Chapter 817

In the end, Xia De still accepted the 【Blasphemous Cross】, though he felt that Miss Swift had been looking at him with a strange expression ever since lunch.

After lunch, Xia De left the auction house and took a carriage alone to the Home for the Blind on Lufu Lane. Even though the weather had turned cold recently, Sister Daifulin, who was already waiting, was still dressed in her usual dark gray silk nun's habit.

According to the agreement the two had made last Wednesday, Sister Daifulin would take Xia De to the headquarters of the 【Spiritual Cultivation Sect】 today and inform him of more intelligence regarding the sect and the Primordial Fire.

After confirming that Xia De was free for the entire afternoon, the two boarded a carriage at the back door of the Home for the Blind and drove toward the outskirts of the city.

Even Grandmother Cassandra did not know exactly where the sect's residence was; she only knew it was somewhere between the southern Old Town of Midhill and the mountainous area. In the end, Sister Daifulin brought Xia De to the Snake Heart Hospital at the foot of Mount Xikar.

"Snake Heart Hospital" is a long-standing chain of hospitals in the Old Continent, very famous among commoners. It is particularly skilled in pediatrics and gynecology, and because of its semi-charitable profit model, it even became the card 【Charity Institution · Snake Heart Hospital】 in the Luo De Pai game. This card is currently in the hands of the owner of the 【Sin Mansion】.

Supernatural organizations all have their own ways of making a profit; after all, even supernatural beings cannot print gold pounds out of thin air. The 【Spiritual Cultivation Sect】 relies on operating hospitals of a similar nature and cooperating with universities to obtain profitable income and policy-based funding.

Although it sounds less lucrative than businesses like auction houses, it is more than enough to support a supernatural organization that is primarily focused on asceticism.

The Snake Heart Hospital in Midhill is located on the edge of the slums in the southern Old Town. The hospital is a three-story building that occupies most of the street. The building itself, like the gradually decaying Old Town, still has shadows of the glory of the old era, but it appears unremarkable compared to buildings in other parts of Midhill.

Although it covers a large area, because it is located in the Old Town and only treats a few types of patients, it is not well-known. Before this, Xia De did not even know that this hospital existed in Midhill.

"Sister, if your residence is here, how could Grandmother Cassandra not know?"

Xia De asked curiously as he stepped off the carriage while holding an umbrella. The Old Town in the rain looked even more decayed, as if a dirty oil painting had been splashed with water. The air smelled of damp earth, and there was almost no one on the streets.

The nun wearing the silver eye patch shook her head slightly. Guided by a nun who hurried out from the hospital to welcome them, she led Xia De up the steps, crossed two open wooden doors, and entered the hospital.

The gas lamps were somewhat dim, but they could barely illuminate the hospital corridor on the rainy, overcast day. There were wet marks on the floor, though it was unclear if it had just been mopped. Inside the hospital, local slum dwellers dressed in black or gray coarse cloth could be seen. While walking on the stairs, one could hear the crying of an infant, which heralded the arrival of a new life.

Therefore, although it looked a bit gloomy on a rainy day, there was no terrifying atmosphere here.

The structure of the hospital is quite interesting. To reach the eastern part of the first floor, one cannot go directly from the first floor; instead, one must go to the second floor, reach the eastern part from there, and then go back down the stairs.

Xia De observed the interior of the hospital as he walked, and only then did he realize that he seemed to have never been sick since coming to this world.

On the way, a small crimson bird flew in from somewhere and landed on Sister Daifulin's shoulder. A rare smile appeared on the exquisite face beneath the nun's eye patch. She greeted the bird, and then it flew out the window toward the distant Mount Xikar.

Xia De looked hesitantly at the gold on the underside of the crimson bird's wings and asked in a low voice:

"Could this be..."

"Yes, it has been reborn through nirvana and intends to stay by my side for the next hundred years. This is also a rebirth for it; it needs my fire to recover its strength as quickly as possible."

The final destination for the two was the basement of the Snake Heart Hospital, but the basement did not lead to a deeper passage underground. At the end of the basement, there was a small room hidden by an illusion. The room was about the same size as the master bedroom Xia De currently lived in. It was empty and had almost no furniture, but the floor and walls were covered in various styles of runes.

These are not the runes commonly used by supernatural beings of this era; they should belong to a supernatural system from a more ancient era.

In the center of the room was a high platform with three steps. On the platform, an iron frame displayed a huge oil painting. Even if Xia De's bed were stood upright, it would not be as huge as that oil painting.

The oil painting was framed by a huge square metal frame. The thickness of the metal frame exceeded Xia De's waist, and looking from one side, the width of the frame itself was about the size of Xia De's palm. The metal surface was uneven, as if worms had burrowed into the metal, leaving raised traces on the surface.

As for the content of the oil painting, it was an ancient sacrificial site built of gray stone at the peak of a mountain range. The background was mountains and clouds, and the background was very dark, which looked somewhat oppressive.

"I feel the power of space."

Xia De said, pausing to add:

"But this is not a relic."

"Yes, please follow me."

The nun stepped onto the platform, reached out to touch the surface of the oil painting, and then disappeared.

"Spatial movement? No, spatial movement in the material world is extremely dangerous. This is not spatial movement, but a spatial anomaly where two places have long been connected."

Xia De found the answer from the knowledge he had learned at Saint Byrons. He knew that this kind of solidified spatial passage was equivalent to a top-tier alchemical item and could no longer be replicated in the modern Sixth Era. It was not that alchemical craftsmanship had been lost, but that the space of the material world was vastly different from previous eras.

He followed, carefully touching the oil painting, feeling his body pass through a layer of transparent water film. Only then did he discover that he was standing at the entrance of the gray stone sacrificial site depicted in the oil painting. The sky was gloomy, but it was not raining. Looking outward, there was a steep, rugged stone mountain path leading downward. Only a small path artificially cleared could lead up, and Xia De was standing at the end of that path.

Compared to the oil painting, the sacrificial site before him was not very dilapidated. It was about the size of three or four Saint Theresa Squares, and one could tell at a glance that this was definitely not a building constructed in the Sixth Era.

This should be the peak of some high mountain. Looking further into the distance, one could see rolling mountains:

"Is this... the depths of the Rommel mountain range?"

Xia De could only estimate roughly. The Rommel mountain range is located in the middle-eastern part of the Old Continent, and Mount Xikar is only a part of the mountain range, but only on the northern periphery. The mountainous terrain in the mountains is extremely complex, and even in the steam age, civilization has not completely covered every corner of the mountains.

Or rather, even in the steam age, civilization has still not set foot in most areas of the mountains. If the Spiritual Cultivation Sect's residence were here, even if the Witch Council deliberately searched for it, they probably wouldn't find it.

"Yes, this is the depths of the Rommel mountain range, belonging to the territory of the Principality of Sete. If you walk here from Midhill, even if you know the way, it would take at least three days and three nights of travel without sleep. The sect's illusion hides the nearby roads, and the sect's nuns and monks generally do not enter or leave this place by walking. Currently, the most convenient way is through that painting. Besides that, we can also go to a few cities in the Old Continent, but it requires complex rituals to activate the passage left over from the previous era inside the sacrificial site. Therefore, it is fine to consider the sect's residence as Midhill."

Sister Daifulin said, leading Xia De into the ancient sacrificial site.

The 【Spiritual Cultivation Sect】 is a supernatural organization passed down from the Fourth Era, but the sect's predecessor was part of the ancient Death Sect, so the history of this sacrificial site is probably even older than the Fourth Era.

Although Xia De only saw one building, besides the sacrificial site, there were also towers, burial grounds, and abandoned ruins around it. The ruins were once the church of the Old God—the Ancient God of Death, but the church was completely destroyed in a great earthquake during the Fourth Era.

The main body of the sacrificial site is built with gray stone materials and is divided into three levels: upper, middle, and lower. The lower level is inside the mountain peak, so the entrance from the door leads to the middle level.

Although the sect is active in the civilized world, one-quarter of its members still reside here year-round for asceticism and study. Although it looks deserted, there are actually many people here.

Compared to the exterior, which looks like an ancient building, the interior of the sacrificial site is quite steam-age. The floor is covered with fairly flat floorboards, and the walls have been painted. There are even steam engines and gas storage tanks underground to supply the nuns and monks living here.

If Xia De had appeared inside the sacrificial site from the beginning, he would never have guessed how ancient the history here was.

"We also need to keep pace with the times."

Sister Daifulin, who was leading Xia De through the corridor, or rather the hallway, said:

"If you don't adapt to the times, you will only be eliminated by the world. Only by possessing this wisdom can one come from the past era to the present."

Xia De had already begun to imagine whether Saint Byrons, which was also very wise, was also in this state of combining "modernization" and "mysticism."

The Outsider was very curious about this place. Strictly speaking, this was the first gathering place of supernatural beings he had officially visited—Saint Byrons didn't count, as he only operated in the library and only saw bookshelves.

Sister Daifulin introduced the place to Xia De as they walked, and after leading Xia De around the corridor, a young nun immediately walked over.

The Spiritual Cultivation Sect does not have a very strict hierarchy, but generally, those with normal eyes are the most ordinary members, those who cover their eyes with linen are formal members, and those who have obtained silver eye patches are core members. Walking over at this time were two nuns who looked to be about the same age as Lei Qianya and had normal eyes.

They greeted Sister Daifulin in a low voice and then mentioned some matters that needed her attention.

Xia De had seen most of the high-level supernatural beings of the sect, especially the three high-level nuns who helped him open the road to the Narrow Gap that Wednesday night; they were acquaintances. No one expressed doubt about Xia De's appearance here; any decision made by Sister Daifulin would not be questioned.

The interior of the sacrificial site is divided into multiple areas, including plenty of accommodation and libraries. Most of the other areas are related to the sect's daily prayers, stargazing, moon worship, and supernatural research activities. Sister Daifulin led Xia De on a tour and even personally used a crystal ball to perform divination for Xia De, but she could only "see" a mass of white fog.

There are many ancient murals on the stone walls of the corridors throughout the sacrificial site. Because someone maintains them, they are still clear. Through those murals, Xia De roughly understood the origin and development of the 【Spiritual Cultivation Sect】. He even saw murals on the walls depicting the Great War of Mount Xikar, which also belongs to the content worth recording in the process of the sect's development.

What connects the upper, middle, and lower levels of the sacrificial site is not stairs, but a huge stone elevator powered by steam. After stepping on the elevator, it runs automatically, and the hinges make a clattering sound, which made Xia De very worried about the safety of this kind of elevator.

Their destination was the library on the lower level of the sacrificial site, where the murals nearby depicted the origin of the sect. Xia De saw the symbol representing the "Primordial Fire" among them, which meant that the fire had been passed down in the sect for a long time.

"It is said that in the early Fifth Era, the scale of the fire in my hand could cover the entire sacrificial site."

The nun said, then invited Xia De to follow her to the deeper part of the sacrificial site.

Only one corridor can enter there, which is also the true sacrificial site:

"Yes, this sacrificial site was originally used to sacrifice to the Primordial Fire. But that was a matter of the ancient era. At that time, people not only believed in gods but also worshipped all things."

There was no door at the end of the corridor, and there were no lights inside. The nun stood there holding the fire in her hand. As the fire flowed into the pitch-black space at the end, the firelight was lit bit by bit.

It was a circular, true sacrificial site. The corridor was connected to the bottom, and there was nothing in the center except for an old fire basin. All around were layers of stairs spreading upward, indicating that this was a space in the belly of the mountain. In terms of style, this place was extremely similar to the 【Witch Council】, only there was no round table in the center.

Xia De told Sister Daifulin his thoughts, and the nun nodded slightly:

"Yes, last weekend I accepted an invitation and officially entered the Witch Council. That place is indeed similar to this one. Such architectural styles should have been popular in the ancient era."

The firelight rushed into the central fire basin, and the vigorous flames jumped in the basin. The fuel that ignited the Primordial Fire was some golden-colored bones. A long sword with its blade wrapped in gray stone was also inserted into the fire basin. That was the Angel-level relic 【Ash】, which was a weapon often used by Sister Daifulin:

"Every generation of nuns who inherit the fire guesses that the weakness of the Primordial Fire represents the decline of civilization and the world. Although the strength of this fire is not the key factor affecting the strength of civilization and the world, we believe that finding more fire seeds and firewood can delay the arrival of the end of the world."

The nun walked to the jumping flames, clasped her hands together in front of her, and lowered her head slightly as if observing the flames. The firelight jumped on her exquisite silver eye patch, reflecting her fair face in a fiery red.

Xia De also followed closely:

"Besides the weakness of the Primordial Fire, does the Spiritual Cultivation Sect possess other evidence that the world is coming to an end?"

"There is none. But one must always do something."

The nun said softly, bending down to pick up the kerosene lamp obtained from the 【Sin Mansion】 that could hold any fire seed from beside the fire basin:

"Relying solely on our own strength to search for fire seeds and firewood, the speed is not ideal, but supernatural beings who can bear the power of the Primordial Fire are really hard to find. Only after bathing in the power of fire can one know which fire seeds are suitable and which items are enough to serve as firewood. Mr. Hamilton, the flame of the Primordial Fire is still in my hand, and I hope you can help me collect fire seeds."

The kerosene lamp was handed to Xia De.

"Bring it to me. Searching for firewood..."

Pausing to add:

"It is more efficient to burn it with the fire in my hand. Those ancient and powerful souls are the best fuel."

"I can help with these favors."

Xia De nodded:

"But regarding the end of the world, I hope to get more information."

Even Sister Daifulin could not be sure whether this would really happen or at what point in time it would happen, so Xia De expressed skepticism:

"We are the most unbreakable allies, especially on the issue of the Chosen One. Therefore, I hope you can find a way recently to communicate with my friend Luweiya Anate using a projection ritual or something similar. Actually, she knows the most about the Chosen One, and I am just the executor."

"No problem. Please bring this fire back, throw it into the fireplace or fire basin, and we can meet in the fire."

The nun pointed to the portable kerosene lamp, and the fire at her fingertips lit the wick.

"Ten o'clock tonight."

Xia De scheduled the time and looked at the flames in front of them, asking:

"Also, you have invited me here many times; it shouldn't just be for me to see the history of the sect and the situation of the Primordial Fire, right?"

"Grandmother Cassandra said that you know many ancient characters."

Xia De nodded; this was probably mentioned by Miss Miss Jia Lin Na and the old witch:

"Yes, you want me to help interpret the characters? No problem."

"The Primordial Fire was once split into many parts, and the sect has been committed to re-aggregating those split flames. We once found a stone tablet recording the situation when the Primordial Fire split, but the characters on it are very ancient."

The nun said, leading Xia De closer to the bottom of the rows of stairs leading upward. The passage in the darkness led from here to the bottom of the stairs, which was the space used by the sect to store valuables.

Passing through the doorway, a giant stone tablet was erected in the darkness. It was about as tall as two Xia Des stacked together. Xia De lifted the kerosene lamp in his hand and found that the upper left corner of the stone tablet was missing, as if it had been smashed by external force. There were many traces of sharp weapons on the surface, but fortunately, the letters were still clear.

After looking at it carefully, he asked Sister Daifulin, who was waiting behind him, suspiciously:

"Are you sure this is really a stone tablet recording the splitting of the Primordial Fire?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"If I am not mistaken, what is recorded on it is clearly an ancient fairy tale."