As the viscous liquid slid down her throat, Audrey felt her consciousness explode after a brief chill, and her body seemed to be infected, becoming somewhat ethereal.
Her whole being became like a polymerization of pure thoughts, floating up, and she once again saw the boundless sea of collective subconsciousness that connected all living beings.
Lonely islands of the mind floated in the obscure, dark "ocean", seemingly wanting to sink little by little to the bottom of the sea. Different voices echoed in her ears, finally covered by a majestic voice:
"Gather your thoughts, do not be disturbed by the subconscious!"
The surging subconscious ocean around her seemed to be solidified by an invisible force, and Audrey's somewhat dazed and chaotic consciousness finally regained a trace of clarity, restraining the instinctive urge to merge into the "sea" and re-gathering her scattered thoughts.
His pupils had already turned crimson gold. Aaron moved his right hand, wearing the "Dream Weaver's Ring", away from Audrey's brow. He watched as the fine golden scales on her exposed skin gradually receded before his tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed slightly.
"Separating the virtual personality at the Mid-sequence still causes some negative effects during advancement, but once Audrey fully advances to 'Hypnotist' and opens the Door to her mind-body with qualitative psychological cue, it shouldn't take long for her to eliminate these hidden dangers herself..."
Thinking this, Aaron raised an eyebrow, sensing a rather familiar aura. He politely stopped outside the "Judgement Domain" that enveloped the Earl Hall's villa.
With a slight thought, a rift appeared. The bright sunlight in the room dimmed for a moment. Aaron curiously observed Archbishop Anthony, who emerged from the shadows. He first drew a Crimson Moon on his chest, then asked in a low voice:
"Your Grace, what happened?"
Although he needed to keep his whereabouts secret, given that Astolfo was still sleeping in the Spirit World and had not yet awakened, making it impossible to contact him via messenger for the time being, Aaron had previously given this Archbishop a token that could sense his location within Backlund.
His deep eyes swept over Audrey, whose spiritual fluctuations were still surging, but whose complexion had returned to normal. Archbishop Anthony drew a Crimson Moon on his chest while roughly explaining the current situation at St. Lovett Church in Glendale, finally adding with a serious expression:
"Sivellaus County is adjacent to Intis. Behind the Chanis Door of St. Lovett Church, there are at least two Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts and several dangerous Grade 2 Sealed Artifacts with living characteristics."
"Although Archbishop Randolph Carter, who was originally scheduled to arrive in Backlund today, has already rushed there, if the core of the seal truly has a problem, he alone may not be able to suppress it. Therefore, I came this time to ask for Mr. Blessed's assistance."
After hearing Archbishop Anthony's request, Aaron did not immediately agree. After all, the timing of this incident was too coincidental, always giving him the illusion that someone wanted him to leave Backlund.
Aaron lowered his eyes, pretending to be in thought, while his spirituality had already connected with his sub-consciousness in the Nation of Disorder, performing a simple divination on this matter.
Audrey, between the two, let out a soft whimper, her eyelashes trembling. Her emerald eyes slowly opened, seemingly hiding a strange, bottomless vortex that made it difficult for anyone who saw it to look away, easily drawing them into its depths.
This was a sign of successful advancement, but with spiritual energy still dissipating and not yet fully contained.
Audrey's brows slowly relaxed, and her smile gradually brightened. Instinctively, she wanted to share the good news with Aaron, only to notice Archbishop Anthony standing not far from her, nodding at her with a gentle smile, which made her stunned for a moment.
Having quietly performed a divination and come to a conclusion, Aaron slowly looked up. Seeing that Audrey had successfully advanced, he then composed himself and said to Archbishop Anthony:
"I have considered it, Mr. Archbishop. I will depart immediately."
It wasn't until the Archbishop, who frequently presided over the Night Mass, left that Audrey restrained the reserved smile on her face. She walked to Aaron's side with some concern and softly asked:
"Aaron, what happened? Will it be very dangerous?"
She was no longer the novice full of curiosity about mysticism she once was. How could something that required an Archbishop to personally come be simple?
Aaron ran his fingertips through Audrey's smooth golden hair and gently reassured her:
"There's a problem with the Church's cathedral in Sivellaus County. The incident happened suddenly and time is short, which is why they sought me out, as I can travel through the Spirit World. Don't worry, it's nothing."
Audrey puffed out her cheeks almost imperceptibly, her voice slightly dejected:
"Alright then. Also, I have successfully advanced to Sequence 6 'Hypnotist'."
After comforting Audrey, he advised her to quickly contain her spirituality, digest the potion, and thoroughly familiarize herself with the Beyonder abilities of a "Hypnotist" before attempting to eliminate the hidden dangers in her subconscious.
After all this was done, with the Spirit World coordinates given by Archbishop Anthony in his mind, Aaron then opened the "Traveler's Door" and stepped into the vortex behind the blue light Door.
-----------------
Beneath St. Lovett Church, earth and rubble flew. Although the Chanis Door, standing at the deepest part, was not damaged, behind the Door, the sound of chains being dragged, grating and chilling, occasionally echoed.
Countless black, cold, slimy threads spread. Ince Zangwill's eyes had become deep black, as if stained with ink. Fine lines around them extended little by little, forming strange and distorted mystical symbols.
Even more horrifying was that on the waist and ribs of this "Nighthawk," his clothes swelled and flesh writhed, and he actually sprouted four skinless arms covered in blood vessels.
White feathers quickly covered those arms, and a deathly silent aura emanated outwards.
At the same time, his face also became distorted; his teeth elongated one by one, becoming sharp, with many blurred, tiny faces embedded on their surface.
In the blink of an eye, Ince Zangwill had already become a strange Monster with eight "legs" and white feathers!
Arms covered with white feathers and emitting a deathly silent aura stretched out, grasping the dim 0-08. Forcibly influencing the core of the seal formed by the accumulated faith of believers over several years in St. Lovett Church also greatly consumed his power.
Putting 0-08 away again, Ince Zangwill's smile was somewhat distorted. He tilted his head slightly to look at Riddle, the senior deacon of the Nighthawks, "Spear of the Goddess," who had fallen into a pile of rubble, his aura weak, with the dark red short spear plunged into his chest. He whispered in a cold, mocking tone:
"I like the look in your eyes now. Once I fully open this Door, I will send you to repent..."
As he spoke, under Riddle's furious and despairing gaze, Ince Zangwill's eight "legs" simultaneously stabbed at the iron-black double Door, which was inscribed with seven Dark Holy Emblems, like a deep, dark heavenly kingdom.
Amidst the spirit-trembling friction, the Chanis Door trembled slightly but still did not open. However, Ince Zangwill's expression did not change much, because he clearly sensed the decline of the sealing power.
Just as he was about to make a concerted effort to completely open this portal and release the dangerous items sealed behind the Door, to give the Night a grand gift, Ince Zangwill's body paused slightly. He looked up and whispered with some regret:
"They came so fast..."
He decisively abandoned the action of continuing to attack the Chanis Door. The core of the seal had been completely disrupted by him, so even if the reinforcements from the Church of the Evernight Goddess arrived, their primary task would be to resolve the problem of the Chanis Door, which would inevitably draw more attention from the Church of the Evernight Goddess.
Having fulfilled the request of the royal demigod, Ince Zangwill dispelled his incomplete mythical creature form. He looked at the severely wounded and dying Riddle, and just as he was about to send him on his way, he stopped again.
As if recalling certain memories, Ince Zangwill pulled out the dark red short spear, put it into his inner underworld, and then took out a wooden box from his bosom.
As the lid opened, it revealed the dark, viscous, and corrupted blood inside—the blood of the evil god's offspring that Ince Zangwill had collected back in Tingen City.
Taking a drop of black blood from it, Ince Zangwill showed a strange smile and violently dripped that drop of blood into Riddle's pierced chest, muttering in a hoarse, low voice:
"Go and feel my situation at that time. I'd like to see if the one you believe in will truly bestow grace..."
Then his body disappeared into the deep Darkness, leaving only a hysterical low laugh.
-----------------
The unrest in western Glendale had been quelled. Believers were comforted and evacuated in batches. A man in a bishop's robe looked grimly at several corpses of clergy members on the ground.
These were all Nighthawks encountered by Ince Zangwill when he invaded the church, and without exception, he had sent them to heaven. This also made the bishop fully understand that the abnormality of the underground Chanis Door and the disappearance of the senior deacon were very likely caused by this unknown intruder.
Gritting his teeth, he said in a deep voice to a Red Glove beside him:
"Immediately have the Nighthawks evacuate all clergy members from the church, activate the sealing array, and I will go underground myself. If I do not come out, no unauthorized entry is allowed unless reinforcements from the Holy See arrive."
Just then, a sharp gust of wind came. Cardinal Archbishop of the Church of the Lord of Storms, Archbishop of the Sivellaus County Diocese, "Deep Blue Officiant" Randall Valentinus, descended from the wind and landed in front of St. Lovett Church.
He wore a black robe embroidered with the symbol of the storm, his face was heavily bearded, and his hair was short and spiky, its color a deep blue, almost pure black.
This robust demigod fixed his gaze on the bishop who was about to descend underground and spoke somewhat impatiently:
"What happened? How did your Chanis Door undergo such a severe abnormality?"
Although he asked this, he did not venture into St. Lovett Church on his own. As a Cardinal Archbishop of the Church of the Lord of Storms, he would certainly be repelled by the Church of the Evernight Goddess's sealing core, and rashly entering might exacerbate the deterioration of the Chanis Door.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long. Just as he hesitated, a richly colored, mottled, abstract oil painting world suddenly appeared above St. Lovett Church.
Archbishop Randolph Carter, with darker skin and deep-set features, more akin to a Balam native, stepped out of the Spirit World. Countless spirits clustered around him, making his surroundings dim and layered, seemingly hiding a world within.
With no time for pleasantries, Randolph Carter transformed directly into a faint light and flashed into St. Lovett Church, with only his lingering voice echoing:
"High Priest, guard this area for me, and prevent any accomplices who might still be lurking in the Darkness. I'll go down first to stabilize the sealing core!"
Randall Valentinus was about to say something more when he suddenly saw a blue light Door appear beside him. He resisted the urge to unleash a lightning storm, then looked at Aaron, who emerged from it, with an understanding expression.
Looking at the empty church below, with obscure fluctuations hidden underground, Aaron also confirmed that the Spirit World positioning given by Archbishop Anthony was accurate.
Hiding and suppressing his aura to only that of a normal Sequence 4, Aaron glanced at the Cardinal Archbishop of the Church of the Lord of Storms who had appeared here, and asked with some confusion:
"Archbishop Radar, weren't you transferred to the Backlund Diocese? Why are you here?"
After the assassination of the former Duke Negan, under strong protest from the royal family, the Church of the Lord of Storms was forced to compromise. The former Archbishop of the Backlund Diocese, "Spellsinger of God" Ace Snake, was replaced by the "Deep Blue Officiant" Randall Valentinus, who was currently before him.
Seemingly not expecting the Church of the Evernight Goddess's reaction to be so intense and swift, Randall Valentinus paused for a few seconds before speaking in a deep voice:
"I am already the Cardinal Archbishop of the Church of the Lord of Storms in the Sivellaus County Diocese. Since something happened with the Church of the Evernight Goddess, I naturally have to come here to check the situation."
"Also, the transfer order has just been issued, and I will officially go to Backlund for the handover at the beginning of next year."
Aaron nodded with understanding. In the time it took for these few sentences, Aaron had already quietly bypassed Randall Valentinus's perception and enveloped the underground of St. Lovett Church with the "Judgement Domain."
Passing through the empty church and entering the staircase leading underground, Randolph Carter inexplicably felt a strange sense of being watched. An alarm suddenly went off in his heart. He immediately opened his inner underworld, and a dense aura of death surged out, maximizing his perception.
As if sensing something, he suddenly punched forward. In the dense aura of death, clusters of eerie green flames ignited out of thin air, allowing Randolph Carter to see what he had just sent flying—it was actually a somewhat distorted human figure.
Even though his face was covered in blood and his body was somewhat deformed, the black and red Archbishop's robe allowed Randolph Carter to quickly confirm that this should be the missing senior deacon "Spear of the Goddess" mentioned in the telegram.
Looking at the crimson, madness-revealing eyes, Randolph Carter directly gave up on the idea of asking Riddle what had happened here. He took a step forward, intending to knock him unconscious first, but deep within his spirituality, the feeling of being watched grew even stronger.