At present, it is still version 1.0, and the "Phantom Demon Zhu Tiansi" has not yet descended and been defeated. The upper limit of the level of the Path of Devotion is only level 50. The one with the highest level is the Eternal Pope of the Eternal Church.
Aiwass conservatively estimated that Bishop Mathers should be at least level 39.
In Avalon, it would be the top level in the Arbitration Hall. One level higher would be the top powerhouse in the current version of this world - if we make a bold estimate, I am afraid that Bishop Mathers is now above level 40 and has come into contact with the strongest power of the fifth level.
The cardinal of the Eternal Kingdom is no more than this.
But when Aiwas thought about what his adoptive father said to him before he left, he felt relieved.
This Bishop Mathers is the Supreme Bishop of the Candlelight Cathedral. In other words, he is the highest administrator of the Ennead Church in Avalon.
If this kind of strong man had not been directly hit and killed in the subsequent turmoil in Avalon...
Then it is very likely that he changed his name and identity later.
Because Aiwass is real, and there is no impression of Mathers at all.
The Eternal Kingdom is ruled by elves, and because the pace of life is very slow, not all humans can adapt to life there.
Two-thirds of the top leaders of the Church of the Nine Pillars are women, and more than 90% are elves. The pope who rules the church rotates every three hundred years. The outgoing pope automatically becomes a saint and continues to travel around the world as the agent of the church to grant gifts and mediate disputes until he is too old to walk and will return to the church. Therefore, the only person who wants to be the pope is an elf.
Mathers was not only a man, but also a human being, which was a rare case among the top leaders of the Church. Aiwass remembered that there should be no such person among the top leaders of the Church.
Because there is something special about the Church of the Nine Pillars.
That's all about the face.
You don't have to be stunningly beautiful, but at least you can't be ugly.
Because the treatment of the dedication path requires physical contact with others, if the other party resists the treatment, then the treatment efficiency will be greatly reduced. In addition, "Sacrificial Fire" has a significant effect on the body's beauty and youth, so the church's top leaders must not be ugly.
But Bishop Mathers…
Is it because you are too old
Aiwass's expression was a little subtle.
"Don't look at me, Aiwass. Look at the candle."
Noticing that Aiwass was suddenly looking at him, Bishop Mathers, who looked like a stern and strict class teacher, naturally said in a rather stereotypical and stern voice: "There is no light or fire on my face. You see, I am useless."
"yes."
Aiwass came back to his senses and responded obediently.
—Payment experience.
He confirmed it in his mind.
Bishop Mathers saw that Aiwas had come to his senses, so he slowed down his tone and continued to teach:
"You have to imagine that the pain, curse, deficit and other negative factors in your body are not 'something in your body has become less', but 'something negative has been added to your balanced and healthy body'. You have to think of it as a flowing, dark liquid, and use your mental power to move it to the position of your left middle finger.
"It is like fuel oil, like smoke. When it comes into contact with flames, it will dissipate with a hiss..."
As he spoke, Bishop Mathers touched the flame with the middle finger of his left hand.
I saw that ordinary flame suddenly become brighter.
The faint flame extended from his fingertips to his entire body, and his whole body seemed to be covered with a layer of flame film, shining with light.
The pain and aging of the old bishop disappeared as if time had gone back.
The wrinkles on his face were smoothed, and his unnaturally pale hair regained its dark brown luster and elasticity, returning to its natural curls. His dark pupils, which were old and turbid and looked like coagulated blood, also became brighter, like a slightly darker amber.
His back became straight and his skin became white, clean and elastic.
He was getting younger at a speed visible to the naked eye, and it didn't stop until he was about thirty years old.
It is not about burning away the lesions or eliminating the pain. It is about restoring your body to its "ideal state". It is like a completely refurbished electronic product - except for the inevitable loss of battery life, there will not be any trace of use.
And such a Mathers does not seem to be able to be called an "old bishop" in any way.
He pushed his hexagonal black-framed glasses and smiled complacently. Even his voice became younger:
“… It is just like this, Aiwass. This is Master Candle’s thanks and gift to us for our willingness to walk the path of dedication.
“Except for the natural loss of lifespan, they will not be troubled by illness for the rest of their lives. Their bodies are always in peak condition, so their lifespans are much longer than those of normal people—because even if they die of old age, it is not because of the natural exhaustion of their lifespans, but because of premature aging due to fatigue and loss, and after their bodies become fragile, they acquire irreversible illnesses.
"But we will not encounter such a situation. As long as you master the fire worship method, you can gain health and longevity. Master Sizhu said, 'Those who live for others do not have to suffer.' And health is the most important thing, and those who walk other paths cannot obtain it. We cannot share this gift with them.
"I am already 46 years old this year, but after using 'Sacrificial Fire' to recuperate my body, my appearance has been restored to that of a person who is not even 30 years old. My bones, muscles, nerves and internal organs have all been restored to this level.
"If a person exercises adequately and takes good care of his body and mind, then theoretically he could be as young as me when he reaches my age. This is the 'positive' change that 'Fire Worship' can bring about - of course, ordinary priests cannot do what I do. They can only turn a negative number into zero, but cannot turn zero into a positive number."
Seeing Samuel Mathers's skillful use of the fire ritual almost gave him a rejuvenation effect.
Even Oswald showed an expression of surprise and admiration.
Bishop Mathers, who had regained his youth, smiled smugly upon seeing this.
Bishop Mathers has a good impression of Aiwass and is full of expectations for his future.
So he really hoped that Aiwass could stay firm on the path of dedication.
He had deliberately consumed his own lifespan to make himself look unusually old—just for this moment, so that he could perform this kind of performance. Only when his appearance was old and weak could this kind of “rejuvenation” leave a deep and unforgettable impression.
"Of course," Bishop Mathers added hastily in order not to undermine Aiwas's self-confidence, "You don't have to rush. Generally, priests who have just come into contact with 'Sacrificial Fire' are lucky to be able to make up for the deficiencies in their bodies. You have just been sacrificed by the devil, and your body's vitality must be deficient, so I will give priority to teaching you 'Sacrificial Fire'. In this way, you can slowly make up for the vitality, blood and lifespan lost due to the sacrifice.
"Mastering the sacred arts is simple, but it's not something that can be mastered right away. Generally speaking, it's normal to master 'Sacrificial Fire' within five days, and I think you should be able to learn it in two days. Illumination is much simpler and can be mastered right away, so we'll talk about it last. Blessing is the most difficult and usually takes about a week to learn.
"So, this time I will just teach you how to practice, and when you go home..."
Bishop Mathers was halfway through his speech when his words suddenly stopped.
Because he saw that Aiwass's pupils suddenly became empty.
The deep blue eyes suddenly shone with a bit of crimson like the setting sun. It was like the sea at dusk, the closer to the top the deeper the blue, and the closer to the bottom the setting sun half-sunken into the sea, shining with a red halo that was almost golden.
Aiwass opened his left hand towards the candlelight and touched the flame with his middle finger.
The flame ignited instantly and flowed into the blood through the fingertips.
Aiwass suddenly felt a relaxing warmth.
It's like listening to soft music and soaking in a hot spring filled with fragrance and flower petals after a hard day's work. Feeling the heat soothing your whole body, a strong sense of sleepiness and satisfaction surges into your heart.
In the world of pure white light that he visualized, a deer walked slowly.
The deer was transparent, with a pure and dazzling red color, like the finest ruby. The moment it appeared, Aiwass's sight was irresistibly drawn to it.
—That is the candle master! The supreme being of the path of dedication, the god of dedication!
Unlike the enormous pressure brought to Aiwas by the Silver Crown Dragon of the Path of Authority, looking at the Candlestick did not cause Aiwas to have hallucinations or pressure. Because He bound His divinity, allowing Himself to contact mortals—
His body was covered with black thorns. The thorns pierced his skin and made him bleed red. As he walked, the blood kept dripping onto the ground, causing groups of eternal red flaming footprints to rise from the ground.
His huge crystal-red antlers were like candlesticks piercing in all directions, with dozens of clusters of pure white flames burning.
The deer slowly walked toward Aiwass, who lay motionless, like a statue, and gently licked his outstretched left hand.
Then, He raised His head and gently placed the wound on the lower part of His neck that was pierced by the black thorns into Aiwas’ palm.
A drop of blood fell into Aiwass's hand and turned into a teardrop-shaped ruby.
Three lines of text appeared in Aiwas' mind.
That is the three-choice entry you get every time you advance on the path—
Flame Affinity LV1 (Blue): You crush the blood of the candle and comprehend some of the essence of fire.
Lasting Health (White): Your body is cleansed by the blood of the candle, making it better able to resist disease.
Flame Container LV1 (Blue): You take the Candlelight Blood and your soul expands.