Chapter 473: Chapter 473: Adina 26
The plaza outside the Divine Hall of Light is more than big enough for your performance. Why create such a gimmick?
So, in Tan You’s opinion, the Divine Hall of Light was doing this purely to win people over. It had gotten lost in the public’s adulation, no longer able to see itself clearly.
And regardless of who or what it was, once something became detached from the masses for too long, there was only one possible outcome: being overthrown by the people. At this thought, Tan You couldn’t help but let a faint smile touch her lips.
During her long stay in the Mist Forest, Tan You naturally didn’t just remain in the Mage Tower; she had also crossed paths with the Magic Beasts there. It was just that since leaving the Mist Forest, she hadn’t had an opportunity to take action.
The thought of the challenges to come sent a long-absent thrill through Tan You. She had to admit, this world had awakened nearly all the adventurous spirit in her bones. ’If that’s the case,’ she thought, ’then let’s turn this world upside down.’
Just as the holy light and Holy Water were about to touch her, Tan You took a light side-step, smoothly pulling the middle-aged woman who had first spoken to her into the path of the spray.
The woman had been disappointed at not receiving any Holy Water, but in the blink of an eye, she felt its healing power course through her. Her eyes widened in delight. She tried to find Tan You again, but the girl was nowhere to be seen.
Tan You’s movements were incredibly swift. But just then, Lilith, who had been casting her Spell, suddenly opened her eyes. She didn’t see Tan You’s face, only a black cloak vanishing into the crowd.
Yet when she tried to look again, the figure was gone. ’Did my eyes deceive me?’
Lilith frowned imperceptibly, but upon seeing the cheering crowds on both sides of the road, her lips curled into a self-satisfied smile. ’I am the Divine Hall of Light’s most celebrated Light Element Mage, and a strong contender for the title of Saintess. In the entire Imperial City, who is more noble than I?’
’Once I become the Saintess, Andre will have no choice but to choose me.’
After leaving the crowd, Tan You had a clear destination in mind. She headed directly for the Divine Hall of Light. The closer she got, the fewer people she saw on the road.
Tan You understood that everyone was chasing the float, eager for more Holy Water and a blessing of holy light. This didn’t surprise her. Not everyone could become a Mage; to say they were one in ten thousand was no exaggeration.
Thinking about it, the Edmonds family’s aptitude was truly excellent. In this generation alone, aside from Dumont’s second son, Danit, who had awakened a talent for combat aura, the other three children all possessed a talent for Magic.
Even Dumont himself was a three-star Mage, wasn’t he? And Catherine was a Water Element Mage, too, though she was more interested in pleasing her husband than in cultivation.
Mulling this over, Tan You slipped into the Divine Hall of Light under the cover of her invisibility cloak. She wasn’t the least bit worried about being seen; after all, she had tested this cloak herself many times.
Even when she wore it into the territory of a Giant Dragon deep within the Mist Forest, it hadn’t noticed her at first. As long as she remained perfectly still, no one could detect her presence.
There were guards on duty at the gates of the Divine Hall of Light, of course. Seeing their smug expressions, Tan You couldn’t help but chuckle. ’No wonder the saying goes that even a prime minister’s doorman acts like a high-ranking official. They’re just two low-level guards, but from the looks on their faces, you’d think they were the most important people in the world.’
Slipping past the soldiers at the entrance, Tan You stepped into the Divine Hall of Light for the first time. In Adina’s memories, she had only come here once, and her life had been turned upside down as a result. Adina undoubtedly hated this place.
To Tan You, however, the Divine Hall of Light was nothing special. Honestly, its main hall was just many times larger than that of the Edmonds family estate. ’Then again, this is the Divine Hall of Light,’ she mused. ’After so many years of influence, how could an old noble family possibly compare?’
"Host, you’re here!" The moment Tan You walked into the main hall, a small, snow-white puppy suddenly bounced in front of her. It was, of course, the Beauty System, which had been diligently gathering information for her.
Seeing the little system, a smile touched Tan You’s lips. "You’ve worked hard."
The Beauty System grew a little bashful. "It was no trouble! This system is happy if I can help Host~"
Tan You’s smile widened, and she didn’t hold back her praise. "As long as you’re happy. System, you’ve really been a huge help. What would I ever do without you?"
The Beauty System was even happier. The little puppy scampered on all fours, circling Tan You several times before finally stopping. "Host, this system couldn’t find the altar that seals the Dark God."
Tan You had anticipated this, so she wasn’t disappointed. "Don’t worry. He’s been sealed for many years already; he can wait a little longer. We’ll take our time and look. We’ll find it eventually."
While others were reverent and fearful of the Divine, not daring to utter a single offensive word, Tan You clearly felt none of that. She was a staunch atheist, maintaining a respectful but distant attitude toward all deities.
As a result, she spoke of deities very casually. There was respect, but not a shred of awe. And deep within a certain altar, a certain Divine being who heard her words merely smiled, showing no sign of displeasure at being offended.
And so, Tan You strolled openly through the Divine Hall of Light, hidden by her invisibility cloak. The Beauty System served as her diligent guide. "This is where the Mages train, and that’s their living quarters..."
"That’s the training ground over there..."
As it gave its tour, the Beauty System puffed out its little chest and held its head high, clearly proud of itself. It hadn’t been idling away its time here; it knew exactly who was who and what every place was used for!
Tan You noticed the little system’s pride and couldn’t help but lower her gaze with a soft smile. Her effusive praise earlier had not been an exaggeration. In this world without an internet, the little system had truly been an immense help.
Without the little system, Tan You felt she could have managed on her own, but the journey would have undoubtedly been more arduous and perilous.
By the time she had toured the Divine Hall of Light, it was already afternoon, and the Mages from the float parade had returned. The main hall was now bustling with activity; the parade participants were all young, so there was no shortage of things to talk about.
Tan You remained hidden in the main hall, watching Lilith flit about like a social butterfly, fawned over by the crowd.
"No wonder she’s still just a two-star Mage after all these years," Tan You said, shaking her head. ’When you’re constantly surrounded by flattery, it’s easy to lose your way and give up on arduous training.’
The Beauty System grumbled, "She still has the highest cultivation among the Mages in her cohort."
"It’s all from chugging potions. Useless." Tan You was unusually sharp-tongued. "I don’t even need to get close to her to feel her unstable elemental power."
"To have so many resources at her disposal and only reach this level... what a complete waste," Tan You said matter-of-factly. "My cultivation was earned through pure, hard work. Aside from the elemental energy being particularly dense where I trained, I relied on almost no external aids."
Tan You was proud of this. Even after arriving in this Western Fantasy World, she still followed Cheng Wenhui’s teachings: never take shortcuts. Anything not earned through your own effort is ultimately unreliable.
Besides, Tan You had no aptitude for potions herself. That was why she had stubbornly relied on her own hard work to become a Five-star Mage, and inevitably, she looked down on those who relied on external aids.
The Beauty System added, "Not everyone can be that hard on themselves. Besides, she’s always been a pampered young lady."
Tan You’s lip curled. "I get it. It’s about self-care. But sometimes, holding yourself to a higher standard is the truest form of self-care. I doubt Lilith will ever understand that, though."
"What’s so great about men, anyway? Between immense power and a man, I’d choose power every time. Only a fool would choose the man. A man might not be yours forever, but your own power always is."
The Beauty System changed the subject. "Host, when do you plan to replace Lilith? We’ve been in the Divine Hall of Light for almost a week."
Tan You replied, "No rush. The Saintess selection is the day after tomorrow. I’ll make my move after that."
’If I were to replace Lilith now, I’d be an idiot,’ Tan You thought. She didn’t know a single Light Element Spell. She couldn’t even use her own Magic, because the moment she did, her cover would be blown.
The Beauty System asked, "Host, are you sure Lilith will win?"
Tan You’s lips curved. "Then I’ll find a way to make her win. The title of Saintess has to go to Lilith. Without the status of Saintess, how could I possibly get to the altar?"
Tan You hadn’t spent the week idly. While the Beauty System could go almost anywhere in this world, there were certain places it couldn’t enter. The domains of certain Divine beings, for example, were off-limits to it.
That was why, despite scouting the Divine Hall of Light, the little system couldn’t find the altar that sealed the Dark God. It wasn’t that the system was incompetent; it was that the domain of the God of Light could only be entered by humans.
Unfortunately, the deepest part of the hall wasn’t always open. According to the information Tan You had gathered, the Light Element Mages only gathered to pray in the hall’s depths on the first day of each month.
Furthermore, not every Light Element Mage was qualified to attend the prayer ceremony. There were two paths to eligibility: one was to become a Five-star Mage, and the other was to become the Divine Hall of Light’s Saint Heir or Saintess.
Unfortunately, Lilith met neither requirement. She wasn’t competing for the title of Saintess because she wanted to become stronger, but because she wanted to use the status to force Andre to choose her.
And the altar that sealed the Dark God was located directly beneath that prayer hall. If Tan You wanted to get there, she had to ensure Lilith became the Saintess. With that in mind, how could she not give Lilith a little push?
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