Pillar of Yita

As for how much the Papalarians owe the group, only the Almighty might know the exact figure.

Leaving the tavern, Fang Hong, along with Luo Yu and Miss Mei, went straight out of the city.

Although the Crow’s Claw Sanctuary had imposed quite strict control over Grey Owl Town, and they saw many patrolling Grey Knights along the way, they faced no obstruction when leaving the city, as if nothing had happened at the Judgment Ground yesterday.

The Crow’s Claw Sanctuary didn’t even increase personnel at the town’s entrance.

Only a few lazy guards were there on duty, almost identical to when they initially entered, with not a knight wearing a black and white war robe in sight, but there was a priest in a black robe distributing flyers.

The priest’s robe bore a Raven’s Holy Emblem, evidently indicating he was clergy from the Crow’s Claw Sanctuary.

Fang Hong was curious about the suddenly appearing Sanctuary and accepted the priest’s flyer. He glanced at it, finding only a few sparse sentences, largely about Adrian’s teachings. However, two sentences caught his attention:

’The Raven foretells apocalypse, when the storm approaches, the mortal world shall sink into oblivion—’

’Great Adrian, heed the name of my deity, the world shall receive redemption.’

Apocalyptic prophecy, redemption doctrine—these were familiar tactics in their world; back in the fourteenth century, Europeans were practicing this, even legitimately introducing indulgences to amass wealth.

Nowadays, inheriting this legacy are predominantly various cult organizations and charlatans, quite expectedly, as without inciting panic, these individuals find it challenging to exploit chaos for profit.

Yet history bears witness that Judgment Day has been postponed continuously since the centuries before Christ, extending now to the twenty-second century, with controlled nuclear fusion under normal conditions within fifty years of realization, yet religiously depicted Judgment Day still seems distant.

But in the world of Eteliria, things are quite different; seeing these lines virtually instantly reminded Fang Hong of the Star of Calamity’s descent.

He raised his head to gaze at the priest in the black robe, a man in his twenties, pale-faced, with curly black hair sticking to his forehead. The young man’s dark eyes fixed on them, asking:

”War and chaos are forthcoming, are you all prepared?”

Fang Hong was taken aback, unwittingly asking: ”Prepared for what?”

”Join us, believe in my deity, and redemption shall be yours.”

Only then did Fang Hong realize he was merely recruiting followers, shook his head, and left with Luo Yu and Miss Mei.

Once out of Grey Owl Town, he turned to ask: ”Lady Mei, is this how you conduct missionary work?”

Mei replied: ”We are False Believers, not responsible for missionary work. Besides, I’m part of the Defender of the Faith; preaching is the priests’ duty, Mr. Ade could ask his sister, Miss Tang Xin might be clearer than I am.” She gestured toward the emblem on her chest, the Paladin’s emblem differs from the Priest’s Holy Emblem, resembling a Shield Emblem with Ouli’s favored weapon—the Spiked Hammer.

Fang Hong shook his head, thinking of his cousin. Tang Xin only bore the title of Milaila Priestess and never underwent any training—an Invoker acquires Strength from Deities and provides faith in return, it’s an exchange relationship, unrelated to Holy Sanctuary insiders.

Mei considered for a moment before responding: ”However, I have seen their proselytizing, and it’s probably very similar.”

Indeed, a world with True Gods is distinctly different from their own, Fang Hong mused.

”Where are we heading?” Luo Yu asked at this moment.

Fang Hong raised his eyes to gaze into the distance, the snow-covered Forest stretched as far as the eye could see, the world wrapped in endless white.

Their destination was an abandoned Monastery a few miles away from Grey Owl Town. Fang Hong previously had Luo Hao investigate in advance; this was the first place Shadow Beings appeared near Grey Owl Town.

That Monastery was constructed in the same era as Grey Owl Town, and after war with the People of Grey Owl ended, a group of Milaila’s Ascetic Monks remained, building the Monastery there. It existed for over a century before gradually falling into decay, abandoned today.

A century ago, it was occupied by exiled criminals, bandits, and wandering mercenaries successively. However, their occupation never lasted long, with each eventually being eradicated or leaving.

Thus, the Monastery underwent cycles of prosperity and decline.

Its last prosperity was around thirty years ago when Ascetic Monks settled there long-term, but the newly reconstructed Monastery was soon destroyed by a mysterious fire, and since then, its glory never returned.

A few months ago, a group of adventurers passed by, using the abandoned Monastery as a temporary camp, encountering Shadow People there. Few survived that encounter, though among them were one or two Invokers, generating rumors in the community.

This alleged first sighting of Shadow People near Grey Owl Town led to rampant rumors, followed by the Crow’s Claw Sanctuary establishing itself in the area.

Until today.

Following the map downloaded from the community, the three traversed the snow-covered Forest, quickly finding the right direction.

Though abandoned long ago, an ancient road still lay in the Forest, leading to the Monastery. Over decades it became overrun by Forest, yet traces of human activity remained—the fences lining the road, broken signposts, guiding them.

Fang Hong wasn’t sure whether anyone else had investigated the Monastery recently aside from them, but last night’s heavy snow would have covered any traces.

Soon, they reached their destination.

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