Chapter 1313: The Priest's Suggestion

"Actually, it doesn't matter if Priest Ao Gu Si sees you here. We can say..."

"If you are not willing to help, please shut your mouth, Mr. Detective."

Dorothy probably didn't want to leave a bad impression in the heart of the oldest elder in the group.

Compared to Randall Valley, which was covered in silver because it was snowing again, Tobesk had only had two light snowfalls during the Star-Sparse Month, so the streets had long been cleared. But the roofs around St. Theresa Square were still silver-white, and icicles that hadn't been knocked off hung under the eaves. Although there were trash cans at the edge of the square, there were no traces of stray cats or dogs. There were snow piles under the street lamp poles, and a snowman, built by someone, stood in the center of the square, next to the fountain of a girl holding a water bottle.

The feeling of winter had not yet faded in the Pearl of the North.

Xia De stood at the window of the second-floor living room, looking outside, lost in the night view of the square in winter. And the carriage, at this moment, quietly drove into the square and stopped downstairs at Xia De's house.

Xia De knew this was the priest, so he hurried downstairs to welcome him.

"Good evening, Priest. The matter I want to discuss with you really cannot be said in the church, which is why I invited you to come so late. Please come in."

He opened the door to let Priest Ao Gu Si in. Although he was out, the priest was still wearing his usual clerical robe, but it was a thickened winter version, and he had also put on a very thick cotton coat that reached his knees outside:

"This winter, it feels colder than any previous winter."

The priest walked into the door:

"I remember you have a fireplace at home. Thank the gods, let me warm up by the fire."

Although Dorothy didn't want Priest Ao Gu Si to know she was at Xia De's house so late, before "hiding" in the bedroom, she had prepared tea for the guest.

Xia De poured a cup of tea for the old priest, and then the two sat down on the sofa in front of the fireplace, sitting in opposite single sofas. The firelight from the fireplace was quite bright, illuminating the silhouettes of the two men.

"Today, you have already been to that manor? How is the situation?"

"The situation is worse than imagined. But fortunately, there are those alchemical tools and potions you provided, otherwise it would have been troublesome."

The priest didn't ask about the specific situation, but cared:

"Is the demon's corruption severe?"

"Quite severe."

Xia De put down his teacup, clasped his hands together, and leaned forward slightly:

"It wouldn't be an excessive description to view that manor as a nest for lower-level demons and ghosts. But fortunately, the power of the Relic forces them to act within the rules. But also because of that Relic, the church hasn't discovered any problems in these three years."

As he spoke, he took a book from the bookshelf that appeared beside him and handed it to the priest. The priest saw the yellowed family photo printed in the book:

"Is this that family? How pitiful, but didn't you get the original photo?"

"I got it, but that photo cannot be brought over."

Xia De said:

"However, these are not the main points. The problem with that manor has been solved. After letting them all be liberated, I also found an incredible thing."

As he spoke, he took out that bone casket from the 【Gift Box of the Gods】 placed by his feet. Xia De didn't carry it around in Randall Valley, but put it at home before going to the Abundant Earth Inn.

"This is..."

The priest held down the casket that had slid to the edge of the teacup. After opening it, just as Xia De expected, he first narrowed his eyes, and then showed a smile:

"I really didn't expect such a surprise. The last two finger bones of the right hand were actually there."

"The Watson family's line of thought was actually correct. The item they found can indeed help them fight against Stone Osenfort, especially since Osenfort's greatest reliance is a certain degree of immortality."

Xia De took a sip of tea, and then bent down to put down the cup.

"Stab any one of these finger bones directly into the heart of the Osenfort you mentioned,"

"and the immortality will be invalidated."

The priest put on gloves, carefully took out one of them, and observed the pale skeleton in the firelight of the fireplace.

"But it's a pity that the one who made the move wasn't Osenfort, but that demon."

Xia De tilted his head and also looked at the fireplace bonfire:

"Before entering the manor, I did encounter the demon's true form, and the other party even wanted me to help it do some things. This should also be a conspiracy, but I don't know who it is aimed at. Speaking of which, your Golden Potion is quite useful. If it weren't for this, I would have been in danger this morning."

At that time, he wanted to escape, and he could have done it if he had risked his life, but that would have meant he had lost the initiative and the confidence to negotiate.

"Don't always take risks, because luck won't always be on your side."

The old priest imparted the experience of an elder, but didn't dwell on this topic too much:

"Do you know the origin of these two bones?"

"I only found out that old Watson bought them three years ago from a group of grave robbers. Those grave robbers came from the City of Glass on the border of Karsenrik and Delarion, that Michaela Blast Furnace City famous for manufacturing and producing glass products. After I finish the Randall Valley matter, I will take a trip to the small town on the east coast of Delarion in the spring and go there to take a look. However, there are few clues, so it's not certain that I can find much information."

Priest Ao Gu Si shook his head:

"As long as you are willing to help, my body cannot withstand another long-distance trip."

This was completely an exaggeration; Priest Ao Gu Si's body was perfectly fine.

"Is there anything else I can help with regarding the demon in Randall Valley?"

The old priest asked again, stuffing the bone he was holding into the box.

Xia De nodded:

"The demon thinks that I took these bones and will use them to forge a weapon to restrain immortality. Therefore, I need you to prepare a weapon for me that has the power of these bones. It doesn't need to be too useful; try to make it look like I wasted most of the power of the bones because I didn't know the value of the goods."

"This is very simple. How long do you need it?"

The priest asked. Xia De thought for a moment:

"Today is Monday. Give it to me before next Wednesday or Thursday. Ten days should be enough. I can't take out that weapon too quickly, but it can't be too slow either. Now my only advantage is that the demon dare not enter the urban area of Randall Valley, the area radiated by the power of the Five Gods Church... Oh, I understand, so Stone Osenfort is often in the city and doesn't want to go home."

Xia De showed a thoughtful expression, and then asked again:

"By the way, Priest, once I really kill the person who signed the contract with the demon, what way do I have to directly solve his soul? It must be clean and neat, so that his soul does not remain in the material world."

"Sister Daifulin, whom we met in Midhillburg, is what you call a Chosen One, and her power can do it."

The priest reminded. Xia De frowned slightly:

"Sister Daifulin might have other things to deal with."

The old priest thought again:

"Although I know about demons, I really haven't encountered anyone so severely corrupted by a demon. If I could see his soul with my own eyes, I could send him away, but..."

"Don't even think about going to Randall Valley. It has been snowing heavily there these past few days, and it's very cold."

Xia De dispelled the priest's dangerous idea and thought about letting the doctor think of another way. However, although the doctor was very good at dealing with demons, it was hard to say whether he could handle the soul of a fallen person in time.

"However, you can find someone else to help, as long as you can still find him."

The priest suddenly said with a smile, pointing to the flame, and a blurred human face flashed by in the fire.

Xia De nodded knowingly:

"That's right, if it's him, he would definitely have no problem with this situation. The Watson family's photo, Sister Daifulin, plus him, I must ensure that once he dies, his soul absolutely cannot be snatched away by other forces or remain in the material world."

When Xia De said this

sentence, a fierce look rarely seen appeared on his face. However, the priest didn't feel anything was wrong; dealing with a fallen person who signed a contract with a demon, it was right to be a bit ruthless.

"How should I thank you this time, Xia De, you brought this to me again."

The old man smiled and knocked on the box.

"No, no, don't be so polite. It's just two finger bones."

In Midhillburg, it was an arm bone, and the Goddess of the Lake gave a chest bone. Compared to these, finger bones were too insignificant.

"Young man, this is your shallow understanding."

The priest shook his head:

"For an angel, the symbolic meaning of finger bones is almost the most important. Look at this bone."

He took out a bone again and let Xia De look at it carefully in the firelight of the fireplace:

"Look here."

At the end of the knuckle, there was a circle of bone that looked like a ring:

"God created angels and bestowed upon them authority and power—this is the explanation for angels in most religions. And all the glory given by God turned into the angel's weapons, the angel's wings, and the angel's ring. Therefore, the seventeen finger bones of the initial angel each represent a deep meaning. And now, I have gathered all the fingers of the right hand, which means a great change."

"Hmm... Can you promote directly from the 3rd Ring to the 5th Ring?"

Xia De guessed.

After the winter exams at the beginning of the year, Xia De stabbed the doctor and the priest with 【Aikenola - Arrow of the Chosen One】 respectively. The doctor gained a new miracle, and the priest gathered the last Enlightenment Spirit Rune 【Heart of Darkness】 for the 2nd Ring, so he was already at the 3rd Ring at this time.

"Of course not. The promotion of a Ringed Shushi also has to be reasonable. I mean, this represents... something hard to say."

The old priest looked like he didn't understand either:

"In short, make some requests to me. The crudely made weapon you mentioned just now doesn't count for anything."

"Hmm..."

Xia De originally wanted to say that the priest should give a discount on the money owed for that suitcase of alchemical items and potions, but thinking that the priest was already poor, he swallowed these words back:

"Why don't we owe it for now? There will always be times when I need your help in the future."