I, the wizard, the foolish Buddha

One by one, the saints laid down their scepters, loosened their belts, and walked naked out of the ranks, slowly entering the water in prayer.

The Saint Kings unbound their royal swords, took off their armor, and handed it to the knights beside them, before leaping towards the water.

They came into this world naked, and when they left, they would take nothing with them—except their faith.

It was as if they were not going to their deaths, but to receive baptism.

— "No! No! There's no need! You don't need to sacrifice yourselves!"

Aureli cried out loudly, but her voice was drowned out by the singing and prayers of the crowd, drowned out by this sacred ritual of martyrdom.

Watching those who, in their fanaticism, called out the names of the gods as they went to their deaths, the faces of the Knight Commander and other leaders turned pale.

They covered their faces and hid in the crowd. But they found that many people had taken off their clothes! They stood out very conspicuously in the crowd.

The Knight Commander couldn't help but mutter in a low voice, "Madmen, truly madmen! It would have been enough for a portion of them to come forward, but this group is all jumping into the water!"

— "This is the church now."

An old voice sounded beside the Knight Commander. The Knight Commander turned his head in astonishment, finding that he had unknowingly hidden beside Halend.

Because he was wearing clothes!

Halend said, "The church now is no different from a cult. And the gods in the sky are all evil gods."

If it had been in the past, the Knight Commander would have publicly reprimanded him and then arrested this apostate.

But this was in private, not in public.

After all, Halend's words resonated with the Knight Commander's own thoughts.

Ever since witnessing everything that had happened at the Marlode Ranch, the Knight Commander had understood what kind of virtue his church possessed.

The person who built the ranch was a madman, and the sheep in the ranch were all madmen!

They were subjected to such torment, yet they could show such devout smiles before their deaths.

Their brains had been broken by countless divine graces, divine punishments, and sermons!

Of course, in the words of the church, this was not broken, this was piety, this was loyalty!

The sheep in the ranch were the most devout believers.

The saints and Saint Kings of the church were also the most devout believers, the most loyal followers.

The more powerful they were, the more devout and the more insane they became.

The matter before him was indeed beyond the Knight Commander's expectations, but he was not surprised.

He could understand what these guys were thinking. For these most devout people, they lived to dedicate themselves to the gods. Today's martyrdom was what they had been pursuing all their lives.

As long as they were given a reason, they would dedicate themselves without hesitation, just like now.

At this moment, the missing number of people was already sufficient, but the believers were still praying loudly, constantly walking into the lake.

The Knight Commander watched and secretly complained incessantly. He couldn't help but look at the old priest beside him, wanting to complain a few words, but found that the old fool was taking off his clothes!

The Knight Commander's eyes went dark.

Why was this old madman also going crazy? Wasn't he from the Old Church?!

He couldn't help but ask, "Your Excellency Halend, are you also going to sacrifice yourself? Are you from the New Church or the Old Church?"

Halend said, "What does it matter whether it's the New Church or the Old Church? Everyone just wants to welcome a savior god. As long as it's a savior god, anyone will do."

After a pause, he turned to the Knight Commander and smiled, "I have already betrayed my former faith, and my body is already unbearably filthy. I will leave this bathing robe to cover my shame."

With that, the old priest came to the edge of the dock and looked at the sky.

Aureli in the sky was staring blankly at what was happening below. At this moment, she felt her grandfather's gaze and looked at him.

She was shocked to find that her grandfather had also taken off his clothes.

"Old priest, what are you doing?! Which side are you on?! I...I don't want Grandpa to die..."

Halend did not answer. He said, "Children, stop. You can't win with just you. This is the Well of Faith. The faith of many people all over the world is gathered here.

After the Saint Kings entered the water, these faiths listened to their calls and gathered in their bodies, turning them into remarkable sacrifices.

537 Philosopher's Stones are indeed a lot... It can win against these Saint Kings and Saints, but how can it win against the millions of people behind them?

This is the wish of people all over the world, this is the trend of the times."

Aureli said, "What are you talking about? I didn't drop..."

Just then, Aureli suddenly realized that she had been throwing Philosopher's Stones into the water all along!

One believer jumped in, and she threw one, they jumped in and she threw one!

But she didn't even know what she had done!

— It turned out that Aureli had been using the Philosopher's Stone to prevent the channel from being repaired!

Every time a believer jumped into the water, she ordered Darak to move and repair the channel.

At the same time, she would throw out a Philosopher's Stone, ordering Darak to destroy the channel!

So, so many people had been sacrificed, but the well still hadn't changed!

The believers hadn't gone crazy either!

After the missing people jumped into the water, the believers found that the well still hadn't shown any changes.

So many people had dedicated themselves, and the goddess in the sky had been pouring Philosopher's Stones into the water. There were enough sacrifices, but Darak hadn't moved!

Even more bizarre, once the believers stopped sacrificing, the mirror-like lake would slowly crack—it seemed that Darak was destroying the channel.

But once the believers started sacrificing, those cracks would be repaired again.

The believers began an urgent discussion.

Aureli had been going crazy, and she hadn't paid any attention to the discussion below.

Because the believers suspected that the goddess was not right, they did not discuss with her, but secretly held this meeting.

Everyone sorted out the whole matter, and soon discovered the oddity.

When Aureli and the false god who impersonated Karl went to the center of the lake for sacrifice, the same thing happened.

So, it was clear that the false god must have done something!

Moreover, something was wrong with the things on Aureli's body, and something was wrong with her divine wings!

People suspected that Aureli had been controlled by the false god—no, to be precise, they should have merged into one.

But Her willpower was particularly strong, so after the false god merged with Her, the false god did not occupy the dominant position.

Therefore, Darak should have been receiving two orders all along!

Someone analyzed from many previous events that this false god was a mad god who could not distinguish who he was. He used thought anchors to do things—the Philosopher's Stone represented destroying the channel, and believers represented repairing the channel!

Therefore, as long as everyone continued to sacrifice themselves, they could repair the channel!

The believers knew that they could not defeat the gods, and besides, the false god and Aureli were now one, and she was like a hostage held in the false god's arms. Harming the false god would also harm the goddess.

Therefore, they did not launch an attack on Aureli. Instead, they continued to dedicate themselves.

Things proceeded as everyone had anticipated. Once the sacrifices ceased, allowing Olly to sacrifice the Philosopher's Stone, the working-god Darak would mechanically execute its orders and begin causing destruction.

But as soon as the believers started sacrificing again, the working-god would mechanically execute its orders and begin repairing the passage.

Believers leaped into the water one after another, relentlessly.

However, the number of Philosopher's Stones in the god's possession far exceeded their expectations.

People suddenly realized that they simply could not defeat the god!

Just as everyone was despairing, a saint mentioned the Well of Faith. A few minutes prior, he had said, "Arthur, I still remember the 'Storm Child' wreaking havoc in Saint Los back then.

It destroyed a city in an instant during your battle, as powerful as a god. It was an existence that mortals simply could not contend with.

Yet, you ultimately led the people to victory against it.

You always said it was because of the gods' grace that made you so powerful. But in reality, that was not the case."

Arthur suddenly understood, realizing what the saint was trying to convey. He replied at the time, "John, are you suggesting that I once again steal and utilize the power of faith?

I do know how to utilize this power. Every Holy King can summon their own people,凝聚 the power of their beliefs.

But my people are not here. This is not my kingdom either."

Saint John said at the time, "But this is the Well of Faith! Just a few hours ago, your kingdom's lost sacred artifact was retrieved from the well—this Well of Faith connects to every corner of this world!

Anything can reach here through the underground world beneath the well!

Darak is hidden in the underground world beneath the well.

Goddess Olly has already opened a door that can touch Darak, as if opening a passage to the underground world!"

Everyone suddenly understood at that time. But one Holy King raised an objection: "With our level of power, there are indeed some opportunities to splash around in the ocean of the underground world for a while.

Given enough time, the Holy Kings can summon their own people using this method.

But this matter isn't that simple; it's extremely complex!

And as you've seen, those who jumped in are gone. Can we accomplish it in such a short time? Even if we successfully communicate with our people, we won't even be able to explain the situation clearly!"

The saints said, "We are not alone!"

The saints broke down the entire complex process into many small steps. The person in front was responsible for the first step, the person behind was responsible for the second step... Everyone sacrificed themselves one after another, relentlessly!

The Holy Kings entered the water bearing the name of every Holy King. They were not summoning their own people, but the people of all the Holy Kings throughout the world!

Thus, people began to pray.

At that moment, all the Holy Kings were like one person, calling upon the people of everyone and凝聚 the faith of everyone!

—The above is what just happened. Old Divine Stick Harland witnessed everything, so he said to 'Rokena Ole,' you cannot win.

The old divine stick transmitted this memory that he had witnessed to Olly—that is, into 'Rokena Ole's' mind. Rokena Ole digested this information, and her expression changed for a long time.

Harland suddenly said, "Children, why do you think people are so willing to dedicate everything they have to welcome the gods?"

Rokena Ole naively said, "Of course, it's to hope that the gods will save everyone! To hope to make this world a better place."

Suddenly, she sneered, "No, silly girl. Gods will not come to make this world a better place. The so-called savior gods are just wishful thinking of people."

After a pause, Rokena Ole suddenly changed into a calm face. 'He' looked at the people below and said, "I heard it... Everyone does think so."

In the next second, Rokena Ole showed a silly expression again and said, "Although I don't know what you are discussing, I seem to have a bad feeling..."

Suddenly, Roland and Catherine's hearts skipped a beat.

Long, long ago, when Roland faced the choice between the Path of Faith and the Path of Truth, he learned from the wizards about a drawback of the Path of Faith.

That is, it would be bound by faith.

Many people, after embarking on the path of faith, would even slowly lose themselves and become the gods that people expected.

A necromancer who embarks on the path of faith, if there are many elven believers, may possess vibrant divine power after receiving enough faith and be able to create forest guardian spirits.

A kind god, if he receives many distorted and polluted faiths, may turn into an evil god.

Later, the two sisters of the Old Church told Roland one thing—the Old Church doesn't care whether anyone believes in the Foolish God, because the Foolish God can be anyone.

So, as long as the believers' faith meets a few conditions, then even if they think they believe in the gods, and even call the names of the gods when praying, then in the eyes of the Old Church, they are also Old Church members!

After Roland met 'Faki,' that is, Catherine, the two inferred one thing during their communication—the Old Church was going to do something big. It might use the power of faith to twist the Sea God into the Foolish God!

At this moment, Roland and Catherine couldn't help but recall several stories in the old scriptures that they had seen together in Roland's study.

It was called "The Ant Empire and the Drought."

In that story, an evil god like the creator god was about to descend on that world.

His name was 'The Holy Spore Angel.'

That was a high-magic plane where gods were everywhere. The queen of the human holy city could even stand on the surface and bombard the moon!

Even the gods were afraid of her power.

But in front of the Holy Angel, the queen and her empire were an ant nest, the gods were birds and beasts. And the Holy Angel was the drought, the natural disaster, the sun!

Once He descended, no one could deal with Him. Unless the entire world was destroyed together.

However, a mortal who didn't even understand magic tricked everyone by using the opportunity of the Holy Angel's reshaping himself when he descended, making them believe that what was descending was not an evil god, but a righteous Valkyrie!

Thus, the evil god, in the process of reshaping himself, had his cognition twisted by countless beliefs and became a righteous Valkyrie.

Now, everyone has come to this Well of Faith, trying to summon the gods to descend.

Whether the passage is repaired concerns the interests of everyone. This matter can be said to determine the future of the Old Church, the New Church, and the wizards.

But the old divine stick has been quietly waiting for something, without any action.

Now, those Holy Kings are using the Well of Faith to gather the faith of the kingdoms in the south here.

The old divine stick is moving.

Roland and Catherine don't know what kind of plan the Old Church has prepared, nor do they know what the old divine stick is going to do.

However, he and Catherine both have a very bad feeling!