Chapter 189: Ordinary or Transcendent
"Sending one's consciousness into the unknowable realm…"
Gideon pondered quietly.
He had only heard that spiritual awakening transcended reality, but he had never experienced it himself. After all, the moment he arrived in this world, those words had already appeared before his eyes. His understanding of awakening came from his predecessor's memories—vague and fragmented. All he knew was that the predecessor had once taken part in this ritual as well.
Clang… clang…
At that moment, the church bells rang—seven times in total.
The clergy gathered in the square began filing into the inner chamber. Rich led Gideon to a closer vantage point, where they could clearly observe the entire awakening process.
A young priest bowed to them and entered the compartment. After offering a devout prayer, he placed his hand on a stone statue carved in the shape of a book.
"This is the Bible statue," Rich whispered. "It was gifted by the Vatican when Dey Church was founded. Carved from sacred stone from the Holy Land, it has stood for over a thousand years and helps stabilize a priest's mental state."
Gideon nodded. He could indeed sense a faint yet pure holy fluctuation emanating from it.
When the officiant announced the start, the young priest closed his eyes.
Minutes passed. Nothing happened.
Just as Gideon began to wonder, he noticed Rich shake his head.
"He cannot perceive that space."
At the same time, a priest stepped forward and formally declared that the young man was not one of the chosen, instructing him to leave.
The young priest clearly could not accept the outcome. He begged for another chance—several, even—but the request was refused without hesitation.
"Why not give him a bit more time?" Roland asked, confused. "Maybe he was just nervous…"
Gideon shared the same question.
"It would be meaningless," Rich replied calmly.
"To find that space, one must bring their consciousness into a state of balance—aware of the world around them, yet maintaining inner tranquility."
"When that balance is achieved, the unknowable realm appears before you."
"But a person's consciousness is largely determined at birth. It does not change through later study or effort."
"That's why many people spend their entire lives without ever finding the door."
Roland seemed to half-understand.
The young priest lowered his head and left.
Soon, the next participant stepped forward.
Gideon had expected to see at least a few gifted individuals—but hours passed, more than a hundred clergy took part, and not a single one succeeded.
"This is quite common," Rich said.
"There is a spiritual awakening every year, yet only a handful ultimately obtain the mark."
Gideon glanced across the square.
Nearly a thousand clergy were still waiting.
Realizing that the vast majority of them would fail, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Another kind of marathon with no finish line…"
Suddenly, a commotion erupted on one side of the square.
Gideon turned and saw an elderly priest kneeling on the ground. Three tall men stood before him, apparently pressuring him.
"Please—just give me one more chance! Next time! Next time I'll surely obtain the mark!"
The old priest kept tracing the sign of the cross on his chest, his voice filled with desperate pleading.
The disturbance drew many glances.
"You've already participated five times, you old fool!" one of the men shouted.
"Do you know how much holy water and sacred oil you've wasted?!"
One of his companions hurriedly stopped him.
"Ves, this is a church. Keep your voice down!"
"But he's the one making such a scene—"
Church officials soon intervened, and the three men were escorted out.
In the brief distraction, Gideon noticed the elderly priest slip away quietly.
"There are people like this every year," Rich said, shaking his head.
"Obtaining the mark is not only a transformation of one's life—it also brings respect from the outside world."
"Power and wealth—these are the demons on the path of priestly cultivation."
"That's why rumors spread that long-term use of high-quality sacred relics can increase one's chances of gaining the holy mark."
"So many people go into massive debt over this… and end up destroying themselves."
Gideon stroked his chin.
"But wouldn't one attempt be enough to know the result? Why would they keep—"
"Obsession is itself a form of evil," Rich replied with a gentle smile.
"Some people cannot cleanse it away, even until death."
Roland asked curiously, "Then why not limit everyone to just one attempt? Wouldn't that prevent this?"
Rich shook his head, still smiling.
"When you enter the seminary someday, you'll understand."
Every year, so many people took part in the Spiritual Awakening—an undeniably lucrative source of income.
Coupled with the sale of holy artifacts around the event, it even stimulated local economic growth.
Who would refuse such a business?
From the Church's perspective, the rules were clear: repeated participation in the Awakening ritual would not change the outcome. If you insisted on coming anyway, that was your own choice.
Watching the elderly priest disappear into the distance, Rich's expression turned cold.
"That fool was trying to use the Church as a shield against his creditors. Truly self-deluding."
Roland asked, "Will the Church send him to the police?"
Rich shook his head. "That kind of atonement is far too lenient. He'll be sent to a Place of Suffering to receive justice."
Gideon raised an eyebrow.
If he remembered correctly, "justice" in this context meant that permanent imprisonment was the lightest punishment. Hanging and burning at the stake were also among the options.
Sure enough, several Church officials dressed in black robes soon hurried off in pursuit.
After the brief disturbance, the ritual resumed.
This time, a nun stepped forward.
She kept her head lowered, her breathing shallow and uneven—clearly nervous. After offering a solemn bow, she entered the chamber and placed her hand on the statue of the Holy Scripture.
In the very next moment, Gideon sensed something unusual.
"It feels like a distinct energy form is emerging from her," he thought.
At the same time, the nun's breathing gradually steadied.
From her perspective, every sound around her became exceptionally clear, while her heart grew increasingly calm. Motion and stillness formed a delicate balance within her body.
Then, as she focused again on those sounds, a door appeared before her.
Its frame shimmered with pale golden light, while within lay a swirling chaos of mist.
Overcome with excitement, the nun immediately entered it with her consciousness.
Almost simultaneously, both Gideon and Rich's eyes lit up.
Gideon felt an unfamiliar force descend upon the space.
Mysterious. Chaotic. Eternal.
Completely unlike the soil, grass, and air of the mortal world—this felt like something from a higher dimension.
Yet strangely, Gideon felt as though he had encountered this power before.
"She found it," Rich said quietly.
"As long as she locates a Mark within that space and returns safely, she'll be able to hear the voice of Heaven from now on."
Roland asked, "Is it dangerous in there?"
Rich nodded gravely.
"All power in this world—whether it has an owner or not—eventually flows into the Unknowable Space."
"For example, the corrupted Marks we mentioned earlier."
"They're left behind by demons, remnants of ancient gods' madness, and certain fallen cultists."
"These Marks contain immense malice. If a priest carves one into their body, it will take root and grow over time."
"And once planted, it can never be removed."
"The priest will be expelled from the Church, and in the end, they'll either become a demon's thrall… or descend completely into madness."
Rich adjusted his glasses, his expression heavy with caution.
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