiu."

Mayev replied: "The church currently has a total of 130,000 Nolan gold coins in its savings. Of these, 67,000 gold coins must be used for necessary expenses such as sacrifice compensation, damage repairs, and the issuance of holy salaries. 30,000 gold coins must be used as emergency savings, and the remaining part can be used in other areas where there is a need."

"Okay, I understand." Luo Xiu nodded slightly to show that he understood.

He asked Mayev this question impromptu because he wanted to know the current financial situation of the church.

Mayev's answer was clear: the church's financial situation was relatively stable, with no big deficit, but also no big surplus.

Given the current size of the church, and the large amount of additional expenses during the war, "no deficit" is already a pretty good situation.

Luo Xiu was thinking about this in his mind, and he said to Mayyev:

"That's it for now, Mayyev. The atmosphere at the mission is good lately, and I'm relieved."

"Then, apart from what I just told you, everything else can proceed according to your original arrangements."

After explaining all that had happened before, Luo Xiu smiled and said:

"Finally, it's about the 'altar ceremony' I mentioned before."

"Now the situation has calmed down a little, Mayyev. Then the 'altar ceremony' can be held as scheduled. Just as I said yesterday, the ceremony will be held this afternoon."

"At that time, all the 'deacons' of the church will serve as 'subordinate priests', and all the priests who consecrate the 'Double Destiny' must also be present. Mayyev, remember to implement this matter."

"Okay." Mayev nodded, his mouth opening and closing like a clockwork, making an automatic reply:

"I'll arrange it as soon as possible."

……

Red Maple City, the forbidden area of ​​the Supreme.

In the side court, inside the courtroom.

As soon as Lord Nelson left the church, he immediately changed into the clothes of a "secret envoy" and went to the border court to report the results of his visit to the church to "Grand Inquisitor" Baines.

Nelson recounted in detail to "High Inquisitor" Baines about what he had observed about the church after the invasion, the current state of the 'high priest', and the content of the conversation between the 'high priest' and him.

"Obviously, Lord Baines."

Nelson told Baines: "The church was not seriously hurt by the invasion. They only lost two clergymen with the 'Second Path' and four novice clergymen who had not yet entered the transcendental realm. This number is significantly lower than our estimate."

"This should be good news. Provided we don't see the church as a potential threat."

"Um……"

After listening to Nelson's report, "Grand Inquisitor" Baines just uttered a low "hmm" and did not respond immediately, as if he was thinking deeply about something.

After thinking for a long time, he slowly said:

“As it stands right now, the church is not a threat to us.”

"On the contrary, the 'High Priest' once again demonstrated a combat capability beyond our expectations, which was a pleasant surprise to us."

"——This means that he has more value that can be used by us."

"It doesn't matter whether we use him as a sharp blade to pierce the enemy or as a shield to resist the enemy's attack. It depends on how much capital we have in controlling him."

"Now, the church has been hit hard by the invasion of the enemy. Even though they have suffered few clergy casualties, this vicious incident must have caused their hearts to waver."

"Repairing the buildings damaged by the invasion, providing compensation to the sacrificed clergy and the injured clergy, etc., all require a lot of expenses from the church."

"So, for now—they must be short of money, Nelson?"

"...It seems so." Nelson nodded.

"When I proposed to donate 10,000 gold coins to the church in the name of the 'Bianting', the 'High Priest' did not refuse me, but agreed immediately."

"Haha, that's it. If it were the priests or bishops of other churches, they wouldn't accept it so readily." "And what we in the 'Border Court' lack the least is money and resources. This is our capital to control him."

Baines asked again: "When you told the 'High Priest' that we would launch a decisive battle against the enemy in the near future, the 'High Priest' also quickly expressed his support, right?"

"...Yeah, that's true." Nelson nodded again.

"The original words of the 'high priest' were: 'The church will fully support the decisive battle.' He seemed to be on the same side as us, which really made me feel at ease."

"So, Nelson, you're lucky."

Baines smiled and said:

"The 'High Priest' is very powerful. As long as you can make good use of him, I think he can help you accomplish any difficult task."

"Including the 'decisive battle' we are about to launch. Now that he has expressed his support, you can give him the most difficult task."

"It's a thorny problem for us, but it's also an opportunity for their church. As long as we can pay the right amount, the 'High Priest' can help us solve it."

"Just do as I say, Nelson."

Baines finally said to Nelson:
"Plan carefully for the upcoming 'decisive battle'. I hope you can learn the way of 'control' from it, which is also the true meaning of our [Supreme] 'dominance'."

"I understand, Lord Baines."

When the "Grand Inquisitor" Baines finished speaking, Lord Nelson stood up, bowed respectfully to Baines, and said:

"Everything is in accordance with your will, and I follow your teachings."

……

In the afternoon.

The steward of Lord Nelson of the Red Maple City Mansion arrived at the church at around two o'clock and informed the "high priest" Luo Xiu of the time to launch the "decisive battle".

That will be at dawn on the second day, that is, tomorrow. Lord Nelson planned to send out 70,000 troops to fight the enemy, and leave 30,000 soldiers to guard the city so that they can respond at any time in case of emergency.

At the same time, according to the conclusion drawn by Lord Nelson during his conversation with Luo Xiu, the goal of this "decisive battle" is to force the enemy's vanguard camp back 20 miles away. On this basis, the Red Maple City army will aim to annihilate all enemies within the range as much as possible, so as to completely regain control of the battlefield outside the city at once.

Luo Xiu had foreseen the final arrangement of City Lord Nelson and "Border Court" Baines and was not surprised.

At the same time, the housekeeper of the mansion also expressed to Luo Xiu that Lord Nelson once again pleaded with him to cooperate with the church to help them. The housekeeper also said that the extraordinary people with triple destiny and above in the "Bianting" and "Fangbeiyuan" would also be dispatched at that time to achieve an absolute crushing of the high-end combat power level as much as possible to ensure that this decisive battle would not have any unnecessary situations as much as possible.

Faced with Lord Nelson's request "relayed" by the butler, Luo Xiu once again readily agreed and asked the "guiding priest" Colen to send him out of the inner courtyard of the church.

After dealing with this matter, Luo Xiu put on his "great sacrifice" attire and went to the "Shuyu God Statue Altar" in the core of the inner courtyard.

Around the altar, all the "deacons" of the threefold destiny of the church and the "consecrated priests" of the twofold destiny have arrived, making final preparations for the upcoming important ceremony.

When the clergy present saw the "high priest" of the church appear, they all made way for Luo Xiu to ascend the altar, respectfully performed the sacrament to him, and looked at him with eager anticipation.

This was the first time that the "Wartime Church" in Red Maple City held an "altar ceremony".

If the ceremony can be completed successfully, all the priests participating in the ceremony will be granted the divinity of "a moment". Therefore, all the priests participating in the ceremony are full of expectations for the upcoming ceremony.

Luo Xiu nodded in response to the devout gazes of the clergy. He took calm steps and walked towards the statue of Xu Yu that was emitting brilliant light in front of him.

When he actually stood on the altar, his golden eyes looked down at the clergy and he said calmly:

"The 'altar ceremony' is about to begin. This ceremony will be presided over by me."

"I need to remind you that the fifth-level 'Holy Altar Ceremony' may be somewhat dangerous. But it comes with a gift from the momentary divinity that far exceeds that of the fourth-level 'Holy Altar Ceremony'."

“Therefore, I hope that you will not retreat because of a little discomfort. ‘The divinity of a moment also needs a suitable container.’ In this critical moment shrouded in war, I need Him to grant me more divine power, and you need it more than I do.”

"Then I declare again."

"The 'Altar Ceremony' is about to begin. Please go to your respective positions with piety and reverence."

After saying that, Luo Xiu took two steps back and stood at the center of the altar.

The nine "deacons" of the three major sanctuaries of the church also went up to the altar and stood around Luo Xiu, with his position as the center.

The other "consecrated priests" with dual destinies who participated in the ceremony stood around the altar of Suyu, and the "altar ceremony" thus determined the key positions of each spiritual being.

When everyone arrived at the required position and stood still, Luo Xiu began to pray in a low voice. After casting several auxiliary holy arts on himself, such as "consecration prayer" and "consecration blessing", he opened the field of "pure light".

Afterwards, Luo Xiu added all his accumulated free attribute points to "divinity", causing his own "divinity" attribute value to jump to 690 points.

After raising the "divinity" attribute to the highest value that can be achieved at present, Luo Xiu then praised loudly:
"——Supreme moment, eternal radiance!"

"——I am a devout worshipper, I worship the altar!"

"..."

Luo Xiu chanted the familiar "altar ceremony" prayer in a loud voice. The ritual formation under his feet shone with golden light, and the outline of his body was also covered with a faint and hazy glow.

As Luo Xiu finished his first prayer, the ritual formation under his feet suddenly began to flash with bright light.

The light flashed four times in succession, each time brighter than the last. This was the symbol of the "fourth-level" altar ceremony.

When the ritual formation under his feet finished flashing for the fourth time, Luo Xiu immediately raised his arms high, embracing the sky, and continued to pray:
"--I crave the light of the world as a moth craves a flame;"

——"I pray to see the birth of the god in Nirvana, just as the dead are reborn!"

"..."

These two sentences were the "sublimation" prayers taught to him by Bishop Fabion at the time. The bishop said at the time that if one recited these two prayers during the "altar ceremony", one would be able to "see the true miracle".

After Luo Xiu recited these two prayers, the "altar ceremony" he presided over was completely sublimated.

——Wow!

When Luo Xiu recited these two prayers, the golden light flowing from the ritual formation under his feet shot up into the sky, forming a shining circular curtain that enveloped the figures of all the clergy.

Seeing this, Luo Xiu did not stop praying, but continued to chant:
"——A moment of supreme majesty! Show me the true miracle!"

“——As a spectator, I often feel sad;”

"——I am willing to be a firewood for a saint!"

……

--boom! ! !

A huge roar came from the altar in front of the Xuyu Colossus.

Right above the giant statue of "Shumoon", His silhouette was emitting an incomparably dazzling and holy pure white glow.

And this glow also emerged from another place at the same time.

On Luo Xiu's body, his face and clothes became blurred and invisible, completely covered by the pure white light.

The light grew brighter, more dazzling, and hotter.

……

Until the light gradually faded.

The surging light curtain began to descend, and the golden glow above the ceremony formation slowly faded. The sacred spiritual remnant bestowed by "Shu Yu" was diffusing and dissipating in the air above the entire ceremony formation.

And the figure of the "High Priest" of the church, "Rosius Carlos", finally returned to the sight of all clergymen.

His face looked a little pale at this moment. After presiding over a fifth-level "altar ceremony", he fell into inevitable weakness.

But compared to the past when he presided over the fourth-level "Altar Ceremony" in the "Triple Destiny", Luo Xiu felt that his current condition was much better than it was then.

At least, he would no longer fall into a coma due to the ritual. He could still maintain a clear mind and a sufficiently stable physiological state. He just needed enough rest afterwards.

And as all the glow produced by the ceremony on the Shuyu altar finally dissipated completely, Luo Xiu and the priests who participated in the ceremony finally completed the whole process of "receiving" Shuyu's divinity.

In Luo Xiu's monitoring of his own panel, his "divinity" attribute continued to soar during the second half of the ceremony, from the initial 690 points to finally staying at the number "898".

He was granted 208 points of "Moment" divinity, which exceeded the requirement of his "Promotion Mission - The Path of the Saint", which required at least 180 points of "Divine" attribute to be granted from the fifth-level "Altar Ceremony".

In the "Status" column of his panel, the status content of "Altar Divine Gift" has also been updated accordingly.

——[Holy Altar Divine Blessing (Divine Power: 208, Divine Glory Revival: 2/2)]

Among them, Luo Xiu's number of "divine radiance resurrection" increased by one, which means that now he can be resurrected from "real death" twice.

In addition to these, Luo Xiu also had some other gains.

The total value of his attributes, the "divine" attribute granted through this "altar ceremony", exceeded the total value of 1200 points. This allowed Luo Xiu to meet the third task requirement of his "promotion task - the path of the saint" at the same time.

Now, the only task requirement he had left to complete was to fully upgrade the attributes of his own [Glorious] skill "Glorious Judgment", and this requirement was only 30 points away from completion.

When the City Lord's Mansion - City Lord Nelson launched a decisive battle against the dark army outside the city, Luo Xiu was ready to take this opportunity to fill up the remaining points at once and completely "end" this task.

Then everything will be ready, except for the key... Luo Xiu thought. When Bishop Fabion approved his application and sent him the "Obsidian Key", he could be promoted on the spot and truly cross the threshold of "Saint".

……

(End of this chapter)