Chapter 17: Face Your Desires
Su Cheng: “……”
Su Cheng: “I told you not to pull me.”
Her head was still spinning. She’d refused his help because she honestly doubted she could stand steadily even if she got up.
Xiao Yun glanced down at her hand, then at the butterfly tattoo across his chest. His expression turned oddly complicated, somewhere between irritation and speechlessness.
Then he suddenly raised an arm.
Su Cheng immediately ducked and stumbled backward.
Xiao Yun: “?”
Xiao Yun: “What are you doing?”
By then, Su Cheng had already crouched down on the floor. “Sorry. I thought you were about to slap me. Also, I’m still a little dizzy.”
Xiao Yun: “……”
A faint laugh escaped him. “If I wanted to hit you, I wouldn’t need my hands. Anyway, if you’re fine, get up and sign the confidentiality agreement.”
As he spoke, he tossed her a rolled parchment scroll.
Su Cheng rested another half minute before the dizziness finally faded. She stood, carefully read the contract twice over, confirmed there were no traps hidden inside, then pricked her finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the signature line.
The contents were simple enough: she was forbidden from disclosing any details of the examination.
“These scrolls have all been blessed by followers of the God of Contracts,” the red-haired man said evenly. “Once you sign your name, the restriction takes effect. You cannot violate the terms written above, otherwise…”
His gaze settled on her.
“You should understand the consequences.”
“…Not really,” Su Cheng admitted while signing the parchment. “But I wasn’t planning to tell anyone anyway. So next comes the duel?”
Xiao Yun accepted the scroll and answered in a businesslike tone, “Welcome to the Institute of Secrets. The duel has been canceled, because your opponent is already dead.”
Su Cheng deliberately widened her eyes in shock.
“His attendants couldn’t determine the cause of death,” Xiao Yun continued. “So they came to question us. But according to academy rules, nothing that happens here is ever disclosed to outsiders. So you can relax.”
Su Cheng pinched the edge of the parchment. “Relax? Relax about what?”
Xiao Yun looked at her for a moment, then answered with something entirely different.
“A count’s son has died. His mother will investigate sooner or later. Even if she can’t get information from us, she’ll find other methods.”
Once they left the testing room, the mages in the lounge outside all turned toward her with approving looks.
Su Cheng guessed they must have had some method of observing the examination from outside.
She was just about to speak when she spotted a familiar figure shoving excitedly through the crowd.
Su Cheng blinked. “…Uncle?”
Lin Zhen had apparently arrived at some point without her noticing. He’d even changed into formal attire, looking as though he were on his way to a banquet.
Su Cheng looked bewildered. “I thought they didn’t allow family members inside…”
“That’s normally true,” said the archmage who had guided her earlier. “But your circumstances are… special.”
“Chengcheng!” Lin Zhen hurried over and grabbed her hand. “Congratulations on getting accepted! I knew you’d pass. But now you need to go to the temple.”
“The temple? The Church’s temple?”
“Yes!” Lin Zhen nodded repeatedly. “A priest came looking for me just now and said the Archbishop wants to meet you.”
Su Cheng: “?”
Ordinarily, a standard diocese made up of a medium or small city and its surrounding towns would be overseen by a bishop appointed by the Church.
But Amber City was the largest city in the Empire’s southern territories and held enormous strategic importance.
As a result, the entire greater diocese centered around the city, including its satellite towns, fell under the authority of an Archbishop.
Archbishops supervised the bishops beneath them and answered directly to the College of Cardinals in the Holy City. They were unquestionably among the Church’s highest-ranking clergy.
Above them were only the Cardinals themselves, figures powerful enough to crown kings.
There were only twelve Cardinals in the entire Church, all residing permanently within the Holy City. The Pope was usually chosen from among them.
Which made the Archbishop of Amber City unimaginably influential. In some ways, his authority surpassed even that of nobles officially invested by the kingdom.
The more Lin Zhen thought about it, the more excited he became.
As a merchant guild member, he interacted with Church officials often enough and sent lavish gifts every holiday. But the highest-ranking clergy he’d ever managed to contact were only middle-tier priests. Someone at the Archbishop’s level had always been far beyond his reach.
But now his niece had become a god-blessed.
Everything was different.
As for how the Church learned the news…
There were countless powerful people within the temple. Detecting divine aura wasn’t surprising, especially when both the God of Law and the God of Contracts belonged to the Radiant Gods faction.
The Church was, after all, an organization devoted to the God of Light.
At the end of the day, they were all on the same side.
Silence settled across the lounge.
The mages of Cross Star Academy all wore different expressions as they studied this unusually extraordinary new student.
The academy’s admission standards were notoriously brutal. Every student here could already be called a peerless genius.
But this one seemed exceptional even among them.
The mages exchanged glances.
They were all familiar with Amber City.
And they all knew exactly who that Archbishop was.
Su Cheng still wanted to ask questions, but Lin Zhen had already dragged her away. The two of them exited the guild hall and boarded a waiting carriage outside.
Soon, the carriage left the noisy crowds behind and entered the quiet upper district, climbing steadily along a broad avenue paved in white stone.
Holy knights appeared on both sides of the road, along with worshippers heading toward the temple on foot for pilgrimage.
Su Cheng leaned against the carriage window and stared outside.
The temple complex was enormous.
Its palace-like structures stretched endlessly, pale marble gleaming beneath magnificent domes and archways threaded with gold. Elevated bridges crossed high overhead like woven ribbons in the sky.
Clergy moved back and forth beneath the towering central spire, its peak fading into mist.
When the carriage finally arrived at the square before the temple, worshippers filled the plaza. Bathed in brilliant sunlight, they knelt reverently in prayer.
“Uncle,” Su Cheng asked quietly, turning toward Lin Zhen, “did they say why they wanted me?”
Lin Zhen shook his head. “Probably because they discovered you’re god-blessed. But that’s just my guess, so don’t panic. Right, I think I once heard someone mention that the Archbishop himself is also god-blessed. Though I don’t know if it’s true, or which deity chose him…”
God-blessed individuals were indeed more common within the Church.
Relatively speaking, anyway.
The group itself was still vanishingly rare.
After Su Cheng stepped out of the carriage, several holy knights approached immediately to confirm her identity before escorting her into the temple.
A long staircase stretched from the square toward the grand worship hall, carved entirely from flawless white jade. The steps were packed with people.
Many worshippers bowed once with every single step they climbed, endlessly repeating the motion while murmuring prayers under their breath, fervor blazing across their faces.
This road was called the Pilgrimage Path.
Rows of jade statues lined both sides, their towering forms supporting the vaulted corridor overhead. Across the ceiling spread murals of ancient battlefields.
As Su Cheng walked among the worshippers, she slowed unconsciously, lifting her head to examine the sculptures.
Each statue wore different garments, yet every single one radiated overwhelming majesty. Merely standing before them made a person feel small.
The craftsmanship was breathtaking.
Every strand of hair, every contour of muscle, every line of the face had been sculpted in exquisite detail.
The statues perfectly recreated the flawless beauty and almost artistic physiques of the gods themselves.
Su Cheng glanced toward the bases of the sculptures but found no identifying plaques.
The holy knights waiting beside her didn’t urge her onward. Seeing her confusion, they immediately realized she clearly wasn’t a believer and had likely never visited before.
“These are the Seven Gods of Glory,” one holy knight explained softly.
Realization dawned on Su Cheng.
The Seven Gods of Glory were subordinate gods beneath the God of Light. His greatest champions.
All of them had once been warriors in the ancient wars.
Because of their extraordinary achievements, unwavering faith, and immense strength, the God of Light had chosen them, granting them divinity and elevating them into the divine realm.
“…The God of Labor.”
The holy knight lowered his head respectfully as he introduced the nearest statue.
Among the subordinate gods, this one was dressed the most plainly.
She wore a crown woven from fern leaves. Her expression was gentle yet resolute, braided hair pinned high behind her head. Her simple garments exposed strong, defined arms free of adornment.
One hand held a saw blade, blacksmith tongs, and a spindle. In the other rested a short-handled sickle.
Su Cheng nodded thoughtfully and continued forward.
The holy knight introduced each statue in turn.
“…The God of Courage.”
This statue was clad head to toe in armor, the ornate engravings impossibly intricate. Half the face was hidden beneath a visor. Lion-headed decorations adorned the shoulders, while powerful muscles bulged beneath exposed sections of armguard.
One sword pointed downward.
The other thrust toward the horizon as though challenging an enemy.
“…The God of Mercy.”
This figure’s eyes were lowered sorrowfully beneath a thorned crown. Long hair cascaded like a waterfall over broad shoulders. A single-shouldered robe exposed half a powerful chest.
One hand was raised, palm upward.
The other rested lightly atop a scripture engraved with wheat stalks and medicinal herbs.
The face was graceful and beautiful, filled with mournful compassion.
The holy knight paused.
“…And this is the God of Purity.”
Su Cheng instantly perked up.
The God of Purity had appeared fairly early in the novel.
Lin Yun once infiltrated a Church temple to steal an important artifact, only to get lost and accidentally wander into a sanctuary containing the deity’s statue.
The God of Purity represented immaculate souls, flawless faith, unwavering conviction, and incorruptible truth.
According to the novel, she protected all devout believers. Her human form was described as holy and breathtakingly beautiful, yet cold with untouchable arrogance.
Lin Yun had been completely dazzled by the statue.
Then he proceeded to say a bunch of filthy things and grope it all over.
The God of Purity became enraged.
At first she merely sent followers to kill him, severely injuring the protagonist. Later, she personally intervened.
Judging by spoilers, she killed the male lead several times afterward. Lin Yun only survived thanks to protagonist plot armor.
The comments section had been split down the middle over her.
One half wanted her dead immediately.
The other half screamed for the protagonist to “defile” her divine purity already.
The author, meanwhile, shamelessly dragged things out for millions of words without ever delivering.
“Wait,” Su Cheng said, blinking in confusion as she looked around. “Which one did you say was the God of Purity?”
The holy knight looked puzzled. “The one directly in front of you.”
Su Cheng: “?”
She slowly lifted her head.
The statue towered overhead like a mountain.
Thick curls were bound high, cascading downward in heavy waves. Beneath the shadow of a prominent brow ridge lay eyes deep as an abyss, framed by layered lashes.
From forehead to nose bridge, cheekbones to jawline, every feature was devastatingly beautiful.
The entire face radiated soul-stealing perfection.
He wore an elaborate half-armored robe with a high standing collar concealing most of his neck, exposing only a narrow strip of skin at the throat.
Intricate gauntlets covered his arms from fingertips to elbows. Even beneath the armor-lined sleeves, the muscular outline of his upper arms was unmistakable.
The robe clung tightly to his powerful physique. Every button was fastened to the top, creating an almost absurd sense of restraint and abstinence.
The carved belt accentuated a lean waist, while armored boots wrapped around long, sturdy legs.
Compared to the other gods, many of whom openly bared chests, arms, or thighs, this one was covered so thoroughly he looked almost severe.
The statue’s expression was solemn and calm.
Both hands were slightly outstretched before him, as though offering an embrace… or perhaps reaching down to stroke a believer’s hair.
Su Cheng: “……”
Silently, she stared at the statue’s Adam’s apple.
Then her gaze drifted lower.
Even with all those layers covering him, the sculptors had rendered every line of that powerful body with terrifying precision.
Broad shoulders.
A full chest straining beneath fabric.
Honestly…
He really did look extremely touchable.
The thought crossed her mind before she suddenly froze.
Wait.
Something felt wrong.
She tilted her head and stepped sideways. “…Were the statue’s eyes always looking this way?”
As she turned toward the holy knights beside her, she realized every single one of them looked horrified.
The surrounding worshippers had all gone completely still too, staring upward like petrified statues themselves.
The statue’s eyes suddenly ignited.
Su Cheng: “?!”
Lin Yun ruined my life!
White flames blazed within the statue’s deep-set eyes.
The fire burned pure and immaculate, writhing like living eyeballs turning within their sockets.
The entire sculpture seemed to come alive.
An invisible pressure spread outward like a tidal wave crashing through the vast corridor of stairs.
Chaos erupted instantly.
Some worshippers stumbled backward in terror.
Others collapsed onto the steps.
Still more dropped to their knees on the spot, babbling incoherent prayers.
Nearby clergy and holy knights alike froze in stunned disbelief.
“?!”
Su Cheng staggered backward in horror and nearly tripped down the stairs before a holy knight caught her.
The statue had actually turned.
It was looking at them now.
Yet it was still only stone.
No muscles. No nerves. No expression.
It merely watched them silently.
And somehow, despite that, Su Cheng could still sense something frighteningly close to anger in that cold, handsome face.
Maybe not just anger.
It looked like it wanted to smash her into pieces.
“Wait! I didn’t do anything!”
Su Cheng felt genuinely wronged.
After all, she hadn’t acted on those thoughts.
She didn’t even want to!
Amid the uproar, the flames in the statue’s eyes finally extinguished. It slowly returned to its original forward-facing posture.
All around them, worshippers continued kowtowing frantically, many already crying with excitement as their foreheads slammed repeatedly against the jade steps.
Su Cheng took several deep breaths before finally calming down.
Nothing that had happened today made any sense anymore.
She turned toward the holy knight supporting her. “Are all statues of the God of Purity… male?”
The holy knight gave her an indescribably complicated look.
There was even a trace of disgust in his eyes.
Su Cheng: “?”
Did you misunderstand something?!
The holy knight sighed. “Yes. As far as I know, every statue in the Church depicts him in male form.”
“And…” she added carefully, “…what happened just now was probably a warning. Miss, you cannot harbor blasphemous thoughts before a divine statue.”
Su Cheng frowned.
Blasphemous?
So just thinking about touching the statue had been enough for the god to notice?
No.
Lin Yun had actually groped the thing. She hadn’t done anything at all.
And if gods could casually read her thoughts, wouldn’t they have already discovered the whole transmigration business?
At that point, punishing her disrespect should be the least of their concerns.
Unless…
They could only perceive certain thoughts?
Perhaps anything related to Lin Yun was somehow automatically blocked?
“…Do these statues contain some kind of magic?” Su Cheng asked slowly while edging farther away from the sculpture. “Like, if someone nearby starts having weird thoughts, the statue reacts?”
The holy knight’s face went completely expressionless.
“So you’re still having weird thoughts?”
Another holy knight hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. “The statues within the temple are naturally no ordinary objects…”
Otherwise, what if heretics snuck in and tried to destroy them?
Some heretics were extremely powerful. If the statues were nothing but ordinary stone, they’d be smashed apart instantly. The Church’s authority would become a joke.
The second knight coughed awkwardly and skipped over that implication.
“…Anyone harboring malicious intent or genuine blasphemy would likely trigger the wards before they even acted.”
Su Cheng understood immediately.
The explanation had been deliberately vague to avoid making the Church sound incompetent.
The knight hesitated, then added, “Of course, there’s another possibility. If someone catches a god’s favor, the statue may react as well.”
Su Cheng stared at her in absolute shock.
What did that mean?!
She carried an eighteen-plus curse and had literally exchanged blood with a succubus yesterday.
Out of every possible person in existence, there was no way the God of Purity would choose her as a favored one!
The first holy knight glanced skyward. “I still think she just had weird thoughts. Did you see the way she was looking at the statue?”
The second knight elbowed her sharply. “At least let the girl keep some dignity.”
Su Cheng’s eye twitched. “I’m standing right here.”
The first knight shot her a flat look. “And I wish you weren’t.”
Su Cheng: “……”
The two talking knights were both squad captains. Around them, several subordinates were visibly trying not to laugh, especially the younger ones coughing into their fists to hide their grins.
Su Cheng opened her mouth, feeling utterly unable to defend herself. “I mean… can’t someone admire something aesthetically in private? Because he really did look—”
She cut herself off abruptly, suddenly remembering something, and hurriedly glanced back toward the statue again.
The holy knights all immediately lowered their eyes. Some even retreated a few steps.
Others stared at her with outright condemnation.
“If you weren’t a guest invited by the Archbishop,” one knight growled while gripping the hammer at her waist, “I would’ve already—”
“Right!” Su Cheng interrupted instantly. “I still have to meet your Archbishop. Better not waste any more time.”
She coughed awkwardly, then bolted up the stairs three at a time at the fastest speed a normal mage could manage, looking genuinely afraid the statue might come alive and chase her down.
The holy knights watched her fleeing back in collective silence.
