I, the wizard, the foolish Buddha

Under the Senior's relentless questioning, Roland, sweating profusely, adopted a strategy of full disclosure.

After Roland's explanation, the Senior seemed even more infuriated because it sounded like Roland was afraid she would harm Florence. And Roland's so-called kidnapping could also be seen as rescuing the beautiful Miss Florence from the clutches of the female demon Catherine.

How infuriating is that?!

But Roland said one last thing that completely dissipated Catherine's anger.

Roland concluded by saying, "Catherine, frankly, Florence and I haven't known each other long enough to be very familiar – we've only known each other for three or four days, and met maybe five or six times.

So, in my mind, Florence is a very stubborn and difficult person to communicate with... Really, that's how I see her.

You know, people involved with religion are often a little bit crazy.

But Florence ultimately has a pure and sincere heart. To help us, she chose to be possessed by a demon and was teleported to the world of Doomsday by Kohlerd.

I hope we can become friends with her, not enemies."

Roland stopped there.

Catherine was relieved. Indeed, she was much more familiar with Florence than Roland was.

For over a month, Catherine had been interacting with Florence under Roland's identity.

At first, Florence also thought it was Roland. It wasn't until Catherine made a deal with the devil and possessed her that Florence realized her friend was her female confidante, not a male one.

The two of them had communicated a lot during that month.

Catherine said, "Roland, Florence is willing to trust us.

She was raised by Williams and Johnson. She knows that we are different from the wizards the Church talks about.

Wizards are not 'demons born from the promiscuous acts of witches and demons'.

At least she believes we aren't.

Because we saved millions of Vermic people, and we adopted the most difficult solution to deal with the Mind-Flaying Holy Spirit. We never considered sacrificing millions of people.

Our actions have proven ourselves.

In our eyes, the Southerners are human, compatriots. Our enemies are the gods and those who knowingly follow them while they commit evil.

But the 'Light and Shadow Pantheon Church' doesn't see us as compatriots.

Florence knows that the Church is excavating in Maltrode, and she knows that there might be an ancient ruin there.

There are too many old scriptures there.

She worries that there might be something there that could destroy humanity and restart the world... Like a convenient gateway for 'the Judgment of the Gods'."

Roland's pupils suddenly constricted.

It's almost comical.

It's been countless years since the wizards drove out the gods.

The gods have been secretly herding here, but they never thought of killing all the sheep.

But a group of sheep feel that it is necessary to have a great slaughter.

Catherine said, "Florence doesn't trust the Holy See, and the Dawn Society doesn't agree with many of the Holy See's decisions.

Just like the Dawn Society helped us deal with the King of Yellow Ferns back then. They also hope to have a group of like-minded people to help them stop the actions of those extremists in the Holy See."

After listening to the Senior's words, Roland suddenly felt a sense of absurdity.

What Florence is doing is very saintly.

Because she doesn't want her hometown people to exterminate their enemies in the Eastern Territory.

But this world needs this kind of saintliness.

Florence, and even the entire Dawn Society, cannot agree with the Church's 'Great Judgment'.

They want to judge the heretics of the Eastern Territory.

But the faithless are all heretics, even more heretical than the Shadow Society's demon-worshipping believers.

There are a total of one billion people in the entire Eastern Territory.

They are all faithless!

All one billion of them have reason to be judged!

The Dawn Society doesn't know how many people will die directly or indirectly in that Great Judgment, but the vast majority of them will be innocent ordinary people.

For the Dawn Society, not believing in God is not a reason to die.

Even if you don't believe in God, God still loves the world.

After a pause, Catherine continued, "Florence will not go to the Eastern Territory for exchanges, because there will be more suitable candidates to go.

'Catherine' will return to the Eastern Territory, but after a while, she will bring a delegation to the South for exchanges."

Roland was completely relieved now. He understood that after the Senior guessed that his identity was exposed, she chose to have an in-depth conversation with Florence instead of silencing her.

And after Florence learned the Senior's identity, she and the Senior chose to meet each other halfway.

This made Roland very happy.

He didn't realize that the reason the world's trajectory would go this way was that both he and Catherine were important changemakers, and what he did was more important than what Catherine did.

He helped everyone perfectly deal with the Mind-Flaying Holy Spirit, giving both the Dawn Society and the Black Abyss a chance to trust and understand each other.

Without this opportunity, the Senior and Florence, who both originally had pure hearts, might have killed each other in a chain of misunderstandings and suspicions.

Roland didn't realize his key role in the whole thing. He believed that it all stemmed from the pure hearts of the Senior and Florence.

He excitedly stood up, wanting to hug the Senior, kiss her, and praise her for what she had done.

As a result, the Senior hurriedly used a magic spell to push Roland aside.

"You guys, stay away from us!"

The Senior instructed Roland to wait a while before leaving, to stay honestly on the seventh floor for a while.

Then, in Florence's image, she dragged 'Jeanne' away as if fleeing.

She came in as Florence, so naturally she had to go out as Florence. After that, she would transform back into Isabella to attend the meeting.

Roland put on his clothes and returned to his room on the seventh floor alone, not going out again that day.

At eight o'clock that night, the crystal ball on Roland's table lit up.

After lighting up, the Senior's appearance appeared in the crystal ball.

Judging from the background, Catherine seemed to be in the Summer Palace, in the large suite that Roland had booked before.

Anna, Brianna, and Florence were also here.

Catherine stood alone on the balcony, while the other three sat in front of the fireplace behind her talking.

Catherine told Roland that they would not be going to the monastery anytime soon. The delegation would also not be going to the monastery starting tomorrow. So Roland could move around in the monastery.

But before the delegation left, Catherine advised Roland not to wander around the city.

Roland sighed inwardly. He really wanted to disguise himself and meet his old friends from the Eastern Territory. But to avoid trouble, it was better to stay put for now.

Roland asked, "Are there any familiar faces from our side in the delegation?"

Catherine asked with a smile, "Who do you want to see?"

Roland coughed and didn't ask any further.

Catherine said, "Stay put, and once I've made arrangements, we'll go to Maltrode."

Roland nodded.

Catherine thought for a while and suddenly said, "Later, I'll have Leona send you a few bottles of advancement potions and holy medicines. Use this time to study hard."

Roland said, "Stop it, Senior. I only just entered the early stages of the second rank a few days ago. I'm afraid something will happen if I break through again now."

Catherine said, "Roland, regarding your current situation, I specifically consulted some senior experts who are very knowledgeable about faith and truth.

She thinks that now is an excellent time for you to advance. Because the power of the Holy Mother is still lingering on you, it is almost impossible for you to be infected with madness."

He didn't know who Catherine had consulted, but it seemed to be some of the top figures of the White Chess School.

They believe that everyone in the world is likely to step into madness, but Roland's probability is the lowest. His current probability of being infected with madness is even lower than that of the Pope of the Church.

In short, the big shots believe that anyone in this world could become the Mad Holy Son, but Roland is one of the least likely people to become the Mad Holy Son.

If, in the future, the Mad Holy Son appears in the world, and they need to pick a few people who are not afraid of infection to destroy it, Roland will definitely be on the candidate list.

Roland thought to himself: 'Bullshit! I am the Mad Holy Son, I definitely have the highest infection rate!

However, if I take advantage of the Holy Mother's buff to advance... I might consider it.'

After thinking for a while, Roland still shook his head.

He said, "No, Catherine, I've been cultivating too fast recently. I'm afraid that if I advance so quickly, my realm will not be stable. There will be problems when I break through the third gate."

Catherine said, "Roland, for those who cultivate steadily, once the speed of cultivation is too fast, it may lead to instability in the realm.

But you are the same as some reincarnated people in the South who are re-cultivating.

They have all risen through modifying the destiny line fluctuations of the underlying world... Your realm is very stable."

These words seemed to be said by a White Chess big shot who had stayed in the South for a long time.

If you translate what the big shot said, it would be: Other people's normal cultivation will lead to instability in the realm. But you are different, you added points to get here. Your realm is very stable.

The big shot seemed to firmly believe that Roland could not become the Mad Holy Son. There was a feeling of valuing him as much as they valued Catherine.

Catherine said, "Don't worry, Roland, you and I are the same, our realms are very stable. Your predicament isn't whether your realm is stable, but in your madness.

You're very easily exposed to strange things. I always feel like something is watching you.

If my intuition is correct, then you'd better improve your strength as soon as possible.

Take advantage of the Mother of Purity's protection and seize this opportunity."

Roland's face looked a little unpleasant.

His senior's intuition was too accurate.

Taking advantage of the buff to advance is indeed a good choice.

After this advancement, if he wants to advance again... I'm afraid he'll have to wait until he gets the Old Scripture of Marlode.

The Old Scripture will contain methods to suppress madness. Without getting this thing, Roland doesn't dare to move forward.

That night, Roland activated the 'Magic Calculation Matrix' left behind by the old Black Abyss members and did some divination questions and answers.

According to the results, for a long period of time, Roland's advancement rate was positive, not negative.

Moreover, this positive number was very high, reaching over 70%.

In the language of the Book of Aleiah, this probability comes from the 'Angel Aspect'.

This Angel Aspect, under the power of the wings, has a realm at the demigod level.

Therefore, Roland enjoyed the advancement buff of the Third Gate of Truth.

Normally, the Angel Aspect has a huge amount of pollution. Advancing in the state of the Angel Aspect would absolutely result in a -100% advancement rate.

But the power of the Mother of Purity still remains on Roland's body, so Roland's current Angel Aspect is not a Mad Angel Aspect, but a 'Suffering Angel Aspect'.

Full of righteousness!

This made Roland breathe a sigh of relief.

Roland thought to himself, "This is a good opportunity to use the question-answering machine to integrate the path of the Third Gate of Truth!"

The Angel Aspect now has a path to the Third Gate, a path filled with pollution.

If the path is deduced based on the Angel Aspect, the result will definitely be a path of madness.

However, it can serve as an important reference.

Having this mad path as a reference will make the divination of the normal path twice as effective.

Moreover, with the wrong path as a reference, this path can greatly prevent practitioners from walking towards madness.

If the ancient documents in the ruins are added, the probability of wizards under the stars being infected with madness might be reduced to an extremely exaggerated number!

Roland thought to himself, "Let's organize the path before advancing. Otherwise, although I'll be fine advancing now, I'll be standing on a mad path after the buff disappears.

It will be much more troublesome to remove the Angel Aspect at that time.

Hmm... when going to Marlode, I'll inevitably have to impersonate various identities. So, I also need to study the divine arts and magic of the Southern Assembly."

Roland's bedroom is a large library, with many things taken from the scripture-copying hall.

Therefore, it contains many books from the Dawn Assembly and the 'Gregorian Chant Assembly', which record various divine arts and sacred magic.

However, Wilmik's books are mainly in the scripture-copying hall.

In the following days, Roland went to the scripture-copying hall and scripture hall during the day to read various materials to prepare for advancement.

In the evening, Roland studied divine arts in his room while watching the little Rolands integrate the path of the Third Gate of Truth on the 'question-answering machine'.

Catherine was very excited when she learned that Roland was organizing the Path of Truth. She said that she would come and help after she finished her work.

Roland told her to concentrate on her own affairs, and that Theresa and others could help.

The old Black Abyss members probably won't be able to come. Some of them are preparing to advance, and some are being discharged from the hospital one after another.

Roland completely forgot about the affairs of the old classmates in the delegation. Every day, he either stayed in the large library bedroom on the seventh floor or went to the scripture-copying hall and scripture hall.

His mind was filled with divine arts, magic, and the Path of Truth.

It wasn't until the path of the mid-Second Order had been integrated that he broke away from this selfless state.

Rubbing his eyes, Roland realized that he hadn't slept all night again.

Roland muttered, "It seems like it's been a while since I left the room."

Theresa, who was organizing the scrolls next to him, interjected, "Master, you haven't left the room for a week."

Roland was slightly stunned.

Touching his chin, Roland found that his beard had grown a lot.

After thinking about it, Roland decided to stroll around the monastery's courtyard, sort out his mood, and then advance.

Roland thought to himself, 'I can only stroll around the monastery, there's no scenery to see. Let's look at some beauties.'

His senior hasn't dared to come over recently, and Roland hasn't been dual cultivating recently, so his mood is a little impetuous.

Roland touched his hair and said to Theresa, "Help me cut my hair."

As he spoke, he found a recliner and lay down.

The head maid brought a razor, scissors, shaving cream, etc., to wash, shave, and cut the hair of Roland, the old master.

In the process of giving the master a haircut, Miss Theresa always felt someone touching her butt.

She looked suspiciously at the master a few times, but found that the master had his hands on his chest and his eyes closed.

Theresa said, "Master, if you make trouble again, I'll tell Madam."

Roland opened his eyes and said with a surprised face, "What?"

Theresa said very unhappily, "Master, please show the proper respect for ghosts."

Roland had a black question mark on his face: "What are you talking about? What's wrong?"

Theresa said, "Nothing."

Miss Theresa continued to wash the master's hair and cut his hair.

That hand seemed to become more and more unscrupulous.

Soon, Theresa finished cutting Roland's hair and started shaving.

The razor was enchanted with divine magic and was very sharp. The maid 'accidentally' caused Roland's neck to bleed.

After that, Theresa no longer felt a hand touching her.

After everything was done, Roland looked in the mirror and nodded when he saw his refreshed and energetic appearance.

He said, "Senior, I'm going to advance. If you're free, come over with Anna tonight to protect me. I mean, keep watch over me."

After speaking, Roland looked at Theresa, who was organizing things behind him.

Feeling Roland's gaze, Theresa pointed to herself with a puzzled face: "Are you talking to me?"

The surrounding ghost ladies also rolled their eyes with strange expressions. They originally thought that Roland was talking to Catherine with a strange object, but they didn't expect that he was actually talking to Theresa just now.

Roland said, "Stop pretending, Senior, I know it's you."

Theresa and the other spirits rolled their eyes speechlessly, planning to go out to get food for Roland.

Roland said, "I'll go to the cafeteria myself today—Senior, I can go to the cafeteria, right?"

The maid ladies ignored the master, but rolled their eyes very speechlessly when they went out.

Master Roland must have gone crazy from reading the Old Scripture recently.

Starting from the week before last, Master Roland often calls some of them 'Senior'.

The Seven Heroic Spirits are inseparable and are very sure that none of them have been replaced.

The maid ladies left with rolling eyes, and Roland also rolled his eyes in the room.

Theresa can be very disrespectful when she's angry with the master. But she wouldn't dare to 'accidentally' hurt the master's neck.

Of course, if it was really an accident, then this kind of thing might happen.

But ghosts don't have body temperature.

Moreover, my maid wouldn't peek so lustfully when I change clothes.

"How long has this guy been coming to steal knowledge?"

Roland strongly suspected that his senior had been sneaking over often these days.

But the problem is, he never felt that 'holding together' compulsion.

Roland touched the wound on his chin and frowned as he thought.

He seemed to be thinking about madness.

After a moment, he suddenly realized and said, "I understand! When my wings are not my wings, my wings are not my wings!"

"These days, Senior must have done a lot of experiments using me... Who has she impersonated?"

"Senior seems to be free recently, especially today, she came over during the day too!

I wonder how the delegation's affairs and the relic quota are going. The old classmates should all be gone, right?"

With a sigh, Roland changed his clothes.

He thought to himself, "Senior didn't say I couldn't go to the cafeteria when she left. So I can wander around as I please!"

This guy firmly believes that Theresa is his senior.

As for whether it is or not... we'll know if his senior brings Anna over to protect him tonight.

Soon, Roland went out.

It was already past nine o'clock, past breakfast time. Logically speaking, the monastery is very busy in the morning. If it's time for theology class, there's no one in the corridors.

But there were people strolling around on the road.

Like Roland, looking here and there.

Although it was past mealtime, the cafeteria still provided food. Roland ate a brunch and asked the busy monks in the cafeteria. He learned that the Holy See's delegation had left long ago.

The delegation from the Eastern Realm had also left almost entirely.

In the next few days, the last group of people from the Eastern Realm would also leave.

This group of people was the highest-level white chess wizards, an elder of white chess and several tower masters.

They were originally going to leave earlier, but they stayed for a while longer at the invitation of the Dawn Assembly.

Roland sighed secretly, 'It seems that the old classmate reunion is completely hopeless.'

After finishing his meal, Roland strolled around the courtyard and looked at the scenery.

Today, there were many beautiful birds in the sky above the monastery. The leader was a large bird, pure white, like a white phoenix. Behind it followed a smaller bird with colorful feathers, also resembling a phoenix.

These two phoenixes were clearly special breeds!

Forget special breeds, Roland hadn't even seen a normal phoenix before.

He couldn't help but feel a strong curiosity, following the birds for a long time.

It wasn't until the birds landed behind a building, out of sight, that Roland restrained his urge to catch them and study them.

'I thought they would fly to some deserted place in the mountains.'

At this moment, Roland noticed that the building in front of him seemed to be a small chapel within the Wilmick Monastery.

A small chapel in the monastery's courtyard?

This chapel looked very old and somewhat simple.

Roland strongly suspected that this chapel was a relic from a thousand years ago, before the Grand Monastery was expanded.

Roland thought to himself, 'This kind of place is usually off-limits, right?'

He glanced at the stained-glass windows and saw some nuns entering.

After thinking for a moment, Roland went around to the main entrance.

No one stopped him at the door, and there were some people inside praying.

Touching the wound on his chin, Roland walked straight in.

Roland didn't disturb the nuns who were praying. He looked around inside, casually strolling along the walls.

What Roland found curious was that although the paintings and sculptures inside were simple, even crude, the layout of this chapel was very similar to that of the earliest church in 'Straw Town'.

Even stranger, there were no statues of any gods here.

On the altar was an abstract geometric shape, like a 'Tangram'.

"That is the Light of Dawn."

A cautious female voice suddenly came from beside him.

Roland turned to look at the nun, who was about thirty years old.

Although she was already mature, this nun gave off a playful feeling.

Roland asked, "What is the Light of Dawn?"

The nun looked at Roland with a very strange gaze. Her eyes seemed to say, 'Are you a member of the Dawn Church?'

Roland's expression was a little awkward as he said, "I'm sorry, I'm a scribe from Wilmick. I rarely go out."

The nun's expression became even more suspicious.

However, she still patiently explained, "My teacher's teacher said that the term 'Light of Dawn' was translated from the Old Testament. It is a symbolic concept, the original God of Dawn. Some believe it is the original form of the three Dawn Gods, while others believe that the Dawn Gods inherited from it.

You can think of it as 'Divinity'."

Roland frowned, suddenly recalling an incorrect translation in the Old Testament.

In a flash of understanding, Roland said, "Oh, so it's the 'Light of Dawn' model.

No wonder it looks so much like a Wishing Machine."

Nun: "Huh?"

What 'Light of Dawn' model? What Wishing Machine?

This is not quite the same as what my teacher's teacher said.

The nun couldn't help but look at a woman praying in the seats below.

This woman looked a bit like Catherine.

Roland didn't notice the woman. He felt that this older nun sister in front of him looked a little familiar.

But in Roland's memory, besides Cherry and Brianne, there were really few women as mature and charming as this.

So he firmly believed that he could not possibly know this nun sister in her thirties.