Chapter 630 - 51: Unified Tracks, Unified Script

Chapter 630: Chapter 51: Unified Tracks, Unified Script

Murphy opened his eyes.

His gaze fell upon the familiar stone dome of the cottage. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting bands of light across the floor.

He blinked, his consciousness slowly ascending from a long stretch of chaos, like a drowning man finally breaking the surface of the water.

Then he saw Aurora.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in a simple white gown. Her long, golden hair was draped casually over her shoulders, and the morning light gilded her profile with a soft contour.

She held a Crimson Longsword in her hands, carefully wiping its blade with a silk cloth. Her movements were as gentle as a caress.

Sensing his gaze, she looked up at him.

A gentle smile rippled through her eyes, which were as blue as the Jade Sea.

"You’re awake?"

Murphy slowly sat up, his gaze falling upon his own body. It was still the familiar form he knew, yet it felt subtly different.

He raised his hand and looked at his palm. It felt as though it held something ineffable, as if the entire world was flowing within his grasp.

"This is..."

"What is it?" Aurora placed the Longsword across her lap and tilted her head, a hint of a teasing smile in her blue eyes. "Ready to attend Mo Ling’s graduation ceremony?"

Murphy froze.

"Mo Ling’s graduation ceremony?"

Aurora nodded and handed him the Crimson Longsword. The blade was slender, and its entire length shimmered with a soft luster, as if forged from a solidified sunset.

"The graduation ceremony for the Path of the Priest," she said, standing up. She walked over to him and gently placed the sword in his hand. "Go on, don’t keep her waiting."

Murphy gripped the hilt. The cool touch instantly resonated with him in a peculiar way, as if it had always been a part of his body.

He looked up at Aurora.

She was looking back at him. A thousand unspoken words lay in the depths of her azure eyes, but they all dissolved into a single, gentle smile.

"Go on," she said softly. "They’re waiting for you."

...

「Holy City, Tower of Revelation.」

It was noon. The midsummer sun beat down unsparingly upon the pure-white tower, making it glisten brilliantly.

The square bustled with people. Dressed in all manner of attire, they had traveled from every corner of the Continent to witness this momentous ceremony.

It had been ten years since the Path of the Priest was first taught publicly, and this was the graduation ceremony for the very first class of students to complete their studies and officially earn the title of "Priest."

On the high dais, Murphy stood in silence.

He was still dressed in a simple, traditional black robe. His ink-black hair was draped naturally over his shoulders, his clothes fluttering gently in the breeze.

Countless gazes from below the dais were fixed on him, filled with reverence, admiration, curiosity, and a deep, hidden awe.

He raised his hand, and the crowd below instantly fell silent.

Murphy’s gaze swept over the young faces below. Their eyes sparkled with hopes and expectations for the future, just like the wide-eyed children who had first entered the tower ten years prior.

He began to speak, his voice not loud, yet it carried clearly to every person’s ears:

"Ten years ago, you stepped into this tower and became the first apprentices of the Path of the Priest. Back then, the world was filled with doubt and confusion regarding this Path. Today, ten years later, you stand here, poised to step out into a much wider world."

He paused, then continued:

"From this day forward, you will go forth to every corner of the Continent in the name of ’Priest.’ What you have learned is not merely the skill of sensing elements and guiding Energy, but a method for understanding the world and comprehending its rules."

"I hope you remember: power is never the end, but a means. True strength lies not in the magnificence of the Magic you can cast, but in what you can do with that power for this land and for all the beings who live upon it."

"Go and become people of use to the Continent—of use to the land beneath your feet, to your nations, to your compatriots, and to the ever-flourishing civilization upon this land."

"May you, wherever you go, never forget the aspirations you hold today."

As he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted from below the dais.

A young woman with black hair and black eyes stood silently in the crowd. She was slender and tall, her face breathtakingly beautiful. Her jet-black eyes, like the deep night sky, reflected the familiar figure on the dais.

She wore a pale blue Priest’s ceremonial robe, a golden insignia designating her as "Chief" pinned to her chest.

It was Mo Ling.

"Look," she said softly, turning to Bobby, who stood beside her in a matching graduation robe. Her voice carried a small hint of pride. "That is my great father."

Bobby nodded emphatically, her hazel eyes shining with reverence.

Ten years had transformed her from a timid little girl into a beautiful young woman with a gentle disposition. But at this moment, her gaze toward the dais was just as pure and sincere as it had been back then.

"Lord Holy Sword is truly great."

Bobby said softly, her voice filled with heartfelt admiration.

"Ten years ago, he purged the vermin from the Church Court, killed those Old Faction Cardinals who colluded with Demons, and restored the Church Court to Oriane’s original intent."

Mo Ling listened, the corners of her lips turning up slightly.

Bobby continued, her voice tinged with emotion, "And what he’s done these last ten years is so much more than that. He standardized roads and unified the written script. He replaced the phonetic alphabet, which only serves to create an ever-increasing number of words, with ideographic characters."

"That way, the academic tyrants who relied on creating new words to monopolize knowledge can no longer use complex professional jargon to keep ordinary people out. Knowledge has finally, truly become accessible to every household."