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In front of the church, the bishop had already assembled the clergy in ranks to await him.

As Li Chen stepped onto the stairs, the bronze bells in the bell tower rang in unison, their deep tolling echoing over the entire city.

"Welcome, honored Personal Guard! We await your guidance!" The bishop bowed deeply, his voice trembling with excitement.

Li Chen nodded slightly and entered the church.

The interior was magnificent and imposing. Stained glass filtered the sunlight into a rainbow glow that spilled over the hall filled with kneeling believers.

He walked slowly toward the dais, each step seeming to land on the very tips of their hearts.

Standing on the dais, Li Chen surveyed the devout believers below and began preaching the doctrines of the Holy See.

His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, as though sounding directly inside their minds.

The congregation listened, utterly entranced. A few elderly believers were so moved that tears streamed down their faces.

"Now, we shall begin the baptism of holy light," Li Chen announced.

The city's nobles and Holy Scions stood at the front of the line.

Li Chen only needed to gather a wisp of sacred energy at his fingertip and touch their foreheads lightly.

Everyone who received the baptism trembled with excitement, as though granted an immense honor.

When Lady Ophelia's turn came, she gracefully lifted her skirts and knelt, her lowered eyelashes fluttering slightly.

Li Chen's finger lingered briefly on her smooth forehead. He sensed that there were indeed signs of disorder in her cultivation, but from this angle, he also had a clear view of how pale and ample she was.

How interesting, Li Chen thought, while outwardly completing the ritual without betraying a thing.

After returning to the Manor, Li Chen was