Chương 579: First Eternal Saint.

While Liu Shu focused on heating up the Moon's core, the world continued onward. Among many things, the emergence of the <Eternal Church> was a piece of news that spread out like lightning. Many people traveled toward the Golden Sap City, intending to participate in the first few trials. Among those, there was one beast girl who arrived during the last few days. She had been hesitating, but after so many years, she chose to take this step.

"... So many people." Her vertical pupils shone with curiosity, while her perky cat ears flickered lightly. Her face, now mature after living for a few decades, had lost most of its innocence. As she stood in line, she heard people call out to her.

"Huh? Oh! Tanya, I didn't expect you to come here." Tanya's tail and ears stiffened, looking sideways with an awkward expression.

"It has been a while, Marta…" Marta chuckled, hugging the arm of a tall and handsome man.

"It has been a while, yeah. How are you doing lately?" Tanya's eyes moved down, looking at Marta's swollen and pregnant stomach. Her eyes showed a trace of bitterness for a second before she hid her emotions and smiled.

"I am doing great. I managed to become a minor secretary in Lady Cinderielle's branch." The man standing by Marta's side spoke lightly.

"Are you trying to act like we don't know each other now?" Tanya froze while Marta frowned and tapped the man's arm.

"Aron, I told you not to cause trouble." Then, Marta smiled apologetically at Tanya.

"Sorry, Tanya. You know how Aron's mood is usually. He is cold on the outside but a softie on the inside, haha." The cat-girl nodded awkwardly.

"Right." She gave one look at Aron and nodded before looking ahead again, trying to ignore them. Aron was a boy who grew up with her, and they actually became quite close. Just as their relationship developed right before the last step, Aron got to know her parents. To say that the meeting was a disaster was putting it lightly. Their questions were all about Aron's background, and they also told him that without a certain level of status, marrying her would be impossible.

Naturally, Tanya was indignant and faced her parents. Yet, from that day on, Aron showed some reluctance to go ahead. The cat-girl was optimistic, as always, thinking that their relationship would eventually return to what it was. But all her hopes were shattered when one day she saw Aron smiling and laughing with another woman. This woman was Marta, who appeared almost out of nowhere. Only later would she know that she was someone from the same place Aron worked. Tanya thought of the past dazedly for a while.

'It has been over 20 years since then… I guess I should forget about it soon.' She was now over 57 years old, and while her lifespan was long, she was no longer a child. Shaking her head lightly, her hand clasped a wooden amulet she kept with her always. This was something Liu Shu gave her a long time ago, something she kept hoping the World Tree would talk to her again, as it did during her childhood.

'Perhaps… It was always a dream.' Tanya smiled sadly, her cat ears dropping lightly.

'How could Lady Heavenly Willow interact with a random poor child like me?' Her move to enter the church was like a final, desperate attempt to confirm her doubts. In her emerald-colored cat eyes, there was a trace of hope still. But living had not been easy, and after almost 50 years, adulthood had stripped away most of her past desires. Marta spoke happily with her.

"Have you found someone, Tanya? I was honestly somewhat worried when you stopped contacting me. You even missed the birth of our first child!" Tanya looked at Marta strangely. She didn't know if this woman was being genuine or trying to poke at her.

'Her expression management is excellent. Well, whatever. I've long overcome it.' So, she answered calmly.

"That's a shame. I was too busy working these last years and becoming independent. So, I really didn't have time for romance." Marta nodded twice, showing some reluctance.

"I guess it's not that easy to find a good partner like Aron." Tanya almost rolled her eyes. She had met and interacted with men much more handsome, successful, and even gentler than Aron. The only reason she refused to get into a relationship was that she was trying to chase after her little dream of interacting once more with Liu Shu. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

'Honestly… I regret it a little. There were some good partners among those who spoke with me. Now that she was a bit more experienced and mature, she also understood that she had been too inflexible. Did making a family stop her from developing? That was not the case at all. Only, she was fearful that focusing too much on her dreams would make her ignore her own child, like her own parents did. As she half-heartedly answered Marta's ramblings, her turn finally arrived.

The man sitting at the table, holding a feather pen, was cold and indifferent. His aura was also incredibly profound, far beyond anything Tanya had felt before.

"Place your hand on this crystal. Then, say your name, age, Level, Tier, and reason to want to join the <Eternal Church." Tanya stammered a bit.

"I am Tanya Ferleaf, 57 years old, Level 61, B+ Tier… My reason to join the <Eternal Church> is to follow its doctrines and become part of something bigger." The crystal shone green for a little while before changing to an orange color. The man frowned and looked at Tanya coldly.

"Don't speak lies. This <Lie Detecting Crystal> is something that can detect even half-truths from people who have yet to cross the <First Ascension>. You have another chance, but if you lie again, you will be disqualified on the spot." Tanya's face turned paler as she became nervous.

"That…" Looking around, she noticed that no one was reacting to her words. The man spoke again.

"Others won't hear our conversation. Have you heard anything from anyone else so far? There is a <Sound Blocking Runic Field> around us." Tanya had been dazed, so she didn't know if that was the truth. Still, after hesitating, she decided to blurt out.

"I… want to become closer to Lady Heavenly Willow and try to experience the time we shared together when I was a child again." The man's indifferent expression turned dark, only for the crystal to shine green. The man who was about to scold Tanya froze and looked at the cat-girl with a bewildered expression. After thinking for a moment, he tapped a rune array at the side and spoke lightly.

"Lady Elyne, you might want to come meet this person." Before Tanya knew what was happening, she felt a vast presence manifesting by their side. Looking to the side, she noticed a purple-eyed, jade-green-haired woman appear. Her facial features were exquisite, and her eyes shone with gentleness and peace. Tanya couldn't help but feel awe from the bottom of her heart. While she was mesmerized by the woman, the man had already explained what he had heard. Elyne blinked and chuckled, looking at the doll-like catgirl.

"Come here, child." Tanya, compelled by her profound aura, took timid steps forward. Her ears were flattened on top of her hair, while her tail curled around her own leg.

"T-This little one greets Lady Elyne." Meanwhile, Elyne looked curiously at this cat-girl. Her sharp eyes easily noticed the amulet hidden by her clothes.

'That's something Liu Shu left behind on her own accord on this girl?' Rubbing her chin, she didn't really feel any specialness in the catgirl. She was not exceptionally talented, nor did she have any <Title>, <Talent>, or <Passive Skill> that shone among others. Still, Elyne could feel that trace of specialness from her personality.

'She feels… exceptionally optimistic and gentle. Even when life has not been easy, I can sense softness in her eyes.'

"This might be fate… Since that's the case… Tanya, are you willing to hear my proposal?" Tanya asked, still timid.

"Um… What might Lady Elyne want to offer me?" Elyne smirked.

"Do you want to become an <Eternal Saint>?" Tanya blinked her beautiful green cat eyes, baffled.

"Um… What?" Elyne chuckled and repeated her question.

"Do you want to become an <Eternal Saint>?" When Tanya heard the exact same words leave Elyne's mouth without a single difference in tone or wording, she was stunned on the spot.

"That… Yes?" The cat-girl knew a little about the ranks among those in the church. Therefore, she also knew how special the position of <Eternal Saint> was. Hearing her words, Elyne smiled and grabbed her hand.

"Perfect. Follow me, then." Behind them, Marta and Aron were long stunned. They looked at the ethereal woman who descended like a celestial goddess, awed and confused. Then, when they saw Elyne reach out and grab Tanya's hand, their eyes widened. Marta especially looked at Tanya's back with a trace of resentment. Her previous attitude had been fake, a boastful attempt to show her superiority over a defeated opponent. In truth, Marta had been in the same school as Tanya and Aron.

Only, she was one year younger and had little to no chance to interact with the person she admired, Aron. She used a few tactics and slowly shortened the distance between them, eventually attacking at the right moment and stealing Tanya's position in one fell swoop. Elyne quickly noticed a trace of malice behind them and turned around to look at the pair behind them. Her eyebrows frowned imperceptibly before she spoke rather coldly to the man.

"Fail those two people. Their souls are too impure. The man is not too bad, but the arrogance and decadence of the woman had already attached to his temperament. As for the woman… Heh." The man quickly bowed and nodded.

"This subordinate understands." Tanya looked back and blinked, asking with confusion in her tone.

"Um… Why did Lady Elyne say that? Isn't Marta a good and gentle woman?" Elyne looked at Tanya and sighed softly.

"You will be able to understand and see things beyond normal bounds in the future. For now, trust me and follow me. You are the first <Saint> I've accepted. So, I plan to train you well so that you can quickly become a leader for others who join later. Perhaps, with a bit of luck, you will be able to become an <Avatar> in the future and stand by my side." Tanya's cat ears jumped in fright as she quickly shook her head from side to side as fast as she could.

"H-H-How could someone like me compare to Lady Elyne!? I am like a firefly in front of the Sun." Elyne laughed.

"Good that you understand your current position." Tanya was instantly stunned, staring blankly at Elyne.

'The script is wrong… Wasn't she supposed to say that I should have confidence in myself or something!?'