Chapter 75: The First Twelve Disciples

In the Fourth Monster World, early one morning, when butler Steele saw Duan Wenxuan emerge from his room, there was not a hint of surprise on his face. Despite the fact that Duan Wenxuan had left earlier and hadn’t returned since then, even up to this day.

“Sir,” Steele approached naturally and politely inquired, “Would you like some breakfast?”

Duan Wenxuan took a deep breath of the manor’s fresh air and comfortably stretched his whole body. Due to the spiritual tide outbreak, Xuanlan Star had been cold and damp recently. Arriving here, it was rare to encounter such a splendid sunny day, bringing immense comfort.

“Yes, please.”

Steele promptly served Duan Wenxuan with breakfast - fluffy freshly baked bread, a glass of milk, along with some sweet fruits grown within the estate. Although Duan Wenxuan had already eaten in the present world, enjoying the beautiful morning, he still indulged in quite a bit more.

After finishing his meal, Duan Wenxuan immediately went to inspect the temple constructed within the manor. Unexpectedly, the progress of building the temple far exceeded his initial expectations. Essentially, the entire temple could be considered complete; all that remained were tasks such as clearing construction debris, refining details, and making minor adjustments.

“Every time I see the temple, it leaves me with a profound sense of awe,” Steele expressed his admiration openly while accompanying Duan Wenxuan.

The design for this temple combined elements from blueprints of the present world’s Universal Church cathedrals and was further enriched by a specialized company in the Li Kingdom, incorporating mythical embellishments with distinctive symbolic meanings. During actual construction, architects from this monster world were employed. With these layers combined, even Duan Wenxuan felt a deep internal impact upon seeing the completed temple.

Unlike the universal and radiant nature of the present world’s Universal Church, Duan Wenxuan’s temple exuded more grandeur and solemnity associated with divine presence. Both possess a strong religious atmosphere, but given the uniqueness of this monster world, the subtle hints of eerie solemnity within the temple perfectly aligned with the aesthetic preferences of its inhabitants.

“Its creation is filled with serendipity.”

Steele gave Duan Wenxuan a puzzled look before realizing, “You’re right, every miracle indeed teems with elements of chance.”

Duan Wenxuan, momentarily taken aback, glanced at Steele with amusement. That wasn’t quite what he meant. If not for the inexplicable acquisition of the door symbol, and if not for choosing to manipulate the world’s development through lies, this temple might never have existed. However, there was no need for him to clarify now.

“There’s one more thing I must tell you. The rapid construction of the temple owes much to Mr. Nelson’s assistance. The large colored glass pieces you required and the exquisite murals on the tall walls were all brought by Mr. Nelson, who also arranged for specialists to help with their creation.”

“I understand, I’ll thank him later,” Duan Wenxuan replied.

He hadn’t anticipated Nelson being so proactive. As the only ordinary member of the Night Church in Westphalia, Duan Wenxuan had left him there to maintain stability among the people.

Although he had already gained the allegiance of the Night Church branch in Westphalia, it was still largely covert. In case any unforeseen events occurred elsewhere or at the Night Church Headquarters, someone needed to remain behind to handle matters locally.

“How is the cultivation class progressing?”

“Very well,” Steele reported. “Following your guidance, those attending the cultivation class have complete freedom to decide whether they wish to continue based on their own will. So far, twelve individuals have persisted.”

“Didn’t we initially have sixteen participants, including Bern?”

“After some time, one child’s father was bitten by a venomous snake while clearing fields and passed away before receiving treatment. To take care of his family, the child had no choice but to return home.”

Steele patiently explained, clearly demonstrating his high regard for Duan Wenxuan’s valued cultivation class, as he was well-informed about each child’s situation within it.

“One student had no interest in learning literacy and frequently failed to complete the teacher’s assignments. After being often reprimanded, he chose to give up. Additionally, two others, after grasping some basic reading and numeracy, were offered apprentice positions as accountants at factories by their families in Xipu Continent City. They decided to abandon the cultivation class studies.”

The first case was simply unfortunate luck; however, if his academic abilities had been exceptional, Steele might have intervened to keep him. Allowing him to leave also indicated his mediocre skills combined with bad fortune, making his abandonment of the class unsurprising. As for the others, their own short-sightedness and that of their families made further insistence unnecessary.

“Let’s go see them,” Duan Wenxuan suggested.

Steele, of course, had no objections.

Upon arriving at the classroom converted from a warehouse, they found it now equipped with many more practice tools. Coincidentally, the knight Duan Wenxuan had invited was instructing the remaining twelve students on physical exercises.

Bern, now twenty and the oldest among them, had visibly grown taller since Duan Wenxuan last saw him. His short hair stuck to his forehead, exuding a vibrant and robust aura, starkly different from his previous demeanor as a timid farmer’s child.

Upon noticing Duan Wenxuan, the hired knight promptly halted the children’s exercises. This knight was formerly retired from the Westphalia Knights. In his youth, he had indulged extravagantly, leaving him with minimal savings. Having finally found a generous patron, the knight displayed none of the arrogance and rudeness from his younger days.

All twelve children looked eagerly towards Duan Wenxuan, their expressions filled with admiration and excitement. Duan Wenxuan observed that five or six of them were particularly lively and unreserved. With Bern taking the lead, they immediately ran over, while the rest, somewhat timid, lagged behind.

“Saint!”

Seeing Duan Wenxuan, Bern’s eyes welled up with emotion, turning slightly red.

The farmers’ addresses to Duan Wenxuan were varied and complex, using terms like “master” or “sir.” However, Bern and the others were being groomed as foundational members for this world’s Universal Church. Consequently, they studied the adapted scriptures based on Duan Wenxuan’s interpretation of the present-day Universal Church, leading them to address him differently than the farmers.

Duan Wenxuan patted Bern’s shoulder, still emanating a chilling and eerie aura left by the Greed Pot.

“Excellent work. How is your learning progressing?”

Initially hesitant to speak under Bern’s lead, the students gradually grew excited and shared much more spontaneously as Duan Wenxuan prompted them.

“Keep striving diligently. The temple has already been constructed. Now, I need you all to deeply understand and interpret the Holy Words with utmost care. As the first twelve disciples, my expectations for you are high. One day, I envision you spreading across both the Southern and Northern Provinces, carrying the doctrines of the Universal Church to the entire world.”

For these children, it was their first encounter with such grand aspirations. Unlike before, when their lives seemed predictable and limited, they now had no fixed notions; at most, they hoped for a benevolent Landgraf who would provide them with slightly more food.

Over this period, they had acquired vast knowledge, which gradually cleared their previously hazy minds. However, they remained uncertain about their future. But now, through Duan Wenxuan’s calm yet encouraging gaze filled with expectation, they felt a sense of mission and responsibility unlike anything they had experienced before.

In fact, it bordered on a belief.

“You can achieve this. I firmly believe that someday, every person’s name among you will be celebrated by the world. You will traverse every corner of this realm, and the Universal Church, thanks to your efforts, will become thoroughly known to all.”

After encouraging these twelve young students, Duan Wenxuan departed. However, he noticed the determination gradually settling in their eyes. One day, these children would undoubtedly bring him great surprises. Having arranged matters at the manor, Duan Wenxuan then visited Westphalia to meet Nelson, bringing Qiao Si along with him.

Previously, Qiao Si had accompanied Duan Wenxuan from the Jindar Empire back to Hanming Country. This time, knowing they were returning to the monster-infested world, Duan Wenxuan felt uneasy leaving Qiao Si alone in the present-world neighborhood.

Upon his return, Qiao Si had virtually no memories of the present world, only a hazy sensation as if he had been drifting somewhere for an extended period.

Amidst these uncertainties, what delighted Qiao Si more was discovering that his mutant ‘tongue’ seemed to have integrated even more deeply within him. This complete fusion not only greatly enhanced his abilities but also reduced the adverse effects the tongue previously exerted on him.

When mutants and unique items from the monster realm fuse with humans, the process typically involves gradual integration. During this continuous assimilation, there can be rejection reactions, leading to various adverse effects.

Generally, these mutants would kill their hosts long before complete fusion could occur. However, Duan Wenxuan utilized the power of the gate symbol for Mandatory Identification, allowing him to effortlessly harness the abilities of these mutants without experiencing such issues.

As Qiao Si and others spent more time in the real world, their mutants fell into dormancy, resulting in no further rejection during the fusion process. It was akin to a slow, grinding effort, but from one perspective, if they were to stay in the real world consistently for seven or eight years, it might just lead to a miraculous complete fusion.

During this period, Clergyman Nelson had been feeling uneasy. He was a shrewd middle-aged man, appearing somewhat refined and cultured. Correspondingly, he also valued his life greatly.

Duan Wenxuan had abruptly taken Qiao Si and the others away, and Nelson didn’t know where they went. It was impossible for him not to feel anxious. Rumors suggested that each deity had their own realm, although he had never visited the Goddess of the Night’s domain himself. He couldn’t help but suspect whether Duan Wenxuan had taken Qiao Si and the others to the Universal Church’s realm.

Moreover, Duan Wenxuan’s ability to seamlessly integrate various mutants and unique items filled Nelson with both awe and unease. On several occasions, he contemplated reporting the events here to Headquarters, hoping they would send someone to handle the situation. However, each time, fear gripped him at the last moment. After all, Duan Wenxuan was a saint. While he might not be able to defeat the Night Church, taking out Nelson himself seemed more than plausible.

Yet upon seeing Qiao Si and Duan Wenxuan again, Nelson felt an immense sense of relief.

Qiao Si was alive, and most importantly, his condition looked remarkably improved—his complexion was rosy, and the dark circles under his eyes had vanished entirely. This starkly contrasted with his previous appearance, weakened and irritable due to prolonged sleep deprivation.

Nelson glanced at Qiao Si, silently seeking information through his gaze.

Qiao Si averted his eyes, now feeling both reverence and fear towards Duan Wenxuan. He even began suspecting whether Duan Wenxuan had indeed visited the realm of gods. In this world, there were numerous religions and deities, yet Qiao Si had never personally encountered any. Of course, it could also be that others simply lacked the influence or opportunity to witness divine beings.

But Duan Wenxuan stood as living proof, capable of appearing before gods. Now, Qiao Si only wanted to cling tightly to such power. As long as it allowed him to sleep soundly, he believed he would do anything.

“You’ve done well during this period,” said Duan Wenxuan.

Duan Wenxuan took a tour around the Night Church’s branch and discovered that Nelson had carefully stored away all religious artifacts specifically related to the Goddess of the Night. In some hidden corners, items representing the Universal Church were placed instead. Even the doctrinal book of the Night Church, sitting on a table, appeared unchanged from the outside, but its contents had been replaced with the sacred teachings of the Universal Church.

Nelson truly excelled at gauging which way the wind was blowing. Appreciating his efforts, Duan Wenxuan didn’t hesitate to offer praise.

“It is my duty, Saint. I have already contacted several nobles within the city. After careful selection, I gradually introduced them to the existence of the Universal Church and persuaded some to embrace its faith.

I provided them with the sacred teachings, and after their seven days of prayer, I hope you, Saint, will bestow upon them the Universal Blessing, fully accepting their belief.”

Duan Wenxuan genuinely held Nelson in higher regard now; his ability to handle matters was exceptional. Without any specific instructions, Nelson had proactively taken care of everything.

“Agreed,” Duan Wenxuan readily consented.

“Many thanks for your generosity.”

After delegating a few more tasks, Duan Wenxuan needed to visit the Lanruo Temple World and the Radiation Apocalypse World as well, leaving him no time to stay longer. He promised to return in seven days for the blessings and then mentioned heading back to his manor. However, halfway there, he detoured to the Lanruo Temple World instead.