"Nothing?" Xiao Chen asked in surprise, "Doesn't the Temple of Nature care about this land that produces food, tools, wealth, and believers?"
Margaret said with a hint of the arrogance that only priests have: "The Temple of Nature is a place to serve the gods. Why should we care about how ordinary people are doing? God does not need people to believe in him, but those poor and miserable people just need some support. The amount of wealth they offer to the temple is never something that the gods care about. Maybe some priests who are too deeply involved in the secular world will get entangled in these mundane things. But true servants like us dedicate everything to the gods. Only in this way can we understand more of the will of the gods and then spread them to the world. Now, I can tell you that it is not in line with the will of the gods to continue this war. You must retreat to Heimuguan."
"What if we are unwilling to withdraw our troops?" Xiao Chen asked.
Margaret twisted her long eyebrows together, "That means going against the God of Nature and the Temple of Nature. Such people are naturally enemies of the temple. Believe me, young man, there may have been some people who fought against the gods in this world, but they all died in the end."
Xiao Chen habitually touched his nose. The woman in front of him was not easy to deal with. If it could be avoided, Xiao Chen did not want to conflict with the Temple of Nature right now. He had maintained a very good cooperative relationship with Priest Roland in the capital. Although the woman in front of him was from the God's Advent Sect, it was said that many people in the God's Advent Sect were fanatics. But... Xiao Chen looked at the woman's appearance and dress in front of him. It didn't seem so natural and simple. He always felt that maybe he could find something that was in her interest somewhere.
Xiao Chen said: "I used to have a very good relationship with some priests of the temple. Maybe by referring to that method, we can also find other ways to solve the problem, instead of worrying about the gains and losses of a city or a pond."
Margaret sneered sharply: "Do you think all the temple priests are the same as those people of the secular sect? Some of them have reached the point where they only care about money and not God.
Do you think I really don't understand your attitude? Although the parish I'm in charge of is quite far away from where you are, I've heard from the priests in the south that since a piece of territory was occupied by you, the number of believers in the God of Nature has gradually decreased. Do you know how many offerings have been lost in the entire Black Mountain and the surrounding temples during the time you ruled Black Mountain
Seventy percent! There were also fewer ordinary people coming to worship and pray.
You should be thankful that the area is under the influence of the Secular Cult. If it weren't for some of the Secular Cult priests who had benefited from covering up this change for you and using other means to make up for the loss of this part of your income, the Golden Branch priests of the Temple of Nature would have troubled you a long time ago."
Xiao Chen suddenly realized that the sudden appearance of Priest Margaret here was not a spur of the moment idea. She actually knew the situation of the Tower of China very well. What she was afraid of was not the suffering of war caused by the defeat of the imperialists, but the fact that the Chinese education and system based on their original atheism posed a real threat to her parish.
Although gods do exist in this world, the education they brought from Earth always denies the value of gods. This education subtly instills the following concepts in their citizens:
The gods of nature do exist, but they are not worthy of worship.
Worshiping nature gods is a backward and ignorant behavior.
People’s pursuit of a better life is of primary justice.
And this needs to be created through one's own hands. If any god dares to block this pursuit, it should be defeated so that people can gain true liberation.
Xiao Chen has dealt with many residents under their governance. They are simple and lovely. Their worship of the gods of nature is more of a habit than a belief. In the comparison between the past and the present, they will find that the people who bring them a good life have a completely different attitude towards gods. Not only do they not have any admiration, but they also have an undisguised disgust for gods. In the language education, literacy education, general education and scientific education they receive, many of them will gradually accept these attitudes and views of the Chinese.
It would be strange if people who have been educated and reformed in this way still worship the gods of nature as before.
Xiao Chen finally understood. Although Margaret in front of him sounded otherworldly, the operation of the temple depended on people and money. Her words were just a cover to raise her own status. The fact was that the entry of the Tower of China would greatly affect the number of believers in the Temple of Nature, and eventually shake its foundation here.
Margaret and Roland wanted different things, so Xiao Chen felt there was no room for compromise with her.
Xiao Chen said: "We cannot accept this threat. We will take Holy Sword City."
“Less than fifty kilometers from here is the base of the Raging Knights of the Nature Temple’s Guard, and there are two Heavenly Punishment Legions of the Guard. Don’t equate God’s warriors with the Empire’s legions!” Seeing Xiao Chen indifferent, Margaret narrowed her eyes slightly and said, “Don’t think that your identities can be hidden from the Nature Temple. The Shadow Group has already investigated you. Do you think no one knows where your heritage comes from
Humph, Tower of Dreams! Tower of Stars! "
Margaret's voice became colder and colder: "The Temple can be very tolerant and not care about things that happened thousands of years ago, or it can be very strict and remove all obstacles that may threaten God. Want to fight against the Temple? Your ancestors failed in the past, so what can you, the descendants who have inherited some of the Seven Towers, do? If we open the City of God, it will be your doom!"
Margaret wanted to say more, but unexpectedly, Liu Yisheng, who had been silent, spoke up, "Woman, put away your lecturing face. We don't have time to waste with you."
"Who are you? How dare you talk to me like that?" Margaret looked at the young man angrily. He had been inconspicuous since he came here.
Behind her, Count Duan shouted hurriedly: "This is the saint!"
"Saint?" Margaret looked at Liu Yisheng doubtfully, unsure of how to deal with him.
Liu Yisheng smiled and stretched out his finger to draw a large frame in the air in front of him. As his finger passed, dots of light remained on the path, forming a square frame of starlight, which flew quickly towards Margaret. Liu Yisheng said, "I am the one who will send you away."
(To be continued)