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The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 346: The Saintess of the Heavenly Direction Church
Chapter 346: The Saintess of the Heavenly Direction Church
What Aldrian saw was the back of a woman with long golden hair, dressed in an elegant white gown that radiated a holy aura. She was alone, enjoying the garden. In fact, he had not seen anyone else in this area—the woman was the first person he had encountered since his arrival, making him certain that she was the Saintess.
However, he felt something from her— something he had experienced in similar circumstances before in the past.
"I feel a closeness to her, as if she is someone I already know."
There was also another detail that made him raise his eyebrows inwardly.
"She is in a wheelchair."
She was sitting in a wheelchair, which made him wonder if the Saintess was ill or if there was something wrong with her body. Cultivators rarely used wheelchairs unless they suffered from a severe illness that couldn’t be easily cured. Such a sickness had to be incredibly dangerous to weaken a cultivator to the point where they struggled to walk.
"Your Holiness, I have brought Young Master Aldrian," Arthur said, slightly bowing toward the Saintess.
Hearing Arthur’s voice, the woman turned her head—causing Aldrian to raise his eyebrows for real this time.
What he saw was a beautiful young face radiating serenity—just looking at her soothed his heart. Her sharp yet tranquil eyes, well-defined nose, and slightly red lips, combined with her simple yet elegant white dress, made her seem like an angel who had descended to the mortal world. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
But then, he noticed something unusual.
Although her eyes appeared serene, they lacked focus and were pale in color, making him realize something.
"She is blind?"
If his assumption was correct, then the Saintess must have a special condition that left her both blind and in a wheelchair. What had caused her to end up this way?
Before he could dwell on it further, a soft and soothing voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Thank you for your hard work, Sir Arthur. I truly appreciate your help."
Her voice alone brought him a sense of peace—it was the kind of voice that made him feel as if simply speaking with her would be a serene experience.
"It’s no trouble at all, Your Holiness. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave. Should you need anything, just call for me, and I will come to you immediately," Arthur replied.
"Alright," she answered before Arthur took a few steps back. As he passed by Aldrian, he sent him a voice transmission.
"As you can see, she has a special condition. I hope you can help her by keeping her entertained with whatever she wishes. This, I implore you."
Arthur’s voice carried a deep sense of hope, to which Aldrian responded with a nod.
"Even if you hadn’t asked, I would have done so anyway."
With that, Arthur took his leave, leaving Aldrian and the Saintess alone.
"Young Master Aldrian, my apologies. Due to my condition, I cannot receive you in a more proper manner," the Saintess said.
"It’s alright, Your Holiness. I understand, and I don’t find it offensive at all. In fact, I don’t mind it in the slightest," Aldrian answered.
The Saintess smiled and gestured toward the seat across from her. An elegant chair stood before a small table, where two cups of tea had already been set.
"Have a seat, Young Master. It’s not good to remain standing after taking the time to visit this place."
Aldrian took a seat, his curiosity piqued as he examined the Saintess’s information.
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Angelica Celestine
Age : 357 years
Race : Human
Cultivation : Middle Duke
Cultivation technique : The Heaven’s Blessing of the Chosen One
Attack techniques : -
Defense technique : Heavenly Sanctuary
Movement technique : -
Supporting technique : Heart of Clairvoyance, Heavenly art of Secret Domain, Domain of the Heavenly Judgement, Heavenly Blessing, Heavenly Sanctuary
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Her information was a special case—unique, even. Her cultivation speed was extraordinary, yet this was the first time he had seen a cultivator without any offensive techniques. She seemed to be the type of a support cultivator, someone whose techniques focused on aiding others rather than strengthening herself.
"Young Master, thank you for coming to fulfill this lady’s request. I hope you find the place I chose for our conversation to your liking," she said.
"It’s okay, Your Hol—"
"Please, call me Angelica, Young Master. I would prefer it if we spoke more casually, at least when it’s just the two of us."
"Alright then, I will call you Angelica from now on," Aldrian said with a smile, even though she couldn’t see it.
"I really like this place. I enjoy places that bring me serenity, like this garden, where I can admire the beautiful scenery and feel the gentle breeze against my skin," he added while glancing around.
"I’m glad you like it, Young Master."
Aldrian then turned his gaze back to Angelica.
"Angelica, to be honest, I’m really curious about the reason you called me here. We’ve never met before, and you even went as far as keeping this conversation a secret from the other church members. And now that I’ve seen you in person, I don’t think you called me here just because I’m ’the mysterious swordsman.’ So, could you enlighten me, Angelica?" he asked.
Angelica, who had maintained her beautiful yet serene smile, look toward the direction where she sensed Aldrian’s eyes.
"It’s because I always see you in my visions and dreams," she said, still smiling.
Aldrian tilted his head, falling silent for a moment. The atmosphere grew awkward until Angelica realized the cause. Her face flushed a deep red, making her look unexpectedly lovely and endearing. Flustered, she frantically waved her hands.
"N-No! I don’t mean it like that! Not in that way!" she stammered. "For me, those visions are signs that come from my special ability."
Aldrian smiled at her reaction, finding the Saintess incredibly cute and innocent. However, he remained focused on the topic at hand and caught the deeper meaning behind her words.
"Your specialty?" he asked.
Angelica sighed, taking a moment to calm herself before nodding.
"Yes, I have a technique that allows me to receive signs from the heavens about events I wish to perceive. For example, if I seek to uncover a secret that someone is trying to hide, I receive signs in the form of visions or dreams. The clarity of these signs depends on how significant or difficult the event is.
However, there are rare instances where I receive signs beyond my control, as if the heavens are showing me something without my intention. When this happens, it usually means that the event is truly important and has a significant impact on the world."
Angelica paused, a slight blush coloring her cheeks as she lowered her head slightly. Then, she continued,
"And I have seen signs of you—not only in my visions but also in my dreams while I sleep."
Aldrian finally understood. Since he had already seen her information, he knew that her technique must be connected to uncovering the secrets of the heavens—including glimpses of the future. He could only imagine the heavy price one must pay to cultivate such an ability. After all, there was no way someone could peer into the heavens’ secrets without facing consequences.
"And maybe I know what kind of price Angelica has to pay for her ability," he thought, his gaze shifting between her eyes and her feet.
"I see. Then, what did I do in your visions? I’m truly curious," he said.
Angelica paused for a moment before answering. "I saw you surrounded by a golden light that made me feel really warm and secure. It’s hard to describe, but I’ve never felt anything like that before. I couldn’t see your face, but I knew it was you. Every time the tale of the mysterious swordsman appears, I always have these visions. And I also heard from Sir Arthur that you emit a golden light, so I’m confident it must be you."
"Your figure has been appearing more frequently, and it’s become much more intense recently. The last vision I saw before asking Sir Arthur to invite you here showed the church in a dire situation—on the brink of collapse. And you were the only one who could save it. That’s why I felt the need to bring you here to help us."
"Did Sir Arthur already tell you about the church’s current condition?" she asked.
"Yes, he has told me," Aldrian answered.
"Then you must already know that one of the cardinals is involved in suspicious activities and seems to be connected to the devils, putting the church in danger of falling into the wrong hands. This cannot be allowed to happen, especially with the time of prophecy drawing closer."
"Wait, Angelica, there’s something I don’t understand about this situation," Aldrian said, looking confused. "Isn’t your position essentially equal to that of the pope? Some might even regard you more highly. I’m sure His Holiness the Pope must be seeking your cooperation as well. If you were to declare that a cardinal has illicit ties to the devils, many would support you and work to restrain the traitor."
Angelica sighed, but she understood why he was asking that question—after all, that was how things should work ideally. But—
"If only it were that simple, young master. The problem is that many within the church know I am close to the pope, and the supporters of Cardinal Carsius Vilanix will not take my words kindly, even though I have already seen the signs about him. We need solid proof to bring him down."