Chapter 115: Striving for Development

Focused on development, acting openly

After returning to the church, Link devoted himself to two main tasks.

Regarding the Bal Church, it was impossible for Link not to harbor resentment. Having been repeatedly wronged, both directly and indirectly, even a clay figure would harbor some anger—let alone Link. However, the Bal Church operated covertly, offering no opportunity for retaliation. Moreover, although its true strength remained uncertain, the current combat power displayed by the Bal Church was far beyond what the Father God Church could contend with. So any thoughts of revenge would have to be postponed for the future.

Though various regions had implemented countermeasures, the issue of the temporal rifts remained unresolved. Apart from a few well-defended cities, many smaller towns were forced into a defensive stance. With harvest season approaching, if the rift problem could not be solved, a rare famine was likely to occur.

In such circumstances, public sentiment grew restless, especially in areas where safety could not be guaranteed. When official forces could not address the problem, religious factions began to stir—not only the Father God Church but other powerful faiths seized the opportunity to expand their followers and influence.

Despite Count Losa and the kingdom’s measures, the five major religions and others began to take advantage of the situation to bolster their strength.

Witnessing this, Link could not remain indifferent. He began to actively expand the Father God Church’s reach. As the situation in Quinko Town stabilized, he poured much effort into surrounding towns. His followers, presenting themselves as saviors, resolved the rift disasters in more than a dozen nearby towns. Consequently, the Father God Church earned widespread praise and reverence from the populace. Countless people abandoned their former beliefs to embrace the Father God.

Furthermore, many who felt uneasy about their homelands even left their homes to settle in the rebuilding Quinko Town. They preferred to establish a new home among the Father God Church and Quinko’s residents amidst the ruins rather than return to their past lives.

As a result, Quinko Town’s population did not diminish due to its destruction; instead, it grew steadily. The influx of newcomers brought additional labor, accelerating the construction of the new city. Thanks to Count Losa’s aid, food and supplies were no concern. With autumn harvest underway and the presence of Antioch, a prodigious inheritor of ancient culinary arts, even the increasing population posed no problem.

According to experts, as long as the Father God Church’s core remained stable, they could accommodate a population exceeding fifty thousand.

With this growth, the rebuilt Quinko Town was no longer just a town. After discussion, the former officials decided to ask Link to suggest a new name. This aligned with the trend since Link was, both nominally and practically, the undisputed leader of Quinko Town.

Link had anticipated this and had already consulted with others. Ultimately, the new city was named “Divine Favor.”

Once the name was decided, it quickly spread among the townspeople. Hearing it, everyone felt a surge of joy and pride. Divine Favor—the city housing the headquarters of the Father God Church—was a city beloved by the gods. And that god was none other than the great and exalted Father God, creator of all things.

Ninety-nine percent of the population approved and liked the name; the remainder were indifferent. The renaming thus met unanimous support and praise. Quinko Town was officially renamed Divine Favor. Link promptly sent an official renaming document to Count Losa as a formality.

At the same time, the Father God Church unveiled the blueprints for Divine Favor—plans already prepared. The design was personally crafted by the three cardinal archbishops, true polymaths skilled in various fields. While their combat abilities were not top-tier, their expertise in logistics and governance surpassed even Link’s, a traveler born in the information explosion era.

Learning of the vast scale and design of Divine Favor, everyone involved in the construction became filled with excitement and passion. Though completion might take decades or even centuries, participating in building Divine Favor was a tremendous honor that inspired many. As key contributors, they could hardly remain calm.

Under such fervor, the entire city—no longer Quinko but Divine Favor—became vibrant and efficient. Work speeds surged dramatically and sustained for a long time before settling. Even after the initial enthusiasm waned, a healthy and positive momentum persisted, influencing new residents and integrating them into the city’s uplifting spirit.

Days passed swiftly. By November, Link’s faith rating had soared to 95,000, with his followers surpassing 40,000, bringing him tantalizingly close to unlocking the Spirit Pet Mall.

Meanwhile, other churches in the neighboring dozen towns found themselves struggling under the Father God Church’s pressure. Whether small sects or branches of medium-to-large churches, none could resist the Father God Church’s aggressive expansion. Though they still clung on, they could not reverse the trend of followers converting one by one.

Although the 40,000 believers did not yet constitute the total population in those towns—nearly 60,000 still maintained faith in Link—the momentum was clear. With continued effort, over ninety percent would become his followers within a month or two. The Father God Church’s task was to maintain this momentum and act cautiously, leaving no opening for rivals.

In mid-October’s routine lottery, Link obtained two new buildings: the Meditation Chamber and the Martial Soul Room.

The Meditation Chamber was designed for deep contemplation and cultivation. Meditating within accelerated progress by over five times compared to outside. It contained ten rooms, one of which Link immediately assigned to Ashmida. Ashmida now required a quiet space to meditate and comprehend the Virgo Golden Saint’s legacy. The Meditation Chamber was an ideal sanctuary where Ashmida could quickly advance his understanding of the sacred armor’s inheritance.

Of course, the chamber was not exclusive to Ashmida. Other magicians within the church also used it. After experiencing its effects, the three cardinal archbishops promptly approached Link, declaring the Meditation Chamber an irresistible artifact for unclaimed magicians. The over fivefold increase in meditation efficiency, coupled with no side effects, would attract any magician below the seventh rank.

Upon hearing this, Link summoned Ateil. With input from the three archbishops, he instructed Ateil to publicize the Meditation Chamber to attract magicians. Now that the Father God Church was strong and the Meditation Chamber was a tangible asset, there was little fear of ill intent.

The other building, the Martial Soul Room, catered to martial artists. Upon entering, it automatically generated illusory opponents for combat, akin to the wooden dummies in Shaolin Temple’s Alley of Wooden Men in martial arts legends. Despite its name, the Martial Soul Room was as large as a basketball arena. Like the Meditation Chamber, it greatly benefited fighters below the seventh rank.

Moreover, the Martial Soul Room had self-repair capabilities. Even if damaged, it would restore itself at midnight, allowing martial artists to train boldly without fear of permanent damage.

As a result, many wished to train there. Most martial artists in the Father God Church, over ninety percent, hoped to access the Martial Soul Room. To prevent overcrowding and accidental injuries, Link limited daily entries and restricted each person to one session per week, no longer than an hour each time, easing the room’s burden.

Even so, a weekly queue formed. The opportunity to fight freely without risking harm to comrades or loss of life was immensely attractive. Especially with the Holy Light Cathedral and paladin healers nearby, the Martial Soul Room’s benefits were maximized. Almost every participant emerged significantly stronger.

Among these, Lin Xi reaped the greatest gains. Having recently ended her seclusion, her meditation had been ineffective, and she remained at the peak of the fifth rank. Though she grasped some insights, she struggled to focus until training in the Martial Soul Room enabled her breakthrough.

The room’s opponents were manifestations of each combatant’s greatest rival. Since Lin Xi trained alone, no one knew the identity of her phantom foes. Yet her battles were fierce—she emerged covered in blood, with the right half of her skeleton shattered. Without her formidable strength, she likely wouldn’t have survived.

This shocked onlookers deeply. The Martial Soul Room’s illusions could be dismissed at any time, and few dared to risk their lives recklessly. Lin Xi’s all-out ferocity moved many women to sympathy.

Yet from this brutal trial came reward. Lin Xi finally attained enlightenment, ascending to the early sixth rank. Her strength now rivaled Ashmida, a Golden Saint, and White Spirit, the Thunder Hawk. The latter two possessed advanced equipment or high-level spirit pets, making them incomparable to Lin Xi, who relied solely on her own breakthroughs.

Facing this, people marveled not only at Lin Xi’s tenacity but also her talent. Such feats required more than recklessness; unparalleled genius and comprehension were essential. A talent like Lin Xi’s was rare across the entire Aurai Continent. Even those who existed were usually nurtured by great powers or masters. Self-taught prodigies like her could be counted on one’s fingers.

Lin Xi’s breakthrough gave Link greater confidence. With a Golden Saint, a sixth-rank martial artist, and a high-level spirit pet equivalent to the sixth rank, this elite trio could easily overwhelm the five major churches. Coupled with a strong, loyal middle force and a cohesive base, Link could scarcely imagine any church in the Red Moon Province capable of matching them. Displaying the Father God Church’s might openly, he could dominate the province unchallenged.