Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 142: Chapter 141: The Tremors of the Sanctuary

All that happened at the Northlands’ New Year’s festival soon shook the entire Sanctuary.

“This is simply a disgrace to the Sanctuary!”

Standing in the center of the Hall of Glory, the Highest Bishop, dressed in a deep red Mage Robe, had an iron-blue complexion, and even the hand holding the scepter turned somewhat pale due to an excessive grip.

Before him, the Bishopric, led by Bishop Carl, bowed their heads, not even daring to breathe a breath of air.

It was no wonder the Highest Bishop was so incensed, as it had already been embarrassing enough that a scandal had broken out during the Sanctuary’s New Year’s festival. However, the problem was that it was not just a simple private fight. One party was known within the Sanctuary as the Divine Favorer, and the other was a Holy Spirit Knight! Moreover, this private squabble eventually even involved the Angel Legion and direct intervention from the Goddess!!

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“What on earth is going on!!”

The Highest Bishop glared furiously at the Bishopric before him, his aged face trembling with rage.

“Who can tell me why one of our Sanctuary’s Divine Favorers would fight with a Holy Spirit Knight. Why did the Angel Legion appear, and why did it come to a point where the Goddess had to intervene personally? Hm? What were you all doing? What have you all been up to?!”

The Highest Bishop became increasingly furious as he spoke, normally the appearance of the Heavenly Kingdom, Angels or the Goddess would be considered a blessing for the Sanctuary. But this one time, the Sanctuary was, regrettably, thrust into the eye of the storm. Now, the rumors outside were getting more and more absurd, even Cultists with ulterior motives were spreading heretic rumors in private, claiming it was because the Order Sanctuary had betrayed the will of the Goddess, and thus the Goddess sent her messengers to punish the Sanctuary.

In the past, such remarks would have been met with laughter. But now, many people even started to falter!

And no wonder, since at the time Fang Zheng summoned the Angel Legion, there were many Nobility and Mages present. They all heard, with their own ears, Knight Captain Brand, the Sanctuary’s mightiest, personally identifying Fang Zheng as a Cultist, followed promptly by the other party Summoning an Angel to slap his face. The events that transpired really made one ponder.

Brand was indeed the highest pinnacle of the Sanctuary’s combat strength, and in a certain sense, he truly represented the will of the Sanctuary.

And now, a spokesperson of the Sanctuary pointed at someone protected by Angels and called them a Cultist? And then they all fought to the death?

Plus, in the end the Goddess took away Brand’s Blade of Justice, this Divine Artifact… Aiya, how can people not overthink?

All this happened in full view of many witnesses. Even if the Nobility and Templars who attended the banquet would not spread rumors, what about the many Attendants and maidservants? The Sanctuary knew the principle that it’s harder to guard against the slander of the people than to guard against the rivers, so how could this matter possibly be covered up?

Once this all spread, once those damned Cultists stirred things up… maybe people really would start to believe that the Sanctuary had betrayed the will of the Goddess, even planning to find an opportunity to kill Fang Zheng, the Goddess’ spokesperson. So the Goddess could not stand by any longer, therefore She directly dispatched the Angel Legion to protect him, and even personally took back Brand’s Divine Artifact.

“Please, do not be too incensed, Highest Bishop.”

It was at this moment that a soft voice sounded. Upon hearing this voice, the previously furious Highest Bishop instantly turned around respectfully and bowed towards the other side of the curtain.

“But… Your Holiness…”

“Let’s first discuss what happened… At least, we need to understand what transpired before making any judgments, don’t we? Sir Carl, you were in charge of the matter on site, so I presume you have a complete report.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

At this, Carl, standing below, stepped forward and began to recount the sequence of events in detail.

Although Carl did not witness what happened, fortunately, there were guards on duty and Attendants passing by in the Sanctuary’s backyard apart from Nymph and Connie. From their accounts, combined with the interrogation of Brand, Carl still managed to clarify the entire story.

And after listening to Bishop Carl’s narrative, the others present simply did not know what to say.

“…So you mean to say, Knight Connie believed that the Angel had been bound by some sort of Magic or means used by Knight Fang Zheng, so she intervened trying to free her from those bindings? She really is something…!!”

The Highest Bishop now lacked even the energy to be angry, only feeling bemused at the thought of having such a foolish Templar under his command.

“Sir Carl, in your estimation, was the Angel under any form of restraint?”

“No, Your Holiness.”

Upon hearing the inquiry, Bishop Carl once again replied with solemnity.

“To be honest, during the battle in the Dark Marsh, I had the fortune to fight side by side with Knight Fang Zheng and that Angel. From what I observed, the Angel placed great trust in Knight Fang Zheng, and there was no rift between them. Moreover, that Angel played a pivotal role in destroying the Gates of Hell’s Array. Without her, we would not have been able to defeat the Six-Armed Snake Demon, Bella, nor dismantle the array of the Gates of Hell so easily…”

“……….”

Upon hearing this, the crowd glanced at each other with even more puzzled looks. They finally understood why that young man would strike someone without saying a word. Great, after going through all the trouble to help you all eliminate such a huge threat, not a word of thanks was offered, and now they even went as far as to harm someone… and for no valid reason at all. Anyone would be angry in such a situation.

“…….Now, regarding Knight Connie’s funeral…”

“….We are considering it…”

Speaking up to this point, Bishop Carl looked helpless.

“To tell the truth, we have also examined Knight Connie’s body, and her soul and life have completely disappeared…”

“Was it the handiwork of the Angel of Death…”

Upon hearing Bishop Carl’s response, the Highest Bishop frowned.

Perhaps the lower-ranking believers might harbor doubts about the Power of Death, but in reality, as high-ranking members of the Order Sanctuary, they did not truly detest the powers of darkness and death. Because both darkness and death are, in fact, parts of order. Therefore, the Order Sanctuary opposed not darkness and death, but the disasters and pain brought by these forces—after all, compared to Holy Light, the former posed a greater threat.

“….and what of Brand?”

“He has been convalescing at home. It seems losing the Blade of Justice has been a great blow to him.”

“Ah……”

Upon hearing Bishop Carl’s response, the Highest Bishop sighed helplessly. Brand really brought it upon himself this time. Not only did he lose the Blade of Justice, but even his power was stripped away by the Goddess, and now he had become a decrepit mortal, no longer possessing legendary strength. In fact, the Sanctuary had already decided to strip Brand of his title as Knight Captain. What he did was too excessive, and even the Goddess had to intervene personally. If the Sanctuary didn’t respond promptly, then they truly would be doomed.

“That Knight Fang Zheng… Have you found him?”

“I am sorry, we still have not discovered the whereabouts of Knight Fang Zheng.”

After the battle ended, Fang Zheng just took off with Nymph. With Malthael’s Angel Legion protecting him, others dared not stop him, they could only watch him leave. Afterwards, Bishop Carl, along with Shi Dong and others, searched everywhere for Fang Zheng, even inquiring with Rex, but unfortunately, there were no clues.

“Is there no way to find his location through the Star Pattern?”

Hearing this answer, the Highest Bishop grew even more anxious. As the saying goes, “the bell’s own ringer can undo the ringing”. Right now, the best course of action would be to find Fang Zheng and publicly announce that he and the Sanctuary do not have any issues. This way, all rumors would collapse on their own. The problem is that Fang Zheng is hiding and they can’t find him, which complicates matters greatly.

If someone were to impersonate the Sanctuary and launch an attack on Fang Zheng, attracting hatred to themselves, then what? One Antonio was already enough to cause a headache—if another were to appear, how could the Sanctuary endure it!

What the Sanctuary needed to do now was to find Fang Zheng and clear up the misunderstanding. At least let him know that the Sanctuary held no grudge against him, and there were no negative feelings. Everything before was Brand’s and Connie’s unilateral actions and did not represent the Sanctuary itself. But now… Fang Zheng was nowhere to be found, rendering their sincerity futile!

“I am sorry, I’ve consulted Master Oscar, but he said that Knight Fang Zheng’s stellar signs have been obscured, and we can’t ascertain his true location…”

“Ah…”

On hearing this, the Highest Bishop could only sigh, feeling helpless.

“But perhaps this is for the best. If we can’t find him, then those with ulterior motives won’t be able to either… Maybe this is also the will of the Goddess.”

But where on earth had the young man gone?

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