Chapter 714: Section 501: Individual Breakthroughs
White Hair Sea Trench.
Ocean Nest.
Within the Deep Sea Monster Fish.
“My name is Duo Yu, and I am a fisherman.”
“From childhood to adulthood, I have always worshipped Goddess Mei Lan and am a monk of my lord.”
“During a maritime disaster, I was captured by an evil Undead Mage and became his experimental subject; ultimately, he transformed me with his wicked spells into an undead!”
“Although I can no longer be considered alive, I still long to return home; my spouse must be eagerly awaiting my return. My son, my daughter-in-law, and my newly born eldest grandson…”
“My lord, please be merciful and save me.”
Cang Xu knelt halfway on the floor, praying devoutly.
“My lord, the great Goddess Mei Lan!”
“You are a powerful Sea God, possessing endless wisdom and strength.”
“I beseech you to save me, have mercy on me, help me lift the seal upon me, so that I may regain my freedom and return to safety.”
“As your lamb, I deeply feel Your love and grace and believe You will guide and empower me to stand up and bravely face all the challenges in my fate.”
“I shall serve You for my entire life, even though I have become an undying monster; it does not hinder my loyal faith in You!”
Cang Xu prayed over and over again.
After several prayers, a surge of Divine Power descended out of nowhere, entering his body, with most of it lingering within him, bringing vast knowledge and precious information.
“I’ve been promoted to a missionary.”
“These are Divine Arts…”
A vast number of Divine Arts!
Missionary Mark, Soul Link, Preaching with Spirit, Spiritual Navigation, Synchronized Conversion, as well as Concurrent Deception Skill.
“My lord… Thank you for Your blessing and help!” Cang Xu was immensely grateful; had he not been an Undead Life, he most certainly would have shed tears of joy.
However, when he touched the metal door, the Memory Switching Technique was triggered.
A great wave of real memories that had been hidden surged into his mind. The clashing memories, with numerous contradictions, left Cang Xu dumbfounded in place, suffering agonizing torment and falling into deep self-doubt.
At this time, the Subconscious Reminder Skill also took effect. It allowed Cang Xu to quickly discern which memories were his real ones.
The confused expression gradually faded from Cang Xu’s face.
Soon, his eyes regained their clarity and calmness.
“It was successful, this blasphemy prayer has succeeded once again.”
The joy soon dissipated, and Cang Xu began to dispassionately analyze the results of this instance.
He had deliberately structured the prayer similarly to the first time, and the fabricated memories were almost exactly the same.
On one hand, the intentionally designed prayer referenced demands such as “lifting of bonds” and “solving fatal crises.” The purpose was clear – to solicit the Divine Blessing of Goddess Mei Lan to solve the seals that Zhou Zhang had planted on Cang Xu and the Undead dark gate that the ship ghost had implanted.
On the other hand, Cang Xu wanted to compare the results of this test with the first. With most conditions being the same, comparing the two outcomes would clearer identify the impact of changes in Cang Xu’s qualities.
This was the experimental mindset of a Mage. To a certain degree, it was already blasphemous to the divine.
If the deity’s state was good, such tests might be ineffective, or even provoke the deity’s wrath. But who made it so that Goddess Mei Lan had already been so severely injured that she fell into a deep slumber.
Such a deity was the best object of blasphemy!
The comparison between the two outcomes was quite apparent.
“I remember that when I first prayed, the Divine Blessing only restored my mental state to wholesomeness.”
“After several prayers, Goddess Mei Lan then taught me the Divine Office of a monk.”
“But this time, after my qualities changed, with just one prayer, my Divine Office was promoted: from Priest to Missionary. This is a qualitative change!”
According to the information conveyed by the Divine Blessing, being a monk is a preparatory Divine Office, while a Missionary is a true Divine Office.
That is to say, Cang Xu has now officially joined the Charming Blue Sect. It’s like a Mage Apprentice being officially promoted to a Mage!
“The gods select Believers and bestow Divine Blessings like one picks dishes off a menu.”
“My qualities have improved, I hold more potential for investment, and so the deity has granted a more generous Divine Blessing.”
Cang Xu’s emotions were somewhat complex.
On one hand, he was filled with emotion. The Corpse Hanging Tree Bloodline truly deserved its Holy Domain Level status; a mere 3% of Bloodline Concentration had noticeably changed the deity’s attitude.
On the other hand, Cang Xu once again felt the harshness of this world.
This is a world that values Bloodline importance.
Whether it’s cultivating Fighting Energy, magic, or becoming a Divine Officer, it all depends on Bloodline talent.
Without it, no matter how much talent one has, it’s like a rootless duckweed; no matter how grand one’s ambitions, they cannot be extended; no matter how beautiful one’s ideals, they cannot be realized.
Cang Xu carefully examined his own body.
Now, his body was filled with Divine Power from Goddess Mei Lan.
Without a doubt, this was a higher form of energy.
It stayed within Cang Xu’s body, and whenever he used any Divine Arts he had mastered, this Divine Power would act as energy, allowing the Divine Arts to be cast smoothly.
At the same time, the Divine Power was constantly nourishing Cang Xu’s body and spirit. At every moment, it was slowly changing his entire body and mind. Over time, Cang Xu would undergo a deeper transformation towards a true follower of the Charming Blue Sect.
“This transformation, if left unchecked and allowed to develop, there will come a time when Cang Xu will become an excellent vessel for the divine power of the azure blue. If Cang Xu’s faith meets the standard, he may even become a Saint of the Charming Blue Goddess. After death, his soul would be more smoothly and quickly guided to Her Divine Country.”
“Cang Xu, now, is like Zhou Zhang, not only a Mage but also a Divine Officer.”
“Although the Charming Blue Divine Power lingers within Cang Xu, it does not conflict with the mana of the Undead.”
“On one hand, the Divine Power resides within Cang Xu’s body, while the Undead mana congregates in his personal Mana Pool. Between them, there is a clear distinction.”
“On the other hand, Divine Power is a superior energy source, possessing an omnipotent attribute, fully surpassing Undead mana, capable of encompassing, absorbing, and transforming it.”
“In fact, Fighting energy, mana, and Divine Power can all coexist.”
“So there are Transcendents who are not only fighters but also Mages and Divine Officers. Of course, such cases are quite rare.”
“This time I was given so many Divine Arts, all of which I can use. Unlike Spell models, I don’t need to learn or study; I can cast them directly.”
Cang Xu didn’t attempt it.
Within the abundant information granted by the Divine Blessing, there were comprehensive descriptions of the relevant Divine Arts. All these descriptions were very detailed and specific.
In fact, upon obtaining these Divine Arts, Cang Xu developed a strong innate sensation.
It was like those extraordinary life forms with a high bloodline concentration, who could master certain Talent Spells without learning, and using these Spells was as simple, natural, and direct as moving their limbs.
This undoubtedly saved the Divine Officers a lot of learning time. Compared with Mages, this was also an advantage for the clergy.
“However, without the process of learning, there is no true self-mastery. From another perspective, this also serves as a means by which the deities control their Transcendents.”
“When Cang Xu became a monk, he already gained many doctrines. But these doctrines of the Charming Blue Sect mainly pertained to personal cultivation, praying, and other ritual norms.”
“This time, upon becoming a missionary, Cang Xu amassed a wealth of information again. Among this, many doctrines as well. But the content of these doctrines has gone beyond the scope of personal cultivation, focusing more on how to proselytize, and how to guide others in prayer.”
“At the heart of this is the concept of ‘Divine Grace.'”
“After becoming a missionary, I automatically received ten portions of Divine Grace.”
Divine Grace is different from Divine Power.
Divine Power is a kind of energy, while Divine Grace is more of an information.
Cang Xu tried to understand: Divine Grace is the combination of a believer’s privilege and currency with the deity.
Often, initiating some very significant Divine Arts not only requires Divine Power but also the consumption of Divine Grace. For example, the Resurrection Technique, this Divine Art requires a considerable amount of Divine Grace.
So it’s not just about mastering Divine Arts; Divine Officers can’t abuse them.
This is a constraint set by the deities for those under their command.
The more Divine Grace one has, the higher the authority of the Divine Officer, and the more likely they are to win favor and attention from the deity.
Divine Grace is extremely precious, affecting all aspects, and should not be abused.
And there are limited ways to obtain Divine Grace. Currently, for Cang Xu, there is only one way—proselytization.
“The better my performance in proselytizing, the more Divine Grace I obtain.”
“This time the prayer yielded an enormous harvest, far exceeding the sum of all previous prayers.”
“I’ve become a formal Divine Officer, mastering these Divine Arts, and the previous difficulties have been readily solved.”
“However… there’s no need to tell the squad leader just yet.”
“I believe he can break through by himself.”
With deep anticipation, Cang Xu slowly opened the metal cabin door.
The next moment, he saw the Fishman youth, his face weary but his gaze resolute.
As before, the two exchanged secret signals. Once the youth affirmed Cang Xu was reliable, he let out a deep sigh and shared with Cang Xu his latest decision.
The Fishman youth agreed to Cang Xu’s earlier suggestion and decided to take action against those Fishmen!
A smile immediately curled the corners of Cang Xu’s lips.
The Fishman youth’s actions were exactly as he had expected.
The seasoned Mage spoke out in comfort, “Squad leader, there’s no need to feel so heavy-hearted. I can assure you, this is by no means a fall into depravity!”
“Even if every survivor falls, I absolutely refuse to believe you would fall.”
“Because you have principles. You have always adhered to your own rules and remain fully alert against any potential action that might lead to depravity.”
“You are a true Knight, righteous and benevolent, possessing steadfast faith.”
“A Knight?” the Fishman youth shook his head with a wry smile, “Perhaps I’m just a beast. Remember what we said during our last charge on Mysterious Monster Island? Maybe at best, I’m a Beast Knight.”
Cang Xu shrugged his shoulders and smiled faintly, “Who is not a beast?”
“If becoming a beast is the only way to survive, then I would rather be a beast.”
“And what I am sure of is this: You are not merely a Beast Knight; you are also our leader, the leader of the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps!”
“You are not blinded by personal emotions.”
“The path you’ve chosen is the most suitable survival strategy for all of us survivors.”
“In making such a survival strategy, you have even set aside yourself to some degree.”
“I know you have your principles, and noble character, but you are willing to really consider my proposal. Really think about what we would gain by slaughtering these people, and what the consequences would be if we did not act.”
“You weigh the big picture and take thorough account.”
“You are the leader of all of us, and no one can replace your position.”
“Only you are qualified to be our leader!”