After Becoming the Pope’s Disciple - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Priest

Ye Shaoqing didn’t notice that his pupils turned golden the moment the flower bloomed; by the time he turned his head to look at Wen Qingze, they had already returned to normal.

Wen Qingze’s astonished gaze darted back and forth between Ye Shaoqing and the flowerpot. Never mind him—even Ye Shaoqing himself felt bewildered by what had just happened. His brain throbbed with bouts of dizziness, leaving him unsure if it was a lingering side effect.

“My name is Ye Shaoqing.” He pointed at the blossoming white flower and shook his head. “I don’t know why it happened either.”

“Could it be that you are a Priest of the Holy See?” Wen Qingze stared into his eyes, his tone carrying a hint of unexpected pleasant surprise.

“A Priest? What makes you say that?” Ye Shaoqing asked back calmly.

Wen Qingze explained patiently: “This flower is called the Bodhi Lotus. It can calm the mind and focus the spirit, and it is also used to treat a damaged sea of consciousness. I spent a great deal of effort and went through many channels to get it from the black market. Although it’s just the cheapest kind, it cost me most of my savings. Unfortunately, like other exotic spirit plants, its vitality gradually dissipates and it dies after being used for a long time.”

He paused slightly, seeing Ye Shaoqing’s pensive expression, and continued: “Only a Priest or Bishop of the Holy See with powerful mental strength can restore their vitality.”

But even a Cardinal Priest here might not be able to restore it to such a perfect state, Wen Qingze thought, looking deeply at the man. His profound gaze, filtered through thin lenses, seemed to want to see right through him.

Ye Shaoqing silently processed the sheer amount of information contained in those words. Suddenly, he asked: “Is that ‘lock’ on your doorknob also an exotic spirit plant?”

“Correct, that is a Nose Lock.” Wen Qingze was even more surprised now. The Bodhi Lotus was relatively rare, so it was fine if he hadn’t seen one, but how could he not know about a Nose Lock—something found in every household?

Ye Shaoqing sensed the other man’s suspicion, but he didn’t offer much explanation; the more he said, the easier it would be to slip up. However, he was very interested in the so-called “exotic spirit plants” of this world. He had seen the plants; he wondered what the “exotic beasts” looked like.

Wen Qingze twisted open a medicine bottle and gestured for him to roll up his sleeves. He carefully disinfected and applied medicine to the wounds, asking: “Lord Priests usually travel with attendants and knights. Why would Your Excellency come to the slums all alone?”

Feeling the cool sensation on his injuries and the pain receding significantly, Ye Shaoqing glanced at the medicine bottle and shook his head calmly: “I am no Priest.”

Wen Qingze looked up, revealing a gentle smile: “If not a Priest, then perhaps a Technomancer who has practiced Holy Magic? I feel that you are not weaker than any Priest I have ever met.”

Holy Magic? Technomancer? What on earth are those…

Ye Shaoqing silently noted these two terms but didn’t ask. Instead, he said: “Thank you for saving me, but I have nothing of value on me right now. I can’t offer you anything in thanks for the time being.”

Wen Qingze smiled and shook his head, looking at the vibrant Bodhi Lotus. “Those three who attacked you already had a grudge against me. Saving you was just a small effort. Besides, you’ve already done me a great favor. If not for you, this Bodhi Lotus would have withered in a few days. If anything, I’m the one who got the better end of the deal.”

Ye Shaoqing said: “Didn’t you say any Priest could restore its vitality?”

Wen Qingze sighed and gave a helpless, bitter smile: “The clergy of the Holy See are mostly high and mighty. To request their help, you not only have to pay a massive fee, but they also have to be willing to help you. Why would the Lord Priests waste their precious mental strength on a powerless commoner like me?”

Ye Shaoqing knit his brows slightly. “You said the Bodhi Lotus is used to treat damage to the sea of consciousness? Does that mean you…”

Hearing the other man ask this, Wen Qingze didn’t take offense. He nodded and said in a flat tone, “Indeed. An exotic beast plague once broke out in my former hometown; not one in ten survived. Both of my parents died in that disaster, and several of my brothers were separated from me. Though I was fortunate enough to survive, my sea of consciousness was tainted. It has never fully recovered. Every so often, I get a splitting headache and have to go to the Hall of Teaching to have a Priest comb through it for me. Now I rely on the Bodhi Lotus to ease it a bit. Since getting it, I haven’t had an episode for over half a year.”

Though his description was plain, Ye Shaoqing could feel the indelible, deep pain within those few words. Not knowing what to say, he could only respond with silence.

Wen Qingze clearly didn’t want to dwell on the topic. He changed the subject, asking: “What are your plans for what comes next?”

Ye Shaoqing thought for a moment and said: “To be honest, I currently have nothing and no place to stay. Mr. Wen, do you know of any cheap rental rooms nearby?”

Wen Qingze had expected this in his heart. After thinking for a moment, he said: “You are a newcomer and carry an air of nobility. Even without those three thugs, I’m afraid other local ruffians would find trouble with you. If you don’t mind, you can stay here with me for now and move out once you find a suitable place. Consider it payment for helping me save a pot of Bodhi Lotus.”

The suggestion was very tempting to Ye Shaoqing. He truly had nowhere else to go, so he agreed: “Then I shall trouble you. However, I won’t stay for free. Once I find a job, I will pay you back as soon as possible.”

“There’s no rush for that,” Wen Qingze said with a smile. “Actually, with the skill you showed just now, you won’t be short of money wherever you go.”

Ye Shaoqing’s heart stirred. If he really possessed such a magical ability, it would indeed be a good way to earn money. He was about to ask for more details when his stomach let out a very ungraceful growl.

“Haha, hungry?” Wen Qingze crinkled his eyes slightly, asking with a grin.

Ye Shaoqing didn’t feel embarrassed at all and nodded honestly: “Very hungry.”

“Wait a moment, I’ll go make dinner,” Wen Qingze said as he rolled up his shirt sleeves and put on an apron. He tied back his long black hair, and soon the sound of a fire starting and vegetables being chopped came from the kitchen, followed by a faint aroma.

Since he was staying under someone else’s roof, Ye Shaoqing wanted to help. But seeing the palm-sized kitchen, which barely had room for one person to move, he realized he would only be in the way. He sat back down at the table and continued to study the Bodhi Lotus.

In any world, the unchanging rule is that one must provide value to survive. Relying on one’s own abilities is always better than depending on the kindness of others.

However, this time, whether it was because the Bodhi Lotus was already “full” or because his method was wrong, no matter how Ye Shaoqing tinkered with it, there was no reaction. It remained in full bloom, and the turquoise mist refused to appear.

“It seems I still need to figure this out,” Ye Shaoqing thought, rubbing his fingers until the aroma of food woke him from his reverie.

Wen Qingze brought out two plates of green vegetables he couldn’t name and a small dish of meat. “It’s not very lavish, so just make do. I’ll go to the market tomorrow to buy more.”

Ye Shaoqing didn’t reply; he had already buried his face in his rice bowl.

It was the first time he had tasted the food of this world. The rice grains were plump and chewy, the vegetables were crisp, and the meat was tender. After a full meal, the feeling of starvation from the past few days was swept away. In the past, Ye Shaoqing could hardly imagine he would feel a sense of happiness from such a simple meal.

After clearing the dishes, Wen Qingze cleared out the remaining empty room, and Ye Shaoqing moved in after a quick cleaning. He lay on an old-fashioned spring bed with several holes in the sheets, but he didn’t mind; it was far better than sleeping on the street.

Having a place to stay, Ye Shaoqing began to plot his future life.

The fragmented memories of the original owner were like a shattered glass mirror. He could only catch faint glimpses of a few blurry scenes. Though he couldn’t see the face of the man who gave him the fountain pen clearly, the tall figure was particularly vivid in his memory—so much so that the original owner would rather starve on the street than sell it.

Ye Shaoqing strongly disagreed with this sentiment; once you’re dead, you have nothing, so why care about external possessions?

The collapse at the archaeological site three days ago had likely killed his original body for good. Since his parents passed away, he had been alone for many years, solitary and without ties. In any world, there would be no one to grieve his departure, nor anyone to rejoice at his arrival.

But so what? He was still alive, and that was the most important thing.

Ye Shaoqing smiled silently in the darkness, turned over, and fell into a deep sleep…

The Temple of Light sat in the east of the Imperial Capital. As the symbol of the Holy See’s highest power and faith, it stood directly opposite the Imperial Palace to the west. The tallest tower within the Temple of Light was the residence of His Holiness the Pope.

The night was as thick as unthinnable ink, gloomily enveloping the sacred palace.

It was a quiet night, just like any other. No one dared to be disrespectful near the Temple of Light; even speaking loudly would be seen as a lack of respect and piety toward His Holiness.

However, in the hearts of some, tonight was a night of total sleeplessness.

“Is it confirmed?”

The speaker wore dark red priestly robes, with three blood-red gems inlaid in the center of the belt. The man was of sturdy build, with a resolute and heroic face. A strand of hair hung down to his chest on each side of his face—perfectly symmetrical and precise.

“Reporting to His Eminence the Sanctuary Bishop, it has been confirmed. His Holiness the Pope is… missing.” The Holy Knight kneeling on one knee spoke the results of the secret investigation with difficulty under the other man’s burning gaze. The words “whereabouts unknown” were swallowed back down.

“Missing?” Sanctuary Archbishop Zhang Junbai raised his eyebrows, repeating the words with emphasis. He shouted sternly, “Are you Holy Knights all useless?!”

Facing this Sanctuary Bishop, who was known for his severity, Zhou Wen silently endured the anger, not daring to make a sound. During his watch, His Holiness had vanished? And they didn’t even know when he had disappeared? It was the joke of the century. His death would not be enough to atone for the crime.

Zhang Junbai’s face was as cold as water. He said icily: “Pass down the order: secretly investigate His Holiness’s whereabouts. Publicly announce that His Holiness is still in seclusion. This matter is of grave importance and must not be publicized. Understood?!”

Zhou Wen hurriedly said: “Yes!”

“Leave. If you can’t find His Holiness, don’t bother coming back!” Zhang Junbai looked out the window at the highly symbolic tower, narrowing his eyes slightly as he thought silently: Don’t let me find out who is behind this, or else…

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