Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

Chapter 366: Chapter 78: The 300-Year-Old Wish

He paused briefly, his cloudy eyes shifting. "And on another level... perhaps it is that when an organization faces external pressure while also suffering the trauma of an internal schism, its primary objective often shifts toward survival and stabilization. It must consolidate its remaining strength, maintain its basic authority, balance various internal and external factions, and prevent further collapse. These matters consume a vast amount of energy and resources."

"Aiding the poor and intervening against injustice are certainly the teachings of the Holy Scripture. But their actual implementation requires immense manpower and resources, and even more, a powerful authority to ensure their efficacy. When the organization itself is unstable, spreading its power too thin to handle these matters... is seen by many as perhaps not the wisest choice."

Elizabeth listened quietly, her expression betraying no surprise.

She had already read everything Saint Cyril was saying, over and over, in countless dossiers, annotations, meeting minutes, and letters.

She was here today not so much to seek an answer she didn’t already know, but rather to hear how this old man—who had weathered countless storms and now wielded the core authority of the Church Court—would personally articulate this predicament.

She took a soft breath. "So, ultimately, if that schism had never happened—if the Church Court had maintained its complete authority and power—would it have been able to better fulfill the duties bestowed by the Holy Scripture? To preach more effectively, to provide more aid, to more forcefully curb the excessive oppression from secular powers?"

Saint Cyril looked deeply at Elizabeth again, his gaze seeming to pierce the veil of time, back to the tumultuous storms of centuries past.

"There are no ’ifs,’ Elizabeth." His voice suddenly grew heavy, carrying an undeniable weight. "History has no ifs. The schism three hundred years ago did not stem from some easily avoidable, accidental mistake. It was the inevitable eruption of fundamental conflicts over ideology, power, territory, and even the very interpretation of the Holy Scripture, all of which had accumulated to an irreconcilable point. The choice before them was not ’to split’ or ’not to split,’ but ’to split’ or ’to face an all-out civil war that could have led to the complete collapse of the Church Court.’ The schism was a choice born of necessity—perhaps even the one that came at the lowest cost."

Elizabeth fell silent for a moment.

Of course, she knew the brutality of that history, the intricate entanglement of interests and beliefs behind the schism.

But for that very reason, the thought of ’what if’ was all the more heart-wrenching.

"I understand the difficulties of that time, Your Eminence." Her voice was soft, yet every word was clear. "But permit me to press the question from another angle. Let’s assume—purely as a hypothetical—that the Church Court back then had a way to maintain at least a semblance of unity, at some cost. Or perhaps to handle the disagreements in a more moderate, gradual manner, thereby preserving most of its authority and power. In that case, would a Church Court with such strength have been more likely, over the subsequent three hundred years, to bring more order, justice, and peace to this Continent than we have now? Would it have been more likely that the light of the Holy Scripture would have shone into more of the world’s dark corners?"

Saint Cyril fell silent.

This time, the silence stretched on, leaving only the faint, ethereal sound of a distant choir practice to fill the grand hall.

The wrinkles on the old man’s face seemed to deepen. A rare and exceedingly complex emotion flashed through his ever-profound eyes—something like weariness, like reminiscence, and like a much deeper sense of helplessness.

Finally, he slowly, ever so slowly, shook his head. His voice was as low as a whisper.

"There was no such way, child. At least, not at that time."

He raised a withered hand and gently pressed his temple. "What you envision is a path no one has ever walked. A path that might be more beautiful, but also perhaps... far more dangerous. Change, especially change that touches the very foundations, can trigger turmoil and backlash far beyond anyone’s predictions. The Church Court at that time could not afford such a gamble."

Saint Cyril suddenly sat up straight again, though the movement clearly cost him a great deal of effort.

He stared at Elizabeth, a sharp light flaring in his aged eyes, his tone taking on an unprecedented gravity.

"Elizabeth, I know what you are thinking. You see the problem, you feel that... stagnation and helplessness. You yearn for change, yearn to restore the Church Court to its proper glory—not just the majesty of its rituals, but the tangible achievements of living out its faith and bringing blessings to the people."

He paused, then said, word by word, "In that case, perhaps there is a path truly worth your pursuit."

Elizabeth lifted her dark eyes, her gaze fixed on him intently.

"The Morning Star Bell." Saint Cyril’s voice held a peculiar Magic Power. "That Holy Artifact, which once thundered for you at your selection. Its silence for hundreds of years isn’t merely because no one earned its recognition. Ancient records hint that its true power has never been fully awakened. It is not just a litmus test for a Saint’s worthiness, but also... a kind of symbol. A kind of key."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze burning. "If you, Elizabeth, can truly awaken the dormant power of the Morning Star Bell, and make its peal ring throughout the entire domain of the Church Court—and even... beyond the barriers of the schism. Then, what you will gain will not merely be the title of Saint, but a ’righteous cause’ and a ’miracle’ powerful enough to shake the very foundations of this age. When that happens, faced with a true divine miracle and the call for unification, the legitimacy of the schismatic Northern Shepherd Chief District will be fundamentally shaken. Reuniting the Church Court, restoring the authority and glory from the age of pioneers when the Church Court led the great houses to blaze a trail and establish order... that will no longer be an unattainable dream."