Huh? What do you mean your mother is one of the seven deadly sins?!

Helena's long, light gold eyelashes trembled, and her gaze finally focused from the void onto Lin Xia's face.

She didn't speak, but in her sapphire-like eyes, beyond the bewilderment, seemed to flash a very faint, almost instinctive... curiosity?

There is a play!

Lin Xia perked up, cleared her throat, and started talking on her own, regardless of whether she answered or not.

"Once upon a time, there was a young cowherd named Niulang. He was very poor and only had an old ox for company..."

Lin Xia tried her best to tell the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl in a concise yet captivating way, highlighting their pure love that transcends the mortal and immortal realms and the regret of their forced separation.

Lin Xia spoke slowly and softly, yet her voice was exceptionally clear in the empty palace.

"...Finally, the Queen Mother of the West pulled out the golden hairpin from her hair and drew a line between them! Whoosh—a very wide Milky Way appeared, completely separating the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd."

Lin Xia stopped at the right moment, shrugged, and made a gesture indicating that it was over.

The moment the story abruptly ended, Helena raised her head, which had been slightly lowered!

Those eyes were wide open, filled with disbelief and an eager anticipation that had kept them on the edge of their seats.

It even unconsciously moved a little closer to Lin Xia, its small wings flapping rapidly a few times due to the fluctuation of its emotions, creating a few wisps of air.

"And then?"

Helena's voice was soft, with a touch of gentleness and stubbornness.

"And then? Did they... just stay apart?"

Become!

Lin Xia was overjoyed, but she tried her best to keep her face calm, even deliberately showing a hint of regret.

"And then... that's it. Only on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month each year, magpies in the sky form a bridge so they can meet. That's the end."

"what……"

Helena let out a small, disappointed sigh, and her shoulders slumped slightly.

He looked just like a child whose favorite candy had been snatched away, and Lin Xia almost couldn't help but laugh.

"but!"

Lin Xia immediately threw out the bait, like a cunning human holding a cat toy.

"I know so many stories like these! 'The Butterfly Lovers,' 'The Legend of the White Snake,' and so many other legends from my home planet, Earth. Would you like to hear them?"

Helena's eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded her head rapidly, her golden hair swaying in the breeze.

Lin Xia struck while the iron was hot, revealing her true intentions.

"If you want to hear more, I can tell you a story every day from now on, how about that? But..."

Lin Xia deliberately dragged out the last syllable.

"You have to stay by my side."

"No!"

Helena shook her head almost immediately, her quick reaction startling Lin Xia.

Her little face was full of seriousness, and her hands were unconsciously folded in front of her chest, making a praying gesture.

"I will also pray for the Lord! This is my mission."

Lin Xia's heart tightened upon hearing this, and the terrifying scene of the blood pool churning and the residents numbly offering sacrifices in the City of Angels flashed before her eyes.

An irresistible urge surged to his throat, and he blurted it out almost without thinking.

"But do you know that your Lord may have already been corrupted by an evil god? The City of Angels is no longer a sanctuary, but rather..."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lin Xia regretted them.

That's too direct!

What if I upset her?

However, to Lin Xia's surprise, Helena did not show any shock, anger, or offense on her face.

She simply gazed at Lin Xia quietly. Her pure blue eyes remained clear, yet held a hint of serenity that Lin Xia couldn't decipher...

Or rather, it is a kind of compassionate understanding.

Helena spoke softly, her voice still gentle, yet carrying a strange firmness.

"I know."

"...?!"

Helena lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow on her fair cheeks.

"I can feel... the Lord's pain, His struggle. Chaotic whispers are mixed in with the holy light, and twisted screams are hidden in the songs of faith. That's why..."

Helena raised her head, her gaze becoming clear and determined once more.

"I should pray even more fervently! With the purest power of faith, I can help the Lord regain His reason and dispel the defilement that entangles Him!"

Lin Xia fell completely silent.

He stared blankly at the innocent angel before him, his heart churning with turmoil.

So she knew everything!

She knew the terrifying truth beneath that holy facade, and that the object of her faith might have already been distorted.

But instead of fleeing or questioning, she chose to remain steadfast in place, almost like a martyr, trying to purify what might already be beyond redemption with her meager faith.

The impact of this realization was far more shocking to Lin Xia than seeing the blood pool.

It was a pure, almost fanatical power of faith, carrying a heart-wrenching sense of tragic grandeur.

Do you admire it?

Indeed there is.

But Lin Xia had no intention of letting her go because of that.

The mission objective hasn't been achieved yet!

She has her own principles, and she also has things she needs to protect.

Lin Xia took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions in her heart, her mind racing.

If hard approaches don't work, and soft approaches don't seem to be entirely effective either... then let's try a different approach and find a logical loophole?

"Since that's the case..."

Lin Xia softened her tone, her voice carrying a hint of persuasion.

"Wouldn't it be better for you to stay here, listen to my story, and pray sincerely?"

Helena tilted her head, a look of confusion in her eyes.

"Look!"

"The most important thing in prayer is sincerity, right?"

"As long as your heart is pure and turned towards your Lord, then no matter where you are, whether in the temple of the City of Angels or in the castle of the abyss, the Lord can feel your voice and the power of your faith, right?"

"What He needs is your unwavering faith itself, not necessarily to be in a particular place, right?"

As Lin Xia spoke, she carefully observed Helena's expression.

In her pure blue eyes, doubt gradually gave way to contemplation.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, as if she were carefully considering the logic in Lin Xia's words.

"like……"

Helena hesitated, her voice wavering with uncertainty.

"That makes some sense?"

"That makes sense!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xia immediately seized the opportunity to press her advantage.

"And look, you're praying here, far away from the polluted environment of the City of Angels. Maybe your mind will be more at peace, and your faith purer?"

"Wouldn't this be better for your Lord to regain his sanity?"

This reason seemed to finally strike at Helena's deepest desire.

The confusion in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a look of being persuaded and enlightened.

Her little wings fluttered gently again, and then, under Lin Xia's expectant gaze, she finally nodded.

"Um!"

Helena responded forcefully, her little face full of seriousness.

"You're right. Sincerity moves mountains! Then I'll stay here and pray for the Lord!"

Become!