Chapter 140: Mother Goddess Temple (2)

The Thousand Poisons Mountain was naturally off to the southwest of Sky City.

Though Sky City could no longer move as it pleased, Sky Country still kept a close watch over anything that happened in its vicinity.

They had set up a legendary Origin Formation that would notify them of any commotions that took place across the entire country.

But despite the complexity and effectiveness of this formation, it could only sense Origin Energy fluctuations and their relative strength. This allowed them to determine the magnitude and importance of a commotion, but not exactly what had taken place.

Naturally, Sky Country first needed to determine the severity of a situation before responding; the specific details weren’t very important for smaller, trivial matters.

Though using the strength of the Origin Energy fluctuations to measure the severity of the situation was slightly inaccurate, it was usually an appropriate approximation.

For this reason, Sky City had immediately known that something big had taken place in Thousand Poisons Mountain.

And because the Origin Energy fluctuations were highly powerful, Sky Country had immediately dispatched experts to investigate the situation. However, because it was too far away, they hadn’t heard back from any of them yet.

Flowing Jade Fragrance now somewhat understood why Su Chen had come here.

“So you were at the scene, then? And you probably decided to hurry over here to see if you could get a reward for notifying us, right?” Flowing Jade Fragrance was immediately able to see through “Halcyon Wing Streak’s” intentions and she coldly chuckled. “Though, it probably makes more sense for me to hear about it from you.”

After she finished speaking, she called one of the bishops under her command over to send Su Chen in while she headed off into a side room to wait.

The magnitude of what had taken place southwest of Sky City was so monumental that she had no choice but to take it seriously. Otherwise, she would have never let a person covered in human stench get that close to her.

But if the information that Halcyon Wing Streak provided wasn’t important enough, she would give him something to think about.

Su Chen greeted her according to Harpy custom. Flowing Jade Fragrance ignored it and directly said, “Speak. What happened?”

Su Chen purposefully hesitated as he explained, “The situation is pretty complicated. I would still prefer to meet with the Sect Master, if at all possible.”

“Halcyon Wing Streak!” Flowing Jade Fragrance harrumphed unhappily. “I know what you’re thinking, but I can tell you right now that your status is insufficient to warrant a meeting with the Sect Master. Tell me what you know, and I will decide whether or not it is worth notifying the Sect Master.”

Su Chen could only put on a helpless expression and say, “Fine. A Desolate Beast has awakened.”

“What?” Flowing Jade Fragrance stood up as she stared at Su Chen angrily. “Are you sure?”

Her tone was as if he had been the one responsible for unleashing the beast — even though he was in fact the one who was actually responsible.

“You know how big of a situation this is. I wouldn’t dare lie to you about this kind of news.”

“A Desolate Beast? Why would it suddenly awaken now?” Flowing Jade Fragrance asked.

Su Chen fell silent.

Flowing Jade Fragrance understood his intentions. She glanced at Su Chen and calmly asked, “So...... you won’t say anything unless you meet with her then?”

Su Chen merely replied, “Do I have the right to meet with her now?”

Flowing Jade Fragrance let out a deep sigh.

Since a Desolate Beast was involved, then even Flowing Jade Fragrance didn’t dare delay this meeting. She hurried over to the Sect Master’s residence.

Not long afterwards, another Mother Goddess Disciple walked over to Su Chen and said, “The Sect Master is waiting for you at the Shrine.”

Unexpectedly, Su Chen replied, “I would prefer to meet with her at the Baptismal Altar instead.”

The disciple was momentarily taken aback before he angrily said, “You dare try and negotiate with the Sect Master himself?”

Because he was a mere disciple, he held the belief that everything they the disciples possessed belonged to the Sect Master. What room did this disciple have to negotiate?

The Baptismal Altar was a sacred area within Mother Goddess Temple, and as its name stated, Disciples would go there to be baptized in both body and mind. This had the additional benefit of greatly increasing their affinity for Origin Energy.

It was a bit similar to the Ravagers’ Origin Energy Temple, but the Harpies’ altar only improved something that was already quite good, while the Origin Energy Temple was redressing a lack. Their respective values were totally different. Even so, the Baptismal Altar was a sacred area of the Mother Goddess Temple, and only those who had made significant contributions were allowed to undergo the baptism.

It was obvious that any Harpy who requested to meet Serene Dream Lotus Crown at the Baptismal Altar wanted to gain some kind of benefit.

This was indeed Su Chen’s goal, but not his main one.

Actually, the main reason why he had made this request was because he couldn’t enter the Shrine.

The Mother Goddess Sect’s Shrine was where offerings to the Mother Goddess herself were given, so it was kept under extremely close lock and key. More importantly, this place was also protected by True Light.

Su Chen would definitely be exposed if he went there.

As such, he could only request to meet at a different location under the pretext of being greedy.

Even though this disciple was angry, he could only faithfully report back as Su Chen had requested.

A moment later, Su Chen was directly led to the Baptismal Altar. However, the disciple didn’t give Su Chen any favorable glances.

Su Chen didn’t care.

Once he arrived at the Baptismal Altar, he found an elegant, graceful female standing there.

Even though her back was facing towards Su Chen, his instinctual reaction was as if he were standing at the base of a tall mountain gazing up at her.

Thankfully, Su Chen still had his Heart Walls. He was able to quickly remove this feeling of worship from his heart, fully aware that it was the result of some kind of consciousness technique. If he had tried to forcefully resist it with some other consciousness technique, he still would have been able to look at her, but it would also have revealed his true strength.

Su Chen bowed in greeting to Serene Dream Lotus Crown and said, “Halcyon Wing Streak greets Sect Master.”

Serene Dream Lotus Crown turned to face him. “You may rise.”

Su Chen lifted his eyes and found a cool, elegant face appear before his eyes. That person’s appearance was extremely beautiful, but it also appeared unapproachable, as if it were impossible to get close to her.

Su Chen felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured on his head when he noticed that the other party was also gazing at him with a cold look, causing a chill to spontaneously spread throughout his body.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown said, “I have already sent people to determine what happened in the southwest. You most likely just happened to be passing through, which was how you found out about it in advance. It would have only taken two more days for me to receive news on what happened there. So on what are you basing your request to undergo a baptism? Is it merely based on the fact that you have presented me with this information?”

Su Chen replied, “Your Majesty, I was indeed just passing through. But I also know more than what Your Majesty believes. There are some aspects of the situation that only a person who saw the situation firsthand will know. In addition, what I want is not the baptism, but......”

He stopped and fell silent.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown coldly said, “Speak. What do you want?”

Su Chen said, “Sect Master must know about what happened to me.”

Serene Dream Lotus Crown sighed. “I know of a little. This is also part of the reason why I forgave you for your irreverence today. That all happened in the past. Try and be a little bit more open-minded from now on, alright?”

Su Chen’s careful efforts had finally paid off. Anyone who knew of Halcyon Wing Streak’s past would more or less be understanding of Su Chen’s actions, causing them to be far more forgiving and compassionate than they would have been otherwise.

This was exactly what Su Chen wanted.

Su Chen replied, “I tried to do so. This past year, I have traveled far and wide, hoping to erase my past from my memory. But the wounds that I suffered haven’t been easy to wipe away. Most importantly, they have become a knot in my heart, severely affecting my mental state and preventing me from making any further advances.”

“So that’s how it is. I’m actually surprised that you still have the heart to advance.” Serene Dream Lotus Crown somewhat understood “Halcyon Wing Streak’s” predicament. “So you want me to help you?”

Su Chen knelt. “The humiliation that I suffered can only be washed away by human blood. If I want that to happen, I must get stronger. However, there is a problem with my heart, and my faith has been shaken. I cannot think of any possible way to advance. It wasn’t until I stumbled across what happened in the southwest that I realized that I had been given an opportunity. I ask for nothing but a blessing from the sect, so that......”

He didn’t finish as he let his voice die off.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown sighed. “I understand what is going through your heart. You are a poor child, but is this small amount of torment enough to cause you to shake your faith? Is your faith that unstable?”

Su Chen lowered his head and fell silent.

He knew that if he were to say anything else, then it would be difficult for him to later get what he wanted.

He had come here to make an exchange. Only by making an exchange would he be able to grasp the opportunity he had been looking for.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown didn’t know what kind of schemes were swimming around in his head. When she saw that he seemed to have made up his mind, she harrumphed. “Tell me exactly what happened. I will determine the reward you will receive based on the importance of your contribution.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Su Chen didn’t waste any time when he heard her statement. He quickly said, “The Desolate Beast that awakened is a toad located in Thousand Poisons Mountain.”

“Thousand Poisons Mountain? Fate’s Hands? Is it related to them?” Serene Dream Lotus Crown was stunned.

“Yes. Kelesda personally used his God-Execution Spear technique to awaken the Desolate Beast beneath the ground,” Su Chen said.

His words were absolutely correct. The Thousand Poisons Toad had indeed been awakened by Kelesda’s spear. But of course, Su Chen had left out the part where Kelesda’s attack had been guided by the tunnel he had dug.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown was stunned. “Why? Does he not want Fate’s Hands anymore? Is he crazy?”

“I’m not sure, but when I saw him on that day he did seem a bit mentally unstable,” Su Chen replied.

That was also the truth. But of course, Su Chen had left out the key reason for Kelesda’s insanity.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown was speechless.

How could this be?

Why had Kelesda gone insane? Why would he awaken a Desolate Beast? She couldn’t possibly understand the situation.

“Did you figure anything out about the Desolate Beast’s movements?” Serene Dream Lotus Crown asked.

Su Chen shook his head. “When I left, it was still howling in place. I don’t know anything about its exact movements.”

Serene Dream Lotus Crown’s expression sank.

Su Chen knew that she wasn’t particularly pleased with that answer, so he hurriedly added on, “But I do know that Kelesda was headed in this direction.”

“What did you say?” Serene Dream Lotus Crown’s eyes began to glow intensely. Her already majestic aura surged even more wildly, pushing down on Su Chen like an indomitable mountain.

Su Chen acted like he wasn’t able to endure the pressure.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown asked, “Do you know where he is now?”

“When I came, I saw him at the base of Vast Cloud Peak.”

Upon hearing this, Serene Dream Lotus Crown’s heart trembled before she made a gesture. A hologram of light appeared in her hand, suspended in the air.

Su Chen knew that this was Serene Dream Lotus Crown’s unique searching method.

Anything near Vast Cloud Peak could be easily scryed by Serene Dream Lotus Crown. No one could evade her eye.

After only a brief moment, Serene Dream Lotus Crown closed her hand and said, “I found him. He is indeed here, skulking around the base of the mountain!”

To Serene Dream Lotus Crown, Kelesda’s lurking about at the base of Vast Cloud Peak definitely wasn’t a good sign. In her mind, he was most likely plotting some devious attack on the Mother Goddess Sect.

The Desolate Beast awakening and Kelesda’s sudden appearance were both huge matters. The Desolate Beast’s awakening was more important, but Kelesda was more of a risk.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown shot off into the distance.

It wasn’t strange that Serene Dream Lotus Crown was planning on taking center stage herself, given that her opponent was a legendary Arcana Master.

“Your Majesty!” Su Chen called out.

Serene Dream Lotus Crown turned to glance at Su Chen, a look of revulsion in her eyes. But even so, she said after a moment, “Halcyon Wing Streak has provided incredibly valuable information, worthy of being granted a third-tier reward. Flowing Jade Fragrance, you take care of this matter. The rest of the head bishops, you all come with me.”

After these words, she disappeared off into the distance, clearly ready to give Kelesda a piece of her mind.