Chapter 119 — The Shifting Faith of the Druids

Though the druids' abilities had always been regarded as "half divine art, half magic," the "divine" part referred only to their having such a sacred procedure at all. Everyone who knew the inside story was well aware that the druids had long since lost the ability to wield divine arts—and in this world, stripped of divine arts, so-called faith became nothing but pure spiritual solace. The nature spirits and various souls the druids believed in were, plainly put, something they used to fool themselves. So was Pi Yun the sort to fool himself?

If he were, he wouldn't even fail to memorize a prayer!

So Gao Yang had pegged this druid as a rare curiosity of his profession, and didn't believe in his piety one bit. He simply kept watching the other man with that half-smile until Pi Yun himself couldn't hold out any longer and spread his hands of his own accord: "Of course, I have another explanation..."

Gao Yang's interest stirred: "I'd like to hear a druid's view on it."

"It wasn't humans who stole the gods' authority—it was the gods who cut off a power that belonged to humans all along." In a few short words, Pi Yun said something that could frighten a good many people to death in this era.

Of course, he only dared say such things here, far from the center of the churches, in a place where the lord himself held no faith.

Seeing that Gao You showed no great reaction to these words, only nodding slightly as if in thought, Pi Yun let out a breath and said unhurriedly: "You should know that apart from the druidic divine arts, which have already become magic, all other divine arts are 'tightly self-locked.' Only the clergy of the corresponding sect can wield divine arts, and only on the premise of observing doctrine and performing the divine rites. If even one condition fails, then not even the simplest Holy Light spell can be cast—and if one forces it, you get the loss of control and devouring we just mentioned. Why is that?

"Three thousand years ago the druids were still clergy, wielding natural divine arts much like the faith systems of the Holy Light or the War God. In those days, when druids released divine arts they were much like other priests—they too had to follow the rules strictly, and the slightest deviation would cause the divine arts to run wild, the so-called divine punishment. But then came the legendary Fall of the White Star. Everyone could no longer wield divine arts; even prayer got no response at all. Yet instead, by casting magic, they brought forth the 'natural miracles' that should have vanished. Why do you think that was?"

Gao Yang said nothing, but an answer was gradually taking shape in his mind:

Because the administrator had gone offline...

With these thoughts flashing through his mind, Gao Yang's gaze toward Pi Yun took on a peculiar quality.

Pi Yun shrank his neck uncomfortably.

"Insights like these don't sound like something a low-rank druid, a half-baked antiquities appraiser, a clumsy infiltrator, and a counterfeit hermit could come up with," Gao Heng said slowly. "Even those scholars with heads full of religious history and magical history probably couldn't say these things."

Pi Yun was startled, and then his face crumpled into a woebegone look: "I knew I shouldn't have said it. Speaking out just brings disaster..."

"I didn't say I was going to do anything to you," Gao Yang said, changing tack. "Everyone has secrets. You do, I do, even Amber does. It's no big deal."

"How did Amber suddenly get dragged into this?" Pi Yun pursed his lips, somewhat reassured. "But what you said just now, that scholars with heads full of knowledge couldn't say these things—that I can't agree with."

As he spoke, the little old man chuckled twice: "Druidic history is no secret, and neither are divine arts or magic. Ordinary people may know less because their station limits them, but those great personages at the top of every sect, who can consult every record and whose minds are exceptionally sharp—do you really think they can't figure out the same things I have?

"The cleverest of them all know perfectly well. They simply don't say it."

"After all, they cannot reach the gods..."