Chapter 115#

The Saint of the Fallen Evil God#

Although Lin Xiaodong had already told her that he was not a god;

In Maria’s heart, this lord had rescued her from a desperate hell. Whether he was an angel or a demon, in this life, he was the most supreme existence in her heart. As long as Lin Xiaodong needed it, she was even willing to give everything for him.

Lin Xiaodong didn’t know yet that he had gained his first little fangirl in this world, but after returning to the Dark Temple, he gradually saw that Maria’s attitude toward him was very respectful and unusually obedient—but then again, who doesn’t like an obedient child?

So when he had nothing to do, he liked to teach the young girl to read and write, and by the way, help the knights and commoners who wanted to learn to eliminate illiteracy as well. In this world, people who could read and write were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, basically concentrated in aristocratic circles, which was why religion could prevail so widely.

Because of this, Ike specifically reminded him: “If you do this, aren’t you afraid that if the commoners learn too much knowledge, they will lose their reverence for the gods?”

To this, Lin Xiaodong replied: “Commander Ike, I am not doing all this to replace an old religion with a new one. The divine decree given to me by the gods is to sweep away ignorance and stupidity in the world, so that people can rely on themselves rather than gods to lead a better life. Do you understand what I mean?”

Looking at the back of the white-haired youth as he walked away, Ike stood in place, silent for a long time.

To be honest, although he had a good impression of the Saint himself, the biggest reason he made the decision to pledge loyalty was because he had witnessed the existence of the Evil God with his own eyes. But after spending time together for a while, Ike found that he understood Lynn less and less.

“Haven’t you realized yet,” Maria came out from behind the corner, carrying a copy of “Chronicles of the Continent.”

“…Realized what?” Ike frowned unconsciously.

The girl’s expression was calm. She glanced indifferently at this former Knight Commander and said, looking in the direction Lin Xiaodong had left: “Although the Lord is not a true god, what he does is far greater than what gods do.”

“Gods demand our sacrifice, demand that we endure pain, demand our obedience or they will send down punishment. But the Lord tells us that everyone is an independent individual, no one has the right to demand unconditional sacrifice from others, nobles are not born superior, and everyone has the right to read and write.” She whispered, “In my opinion, the Saint is the true god and savior.”

Ike was horrified and covered her mouth: “Don’t talk nonsense!”

Given the Abyss God’s level of focus on the Saint, what if the god heard her?

Deep within the Dark Temple, in the Saint’s bedroom.

“That little girl actually has some insight,” the Evil God, who hadn’t been seen for a long time, arrived and sealed the entire bedroom with black liquid. There was a bit of fierce venting in his movements. “Although she’s a bit ungrateful, for the sake of that sentence, I won’t hold her grudge for sticking to you every day against her.”

“Then, then why do you still…” The Saint said haltingly, his eyes unfocused.

“Because I only said I wouldn’t hold her grudge,” the Evil God’s cold lips pressed against his neck, bringing a trace of coolness to his burning body. “But I didn’t say I would also forgive you.”

He was held in the arms of the tall god, the ends of his long white hair held in the Evil God’s palm for play. He curled up his body in unbearable agony, but was forced open again by the other party. Beside him, there was also the black liquid that occasionally played its “wonderful role” watching like a tiger—Lin Xiaodong was tossed about until he wanted to cry but had no tears. Even his wings curled up listlessly, and black feathers fell all over the bed.

The Saint sniffled and whispered: “I’m going bald…”

Only then did the Evil God let him go with satisfaction.

“Stop developing followers,” he kissed the white-haired youth’s wet forehead with pity, but still warned, “Relying on these current people, you cannot oppose the Church. These actions of yours can only barely delay the time my divine power dissipates; they don’t have much effect.”

“Is it because you gave your divine power to me?” The white-haired youth pursed his lips and asked with a sad look in his eyes.

“…A little bit, but that’s not the main reason.”

The Evil God lowered his head, looked into Lin Xiaodong’s eyes for a moment, and suddenly sighed.

Along with his movement, the black robe on the god’s body also gradually drifted away like dust. The Saint saw a hard object shaped like a dark red crystal embedded in his left chest. He boldly reached out his hand, wanting to touch it.

“Don’t move,” the Evil God grabbed his wrist. “There is the power of Law on this. You don’t have a divinity yet; you will be affected.”

“What is this?” Lin Xiaodong asked.

“God Core,” the Evil God said indifferently.

Lin Xiaodong had never seen a god other than him, but even without seeing them, he knew that a normal god’s core shouldn’t be so… battle-scarred. It was like a piece of rutilated quartz, its interior filled with countless fine cracks, and the inside of the crystal was very cloudy, as if it would shatter with a gust of wind, extremely fragile.

“Gods also have a lifespan,” the Evil God said. “So there’s no need to do these things for me. The followers you’ve developed respect you more than me. I can use my divine power to open up an island on the continent for them. You all live there.”

Lin Xiaodong was silent for a long time.

There were too many nobles involved in the parchment rolls, not to mention those that weren’t recorded. Therefore, he knew from the beginning that he definitely had no way to eliminate all these people.

So he let Ike expand the reputation of the “Avenging Angel” as much as possible, composed songs for the people to sing, and taught the commoners all kinds of knowledge… all in the hope that after he left, he could still leave a seed for this world.

“The Knights and their families are already wanted by the Church, but those slave children are ‘invisible people’ who aren’t noticed. They can still stay in the Royal Capital.” He whispered, “My God, you don’t need to be too pessimistic. Although the Church’s influence is wide, it will eventually have a day of demise.”

The Evil God bit his wrist punitively: “Do you not understand what I meant just now? I want you to live a peaceful life with them and stop messing around with these things.”

“But, you were the one who personally said you hoped I could go to the Abyss to accompany you.” The Saint coughed and had to point this out euphemistically.

“I’ve changed my mind again, is that not allowed?” the Evil God said expressionlessly.

Lin Xiaodong was choked by him. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard the system’s voice, as quiet as a mosquito: “Quickly follow him! Headquarters said that as long as you get the God Core, even the punishment for not completing the task in the last world will be wiped clean!”

He froze for a moment and quickly looked at the god in front of him, only to find that this time the Evil God’s expression didn’t change at all, as if he hadn’t noticed the system’s existence.

Was it because of the weakening of divine power…?

Lin Xiaodong clenched his fists. For some reason, his chest felt a bit stuffed.

In previous mission worlds, he was always the one to leave first. Even if Lin Pei’s health was that bad in the last world, he later slowly recovered through surgery and rehabilitation.

But for a god, he was completely powerless.

Seeing that Lin Xiaodong didn’t speak, the Evil God propped up half of his body with a cold face, got up and was about to leave.

Today’s visit was an accident.

He had made up his mind in his heart that after leaving this time, he would not return.

The white-haired youth on the bed, however, seemed to have sensed something. He quickly reached out his arms and circled the god’s waist from behind.

“Don’t leave me behind,” he pressed his cheek against the Evil God’s cold and broad back, his voice trembling. “Take me to the Abyss with you, my God.”

“…No.”

After a long time, the Evil God answered him like this.

The god seemed to want to turn around and give him a hug, but in the end, he didn’t look back. His body turned into thousands of grains of sand in the Saint’s arms, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared with the wind.

Left alone in the cold room, the white-haired youth’s expression was panicked. He called out the Evil God’s name loudly, jumped out of bed barefoot, and his voice gradually changed from panic to shrillness.

That day, everyone in the entire Dark Temple saw their revered Saint stumbling out of his room in disbelief, as if looking for some precious item. But when they cautiously stepped forward to ask, they only got the youth’s silent shake of the head.

He walked from day to night. Finally, because his throat was hoarse, he couldn’t even make a sound. He could only lean against a large tree, looking at the sky and panting silently. A tear silently slid across the corner of his eye and fell to the ground.

In the endless darkness, the Evil God’s gaze was gloomy as he reached out his hand and caught that cold, transparent tear.

“Why do you have to do this…” He sighed, but still did not appear.

The next day, Ike came to the edge of the forest and found the Saint who hadn’t slept all night.

“Your Highness… what on earth happened?”

The Saint raised his head, looked at him quietly for a moment with red and swollen eyes, and suddenly revealed a smile of relief.

“Nothing,” he said lightly, unfortunately his throat was hoarse beyond recognition from overuse, “It’s fine. Let’s go back.”

Ike hesitated.

But he opened his mouth and finally decided not to ask too much.

“…Alright.”

Since that day’s abnormality, the Saint seemed to have returned to his original appearance. During the day, he led everyone back to a normal life. At night, he went to the homes of the nobles in the Royal Capital, either giving warnings or punishments. The entire upper class of the country was silenced with fear at the name of the “Avenging Angel.” The Church went from frantic searching at the beginning to later lying flat—let it be, anyway, even if they wanted to manage it, they couldn’t.

Therefore, the nobles’ resentment toward the Church also increased day by day. Even the Prince publicly talked back to the Pope at a prayer meeting, making the half-buried Pope so angry that he fell seriously ill that night after returning.

Revolving around the succession of the new Pope, the more inclusive and open “New Faction” within the Church also began to rise. The “Witch Hunt” that had lasted for several years was also called to a halt by the upper levels… Even the old nobles who loved “cockfighting” competitions became pebbles crushed under the wheels of time in this change. Whether it was land, property, or titles, they were gradually replaced by the emerging classes represented by wealthy merchants and new nobles.

It seemed like nothing had changed, but it also seemed like everything had changed.

As time went by, the figure of the “Avenging Angel” also disappeared from the Royal Capital, gradually becoming a true urban legend. And because the Evil God had vanished, the system finally found a gap and seized the opportunity to go online, helping Lin Xiaodong complete several Good Person cards that he hadn’t had time to broadcast before:

“One for Maria and one for Chris, plus the one from Ike before, you’ve collected three now,” it said. “You can capture two more before leaving the continent, just in case of accidents like in the last world. But the Evil God’s core is not that easy to get. Have you thought of a way?”

The system was actually being a bit euphemistic. Generally speaking, with the fall of a god, the God Core he possesses will also automatically disintegrate; and if it’s god-slaying, the core will also turn to dust.

Therefore, the only known way to obtain a complete God Core currently is through the god’s voluntary gift.

“Forget it,” Lin Xiaodong rolled his eyes. “He didn’t even want to say a word to me when he left, running faster than a rabbit. I haven’t even found a way to go to the Abyss yet, and you’re asking me about the God Core?”

System: “Actually, there’s not no way… but, ahem, it might be a bit extreme.”

“How extreme?” Lin Xiaodong asked curiously.

“Sacrifice,” the system said. “In the Abyss, there is only one god with a divinity, the Evil God, but there are many demons. Why don’t you just go find some books of cultists and sacrifice yourself to a demon to see if you can force the Evil God out.”

“…………” Lin Xiaodong had a face of admiration: “You’re the ruthless one.”

But this was indeed a way. It’s just that Lin Xiaodong was thinking that when the time came, he must act realistically, more painfully, and more desperately—he was very petty. Before, he had cried for half a night and couldn’t force the Evil God out from underground. This time, he wanted to see how the other party would endure it!

So the followers of the Dark Temple received a mission from the Saint—to collect various cultist scriptures on the continent. Although they didn’t know what the Saint wanted these things for, soon, piles of tattered books filled the Saint’s bedroom.

“So many!???”

Lin Xiaodong was dumbfounded.

Fortunately, he still had a system, otherwise it would take forever to read through them!

With the help of the system, he quickly selected three of them.

One told him to offer half of his body’s blood to the demon. Lin Xiaodong thought that he would then completely become a dried corpse, so pass; another one asserted that only by using the skulls of a hundred pure virgins could the most powerful Great Demon be summoned. Lin Xiaodong actually went to the graveyard for a turn, but because he couldn’t distinguish between a strong man and a young girl, he gave up, so pass;

The last one looked relatively reliable—it said that the sacrificial body should be soaked in milk and his soul burned with fire. But this fire was not ordinary flame, but Holy Light Fire that only the Church possessed.

Lin Xiaodong considered it and decided to finish well. When he came to this world, he was soaked in cold milk; when he left, he should at least taste the flavor of fresh hot milk. It’s not a loss even if he dies.

System: “…………”

But there were still two Good Person cards. Lin Xiaodong really didn’t know where to start capturing them.

There was no other way but to secretly go to the slave market again and rescue a few children. He let Maria, who had grown into a slim young girl, help him look after the children, while he was responsible for giving them lessons and guiding them with materialistic thoughts.

This method was a bit of a shortcut, but the effect was immediate—in less than half a year, he had collected five Good Person cards.

The system said sincerely: “If you were to be a primary school teacher now, you would definitely be very popular with children.”

Lin Xiaodong, surrounded by children: “…………”

“Saint, you don’t teach me much anymore.” To this, Maria said to him quite resentfully.

“This…” Lin Xiaodong thought back to the Evil God’s jealousy that day and his actions afterward. On a whim, he also showed a sorrowful expression. “Sorry, Maria, I didn’t mean to neglect you intentionally, it’s just… alas.”

He deliberately sighed, and as expected, it immediately diverted Maria’s attention: “Do you have any troubles? Please tell me, I will definitely solve them for you!”

This girl born in a primitive tribe pulled out a long sword from her waist with a “shing” sound and said to Lin Xiaodong murderously.

Lin Xiaodong hurriedly comforted her: “Don’t be so anxious, Maria. It’s not really a big deal. It’s just that I’m a bit lonely.”

Only then did Maria put the long sword back.

Thinking of the rumor that had circulated in the temple a few years ago, she murmured: “I see.” The girl pursed her lips and asked: “If I may ask, is it that the Lord Evil God no longer responds to your call?”

The white-haired youth didn’t answer her question directly. He just lowered his eyes and pursed his lips tightly, his lips curling into a faint arc: “Maybe there’s something I didn’t do well enough.”

“Nonsense!” Maria blurted out, a trace of anger appearing between her eyebrows. “Who said that? No one in this world can do better than you! You saved us, protected everyone in the temple, and even changed the corrupt status of the Light Church. I don’t understand, why do you still belittle yourself so much?”

Lin Xiaodong smiled: “Maria, I’m not belittling myself. It’s just that I covet some things that mortals shouldn’t dream of. This is not the fault of the god.”

As he had in the past, he gently touched the girl’s head and stated his decision: “Although it’s a bit selfish to do so, I might have to leave you all.”

“Where are you going?” Maria said in panic. “Are you going to abandon us? I…”

“It’s not abandoning you,” Lin Xiaodong interrupted her. “I just hope you can appear in the sunlight upright and honorable. And you are my confidant, so you naturally know that the Light God and the Abyss God are essentially the same one. I can’t find him here, so I can only go to another place to find him. This is my own pilgrimage. Maria, can you understand?”

Of course Maria knew the Saint’s feelings for the god, but besides the Dark Temple, the only place where the god could be found was the Light Cathedral, wasn’t it?

With the Saint’s current appearance, if he insisted on going to the Church, those people would definitely…

Tears shimmered in the girl’s eyes. She turned her head and suddenly ran away without saying a word.

In just half a day, the news that the Saint was leaving spread throughout the entire Dark Temple.

Commander Ike, who was on a mission outside, rushed back at the first opportunity. He found Lin Xiaodong and asked quickly: “Is what they say true, Saint? Are you really going back to the Church?”

“Yes.”

Lin Xiaodong stopped his movements of packing things and raised his head, answering him calmly.

Commander Ike, who had originally planned to persuade him, suddenly didn’t know what to say after seeing the youth’s determined eyes.

In that small forest on that early morning, the Saint’s lost and soul-stricken appearance was still deeply imprinted in his mind, and now it emerged before his eyes again. Ike gripped the door frame tightly and was silent for a long while. To Lin Xiaodong’s surprise, he actually knelt on one knee and whispered: “If this is your will, then as a subordinate, I will also firmly defend it.”

“Thank you, Commander Ike.” The white-haired youth smiled gently, seemingly without any fear of his own end. “After I leave, the Church will definitely lift the warrant for you. When that time comes, remember to help me take good care of them.”

Commander Ike gritted his teeth. His eyes were red as he tried hard not to let tears fall, but his voice trembled uncontrollably:

“…As you command.”