This was Abel’s first glimpse of the Church of Light’s true form. It was undeniably luxurious and grand, and upon entering, a powerful surge of magic energy assaulted him.
Although he knew no one would recognize him, he still lowered his head slightly and slowly walked in.
Few people noticed him along the way as everyone was preoccupied with their own affairs.
Abel wasn’t familiar with the Church of Light, so he resorted to the most inefficient method: going wherever there were fewer people.
He reasoned that quiet places usually held secrets.
He wandered further and further astray, entering several dead ends, only to have to slink out again.
Frowning, Abel was unwilling to give up so easily. Having found nothing, he grabbed the bag of durian candy and stopped a priest.
“Greetings, sir. I’m here to see His Excellency. Do you know where he is?”
The priest looked at him hesitantly, then, after glancing at the durian candy in his hand, he understood and pointed in a direction.
“Just keep walking straight down this corridor. His Excellency is praying in the main sanctuary.”
Abel thanked him and then headed in that direction.
Following the priest’s directions, he quickly found the main sanctuary. Instead of rushing in, he quietly hid outside the door.
The door creaked open, and after a brief, noisy conversation, Abel stepped out. There was no one around.
Through the thick door, he slowly pressed his ear to it and heard a strange sound coming from inside.
It was a rustling sound unlike anything a human could make carrying an eerie and unsettling quality that sent chills down his spine.
Abel sensed something was wrong. He gently pushed the door open a crack and witnessed the most horrifying scene of his life.
Inside stood a naked monster.
A bottomless, dark aura swirled around it. Huge, sharp fangs nearly pierced its mouth. Its heavy breathing accompanied by rapid, rhythmic movements was utterly shocking and terrifying.
It was a grotesque monster about seven or eight zhang tall, coiled in the room. Saliva dripped from the floor, and flesh and blood were visible beneath its claws—a sight too gruesome to contemplate.
Abel suddenly realized what was happening. He staggered back a few steps, hastily slamming the door shut, his heart pounding.
What was this thing? How could it be inside the Church of Light?!
What conspiracy was the Church of Light hiding? This monster definitely knew the truth!
Abel memorized the scene before him, daring not to utter a sound. He only wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible and make other plans.
He had just ducked and turned a corner when he bumped into the Church leader, who was turning around.
“Hmm? Who are you, and what are you doing here!”
The cult leader narrowed his eyes slightly, and glanced in the direction he had come from. What he was thinking was unknown.
Abel desperately tried to conceal his awkwardness, hastily concocting an excuse and feigning tears of joy.
“It’s the High Priest! I’ve finally found you! This Church is so huge, and I’ve been lost for ages! Oh, you see, this is durian candy our shopkeeper asked me to deliver.”
The High Priest glanced at the bag, gesturing for the priest behind him to take it away. His sharp gaze fixed on Abel, and scrutinized him closely.
Although Abel knew the Demon Lord’s mask would never reveal anything, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
After a moment, the High Priest looked away: “Next time, don’t bother looking for me. Just call the priest outside. The Church of Light doesn’t allow non-believers to enter.”
Abel acknowledged, understanding that the High Priest was wary, and probably worried he might accidentally see something he didn’t want to see.
But… Abel recalled the scene from just now.
Although he could no longer return to the Church, what he had seen and heard this time was already enough to shock him. He needed to go back and discuss it in detail.
Controlling his expression, Abel, like a lowly person, timidly walked out of the Church gates.
Behind him, the High Priest stared intently at Abel, his gaze dark and sinister.
The doors closed and he could no longer see him.
The High Priest took the large bag of durian candy and left, his destination clear: the deepest room.
He reached the door but didn’t open it. Instead, his eyes darted back and forth, examining the walls and behind the door several times.
His gaze slowly settled on a spot in the corner, where there were slight scratches and a patchy appearance left by the light wiping of thick dust.
The High Priest stared intently at that spot, his eyes almost bulging out, then smiled meaningfully, his skin stretching into a chilling arc.
“Heh… I’ve been discovered.”
*
Abel returned to the shop almost instantly, panting heavily. It took him a while to recover before a belated panic surfaced.
This was definitely a major event capable of shaking the entire Lingxi Continent!
He didn’t know what the monster was but his intuition told him that perhaps further investigation would uncover the secrets hidden by the Church of Light of thousands of years.
Abel struggled to regain his composure. His gaze fell upon Lu Sinian, and he immediately stepped forward, wanting to tell him what had happened.
If anyone could defeat that thing, besides Lord Demon, there was probably no one else.
“My lord, I’ve discovered that the Church of Light is raising a monster!”
He described the monster’s appearance. The more he recalled it, the more horrifying it became. Details he hadn’t noticed before now surfaced in his mind.
The monster’s teeth were still stained with blood, and he didn’t know if it came from a magical beast or… a human.
Upon hearing this, Lu Sinian paused for a moment, then couldn’t help but ask Rong Qing in his mind, “Are there such creatures in this plane? They sound like some kind of chemical experiment subject.”
Rong Qing rescanned the plane’s data and discovered some clues.
“Master, the initial data is incorrect, but don’t worry, I have corresponding countermeasures. I will inform you when the time comes, and it won’t disrupt the shop’s operations.”
Lu Sinian frowned slightly. Although he had doubts, he temporarily believed Rong Qing’s explanation.
He turned to Abel and rephrased Rong Qing’s words: “Don’t worry, there will be a solution.”
So the Demon Lord already knew! Abel suddenly understood.
No wonder he cooperated with the Church of Light to deliver durian candy, it was a test!
Since the Demon Lord was so confident, he naturally didn’t need to take it to heart. Abel nodded.
After he left, Lu Sinian rubbed his fingertips, still feeling strange.
He had a feeling this matter wasn’t simple but despite repeated questioning, Rong Qing remained vague as if hiding something.
Since Rong Qing wasn’t going to tell him the truth, he would just have to wait.
When the time came, everything would naturally become clear.