Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Face your desires.
Su Cheng: “…………”
Su Cheng: "I told you not to pull me."
She had just felt dizzy and felt that even if she stood up she would probably not be able to stand steadily, so she refused the other person's help.
Xiao Yun looked down at her hand and the butterfly tattoo on his chest. His expression became a little subtle, and it was hard to tell whether he was annoyed or speechless.
He suddenly raised his arm.
Su Cheng quickly lowered his head and stepped back.
Xiao Yun: “?”
Xiao Yun: "What are you doing?"
Su Cheng had already squatted down. "Sorry, I thought you were going to slap me, and I'm still a little dizzy."
Xiao Yun: “…………”
He chuckled softly, "If I wanted to hit you, I wouldn't have to use my hands. Okay, stand up and sign the confidentiality agreement."
Then he threw her a roll of parchment.
Su Cheng rested for another half a minute, and the dizziness disappeared. He stood up and read it carefully twice to make sure there were no traps. He cut his finger and dripped blood on the signature.
The content is that the exam details cannot be disclosed to outsiders.
"These scrolls have been blessed by the God of Contract's favored ones. Once you sign your name, you accept the restrictions and cannot violate the above regulations. Otherwise—"
The red-haired man said calmly, "You should also be aware of the consequences, right?"
"...I don't know much about that," Su Cheng signed the scroll. "Anyway, I won't go around saying anything. So, what's next? The duel?"
Xiao Yun took the scroll and said in a businesslike manner, "Welcome to the Secret Academy. The duel is canceled because your rival is dead."
Su Cheng deliberately showed a look of surprise.
"His entourage couldn't determine the cause of his death," Xiao Yun continued, "so they came to us to ask. However, according to school regulations, nothing that happens here will be made public, so you can rest assured."
Su Cheng pinched the scroll, "Rest assured? Reassured about what?"
Xiao Yun looked at her and answered irrelevantly, "If a count's son dies, she will definitely investigate. Even if she can't get information from us, she will have other means—"
After leaving the testing room, the magicians in the lounge outside all cast approving glances at her.
Su Cheng guessed that they had some way to watch the assessment process in the room.
She was about to speak when she suddenly saw a familiar figure squeezing out of the crowd with an excited look on his face.
Su Cheng: "...Uncle?"
Lin Zhen arrived at some point, wearing a formal suit, looking like he was going to a banquet.
Su Cheng was a little confused, "I thought they didn't let parents in——"
"Indeed," said the great magician who had guided her earlier, "but your case is special."
"Chengcheng!" Lin Zhen came over and held her back. "Congratulations on being accepted. I knew you'd be fine. But now you have to go to the temple."
"The temple? The temple of the Holy See?"
"Yes," Lin Zhen nodded repeatedly, "a priest just came to me and said that the Archbishop wants to see you."
Su Cheng: “?”
Generally speaking, standard dioceses formed by small and medium-sized cities and their affiliated villages and towns are governed by bishops sent by the Holy See.
Jinpo City is the largest city in the southern border of the empire and an important strategic location.
Therefore, the archdiocese formed with this city as the center and the surrounding secondary towns is under the responsibility of the archbishop.
The archbishop has supervisory authority over the bishops of the standard dioceses below him and is directly responsible to the cardinal of the holy city. He is undoubtedly a high-ranking clergyman.
Going up one level further is the cardinal, who is the level that can crown the king.
There are only twelve cardinals in the entire Vatican, all of whom practice in the Holy City all year round. The Pope is often chosen from among them.
The status of the Archbishop of the Amber City Temple is self-evident. In a sense, he is more powerful than the lords appointed by the kingdom.
Lin Zhen was filled with excitement when he thought of this.
As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, he would deal with the clergy of the Vatican on a daily basis and send them generous gifts during festivals.
But all he could get in touch with were mid-level clergymen. As for archbishop-level figures, his family had no chance to establish relationships with them. Now that his niece had become a divinely favored one, everything was different!
As for how the Holy See learned the news—
There are many masters in the temple, so it is not surprising to sense the breath of gods, not to mention that the two gods of law and contract are the main gods of the camp of the God of Light.
The Holy See is an organization of believers in the God of Light, and ultimately, everyone is in the same group.
The lounge also fell silent.
The magicians of Cross Star Academy looked at this rather unique freshman with different expressions.
——The school’s admissions standards are very strict, and every student can be considered a genius outside, but this one seems a little too special.
The magicians exchanged glances.
This was not their first time in Jinpo City. They were familiar with the situation here and knew who the Archbishop was.
Su Cheng wanted to say something, but Lin Zhen had already pulled her away. They walked out of the guild and got directly into the carriage parked outside.
The carriage quickly left the noisy crowd and drove into the quiet upper town, going up along a wide whitestone avenue.
There were paladins standing guard on both sides of the road, as well as some believers walking, apparently on their way to the temple for worship.
Su Cheng leaned against the window and looked out.
The temple is extremely large, and the palace complex is magnificent. It is mainly made of pale marble, with golden ornaments between the magnificent dome arcades and crisscrossed by corridors and bridges in the sky.
The figures of the priests came and went, and the tall tower in the center of the temple was looming in the clouds.
The carriage arrived at the square where believers gathered. There were pilgrims everywhere. They were bathed in the bright sunshine and kneeling down to pray devoutly.
"Uncle," she turned to look at Lin Zhen, "didn't they tell me what they wanted from me?"
Lin Zhen shook his head. "They must have discovered your identity as a God-favored One, but I'm just guessing. Don't worry. Oh, I think I heard someone say that the Archbishop is also a God-favored One, but I don't know if it's true, or which deity chose him..."
The Holy See does have many people favored by God, but that is only relatively speaking. The number of this group itself is very small.
As soon as Su Cheng got out of the car, several paladins came over, confirmed her identity, and then led her to the temple.
Leading from the square to the prayer hall, there is a long and wide staircase made of pure white jade, and it is also densely packed with human figures.
Many people bowed their heads with every step they took, repeating the act tirelessly, muttering to themselves with fanatical expressions on their faces.
This road is called the Pilgrimage Road. Jade statues stand on both sides, and their majestic bodies support the corridor. On the towering dome, scenes of ancient battlefields are painted.
Su Cheng was walking past the pilgrims and couldn't help but slow down his pace and look up at the sculptures.
They were dressed differently, but all of them were very imposing and majestic. Just looking at them would make people feel insignificant.
The sculptures are made with extremely exquisite craftsmanship, depicting each person's face, hair texture, and muscle lines to perfection.
Therefore, the flawless beauty and artistic bodies of the gods are accurately restored.
Su Cheng looked at the feet of the statue but didn't find any corresponding introductory inscription.
The paladins were waiting for her nearby without urging her. Seeing this, they immediately realized that she was definitely not a believer and must be here for the first time.
"This is the Glorious Seven Gods—"
A paladin introduced softly.
Su Cheng suddenly realized.
The Seven Gods of Glory are the lesser gods under the command of the God of Light and are also the God of Light’s gold medal fighters.
These people were warriors in ancient wars.
Because of his outstanding achievements, firm faith, and powerful strength, he was chosen by the God of Light, bestowed with divinity, and was able to ascend to the realm of gods.
"...Your Highness, the God of Labor."
The Paladin said this, bowing his head slightly as a sign of respect.
Su Cheng looked at the statue closest to him.
——Among all the lesser gods, this one is the one dressed the most simply.
She wore a fern crown, her eyebrows were gentle but her expression was firm, her hair was tied up high, and she wore a short sarong, revealing her well-defined arms. She had no other ornaments on her body.
One of the statue's hands is raised flat on the chest, holding a saw blade, tongs and spindle, while the other hand hangs at the side, holding a short-handled sickle.
Su Cheng nodded thoughtfully and continued forward.
They passed several other statues in turn, and the Paladin introduced them one by one.
"...Your Highness, the God of Courage."
The statue is fully covered in armor, which is gorgeous and exquisite with intricate carvings. Half of its face is covered by the visor, and there are lion head decorations on its shoulders. The exposed muscles between the arm armor are knotted and imposing.
She wielded two long blades, one slanted downward and the other pointing straight ahead, as if challenging the enemy.
"Your Highness, the God of Mercy—"
The statue had drooping eyebrows, hair falling like a waterfall, and wore a crown of thorns. A robe hung diagonally on one shoulder, revealing half of its strong chest.
He held his right palm upwards, and placed his left hand lightly on the code engraved with wheat ears and herbs. His gentle and handsome face was filled with compassion and his eyes were tearful.
The Paladin paused.
“…This is His Majesty the God of Purity.”
Su Cheng couldn't help but feel refreshed.
The God of Purity plays a role in the early and middle stages of the novel.
In order to steal an important secret treasure, Lin Yun sneaked into the Vatican Temple, but got lost and entered a hall by mistake.
There is an image of the Pure God inside.
——She is a pure soul and flawless faith, as well as a firm spirit and undistorted truth.
It is said that she protects all devout believers. The book describes her as beautiful and holy, with an awe-inspiring, arrogant and inviolable temperament.
Lin Yun was amazed by the statue and said some obscene words and even touched it randomly.
The God of Purity was angered by this and initially sent his followers to kill him, severely injuring the male protagonist. Later, he simply did it himself.
According to the spoilers, she killed the male protagonist several times later, and Lin Yun was resurrected only by her halo, otherwise he would have been dead long ago.
The comments were polarized, with some hoping she would die quickly, and others clamoring for the protagonist to push her away and "defile" her divinity.
But the author seems to be deliberately keeping the audience in suspense, and has not written any of this in millions of words.
"Wait," Su Cheng looked around and blinked blankly, "Who are you talking about, His Majesty the God of Purity?"
The Paladin was somewhat puzzled. "The one in front of you."
Su Cheng: “?”
Su Cheng looked up.
The statue in front of him was extremely tall, with a figure as majestic as a mountain, thick curly hair tied high and hanging down, and under the shadow of his brow, his eyes were as deep as a deep pool, with layered eyelashes.
From the forehead to the bridge of the nose, from the cheekbones to the jaw, every contour is impeccably beautiful, and the whole face exudes a soul-stirring beauty.
He wore a gorgeous half-armor robe with a standing collar that covered the sides of his neck, leaving only a strip of skin in the middle of his neck exposed.
The arm-link gloves have intricate patterns, covering from the fingertips to the elbows. Through the sleeves covered with thin armor, the bulging muscle outlines of the upper arms can be seen.
The robe clung to his sturdy and strong body, with the buttons fastened to the top, revealing a strange sense of abstinence.
The waist belt is exquisitely carved, cinching the slender waistline, and the shin guards and leather boots wrap the slender and strong legs.
——Compared to several other colleagues who either exposed their chests and backs or their arms and legs, this person's outfit was very tight.
The statue has a calm and solemn expression, looking straight ahead, with both hands spread out slightly tilted and suspended in front of the body, as if to give a hug or to stroke the believer's head.
Su Cheng: “…”
Su Cheng looked at the statue's Adam's apple in silence.
Then move your gaze downward.
Although the figure is covered up tightly with many clothes, the craftsmen have vividly presented the strong lines of the body.
She looked at the broad, strong, solid shoulders and the plump chest that seemed to be about to burst out -
It looks really nice to touch.
Su Cheng was thinking in a confused manner, and suddenly felt something was wrong.
She tilted her head and took a few steps to the side. "...were the eyes of this statue looking towards us from the beginning?"
As Su Cheng spoke, he looked at the paladins beside him, only to find that they all had expressions of fear on their faces.
The believers around looked up with their heads opened wide, all in astonishment, as if they had also turned into clay sculptures and wooden carvings.
The statue's eyes suddenly lit up.
Su Cheng: “?!”
Lin Yun harmed me!
In the deep eyes of the stone statue, two balls of white flames rose and trembled.
The flames were pale and flawless, burning and rolling fiercely, like two rotating eyeballs.
The entire sculpture seemed to come alive.
An invisible pressure spread out, like an invisible wave, sweeping across the wide corridor lined with stairs.
The surroundings suddenly became chaotic.
Some of the believers retreated in fear, some fell down on the steps, and others prostrated themselves on the spot, mumbling incoherent prayers.
The clergy who were patrolling, on duty, or passing by were all stunned at this moment, and cast shocked glances at him.
“?!”
Su Cheng stepped back in disbelief and almost tripped over the stairs. Fortunately, the paladin next to her supported her.
The statue seemed to be infused with vitality and even turned around to look at them.
But it is still a sculpture, without muscles or nerves, and without any expression.
It just watched them quietly.
But for some reason, she still saw an emotion close to anger on the statue's handsome and stern face.
Maybe more than just anger.
It looked as if it would smash her to pieces.
"...No! I didn't do anything!"
Su Cheng felt very aggrieved.
After all, she didn't put those ideas into action, and she didn't want to do so at all.
Amidst the chaos and war, the light in the statue's eyes went out, and it returned to its posture of looking straight ahead.
There were also some people around who were kowtowing continuously. They looked very excited, even with tears in their eyes, and their heads banged against the jade steps.
Su Cheng took a few deep breaths before he came to his senses. He felt that everything that happened today was incomprehensible.
She thanked the paladin who supported her. "Are all statues of the God of Purity... male?"
The Paladin's expression was hard to describe, and there was even a hint of disgust in his eyes as he looked at her.
Su Cheng: “?”
Did you misunderstand something?
The paladin sighed, "Yes, as far as I know, at least in the temples of the Holy See, they are all male figures."
"And," she added, "...that should be a warning, young lady. You must not harbor blasphemous thoughts in front of the statue."
Su Cheng frowned.
Blasphemy?
Does it mean that she thought of touching the statue, so the gods sensed it?
wrong.
Lin Yun really got started, but I didn't put it into action at all.
If these gods could easily see into her thoughts, then wouldn't they have seen information like transmigrating into a book?
If that's the case, then the priority shouldn't be to punish her for her disrespect, right?
Or could they only sense a portion of it? Those related to Lin Yun would be automatically blocked?
Su Cheng: "...Is there some kind of magic sealed in these statues? As long as someone has strange thoughts nearby, it will react?"
As she spoke, she couldn't help but walk away.
The Paladin's expression was completely blank. "So you still have these strange thoughts?"
Another paladin quickly tried to smooth things over, "The statues in the temple are naturally not ordinary ones—"
Otherwise, what if pagans sneak in and cause trouble?
There are also many experts among those people. If it was just a pure stone statue, they could easily destroy it. Wouldn't the dignity of the Holy See be completely destroyed?
The paladin behind him didn't explain it clearly, but only vaguely said, "If someone harbors evil intentions and intends to blaspheme, they will most likely trigger the restriction before they take action."
Su Cheng understood.
It is not easy to say this directly, otherwise it would seem that the people in the Vatican are lax and it is easy for heretics to sneak in and cause trouble.
The paladin paused, "Of course, there's another possibility. If you gain the favor of the gods, the statue will react."
Su Cheng stared at her in shock.
What's the meaning?
I'm carrying an 18+ curse, and yesterday I drank blood from the succubus. No matter who the God of Purity chooses as his favored one, it's impossible for him to be chosen!
The paladin in front looked up at the sky. "I think she just has some strange thoughts. Didn't you see the look in her eyes just now?"
The paladin who spoke behind her elbowed her and said, "You have to give them some face."
Su Cheng frowned, "I'm still here."
The previous paladin glanced at her, "And I wish you hadn't been here."
Su Cheng: “…”
The two paladins who were speaking were both team leaders. Their subordinates were surrounding them, many of them were trying to hold back their laughter, and a young one raised his hand to cover his mouth and coughed continuously.
Su Cheng opened his mouth, but felt that he had no way to argue. "I, can't I just express my admiration in my heart? After all, he is the one who really -"
She didn't finish her words, as if she had thought of something, and quickly looked at the statue again.
The paladins all watched her closely, some couldn't help but take a few steps back, while others frowned and looked at her with condemnation in their eyes.
"If you were not the Archbishop's guest," a Paladin tightened his grip on the hammer at his waist, "I would have already—"
"Oh, yes," Su Cheng reacted, "I still have to meet your Archbishop. I can't waste any more time. I'm leaving now."
She coughed dryly, jumped up the stairs in two steps, and ran straight into the temple at the fastest speed an ordinary wizard could, as if she was afraid that the statue would come back to life and hunt her down.
The paladins stared at her back in silence.
"...Captain," someone whispered to their superior, "Is this person favored by God?"
The team leader nodded and shook his head, "I don't know, but I guess so."
Otherwise, why would His Excellency the Archbishop personally meet with a second-level magician?
Especially since this magician doesn't look like a devout believer at all, and even his own quality and character are somewhat worrying.
As clergymen, even if they have never come into contact with those favored by God, they know a little more about them, so they know that this group is very special.
Because of certain characteristics, it intersects with the will of the gods, and thus becomes the reflection of the gods in the mortal world and the container of the echo of authority.
The so-called characteristics often refer to the fact that their temperament and thinking are different from those of ordinary people.
In other words, there are a lot of crazy people and psychopaths among them.
Others may envy those favored by God, but the attitude of the clergy is very subtle.
They have heard of many stories about those favored by God.
In comparison, the little girl just now is a rare normal person.
As for the statue—
In a sense, it is indeed human nature.
The team leader sighed, called a few of his men together, and quickly chased after them.
She would have loved to slack off, but the paths in the temple were complicated and the child probably didn't know the way and couldn't find the Archbishop.
This corridor leads directly to the prayer hall of the temple. The temple in Jinpo City is large, only slightly inferior to that in the imperial capital. There are dozens of prayer halls open to believers.
These halls are gathered under a huge circular dome, connected by several corridors, and there are many small prayer rooms in the middle.
These are all public areas, and you can see many paladins on duty along the way.
Su Cheng got lost while walking.
She stood at the corner of the corridor looking around.
The paladin standing guard nearby couldn't help but ask, "Where are you going? If you're here for worship—"
"I have an appointment with your Archbishop," Su Cheng said casually, "Where is he?"
The area was quite quiet, and even though the words were not spoken loudly, many people heard them.
The clergy, believers, and the paladin passing by all looked at her as if she were a monster.
They had just heard about the commotion in the corridor, saying that the statue had moved unusually, but they were still unclear about what had happened, and had no idea that the protagonist of the incident was right in front of them.
Su Cheng blinked and said, "Just point me in the direction."
"What do you think this place is?!" the Paladin shouted angrily, "The Archbishop is not someone like you—"
While they were talking, several people came out from the corner ahead. Among them was a temple priest, followed by a handsome young man in white clothes.
"...Mr. Murong," the priest sighed, "His Excellency the Archbishop is still in a meeting."
Her tone was soothing, but her expression was somewhat indifferent, and it was obvious that she didn't take the matter to heart.
The young man in white next to him was Murong Yue.
At this moment, his brows were furrowed, his expression serious, "When will it end?"
If he didn't want to visit the Archbishop of the Amber City Temple, he wouldn't have come here rashly.
With his identity and rank, the temple was able to send a priest to receive him, which was a treatment that ordinary people could not even dream of.
But he still wanted to see the archbishop.
As an imperial noble, Murong Yue was well-informed. Before arriving in Jinpo City, he had some understanding of the powerful people here.
The archbishop of this temple is also the supreme ruler of the entire diocese, and he himself is a favored one of the God of Light.
——This identity is very rare in the entire Vatican, and only a very small number of top clergy have this honor.
This also means that His Excellency the Archbishop possesses healing abilities that exceed the limits of most clergymen.
This is also a manifestation of the divine power of the God of Light.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Murong," the priest murmured, "I can't answer this question. After all, I don't know the content of the meeting."
There was a glint of mockery in her eyes.
He is just a fifth-level warrior. So what if he is the son of a marquis?
Did he really think the Archbishop was someone he could see whenever he wanted? Even if his father were here, he would still have to submit his visiting card in advance and wait for the Archbishop's summons.
And it’s not 100% certain to happen.
"However," the priest said calmly, "the power of those favored by the gods is, in a sense, an extension of the authority and will of the gods."
She paused slightly. "You asked before whether the injuries inflicted by the God's Blessed Ones could be healed by divine arts. This question is very complicated and depends on the specific circumstances..."
Murong Yue naturally didn't tell her too much, so she wasn't surprised to hear such a perfunctory answer. "If His Excellency the Archbishop adjourns the meeting—"
As he was talking, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure.
Murong Yue: “?”
He saw Su Cheng standing in front of him, talking to a paladin.
The latter was glaring at the girl.
Immediately afterwards, a group of paladins came hurriedly from a distance, led by a small captain, who inserted herself between Su Cheng and the paladin.
"My lady."
The team leader raised his hand and looked helplessly at the girl next to him, "You're going the wrong way. The Archbishop just adjourned the meeting and should be waiting for you."
There was a sudden silence all around.
The clergy nearby stared at them in shock.
They all heard what Su Cheng had just said and were dumbfounded.
Does this girl really have an appointment with His Excellency the Archbishop?
A second-level magician?
Not to mention the apprentice rank, even a wizard at the magician level might not have the opportunity to meet His Excellency the Archbishop.
He is the highest-ranking clergyman in the entire Rotheran Archdiocese!
"Okay," Su Cheng was a little embarrassed, "Then please continue to lead the way."
The team leader shook his head and, along with several other men, led her to another corridor.
Murong Yue was standing behind, and because of the angle, Su Cheng didn't see him at all.
He looked at the girl's slender back as she walked away.
At the end of the corridor was a huge prayer hall. Su Cheng followed the team leader into the hall through a side door and out through another side door, passing only the back row of the believers.
The hall was as grand as a theater, with thousands of believers kneeling in silence and surrounding it in layers. The scene was quite shocking.
In the center of the hall stands a statue of the God of Light. Sunlight shines through the dome, bathing the snow-white jade in the colorful glow and emitting a dazzling golden light.
Su Cheng took a look from a distance and was almost blinded by the light.
From her angle, she could only see that the statue was very tall and its back looked very majestic.
But all the statues look like giants, even those that are obviously thin. Because the statues are so big, they look oppressive.
Speaking of this——
And did she really offend the God of Purity?
That guy is not very tolerant.
Let’s not talk about the things related to Lin Yun. After all, that was almost his own fault. But even from some other plots, it can be seen that the demigod is not easy to deal with.
Su Cheng was in a state of confusion when he suddenly heard the voice of the Paladin next to him.
"Excuse me," a young-looking knight asked curiously, "Are you a God-favored One?"
The team leader didn't say anything, but glanced at her silently, obviously wanting to know the answer as well.
Su Cheng looked at them and met pairs of eyes shining with gossip.
Su Cheng: "...It was your Archbishop who invited me here. Didn't he explain the reason to you?"
"Of course not," the Paladin said with a puzzled expression, "Who is Your Excellency the Archbishop? Why would you need to explain to us? We are just doing our job."
Su Cheng actually didn't want to say everywhere that he was a person favored by God.
Apart from anything else, the power of the God of Contract is more suitable for deceiving others, but if others are wary, they will not easily make promises to her.
Then it would be difficult to make them oath breakers.
Just like the young earl before, if he had known that she was favored by God, he would never have agreed to anything for her.
But then again, the people from Nanhe College had witnessed that scene with their own eyes.
Therefore, her identity as a person favored by God cannot be concealed unless all those involved are killed.
Putting aside the question of whether they should die or not, this matter is completely beyond the scope in terms of the difficulty of implementation.
Various thoughts flashed through Su Cheng's mind, "...I am."
The paladins looked at each other and exchanged excited glances.
"I knew it! This is the first time I've seen a living God-favored One!"
"Well, I've seen one from a distance before, but this is the first time I've actually spoken to a God-favored One!"
"Hiss, I wonder which prince's favored one this is," someone muttered, "Could it be His Highness the God of Love?"
"No, no, no," another person curled his lips and said, "The followers of His Majesty the Goddess of Love are not like this..."
He thought about the girl who made the statue of the God of Purity move, and swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth. At least he didn't say anything superficial or vulgar.
"Hmph," another venomous Paladin said unhappily, "The God of Lust and the God of Desire only like people like this—"
"Shut up!" The team leader frowned. "Don't mention those Fallen Angels here!"
Su Cheng looked at them silently.
The derogatory terms such as fallen gods, evil gods or evil gods used by the clergy often refer to the Dark God and his subordinate gods and allies.
After the God of Light and the God of Darkness completely broke up, the flames of war started from the divine realm, burning across every plane, big and small, and eventually sweeping across the northern and southern continents.
The gods in the divine realm were also the first to take sides, and only a few could remain neutral.
The vast majority of gods made their choices, either actively or passively.
As one of the main gods, His Highness the God of Love became an ally of the God of Light, while his twin bloodline, the God of Desire, turned to the God of Darkness.
Later, the God of Light selected seven warriors from among his believers and named them the Seven Gods of Glory.
During the years when the continental war broke out, many powerful believers of the Dark God died in battle.
Among them, there were seven people whose souls did not disintegrate even after their bodies were destroyed because of their powerful strength.
They were chosen by the Dark God to ascend to gods, and are now the Seven Gods of Sin.
——Pride, anger, greed, gluttony, laziness, jealousy, and lust.
Among them, the God of Lust has a divinity that seems similar to that of the God of Desire. Of course, as a secondary god, his power must be inferior to that of the main god.
What’s more, it’s an ancient god like the God of Desire.
But generally speaking, the Seven Gods of Sin and the Seven Gods of Glory all ascended from humans, and their strength is roughly the same.
Over the past thousand years, the two sides have fought countless battles, with both sides winning and losing.
Just because he received special blessings from His Majesty the God of Light, among these fourteen lesser gods, the God of Purity should be the best in terms of pure martial arts power.
He was the only one who had ever had a real record of fighting against many enemies at once.
"Wait," Su Cheng suddenly thought of a question, "Your imaginations are too big. Unless I'm mentally retarded, if I really am one of those gods' favored ones, how dare I appear here?"
In the Northern Continent, the Dark God and his followers were all deemed heretics by the Church.
So once discovered by the people of the Vatican, there are basically only two outcomes.
——It depends on your ability. Those who are capable can run away, and those who are not will lose their lives.
Generally speaking, if a god from the Dark God camp chooses a follower in the Northern Continent, then the chosen person will usually receive relevant revelations.
These people will stay away from the Vatican as much as possible.
But different gods have different personalities, and this is not absolute. Among the heretics secretly executed by the Church, there are also those who are favored by God.
"I'm just kidding you," the captain sighed, "Compared to those people, you're nothing—"
She stopped talking, probably because she felt that since this matter concerned the God of Purity, it was not appropriate for her to speak for the child, but a hint of disgust still appeared on her face.
Su Cheng tilted his head in pretended confusion.
"Nothing," the captain scoffed, "I just thought of the followers of the God of Desire and the God of Filth, especially the latter—"
The divinity of these two gods is not the same.
The former refers to desire in a broad sense, while the latter refers to literal lust and pure sexual pleasure.
However, their followers and devotees are equally insane, and have committed all sorts of outrageous, abstract, and horrifying deeds.
Not to mention the Northern Continent controlled by the Holy See, even in the Southern Continent where the power of the Dark God is rampant, these people can be said to be notorious.
However, as an ancient main god, the God of Desire's whereabouts are unpredictable and he rarely appears in front of people. The most recent record of him was hundreds of years ago.
Therefore, his followers are relatively low-key.
The god of lust is different.
Su Cheng blinked, "She——"
"It's him," the captain corrected. "You've never learned about gods, have you, magician?"
Su Cheng: “…”
It’s all the original novel’s fault!
Like the God of Purity, the God of Lust is also a female in the original novel. She was a female human before becoming a god, and she also appears in a female image after becoming a god.
At least that's what Lin Yun saw.
So what is the basis of this law of gender transformation?
The cannon fodder who was the love rival before had his gender changed because his fiancée became his fiancé, which makes sense.
What about other situations?
If you say she is someone who had a relationship with the protagonist, that is not right. The God of Purity in the original novel never slept with the male protagonist.
She skipped chapters, and the other characters are still uncertain, but the God of Purity is definitely not there. There are still a lot of people complaining about this in the latest comment section.
Su Cheng: "I'm sorry, I really don't know much about these things. How about you give me some basic knowledge?"
The team leader sighed, "I shouldn't be discussing these filthy deeds of the Fallen Angels in the Holy Temple, but according to the rules, I can't refuse the request of the God's Favored Ones."
She hesitated for a moment, thinking that the little girl in front of her didn't understand anything, so she started from the beginning and briefly told the story.
"...In his previous life as a human, the God of Lust had not yet been deified. He was merely a high-ranking member of the Dark God's Cult of Eternal Night. He was captured during the Siege of White Night."
The team leader paused for a moment, "Do you know about the Siege of White Night?"
Su Cheng nodded. "The war between the God of Light and the God of Darkness spread to the continent? I've read some records in history books."
Generally speaking, the Holy See received instructions and, led by some gods, launched a large-scale encirclement and suppression campaign against the Dark God's secret cult.
At the end of the White Night Siege, the Eternal Night Cult was expelled from the Northern Continent.
But this was not the end, but the prelude to a thousand-year struggle between the two sides.
This war was unprecedented, with both sides suffering heavy casualties, and dozens of gods ascended to heaven during the war.
"What are you talking about!"
A paladin said solemnly, "The evildoers of the Cult of Eternal Night have committed countless crimes, their evil deeds are too numerous to list! The holy war launched by our predecessors was to purify this land!"
Su Cheng: "…………I just said what is recorded in the history books. I didn't write the books. Okay, okay, don't glare at me like that. I don't intend to refute you."
This war contained all kinds of conspiracies and hidden truths, but she only read half of it because of the jump in subscription, and she didn't pay much attention to the plot when she read the novel.
But even so—
Su Cheng also knew what kind of person the God of Light was.
This guy is a black lotus conspirator. He appears to be kind and pure, but is actually cruel, sinister and unscrupulous.
Moreover, she pretended to be so in order to gain more believers and obtain more power of faith.
Now she has almost mastered her divine power. Only the Dark God can rival her in strength. All other main gods combined are no match for her.
So now she has put the affairs of the Holy See aside, claiming that she is busy dealing with many threats, but in fact she is thinking about other conspiracies.
—At least that’s what the spoilers in the comments section suggest.
Moreover, at this stage, the God of Light is still acting. Even though he rarely appears on the mainland, he is still pretending to be a benevolent supreme god who cares about the people.
When she doesn't want to act anymore, she will be a completely different person.
She could burn down an entire country in a moment of thought, turning hundreds of millions of pagans into ashes in the holy fire, or she could fight with the Dark God and destroy half of the continent, leaving no one knowing how many people would die.
In the original novel, the male protagonist was fooled by her, and the comment section was also polarized.
Some people say that judging from the author's masochistic nature, this person must be the main wife, and it depends on when they can sleep together.
Some people even cursed and said that Huang Wen didn't need a main wife and hoped that she would die soon. Some even threatened that if the author didn't kill her, they would go to the author's house with a knife and stab him to death.
There are also people who post crazy words like "master level", "Your Majesty is stepping on me", "I want to be her dog" and so on in the comment section every day.
"You really are!" The Paladin was still a little angry and looked very dissatisfied. "If you weren't a person favored by God, we would have killed you long ago—"
Su Cheng was too lazy to listen to his rambling, "You're all right, okay?"
After saying that, he pulled the captain sister to tell him a story.
"Well, speaking of which," the captain sighed helplessly, "after the God of Lust was captured... they tortured him to death."
"Serves him right!" the radical Paladin snorted coldly, "He's a running dog of the Fallen Angel, and even as a human he was already guilty of crimes—"
Su Cheng listened silently.
These settings are exactly the same as the original.
It seems that apart from the sex change, nothing else has changed.
…Why on earth?
She looked back on all her experiences since traveling through time, and more and more mysteries appeared in her mind.
"Later, the Dark God resurrected him and bestowed upon him divine status. He became even more reckless and unruly, appearing publicly in the Vatican's halls many times and desecrating the statues of the gods. His followers also followed his example."
The team leader hesitated for a moment and did not continue.
Su Cheng knew what she had not finished saying.
...Some people who want to become followers and be chosen by the God of Lust will deliberately imitate the actions of the gods, destroy the temples of the Church, and defile the statues of the gods.
Of course, most people who do this end up in a miserable state, and only a very few can escape.
However, several gods under the Dark God have appeared in the temple of the Holy See and openly challenged the God of Light and his followers.
But most of them will not desecrate the statues.
Either he would destroy the temple with one punch, or he would kill everyone present, or he would use his power to pollute these believers.
"...Before the statue at the foot of the Temple of Purity, whatever you are thinking, I believe you will not put it into action."
The captain whispered, "So those thoughts are wrong, but as long as you can control yourself, you will be different from those corrupt villains."
Su Cheng really didn't know how to answer.
"I'm sorry, Master God's Favored One," the captain pursed his lips, "I'm not qualified to say these words to you, but since you look about the same age as my daughters, I couldn't help but speak."
As she spoke, she looked at the subordinate beside her and gave him a warning look.
The Paladin who was emotional just now calmed down a little and bowed his head to apologize to Su Cheng.
"My lord, please forgive me if I have offended you. However, please understand that the fallen people of the Southern Continent and the evil gods they worship are our enemies."
"...Of course," Su Cheng tried to sound more sincere, "I think so too."
No matter what she really thinks, she has to pretend on the surface, otherwise even her identity as a person favored by God may not be able to protect her.
After all, the God of Law and the God of Contract are also allies of the God of Light, and their favor is not impossible to withdraw.
But just get the balance right.
There are also various factions within the Holy See, and some people can even use dark powers.
"Please come this way."
Su Cheng sorted out this information, his mind in a mess, and followed the paladins through another prayer room.
She realized that they were taking a shortcut and, perhaps because she didn't want to keep His Eminence the Archbishop waiting, she didn't comment.
However, after walking through several small halls, she found that the paladins suddenly disappeared.
"?"
Su Cheng looked around.
She stood in a silent and deserted hall, with ripples on the copper-colored walls and dozens of stone pillars cutting through the enamel windows.
In the middle of the hall, there is a majestic statue, about seven or eight meters high, of a Pegasus with spread wings.
Its entire body is as white as snow, with a wavy phosphorescent glow. It has long, pointed horns on its head, covered with spiral patterns, and its sideburns are flying in the wind.
The wings on the sides of the horse are extremely broad, its strong muscles are full of power, and its slender limbs are adorned with gilded rings with embossed patterns.
The statue holds its head high with its front hooves raised in the air, as if it will leap up or flap its wings and fly away at any moment.
It stood among a field of bloody red grass, with dark red thorn bushes growing next to its hooves, and it looked like it was stepping on a pool of gurgling blood.
Su Cheng: “…”
For some reason, she thought the horse was very handsome and even started to have some dirty thoughts about it.
Does this thing have a gender?
wrong.
She seemed to be influenced by some force, and now she would have distorted thoughts about everything she saw.
Su Cheng covered his head and slowly backed away, only to find that the door behind him was closed.
The world before my eyes began to turn red.
She saw the curved dome crack, and crimson vines hung down from the cracks, weaving a curtain like veins, with glowing red berries at the end.
Those vines were like a network of veins growing from the interior of the temple, shrouding the entire space in a pigeon blood red glow.
"Look at you—"
She heard an extremely pleasant male voice.
It was as if some kind of soft-bodied creature with barbs crawled into the brain through the cochlea.
It was like vines stretching and spreading beneath the skin, and the lingering sound bounced among the nerves.
"Even if you really want it, what's the problem? Under the shackles of morality and rules, hypocritically suppressing yourself—"
Those bytes seemed to be melting and swallowing her.
An unknown force entangled her, causing her to fall continuously.
“Humans are afraid of being judged, afraid of being rejected, afraid of being labeled ‘wrong’ and ‘different’, so perhaps your rationality is just fear in disguise.”
Su Cheng's pupils trembled.
These familiar lines brought back memories for her.
In the original novel, when the God of Lust first appeared, he said something similar to the male protagonist.
"But I think there's something more impressive to you than this idiot—"
In the blood-red scene, Su Cheng saw the figure of a young man.
His thick, long, black curly hair was half loose, and he wore a loose, draped crimson robe. His skin was immersed in the soft dark red light, glowing with a pearly luster.
The fabric was like a burning sunset, wrapped around the shoulders with well-defined skin.
The gold brooch on his left shoulder had slipped down to the crook of his arm, exposing his lean chest in the red mist-shrouded hall, casting a strange crimson hue on his snow-white skin.
Between the folds of the robe, one can vaguely see the shadow of the concave area where the waistline is gathered, like a dangerous abyss that leads to no return.
Su Cheng almost had difficulty breathing.
His eyes were like obsidian burning in flames, with the edges of his irises tinged with a strange pale gold, like cracks burned by lust.
The curve of her lips was plump, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, like petals stained with pomegranate juice, and when she spoke, a honey-colored vortex bloomed.
A silver chain was wrapped around his waist, and the moonstone hanging like a teardrop dangled dangerously below his navel.
The legs exposed from the slits at the bottom of the robe looked like shining white marble pillars, and the muscles undulated like mercury when she walked.
He wore delicate silver rings on his ankles, and the tiny bells swayed with every step, occasionally hitting his protruding ankles or brushing against the backs of his bare feet.
"Ah, my brave girl—"
The vines on his side continued to grow wildly, filling this strange red space. They pulsated like blood vessels, and looked like countless patrolling snakes.
"You should learn to face your desires."
The man casually picked a red berry from the branch.
The fruit was already ripe, its skin was red with a hint of purple, and its belly was cracked with tiny cross lines, oozing amber juice like honey wine.
The slender fingers sank into the plump flesh, and the juice formed a sticky river between the fingers, dripping down.
The sound of water echoed in the silent hall.
Su Cheng: “…”
Then she heard her own heartbeat.
The sound grew louder and louder, pounding against the chest frantically.
The throat suddenly became dry, and the act of swallowing triggered a deeper thirst.
It was as if barren land grew out of the throat, longing for some non-existent nectar, waiting to be watered and nourished.
"Look at your heart, your desire, it's so strong, so pure—"
The man turned his head and kissed the fruit, then threw it on the ground.
The translucent rouge-jelly-like flesh burst under the smooth bare feet.
The splashing juice looked like purple-red fireworks.
He continued to walk forward, his feet stained with berry juice, dragging on the ground, pulling out winding, bloody tributaries.
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