Chapter 467: God of Gambling and Demon-Hunting Seal

Since he had obtained more information about that "Life Gambling" in the past time, Xia De actively started to investigate.

And the method of investigation was naturally to commission others to help him collect information. This was also a helpless thing. Xia De didn't have a direct information channel. Unless the 【Silver Moon Library】, known by the librarian as "recording all knowledge," was open to him, Xia De could only honestly find others to help himself.

Early Monday morning, Priest Ao Gu Si had just finished breakfast in the church's restaurant and was thinking of taking a walk on Dawn Square to digest, when he saw Xia De jumping off the carriage in a hurry:

"Oh, Detective, you came so early, you shouldn't be here to listen to the sermon, right?"

The priest was in a good mood, standing at the church door in his robe, and even joked with Xia De. He invited Xia De into the church to talk. As the two walked in the corridor, Xia De quietly handed the holy emblem drawn by Mr. Riddle to the priest, worried that passing the holy emblem of an Old God in the church of an Orthodox God would be an act of blasphemy:

"Priest, I want to commission you to help me find the Old God corresponding to this holy emblem."

"Holy emblem?"

Priest Ao Gu Si looked down at those strange lines. The sense of chaos and slight discomfort confirmed to him that this wasn't a random doodle:

"This is... oh, it's this one!"

"Priest, do you know this?"

"Of course, this is the Old God who has gone far away, 【Noisy Black Hunter】, or known as the 【God of Gambling】. In fact, even today, this god still has scattered believers. Although the sect has long since disappeared, gamblers will pass on His stories by word of mouth, and His statues and holy emblems can occasionally be found in underground casinos."

The priest introduced, then asked curiously:

"I heard from Anate that your luck in playing Luo De cards has always been quite good, so you shouldn't need the help of this god, right?"

"No, no, not Luo De cards."

Xia De immediately shook his head:

"I want to know more information about this great being."

"I can't help you with this."

The priest shook his head with regret, looked left and right, and then lowered his voice:

"The sect of this god has long since disappeared, and the Church's records of Him are also very few. Some time ago, the Church found data left by believers of the Old God 【Innocent Creator】, but the Church doesn't often find this kind of 'treasure'."

"I see... what if I want to cheat in front of this god?"

Xia De didn't dare to say that he wanted to cheat in the gambling with the god. He just wanted to try to join the game himself. Although his life experience in this world was only two short months, it was definitely more exciting than Mr. Riddle's experience.

"If that god hasn't left yet, for the consequences of cheating in front of a great being, you can refer to those well-known blasphemers in history."

That was certain death, which made Xia De understand that it was better not to have crooked ideas about this gambling.

Seeing that Xia De didn't continue to ask, the priest said again:

"It just so happens that you came to find me today. The 【Weak Angel Potion】 promised to you last time is ready. Come with me to my workshop to get it."

Priest Ao Gu Si's potion workshop was a basement rented by a friend on the street next to Dawn Square. The two chatted as they walked, and on Monday morning, there weren't many people who could walk leisurely on the street like them.

After all, everyone had to live, and the old priest of the church and Xia De, who could eat for a month on one commission, obviously didn't belong to the normal group.

The two talked about the prayer activities that the Dawn Church would hold this weekend, and talked about the church's plan to book the Delarion King's Opera House this weekend to invite the troupe to perform an opera with the theme of "religious stories" there.

And as a local senior believer, Xia De could of course get tickets directly from Priest Ao Gu Si if he wanted to go.

"Does the church often hold this kind of... cultural activity?"

Xia De thought for a long time before finding a suitable way to describe it. A newspaper-selling boy walked over to promote newspapers to the two, but seeing Priest Ao Gu Si's attire, he retreated—the church itself subscribed to newspapers.

But the priest still smiled and let the boy come over, then bought a copy of "Steam Bird Daily" with the change in his pocket. Today was Monday, and there was the serialized content of Dorothy's detective story again. Dorothy had said with a glowing face on Saturday that she had really succeeded this time.

Even Xia De now liked to follow Dorothy's serials. This wasn't because he wanted to see others praise himself, but because he wanted to know how Dorothy adapted those boring detective records.

The priest folded the newspaper and tucked it under his arm, continuing to explain:

"We often hold similar activities. The preaching and sermons that were popular in the old days are already hard to satisfy this era. The prosperity of steam industry has made people with increasingly abundant lives have more needs in the spiritual field, so apart from the most important festival activities every year, the Five Orthodox Churches will organize various forms of gathering activities every once in a while."

"Inadequate and unbalanced, I understand."

Xia De nodded, but didn't discuss this topic too deeply, instead asking:

"Apart from organizing opera watching, what other activities can there be?"

Seeing that Xia De was very interested, Priest Ao Gu Si explained with a smile:

"Psychological counseling, mutual aid groups, or organizing the making of small cookies in the church, which are sent by the church to slums or city welfare institutions. Oh, every six months, we will also organize gatherings for young believers whose family situations we know well, creating opportunities for them to get to know each other."

This could be considered a matchmaking activity, and the next generation of children born to believers who combined would likely also become senior believers.

Priest Ao Gu Si didn't invite Xia De to participate in this kind of activity. After all, the old man vaguely realized that Xia De's relationship with the two female sorcerers in the same group wasn't ordinary.

The two also talked about the situation of the 【Truth Society】 Ringed Shushi encountered at the end of the Hanged Man's Path last week. Priest Ao Gu Si handed him over to the church, and the church naturally conducted further interrogation, hoping to get more information about the 【Truth Society】.

Unfortunately, perhaps because Xia De's 【Chain of Sin】 pierced that soul twice, even though he relied on the ritual to resurrect, his own wisdom and thinking still had a certain degree of chaos.

After inspection, the church believed that his soul had appeared distorted, and attributed this to that terrible resurrection ritual. As for more news about the 【Truth Society】, it could only be interpreted from the private letters of the Ringed Shushi found later, but cracking those letters encrypted with ancient languages also took time.

An organization like the 【Truth Society】 wouldn't just send one person to Tobesk to act. The church believed that he must have companions still in this diocese.

"So, if your chain doesn't have to be used, don't use it casually."

The priest warned Xia De while taking out the key to open the door:

"Just seeing that chain, I can almost feel the sin. I believe you can control your power, but I worry that others won't believe you."

Stepping over the steps into the basement, because Priest Ao Gu Si often configured potions here, there was a very indescribable strange bitter smell in the air, and the temperature in the basement was much higher than on the ground, which might be due to the stove still emitting fire in the corner.

Priest Ao Gu Si had configured the 【Weak Angel Potion】 for Xia De, which was now placed on the test tube rack of the test bench. When he handed the glass test tube to Xia De, he also complained that further advanced potion courses required more precise chemical instruments, but the procurement of such instruments was a big trouble. Saint Byrons' asking price was too high, the Delarion National Precision Instrument Institute wasn't convenient to contact, and some mechanical colleges in the university district could be customized, but the cycle was very long.

【Weak Angel Potion】 was a transparent liquid that looked no different from water in appearance. But after contact, the sound in his ear immediately prompted Xia De that he felt 【Miracle】.

Xia De held the test tube and immediately felt the warm temperature. This feeling was about the same as holding a hot water bag with a suitable temperature in winter.

Although it wasn't the same type of item as the 【Sunlight Gun】 brooch made by Iluna, the elements and spirit contained in Priest Ao Gu Si's potion were almost more powerful than that brooch.

"To deal with demons with this, the most direct method is to pour it into the other party's mouth. But considering that books record that most evil spirits and demons aren't in human form, they might not have mouths or other orifices, so you can also sprinkle it on the other party's body."

The priest explained to Xia De while leaning on the table:

"I don't know what you are going to deal with, but one tube of this, even if it can't completely expel the other party, will definitely have a great impact on the other party."

"Is it useful to sprinkle this on weapons?"

Xia De asked curiously, pulled out the test tube stopper and sniffed it, smelling a not-too-strong grass scent. Fortunately, Mia was now addicted to "exploring" at home and didn't follow out, otherwise that cat would definitely extend its claws.

"Of course it's useful; it can provide a certain time limit of holy light damage for weapons. In addition, dripping the liquid on the eyelids, nose, and ears can let you detect the traces of those evil things that have invisibility abilities."

The priest thought for a moment:

"This kind of potion is very difficult to configure. In a short time, I can only provide you with these. If you can't deal with it yourself, remember to find me for help—oh, I mean, find me to find the church for help."

"Of course, Priest."

Xia De didn't say he had companions, and he said embarrassedly:

"Priest, the potion you provided is too precious. The help I gave you actually doesn't count for anything. In this way, what else do you need..."

"Don't say that. Our group itself should help each other, and you are doing this to fight against demons, which is righteous. If I take your reward, I would become a person who is blinded by greed."

Priest Ao Gu Si let Xia De not continue to speak, and Xia De could only hide this gratitude in his heart, thinking of repaying it when he had a chance in the future.

At the same time, he took out the mark that could expel demons copied from Mr. Riddle, wanting to let the priest see if he knew what it was.

He thought the priest needed to check the data, but he didn't expect him to frown. The priest not only recognized the holy emblem of the god, but even recognized this:

"Oh? Where did you see this mark? I think you shouldn't be proficient in basic heraldry. After this symbol is deformed, it is used in many blessing rituals."

"This is what I saw from... an ancient book recording methods to deal with demons. It says that this mark can expel demons. Priest, is this a brand left by a certain relic?"

"Yes, oh, Detective, I really didn't expect that I could see this from you."

Priest Ao Gu Si let Xia De sit down to talk:

"You also know that those evil spirits and demons are twisted and terrible things that survived from the ancient Third Era. Although the intelligent beings of that time feared them, with the mysticism system of that era, it wasn't that there was no way to fight them. So a group of people who aimed to hunt demons gathered together. The mark you saw is the seal they wore. In that era, this was a quite powerful alchemical item."

"Then did that group of people always pass down? For example, in the Fourth Era of dark turmoil, the Fifth Era of witches, the Sixth Era now, is there still this group of people? Do they have any organization?"

Xia De asked curiously.

"They disappeared completely at the end of the Third Era or the beginning of the Fourth Era for various reasons. The remaining metal seals transformed into relics later, which is what you are looking for. How many seals were left, I don't know, but I know this is a Keeper-level relic 【Demon-Hunting Seal】."

"Is it just Keeper-level?"

Xia De was a bit surprised.

"Because the only function of the seal is to give the object branded with the mark the power to fight against demons. Apart from fighting demons, it has no effect, and even its two negative characteristics are only related to demons. Once it is touched by a Ringed Shushi again after not being touched by a Ringed Shushi for a long time, it will directly attract demons, and holding this seal will also increase the probability of encountering demons."

The priest said.

"Then where are these seals now?"

"Don't know."

The priest shook his head:

"But there is a saying that when demons appear, these seals will also appear. This is the last gift left by the demon-hunting hunters of the Third Era to future generations."

"This is troublesome."

Xia De thought in his heart. Now, Ringed Shushi groups including the church and the academy are all looking for Dac Nisi's traces. At this time, no matter which channel Xia De finds the 【Demon-Hunting Seal】, it will be obtained by other organizations.

Unless the seal hits Xia De actively, Xia De couldn't think of any other possibility for him to get it.

"Oh, Xia De, about this potion, remember not to tell anyone that you got it from me."

Priest Ao Gu Si suddenly said again.

"Can't I tell Doctor Shi Nai De and the others?"

"Yes, you can't tell anyone."

The priest repeated it very seriously.

"No problem, anyway, there are many things with strange origins on me."

Xia De nodded, knowing in his heart that this kind of potion was definitely not simple.