Chapter 16: Changes in Appearance, Refined and Delicate?

After an impassioned speech, Mu Xuan hurried back to his old courtyard.

The village construction plan was now entirely entrusted to Beckerze. The area surrounding the newly erected statue had already been designated as the future site of the temple. Gryffind was in charge of maintaining ‘order’, while Buzhazi had gone from house to house rummaging for anything useful.

In short, there was nothing much left for Mu Xuan to do at the moment. He simply remembered that in the old courtyard, the mutated statue’s skull was still there.

Even after being “purified”, the skull formed from the pollution still had to be checked to ensure it was no longer dangerous. What’s more, this place was now under the Light’s protection—leaving a skull lying around just felt wrong!

Since the Light had driven away the black mist, Mu Xuan no longer needed to find a landmark to proceed safely. The houses were scattered about, but the roads were wide. From a distance, he could already see the stream flowing through the middle.

Wait a minute… the stream!?

Mu Xuan hurried over. There were already two or three people gathering water here.

The water used to be filthy, and even the wells inside the houses emitted a nauseating stench. Yet for survival, everyone had no choice but to drink it.

But now, the stream water here was especially clear—even two or three tiny fish fry could be seen!

Perhaps the eggs hadn’t yet hatched and thus escaped the pollution, and only after the Light descended were they able to be born…

“Your Holiness!” The moment they saw Mu Xuan approach, someone greeted him respectfully.

This immediately caught the attention of the other two, who also called out to him in turn.

Mu Xuan nodded in response, then prepared to go check where the stream flowed into the black mist.

He was a little curious.

“His Holiness looks so much younger now…”

“Of course! His Holiness is someone blessed by the gods!”

“…”

Faint snatches of conversation drifted over, causing Mu Xuan to frown slightly and glance instinctively at the water beside him. His reflection on the surface left him a little dazed.

Delicate, fair… and even a bit handsome!?

The gentle air between his brows made Mu Xuan feel rather ill at ease.

After all, the original body wasn’t young. Having followed the church’s main force since childhood—several popes had come and gone—how could the original still look like a young man?

But…

Looking at his reflection, Mu Xuan felt a bit unreal.

Though his former face was wrinkled and aged, it was this very agedness that inspired steadiness and trust.

Now, however…

It wasn’t that Mu Xuan disliked being young; it was just that, as a Pope, the elderly image was much more fitting. If that really couldn’t be helped, at least a stern and imposing middle-aged look would do…

Suppressing the strangeness in his heart, Mu Xuan’s expression grew complex.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like it～”

An ethereal voice suddenly echoed in Mu Xuan’s mind, making him jump.

It was the goddess’s voice!

“Like it, of course I like it!” Not expecting the goddess to be watching him, Mu Xuan’s sense of self-preservation instantly kicked in.

“I see～” The goddess seemed unconcerned, and as a joyful, airy humming filled his mind, her voice gradually faded away.

Letting out a long breath, Mu Xuan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still feeling shaken.

That nearly scared me to death!

Although the goddess seemed easygoing, who knew if she was the type to make someone vanish with a single word?

Thinking of this world-devouring disaster, Mu Xuan held no pretty illusions about the gods.

Do gods truly pity the people?

Shaking his head, Mu Xuan stopped dwelling on his body’s changes.

It was already a done deal—there was no point agonizing over it. Others desperately prayed for divine blessing; surely he couldn’t ask the goddess to take it back?

Looking at the clear stream, Mu Xuan continued walking along its edge. Soon, he reached a gap in the village fence.

A couple of withered trees nearby were sprouting new buds, and beyond their cover, the stream flowed by. A bit farther, however, the sight was appalling: crimson-black waters and countless floating fish corpses…

Within the Light, the stream was crystal clear, but inside the black mist, the water was as dark as blood—the contrast was utterly stark.

It was as if something at that spot split the stream into two entirely different bodies of water.

Even the tiny fish fry sensed the danger of the crimson-black waters, flicking their tails desperately to swim back.

Mu Xuan lifted his head, gazing at the black mist beyond the gap, and couldn’t help but sigh.

He was safe for now, but in the black mist, countless people were still desperately fleeing. And the terrors with unimaginable power were everywhere.

Sooner or later, those terrors would discover this place!

If he didn’t find a way to grow stronger, then when those horrors came, there would be nothing but death!

He had to send people out to search for survivors as soon as possible.

Now that he had received the goddess’s blessing, the power of Light in his body was dozens of times stronger—he could already purify light contamination! It could be said that Mu Xuan’s strength now even surpassed Gryffind’s.

Still, there was no need to rush. They’d just emerged from the black mist; everyone needed time to recover. The houses had to be rebuilt, and food planting required manpower.

At the very least, it would be two or three days before he could catch his breath.

Thinking so, Mu Xuan had already returned to the old courtyard. Staring at the half-buried skull, Mu Xuan resolutely channeled the power of Light into his staff, smashed it to pieces, ground the remains into bone powder, and buried it in the ground.

Waste not, want not—quite useful.

With the skull dealt with, Mu Xuan didn’t linger and went straight to look for Buzhazi.

Gryffind needed to guard the village, Beckerze had to oversee all village affairs. Thinking it over, only Buzhazi had the ability and time to scout in the black mist.

After passing a few houses and asking two people, Mu Xuan finally found Buzhazi in a collapsed building.

“Buzhazi!”

Hearing Mu Xuan’s call, Buzhazi immediately put down what he was holding and crawled out.

“Your Holiness, do you have any orders?”

“I need you to go here and search for survivors.”

As he spoke, Mu Xuan took out a map of the village and pointed to the largest withered tree outside the village.

That was the place where the former Pope’s group had arrived, and also where another team had been separated.

Buzhazi immediately understood Mu Xuan’s intent.

“Those who’ve been corrupted…”

“Bring them all back. The gods will forgive their sins!” Now that he could handle the pollution, Mu Xuan didn’t want to waste all that faith-producing labor.

You weren’t saying that before…

Muttering to himself, Buzhazi replied at once, “Your will!”

He showed no sign of disagreement. He had no desire to displease Mu Xuan—the man at the top must be kept satisfied!

“Remember, searching is the first priority; rescue comes after. Take this— the gods will guide you home. Of course, once the task is done, the gods won’t stint on rewards either!” Mu Xuan was very satisfied with Buzhazi’s response.

Driven by profit and sharp-witted—people like this, whether in his previous life or this one, were always Mu Xuan’s preferred kind.