My esoteric uncle Jules

Chapter 127 Holy Protection Monastery

Jules took the map and shook off the dust.

The yellowed paper exudes an old, worn smell, indicating its great age.

The remaining ink marks on this map outline a location in the mountains and forests, with a name marked next to it:
Saint-Believing Monastery.

The priest's voice rang out at the opportune moment:

“In the past, the ancestors who lived there participated in maintaining the suppression ritual, but they all died for unknown reasons and became wandering spirits.”

"A few years ago, some idiot spread the word that there was treasure inside, which attracted a lot of ignorant people to go in and die. We couldn't stop them."

His voice was full of helplessness.

"If you go now, you might even run into some adventurers who are stranded here."

Jules's mouth corners slightly raised:

"People die for wealth, birds die for food; it's not surprising."

He carefully put the map away and said softly:

"Has the ritual to deal with the evil spirit at the door been arranged?"

The priest shook his head:

"Don't worry, it probably won't be resolved in a short time, but it certainly won't be too long. At least it should be resolved before the next tax collector comes."

Jules nodded:
"Is there anything else we need to be aware of regarding wandering spirits?"

“Yes,” the priest said, his tone unusually grave, “you should know about the matter of ‘intercalation’, shouldn’t you?”

Yule's eyes flickered:

"Of course I know."

The issue of intercalation is mentioned as an important chapter in "An Introduction to Mysticism".

In the past, Mansu was home to a supreme ruler named Jiaoyang.

However, for unknown reasons, He died and was split apart by the furnace itself. His authority spread out, directly or indirectly leading to the birth of many new gods.

In the waking world, this corresponds to the process of the Gregorian calendar replacing the Julian calendar.

“If you know that, then things are much easier,” the priest said with a sigh of relief. “After that deity passed away, the three deities ‘Sunset’, ‘Dawn’, and ‘Crescent Moon’ ascended to the position of deity.”

"In the waking world, due to the split of the sun, the major churches that originally believed in the sun experienced extremely serious turmoil and division."

The Sanctuary of Holy Protection was founded after a long struggle, when it shifted its faith from the sun to the crescent moon.

It is precisely because of this that those wandering spirits seem to be imbued with some kind of curse belonging to the moon after they are born, and at that time, some strange changes will occur in the monastery.

As for the materials you're looking for... to be honest, I don't know exactly what they look like, but one thing is certain: they're related to the 'Principle of Revelation' and the moon.

After listening to the priest's words, Jules nodded slightly:

"Thank you for reminding."

In any case, it seems I have to make a trip to the Holy Protection Monastery.

……

A tavern near a small border pier on Blancogue Island.

"Have you heard? Apparently, some people have noticed strange phenomena at night near the Holy Protection Monastery! Adventurers suspect that a priceless luminous pearl is hidden inside!"

"Pah! That's ancient news from back then! I saw that famous explorer walk out of the monastery with my own eyes just recently!"

"Shh, be quiet, the great explorer Ram is here!"

Upon hearing this, Jules, who was hiding in the corner with his hat brim pulled low, raised his head slightly and looked towards the entrance of the tavern.

A lean, middle-aged man walked in through the door, chatting and laughing casually with those around him, as if the noise in the tavern had no effect on him at all.

Jules took a sip of ale and quickly assessed it in his mind.

"He seems like someone with brains; perhaps we could consider a collaboration..."

He slowly closed his eyes and began to rest.

After arriving here, he discovered that, apart from the small town in the center of the island, this area was also quite developed.

Many adventurers set this place as their destination or rest here, and over time, a considerable number of people have gathered here.

When he first saw the tavern, it was almost full – judging from the appearance, many of them were adventurers passing through who were unable to return home due to the lockdown of London and had no choice but to stay there.

Moreover, given the many mysterious legends surrounding Blancco, many adventurers have set their sights on the various ruins within Blancco.

For example, the St. Safe Monastery.

Although it is infamous among adventurers, almost no one has ever managed to leave successfully.

However, the few people who left brought out the artifacts that were from centuries ago, which made many people drool.

This just proves what he had said to the priest earlier—"People die for wealth, birds die for food."

After eavesdropping for a while, Jules discovered that these adventurers were all incredibly daring.

Holding a so-called "amulet" picked up from a street stall, they dared to swagger into the monastery, completely unaware of what they would face.

However, although many died, there were also those who succeeded.

The lean man known as Ram appeared to be one of them.

The tavern was noisy and bustling, with the clinking of glasses and the sounds of people talking and laughing all mixed together.

Although Jules closed his eyes to rest, his ears were carefully listening to the sounds around him.

For his hearing, Ram's voice sounded exceptionally clear amidst the noise.

At this moment, he was recounting his "heroic deeds" at the St. Safe Monastery with great enthusiasm.

"That place is gloomy and terrifying. As soon as you enter, you can feel countless eyes staring at you."

Ram described it vividly, and the surrounding audience listened intently, holding their breath.

"However, I, Ram, am a legendary adventurer. How could I be afraid of something like this? With my extraordinary courage, I successfully found a treasure inside!"

As he spoke, he took out a small metal box from his pocket. The box was covered with strange patterns and shimmered with a mysterious luster under the dim lights of the tavern.

A gasp of amazement rippled through the crowd, who quickly gathered around, eager to find out what was going on.

Jules also slightly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the box.

He keenly sensed that the box seemed somewhat unusual, faintly exuding a mysterious aura.

"Mr. Ram, what's in this box?" someone asked curiously.

Ram smiled mysteriously, gripped the box tightly, and said:
"That's a secret! But I can tell you, this thing is priceless! There really are some good things in that haunted monastery!"

Everyone looked on with envy, and at the same time, a stronger desire for adventure ignited in their eyes.

Jules stood up, walked through the crowd, and approached Lahm, where he politely bowed.

“Mr. Ram, I am very interested in your experience. May I speak with you in private?” Jules said politely.

Ram looked Jules up and down, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes.

"You're from London?" Jules nodded. There was no point in hiding it, and it couldn't be hidden anyway.

A person's London accent and mannerisms, with their distinct London flair, make it easy for a discerning eye to instantly identify them.

Ram chuckled and said:
"Are you looking to buy something? I have everything here, from the remains of an unidentified ancient corpse from a thousand years ago to..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jules interrupted him:
“Mr. Ram, I’m not buying anything. I just want to discuss some matters related to cooperation with you.”

Ram frowned, but didn't say much. Instead, he patiently explained:

What do you want to collaborate on?

Jules pulled Ram along, and the two walked to a corner of the tavern. After making sure no one was eavesdropping, Jules got straight to the point:
“I plan to go to St. Resurrection Monastery. I heard you are very familiar with the place and recently brought some things out of it, so I hope you can be my guide.”

Ram raised an eyebrow, speaking in a tone that was both worried and subtly mocking:
“That place is no joke; countless people have gone there and never returned. I was just lucky, but you…”

Jules simply shook his head and said calmly:

"Don't worry about my safety, I have my own ways; besides, I'm determined to get some of the things inside."

Ram pondered for a moment, clearly weighing the pros and cons.

"By cooperating with you, I can help you avoid some dangerous places and find some treasure locations. This is the benefit I can offer you."

"So... what benefits can you bring me?"

Jules gazed at Ram and said leisurely:

"I can deal with the wandering spirits that try to attack you."

Upon hearing this, Ram's eyes sharpened, and he began to re-examine Jules.

"Hoo..." He let out a long breath, his eyes gradually clearing, and chuckled:
"It seems you're even more capable than I imagined?"

His way of addressing people subtly carried a sense of respect.

At that moment, a quarrel suddenly broke out in the tavern.

Two burly men nearly came to blows over a seat, drawing cheers from the surrounding crowd.

In the chaos, a wine glass was knocked over and shattered with a loud "crack," the sound particularly jarring in the noisy tavern.

Jules and Lamb were both drawn to the sudden turn of events and looked toward the direction of the argument.

The two burly men, their faces red and necks thick, were pushing and shoving each other, and it looked like they were about to come to blows.

The tavern owner rushed over, shouting to stop them and pulling the two apart.

The little incident quickly subsided, but the atmosphere in the tavern became even noisier and more chaotic.

Jules looked away and glanced at Ram, only to find him staring at him thoughtfully.

Ram was silent for a moment, then said:
"Okay, I can cooperate with you. But we need to make the unpleasant things clear upfront: if we encounter any danger, I'll be the first to run."

Jules nodded slightly and chuckled:

"Don't worry, since I've chosen to find someone to cooperate with, I'll naturally consider this situation."

It's called a collaboration, but both sides know perfectly well that it's just a ploy to find a cannon fodder.

Although Ram had changed how he addressed himself, adding a slight touch of respect, he knew that this so-called respect was as fragile as a piece of paper.

Who knows, the other party might even be secretly preparing poison to kill them.

Just how terrifying the eeriness within the monastery was, even Jules himself had no idea.

Therefore, his cooperation with these adventurers was mainly to find guinea pigs and try to avoid the pitfalls they might encounter on their first meeting.

At this moment, the candlelight in the tavern was blown by the draft and began to flicker violently, casting shadows on the two people's faces and adding to the mystery.

“Those monastery spirits are not easy to deal with,” Ram continued, his voice unconsciously lowering. “I was just lucky to get out alive last time. Those guys seem to come alive at night, wandering around everywhere, and they seem to have a great hostility towards the living.”

As Jules listened, the image of the moon curse described by the priest came to mind, and he felt a vague unease.

Outside the tavern, the night grew deeper and deeper, thick as ink.

The wind howled, blowing past the tavern windows with a mournful sound, much like the wailing of the dead.

Inside the tavern, the noise continued, but occasionally someone would be startled by the sound of the wind and cast an uneasy glance.

Jules and Ram's conversation was interrupted several times because the people around them were startled by the sound of the wind.

Perhaps it was the long years of adventurous life that made these adventurers feel quite paranoid and easily frightened.

Just as he was about to continue exchanging information about the Holy Protection Monastery with Ram, several calls came from not far away, which took Ram away.

Before leaving, Ram left behind a message:

"Wait for me at the tavern entrance tomorrow morning."

The tavern was still bustling with noise. Jules got up, went to the bar, ordered a strong drink, and downed it in one gulp.

The spiciness of the alcohol went down my throat, dispelling some of the chill.

He pulled the map of St. Safeguard Monastery from his pocket and borrowed a pen from the tavern waiter as he passed by.

Using the dim light from the bar, Jules jotted down the key information Ram had just mentioned in the blank space at the edge of the map.

For example, the most dangerous areas after entering the monastery, and the approximate location where Ram found the metal box last time.

While taking notes, he kept a watchful eye on his surroundings to prevent anyone from spying on him.

At that moment, the tavern door was pushed open again, and a biting wind swept in, carrying a few withered leaves.

The conversation paused briefly before resuming as usual.

Jules's gaze was drawn to the doorway, where he saw only a few drunken sailors walking in, loudly demanding drinks.

After asking several times and confirming that the person had no money, the waiter roughly kicked him out.

The drunken sailor tried to cause trouble, but Jules soon realized that running a tavern in a place teeming with adventurers was no easy feat.

Just as the drunken sailor began to swagger around, a burly man who had been drinking silently with his head down suddenly sprang up, shoved him to the ground, and threw him out.

Clearly, these were guards hired by the tavern.

He looked away and continued to organize his thoughts.

Where exactly in the monastery are the materials related to the "Code of Revelation" and the moon that the priest mentioned hidden?
When and in what terrifying form will those cursed spirits of the moon appear?

Jules rubbed his temples, these unknowns weighing heavily on his heart like stones.

He wasn't actually too worried about the wandering spirits themselves.

According to the priest, he should be more than capable of dealing with the true forms of those wandering spirits—although the Blood Tide ability is hardly needed anymore, the Sharp Words can still shine.

After all, the term "sharp" implies the concept of "sharpness," rather than simply making an object physically sharp!
Suddenly, he saw that the door had opened again.

As the door opened, Ram's expression changed instantly.

It became unbearably foul, but even had a hint of... flattery?
Jules raised an eyebrow, a look of interest appearing between his brows.

A strong, muscular man walked in through the door, not even ordering any drinks, and went straight to Lamu's table.

The two exchanged some words, and soon, the man seemed to be angered and slapped Ram across the face!

(End of this chapter)