frightfiction Chapter 363: Miracle
Chapter 363: Miracle
Inside the Divine Hall, three Grand Priests sat in a triangular formation, ceaselessly guarding the Goddess’s Tears.
Outside the Divine Hall, large numbers of Bright Knights and guards patrolled back and forth, forming an airtight perimeter.
Not even a bug could fly in.
The insect Illusion Object Li Wei had created was perched on a leaf of a large tree outside the Divine Hall.
It watched the Divine Hall from a distance, keeping an eye on the Grand Priests’ activities.
After waiting all night, he saw no one come to attack the Divine Hall of Light and seize the Goddess’s Tears.
The quieter it was, the more Lancelot dared not let his guard down.
In the early morning, before dawn broke.
The followers of the Light Divine Sect were spreading rumors all across Storm City that the Light God would soon perform a miracle to save the world.
"The great Light God, unable to bear the sight of the plague raging through Storm City, will bestow a miracle at noon today, purifying the disease from all."
"Those who have been poisoned can attend the Miracle Ceremony and witness this miracle."
"Faith in the Light God will allow you to expel the toxins from your body and restore your health during the Miracle Ceremony."
Those who heard the news flocked to the area outside the Divine Hall of Light, bringing their sick relatives with them.
The massive plaza outside the Divine Hall of Light, capable of holding hundreds of thousands, was now packed to the brim.
At the center of the plaza stood a tall altar.
Atop the altar was a massive statue of the Light God.
The patients who could still move knelt on the ground, worshipping the statue of the Light God, praying for blessings, and begging for a miracle.
As for the patients who were terminally ill and unable to move, the relatives who had brought them knelt on the ground, begging the Light God to heal their loved ones.
The Grand Priests stood inside the Divine Hall of Light, their gazes fixed on the statue of the Light God. It was far brighter than usual, and they looked on in amazement.
’So much fervent faith?’
’As expected. Disaster is what truly drives humanity to believe in Divine Spirits.’
’Lasting peace only makes humans complacent, weakening the conviction of their faith in the Divine Spirits.’
The three Grand Priests commented back and forth.
Lancelot stood to the side, watching the scene without a word.
Li Wei was not in the Divine Hall.
That morning, he had taken advantage of the changing of the guard to slip away from the Divine Hall of Light.
Li Wei had a premonition that this place might turn into a battlefield, the very eye of the storm.
’Staying here would most likely drag me into some huge mess.’
So, Li Wei had left at the first opportunity.
He planned to return to the Elemental Tower.
When he reached the city gates, he learned that the Teleportation Array would be closed for the day due to the Miracle Ceremony.
He would have to wait until after the ceremony to return to the Elemental Tower.
With no other choice, Li Wei could only head to the Mage Association in Storm City for the time being.
The Mage Association in Storm City had quite a few Mages from the Elemental Tower.
Several members of its leadership were even Elders from the Elemental Tower.
’It’s much safer here than at the Divine Hall of Light.’
Li Wei sat in one of the Mage Association’s VIP rooms.
A pretty Apprentice Mage brought him a pot of hot tea and a platter of fruit.
"Lord Grand Mage, please take your time."
The young woman’s eyes were filled with immense curiosity as she looked at Li Wei.
When she had first learned he was a Grand Mage, the young woman had been utterly shocked, her face a mask of disbelief.
That was, until Li Wei produced the Magic Badge that signified his rank as a Grand Mage.
In an instant, he had earned the young Apprentice Mage’s admiration.
Li Wei nodded. "Thank you."
"You’re welcome. Lord Grand Mage, if you need anything at all, you can call for me at any time. I’ll be on duty in the main hall outside."
The Apprentice Mage gave him a sweet smile.
It was common for Apprentice Mages to work at the Mage Association.
This was especially true for those from poor backgrounds, who would take jobs there to raise funds for their Cultivation resources.
After the Apprentice Mage left, Li Wei focused his consciousness on the Illusion Object.
The insect Illusion Object had transformed into a tiny hummingbird.
Compared to the insect, the hummingbird, though small, was perfectly formed.
It was larger and had greater endurance.
It also provided a much broader field of view.
The hummingbird hovered in the air above the plaza outside the Divine Hall of Light, looking down on the crowd that was packed to the brim.
Li Wei already knew about the miracle set to be performed at noon.
He was quite curious about this miracle.
In fact, Li Wei had witnessed a miracle once before.
The Divine Worship Ceremony held when Otz founded his kingdom could also be considered a type of miracle.
A "miracle"—a "Divine Spirit’s Wonder" by its full name—was a means for a Divine Spirit to display its Power to the mortal world.
Its primary purpose was to harvest faith.
The miracle the Divine Hall of Light was about to perform and the one from Otz’s founding were on completely different levels.
The Light Divine Sect was one of the strongest Divine Sects in the world.
The Light God was also one of the most powerful Divine Spirits.
Its performance of a divine miracle was bound to be magnificent, spectacular, and utterly grandiose.
「In the blink of an eye, it was noon.」
A Grand Priest walked onto the altar, cupping the Goddess’s Tears in his hands.
The Goddess’s Tears slowly floated up, coming to a halt between the statue’s brows.
As the Miracle Ceremony began, the Power of the Goddess’s Tears was activated, and the statue of the Light God became enveloped in a hazy, brilliant light.
It was as if the true Light God had descended upon the world.
A sense of majesty, grandeur, light, and warmth bloomed in everyone’s heart.
Every person bowed their head in prostrate worship, not daring to look directly at the divine presence.
"The Light God shows compassion for the world! Today, He reveals His miracle to purify this calamity and expel the plague!"
"Only the truly faithful shall receive the Divine Spirit’s grace."
The Grand Priest’s words reached every person’s ears with perfect clarity.
Everyone bowed their heads and prayed to the Light God, trying their utmost to appear as devout as possible in the hopes of receiving the Divine Spirit’s grace.
The Grand Priest drew upon the Power of the Goddess’s Tears and casually healed a few of the sick.
A flash of light enveloped the patients, and they awoke from their comas, all toxins purged, their health fully restored.
"Look! Their fervent faith has moved the Divine Spirit! The Divine Spirit has bestowed a miracle!"
Seeing the dying patients recover in an instant, everyone became a believer in the miracle.
Their faith erupted with even greater intensity.
The Grand Priest smiled.
’Faith is like water in a sponge. If you squeeze, you can always get more out.’
’He was in no hurry to heal everyone.’
’Bit by bit. Slowly.’
’This was the best way to stimulate more people into offering up their faith.’
’Those who weren’t healed would only think their own faith wasn’t strong enough.’
’They would then offer up even more of their faith.’
’Those who *were* healed would feel they had received the Light God’s grace.’
’Their faith would become even more resolute, and a small number would even become zealots.’
Watching the atmosphere in the plaza grow increasingly fanatical, Li Wei couldn’t help but shake his head.
’These Grand Priests are a real piece of work.’
’He clearly has the ability to heal everyone at once.’
’Yet he insists on stringing them along like this.’
’He’s letting people who could have been saved die during the delay.’
The Miracle Ceremony gradually reached its climax.
RUMBLE!
The heavens and earth trembled.
Countless people in the plaza were thrown to the ground, looking around in terror, not understanding what was happening.
Li Wei, sitting in his room, felt it begin to shake violently.
He was startled. ’An earthquake?’
But the hummingbird’s perspective showed him the truth.
A massive mountain peak, so tall it pierced the clouds, had appeared just outside of Storm City.