In the Western human world, religion had long been unified, and people believed in only one God, their Lord.
The Church acted as the will of the Lord in the mortal realm, purifying demons and monsters!
Among their doctrines, there was a rule: those who do not believe in the Lord are considered heretics, and heretics are treated like demons, destined for purification!
The power of the Lord is supreme; even a king of a nation must bow to Him.
A king without the Lord's blessing holds an unstable throne; upon ascending the throne, every king must be crowned by a priest representing the Lord.
The same applies to the nobility; those who are not steadfast believers are not permitted to become powerful nobles, nor can they become long-established families.
All of this forged the Church's dominance—powerful, authoritative, unassailable, and fearsome.
Of course, this religious organization was quite formidable. Despite some issues arising within, its power had continued to be passed down through generations, becoming stronger with each iteration.
Devout believers were always well-treated by the Church, and pious nobles received their support as well.
Anna's family consisted mainly of steadfast, devout believers. The family once flourished until an alternative heresy emerged, causing them to drift away from the Church's center.
To eradicate the evil heresy that had led their family to ruin and to wash away their family's shame, they made a solemn vow: they would strive to achieve their goals or never ascend to Heaven.
Heaven, in the hearts of believers, is the most sacred existence. The ability to make such a vow demonstrates a level of devotion that borders on fanaticism; they would willingly sacrifice their lives for it.
Their vows eventually earned them the chance for redemption.
Now, this family had begun to decay, leaving only Anna as the sole survivor, yet she still clung to her family's oath.
Niko felt a newfound respect for her family, raising her hammer and expressing her support.
This respect was not only for Anna but also stemmed from a reverence for the Lord, as her family were also believers. From childhood, she had prayed daily to the Lord, a practice that continued until she left her home.
Although she no longer prayed, the sense of reverence remained in her heart.
Today, even though the Church had weakened, the belief in the Lord had spread throughout the world, making it the most widely followed faith globally.
Among them, Zhao Lun had little interest in the Western belief in the Lord, finding His doctrine too tyrannical and uncomfortable. Most importantly, the actions of His followers resembled demons, engaging in violence, pillaging, and committing acts of genocide to dominate the world.
Penelope, being a witch, believed in the wizard god known as Merlin, while Mulan, a traditional Chinese lady, venerated her ancestors or her own Dao.
The Dao embodies the principles of natural order, self-improvement, and the spirit of tranquility and non-action.
"Let's go; we should head back."
After the meal and some rest, the surrounding werewolves had mostly been dealt with, and it was time to return.
As for those lurking further away, they had no intention of continuing their pursuit. Firstly, their earlier actions had drawn considerable attention, and the not-so-foolish werewolves were aware of the unfavorable circumstances and had already fled.
Secondly, even if there were still some remaining, it was getting late, and nighttime was not conducive to their operational plans. During the night, these werewolves would not only gain enhanced power but also become frenzied, making it too dangerous for them.
Additionally, they couldn't rule out the possibility of Dracula making an appearance. They were not prepared to face that demon just yet and preferred not to confront it so soon.
Today, they had cleared several werewolf strongholds, relying on Anna's familiarity with the area and their element of surprise, even so, it had taken a considerable amount of time.
"The road is rough; it's really inconvenient," Zhao Lun remarked as they made their way back.
The path was poor. They could have ridden horses, but the noise would have been too noticeable, so they abandoned that idea. Although their approach was stealthier, it was also more exhausting.
Among them, the most fatigued were Penelope and Anna.
Penelope, as a witch, had not undergone systematic training and was not much stronger than an ordinary person. Traveling for long periods was a significant burden for her.
The reason she had managed to hold on until now was thanks to the divine spring water. During her days with Zhao Lun, they always had nutritious food that helped strengthen the body. However, the time was too short for the effects to be very noticeable.
Niko, stimulated by the divine spring water for an extended period and having undergone training, found the journey to be a minor inconvenience. As for Mulan, she hadn't broken a sweat throughout the entire trip, appearing to travel as if it were a routine stroll.
Anna was somewhat stronger than Penelope but not by much; she was simply very resilient and didn't show it.
"There's nothing to be done. If our family still had knights, they would have cleared out these threats already," Anna explained.
Nobles have their own private armies and could bestow knighthoods upon individuals to protect themselves. Unfortunately, her family had suffered significant setbacks and had fallen into decline, losing not only their own strength but also their ability to knight others.
This town was situated deep in the mountains, controlled by powerful vampires. For the sake of blood and sustenance, they had taken in some vampires to serve as guards, preventing the townsfolk from escaping.
As the local nobility, they were under strict surveillance. If any of their powers were discovered, these monsters would initiate suicide attacks, keeping threats contained within manageable limits.
The strength of the nobility was gradually eroding, and now her family had truly fallen to the lowest point.
"Alright, we can head back."
The town was in sight.
By the time they returned, the sky had already darkened.
In the deep mountains, a foreboding castle loomed above a steep ravine. The castle was immense, measuring 130 meters long, 80 meters wide, and towering 60 meters high at its highest point.
To construct such a large castle in such a steep location indicated the immense wealth and power of those who built it.
Below the castle lay a dark abyss, seemingly bottomless and filled with an oppressive atmosphere, which was quite chilling.
The castle itself was shrouded in darkness, never seeing sunlight; even during the day, it was as dark as night. The weather surrounding the castle was harsh, with strong winds that blew year-round. The clouds hung thick like dark ink, refusing to disperse, perpetually cloaking the castle.
Today, the dark castle was unusually illuminated. The light was cold and deep, flickering like flames emerging from a grave, creating an eerie spectacle.
The castle, which had been silent for years, suddenly began to stir.
Under the cold, ghostly lights, a horde of creatures that resembled humans but were not gathered in a tight circle, too fearful to make a sound.
Suddenly, a sharp shriek pierced the air.
"Ah!——"
"Food! I smell delicious food!"
"What an intoxicating aroma!"
"What an exhilarating feeling—"
Following the shriek was an aria-like voice. The tone of the aria sounded like a dramatic poem recitation, ornate and passionate, filled with a yearning for life, yet laced with a chilling coldness.
This coldness penetrated deep into the soul.
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