Only God
Chapter 292 - 251 God, I Pray with All My Might!_2

Chapter 292: Chapter 251 God, I Pray with All My Might!_2

They either did it to please Prince Arale or because they purely hated the True Religion, the stream of insults was incessant, often lasting a day and a night.

The prison guards were initially so shocked that they couldn’t sleep, but eventually they got used to it, treating it like white noise.

The curses were like towering waves, and even they couldn’t help but sympathize with Xilan’s plight.

But Xilan remained unmoved and, as usual, continued with his silent prayers every day.

On the day before the execution,

Two men came to the prison, and the guards looked at them in astonishment, realizing their identities were extraordinary.

One was the son of the Ibia Prime Minister, and the other, the current candidate for High Priest—Antion.

Casas and Antion arrived outside the cell and saw Xilan inside, battered and worn.

The guards tactfully exited the area, walking away from the scene.

Upon seeing the two familiar faces, Xilan was slightly surprised and then he smiled.

"It’s you."

His voice was hoarse.

Casas could hear the joy in it, his lips trembled, unable to utter a word.

Xilan, once such a spirited Priest, was now tortured into this state.

Antion’s pupils contracted sharply, and he sighed heavily.

"Xilan..."

Antion said softly, wanting to say something but hesitated.

"Antion, I know what you want to say. My execution date is approaching."

Xilan spoke calmly, as if the impending execution was not concerning him.

Antion was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say.

And Xilan, looking at him, instead spoke reassuringly:

"I know you came here, which means you have already done your utmost. I believe that in places unknown to me, you have defended me."

A trace of surprise crossed Antion’s face, and then his eyes slowly filled with tears.

Just as Xilan said, they had indeed tried their hardest to defend Xilan, running about tirelessly, but... those in power would not—and could not—forgive this man who had killed the King.

"Here, I pray every day."

Xilan lifted his hands with broken knuckles, barely clasping them together, and smiled:

"Like this... then bow my head, close my eyes, and silently pray."

His demeanor was enough to pierce any kind heart.

Casas and Antion watched Xilan, their lips trembling.

Xilan silently bowed his head, assuming the posture of prayer.

Antion trembled.

Of course, he knew how steadfast Xilan’s faith was.

But he never knew...

Within that frail shell,

Within those silent prayers,

How much power did they truly contain?!

After a while,

Xilan raised his head, furrowed his brows, and released his painful hands.

Then Casas finally asked with a quivering voice:

"Xilan, you believe in the destined-to-come kingdom, the Heavenly City after death."

"Why are you so confident? Why do you take that distant God as your only faith?"

"You clearly see the divine statues of the Gods, you live in the Golden Age they have ushered in, originally blessed with life, why still look forward to an era that has not yet arrived?"

Casas’s voice grew more agitated, his entire body started to shake—he seemed to be questioning not just Xilan but also the departed Prophet Noen.

"You do not understand why... just like you do not know why the Prophet left."

Xilan slowly said.

"Please tell me why! I cannot find the answer!"

Casas spoke with all his might.

Xilan looked at Casas and spoke slowly:

"Clasp your hands together

Don’t speak, just feel it."

Casas listened, clasped his hands together, and continued to tremble.

"Imagine, Casas,"

"You are in boundless darkness, you have sight but cannot see anything, you have hearing but hear no sound, you have touch but cannot feel anything, including yourself."

Casas silently bowing his head, tried hard to visualize the scene described by Xilan, that disciple of the Prophet somehow held a magical influence, immersing him in that imagination.

He slowly felt...

There, except for void and despair, there was nothing.

Casas trembled even more violently.

There was only fear!

"But just at this moment,"

"A beam of light, willing to shine into the darkness."

As Xilan’s words fell, Casas suddenly opened his eyes.

He was startled to find that his hands were no longer trembling.

Only to hear Xilan continue:

"Casas,

Now,

Do you understand this answer?"

Casas looked at Xilan, hands tightly clasped, his eyes moistened, and he could say no words, tears quietly streaming down his cheeks.

That knot in his heart quietly unraveled,

He seemed to understand the answer.

Antion watched all this, his heart deeply shaken.

"Xilan... I pray for you,"

Looking at Xilan, the son of the Prophet choked up, whispered softly:

"I pray for you, pray that you go to the kingdom of your faith after death, tonight, I’m willing to pray for you, pray for your tranquility, pray for your peace, pray for the imminent kingdom."

Xilan smiled and nodded, looking around at the two:

"Let us pray together."

After that, they prayed in unison.

Their voices of prayer echoed in the cold night.

After the prayer, they talked joyfully for half the night.

As the rooster crowed deep into the night,

Casas and Antion finally realized that they had to leave the cell and say their final goodbye to the True Believer in front of them.

Tomorrow, Xilan would die on the scaffold.

Before leaving, Antion asked:

"I know that you True Believers pray alone, pray secretly.