Chapter 274
"Gather everyone else; we have work to do."
Xia Er glanced at Tara and spoke.
"Understood."
Without asking why, Tara nodded and left, taking Xiu and Yulisi with her to notify the others.
About ten minutes later, all the extraordinary members of the Shenglin Sect and the Savior Goddess Church in Bole City had gathered in the main hall of the Bell Tower Church. Xia Er stood beside the lectern, looking at the thirty or so extraordinary individuals before him.
Among them were many members of the Savior Goddess Church who had previously been investigating at the Dedun Manor. At this moment, several of them still harbored deep resentment towards the Shenglin Sect, but they refrained from showing it, held back by Xiu's orders.
During the previous sacrifice at Dedun Manor, although there were many people involved, a significant number were ordinary citizens.
This time, however, the quality of the extraordinary individuals before him was evidently much higher.
"The army has entered Bole City, Lord Xia Er."
Once the crowd had gathered, Tara approached Xia Er and whispered in his ear, standing on tiptoe.
She didn’t ask if there were any follow-up plans; she merely stated a fact, providing him with information.
"Mm."
Xia Er nodded slightly, not overly concerned.
No matter how many ordinary soldiers came, they would merely be sacrifices in the upcoming ritual.
Just as Xia Er was about to speak, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"Faceless One, let them obey me."
It was the voice of the Keybearer.
Before Xia Er could respond, the Keybearer's voice rang out again.
"I must preside over the entire ritual."
Just as I wished.
Xia Er slowly raised his gaze and turned to Tara beside him, saying, "A key figure will be arriving shortly. Have everyone else obey her; she will preside over the upcoming summoning of the Holy Spirit."
Summoning the Holy Spirit?
At that moment, not only Xia Er but even the bishops below, who had heard his words, widened their eyes in surprise, looking up at him.
Xia Er addressed the extraordinary individuals standing before him, saying, "The 'Uniqueness' is in our hands. It’s time to resist oppression and tell the world that the God of the Savior Goddess Church is about to descend upon this land that is loyal to Him once more."
As his stirring words echoed, especially when he mentioned "Uniqueness," the expressions of the Shenglin Sect members below began to shift—growing more fervent.
Unlike the Savior Goddess Church, the Shenglin Sect was a legitimate cult of descent, advocating for divine presence and the supremacy of God.
At this moment, Xiu appeared somewhat shaken. She leaned towards Yulisi and whispered, "Have you... really seen it?"
"Yes, back at Dedun Manor, I did see them succeed in the summoning..."
Yulisi replied softly.
"Oh, Goddess..."
A fleeting sense of guilt washed over Xiu as she began to sincerely repent, feeling remorse for not having chosen the right path earlier.
Seeing that the atmosphere was ripe, a figure clad in black pushed through the crowd and approached Xia Er, slowly lifting her head.
Beneath the black robe was an extremely distorted face—the Keybearer, who had just mingled among the church's extraordinary members.
"Let us welcome the key figure, the 'Keybearer.'"
Xia Er stepped back half a pace, giving the spotlight to the Keybearer.
The Keybearer wasted no time, standing directly in front of Xia Er, her back to him, gazing at the crowd below.
She had no fear of Xia Er betraying her, for she knew that rather than turning against her, Xia Er's nature as an "inciter" would make him more inclined to witness great turmoil... only this time, the chaos would be orchestrated by her, the Keybearer.
Standing beside Xia Er, Tara, who had also stepped back, looked at him with confusion.
Unlike the others, she had truly witnessed a servant of the divine kneeling before Xia Er... Why had he chosen someone else to lead the ritual, merely to summon another Holy Spirit?
Even if Xia Er himself wouldn’t preside, couldn’t it be entrusted to Tara? Who was this newcomer?
Though a myriad of grievances swirled in her heart, Tara could only swallow them down, watching the Keybearer's back with a sense of reluctance.
Soon, under the Keybearer's direction, the entire courtyard was cleared, and a half-circular vessel meant for holding holy water was placed before her.
One by one, the extraordinary followers stepped forward, cutting their wrists to let their blood drip into the vessel.
Even Xia Er stepped up, slicing his wrist to release his own blood.
The blood of the others held little significance; the connection to the other realm relied primarily on Xia Er's blood.
Once the vessel was filled with blood, the Keybearer slowly raised her hand. The green gem on her ring glowed, and the blood within the vessel was lifted like silk, suspended in the air, beginning to draw a blood array on the ground.
As the blood array was completed, enveloping the extraordinary individuals, the Keybearer turned slowly to look at Xia Er, her brow slightly furrowed.
At that moment, Xia Er was idly toying with the silver pocket watch in his hand. Only when he felt the Keybearer's gaze did he slowly lift his head, their eyes meeting.
"Perfect."
Xia Er shrugged slightly, offering his assessment of the blood array the Keybearer had drawn.
Then, the Keybearer shifted her gaze to Tara standing beside Xia Er.
"She is the key person to communicate with the Shenglin Sect; spare her life."
Xia Er explained.
This reasoning was sound and aligned with the subsequent actions of the Joyous Society. The Keybearer returned her focus to the kneeling cultists before her.
All along, she had been deemed unsuitable for this path by the Joyous Society, enduring mocking glances and ridicule. But now... the tables had turned.
Slaughtering an entire mid-sized city... even among the other "subverters" of the Joyous Society, no one had accomplished such a feat in over twenty years.
This operation would earn her enough respect to return to the core of the Joyous Society, perhaps even free herself from the corruption of the potions... moving forward to the next stage of this path.
Greed and fervor flickered in the Keybearer's eyes as she slowly raised her hands, as if to crush the kneeling cultists before her. Clenching her fists, she began to speak, her voice a demonic whisper.
This was the incantation she had memorized in her dreams, recited word for word.
Buzz—
A faint hum of spiritual alertness echoed in the Keybearer's mind. In her vision, the blood array before her began to emit a phosphorescent glow.
Good...
This is my independent achievement, my success...
The Keybearer grinned, turning back to boast, only to find the Faceless One still casually watching the pocket watch, seemingly indifferent to her impending grand accomplishment.
The jealousy from before mixed with the current indifference, forming a wave of immense anger that surged through the Keybearer's head. Just as the brilliance of her ring flickered, the buzzing in her mind abruptly ceased.
What’s happening?
She turned sharply to look at the sacrificial site; the blood array was merely flickering with a faint glow, and the crimson light was beginning to fade, on the verge of disappearing.
Impossible! I clearly sensed the aura of the other realm just now; it even responded to me, the spiritual alert sounded in my mind. The ritual should have succeeded, so why?!
Not enough? Is the blood insufficient?
The ring's brilliance flashed, and the head of a cultist bishop was severed, rolling within the blood array. However, this had no effect; the glow of the array continued to dissipate at a visible rate.
"Tsk..."
A faint sound of disdain came from behind. The Keybearer turned in anger, only to see the Faceless One had already cut open her wrist with a carving knife.
"*****."
An incantation she had never heard before spilled from the red-haired girl’s lips, and the blood array before her rapidly transformed, all the blood twisting into different paths, beginning to radiate crimson light once more.
The formation had restarted, and the girl’s blood formed threads, connecting with the array.
She... changed the blood array?!
"Are you playing me?!!"
The Keybearer exploded in fury. The green light of her ring flashed, and the girl’s head rolled to the ground, bouncing a few times before tumbling down the steps.
Just that one glance, and the Keybearer instantly sensed something was off.
No, the sensation of cutting the neck feels wrong...
The Keybearer’s eyes widened in shock.
"A Dream Thief" cannot simulate sensations they have never experienced.
Is this a dream? When did it become one?!
The pocket watch... is it the pocket watch? Was she looking at the pocket watch?
No, wait!
Damn it!
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