An agreement was reached with the Dragon Mother, and both parties were satisfied; Li Xin also managed to establish an initial foothold in Hedan. The primary task now is to produce a news piece that satisfies President Ma Zhe within a week. Li Xin could sense that his stay was entirely out of face value; despite the friendly demeanor, without results, he would be shown the door.

Saint George Cathedral, the largest Earth Mother Goddess church in the Saint George District, attracts devout believers every day, and it is certainly packed on Sundays. Therefore, Li Xin chose a weekday.

The church is constructed from a stone material similar to marble, very smooth and white, stacked in large pieces. The simple and straightforward carvings fully showcase Hedan's artistic heritage, and even in the immigrant district, the grandeur of the Church remains undiminished.

Atop the Church Court is a pristine statue of the Earth Mother Goddess; like the Lirong, the divine statues only have outlines and no faces, yet there is a natural sense of aesthetic and awe, as if a definite form exists but can't be recalled.

Li Xin stood quietly below, gazing at the statue of the Earth Mother Goddess. He seemed devoid of fate with the Moon God; Matthew probably wasn't faking it, so Li Xin wanted to see if he had any fate with the Earth Mother Goddess. Generally, in circumstances like his, there should be a "thigh" to lean on; he was still in the process of finding one for a sense of belonging sooner.

Inside the church, some followers of the Earth Goddess were praying. The prayers could be about health, harvest, and offspring, and since this is an immigrant area, residents from all over Daoyuan are here. Before Governor Luthor's reform in the Lirong, Hedan was a gold rush destination sought by people from everywhere.

Li Xin found a seat. The Earth Mother Goddess's symbol, a ring engraved with runes, and inside the circle, devotees were deeply devout; only enough piety could earn a deity's response. Among the deities worshipped by nations, the Earth Mother Goddess seems the most leisurely.

"Great Earth Mother Goddess, please listen, you're listening to the calls of your devout followers. Please grant me wealth, no matter the amount; I shall receive it joyfully and gratefully."

Li Xin preferred leisurely deities, so he prayed devoutly. Initially, he was quite wary of such prayers; after all, one never knows what exactly they are invoking, nor if the attention gained would align with expectations. Yet, during his extended understanding, the response from deities or such powers is predominantly positive, especially from Main Gods, otherwise, so many people wouldn't have prayed for centuries.

The people here are not idiots, simply on a different path of civilization; instead, they have summarized sets after sets of hidden power acquisition knowledge.

Perhaps power recognition at a higher level is something currently beyond understanding, yet receiving some favor is not necessarily bad.

Li Xin's attempts were naturally cautious, as the Moon God and the Earth Mother Goddess are both gentle and merciful; he liked that.

The Moon God Diana controls the night, disasters, and secrets, while the Earth Mother Goddess Lisanna Luo controls the earth, nurturing, and wealth authority, all quite practical powers indeed. It's no wonder Moncalleta is so prosperous; with faith in such a deity, naturally, prosperity follows. Li Xin pondered over how they distributed this faith, sitting devoutly all morning.

Until his stomach started growling loudly, without any response.

From Kathy, it was also known that the best way to gain divine favor is through a bishop's baptism, the higher the rank, the greater the likelihood of gaining attention. In fact, Matthew's rank and power are quite formidable; such division across national Church Courts is consistent, with the Pope as the highest leader, followed by Cardinals responsible for overseeing church departments and major diocesan leadership in many nations. Like the Moon and Earth Gods, such Main Gods not only influence Lirong and Moncalleta but have a significant presence in numerous small nations.

The rankings of Sect Leader, Metropolitan, Archbishop, and Chief Bishop primarily relate to the size and importance of the area under their jurisdiction and have some associations with personal cultivation but are not entirely dependent on it. If not for Eliza, Matthew might not just be an Archbishop but perhaps become an important Metropolitan. His marriage to Eliza is seen as a blemish by the Church Court, yet he still ultimately became an Archbishop with remarkable cultivation, seniority, and ability.

Without Luo Jin's facilitation, ordinary individuals would never contact people of such rank, let alone receive baptism; this baptism is the real deal, liable to bring divine favor, allowing the Awakened to face fewer misfortunes on the future cultivation path, with laypeople gaining health and longevity blessings, which are concrete benefits, and performing the baptism requires the bishop to expend their own Wish Power.

Therefore, a genuine baptism is not something bishops would perform lightly.

Many rules and details become known only through personal experience. Leaving the Church Court, bathing in the outdoor sunlight, Li Xin recollected his mood. Sometimes, he wished Old Luo were a bit more selfish.

It seemed the Earth Mother Goddess hadn't noticed his peculiarities. Shouldn't an entity like him be a delight to the deities?

Returning somewhat dejected to the Lirong Inn, the Dragon Mother sprang forth with a broad smile, "Master Ah Xin, why are you back only now? Master Simmons has been waiting for a long time."

Simmons had come alone. He pondered all night on what exactly Li Xin wanted to do. It was unrelated to him, and if Li Xin meant to eliminate him, it wouldn't be this cumbersome. Since that's the case, why not become friends instead of enemies or strangers?

The George Family is in an awkward situation, betting on the Canon Law School, but the present level, the honor battle, is just a sideshow at best, a stepping stone for others. Why not take a gamble?

"Madam, please let me talk to Brother Li alone," Simmons said with a smile.

The Dragon Mother was enraptured by Simmons' looks, instantly patting her thigh, "Alright, alright, Master Simmons, I'm the boss, not the boss lady, Master Ah Xin, chat leisurely. If you need anything, just call; I'll be outside attending."

Simmons waved a hand, about to speak.

"Dragon Mother, the eagle-like Master Simmons is very independent; please handle your affairs. By the way, have those thugs calmed down? Surely they aren't genuinely tearing down the place? Where would I sleep?" Li Xin asked.

The Dragon Mother hesitated for just a tenth of a second, suddenly shaking her massive frame in aggrievement, "Sigh, better not mention it, lest it ruin Master Simmons' mood..."

Simmons was at a smile-and-surprise mix, "Brother Li, is it those folks from last time?"

The Dragon Mother promptly nodded, "Yes, they came to smash things again, and threatened to burn the place down, and, and indecently... I went to City Hall to file a complaint, but no one cared."

Simmons gave a slight shiver, nodding, "I understand, it won't happen again."

If Simmons says it won't, it truly won't; giving Li Xin a favor is a good kickoff for a deal. The Black and White Association is too insolent; knowing Simmons is about, yet still daring to cause trouble. Such an incident was unimaginable with the former George Family, as their dominance undoubtedly weakened.

"Eagle..."

"Brother Li, Brother Li, don't say that; you make me speechless with those words." Simmons smiled wryly. In the past, it didn't phase him when others said that, but hearing it from Li Xin made his hair stand on end.

"Haha, Simmons, what brought you here?" Li Xin directly asked, finding Simmons approachable.

Simmons explained the situation of the Earth Mother Goddess Honor Battle, "Our Kingdom holds it every five years, one of Moncalleta's most important festivals. For those of us on the knightly path, it's probably the only chance in life to gain a substantial amount of pure glory," Simmons looked at Li Xin.

Seeing no reaction, he continued, "Like the Celestial Capital Four-nation Tournament, even if it exists, it's minuscule. But the Honor Battle is different, receiving such power lays a solid foundation, crucial for Divine Relic advancement."

Simmons spoke somewhat cryptically but conveyed the essence; he wouldn't hide on such matters. The reason for not being specific is that only one accumulative victor emerges every five years. Their George Family hasn't produced one, but those who have, if not deceased, have all reached extraordinary heights.

Li Xin naturally understood; if things are as Simmons stated, the difficulty could only be imagined.

Simmons continued, "For our George Family, it's both an opportunity and a test. The family is betting on the Saint Grace Canon Law School, but if no good results are achieved in the Honor Battle, it would be a significant blow to the family's honor and status."

Simmons openly shared his thoughts. Before Li Xin, playing mind games would backfire, and besides, he hoped to gain genuine support, no matter the outcome. Making such a powerful friend is beneficial for the family and himself.

"What do you want me to do?" Li Xin asked.

"Brother Li, I want you to join the Saint Grace Canon Law School to help us enhance our battle capabilities!" Simmons said with eager eyes, "I know formidable opponents abound, but when facing a one-time life opportunity, I wish to take a chance, not want to be so cowardly anymore!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.