Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 929 - 46: Ascetic Monks

Chapter 929: Chapter 46: Ascetic Monks

"You want... to see her," the two elders’ faces slowly lost their joy as they looked at each other, revealing a trace of worry in their eyes. Cain sighed and said, "The situation between you and her... well, never mind, if you want to see her, go ahead. It has been over ten years since you sisters last met, it’s time to see each other again."

"Is she doing alright?" Lina asked softly, her head bowed and her voice barely audible, "Oh, no, she definitely isn’t doing well, her own twin sister treated her that way, and then left her alone for over ten years, nobody would be alright after that."

"Child, actually..." Margaret began, holding Lina, who, with a faint smile, gently shook her head and said, "Aunt Margaret, I know what you want to say, so you don’t have to say it, but regardless, I still hope to see her."

"Alright, that’s probably for the best." Margaret also sighed deeply, "But she’s not doing very well right now. She has changed a lot since childhood, and I’m worried that you wouldn’t recognize her when you see her."

"No, aunt, have you forgotten? Our bloodlines are connected." Lina smiled like a clergy member and shook her head, "Invisibly, I can sense her presence, I know she’s been waiting for me to return, waiting every day."

"You must have heard, you secluded yourself in the library, and she secluded herself in the Ascetic Order," Archbishop Cain said bitterly, "Overnight, we lost two children. These past ten years, though I still often see her, it’s been... many years since I’ve seen her smile. She’s now like a proper ascetic, it’s hard to describe in words. You’ll understand what I mean when you see her. Are you going now?"

"Yes, I’m going now, and I’ll be back before dinner, then I’ll join you and Aunt Bishop for dinner." Lina nodded, stood up, straightened her clothes, and gestured to Pannis, "Let’s go, Pannis, you’ll accompany me."

"Your wish, my honor," Pannis bowed respectfully, placing a hand on his chest, behaving like a gentleman, "Of course, I will accompany you, no matter when, no matter where."

"Thank you, my guardian warrior." Lina smiled and took Pannis’s arm, introducing him to the two elders who treated her like their own child, albeit belatedly, "This is my partner, Pannis, a trusted partner and family member, who has countless times risked his own safety to protect ours. Archbishop Grandfather, Aunt Bishop, after I meet my sister and come back, I will formally introduce him to you, not just him, but my other family members as well, hoping you will like them just as much."

"You should know how to find her, child," the Archbishop called to Lina, who was about to leave. He hesitated for a long while before deciding to speak, "Remember, you are sisters by blood."

"Of course, we are sisters connected by blood, and that will never change," Lina replied, her gaze lowered and her voice tinged with a hint of a smile. "The mistakes I’ve made before, I won’t be repeating them, you can rest assured, I know what I’m doing."

Clearly, Lina knew exactly how to find her sister, or rather, she knew the location of the Ascetic Order within The Church of the Earth Goddess. The Ascetic Order held a unique position within the church, distinct from all other believers.

The teachings of the Goddess Denia are rather unusual among deities. Many other deities have strict demands on their clergy, requiring them to devote their entire being to them, but Denia’s teachings are different. As a benevolent life deity, she requires her clergy to first love life and living, and only then serve and offer devotion and reverence to her. Therefore, most of Denia’s clergy have their own families and their own dreams and aspirations. However, there is a small minority of Denia’s clergy who, for various reasons, isolate themselves from the world to wholeheartedly love the goddess. These individuals come together and are known both inside and outside the church as the Ascetic Order.

The Ascetic Order is a loosely structured organization where joining and leaving are completely voluntary, with no compulsory demands. However, as long as one is part of the Ascetic Order, they must follow its rules. Although breaking these rules carries no penalties, it amounts to deceiving oneself and the goddess, and hardly anyone would be foolish enough to do so. The internal rules of the Ascetic Order are quite stringent with numerous detailed stipulations, but they can also be seen as simple: they forsake all material desires to toughen their body and spirit through the harshest of lives, thereby solidifying their faith in the goddess and bringing their souls closer to her will.

"Although for most people, especially those in the Earth Church, seeing an ascetic monk is rare, you have actually seen one over a year ago, during the tragedy in Diersalem City. It was an ascetic monk who came to the Holy City with Diersalem’s Archbishop Mento to give us a commission," Lina patiently explained to Pannis as they walked. "The messenger at that time dressed exactly like a typical ascetic monk. Their lives are extremely harsh, enduring the cold or the heat, they meet all their own needs, from growing their food to sewing their clothes. They only eat the coarsest black bread and drink only frigid water, their clothes merely cover their bodies, worn and tattered. These people labor barefoot in rags during the day, only wearing rough straw shoes when traveling long distances, and at night, they sleep on dry straw, covered only with tattered mats. Such a group of people appear particularly out of place in a bustling, affluent city, but they are indifferent to this, pursuing spiritual tranquility and liberation through their ascetic life. Indeed, their presence is not exactly out of place, as these people rarely leave the Holy Sanctuary and are seldom seen by others, living in seclusion in a corner of the sanctuary."

"Yes, I remember him," Pannis nodded. "The impression was very profound."

"When you see a group of people like that, the impact is certainly even more profound. I hadn’t thought about this before, but my sister... she’s also among them. I’m a bit afraid to see her like that," Lina said with a slight hint of weakness, pointing ahead. "That is where the Ascetic Order is located. There aren’t many monks in the order within the church, probably less than a hundred, and they all live there." (To be continued. If you enjoy this piece, feel free to visit qidian.com to cast your recommendation or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)