"What’s the matter? Is there a problem?" The bishop asked after seeing Amon’s expression.
"My Lord, I don’t dare. It’s just that we have an appointment in Galmier Town," Amon answered.
"What appointment is more important than aiding the Divine’s followers? Call the caravan master out! Bishop Tian Jung wants to have a word...!"
"My Lord, the caravan master is sick..."
"Unless he is dead, he must come when a member of the Holy Temple summons him!"
"... Very well, I will go fetch him."
Amon returned to the caravan and entered it. Not long after, he came out with Nao Dou. They carried Peng Chi in their arms. Peng Chi appeared pale.
Bishop Tian Jung and the priests never moved from their positions. They waited for Amon and the others to approach.
"Greetings, My Lord," Peng Chi greeted upon arrival. He looked weak, and his voice was hoarse. "Forgive me for not being able to come at once. As you can see, I am not in my best condition."
"Hmph! I have no interest in your health. Your friend here told me that you plan to go to Galmier Town. I told him to belay that. Your caravan should instead take us to Ceollach City. Are you going to object to that instruction?"
"I wouldn’t dare to. My caravan is at your service," Peng Chi replied.
Inside Amon’s mind, he heard Nao Dou’s voice. ’Are you sure about this?’
’Just convey my words,’ Amon replied in his mind.
Peng Chi was not currently acting of his own will. Nao Dou was possessing him. Every word he uttered came from Nao Dou, who in turn received instructions from Amon. They communicated by Nao Dou reading Amon’s mind and projecting his thoughts to Amon. This way, they could converse silently without the Holy Temple members being aware.
"Hm... Good. Then the matter is settled," Tian Jung stated with satisfaction. "Come! Let us depart! We will go directly to Ceollach City."
Tian Jung walked toward the caravan with his priests. He stopped before the door and looked disapprovingly at one of the villagers standing nearby.
That villager heard Nao Dou’s voice in his mind. ’Open the door for him, you idiot!’
The villager quickly did so. Tian Jung harrumphed and went in. Inside, he saw Nao Mei, Nao Kong, Peng Xuwa, and the second group of villagers.
He frowned and ordered, "Everyone, get out!"
Nao Dou had already sent everyone a mental message, so they didn’t do anything to defy these people. The villagers helped carry Peng Xuwa, who was also pale. Nao Kong had possessed her, so she didn’t cause any trouble.
After everyone was out, Amon entered and asked, "My Lord, do you need anything else before we depart?"
"Hm... We need someone to serve us. You and another person of your choice may stay. Everyone else should remain outside."
Amon nodded deferentially. He relayed the instructions to those outside and picked someone to accompany him inside.
Nao Dou asked him telepathically again, ’Are you sure you want us to go to Ceollach City?’
He answered, ’Since it has come to this, let’s take a risk. We might still have a chance if we play this right.’
’What do you mean?’
Amon didn’t bother explaining. He told Nao Dou, ’We are going to Ceollach City.’
*
The one Amon chose was a mind practitioner with the body of a young woman. Her name was Nao Yin. Amon chose her not because of her appearance, but because of her abilities. She possessed mid third-tier Sea of Consciousness. Her mental powers consisted of third-tier mind reading and second-tier mind control.
Her mind-reading was powerful enough to read the minds of all nine Holy Temple members inside the caravan simultaneously and convey their thoughts to Amon. Additionally, mind-reading power could pass the caravan’s barrier. Cultivation sense couldn’t sense what was happening outside, but Nao Yin could communicate telepathically with the other mind practitioners outside. This way, Amon could communicate with the others through her.
As for her second-tier mind control, she could use Persuasive Voice. Amon warned her only to use that power when he instructed it, and in the way he instructed it. He had plenty of experience using Lin Li’s Mesmerizing Voice, so he was skilled at using that power without the targets realizing they had been persuaded against their will.
At first, Amon told her to refrain from using mind control powers. She only read her targets’ minds. With this power, Amon made a good impression on Tian Jung and his priests. He knew exactly when to serve them: When they were thirsty, when they were hungry, when they felt like chatting, or when they needed a massage.
"Mm... You are pretty good at this," Tian Jung complimented Nao Yin, who was massaging him by lightly tapping his shoulders with her fists.
"Maybe we should bring her to the Holy Temple," suggested a priest who sat at the same table as Tian Jung. His name was Xia Lung.
Nao Yin’s massaging paused slightly upon hearing that.
Tian Jung turned to her with a disapproving look. "What is it? Are you insinuating that you aren’t willing to work in the Divine’s house?"
"That is not her intention, My Lord," Amon covered for her. "Anyone will be honored to serve the Divine and his direct followers. She is, however, still young. She still hesitates to leave her family, who also serve as this caravan’s hired hands."
"I do see people of different ages among the hired hands," Xia Lung remarked. "Kind of odd choices for a caravan’s hired hands, don’t you think?"
"As I said, our caravan master is lacking in funds. We who work for him here are mostly volunteers," Amon explained.
Xia Lung scoffed. "Then this caravan master should just quit and give his job to a more capable person!"
Amon responded by laughing awkwardly.
Tian Jung glanced at Nao Yin again, which prompted her to bow apologetically and say, "Please forgive me, My Lord. I’m not ready yet for such a responsibility."
"Why do you stop?" Tian Jung asked.
Nao Yin bowed again before resuming massaging the bishop.
Tian Jung said, "If you are unwilling to leave your family yet for a better future, then that’s your loss. I won’t force you. We have plenty of servants serving our temple, anyway."
"My Lord, please have another cup of this wine," Amon offered.
"Mm. Though this wine is low-quality, it is better than none," Tian Jung said as he took the cup and drank it. He then asked Amon, "What about you? Do you wish to join the Holy Temple?"
"Can I?" Amon asked, feigning interest.
"It won’t be easy. You must apply as an initiate. Then, you will have to go through a long process of trials and selections. It will take years."
"Even then, there is no guarantee you will be accepted," Xia Lung added. "Many spent their whole life as initiates, and they died of old age before ever being accepted."
"In terms of prowess, I don’t think you will have a problem," Tian Jung told Amon. "But you will have to let go of your selfishness and show determination to give your life in serving the Divine’s creed before you can be a member of our order."
"I am honored to hear that, and I’m willing. However, as I mentioned, I’ve only just come out of reclusion recently. I wish to travel the world and see it with my own eyes. That’s why I join this caravan. Once I have done that, I will wholly submit myself to the Divine."
Tian Jung nodded approvingly. "That is a fine mindset. I hope for your sake that you keep that resolve."
"When I apply to join the Holy Temple, I hope I can receive your support."
Tian Jung waved his hand. "What are you saying? We don’t give favors. We all exist to serve the Divine. It is even more so for the Holy Temple members. If you wish to join, then you must show your willingness to serve. That’s all there is to it."
"Of course, please forgive my earthly way of thinking." Amon bowed apologetically.
"Mm. You still have much to learn, but you are not without hope. I approve of your attitude. Though I cannot help you directly, I will pray that you find your way to His side, like the rest of us who are already in the Holy Temple."
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart," Amon responded.
*
Because Peng Chi’s caravan was slow, the journey lasted two days, which worked in Amon’s favor. He had more time to socialize with Tian Jung and his priests. He even asked Nao Yin to send a telepathic message to Nao Pei to slow down the Vagor Buffaloes even more.
They reached Ceollach City around noon. Since all the Holy Temple members were inside the caravan, they weren’t aware that Nao Mei, Nao Pei, and a few mind practitioners had separated from the caravan before approaching the city.
They would stay outside the city until Amon and the others returned. The reason was that Nao Mei and Nao Pei didn’t possess citizen crests. As for the mind practitioners who followed the two, they were among the weak and less experienced. If something went wrong, Amon didn’t want them to be a burden.