Chapter 187
Chapter 187
Was the Saintess still alive?
They couldn’t help but wonder.
And it was at that very moment that the unexpected happened.
Someone suddenly cried out in astonishment-
“Th-there’s someone there-” He pointed in shock at the heart of the flames. Everyone looked up and saw that, behind the fire, there seemed to be the faint outline of a person.
No one knew who gasped first.
“The Saintess! It’s the Saintess!”
Xu Duoyi walked out of the flames.
Amid the fire that filled the sky, she walked out just like that, completely unharmed. The flames had not even touched the corner of her clothes.
Even the Nun’s calm expression cracked slightly.
She stared at Xu Duoyi in disbelief. “Why… Why are you…”
“Are you asking me?” Xu Duoyi tilted her head and looked at her, confusion appearing on her face. “I’m curious too. Why am I perfectly fine?”
“When the flames touched me, I didn’t feel even the slightest pain. It was only as comfortable as bathing in warm water. At first, I couldn’t understand it. Then it suddenly dawned on me-perhaps this is the reward the god grants his faithful.
“I am the one chosen by the god. Naturally, I have nothing to fear from the sacrificial fire.”
After saying that, she glanced at Tu Nan below the platform.
Of course, that was a lie. If Tu Nan had not lent Xu Duoyi the item that could block physical damage, Xu Duoyi would probably have been burned to death by now, just like the King who had fallen into the blazing fire.
But the people did not know that. All they knew was that Xu Duoyi had clearly been swallowed by the flames, yet had emerged without a scratch. Other than a miracle, what else could possibly explain such a sight?
“A miracle! This must be a miracle-” They shouted “Saintess” as they knelt before Xu Duoyi.
“How could this be?” The Nun looked at her in confusion, murmuring to herself, “How could this be?”
Her mind was filled with questions. She clearly remembered that the sacrifice was supposed to be painful.
Flames had wrapped around her from every direction, leaving her nowhere to run. All she could do was curl up on the ground and let the fire devour her. The agony of flesh being burned was something no ordinary person could withstand. She could only let out screams of pain and pray for that moment to pass quickly.
Why had she suffered so terribly, while Xu Duoyi was completely unharmed?
Was it because she had not been devout enough?
Could there truly be someone in this world more devout to the god than she was?
Xu Duoyi raised a hand and made a gesture for silence toward the crowd below.
The people beneath the platform immediately quieted. To them, the Xu Duoyi before their eyes was no different from the incarnation of a god.
“Just now, I heard a voice.” Her expression was so devout that people could not help but believe every word she said was true. “I believe it must have been the god’s instruction. He said to me-this kingdom needs a wise and brilliant ruler.”
Dennis looked at Xu Duoyi on the platform and frowned slightly.
This was clearly not part of his plan.
The Queen stood to one side, looking at the charred corpse in the fire that had once belonged to the King, a faint smile hovering on her lips.
“He asked me to proclaim his divine decree to everyone. The Throne should belong to-”
“Wait!” Dennis had a Weird feeling that something was wrong.
He had an uneasy premonition. The answer this Woman was about to give would definitely not be the one he wanted to hear.
Xu Duoyi looked at him with a half smile. “Prince Dennis, I know you are anxious, but please be patient and hear me out.”
“No-” he shouted loudly. “I have something to say. Before the Divine Statue, I must guarantee my honesty. I cannot deceive the god.”
He raised a hand and pointed at Maria. “I cannot cover for her simply because she is my sister. My sister, Maria, is a Witch-”
The crowd erupted in an uproar.
In this world, a Witch was practically the embodiment of evil. Although the common people had never truly seen a Witch, all the rumors surrounding them had filled everyone with terror.
A hollow space instantly opened up around Maria.
The Queen stared at Dennis in disbelief. She froze for a moment before snapping, “Dennis, what nonsense are you spouting?!”
“I’m not talking nonsense!” Dennis shouted. “With the Divine Statue above us, I dare swear before the Divine Statue that I am not lying.”
He looked at Maria. His lips moved, silently forming the words, I’m sorry.
Whoever blocked his path had to die.
To his surprise, however, Maria did not look panicked at all. She watched him calmly, so calmly that it almost felt Weird to him.
“Yes. I am indeed a Witch,” Maria admitted without the slightest hesitation.
The Queen’s eyes widened as she looked at Maria in horror.
“Have you lost your mind?”
After the crowd fell silent for one brief second, it immediately burst into chaos. Terrified, they began shouting at the top of their lungs.
“Burn her to death!”
“Burn the Witch! A Witch should be burned to death!”
Dennis narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at Maria in confusion. Why had she admitted so readily that she was a Witch?
What was her goal?
He did not believe Maria would surrender so easily.
“Silence,” Xu Duoyi called loudly. “Nothing can escape God’s eyes!”
As she spoke, she glanced at Tu Nan without drawing attention to herself.
Tu Nan swept her gaze around, then gradually withdrew from the crowd.
“So God already knew Princess Maria was a Witch?” a man asked.
“Of course,” Xu Duoyi said with a mysterious smile. “God told me that those called Witch are also His people.”
The crowd stirred again.
“But a Witch is obviously evil. They bring disaster!” someone shouted.
“That is a completely baseless rumor!” Xu Duoyi called out.
The claim that those called Witch brought disaster had existed for a long time. Even with her saying this, everyone remained doubtful.
Dennis seized the chance to fan the flames. “You’re only saying that to achieve your own goals! You came from the forest. Are you a Witch too? Is that why you’re speaking up for those called Witch?!”
The suspicious murmurs in the crowd grew even louder.
“Silence-”
A steady, solemn voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone instinctively searched for where the voice had come from, only to discover in shock that it had come from the Divine Statue on the altar.
“The Divine Statue! The Divine Statue is speaking!”
A woman’s voice cried out from the crowd. Immediately afterward, the people dropped to their knees in panic, pressing their heads low against the ground.
A faint smile flashed through Xu Duoyi’s eyes, and she knelt as well.
The Nun beside her froze for a moment, then instinctively followed and knelt down.
“Those called Witch are not evil. They are My favored ones,” He said in a low voice.
“Favored ones?” someone asked boldly. “What… what does that mean?”
“Isn’t that obvious?” Xu Duoyi said loudly. “God granted them power, allowing them to be born with strength that ordinary people could never possess. Yet ignorant people treated God’s blessing as the root of evil!”
On the altar, the flames that had been on the verge of dying out suddenly flared to life again. Firelight surged high, the heat pressing down on everyone.
“God is angry!”