Absolutely not to be burned at the stake

[Dear young man, you have officially gained the recognition of the townspeople of Shadow Town. From this day forward, you are the presiding priest of the Sacred Heart Cathedral, possessing initial control over the cathedral; Option C has been achieved, and you have obtained the talent spell: Fear of the Mind.]

[At the same time, as a divinely inspired person who has officially become a clergy member, your journey of faith has officially begun...]

Levi Payne, Summoner of Catherine, the Alchemist Goddess, Apprentice Divine Sorcerer, divinely endowed with the talent: Arcane Exploration. Mastered innate spells: Origin Fire, Divine Sound, and Fear of the Mind.

【体质：10。精神：13。力量：7。敏捷：8。专注：11。感知：9。特殊值：信仰：0。声望：1。信徒：泛信徒415人，真信徒38人，虔诚信徒2人，狂信徒0人。】

As the light screen appeared before him, Li Wei's mind trembled slightly, and the entire situation of the church was presented in his consciousness.

If he wanted, he could sense at any time all the events happening in the Sacred Heart Cathedral in real time.

Is this the initial control? Is this the special ability of a divinely inspired person in their own church?

Li Wei was deeply shocked.

And that row of numbers, now there's another one: Faith and Reputation? What's that for?

However, Li Wei had no time to think about it at that moment, as hundreds of townspeople in the Holy Hall were watching him.

At this moment, in his eyes, each of these townspeople exuded a unique aura.

The vast majority were pale white, a few were pale yellow, and two were pale red; the townspeople, with their different colored auras, looked at him with distinct levels of piety and respect.

Li Wei understood this clearly: this was the difference between a casual believer, a true believer, and a devout believer.

Suppressing the emotions welling up inside him, Li Wei turned around, bowed slightly in the direction of the holy emblem, and then began the next steps, reciting the prayer scripture.

His voice was imbued with a sacred quality as he recited those ancient and solemn words. Everyone in the sanctuary instinctively lowered their heads, drew the holy emblem with their right hand, then gently touched their chests and silently followed him.

Mayor Fogg, Elby, and Barton were no exception. Although they still had doubts, under the blessing of the sacred voice, they unconsciously followed suit and made the gesture of prayer. Their inner exploration and scrutiny were also suppressed by most of their minds.

Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting dappled patterns of light on Li Wei. He stood before the pulpit, his posture upright, his voice steady and resonant. His sacred voice echoed throughout the sanctuary, mingling with the candlelight and the majesty of the holy emblem, making him truly resemble a messenger of God.

At this moment, in the upper right corner of Li Wei's vision, a blue number suddenly appeared and kept jumping.

[Faith: 0.03...0.36...0.73...]

[Faith: 1.12...2.89...5.39.]

Watching the number in the upper right corner keep increasing, Li Wei felt curious and excited. Regardless of anything else, faith must be a good thing, and naturally the more the better.

Finally, the fluctuations slowed down, eventually settling at 6.29, and then stopped fluctuating.

After finishing the prayer, Livy turned around, once again drawing the triangular emblem on his chest with his hand, lightly touching it to his forehead, and looked gently at the crowd, saying, "Today's worship is now concluded. May the light of our Lord always be with you. Allah!"

"Aro!" The townspeople quickly stood up, drew triangular emblems on their chests, and returned the greeting with their hands on their foreheads.

Aunt Rena was the first to stand up, and led Ruimin to the pulpit. She bowed deeply to Li Wei and said respectfully, "Thank you, Father Li Wei. May the Lord bless you."

As she spoke, she took out a few copper tals from her bosom and solemnly placed them into the offering box next to her.

With her leading the way, the townspeople rose and went to the pulpit to bow and pay their respects. The copper and silver coins in the offering box jingled and tinkled, as if offering the most sincere recognition for Livy's first time presiding over a service.

Mayor Fogg, Elby, and Barton sat in the front row, exchanged a glance, and saw seriousness in each other's eyes. They slowly stood up and walked to the pulpit.

Mayor Fogg reached into his pocket, pulled out a gleaming gold pound, and dropped it into the offering box.

The tax collector Elby, who followed closely behind, also took a gold pound from his purse and carefully placed it inside.

Walking at the very back, Barton hesitated for a moment, rummaged in his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and flicked them between his fingers.

Originally, I thought that if this kid really became some kind of acting priest, I could just give him a few silver crowns and be done with it. But now...

Barton suppressed his heartache and finally picked out a gold pound and put it in.

The gold pound fell into the money box with a crisp "clink," making Patton's heart skip a beat.

A gentle smile returned to Fogg's greasy face as he bowed slightly to Li Wei: "Father Li Wei, today's service allowed us to feel the glory of our Lord. Thank you for your hard work."

Elby also bowed: "May Father Levy preside over the church, so that Shadowtown may receive more of the Lord's protection."

Barton remained silent, bowing deeply. He didn't speak, but the initial sinister look in his eyes as he looked at Li Wei was gone, replaced by a hint of apprehension.

"Mayor, Mr. Elby, Captain Barton, you're too kind." Levi nodded slightly, his expression still calm. "Serving our Lord and protecting believers is the sacred duty of clergy."

Mayor Fogg's eyes flickered slightly, and he took the opportunity to probe, his tone carrying just the right amount of concern: "Father Levi, I wonder if Bishop Hansen has mentioned how long his seclusion will take? We townspeople are grateful for the Bishop's protection over the years, and we are truly concerned about him."

Li Wei understood perfectly, but his face remained impassive, still displaying a solemn and gentle expression. The lingering echo of the sacred voice seemed to still surround him, giving his words an inherent credibility: "Bishop Hansen once said that divine grace is rare. This arduous training is intended to break through the bottleneck and pursue a higher level of priesthood. The specific duration is uncertain; it may take three months or half a year, depending on the guidance of the divine."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, his tone now carrying an undeniable air of authority: "Before his seclusion, the Bishop specifically instructed that although I would be acting as his representative in the church affairs, the foundation of faith in Shadow Town must not be shaken. Although he does not concern himself with worldly affairs, if anyone engages in blasphemous acts or disturbs the hearts of believers, he will break free from his seclusion and personally deliver divine punishment, even if he is in deep meditation."

Mayor Fogg's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal, nodding in agreement, "Of course, Bishop Hansen is so powerful, how could we dare to be the slightest bit negligent?"

He changed the subject and continued to probe: "I wonder if His Excellency the Bishop gave any instructions before his retreat, or if there is anything the church needs the town government's assistance with? For example, repairing the temple or replenishing supplies. We will certainly do our best to cooperate."

As Mayor Fogg finished speaking, Elby and Barton both stared intently at Levi.

Li Wei smiled faintly and gestured towards the surrounding halls: "Thank you for your concern, Mayor. His Holiness the Bishop has already made arrangements; the church has sufficient supplies for repairs and daily necessities, so there is no need to trouble the town hall for the time being."

"However... the relevant taxes and offerings will still require your help to collect them in a timely manner and make donations on time."

Upon hearing Li Wei's words, Fogg's heart skipped a beat. If Hansen was not dead, then this must be the old man's confession.

He immediately smiled and promised, "Taxes and offerings are our contributions to our Lord, and indeed to all the townspeople, in gratitude for His protection. There will certainly be no arrears."

"That's good. With your sincerity, I believe that His Holiness the Bishop will surely bless you after he emerges from seclusion."

Li Wei nodded slowly, pausing slightly before speaking, his tone calm yet carrying an undercurrent of authority: "However, there is one matter that I need to trouble the mayor and the captain of the guard. Recently, some thugs have been causing trouble and bullying believers in the town. Although they have already been punished by God, it is still necessary to warn others. I request that the town hall post notices to warn the townspeople to abide by the law, respect the gods, and not to break the law and disturb the peace of Shadow Town."