Adele listened intently, a thoughtful gleam rising in her blue eyes.
Lu Changfeng continued, "Take the 'fire' worshipped by the Fire-Worshipping Cult, for example. You see it as a power that 'purifies the world,' burning away all filth, and so you slaughter in the belief that you are offering salvation. But is 'destruction' truly the only purpose of fire?"
He paused briefly, gathering his words as he recalled what he knew. "Fire is also the beginning of 'light,' the source of 'warmth,' the seed of 'civilization.' It drives away darkness and cold, bringing life and hope..."
As he spoke, Lu Changfeng discovered that he had quite a talent for playing the prophet; the words came effortlessly. "It smelts metal and stone, forges vessels, and helps humanity move forward. If you look at it differently, why can it not mean 'washing away ignorance with light, melting barriers with warmth, passing on the flame, and building a world of harmony together'?"
Adele stood frozen, as though struck by lightning.
Her azure pupils contracted slightly in utter shock.
Those few words from Lu Changfeng had suddenly kindled an entirely different light in the pitch-black world within her mind! It was neither dazzling nor scorching, but warm, steadfast, and filled with a sense of... holiness she had never imagined.
Yes...
Why could fire not be light and warmth?
Why could the way of the sacred flame not be guidance and protection, rather than destruction and purification?
The moment that thought arose, she felt as though the block of ice that had long lodged in her heart, leaving her at odds with her cultivation method, had cracked with a sharp snap.
An indescribable clarity and sense of strength quietly took root deep within her.
Lu Changfeng watched her reaction. Seeing that his words seemed to