Absolutely not to be burned at the stake

After waiting a few minutes, I watched as my focus gradually increased to 12+3, and my mental state also recovered from 6 to 11.

Li Wei then continued to practice the "soothing technique".

The temporary focus boost is indeed very effective, especially in situations where you're just one step away.

After focusing his energy to 15, Li Wei successfully constructed the spell model for "Soothing" on his second attempt.

"Mens quieta, cor placatum."

As the hand gestures and incantation for the soothing spell were completed, Li Wei watched as the medicinal materials in his palm instantly transformed into a hazy starlight. He then casually sprinkled this starlight on himself.

As the starlight fell, Li Wei felt his initial excitement and joy at his success gradually fade away.

I began to feel peaceful and calm.

"This spell is quite effective."

Li Wei calmly thought about it, glanced at the empty coffee bottle beside him, and frowned: "But, there's no coffee left. I'm afraid the cultivation of the third spell will be a bit difficult."

At dinner, looking at the half-empty pot of chicken soup and spicy chicken on the table, Li Wei glanced at Nathan, who was standing respectfully to the side, and nodded slightly.

It's good that this kind of child...has a sense of propriety.

At seven o'clock in the evening, old man Merlin appeared at the church entrance on time, carrying a basket on his back and a lantern.

He glanced casually at the two large trees not far from the entrance, then walked into the church and rang the brass bell at the entrance of the sanctuary.

"Ring ring..."

Hearing the sound of the copper bell outside the door, Li Wei, who was meditating under the emblem, slowly opened his eyes, opened the door of the Holy Hall, and welcomed Merlin inside.

As Li Wei scooped out the holy water from the holy water jar, old man Merlin leaned over to smell it, took a sip, tasted it carefully, looked up at Li Wei, and nodded gently, "The quality has indeed improved considerably."

"However... 1.5 crowns is still too high. I think 1.3 crowns might be a better price."

Seeing Merlin start haggling, Li Wei smiled and simply said, "Going forward, the quality will continue to improve. Moreover, I guarantee that the price will not be raised within a year."

Merlin's wrinkles twitched as he frowned and looked at Li Wei.

Li Wei placed his hands together on his lower abdomen, looking completely calm.

Finally, after a moment of silence, old man Merlin laughed and said, "Very well, since Father Li Wei is so confident, then let's go with your price."

"it is good."

Li Wei smiled slightly. "Mr. Merlin will definitely find it to be excellent value for money."

Fill the twenty exquisite crystal bottles that Merlin carried over with holy water, and the water level in the holy water jar drops to about halfway down.

"Father Levi, I hope that next time I can get holy water of even higher quality." Merlin took out a gold pound and ten silver crowns and handed them over.

Li Wei smiled and accepted it: "Of course."

Merlin carefully hoisted his basket onto his back and headed outside. But as he reached the entrance to the sanctuary, just as Li Wei was about to open the door for him, Merlin suddenly said, "Father Li Wei."

"Does Mr. Merlin have any further instructions?" Li Wei asked, bowing his head.

"Father Levi has just presided over the church, so you know... there are quite a few people spying on the church these days?" Merlin looked towards the door.

Li Wei smiled calmly, "It's good to have two owls guarding the gate, so that no foolish thief dares to disturb my church."

Merlin looked slightly surprised, then chuckled and looked at Li Wei, saying, "It seems... Father Hansen... was right after all."

Li Wei's expression remained unchanged; he simply pushed open the doors of the Holy Hall calmly and said, "Mr. Merlin, you flatter me."

After seeing old Merlin off, Li Wei closed the door of the sanctuary.

Li Wei shook the gold pounds and crowns in his palm and breathed a sigh of relief. With this income, he should not be too short of money, at least for the time being.

After thinking for a moment, Li Wei focused his mind slightly and returned to the small house. He looked at the dark house and the dark window, where only the faint sound of waves could be heard.

Everything here remains the same...

"Little Pear...when are you coming?"

"Is it even possible for me to go back?"

Li Wei sighed softly, his heart heavy. Looking at the faith that had been consumed by another 0.01, he thought for a moment and then returned to the Holy Hall.

Looking up at the holy emblem and then at the nearly half-empty altar, Li Wei fetched a bucket of well water, filled the altar, and then returned to his room to begin meditating.

The night passed quickly, and as dawn broke again, the quiet Shadow Town gradually came alive.

"Did Old Plum from Deer Shop go to church last night?"

Fogg, with his large, protruding belly, stood by the office window, looking at the towering clock tower and the vast courtyard bathed in the morning sun in the distance, and frowned.

"That's right." Barton, sitting at his desk, snorted and said, "I went there shortly after dark yesterday. I stayed for about half an hour."

He reached out and pulled the dark green curtains up most of the way, blocking the somewhat glaring sunlight. Fogg turned and walked back to his desk, sitting down. Looking at Barton, he said, "I remember... Hansen has always had some dealings with old Merlin?"

Barton nodded, then rubbed his nose vigorously. "It seems Hansen has been selling holy water to old Merlin. This time, old Merlin is also carrying a basket, so he must be going to fetch the holy water."

"So... the deal between Hansen and Merlin is still ongoing."

Fogg reached out and touched his round chin, then hummed softly, "Keep a close eye on that side. As long as Hansen doesn't show up outside the church, ignore him."

"Understood." Barton nodded, stood up and said, "I need to keep an eye on the mine. I heard some mine rats have appeared there, and we need to deal with them."

"Yes, be careful. The mine is the most important place right now; we need to move forward as quickly as possible. Fox has already sent his owl over with a message to inquire," Fogg instructed.

Barton perked up: "Lord Fox, did you say when you'd be back?"

"It's estimated that we'll have to wait until we see tangible results."

Fogg snorted coldly, "He said it would take a while... He said that Alice's mage talent was extraordinary when tested at the Great Mountain City Mage Association, and he was going to take Alice to the Mithril Tower."

"The Mithril Tower?" Barton's eyes widened. "Really?"

"hehe..."

Fogg chuckled and said, "You believe that? The Mithril Tower, what kind of place is that? One of the four great tower academies of the Mage Guild."

"Those who can be admitted are either top-notch young genius mages or those who can obtain a recommendation letter from a director of the Mage Association."

"Fox himself is merely the honorary president of the local mage association. Does he have the qualifications to recommend someone for the Tower Academy?"

Hearing Fogg's words, Barton realized what he meant, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes: "Damn it, that old fox Fox must be having a blast lately, enjoying the pleasures of the woman and unable to part with her..."

"At such an old age, aren't you afraid of having your bone marrow drained?"

Fogg scoffed, "I wonder if that old guy's thing still works..."

"that is..."

The office suddenly filled with a slightly sour smell...

Outside Shadow Town, at the foot of a mountain in the Moonsleep Mountains, a line of ragged miners, carrying pickaxes, were walking in a mine shaft.

The town's deputy captain, Tyvis, led seven or eight guards to stand aside, watching the miners walk into the mine one by one with expressionless faces.

After watching the last miner disappear into the mine, Tyvis turned to the guards beside him and asked, "Have the mine rats been cleared out?"

"Vice Captain, we've cleared most of it, but... as you know, these demon rats are fast and small in the mine, making them difficult to wipe out completely..."

A short, stocky guard, while talking, unconsciously scratched a bloody mark on his arm. The mark was still slightly itchy, and a hint of helplessness flashed across his face; it was from when he was accidentally scratched by a monster rat while clearing out the mine's monster rats yesterday.

Fortunately, the injury wasn't serious.

Tyvis snorted, but he knew these mine rats were difficult to deal with, so he could only say, "Sandy, you guys are all coming into the mine today. Keep a close eye on them and make sure nothing goes wrong..."

"We must excavate that collapsed section of the ancient mine shaft as soon as possible."

Hearing Tyvis's words, the guards exchanged glances, a hint of helplessness flashing in their eyes, then nodded and, led by the short, stocky guard Sandy, entered the mine.

Watching the guards disappear into the mine, Tyvis walked to the nearby shed and sat down, shouting to a busy woman inside, "I'm dying of thirst, pour me a bowl of ale."

Upon hearing this, the woman quickly picked up a small, round wooden bucket, poured a bowl of ale for Tevis, and brought it over.

Tyvis took the beer, tilted his head back and gulped down half of it, finally revealing a relaxed and contented expression on his face.