They climbed up the stone steps that were eroded by wind and sand. The silent monk statues on both sides were hiding behind the hood, looking at them solemnly all the way and watching them move forward. Look... Li Ou felt that although this place was dead, there was an indescribable majesty shrouded in it. Li Ou restrained his mind, sternly looked, and looked solemn and respectful.

Three people were waiting outside the hall. To be precise, they were a middle-aged man and two boys. One of the two boys was very young, at most nine years old, and the older one was only eleven or twelve years old, but their eyes were full of deep hostility and their fists were clenched tightly. Like the middle-aged man, they wore red-brown robes of monks like statues on both sides of the stone steps. The robe had wide bell-shaped cuffs and pointed hoods. The middle-aged man also wrapped a long black turban around the lower half of his face, and could only see his eyes. It was him who spoke.[]

"Brandick." He said in a low voice, as if he was afraid to alarm the ghosts in the monastery. The wind and sand almost covered his voice. "I haven't seen him for almost a year. Welcome, and your friends."

The desert warrior walked up and touched the other person's forehead with his forehead. "Monkey Mario. We need to rest." He made another gesture, and the monk returned the favor with the same gesture. Leo guessed that it was a ritual unique to the silence sanctuary. "We were already very tired after a long journey."

"Just rest is not enough." Mario's monks glanced over them one by one. "I can see that you have experienced fierce battles, wounds, wounds, traces of magic, and death."

"Yes, it was a terrible scene that we had never seen before-I promise even the monks of Ahiben could not imagine." The desert warrior said tremblingly, "I have only seen similar records on the mudstone slabs of the sanctuary. It...I cannot describe it."

"Our eyes are not blind, and our ears are not deaf. Brandik." said the monk seriously, "We have all seen and heard." This place is far from Pompedekar, and Leo didn't know how he saw it. He couldn't help but show a faint mockery. But the other party seemed to have captured his fleeting suspicion. "The earth told us, and the wind brought a message."

"You didn't see it with your own eyes." The desert warrior's eyes contained anger. "You have never heard of it."

"Your faith has been shaken and no longer firm and unbreakable." The monk pointed out disappointedly. Leo's mouth opened, because the fall of the gods was a true fact, an unblockable truth. Brandik only realized that what you instilled in him was only a seemingly sweet lie. But he tried to shut up. "Are you scared?"

"No." The desert warrior responded.

"Let me see your hands."

The desert warrior took a breath before doing it to relieve the panic and anxiety on his face. His hands stretched out straight, keeping his calm as usual.

"Ask yourself, what do you have to say about your faith?" The monk let go of the desert warrior's hand. "Did you feel suspicion and fear?" He got closer to the desert warrior and lowered his voice even more.

"Everyone is full of fear. Doubt is the key to finding the truth. It will only strengthen my faith, not the opposite. My hands can remain calm because I understand the truth. If I choose to escape it, I will be controlled by emotions." The desert warrior responded. His words, Leo, felt more like he was reciting some kind of vow, with no emotion at all.

The monk patted the shoulder of the desert warrior to express his approval. "The gods are watching you. Brandik. You are the best warrior in the Sanctuary of Silence. I hope you will not go on the path of shame to the Sanctuary and your teacher. Remember what you just said."

The desert warrior lowered his face to show his admonition.

"Go." The monk told him, "Monkey Ahiben, your teacher is waiting for you." The desert warrior nodded to Leo and left first under the guidance of two boys. The monk Mario turned his head and Leo waited to see how he arranged for them, the untrustworthy devils. "Guests of the Western Continent." He said, "The Valians, the believers of the gods call you the White Devils. You have no faith, but the gods will not keep his guests away. But the taboos of all sanctuaries."

"Brandick has explained us," Leo told him.

"So, very well, I hope you follow the rules of the sanctuary of the Silence."

"I know what it means to follow the local customs." Li Ou's tone became cold. It was not pleasant to live under someone else's roof.

The face towel on the face of the monk Mario covered all his expressions. He let him go to the side and made a welcome website of Piaotianyi. You can stay for several days and rest well. There will be no demons here. Here you are protected by God." His meaning is clear, and those who do not believe in God will not be guaranteed. "If you don't mind, the white devil, we can also hold sacrifices for your dead companions."

Leo could not refuse this kind of good intention. "Please trouble you. Mario..."

"We don't have to use sir, nor do we need to call us by our lords." The monk waved his hand and told them, "In the silence, we have only one name, and that is the 'monk',"

There was no light in the hall, and the setting sun down the mountain could not illuminate this place. Li Ou felt that there was a darkness around him, hiding malicious eyes. "I can't see anything." Rosie's voice came from behind him, "Can I cast magic?"

"Sorry, no, mage." The monk stopped her, "The casting of any spells is prohibited here."

"Also include magical arts?"

"Yes, it also includes divine art."

They were careful every step until their eyes gradually adapted to the dark environment. The hall was empty, without decoration, no murals or statues, and was simple and unpretentious, like a simple stone house. But their footsteps and even their breaths were clearly audible. Every stone brick was amplifying the sound. It sounded messy and a ball of noise was echoing. Now Li Ou finally understood why this monastery was called the Sanctuary of Silence.

Leaving the hall, approaching the courtyard at the back, the magically reinforced sand and soil formed into low stone walls, surrounding a large number of buildings: broken old waterwheels, creaking leaves, cloister for monks to sleep, halls for eating, mud sanctuary of prayer and meditation. The windows of the sanctuary were inlaid with glass, the wide doors were carved with statues of gods, and a walkway on the heptagonal spire. Behind the sanctuary is part of the oasis, and some older boys were silently pulling weeds, planting vegetables, and carrying buckets. Mario monks led visitors around an alder tree and passing through another walkway.

"Don't you mind sharing a room, right? It's not big, but it's quite comfortable."

"Don't mind."

“We have some humble cottages that are reserved for visitors.” The monk said, “They are not used often, but we clean them frequently to keep them clean and dry.”

"Okay, thank you."

The cottage they lived in was on the east side of the monastery, facing the edge of the oasis. According to the Mario monk, it was next to a huge quicksand lake. "So we can resist foreign invasions." It also prevents guests from escaping. Leo thought. The monk took them through the small open space where the boys gathered - each boy looked at them with curious and surprised eyes - and then stopped at a corner. "From here, you can see the silver waves on the quiet lake, and the frost-like indifference when the moon climbed up the hills, just like this ruthless sea of ​​sand." The monk pointed.

"We can see the same scenery every night," said Rosie.

"If you could see the eyes of this quicksand lake, you wouldn't think so."

"Suixa Lake once devoured a lot of life?" Li Ou asked.

The monk lamented. "Many, many, many, and my friends." He stretched out his hand and gestured helplessly, and then continued to move forward. "I am in pain, but now I see this as the test of the gods for us, the hardships in life. In death, I have received an indescribable experience, which makes me cherish the life in front of me more. This is why we take you in." Then? Is there anything else? It is difficult for Leo to agree with the death as a gift. "It made me realize that the true meaning of swordsmanship and even magic should not be just tools to take away other people's lives." He turned to Leo, "I am very confused. As a white devil, do you understand this."

He understood this without having to taste the taste of death. "I also wonder, since if you cherish your life, why do you still have to train warriors like Brandik? And you..." Leo said, "You are also filled with mysterious energy. They are equally dangerous."

"It's this world," said the monk, "There are too many times when killing can save lives."

Li Ou nodded in agreement. Although this seems contradictory, it is a reality.

"I'm glad we reached a consensus." The Mario monk had something in his words, as if he had some kind of admonition of unknown significance, as if they were his students.

The road turned a corner, and the cottages were right in front of them. The monks said they were very simple, and they were indeed so. They looked like stone beehives, short and round, with only a small square window like a cell. When Leo entered, he had to bend over to prevent his head from hitting the door beam. Inside was a compact yellow sand floor, a hay bed, a warm skin and blanket, a lamp, a basin of water, a pot of cider, some bread and cheese, and two low chairs.

"I hope you are satisfied," said the Mario monk.

"It's good enough to have a place to stay," said Leo. "We can't ask for more."

But the space of a stone house is still too small to accommodate all of them. So the monks arranged housing for them. The men were eight in one room, while the women were enjoying some kind of care. The three of them were one room. "Go out and go right, and the stone house near the bush forest is the bathroom." The monk Mario pointed out specifically, "But there is only one there, so the ladies should be looking for gentlemen... But please don't take a bath in the oasis, and you don't want lice in the breakfast tomorrow, right?"

"Wait. I'm going to live with Leo." Rosie said, "I mean, the leading alchemist."

"What you and Him are elsewhere, that's between you white devils," said the Mario monk, "but in the silence of the sanctuary, men and women cannot sleep under the same roof unless they are married."

"We are his escorts, the Bachelor's Miss translated her words.

The Mario monk shook his head. "That's not OK, you are safe here, no one will hurt you. I can swear in the name of the gods."

"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Rosie suddenly said, "I'm his girlfriend."

The Mario monk prepared a room for them alone, and finally threw down the lamp and left contemptuously.

"Why do you say that?"

"Aren't me?" Rosie slanted her eyes.

"Of course it doesn't mean that." Leo said, "just..."

"Why Lu Yuewu?" she said, "Don't worry, what can the two wastes do? They'll be out of breath after walking a few steps, like an old man who's about to lie. Have you forgotten?"

How could he forget? They had accumulated too many toxins in their bodies, and the side effects of the medicine seemed to erode their bodies, making them weak and on the verge of collapse. In order to catch up with this journey, they had to take more irritating drugs to stimulate their potential. They were drinking poison to quench their thirst.

"I just want to die with you." Rosie sat down on the hay bed.

Li Ou couldn't tell what he was feeling now, and his heart was mixed. "How could we die? Stay here and recover from the wounds."

"But we are not welcome here."

"Yes." Leo assured her.

"I don't believe them."

"They will believe us." Leo took her hand. Her five fingers were wrinkled, covered with tiny lacerations, and blood clotted into scars. No longer smooth. "If a faithless and brutal alchemist converts to the gods under their influence, they will believe and satisfy all our requirements."

"They won't believe you." Rosie disagreed with him. "They will easily see through your disguise."

"I'm serious."

"No, no," said Rosie coldly, "You are an alchemist, not a lamb to please and flatter."

"Life is far more important than faith." He told her softly, "and not to mention yours."

After a silence of unspeakable silence, Rosie lowered her shoulders, "How long can the medicine last?" she asked.

“Up tonight.”

"I'm afraid I won't want to have a good night's sleep tonight." Rosie said softly.

Leomo kept silent. He could not imagine how much pain they would bear when the toxins after suppression burst out suddenly. It would definitely make them feel unbearable, and even...spend their lives. "I hope the gods here will bless us," he said.

A moment later, a knock on the door broke the terrible dullness in the room. The one who came in to serve was a **-year-old boy with dark skin and white eyes. He was a blind child. Leo realized. However, he seemed to be able to see the things in the room, avoided the table and chairs, avoided the bags they threw on the ground, and placed a basin of clean water on the table.

"Can you see something?"

The boy turned his head and looked at him without answering.

"Did you forget their rules? Don't speak." Rosie reminded him.

The boy cleaned up the house with a familiarity and bowed to them and left. Rosie curled her lips on the bed. "I think it's better to call this place a miserable academy. What they trained was a group of ascetics who were severely tortured and suppressed by nature. Maybe they would even order them to wear clothes with steel-lined clothes. Even..." She suddenly stopped.

“Even what?”

"Forget it, nothing." Rosie waved her hand and fell onto the bed. "It's all over. I don't want to mention it."

She must have remembered her past.

When the night bell rang, the monks invited them to have supper. But before that, the Mario monk asked them. "Friends, would you please come with me to the sacred temple and pray for the souls of the good people of Pompedekar?"

"There is the most joyful thing," said Leo.

He ignored everyone's strange and puzzled eyes and followed the Mario monk into the church where the candles were lit. The church was filled with the fragrance of grass, and many boys and some monks in gray robes were waiting here.

They first read a chapter in the scriptures. Li Ou didn't understand it very well, so he remained silent and stared at the statues of the gods in front of him: there were both warriors and farmers, and the girl and the man stood on both sides, and the sunlight and shadows were opposite each other. The black sun pattern at the top of the temple made him feel palpied. They didn't realize Clegg's true face. He hesitated about his previous thoughts.

After the ups and downs of recitation, they began to confess one by one. Of course, the protagonists were the children who were beaten and punished. A gray-robed monk also walked to the statue of the gods and confessed to another red-robed monk for his sins.

"I thought no one could speak." Leo was puzzled. "The monks of gray robe and the children."

"We allow the breaking of silence when we confess," said the monk, "it is difficult to tell the sin with gestures and nods."

Children after children come to the stage one after another. The things they confess are roughly the same, nothing more than weakness and retreat in their hearts, hunger and thirst, and even fatigue, which make them want to give up or steal.

"Mr. Li Ou, what about you? Do you have any sins that need to be repented?" the monk asked him.

There are, and there are many. He thought to himself, countless. But he didn't want to say it, and he didn't want others to know. "No." He told the other party, "A person will not make mistakes. That is part of life. I have learned lessons from my mistakes, and I already know what to do next. I no longer need to repent."

The children were taken to enjoy one of their dinners.

Lvu walked towards the other side under the leadership of Mario monk. As he walked towards the hall, Lvu expressed his curiosity. "Can I know what their food is?"
Chapter completed!