Chapter 115

Chapter 115: The Holy War, the Holy Maiden, and the Holy Grail.

“So… it’s Lucy, Hilufa, and Opoldusadious?”

Tara lowered her head in deep thought, then looked up at Xia’er and asked, “My Lord Xia’er, what do you need me to do?”

Gazing at Tara before her, Xia’er decided to continue with the previous plan.

“Go retrieve Lucy’s body.”

Xia’er spoke.

“Understood.”

Tara seemed completely unfazed by the task, readily agreeing, “Currently, both sealed objects are on Obold… shall I bring them all back for you?”

All of them?

Obold is third-rank. Last time during the simulation, a single lightning bolt reduced Tara to ashes, yet Obold could withstand several such strikes consecutively… how does she have the audacity to say this?

“Can you manage it?”

Xia’er asked calmly, revealing little emotion.

“I guarantee the completion of the mission, My Lord Xia’er.”

Tara bowed deeply and said, “It’s my honor.”

“Alright, act within your limits.”

Xia’er nodded.

“If you obtain the sealed objects, hide them first; don’t bring them directly to me.”

If Tara can indeed handle everything, it would save Xia’er quite some time. But she must prepare beforehand.

In case the three sealed objects together re-trigger the calamity from last time… Xia’er doesn’t want to experience being crushed by a meteorite again.

“Understood.”

Tara stood up, her figure beginning to flicker and dissipate, but at the last moment, she solidified and softly asked, “My Lord Xia’er, your servant cannot fathom your exalted holy will. Could you possibly guide this dull-witted servant out of confusion?”

“Are you asking for the body because of the ‘Inspector’ replication ritual?”

Tara did not look up at Xia’er, remaining humble and respectful, preventing Xia’er from seeing her expression.

The reason Tara guessed this was because Xia’er had previously sought high-success-rate replication rituals concerning the “Inspector,” combined with her current need for a corpse, which naturally led her to connect the two.

This question prompted Xia’er to immediately pull up the system panel.

She thought that perhaps Tara had finally figured something out, like realizing Xia’er was an imposter.

Moreover, as a missionary, Tara had an unshakable lie-detection ability, making it hard for Xia’er to deceive her under direct questioning.

If Tara really sensed something, Xia’er would not hesitate to strike first, using [Lethal Bloody Orchid] to eliminate her.

“Yes.”

Xia’er replied calmly, but her right hand had already assumed a gun-holding position.

“Your servant understands…”

Tara’s figure gradually warped and disappeared, replaced by a pure white shadow. A few seconds later, that white shadow also dissipated.

She’s gone?

Xia’er paused slightly in place for half a minute, only proceeding once she confirmed Tara had truly left. She shook her head, thinking she had expected to trigger doom after contacting Tara… but it seems doom hasn’t arrived yet, still waiting at some point in the future.

Xia’er wondered if her previous contact with Obold even counted as contact with extraordinary beings… If so, she now bore another great doom from contacting a third-rank entity.

Xia’er was somewhat puzzled: didn’t Tara consider her the Mother Goddess of the Arrival Sect?

Why did she show no reaction when Xia’er digested potions from other paths?

Well, instead of worrying about Tara’s affairs now, Xia’er should rather think about how to get through the potential doom that might soon arise.

Just as Xia’er planned to leave Clock Tower Lane District to avoid being accidentally blown up by a factory explosion, there came a knock on the door downstairs.

Dub dub dub—

Who?

Xia’er glanced toward the door, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

She remembered that the last time she continuously contacted third-rank entities and other extraordinary individuals, the ensuing doom was…

…

A drizzle pattered onto the cobblestones of Clock Tower Lane District.

A small figure ran swiftly over the muddy, foul-smelling black stones, paying no heed to the splashes of mud soaking her white socks.

Soon, she exited Clock Tower Lane District and arrived at the gemstone processing plant bordering Gemstone District.

Her pace slowed here, and quickly turning a corner, she entered a dark alleyway.

She darted through the alley until passing a wooden door, where her figure gradually faded into a white shadow and disappeared.

Inside the house, Tara’s form slowly materialized, surrounded by dozens of people dressed in various clothes kneeling before her.

From merchants to nobles, their attire revealed these men and women were not ordinary individuals.

“Archbishop.”

“Archbishop.”

“Lord Archbishop.”

They all spoke simultaneously, bowing their heads towards Tara in respect.

“We have work to do.”

Tara’s face remained indifferent as she scanned the others briefly before speaking, “I hope you won’t disappoint me…”

This time returning to the convent, Tara hadn’t just brought ancient texts copied from records but also all her confidants.

These were bishops and high priests scattered across different regions who, upon receiving a letter from Tara, rushed to Clock Tower Lane District as fast as possible.

This force was enough to crush all extraordinary powers in Borough City, representing almost all the strength Tara could mobilize.

This was the confidence behind her bold claim to accomplish more tasks for the human vessel of the Mother Goddess.

“Lord Archbishop… What exactly has happened?”

Some had waited here for a day, others just arrived within the past two hours, and they were all clueless until a woman dressed in noble robes finally asked.

“Hmph…”

Tara smirked.

The Mother Goddess concealed herself among the common folk, and she wouldn’t divulge any information, not even to her closest allies.

The Holy Maiden had divine servants protecting her, and she, too, must become the strongest shield and sword for the Mother Goddess, clearing away all obstacles wherever her blade pointed.

From the Mother Goddess’s response earlier, Tara had understood everything.

As the first awakened deity incarnated in human form, the Mother Goddess did not follow her own path but chose another…

This was stealing the dominion of other gods… No, not stealing.

Reclaiming!

All power originally belonged to the supreme Mother Goddess.

This was the new Holy War.

Following the ancient era, this was another Holy War, and this time, the Salvation Goddess Religion, awakened first, held an absolute advantage.

When studying ancient-era literature, Tara couldn’t help but feel bitter disappointment recalling how the church, led by the weak Salvation Sect, collapsed during the Holy War.

Now, with a new Holy War approaching, she must consider whether this was her only chance in life.

Restoring the glory of the Mother Goddess, Tara felt duty-bound.

“A new Holy War is coming,”

Tara surveyed the semi-kneeling bishops and high priests, slowly spreading her arms, “Prepare yourselves to sacrifice for the Mother Goddess, everyone.”

With just one simple sentence, it was as if a bomb had exploded in everyone’s mind. After the shock wore off, many faces lit up with ecstatic expressions.

While the high priests might not be entirely clear on what was happening, many informed bishops already knew what had occurred in Borough City.

The grand sacrifice event of the Arrival Sect.

Was this orchestrated by Lady Tara?

Did the sacrifice succeed?

What was summoned?

A saint? Divine servant? Offspring? Or… an angel?

Unbeknownst to Xia’er, a fervent religious Holy War, ignited by her, began brewing.

…

“Who?”

Xia’er stood by the wooden door on the first floor and asked.

At this moment, who would come looking for her?

Aivana had heeded advice and left Borough City, Adelle didn’t know her current address, and Amy was obediently staying home planting flowers as Xia’er instructed.

Could it be someone from the Blood Word sect? Perhaps there’s new intelligence on Obold?

As Xia’er speculated who was outside the door, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice sounded.

“Salvation Goddess Religion,”

A somewhat muffled voice called from the doorway, “We need to talk, Miss Xia’er.”

Salvation Goddess Religion?

The one thing Xia’er had hoped to avoid the most still happened.

Previously, under the stacking of misfortunes, the first person to approach her was Xiu from the Salvation Goddess Religion. Although in a simulation, Xia’er had utilized Xiu and even obtained her Radiant Bishop mark, “impersonating” for quite some time, in the current timeline, they were complete strangers.

With a third-rank figure blocking the door, there was no way Xia’er could escape.

Thus, Xia’er directly opened the door. The moment she saw the familiar silver hair, she realized her mistake. The person who came wasn’t Xiu but Yulis, Adelle’s older sister, the High Priestess of the Salvation Goddess Religion.

Why did she come looking for herself?

However, at least… if Xiu couldn’t handle it herself, Xia’er had many ways to gain Yulis’s trust.

“May I come in and speak?”

Yulis asked politely. She seemed to have come alone, almost as if she didn’t consider Xia’er worth her attention… although she herself was blind.

Her eyes held no expression, only facing the direction where Xia’er spoke.

After hesitating slightly, Xia’er stepped aside and said, “Come in.”

Just as she sent away Tara, another visitor arrived—Yulis… Misfortune continued to pile up.

But at least, among those of the third rank, Xia’er had only encountered Obold so far… She should be able to endure this, right?

However, coming in as No.0 also had its advantages with No.0; as an ordinary person, she wouldn’t attract too much attention from orthodox organizations like the Salvation Goddess Religion.

“Do you have any business?” Xia’er asked.

“I’ve heard about Heishuidang,” Yulis softly replied, facing Xia’er’s direction. “The Salvation Goddess Religion has considered intervening during previous Heishuidang conflicts, but before we could act, you already resolved them.”

“An unstable gang will only cause more suffering for believers… So this time, I’m here to warn you.”

Gangs were a problem that even the Salvation Goddess Religion couldn’t completely eradicate. They couldn’t shut down black market operations because they couldn’t produce illegal alcohol or sell drugs like true criminals do—these gaps would always be filled by someone else.

Not to mention, gangs like Heishuidang had connections within the nobility.

As long as gray-area profits existed, gangs would continue to grow like mold in damp corners. What the Clock Tower Church could do was negotiate terms with the leaders of major gangs to ensure the protection of ordinary believers within their parishes.

“Drugs, kidnappings, protection fees… None of these should appear in the Clock Tower Lane District.”

“You can continue your private liquor and horse gambling businesses, but if you violate what the church forbids…”

Xia’er looked at Yulis in front of her, not lowering her guard. If it was just a warning, sending a ‘Reformed Monk’ would have sufficed. Why did the High Priestess come personally?

She must have another reason for coming here.

Whether in reality or in this simulation, Xia’er had no prior connection with Yulis. If she had to find a point of contact, there was only one: Adelle.

“Just say what you want to say.”

Xia’er spoke directly, “I don’t like beating around the bush.”

Hearing Xia’er’s words, Yulis paused her speech. After a while, she slowly said:

“Xia’er, that name… I’ve heard it.”

“You’re Adelle’s friend, aren’t you?”

Indeed.

Xia’er wasn’t surprised. She nodded and admitted it directly: “Yes.”

“You received Aivana’s help to take over Heishuidang and are sending people to monitor Obold… Recently, Aivana also left Borough City.”

Yulis revealed all the intelligence she knew word by word, pausing slightly before continuing: “Don’t worry, I won’t pry into your plans. Just make sure not to cause any destruction in the Clock Tower Lane District and don’t accidentally harm any followers of the Salvation Goddess Religion.”

“I only want to know if what you’re going to do will involve Adelle.”

“No.” Xia’er shook her head, “But if you don’t leave soon, you might be in danger.”

Yulis came solely for Adelle’s safety… This should be considered a personal matter.

Since Obold arrived in the Clock Tower Lane District, the Salvation Goddess Religion had been monitoring everything closely. Naturally, Xia’er’s actions couldn’t escape their notice.

After all, the Clock Tower Lane District was their territory, already infiltrated by their followers.

Xia’er realized that if they continued talking like this, she wouldn’t know how long they would debate. Thus, she decided on a quick resolution.

Although Xia’er wasn’t very familiar with the third-rank “Radiant Bishop” Xiu, she was very familiar with Yulis.

In multiple simulations, she not only learned about Yulis’s personality and background but also some of the most important events in her life.

Even though Yulis hadn’t met Xia’er in reality, she was practically at Xia’er’s mercy now.

And usually speaking, Yulis was a reliable teammate—as long as she was willing to return to the church with her.

“January 17th, Holy Year 739.”

Xia’er directly mentioned a date.

The moment Yulis heard this date, her expression changed drastically. She took a few steps back, looking toward Xia’er’s direction with disbelief.

“You said that if I mentioned this date, you would unconditionally believe me.”

Xia’er looked at Yulis and continued, “We’ve met more than once, Yulis.”

“Are you…?”

“Go back, Yulis, stop investigating my affairs,” Xia’er repeated her earlier statement, “Staying here will be dangerous for you.”

Yulis stood still, her emotions visibly fluctuating. After a long pause, she finally exhaled and said, “What you said is true…”

All she saw was an ordinary person… The third-rank bishop Xiu had recently been at the church, so it was impossible for her to have suffered a mental attack from another extraordinary individual.

Moreover, she had undergone baptism, making her nearly immune to attacks from “Dream Thieves”—they wouldn’t dare risk such a confrontation.

The only possibility was that the young girl in front of her was telling the truth.

Who exactly was she…

“I… understand.”

Yulis nodded lightly, her figure began to flicker. However, after a short while, she looked toward Xia’er’s direction and said, “If you encounter any problems you can’t solve, you can find me.”

Yulis’s figure disappeared, leaving behind a white shadow. After a few seconds, the white shadow flickered again and vanished.

“Sigh…”

Xia’er couldn’t help but sigh.

Yulis from the Salvation Goddess Religion was manageable, merely trying to bring her to the church to become a holy maiden, constantly devising ways to baptize her.

Tara from the Arrival Sect was even worse, treating her as the Mother Goddess herself, fanatically believing that Xia’er was divine. Xia’er suspected that if she asked Tara to commit suicide, she would immediately slit her throat and worry whether dying too slowly would anger Xia’er.

Yulis offering help was likely genuine, but this time, her assistance wasn’t needed.

Xia’er already had a well-thought-out plan—digesting potions and stealing sealed objects—neither of which Yulis could interfere with.

Second-rank Tara, third-rank Obold, second-rank Yulis…

Within half an hour of arriving, Xia’er had already encountered three extraordinary individuals…

Under the accumulation of misfortunes, Xia’er was already considering whether her house might suddenly explode.

Suddenly, Xia’er thought of something.

If Obold had been carrying the sealed object all along, then during their earlier encounter, the condition of “three life vessels” would have already been met.

All three sealed objects were present.

But why… did the misfortune not occur?

Could it be that the term “life vessel” doesn’t refer to sealed objects…

But rather another word with the same root—”Holy Chalice”?

This item, metaphorically used in heretical cults to represent the container holding the flesh and blood of the evil deity’s offspring…

Xia’er felt her back hairs stand on end.

It was highly possible that the term “life vessel” referred not only to sealed objects but also to the people behind them.

Xia’er recalled the “exclusive” tag of the “Echo of Silver White Time Binder” and the “Strong Fortune Coin” that automatically returned to Lucy’s hand, as well as the benefits they kept gaining from completing rules…

Was this… cultivation of a container?