Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 339 About [Abyss]

The archbishop urgently summoned all the "saints"... Listening to the words of the deacon in front of him, Luo Xiu had already vaguely guessed something.

That was most likely because of the chaos that happened last night - not only the case at the Loggins mansion on the Supreme side, but also the ambush of the "Saint" Frya by the "Hidden Sage" Hoffman and the "Chief Executioner" Fafnir.

The reason that prompted the archbishop to issue such a high-level call was most likely for the latter - two enemies with "sixfold destiny" actually appeared in Songyuan City at the same time. Nothing was more worrying than this.

However, although he guessed this, Luo Xiu still kept a watchful eye -

He did not completely deny the possibility of his crime being exposed, and was ready to run away at any time if the situation did not go well.

"I see."

Luo Xiu nodded slightly and said to the two deacons in front of him, "I'll get ready. You stay here and don't move around."

"Yes, Bishop Luo Xiu." The two deacons responded.

Luo Xiu nodded, then closed the door slightly, returned to the room, changed into the "bishop's" robe, pushed the door open and walked out, then went downstairs with the two deacons.

……

Afterwards, Luo Xiu and the two deacons went straight down to the first floor of the Wolf Hunting Tavern, but still did not see Isaac, Bruyer and the others return.

Looks like there was quite a commotion last night... Luo Xiu thought. He walked to the door of the tavern courtyard and gently closed the iron gate.

Just along the street outside the courtyard, Luo Xiu got on a chariot pulled by two horses.

The two deacons who came to pick him up, one was responsible for driving the car, and the other was serving beside Luo Xiu, who had just untied the ropes that tied the curtains of the car.

Luo Xiu, who was in the carriage, then heard the "creaking" sound of the axle turning.

He felt a slight jolt and simply closed his eyes to rest, trying to make up for the last bit of sleep he could get on the way to the Cathedral Church.

……

Songyuan City Church, Glorious Church.

It took less than ten minutes to get here by chariot from the Wolf Hunting Tavern.

The distance between the tavern and the church was not far, and along the way, Luo Xiu and the two deacons did not talk much. During these ten minutes, the carriage maintained a kind of sacred silence amid the sound of the axles.

Until they arrived at the main gate of the church, the accompanying deacon got off the sedan chair first and opened the curtain for the Bishop Luo Xiu of Red Maple City.

Under the gaze of the two deacons, Luo Xiu also got off the sedan chair, and his eyes immediately looked towards the main entrance of the church.

He suddenly discovered that the number of priests responsible for guarding the gate that day was three times the usual number, and the level of the priests on duty also changed from the triple destiny of [Glory] to the uniform "quadruple destiny".

The church has stepped up its security, and the cathedral has been placed under martial law, with a barrier set up to prevent ordinary believers from coming to worship.

A deacon walked in front of Luo Xiu. When he led Luo Xiu to the main gate, he showed the gatekeeper the token handed to him by the archbishop himself.

"I am the 'Middle Deacon' Prolet. Following the Archbishop's order, I am leading the Red Maple City Church Bishop Ross Carlos to the audience."

The priest on duty at the gate took the token. Luo Xiu saw a pale golden light between his hand and the token. It was a way of distinguishing the authenticity through spiritual resonance.

Luo Xiu knew what such strict scrutiny meant.

The clergy may know each other, but there have been cases of heretics who disguised themselves as clergy in Songyuan City's history. If such disguises cannot be identified, then the archbishop's token is the only proof of identity.

As for taking away the token, that is not allowed to happen. Archbishop Sid has also set up insurance in the process of infusing the token with the spiritual power of [Glory] - once the spiritual power of the holder is annihilated or under some secret control, the token will be damaged and lose its function as a credential.

The clergyman on duty quickly confirmed that the token was authentic, and then returned it to the "middle deacon" Prolet, and bowed slightly to Luo Xiu behind Prolet.

"Please forgive our presumption, respected bishop. Songyuan City has reached a very dangerous time, and we have to be so cautious."

It was indeed for Hoffman and Fafnir... When the gatekeeper said that, Luo Xiu had already guessed it clearly.

"Don't worry, I understand."

Luo Xiu nodded and responded with a smile, "Holy Light is above. You are fulfilling your sacred duty, which deserves divine praise."

"Thank you for your understanding."

The leading priest on duty performed the sacrament on Luo Xiu again, and then made way for him.

Luo Xiu and the two "middle-level deacons" then walked into the main gate and went straight to the "Lofty Temple" where Archbishop Sid was.

……

Songyuan City Church, the Holy Temple.

When the two deacons led Luo Xiu to the door of the Holy Temple, they no longer moved forward, but split into two sides to make way for Luo Xiu to have an audience.

The two middle-level deacons who were not "saints" only had the obligation to guide, but were not qualified to go with Luo Xiu to the audience. They bowed slightly to Luo Xiu, placed their right hands lightly in front of their left chests, and said piously:
"Please come to see me, Bishop Luo Xiu."

The “Middle Deacon” Prolet blessed him and said, “Archbishop Sid is waiting for you inside. May you be blessed with the Holy Light forever.”

"May you be bathed in holy light forever." Luo Xiu returned the greeting.

Afterwards, Luo Xiu passed by the two "middle deacons", walked into the pure white door, and stepped into the interior of the Lofty Temple.

While walking in the pure white audience corridor, Luo Xiu saw the figures of several other "bishops", "glorious knights" and "holy deacons". He was not the only "saint" who received an urgent summons from Archbishop Sid.

There was nothing unusual in the looks that several "Glory" saints gave Luo Xiu. For example, "Glorious Knight" Kruel, Olivia, and "Bishop of Justice" Raymond, who had participated in the mission together two days ago, also greeted him with a smile when they saw Luo Xiu.

Everything seemed normal, at least until now, Luo Xiu didn't see any signs that this was a trap set up specifically for him... This made him feel a lot more at ease.

In fact, if he thought about it carefully, if it was really a trap set against him, there would be no need to make so much trouble - he was only at the fifth level of [Glory] and it was not worth it for the General Church to mobilize so many troops.

While he was guessing, Luo Xiu and other initiates of [Glory] had already arrived in front of the Heart Palace. The Paladins on duty here immediately opened the last door for the initiates of [Glory] who came to meet him.

The two pure white doors slowly opened with a sound that was not harsh, and Luo Xiu walked in with the other saints. He could see from afar the figure of Archbishop Sid sitting on the holy throne.

Next to the throne of Archbishop Sid, the "Saint" Franya was sitting on the second throne, looking at the saints who came to pay homage with her usual indifferent eyes.

She did escape safely from the two enemies of the "Sixfold Fate", which was a good thing for the current situation...

Luo Xiu thought to himself as he followed the "bishops" to the left side of the Heart Hall and sat down in a seat slightly at the back.

After he sat down, he roughly counted the number of the Glory Saints who had arrived. Including himself, there were five bishops, nine Glory Knights, and six Holy Deacons.

Except for the "Illuminator" Richester, who had just emerged from a near-death state and had just used "authority" to free himself from the abnormal state of "deep ignorance", as far as Luo Xiu could remember, almost all the saints of the church that he knew during this period were present.

Everyone looked up at Archbishop Sid who was sitting on the throne. He looked around with his deep eyes and then slowly stood up from the throne.

All the saints of the church also stood up following Archbishop Sid. Luo Xiu only heard Archbishop Sid cough twice, and then announced to everyone in a majestic and steady voice:

"——Songyuan City has reached its most dangerous moment."

"My fellow members of the Glorious Army have reached the most dangerous moment!"

As he declared this loudly, the atmosphere in the temple suddenly became tense.

Luo Xiu stared at the Archbishop and listened quietly, and Archbishop Sid then continued:

"Some of you should have known that two vicious incidents occurred in Songyuan City last night."

"On Wind Chime Main Street, the Loggins mansion belonging to the Supreme Law Office was broken into by unidentified pagans. The 'Grand Inquisitor' of the Round Table, Willia Loggins, was killed on the spot, and the pagans who caused the accident all escaped..."

"This is one of the disasters!"

"In addition, our 'Saint' even encountered two enemies of the 'Sixfold Fate', one is the 'Hidden Sage' Hoffman, and the other is the 'Chief Executioner' Fafnir..."

"Why did they come here? And why did they 'happen' to surround and intercept the Saint when the Loggins mansion was invaded? There must be a connection between them——"

"This is the second disaster!"

"..."

No, actually there is no connection... Luo Xiu thought to himself, this is just a pure coincidence...

It just so happened that Velino was about to launch a "grand coup", and it just so happened that the hidden omniscients came over after smelling the scent, and it just so happened that the "hidden sage" Hoffman made an appointment with the "chief executioner" Fafnir...

It's not that complicated.

But in the eyes of Archbishop Sid, this matter has reached a very serious level -

And Archbishop Sid seemed not to have finished his words yet.

And what he said before didn't seem to be what he was most worried about.

Luo Xiu saw that Archbishop Sid seemed to pause, with a sad look on his face, and then his eyes turned to the "Saint" Franya who was still sitting on the throne with an elegant posture.

Franya nodded, and her two thin and weak hands gently lifted the hem of her white dress, and she slowly stood up.

The pair of indifferent eyes swept across the audience, and he spoke in a cold voice:
"I'm going to tell you something."

"Something that the Holy See has already discovered but cannot stop for the time being."

"——About the Abyss!"

……

--【abyss】!
When the "Saint" Franya said this word, Luo Xiu immediately perked up.

He asked Tatya to help her escape by pretending to be a "blasphemous demon". In addition to laying a foreshadowing with Franya in advance, he also wanted her to reveal some information about the [Abyss].

Because just a few months ago in Red Maple City, when the then "Executioner" Afatak led the Dark Vanguard to invade the border of the empire, signs of the broken seal of the Abyss appeared outside Red Maple City.

At that time, a large number of low-level abyss beasts "Blood Corpse Hyenas" poured out from the broken seal. In addition, there was even a "natural disaster" abyss beast "Three-headed Demon Bull Epiros" stuck in the gap of the broken seal. Although such a scene only appeared once in Luo Xiu's experience - but Luo Xiu believed that it was not a coincidence.

There are more traces of the broken seal of the Abyss, which must have appeared in various places on the Fanol continent. The "Holy Court" must have discovered something long ago, and as the "Holy Maiden of Light", Frenya also has the authority to know this.

While thinking, Luo Xiu looked at the Saint intently, listening attentively to her next words -

"For a long time, including the Holy Court, we have recognized that there are only eight "destinies" that we can embark on."

The Saint Franya said in a calm and cold voice:

"【Glory】, 【Supreme】, 【Wisdom】, 【Balance】, 【Red Lotus】, 【Bitter Tea】, 【Lost】, 【Nothingness】. All the extraordinary people in the world, without exception, must embark on one of these eight destinies."

"Among these eight destinies, [Balance] is completely independent, free, and yet dominant. In addition, [Supreme] is opposed to [Nothingness]; [Knowledge] is opposed to [Loss]; [Bitter Tea] is opposed to [Red Lotus] - only [Glory] transcends this, and we have never found the true destiny that is opposed to it."

"Although we all recognize the extraordinary destiny of the mortal world, Pope Lorende, the Holy Crown, always warns me that the destiny of the Four-Phase Balance should be nine, and that [Glory] should also have its opposite. This is the only way to maintain [balance] in the spiritual sea. This is the logic that prevents the extraordinary world from transitioning."

"..."

After saying this, Franya paused and continued:

"And half a year ago, in the misty forest surrounding the imperial capital, we discovered an ancient ruin—"

"It seems to be part of a huge seal, and it was broken for unknown reasons."

"And hidden within them are creatures we have never seen before. They are indeed full of spirituality - but it is completely contrary to our [Glory]. It is a spirituality full of darkness, deepness, and chilling."

"At the same time, Pope Lorentz, the Holy Crown, heard the oracle of the Great Sun."

“He warned him that a force that was completely contrary to the Light might have awakened. That terrifying thing had been sleeping for tens of millions of years, sleeping so deeply that he almost forgot its existence.”

"But they are not non-existent. The angels in the Kingdom of Eternity remember the chaotic things clearly, but they remain silent to us mortals."

"..."

She looked around at the saints in the hall with her eyes shining with pale golden light, and finally said word by word:

"And now the silence is finally over."

"A month ago, during the ceremony of praying for divine blessings, the Great Sun finally warned the 'Holy Crown' Pope Lorente, who was closest to Him, and revealed the name of His Holiness the Pope, a name we have never heard of, through the oracle..."

"--【abyss】!"

……

(End of this chapter)