Chapter 8 : The Fire Offering Ritual

When Li Wen opened her eyes, she had returned to the game once more.

【Fire Offering Ritual】

【Knowledge – Ritual – Ascension (Stage One)】

【Requirements: None】

【Moths are drawn to flame, and the lost are drawn to radiance. In times of confusion, the Black Sheep offers insight—sacrifice oneself to the fire; that is the only outcome.】

【This is a ritual performed under the witness of the Radiant Light. To receive its blessing, one must simply offer sincere prayers before the flame.】

【Step 1: Prepare an empty church. It must belong to the cult of Radiant Light. Otherwise, remove all foreign god symbols or relics, then construct a cruciform pyre at the church’s center. Light as many candles as needed until the space is bathed in brightness.】

【Step 2: Evacuate all individuals within a [6×6] radius of the ritual site. The performer must be the only one inside during the ceremony.】

【Step 3: Using Radiant Antimony, lime, sunflower pollen, and animal fat in a 1:2:1:6 ratio, craft the Saint’s Balm. Then, use this balm to draw the ritual circle [Ablessing of Abrah, First Form], embedding within it the [Star of Gilded Brilliance].】

【Step 4: Place seven candles around the circle’s outer edge—each representing one of the Radiant Light’s seven blessings. Build a bonfire in the center of the array and offer a living sacrifice into the flame. Oak-grown mistletoe may be used as a substitute.】

【Step 5: Recite “Grace of Radiance – Chapter Seven: The Inverse Path of Divinity” three times while praying. The ritual is then complete.】

The Fire Offering Ritual was the ascension rite required for those who sought the Path of Radiance.

From Li Wen’s perspective, this was indeed a very simple, foundational ritual—one with barely any room for error.

Following the steps would be enough to complete it.

After all, it was only a first-stage ritual.

Naturally, it wouldn’t be too difficult.

“Step one can be skipped. The church already has Saint’s Balm in stock, so I don’t need to make more.”

“As for the offering, I have the trait ‘Necessary Sacrifice,’ so I can use blood instead—no need to prepare anything else. The array diagram is viewable straight from the game panel…”

As for Grace of Radiance, it was one of the holy scriptures of the Radiant Light cult, commonly found throughout the Kingdom of Arthurian.

There was even a copy in Li Wen’s room.

“So really, I just need to come up with some excuse to get everyone out of the church, and I can perform the ritual right away.”

Wasting no time before Pastor Mog returned, Li Wen sprang into action.

As she opened the door to leave, she nearly bumped into a young nun dressed in the church’s white-and-gold uniform, who looked like she was about to head out.

The clergy of the Candle Sun Church wore black robes trimmed in red, symbolizing the flame that brought light through darkness and sacrifice.

The nuns, by contrast, wore pure white with golden edges—representing their sanctity and devotion to Radiant Light.

“Wait!”

Li Wen quickly called out to her.

The nun froze and turned around.

Upon seeing Li Wen’s unfamiliar face, her expression grew tense.

But after gauging her height and realizing Li Wen was slightly shorter, she visibly relaxed.

“Little sister, this is the nuns’ dormitory, not somewhere to wander. Unless… you’re the new nun Pastor Mog recruited?”

Little sister?

Li Wen’s expression stiffened.

She replied in a tone that was neither warm nor cold.

“That’s not your concern. I’m asking if you have anything important to do right now.”

“Uh?”

The nun blinked in surprise, but under Li Wen’s firm tone, she instinctively answered, “N-No!”

“Good. Then go clear out any outsiders from the main cathedral and bring some Saint’s Balm and candles there.”

Both the balm and the candles were standard materials used in church services.

Though the nun found it odd—this wasn’t a scheduled day for prayer—Li Wen’s commanding gaze left no room for questions.

She nodded and hurried off.

Meanwhile, Li Wen used the time to memorize the entire seventh chapter of Grace of Radiance.

Religious texts always had a way of being needlessly obscure, but thankfully, her memory was decent.

After reading it several times, she managed to retain the key verses.

Once she was confident she could recite it fluently, Li Wen tossed the book aside and headed toward the church.

Inside, as expected, the place was empty.

The competent little nun had somehow convinced the worshippers to leave.

She now stood at the altar, arms full with a bundle of candles and a bottle of Saint’s Balm, eyes wide and waiting.

“Leave the items here. You can go now,” Li Wen said.

The confused little nun did as she was told, setting everything down obediently before glancing around.

“Um… where’s Pastor Mog?”

“Why are you worried about that? Go on already,” Li Wen said with a hint of irritation.

She didn’t want to delay the ritual—what if she forgot the lines?

“Oh, and once you leave, don’t let anyone come near the cathedral. Got it?”

“Understood.” The clueless nun nodded. “Um… I still don’t know your name!”

Li Wen hesitated. A faint flush crept onto her cheeks.

“Mephist.”

“Okay!”

Finally satisfied, the nun trotted off.

Li Wen wasted no time.

She summoned her grimoire, opened it to the page containing the ritual circle, and let it hover beside her.

Then she opened the bottle of Saint’s Balm and began preparing the array.

Drawing a ritual circle in real life was much harder than clicking around in a drawing app.

It required precision, and with one blind eye, Li Wen’s depth perception was slightly off, which could lead to inaccuracies.

Thankfully, both [Ablessing of Abrah, First Form] and the [Star of Gilded Brilliance] were small, simple arrays with a generous margin of error.

She could manage.

With experience from her past life, Li Wen wasn’t likely to make mistakes on something this basic.

In just a short while, a near-perfect array took shape at the center of the cathedral’s sanctuary.

Next, she arranged the candles around the array, spacing them as evenly as she could.

The remaining candles she piled into a makeshift bonfire and lit them all at once.

Only the offering remained.

The Fire Offering Ritual was a beginner-level rite, derived from the Radiant Light cult.

Its ideal offering was a lamb.

But since Li Wen’s blood could substitute flesh offerings, it counted as a living sacrifice.

She picked up the ceremonial dagger placed at the altar, stepped before the fire, and slashed her palm open.

Sharp pain pierced her hand as blood dripped onto the flames.

The fire, fed by her blood like oil, flared with renewed vigor, crackling fiercely.

Holding the dagger as if in solemn prayer, Li Wen recited the seventh chapter of Grace of Radiance.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

When the final word fell, everything fell silent.

The flames stopped flickering.

Their light vanished.

Li Wen ended her prayer and opened her eyes—only to find herself surrounded by utter darkness.

A deep, formless void swallowed everything.

And in that complete blackness…

A single ray of light pierced through.