Holy Light Square.
The crowds were like a sea, with thousands of heads thronging the area.
As dawn broke through the towering spires of Van Rahil, it bathed the vast square paved with pristine white marble in a sacred golden light.
The air was filled with the scents of incense, flowers, and the fervent hopes of countless believers; the humming whispers blended into a sea of devotion.
At the end of the square, the magnificent staircase of the Radiant Cathedral is decorated as if it were a stairway to heaven.
On either side stood Holy Knights clad in gleaming silver armor and wielding inscribed warhammers. They stood as solemn as statues, their sharp eyes scanning the crowd, maintaining order and demonstrating the majesty of the Holy Church.
All waiting eyes were focused on the tightly closed, gilded gate adorned with a huge holy emblem.
finally--
"clang!"
"clang!!"
"clang!!!"
The sacred bell atop the Great Cathedral of Radiance was struck, its resounding and far-reaching sound like the breath of God, instantly drowning out all the noise in the square and cleansing the souls of everyone present.
The gilded gate slowly opened inward.
Surrounded by a group of cardinals and high-ranking clergy dressed in the most solemn robes, Lind finally appeared.
He was not wearing the Blackrock Territory's Crystal Armor or ordinary clothing, but instead donned a specially made, extremely luxurious "Oracle" robe.
The robe was made of the purest white silk, embroidered with intricate and ancient sacred runes in mithril thread, and edged with glittering gold trim.
A deep blue velvet cloak draped over his shoulders, inlaid with tiny sapphires and diamonds in the pattern of stars and veins of light, shimmering with a mysterious and majestic luster in the sunlight.
His face was calm, his purple eyes were deep, and his steps were steady and firm as he stepped onto the red carpet that had been laid out and led directly to the high platform in the center of the square.
The magnificent robe blended strangely with his own cold demeanor, creating a transcendent and inviolable sacred aura.
Judge Price gripped the scepter tightly with his remaining right arm, his single eye filled with unprecedented determination and fervor.
Cardinals Helios, Augustus, and others had complex expressions, but in this situation, they could only maintain the utmost solemnity.
The crowd erupted in a deafening roar of cheers and prayers, the sound almost lifting the square off its heights.
Linde ascended the central platform, his gaze slowly sweeping over the boundless crowd below.
He raised his hands and pressed them down slightly.
He subtly released the power of the [Activation Aura] in the most exquisite way.
It was not a powerful energy surge, but an extremely gentle, spring-like life force that spread silently across the entire plaza.
In that instant, a feeling of miracle arose in everyone's heart:
Those suffering from chronic illness felt a warm current dispel the hidden pain of their deep-seated ailments; the exhausted felt their energy quietly restored; and believers filled with anxiety and fear inexplicably found peace, as if they had been infused with boundless faith and hope.
Even the flowers and trees around the square seemed to become more vibrant and full of life at this moment.
"Holy Light...I feel it!"
"It's a miracle! It really is a miracle!"
"Oracle! Praise be to you! Praise be to the Holy Spirit!"
Excited gasps and even more fervent prayers rang out from the crowd, countless people were moved to tears, overwhelmed with emotion. Before Lind even spoke, a single gesture was enough to win over the hearts of the vast majority.
Linde spoke, his voice not loud, yet strangely drowning out all the noise, clearly reaching everyone's ears, as if resonating directly in the depths of their souls.
He quoted extensively from scriptures, using the most standard sacred texts to expound on light, faith, hope, and order, his words solemn and earnest, as if he were a true spokesperson who had inherited the will of the Holy Spirit.
His speech was not overly passionate, but rather full of rational power and unquestionable authority, which better matched the image of an "oracle" in people's minds—lofty and supreme, yet bringing tangible blessings.
"...Darkness may temporarily prevail, and the shadows may attempt to erode our foundations,"
Lind's voice suddenly rose, carrying a resolute determination, "But the Holy Light will never be extinguished! Faith will endure forever! Today, the Holy Light will once again bathe His faithful people, cleansing all defilement and restoring supreme glory!"
At the climax of his speech, he opened his arms again.
This time, the power of the [Bright Halo] erupted!
More restrained than when he was in the Cardinals, yet more grand and more magnificent!
A blazing, pure light, imbued with boundless vitality and the holy power of order, emanated from him, rising like a second sun in the center of the square, gently yet irresistibly spreading in all directions, enveloping everyone present!
When the light touches the body, people feel not only warmth, but also a complete purification and sublimation from soul to body.
The sense of vitality previously brought by the [Activation Aura] was instantly ignited and amplified by this pure power of light!
Many believers' old scars faded and disappeared at a visible speed, their ailments that had plagued them for years were completely gone, their hunched bodies straightened, and their cloudy eyes became clear and bright!
"My leg! My leg doesn't hurt anymore!"
"I can see again! By the Holy Spirit! I can see clearly again!"
"Ah! This feeling... is so warm! So sacred!"
True, visible miracles occurred simultaneously to tens of thousands of people! The entire Holy Light Square transformed into a sea of ecstasy, with deafening shouts of praise, cries, and prayers; the fervor of faith reached its peak!
Even the cardinals on the high platform were once again awestruck by this vast and benevolent power of light, and involuntarily bowed in prayer along with the crowd.
However, amidst this wave of extreme light and fervor, a cold, sharp glint suddenly flashed in Lind's deep purple eyes.
Under the all-encompassing and all-seeing power of the [bright halo], several "stains" that tried their best to hide and were out of place with this sacred radiance were exposed in the crowd as conspicuously as fireflies in the night!
They tried to conceal their faces with hoods and mimic the frenzy around them with feigned expressions, but the twisted, dark energy within them, filled with blasphemous and cursed energy, had nowhere to hide in the face of ultimate light!
Linde raised his hand, his fingertips pointing precisely to several different locations in the crowd.
His voice, like divine judgment, instantly drowned out all the cheers, echoing clearly in the square:
"Under the Holy Light, filth has nowhere to hide! In the name of the Holy Spirit, imprison those hypocrites! Those blasphemous lackeys!"
The words had barely left his mouth—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Having already received secret orders and ready at any moment, the Holy Knights of Punishment pounced like arrows released from a bow, rushing towards every direction Lind indicated with astonishing speed and efficiency.
The crowd gasped and dispersed, revealing several figures whose faces had turned deathly pale as they struggled or tried to escape.
They suddenly erupted with negative energy—shadows, blood, or filth—in an attempt to resist.
But this is Holy Light Plaza, the core area of the [Bright Halo] power! The moment their power surged out, it was like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun, emitting a "hissing" scream, and instantly melted and dissipated!
The Holy Knights easily pinned them to the ground, and the specially made holy light shackles instantly locked their hands and feet, sealing their meager dark power.
The whole process was clean and efficient, happening in the blink of an eye.
From the moment Lind pointed out the time until the assassin was captured, only a dozen or so breaths had passed.
A brief silence fell over the square, which was then filled with even more deafening cheers and roars!
"They are heretics! They are scum of the Church of Blasphemy!"
"They want to disrupt the ceremony! They want to harm the Oracle!"
"Damn dark cultists! Purify them!"
"Long live the Oracle! Your gaze pierces through all darkness!"
The crowd's anger was ignited, and their worship and faith in Lind reached a new peak!
He was able to pinpoint the hidden saboteurs amidst tens of thousands of frenzied crowds and subdue them effortlessly with a few words! What is this if not a miracle? What is this if not the all-seeing eye of a holy being?
Prince was so excited he was trembling, and his gaze toward Lind was filled with boundless admiration.
Cardinals Helios and others were also thrilled, but a chill ran down their spines—the methods of this oracle were far more unfathomable than they had imagined.
Linde slowly withdrew his hand, and the vast power of light around him gradually subsided, as if it had never appeared.
He looked down at the excited crowd, his voice regaining its previous calm, yet carrying an aura of absolute authority:
"Behold, the Holy Light will surely prevail. The tricks of ants cannot shake the divinely ordained order. The celebration continues, and may the Holy Light dwell forever in your heart."
After speaking, he nodded slightly, and under the gaze of countless fervent, awe-inspiring, and grateful eyes, he turned around and, surrounded by a magnificent retinue, walked calmly toward the Radiant Cathedral.
Behind him was a bustling square, a holy city ignited with fervent faith, and a Holy Church transformed by his presence.
This failed attempt by the blasphemous church not only failed to disrupt the ceremony, but instead became the perfect stepping stone for Linde to establish his supreme authority.
From this moment forward, the name of the Oracle Lin De will spread to every corner of the continent, accompanying this grand performance of "Miracle and Judgment".
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