Chapter 34: The Heretic

Yinqin Lin Qi was on the left, and flattering Enzo was on the right. The two of them supported Kocha as they walked out of the boys’ dormitory. They headed toward the Master Tower along the freshly cleaned main road. Kocha was in an unusually good mood and actually engaged in a lively conversation with Lin Qi.

From Kocha, Lin Qi learned that Kocha had been waiting for him in the dormitory since last night. However, Lin Qi happened to be having a wild time with the core members of the Iron Fist Brotherhood at the Cripple’s Tavern and never returned to the dormitory. So, Kocha ended up waiting for him the entire night.

Hearing this, Lin Qi felt a wave of gratitude. A respected Master of Secret Medicine had actually waited a whole night in the dormitory just to give him a potion that would greatly benefit him! For a brief moment, Lin Qi felt a tiny bit guilty about all the benefits he had taken from Master Kocha.

But soon, that small guilt completely disappeared from Lin Qi’s heart. Master Kocha had the entire empire’s finances backing him—what did it matter if he took a little something from him? On the contrary, after serving him for three years, getting seriously injured multiple times, suffering countless minor injuries, and living under the constant threat of fireballs, both his physical and mental damages meant that this bottle of Magic Tiger Potion was rightfully his compensation.

Lin Qi and Master Kocha continued their pleasant back-and-forth conversation, while Enzo flattered him from the side. Normally, Enzo was tough and resilient, like an unbreakable sharp sword. But under the powerful temptation of the Magic Tiger Potion, Enzo became even worse than Gromm. He shamelessly praised Master Kocha, flattering him as the greatest Master of Secret Medicine in the world.

Kocha nodded repeatedly in agreement. He laughed in his hoarse, unpleasant voice and said, “The greatest Master of Secret Medicine in the world? Maybe it is me? Hmm, you do have some insight. Next time, if I gather the materials to brew the Magic Tiger Potion again, I will remember you.”

Enzo grinned from ear to ear and nodded eagerly, almost ready to worship Master Kocha as if he were his own ancestor.

The three of them arrived in front of the Master Tower. Suddenly, Master Kocha’s body stiffened, and Lin Qi and Enzo were stunned as well.

The Master Tower soared into the clouds. Due to the blowing snow and wind, the northern side of the round tower was coated with a thick layer of frost. The entire tower looked half black and half white, making it appear especially unique. The area around the Master Tower was shaded by green trees, with only a single entrance leading to a square about an acre in size.

Normally, this square was rarely visited, with only the statues standing around it quietly guarding the place. But today, it was filled with clergy in black robes. Among them was a team of Church Knights in pure silver armor, and even more than a dozen Judgment Priests in red robes—figures who struck fear into the hearts of nobles, royals, and commoners alike across the entire Western Continent.

Kocha muttered under his breath, “Church people? Why are they here?”

Lin Qi and Enzo felt their calves cramp up. They suddenly remembered the one thousand Indulgence Scrolls they had sold a couple of days ago. Those Indulgence Scrolls looked exactly the same as the official ones from the Church in terms of paper quality, scripture, and patterns. However, these scrolls were actually printed by some underground workshops, and not a single Copper Coin from the sale went to the Church.

Selling fake Indulgence Scrolls privately was an unforgivable sin in the eyes of the Church—a crime that not even genuine Indulgence Scrolls could cleanse.

Lin Qi and Enzo both prepared to run if the situation turned bad. But upon second thought, they relaxed. This was the Master Tower, not their student dormitory. It seemed the Church Tribunal was not there for them.

The three stood silently at the edge of the square. Nearby, nearly a hundred faculty and staff of the Fifth University stood cautiously, not daring to make a sound. Lin Qi even saw the sweaty Mr. Gron and the university’s principal, Marquis Brown, whom he had only seen once during his enrollment. He even spotted two imperial ministers wearing elegant uniforms with sashes. Judging by the color of their sashes, they were high-ranking civil officials of the empire.

Dozens of the Church’s Iron Cross Flame Punishment flags fluttered in the wind. The iron-willed holy cross surrounded by bloody flames was strikingly eye-catching. Everyone held their breath, afraid to speak or make any noise. The Iron Cross Flame Punishment flag was the symbol of the Church Tribunal. Anyone who offended this organization would be hunted down by the Church across the world, and no one had ever escaped their grasp.

After a long silence, a hoarse, desperate scream suddenly came from inside the Master Tower.

“I am innocent! I am innocent! What I say is the truth! Your teachings are nothing but empty lies! I am innocent! I am innocent! The land we live on is not flat! The sun in the sky and the other stars, they all…”

The scream was cut short. A group of armored Church Knights dragged out a short, elderly man with an unusually large head from the Master Tower. The man had a rag stuffed in his mouth, and he struggled wildly, but he was no match for the Church Knights.

“In the name of God, arrest this heretic who preaches demonic teachings!”

A Judgment Priest in a blood-red robe, wearing a fist-sized iron holy cross entwined with thorns on his chest, spoke in a low, suffocating tone. “Regarding this matter, we request an explanation from the Gaul Empire. Why has this heretic, this evil blasphemer, been able to hide within your territory for so long?”

The principal of Fifth University, Marquis Brown, stammered, “Honorable sir, he… he is a metallurgy expert hired by our empire.”

The red-robed priest sneered mockingly and waved his hand, signaling all the clergy to escort the arrested man away. He said coldly, “Metallurgy expert? Repent, you mortals deceived by demons. If you fail to recognize his true nature, you too will face judgment. For those who cannot see his real identity are surely tainted by this heretic.”

Marquis Brown trembled in fear at the priest’s words and timidly lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

The two civil officials with sashes exchanged glances and also bowed their heads in fear. Even as high-ranking ministers of the empire, they were like dried leaves in the wind before Divine Authority, powerless to control their own fate.

Large groups of clergy marched away in formation. The highest-ranking red-robed priest walked slowly at the back of the group, his sinister, merciless eyes slowly scanning everyone present. His gaze lingered briefly on Master Kocha, who gave a slight bow as a sign of respect.

The red-robed priest paused for a moment in front of Master Kocha and said darkly, “All heretics will be sent to the Stake!”

Master Kocha bent his waist further, showing submission to the red-robed priest.