Led by the young servant, Shen Lang entered the room and saw a girl, about his age, lying on a chair on the balcony.
Her skin was fair, and her features were delicate, but these were not the most important aspects. What truly stunned Shen Lang was the oppressive aura emanating from her.
She lay on the chair, seemingly at death's door, but the moment she opened her eyes, Shen Lang felt an unprecedented sense of unease and dread.
Shen Lang was currently at the peak of the Earth Realm in martial cultivation, only a single step away from the Heaven Realm. Aside from those top-tier powerhouses, no one else could make him feel such unease and dread. Therefore, Shen Lang looked at the girl before him with great shock.
Shen Lang used his dual pupils technique to observe the girl, but he found no trace of spiritual energy circulation within her body. This meant the girl was just an ordinary person.
However, if she was an ordinary person, why would Shen Lang feel unease and dread?
While Shen Lang was pondering this, the woman spoke, "You're the doctor Bing found for me, aren't you?"
The girl scrutinized Shen Lang, smiling, "I've met many doctors, and you're the most unique. I've never seen such a young doctor. Can you tell what illness I have?"
"Is this a test?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Lang looked at the girl and said, "If this is a test, then I'm sorry, I have no interest in accepting anyone's test."
Shen Lang detested being tested, especially by someone with such an arrogant demeanor.
"Whether it's a test or a probe, it's all to avoid wasting everyone's time, isn't it?"
The girl looked at Shen Lang and smiled, "The doctor said my life is nearing its end, so I don't want my time to be wasted. This is the hardship of someone facing death."
"I hate being tested and probed the most, but facing you, someone who is dying, I can give you this courtesy."
Seeing her forthrightness, Shen Lang felt much better and said, "I can see your illness. You are not sick, but rather, there is another who is sick."
"Another one is sick?"
Hearing Shen Lang's words, the girl's expression changed drastically, and she said, "Shen Lang, what nonsense are you spouting?"
"You disagree with what I said?"
Shen Lang found a soft sofa and sat down, saying, "Alright, let's put aside your condition for now and discuss your identity, how about that?"
"My identity?"
The girl heard him and smiled, "You want to know my identity?"
"Shen Lang, my identity is not something you can easily know. If you were to know my identity, it would bring you no good. You just need to treat my illness. Of course, if you can't, then leave and don't waste my time."
"If I can tell you your identity, will you then believe what I say?"
Shen Lang looked at the girl and said with a playful smile.
"Bing would not tell you my identity, so you should be completely unaware of it. If you can truly tell my identity, then I'll believe you have some skill."
The girl said, "Since you're so confident, then speak. Who am I?"
"I've heard that there is a mysterious place in this world called the Holy Church, and within the Holy Church, there is a Saintess named Xue Piaopiao..."
Shen Lang looked at the girl and smiled, "You are Xue Piaopiao, aren't you?"
As soon as he spoke, the girl's pupils dilated, and she said, "How could you possibly know?"
"Because of the unease and dread you gave me the moment you opened your eyes, coupled with the cross necklace you wear around your neck, I deduced it."
Shen Lang said, "I've been trying to understand why an ordinary person, not a martial artist, like you could make me feel fear and unease. But the moment I saw the cross necklace, I understood. Although you are not a martial artist, you contain a powerful force within you. This force is formed by the blessings of countless beliefs. Besides the Pope, only you, the Saintess of the Holy Church, possess such power."
Belief is something ethereal yet tangible. Belief can change a person, a group of people, or even a world. When the beliefs of countless people converge on one person, that person, even if ordinary, will possess unimaginable power.
Shen Lang could not explain this phenomenon yet, but he knew that Xue Piaopiao before him possessed strength not inferior to his own.
"Shen Lang, you are indeed intelligent. No wonder Bing has mentioned you to me more than once. You have impressed me."
Hearing Shen Lang confidently state her identity, Xue Piaopiao slowly stood up from the chair and said, "In all these years, you are the first person to see through my identity at a glance. You are qualified to treat me."
"However, you just said I wasn't sick, but that another one was sick. What's going on?"
Xue Piaopiao looked at Shen Lang with confusion and asked, "Are you trying to sensationalize things?"
"Do I need to?"
Shen Lang sat on the sofa, nonchalantly crossing his legs, and said indifferently, "Although you are the Saintess of the Holy Church, of noble status, with countless people bowing to you daily, to me, you are no different from anyone else. If I hadn't promised Bing, I wouldn't even have come to see you."
"However, since you are curious, it doesn't hurt to say a bit more."
Shen Lang looked at Xue Piaopiao and sighed, "As a Saintess, you must meet many believers every year. One of the rituals involves the believers kneeling before you devoutly and confessing their sins."
"Since they are sins, they are dark and shameful matters. You are extremely disgusted by these, but you have to suppress your disgust. Suppressing your emotions day after day has caused another self to emerge within your body."
"The current self is benevolent and holy, the sacred Saintess in the eyes of the believers. The other self is irritable, violent, sinister, and venomous."
"You carry two selves within your body, which has caused immense depletion of your spirit and mind. Day after day, this leads to heart failure, which is incurable."
"Nonsense."
Upon hearing Shen Lang's words, Xue Piaopiao became furious and said, "Shen Lang, I am the Saintess of light and sanctity. How can I be irritable, violent, sinister, and venomous? You are slandering me."
"Am I slandering you?"
Shen Lang smiled and said, "You might not be aware of your other persona, but I believe those around you should know. To the point of heart failure, it's clear that the other you has taken control of your body more than once and committed many dreadful deeds."
Shen Lang slowly stood up and said to Xue Piaopiao, "In June of this year, there was a news report that eighteen priests of the Western Holy Church were murdered by a mysterious killer and gruesomely dismembered after death. I can say with certainty that the killer was you."