At first glance, the Dare family had other choices. For example, they could try to hide the news, or try to purify the bloodline … etc.
However, these choices were not reliable. Of course, they could choose to hide the news, but there was no such thing as an impenetrable wall. There would be a day when they could no longer hide it. To make matters worse, bloodline awakenings were periodic. In other words, bloodline awakenings would often occur in one or two generations.
Now that the baron's eldest son had awakened his bloodline, there would be many others who awakened their demonic bloodline in the next one or two generations.
How could they hide the news in such a situation?
That was impossible!
The method of purifying the bloodline could greatly reduce the risk, but the cost was too high.
Purifying the bloodline was a ritual that combined divine arts and magic. It was almost legendary in difficulty. It required a high-rank priest or priest, a high-rank wizard or warlock, and two high-rank spellcasters to perform it together. It would also cost around five thousand gold coins worth of casting materials. At the same time, the person undergoing the purification would become weak due to the weakening of their bloodline. Not only would their lifespan be shortened, it would also be difficult for them to have the ability to fight in battle.
The second baron of the Dare family had fallen ill when he was young, and his health had never been good. Although he had led troops into battle more than once, he did not have the ability to fight. The actual battles were all handled by his trusted knights.
Now that he thought about it, he had not fallen ill at all. His bloodline had clearly been purified!
However, the ritual he had received was probably not complete, so it could not completely purify the demonic bloodline. It had been passed on until now. The demonic bloodline was much stronger than that of humans. Even though there was only a little left, it was slowly recovering, and now it had once again entered the awakening period.
Thinking of this, Baron Dare felt a little resentful towards this ancestor of his. Couldn't you be more reliable and do it cleanly? If you had done it cleanly and thoroughly back then, there wouldn't be this trouble!
But now, if the Dare family wanted to purify their bloodline, they would have to perform the purification ritual. Including the core members, there would be forty-two.
Forty-two purification rituals would cost two hundred and ten thousand gold coins!
This huge amount of money was enough to cause a headache. What was even more troublesome was that they could not find that many reliable spellcasters.
Performing such a high-level ritual would also harm the spellcasters themselves. Even if a high-level spellcaster had a strong physique, it would take about one or two months to hold one. However, the Dare clan really could not afford to waste any more time. Every day that passed meant a bit more danger!
Therefore, they were truly at their wit's end. The path of purifying the bloodline was simply impossible.
This would not work, and that would not work. In the end, of course, there was only one way left: Break away from the aristocratic system, seek refuge with the Void Mask, and enter the clergy system.
Once they became the Lord of the Church of the Void Mask, they would no longer be bound by the rules of the aristocracy. Even if their demonic bloodline was exposed, the Church of the Void Mask would stand up for them. No matter how dissatisfied the other nobles were, no matter how jealous they were, there was nothing they could do.
As for the price, of course, from then on, he had to follow the teachings of His Majesty the Void Mask, work hard, be a down-to-earth person, and honestly be a good person.
This wasn't a small price to pay. Compared to being ostracized or even persecuted, losing their territory, or even being surrounded and annihilated, it was still acceptable.
There was no other way. There was no other way …
Therefore, this discussion went very smoothly. In the end, all the core members of the Dare clan agreed and passed the decision to change sides and join the Church of the Void Mask.
But they also expressed that in order not to agitate the aristocratic faction of the Commonwealth of Gold Coins too much, they would temporarily retain the flag of the Commonwealth of Gold Coins. When the next baron succeeded to the throne, they would officially remove the flag of the Commonwealth of Gold Coins.
Regarding this, Archbishop Kabala had no objections. He was a kind person and would not particularly fuss over this.
As long as the Dare clan was willing to be honest and good people, willing to sincerely believe in His Majesty the Void Mask, and willing to be a group of Lords with divine authority, everything else could be discussed.
Therefore, that night, the Dare clan issued a general assembly order. All the members of the clan were to be gathered. Even those who were too old to get out of bed were carried over. Even children who were still in swaddling clothes had to be carried out. In short, not a single one was to be missed.
Baron Dare gave a death order. Those who did not come this time could not say that they were a member of the Dare clan in the future!
On the morning of the fifth day, the entire Dare clan was gathered. More than a hundred members of the direct and collateral family arrived at the shrine of the Church of the Void Mask. Under the leadership of Archbishop Kabala, the baptism ceremony was held.
After the baptism, amidst the uproar, Baron Dare handed over the seal, scepter, sword, and genealogy to Archbishop Kabala.
The seal signified political power, the scepter signified laws and decrees, the sword signified the army, and the genealogy signified the clan. Handing over these four items meant that the Dare clan had completely given up on their independence and completely merged with the Church of the Void Mask.
After Archbishop Kabala accepted these four items, he prayed for a while and returned the seal and sword to Baron Dare.
This meant that in the name of God, the Dare clan was appointed as the administrators of the Dare Territory, and at the same time, they were appointed as the highest leaders of the Dare army.
Keeping the scepter and genealogy meant that this territory would be governed by the teachings of the Church of the Void Mask. At the same time, the entire Dare clan would become believers of the Church of the Void Mask.
Because this matter had already been announced internally, the members of the Dare clan did not have any objections. Instead, the spectators were extremely surprised. Many people began to discuss among themselves. They did not understand why the Dare clan would suddenly make such a crazy decision for no reason at all.
Generally speaking, only those fanatics who had been completely brainwashed by religion would do such a thing. Although Baron Dare looked rather pious, he did not seem like a fanatic at all!
When the eldest son of Baron Dare took off his hood and revealed the sulfur horns on his forehead, the reason became clear.
Baron Dare did not hide anything and straightforwardly announced the matter of the clan's bloodline. When they found out that the Dare clan had the bloodline of demons, many knowledgeable people, especially those who had some understanding of the history of the Dare clan, suddenly came to a realization.
Since this was the case, it was not strange at all.
Although the territory was very important, in order to continue the clan and to avoid danger, Baron Dare's choice was understandable.
In contrast, many people were a little curious — although the bloodline of demons was also very dangerous and troublesome, it could also bring about benefits. Since the Dare clan had the bloodline of demons and relied on the support of the Church of the Void Mask to avoid danger, would they quickly become stronger in the future?
They definitely would …
Thus, the green jellyfish flag on the gate tower of Dare City was finally erected.
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