FALLEN ORACLE

**Chapter 10: Light and Flame (2)**

The next day, Chen Yi joined many faculty and students from the academy in traveling to the Holy City of Catlerai to witness Morin's ascension ceremony. The position of headmaster of Rongqi Academy was to be taken over by Senior Professor Fangting.The ascension ceremony was held on the Ascension Platform in front of the Central Church Square in Catlerai.Every few years, a powerful mage recognized by the gods would ascend from this very spot.It was Chen Yi's first time visiting the legendary Holy City.The blue Divine Radiance River ran through the city like a jeweled belt wrapped around its waist.The city's streets and buildings were predominantly white. Though beautifully constructed, the buildings were not tall, ensuring that the tallest structure in the city remained the Central Church of the High God Church.The streets were bustling with trade. Here, you could buy almost any product from across the continent."This fruit is delicious," Chen Yi remarked."Apples are nothing special. You must eat them often, right?" Carl said, pulling gold coins from his pocket and handing them to the vendor.Mendes stared wide-eyed. "Two gold coins for one apple? Oh yes, I eat them all the time.""I knew it," Carl said. "Looks like I need to find something more meaningful to thank you for mediating our family's war."Phil said, "Forget it. Wars are neither right nor wrong. The main thing is that we can still be brothers."Chatting as they walked, they soon arrived at the Central Church.This church, the size of a small town, was carved from pure white jade. In its main hall burned an eternal sacred flame, symbolizing the will of the gods.Around the main hall stood towering spires, adding to the church's solemn grandeur.In front of the church was their destination—the Ascension Platform.The platform was about the height of a man and a hundred meters square.On it stood Headmaster Morin in a white robe trimmed with gold, holding a mage's scepter. He looked like a celestial being.Before him was a short flight of steps—not long, not high. It was called the "Long Stair to Divinity." Only those about to ascend were worthy to tread it; its meaning outweighed its form.At the top of the Long Stair was a modest door. This unremarkable-looking door was called the "Star Gate"—the key to ascension.All who were about to ascend on the continent had to wait under its frame for the summons from the upper realm.On the other side of the platform stood three rows of neatly dressed, solemn-faced clergy. At their front, presiding over the ceremony, was a middle-aged man in a golden robe—the current Pope of the High God Church, Rich."Morin Lance. Glory shall this day descend upon you," Pope Rich intoned as the ceremony began. "Do you vow to remember the gods' teachings and to forsake your decaying mortal body?""I do," Headmaster Morin answered solemnly."Do you vow to ascend to the heavens and embrace immortality?""I do.""Do you vow to watch over humanity in the name of the gods until the end of chaos and order?""I do."Chen Yi noticed a hint of tremble in the old man's voice."Morin Lance, in the name of the Pope of the High God Church, gathering the blessings of the continent, I congratulate you—ascend to the upper realm!"As soon as the Pope finished speaking, Morin began climbing the steps, one by one.On the Long Stair to Divinity, the headmaster no longer looked back at the spectators below. His eyes were fixed only on the door.The moment he reached the top and entered the door, a blinding white light, accompanied by a deafening roar, suddenly descended from the sky.As the dazzling light gradually faded, Headmaster Morin had vanished. Only a mysterious magical mark remained within the doorframe at the top of the stairs."The headmaster just... ascended? It feels so unreal," Phil remarked.Mendes asked, "Chen Yi, you were close to the headmaster. What do you think?""It feels unreal to me too. A week ago, even the headmaster himself couldn't have imagined this," Chen Yi said. But his attention was soon drawn to the "Destiny" ring on his finger.For some reason, the ring seemed to resonate with the magical mark on the doorframe.Carl said, "You think the Pope feels bad? He's the most devout servant of the gods, yet he has to watch others ascend and gain eternal life.""Shh!" Chen Yi quickly hushed him. "Carl, are you crazy? Remember where we are!"Carl realized his mistake. Speaking lightly of the Pope in the Holy City was a grave disrespect. If the Knights' Order overheard, even his father the Duke couldn't protect him.Fortunately, the crowd was large and noisy. Carl's indiscreet words had no irreversible consequences.---After the ascension ceremony, the four returned to the academy. On the night they got back, Chen Yi once again arrived at the transparent cell."There's been so much chaos lately—I forgot it's been exactly a month since my last Divine Communion," Chen Yi scolded himself, looking at the goddess's familiar smile.This time, the goddess gave him no special hints. But Divine Communion itself now held a completely different meaning in his eyes.Without a magic ring, imprisoned on the cross, she could still cast the Divine Communion spell—which, by anyone's measure, was no simple magic.The goddess's strength was likely unfathomable. And whoever had the power to imprison her was probably even stronger—and might well be Chen Yi's future enemy.After waking and recording the communion's content in his spellbook, Chen Yi discovered that the goddess had taught him five spells in one go!These five spells were not complex and shared certain similarities.But what shocked Chen Yi was that, unlike before, he couldn't determine the school of magic these spells belonged to before casting them.Not Psionic. Not Elemental. Not Strengthening. Not Summoning. Not Healing.Chen Yi was completely baffled. *Are there other schools of magic?*The only thing he could confirm was that these spells could not be freely targeted—they were locked onto the caster themselves.Unable to predict their effects, Chen Yi felt that trying them on campus was too risky.So, the morning after his Divine Communion, he left the academy and headed to a forest outside Kanter Town.