As the crimson moonlight suddenly dimmed, a corresponding thought flashed into Caine's mind: "The red moon is once again obscured by the mist!" The moment this thought formed, the faint figures visible beyond the dark drapes vanished entirely, as if evaporated, and the low, wild roars of the beasts ceased abruptly. The environment had reverted to its previous state... "The Despair Maiden" Panatia could now move freely again... Mr. A no longer needed to worry about external threats and could now launch his attacks with full intensity, feeding on his prey. Caine instantly made his decision. He raised his right index finger, and with a crisp snap, ignited the leaves of a tree some fifty meters away. He needed to distance himself from Mr. A to prevent further spread of the illness, and whether or not to venture into the ancient church would depend on the situation. For the current situation, Kline already has a preliminary plan: to use Mr. A—capable, with solid strength—to divert Panatia's attention from the terrifying sorceress. After all, to Panatia, "the Shepherd" and "the Master of Miniatures" are essentially interchangeable in terms of sustenance; either one will do. She will naturally target whoever is easier to capture first. As a result, a battle between the two is inevitable. At that moment, Kline will seize the opportunity to "snipe" Panatia. Klein had just stepped out of the flames, his forehead once again scorching hot, his lungs heavy and his breathing rapid and labored. The plague! The plague of the "Lady of Despair," Pannatia, was spreading upon him! Before Klein's eyes, the bright young woman in her pure white robe had floated into the air, stepping steadily toward him. Beneath Pannatia's feet lay a vast network of transparent filaments forming a web, connecting to surrounding houses and trees, spreading across half the street. The half-divine mage's hunger had now subsided, no longer marked by vivid redness; her gaze upon Germain Sparo was tinged with madness and mirth, as though she intended to gradually erode his resistance, to make him feel the deepest, most profound, most agonizing despair. Klein suppressed a cough and snapped his fingers once more, causing a tree near the spire of the church to suddenly surge with a vibrant crimson flame. His figure was instantly engulfed by the flames, quickly fading, then materializing upon the tree, and within the swirling, undulating, resplendent "fireworks." Immediately afterward, Caine leaped toward the ground, rolling swiftly to the side of the ancient church. At that moment, his body suddenly grew cold—his feet, thighs, and abdomen had solidified into thick layers of ice, while frost accumulated around him, and the temperature plummeted. Caine clenched his teeth, holding back his fear, and with exceptional composure, executed his pre-planned actions, extending both hands to rest firmly against the wall. The "Hungry Movement" on his left palm had now become transparent! In silence, Caine passed through the dark, substantial wall, entering the interior of the spire church. The spot where he had been originally stood remained a deep, dark, and profound fireball, which arrived slightly later, striking only the corner of the wall and spreading outward like ripples, completely clearing the surrounding frost and grass. At this moment, the crows circling the spire of the ancient church opened their beaks: "Wow!" "Wow!" "Wow!" Pannatia paused, gazing ahead at the deep black church, her expression gradually growing one of apprehension. ........ Inside the church, Caine first found himself unable to see anything due to the slightly darker atmosphere compared to the outside world, and only gradually, as the ice melted and ambient light stabilized, did he adjust to the faint glow and begin to discern the scene before him. In his field of vision, figures hung suspended in the air—all human. Some wore black classical robes, others carried brown jackets, some dressed in voluminous, flowing skirts, while others wore tattered garments, as though they were beggars. Some had rugged faces, others featured sharp, noble, masculine features, some possessed refined, delicate, and beautiful features, while others looked youthful and endearing, with noticeably younger appearances—none of them resembling one another in any way. No, they still shared something in common—they all resembled cured ham being air-dried, hung high, heads bowed, eyes rolled back, swaying gently. Cain's scalp grew increasingly numb, no longer doubting Pannatia and Mr. A's descriptions of how perilous this place was. He pressed his back firmly against the wall, planning to immediately "open the door" and retreat as soon as any change occurred, thus avoiding danger; once spotted by the "Despair Witch," he would then re-enter through the wall, evading attacks, repeating this cycle to ensure his safety. Ah! A cold breeze swept through the church, and all the figures suspended in midair—each one a corpse—simultaneously turned to face Cain. Their collars seemed connected by ropes, their heads still bowed. Cain nearly drew in a sharp breath, placing his left palm against the wall. At that very moment, these figures swayed like wind chimes, their mouths opening to emit voices nearly murmured: "Hornachis... Freglar... "Hornachis... Freglar... "Hornachis... Freglar..." The voices echoed and overlapped, merging into a single stream that entered Caine's ears, giving him an extraordinary sense of familiarity! This was precisely the murmured speech he had heard during his several prior promotions! It was coming from here—right from the misty town, from the ancient church, from the bodies suspended in midair! At this moment, Caine felt his scalp prickle, his entire body trembling. Could it be that the very roots of this misty town truly lay in the main peak of the Hornachis Mountains—the once-evaporated "Land of Night"? Was he truly going to climb the mountain? Yet, why, within this church, does the same murmuring fail to bring headaches or a sense of losing control… Kline exhaled sharply, opening and then clenching his hands, clenching and then opening them again, holding back the urge to pass through the walls. Since he had arrived here, since he had seen the origin of the murmuring, he believed evasion might not be the solution. Regardless, a simple investigation was essential—otherwise, he would have no way of knowing what was truly amiss with his body! After swiftly casting a spell with coins, Kline lightly tapped his teeth, activating his spiritual vision and gazing at the dense cluster of figures suspended in midair. They appeared deeply grounded in their spiritual essence, with seemingly normal aura colors, yet conveyed a sense of stiffness and stillness. Aura colors… hadn’t they died yet? Kline furrowed his brow, then deactivated his spiritual vision. Immediately, he pressed the first joint of his left thumb against the first joint of his index finger twice, preparing to observe the "spiritual threads." At first glance, Caine's pupils widened dramatically, as the figures dangling from above swayed and trembled—remarkably unique. Each of them emitted a distinct, ethereal black thread extending from within their bodies, all converging toward the same direction: the highest point of the ancient church, without exception. To Caine's vision, they appeared like corpses suspended by these "spirit threads." Before he could ponder what this meant, a sudden glimpse in his peripheral vision caught his attention: his own "spirit thread" was drifting upward on its own, stretching toward the church's apex, toward the very source where the figures hung. This was the first time Caine had witnessed the "spirit threads" acting autonomously, without any external guidance. They behaved as if drawn by a magnetic force, rising upward uncontrollably—some of the fastest threads were already nearing their destination. Klein couldn't imagine what would happen once all the "spirit lines" converged upon the past—he doubted he himself would become a dried-out, smoked ham, suspended in midair, whispering incoherently, "Hornachis... Fregra..." Most extraordinary beings at this moment would only consider leaving the church, hoping to interrupt the process of the spirit lines being drawn into the structure, but Klein was different. As a master of "spiritous mimicry," he simply summoned his own spirit lines with a thought, drawing each one back to him. After nearly thirty seconds, he finally completed this task—yet his spirit lines still exhibited a tendency to drift upward, requiring constant attention and active resistance. Was this one of the hidden dangers within this ancient church? Klein slowly inhaled, stepping away from the walls and advancing steadily toward the deeper parts of the church. Above him, the figures swayed gently, as if gazing down upon him. After walking another twenty or thirty meters, Kline finally spotted something belonging to the church—the dark altar. Standing upon it was a carved statue. Taking a few more steps, Kline made out the statue’s features: it took the form of a human woman, but at her ribcage and waist, two pairs of animal legs had grown out, covered in short, coarse, hard black fur. Around the statue, black ribbons extended like delicate tendrils. At its feet, numerous spirits slept, as if gathered around a constellation. Kline shifted his gaze to the statue’s face and was struck silent. That face was familiar—he had been brought here precisely by this very figure! The statue’s face was identical to that of the "eraser" angel beneath the Saint Samuel Church. He竟然 has something to do with this place... Indeed, it makes sense—His erasure sent people here; otherwise, it would be unusual. What connection does He have with the Fourth Age, the "Land of Night" located in the Honaquis Mountains? The "Mother of Heaven"? But if that's truly the case, why would He serve the Church? Moreover, this image bears a certain resemblance to the magical wolf described by the smaller "Sun." A cascade of questions instantly flashed through Caine's mind. As he slowly shifted his gaze, his eyes moved toward other areas, seeking additional clues. A few seconds later, Caine spotted a figure—sitting rather than suspended—positioned slightly behind and to the side of the statue.