Absolutely not to be burned at the stake

In the corner of the back row of the sanctuary, near a pillar, two young men were sitting close together, heads close together, speaking in hushed tones.

They were Tommy and Jeff, about the same age as Levi. The two had previously competed with Levi for the position of church maid, but Father Hansen chose Levi instead.

Tommy was the hunter's son, with thick arms and freckles on his face; Jeff was a bricklayer's apprentice, small in stature, but with quick, darting eyes.

"Hey, what did you say...?"

Tommy nudged Jeff with his elbow, his voice filled with disbelief, and whispered, "You mean Levi really became a priest? That Levi who didn't dare lift his head next to Father Hansen, who didn't even dare to fight, can become a priest?"

Jeff curled his lip, a skeptical glint in his small eyes. He lowered his voice even further: "Who knows? You remember last harvest festival? The church needed people to carry the holy emblem through the streets, and he couldn't even lend a hand. Bishop Hansen said a few words to him, and his face turned as red as a boiled shrimp. He hid in the backyard for ages and didn't come out. Can he be a priest? And use divine magic?"

"But..." Tommy scratched the back of his head, "Poker... it seems he really was burned to death. Carl and Hawke both saw it."

"Who knows what happened!"

Jeff interrupted him, his voice tinged with obvious jealousy, "Maybe Father Hansen... well, gave him some kind of life-saving contraption? Or maybe it's something else... something we don't understand?"

Tommy listened and agreed that it made sense.

The image of the taciturn, thin boy who always hid in the shadows in my memory could never be reconciled with the image of the dignified priest in my memory.

Many townspeople shared Jeff and Tommy's skepticism.

Some say he received divine favor from the goddess and is a true chosen one; others whisper among themselves that he stole Father Hansen's power and probably won't last long. Today's service will be the moment for everyone to see the answer.

"Do, do, do!"

The crisp sound of leather shoes stepping on the stone slabs came from the entrance of the sanctuary, and all the whispers inside the sanctuary stopped abruptly as if their throats had been cut.

Mayor Fogg, dressed in a dark-patterned silk robe with a round belly, led the way, accompanied by tax collector Elby, captain of the guard Barton, and several merchants from the town. He wore a gentle smile, but his eyes concealed a subtle coldness.

Elby, the tall and thin tax collector, walked to one side, his fingers constantly fiddling with the money pouch at his waist. His gaze swept across the crowd, finally settling on the holy emblem behind the pulpit, as if deep in thought.

Barton walked at the back, his leather armor making him appear even more imposing. The scar from his brow bone to his jaw gleamed coldly in the sunlight. His hand remained on the hilt of his sword, and his sinister gaze swept across every corner of the sanctuary.

The three men led the merchants to sit in the front row right on time. Mayor Fogg adjusted his clothes slightly and nodded to the townspeople around him.

As they took their seats, the sanctuary fell completely silent. Even the children's sobs were muffled by their mothers' tight covers. Only the faint crackling of the candlelight and the occasional chirping of birds from outside the window could be heard.

Li Wei stood in the small lounge behind the sanctuary, looking at the mirror on the wall.

The person in the mirror is slightly thin, but has an upright posture.

Above her tightly pursed lips and bright eyes, her hair was neatly combed back and held in place by mousse, giving her originally slightly immature face a touch of maturity and composure.

Li Wei reached out and tugged at his neatly ironed black robe and the belt around his waist; everything was ready.

Such a scene might have made him nervous when he first graduated, but he has been working in the business world for a long time and has even achieved some success. He may not be good at much else, but he does know a little bit about how to perform well in front of others.

The sounds from outside drifted in faintly through the door of the lounge.

Li Wei knew that the people he was really going to face today had arrived.

These few people are the key to whether you can pass the test.

If I pass the test, then from today onwards, I will be the official acting priest of the church, the nominal number one in Shadow Town;

If you fail to pass the test, then... the stake will be your final destination.

Just like last time, when three specialists from that behemoth came to our studio for an inspection, it was the same thing.

Either demonstrate sufficient strength and value to attract a high-priced acquisition, or be crushed by the other party.

"Phew..." Li Wei breathed a sigh of relief, slowly drawing the holy emblem on his chest, and then gently tapping his forehead.

The solemn, sacred, and standard sacrament performed by the boy in the mirror gradually calmed his mind.

Since we have made full preparations and there is no way out, we can only be sure of 10,000 chances, and there is no room for anything else!

People waited quietly, and in the deathly silence, a steady footstep came from the side door of the sanctuary.

Li Wei, dressed in a pure black priest's robe, walked in slowly. The collar and cuffs of the robe were embroidered with faint silver flame patterns, and the wide leather belt made his figure look tall and neat.

His hair was neatly combed, and his face was expressionless, neither arrogant nor timid. His eyes, which had originally been somewhat immature, were now as calm as a deep pool, sweeping over everyone in the hall without the slightest sign of panic.

All eyes of the townspeople fell on him. Looking at Li Wei's calm and profound face, some people subconsciously straightened their backs, some quietly swallowed, and some lowered their heads to draw a holy symbol on their chests, their curiosity turning into a hint of awe.

Tommy and Jeff even subconsciously swallowed hard; the Levi in ​​front of them really did seem different from before.

Wow...so handsome.

The two girls sitting in front of Tommy and Jeff were already staring at Levi as he walked toward the pulpit, their eyes sparkling, and they gasped in surprise, covering their mouths.

Mayor Fogg still had a smile on his lips, but his fingers were tapping lightly on his knee. Elby raised an eyebrow slightly, while Barton narrowed his eyes and pressed his fingertips slightly on the hilt of his sword. The three men's gazes met, like an invisible net, enveloping Levi, trying to find any trace of anything unusual about him.

Ignoring the scrutinizing gazes, Li Wei walked slowly through the passageway, the sunlight on the stone floor falling on his robe and swaying gently with each step.

He walked to the pulpit, turned around, faced the town full of townspeople, and calmly scanned the entire hall before finally landing on the three men, Fogg, and his companion in the front row. He nodded slightly as a greeting.

This simple, unassuming gesture caused Mayor Fogg's fingers, which were tapping his knee, to pause for a moment, and Barton's tense jaw to relax slightly.

The Li Wei before them was completely different from the timid, menial boy they remembered.

Watching Li Wei turn around and stand still, then bow towards the holy emblem.

Everyone quickly stood up and, like Livy, raised their hands to draw the triangular emblem, bowed their heads and touched their foreheads, and paid homage to the emblem.

As Fogg bowed, a sinister glint flashed in his ever-smiling eyes, and he coughed lightly.

Barton, who was standing next to him, understood and turned to look behind him.

A few rows behind, a gaunt old man suddenly trembled, his cloudy pupils narrowed, and a hidden, sinister light flashed in his eyes. He abruptly pushed away the person next to him.

That gaunt body seemed to possess immense strength at that moment. He reached out and shoved aside several townspeople standing by the passageway, pulled out a dagger, and staggered toward Li Wei.

"I'll kill you, you fake priest..." the old man shouted as he ran, brandishing a dagger in his hand.

"Has Old Poker gone mad...?" The townspeople gasped in surprise as they looked at the old man's appearance.

This is the father of "Butcher Poker," who was burned to death a couple of days ago. Has he gone mad? How dare he take revenge on a priest?

Payne's father and Martha were so frightened that they gasped in shock.

The holy emblem above his head seemed to flash faintly with light as Old Poker trembled just now.

Just as Li Wei finished his salutation, he felt a cool sensation gently descend upon his forehead. The holy emblem between his brows subtly moved, and the entire commotion in the holy hall seemed to freeze instantly, as if everything was under his control.

He could clearly perceive every movement in the sanctuary, and he could even vaguely sense the reactions of everyone in the sanctuary, as well as their general thoughts and feelings towards him, the priest, including whether they were respectful or questioning, reverent or malicious.

It was as if he controlled everything within this sacred hall, and he was the master of this vast sacred hall.

Is this the true divine power of the divine summoner in the sanctuary of their own deity?