Bern picked up the coffin catalog and began browsing through it attentively. Although Alfred had bought the Millerton Afterlife Care Company, he hadn't interfered with any of its operations or requested any changes. The more authentic to its original state it remained, the better, as that made it convenient for the young master to "purify souls."
Consequently, this coffin catalog was also the original version.
The front half listed coffins priced at ten times their wholesale cost, leaving ample room for discounts to grant bargaining family members of clients a tremendous sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
The back half featured coffins with extravagant materials and outrageous prices, included purely to elevate the parlor's prestige. Not a single one had sold since the day the parlor opened; they were still waiting for an oblivious sucker to take the bait.
As Bern flipped through, his attention gravitated toward the back half.
Soon, he pointed to a somber, black model. "This one. I quite like it."
Karen glanced at it and nodded. "Mm."
Bern added, "Can I order an extra coffin?"
The question was asked casually, but Karen still caught the deeper implication.
"For whom?"
"My son."
"Too expensive."
"The price is fine." Bern pointed at the marked price. "Although there are quite a few zeroes, the price is listed in riels. Even if it were converted to Order coupons, I could still afford it."
"You can't buy it."
"Ah, I can't buy it? Is the quota restricted?"
"Mm. There's only a spot for you."
"All of a sudden, I feel a little touched."
Karen took the catalog and creased the corner of that page.
The twelve coffins had long been prepared, designed and crafted by Old Saman to nurture spiritual power. While the embedded formation lines could not be altered, customizing the exterior was no trouble at all.
Karen stood up. "I have to head out tonight, so I'll take my leave now."
"So mysterious," Bern said as he rose to see him off. "I'm actually starting to look forward to death."
"You're merely looking forward to a new beginning."
Holding Little Kanna's hand, Karen boarded the carriage.
Bern stood at his doorway. After watching the carriage depart, he turned back inside.
His gaze involuntarily fell upon the decorative item on the living room coffee table—The Light of Order.
"Heh."
Bern shook his head and laughed at himself.
"Ah, Karen... Rather than the Whip of Order, I think you belong in the missionary system."
...
Karen did not return to the Discipline Department, heading instead to Millerton Funeral Parlor.
Sitting on the sofa in the reception parlor, Karen closed his eyes. He wanted to take a midday nap here to gather his energy for the evening.
The former Madame Millerton was a widow who had inherited this funeral parlor from her late husband, with whom she had raised a son and a daughter.
As evidenced by the fact that they couldn't even afford a resident mortuary makeup artist, the funeral parlor was in poor operational condition, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.
Alfred's buyout terms had been very generous. At a price far exceeding the parlor's valuation, he had purchased a fifty-one percent stake, leaving the remainder along with the operational authority to Madame Millerton.
When first confronted with the buyout offer, Madame Millerton had briefly wondered if something was wrong with Alfred's head.
Once the contract was signed and the payment was safely in her hands, however, she began to feel afraid instead.
People in the funeral business were generally bolder than ordinary folk, but they were also generally more sensitive.
Now, looking at Karen resting with closed eyes on the sofa, Madame Millerton felt her hands tremble slightly as she held the coffee.
A fabulously wealthy young nobleman whose personal hobby was applying makeup to corpses—the very thought sent a chill down one's spine.
She walked over, set down the coffee, stood up, and went to fetch some pastries.
The pastries weren't homemade; she had bought them from the neighbors next door. This building was purely for business; they did not live here.
"There is a client waiting downstairs. Do you think..."
Karen opened his eyes. Far from being irritated that his rest had been disturbed, he spoke very gently, "Arrange for someone else to do it."
"Alright, understood."
Karen picked up the coffee and took a sip.
Mm, it tasted rather awful—not because the ingredients were cheap or expensive, but purely because the person who brewed it was terrible at it.
"Are you going to rest?"
"Mm."
Madame Millerton went to find a blanket and draped it over Karen's knees.
From Karen's perspective, her profile bore a slight resemblance to Aunt Mary; both possessed a mole below the lower lip.
Seeming to notice Karen's gaze, Madame Millerton asked, "Are you married?"
The moment she asked, Madame Millerton regretted it. What was she doing asking nonsense like that? She should have left this room long ago. Couldn't she see her two assistants crouching outside, not daring to step inside at all?
"I have a fiancée."
"Oh, how wonderful. You must love each other very much. My husband and I used to be deeply in love too. Nowadays, I can't find that old feeling with my lover anymore. Great anticipation beforehand, total emptiness afterward."
Madame Millerton bit her lip. What on earth was she saying!
Why was it that facing him, she couldn't stop her inner thoughts from spilling out?
"Mm," Karen acknowledged.
"I originally thought this shop wouldn't survive, but who knew you'd take over? You really are strange. Making such a foolish acquisition—it's utterly mindless."
"Heh."
Madame Millerton forced herself up and walked outside, wearing a miserable expression as she went. Damn it, where had her brain gone!
Little Kanna wandered back into the living room around this time. Sitting down next to Karen, she said, "Sister Purr said you used to live in a funeral parlor. So, Karen, are you homesick?"
Karen reached out and patted Little Kanna's head. "I always miss home."
"Does it make you sad?"
"No, it makes me feel fortunate."
"I don't really get it. What does home feel like?"
"It feels like if one day Purr and I didn't want you anymore, and threw you all alone back into the cave."
"Uh..." A smile broke out across Little Kanna's face. "Sister Purr actually asked me a very similar question."
"What question?"
"Sister Purr asked me who I'd choose to follow if one day she and you went separate ways."
...
Night fell. Two carriages entered the teleportation array hall through a secret passage. An independent teleportation point was reserved here; once the coordinates were calibrated and linked with the other side, it could be used.
Little Kanna had fallen asleep. Her naps weren't as long as before, but the quality of her sleep was remarkably high.
Karen held her in his arms and stepped into the glowing teleportation circle.
Puyuesen stepped down from the other carriage. As he entered the circle of light, Karen clearly sensed that this was a puppet.
This was normal. As a Regional Guardian, his true body could not leave the region at will.
Andrew stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Corps Commander, really no need to bring..."
"No need, it's fine." Karen shook his head.
He was going to meet an Elder of the Temple. Danger or not, having the security detail at his side made little difference.
Puyuesen looked at Little Kanna in Karen's arms and remarked, "She's very cute."
Immediately after, Puyuesen took out a mask and handed it to Karen.
"Is a mask necessary?"
"Yes. Where we are going is Pangxi Manor. Elder Xiti is currently there."
"Is she visiting family?"
"Ah, the intelligence system of the Whip of Order is truly formidable. Did you review Elder Xiti's dossier this afternoon? Elder Xiti hails from the Pangxi family, which is a secret. That family keeps a very low profile and never advertises it."
Karen didn't reply. Something at this level was hardly a secret to the Whip of Order. Given his current status and relationship with the Whip-Wielder, he could even find out what those Temple Elders had for breakfast every day.
Karen took the mask from Puyuesen and put it on.
Shortly after, the teleportation array activated. Once the ripples subsided, the two appeared inside an ancient building resembling a church.
Three elderly men in civilian clothes stepped forward silently. One adjusted and maintained the array, one held a crystal ball to scan them, while the third produced three waist tablets and handed them to Karen and Puyuesen, even providing one for Little Kanna.
Beyond that, there wasn't the slightest communication.
Those who could arrive at the family via this route were all distinguished guests. The three old men knew full well they shouldn't ask anything, nor should they know anything.
Stepping outside, the evening sun was setting, casting a gorgeous twilight.
The manor was situated in a canyon, divided into two sections built against the mountains. While ancient and unadorned, it was not desolate in the least.
Karen couldn't help comparing this place to Allen Manor, concluding that... there was simply no comparison.
Before his arrival at Allen Manor, its only teleportation array had long fallen into disrepair, which was why Old Anderson, when using the engagement bookmark given by Grandfather, had to have Grandfather travel to Wien through the Church of Order's teleportation array.
Yet here in Pangxi Manor stood a large teleportation array structure alongside a secluded, high-end small building. Those three elderly men from before were likely retired priests of the family as well.
Xiti wasn't the only one from the Pangxi family; in its history, the family had produced fourteen Temple Elders.
It sounded like a terrifying number at first glance, but across the vast span of an era's history, it was actually reasonable.
Eras spanned such immense timeframes that even the extraordinary lifespans of Temple Elders seemed brief.
The family had never experienced the grand glory of having two Temple Elders simultaneously, and there were long stretches without producing an elder, causing the family to fall into decline—though "decline" was relative to families of this caliber.
Every time a Temple Elder was born, Order would bestow blessings upon their family, granting their kin a massive leap in cultivation talent as well as preferential political standing—and that was only on the surface.
The covert support, cultivation, and accumulation of foundational strength behind the scenes were even more staggering. Those were the true root of a family's continuity across generations.
In the Church of Samsara, for instance, family factions formed alliances to monopolize administrative systems and turn positions like the Gatekeeper into hereditary posts—a phenomenon by no means rare across church circles.
The Church of Order was not lacking in such ancient, powerful families either. However, the Church of Order possessed its own political correctness: when one truly approached the Holy See's core echelon of power, coming from a powerful family background became more of a liability.
Foden had emphasized this when explaining why he helped Karen reject the arranged marriage: if Karen married the High Priest's adopted daughter, his career would basically hit a ceiling right there.
There were many people in the manor. A small fraction wore Order divine robes, while the vast majority wore civilian attire; in an Order church family, robes of other churches could never appear.
No one paid special attention to Karen and Puyuesen. They walked normally along the path, presenting their waist tablets whenever they encountered guards to pass through.
As they walked, their elevation climbed higher. Karen and Puyuesen's destination was the highest building perched on another peak—the Family Council Hall.
...
Atop the roof of the Council Hall, cooking smoke drifted upward.
A middle-aged man was grilling meat. His expression was calm and his eyes relaxed, exuding a distinct aura that brought a sense of peace at a glance.
"Rohan, is this how you plan to entertain him?" Xiti asked.
In the Temple, she had a very good relationship with Rohan, for they had condensed their godhead fragments and entered the Temple during the same era. Moreover, even before becoming elders, they and their respective families had enjoyed good relations.
"Mainly, I was craving it. Getting out isn't easy. Grilling meat on the stars always feels tasteless—too clean."
"Isn't the hospitality a bit excessive?"
"You're the one who wants to take him as a student. What, do you still want to intimidate and test him?"
"Can't I?"
Rohan pressed his forehead. "Heh, are you joking, Xiti?"
"Some things aren't clear from files and dossiers. Without testing him personally, I won't feel at ease."
"Wake up. How could his dossier possibly be falsified? Just sit here comfortably and wait for him to arrive. Share some barbecue, finalize the relationship, and don't stir up anything else."
"Rohan, why do you care about him so much? Oh, right, you want to take him as a student too, don't you?"
"I'm only caring about you. Remember, he's the successor Foden chose, not some young kid begging on his knees for your guidance. He has a temper."
"Don't worry, I've already arranged everything."
"Hearing you say that only makes me uneasy."
"Do you distrust me that much?"
"I truly don't trust you. We've been away from church affairs for too long, away from ordinary interpersonal entanglements for too long. Take your family, for instance: can you feel even a shred of the old familial warmth from this generation of the Pangxi family?
Removed from frontline duties, you, I, and many Temple Elders have forgotten how to handle affairs, and how to conduct ourselves as people."
Xiti frowned.
"In the Temple's archives, the original manuscript of The Light of Order is preserved. There is a sentence in it defining our Temple, written by Lord Tyrannus himself. When designing the Temple, what Lord Tyrannus wanted was to gather all of us—people with immense power who condensed godhead fragments—and keep us penned in like livestock.
He compared the Temple to a kennel: open the doors when needed and let us out to carry out missions; when not needed, have us stay obediently inside.
Because Lord Tyrannus knew very well that such veneration and transcendent environments easily ruin people."
"You talk too much, Rohan. Why don't you focus on grilling your meat?"
"Angry?"
"Apart from her, no one can truly make me angry."
"What about that Inmerais?"
"Enough, shut up!"
...
The Family Council Hall was usually quiet with no activity. When Karen and Puyuesen reached the plaza, they saw three middle-aged people standing ahead—two men and one woman. Strong atmospheric ripples radiated from them, faintly resonating with the surrounding space.
This was a manifestation of condensed Dharma Bodies, though still in the rudimentary stages and far from stable.
Only the one in the middle possessed an internalized aura, proving his Dharma Body was firmly solidified.
"Nasri Pangxi."
"Kuroin Pangxi."
"Degunar Pangxi."
The three introduced themselves briefly.
Karen suddenly had a bad premonition, though he instinctively felt it impossible—how could a Temple Elder do something so childish?
But on second thought, remembering how Purr often yelled "that idiot Xiti" at home, maybe... someone really could be that childish!
Puyuesen introduced them to Karen: "These three are members of the current Pangxi generation who have a chance of reaching the Temple."
Reaching this realm by middle age meant that theoretically, before their bodies and souls began decaying in old age, they would have an opportunity to attempt condensing a godhead fragment.
And that was purely theoretical. In practice, the success rate was abysmally low. It was like athlete selection: every age bracket had seeded contenders lining up to try, but the vast majority merely made up the numbers in the denominator.
The reason Karen's display of his Dharma Body at Augurev Fortress had marked him with "limitless prospects" in the eyes of the big shots, even making him a transcendent presence of sorts, was precisely because he had attained in his youth the standard that seeded disciples of storied families like Pangxi only reached in middle age.
This meant Karen could complete his "primitive accumulation" much earlier, leaving far more time to attempt condensing a godhead fragment before his body and soul declined.
Degunar, standing in the center, spoke: "You may choose one of the three of us to spar and exchange pointers with."
Hearing this, even Puyuesen was stunned. Clearly, even someone as socially inept as he hadn't anticipated his teacher would stage such a scene.
Although Karen was somewhat prepared mentally, he still found it utterly ridiculous.
Accustomed to dealing with figures like Bern and Foden, dealing with this one was such a jarring drop that he couldn't even adjust.
It seemed his cat's assessment of Xiti wasn't slander born of resentment, but an objective portrayal.
Ridiculousness aside, Karen also felt anger.
He had come to seek a mentor, but in reality, such a master-disciple relationship was more akin to a political alliance, involving mutual interests and exchanges. Thus, while Karen would outwardly assume the lower standing, in essence, they approached equality.
Yet this arrangement treated him purely like a fresh youth desperate to curry favor with her to climb the ranks and secure backing.
Karen couldn't help pondering: While a foolish teacher was easier to fool, having such an idiot placed over his head—wasn't that a bit much?
Karen asked, "Do you know who I am?"
The three shook their heads. Degunar said, "No need to know."
They were carrying out orders from the supreme figure of their family; they had no need to ask why.
Little Kanna rubbed her eyes. Yawning, she climbed down from Karen's arms of her own accord and asked, "Um, are we going to fight?"
Karen crossed his arms over his chest and said sincerely, "Praise the Great God of Order."
Puyuesen and the three others followed suit: "Praise the Great God of Order."
Formalities concluded, Karen said, "According to the Code of Order, private combat between Order priests is strictly forbidden."
Degunar smiled and said, "It is merely a sparring exchange."
"Apologies, I have no interest," Karen said, turning to Puyuesen. "It appears our host is otherwise engaged. I shall visit another time. I'm heading back."
"This... but..." Puyuesen had no idea how to explain this situation either.
Karen took Little Kanna's hand and turned to walk away. He had climbed step by step from the grassroots to where he was today, commanding army corps on the front lines and currently presiding over a massive purge of the church's parasites as Discipline Minister...
And now he was expected to spar here with "children" of a family, like a monkey performing on command?
You may have such foolish desires, but I have no patience for such boring games.
However, Kuroin Pangxi, the woman among the three, flashed forward, blocking Karen's path back.
"I don't know who you are, but I must remind you: this is Pangxi Manor."
Little Kanna looked up at Karen in confusion and asked in her childish voice, "Doesn't Pangxi Manor belong to the Church of Order?"
Kuroin: "..."
Karen said calmly, "Move aside."
Kuroin didn't budge. She instinctively looked upward.
...
"Look, he's lost his temper and won't play along. Send a message down, invite him up for a drink and a bite of barbecue, and this will all pass."
Xiti's face was grim. She gave no response.
And this lack of response meant that the three below had to choose their own course of action.
Degunar and Nasri exchanged glances and made no move. Since the guest didn't wish to spar, they wouldn't force it.
As a close branch of Xiti's line, however, Kuroin felt an urgent urge to distinguish herself before the supreme existence.
Thus, as Karen and Little Kanna tried to walk past her, she spread her palm. Runes swirled, and a sword materialized in her hand, its blade blocking Karen's way.
"As a guest, you should heed the host's arrangements."
"Only if the host behaves like a proper host."
Kuroin said, "That is not for you to decide."
Karen replied, "You'd best consider the consequences of violating the Code of Order."
"Are you joking?"
"The one who is truly a joke isn't me."
"Is it me?"
"Not you either." Karen paused, then called out loudly toward the rooftop, "Don't you find this utterly ridiculous?!"
...
"It truly is ridiculous beyond belief."
Rohan set down his barbecue skewers and raised a hand, intending to transmit a voice message to defuse the absurd atmosphere. But a barrier suddenly condensed around Xiti, cutting off his transmission.
"Come now, Xiti, stop causing trouble."
"I don't know why, but when I read his dossier, I admired him greatly. Yet seeing him in person fills me with irritation."
...
"Presumptuous!"
Kuroin realized who Karen was mocking. Without hesitation, she thrust her sword straight at him.
Karen vanished from his spot, reappearing at a safe distance behind with Little Kanna.
Both sides squared off.
Kuroin said coldly, "To dare disrespect a supreme existence—you are courting death."
Karen pursed his lips and said very calmly, "No. The one courting death is you."
Chapter 836