1523 The Slums
“We’re both polluted. Viona asked me to come to you. She told me that you have the ability to help me eliminate the pollution.”
Gan Honghua looked at Fang Heng.
“Forgive me for being presumptuous, but do you have any token to prove what you said?”
Fang Heng shook his head.
“We didn’t have time to meet the Saintess in person, but she said you should understand after seeing this.”
Fang Heng stretched out his hand.
“Buzz…”
The dark golden Book of Oaths levitated in mid-air.
In the distance, a group of believers saw the Book of Oaths that Fang Heng had taken out, and they all revealed yearning expressions.
No one knew who took the lead, but the believers half-knelt on the ground and prayed silently.
After Gan Honghua confirmed the Book of Oaths, his expression changed, and he asked softly, “I get it. Did something happen?”
Fang Heng put away the Book of Oaths, glanced at Gan Honghua, and said, “The Saintess has her own arrangements.”
“I understand. Since you’re invited by the Saintess, I’ll definitely do my best. It will take some time to set up the pollution removal ritual. It will take about an hour. I’ll get the believers to bring the two of you out for a walk.”
“No need. We’ll just wait here.”
“OK.”
Gan Honghua called a few believers over and whispered a few words to them before going to the back hall with them.
Fang Heng and Yu Jiayuan sat in their chairs for more than an hour before a believer respectfully approached them.
“The ritual preparation is ready. Bishop Gan asked me to bring you to the ritual hall below. Please follow me.”
Fang Heng stood up.
“OK, lead the way.”
Following the guidance of the church assistant, Fang Heng and Yu Jiayuan entered the back hall and followed the stairs that led down to the first basement. They arrived at the entrance to the second basement.
The church believer stopped in his tracks and handed the two of them a kerosene lamp. He explained respectfully, “The ritual hall is in the second basement. Normal believers like us are not allowed to enter the area below. Please enter the second basement and follow the passage to the end. Bishop Gan is waiting for you.”
“Alright, thank you.”
Fang Heng and Yu Jiayuan looked at each other, feeling strange.
But they had come so far. There was no turning back.
They had to venture into it, even if it were a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den!
Fang Heng took the kerosene lamp and strode downstairs.
Second basement.
There was a long pathway facing the stairs.
The faint light provided by the kerosene lamp made it impossible to see the end of the passage clearly.
The two of them walked slowly along the narrow pathway.
They walked for more than ten minutes.
Just as Fang Heng felt something was amiss, a large door appeared before him.
The door was open, and the light of candles came from the hall.
Gan Honghua was standing at the entrance.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. The ritual preparation is ready. We can start now.”
Fang Heng walked into the hall and looked around.
In the center of the hall stood a Goddess statue. The center was two meters in front of the statue, and the floor was engraved with numerous rune marks of the Holy Court.
Gan Honghua led Fang Heng into the hall.
“More than ten years ago, after receiving the instructions from the Holy Court, I secretly set up a Temple of Faith in the slums and built it deep underground. Unfortunately, preaching in this world is too difficult. After so many years of hard work, I’ve only collected one-tenth of the targeted amount of power of faith. Please convey my apologies to the Saintess.”
Gan Honghua sighed heavily.
As Fang Heng listened, he stole a glance at Gan Honghua.
Had the Holy Court secretly built the Temple of Faith more than ten years ago?
Were they secretly preparing to do something terrible?
Worried that Gan Honghua would be suspicious, Fang Heng did not ask further.
“Alright, I will.”
Yu Jiayuan was concerned about the pollution and couldn’t help but bring the topic back to pollution. She asked, “Mr. Gan, can you remove the pollution from our bodies?”
“Yes, but removing the pollution will consume a portion of the power of faith. I once experienced the oracle with the Saintess. I’ll definitely do it since it’s the Saintess’ request.”
Yu Jiayuan received an affirmative answer, and a flame of hope instantly ignited in her heart.
Candles flickered in the dim room.
Gan Honghua walked to the magic array in the hall and gestured, “I’ll start the pollution removal ritual for the two of you. The ritual can only be carried out one at a time. Both of you have been polluted. Who will start first?”
Fang Heng nodded at Yu Jiayuan.
He had communicated with Yu Jiayuan before.
The fact that the Holy Court could solve the pollution was not a secret.
There was a huge risk.
Yu Jiayuan would test it out, and he would watch from the side. If there were a situation, he would act immediately.
“Let me do it.”
Yu Jiayuan glanced at Fang Heng and took a step forward.
When she first heard Fang Heng’s story about the Holy Court incident, she had already sensed the contradictions in Fang Heng’s words, but she was smart enough not to ask.
As long as she could remove her pollution! All the risks were worth it!
Yu Jiayuan took a deep breath, stood in the middle, and closed her eyes slightly.
“Before I announce the end of the ritual, please do not leave the ritual magic array.”
After saying that, Gan Honghua summoned the Book of Creation and chanted a prayer.
He activated his mental strength, and the rhythmic prayers awakened the golden light from the Goddess stone statue in the hall.
As light appeared, the magic array in the hall was activated. The dark golden light gradually shone, enveloping Yu Jiayuan in the center.
Yu Jiayuan closed her eyes.
She felt like she was soaking in warm water.
The dark golden holy power gradually invaded her sea of consciousness.
Under the influence of the gentle and clean strength, the gray fog in her sea of consciousness gradually dissipated.
It was effective!
Yu Jiayuan’s eyes were tightly shut, and the excitement in her heart could not be any greater.
The pollution was gradually decreasing!
The pollution in her sea of consciousness was dispelled by the holy power!
Fang Heng stood at the side and observed quietly.
Three ornate glass bottles were in front of the Goddess statue in the middle of the hall.
Under Gan Honghua’s control, a light blue aura kept seeping out of the bottle. After being transformed by the Goddess statue and the magic array, it converted into a dark golden light.
It looked like Yu Jiayuan had absorbed the light.
The three bottles.
They seemed a little strange.
As Fang Heng pondered, the shadow of the magic array was suddenly reflected in his right pupil.
Omniscient Eyes!
The phantom of the magic array spun rapidly!
[Hint: Through Omniscient Eyes, the player has discovered an item – Bottle of Faith (Holy Court).]
Item: Bottle of Faith (Holy Court).
Level: Rare.
Description: Faith is an extremely powerful strength. The Holy Court has created a faith product that can temporarily store faith.
Description: This item is a special item. It cannot be stored in the backpack.
So that was the case.
Fang Heng understood.
It was the power of faith.
Gan Honghua was relying on the Bottle of Faith to store faith temporarily.
Through the Book of Creation, the magic array, and the Goddess statue, the strength was driven to achieve the effect of removing the pollution.
Everything seemed to be fine.