Chapter 947: Sexy Goddess

Sein hung suspended in the air, tightly bound by the Black-bellied Spider leader’s silk, and dragged back to the goddess’ temple in Baras City.

He remained frozen in his absurd flying pose, unable to move even a single muscle.

The hall he was brought to resembled a sacrificial altar, likely used by the goddess’ followers to offer tributes.

From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of several withered husks of magic beasts, their vitality drained to the last drop.

Could this be his fate as well?

The overwhelming force restraining Sein had rendered him utterly powerless, akin to a carp on a chopping board.

This was the might of Rank Four and above beings—a power so absolute that Sein could not muster even an ounce of resistance.

He was now certain that the Spider Goddess’s main body must be present in the Magus World.

It was unrealistic for her to be able to suppress a powerful Rank Three grand mage like him from another plane in such a manner.

Sein had met his fair share of high-ranking lifeforms before, interacting with many Rank Four and above beings up close.

Even without seeing the Spider Goddess in person, he could sense that her bone-chilling pressure was entirely different from the magnificent beings he had met in the past.

Only two other entities he had encountered wielded a comparable level of oppressive power: Grandmaster Feylis, and Tourmaline’s eldest brother, the Maned Tyrant—a colossal dragon turtle whose sheer size rivaled that of a glacier.

Between these three, Sein could not determine who was stronger.

To him, they were like wolves, tigers, and leopards, while he was nothing more than a worm.

Their power was so immense that it was impossible for him to rank them.

However, Sein was certain of one thing: the Spider Goddess who now held him captive was far stronger than Tower Master of Dark Flame!

For the first time in his life, Sein felt the profound fragility of life.

Though he had faced countless life-and-death crises before, none had rendered him so utterly helpless.

The temple’s stifling silence and oppressive emptiness made it feel like a grand judgment hall.

Bound and immobilized, Sein was like a condemned prisoner awaiting his execution.

The silk spun by the Black-bellied Spider leader that restrained him was laced with potent venom.

Though Sein could not move his limbs, he could feel his body growing weaker with every passing moment.

Fortunately, his rigorous body tempering, which included exposure to mixed poisons, had granted him an unusually high resistance to toxins.

Had any other Rank Three grand mage been in his place, they would have succumbed to the venom long ago, slipping into unconsciousness.

In the midst of his life-threatening crisis, Sein’s thoughts somehow drifted back to a prophecy made by a Rank Two astrologer named Marylou many years ago.

Could it be that the crisis in Marylou’s prophecy was not about that incident on the Gumo Plane but was instead about this very moment?

As Sein pondered his fate, time became an abstraction. He could not tell how much had passed when the clicks of crystal heels suddenly echoed in his ears.

Bound tightly like a mummy in layers of spider silk, Sein was unable to turn his head to identify the source of the sound.

It was not until the figure stopped directly in front of him that he managed to catch a glimpse of her face.

What he saw was nothing short of breathtaking. Describing her as a “woman” did not feel entirely accurate—“young lady” seemed a far more fitting term.

Though Sein’s body was weak, his eyesight remained sharp.

He immediately recognized the lady’s face—it was identical to that of the massive statue standing in the heart of Baras City.

The only difference was her lower body. Instead of the spider-like form he had anticipated, she stood on two slender, fair legs, revealed beneath the hem of her white-and-gold dress.

Through the crystal heels, Sein could see her dainty feet. The red nail polish on her toes added a subtle yet striking layer of mature allure to her otherwise pure and innocent appearance.

She perfectly embodied the impression she had left on him when he first gazed upon her statue.

She was a goddess whose innocence held a sultry edge, and whose holiness exuded an unspoken sensuality.

And now, this sexy goddess had come to pass judgment on him.

“It’s been a long time since someone dared to mock me. You’re far more interesting than those black mages from Blackhaven!” She chuckled softly.

Her tantalizing red lips parted slightly, revealing two sharp little fangs.

The sight sent a chill down Sein’s spine as they reminded him of a spider’s fangs.

He could not help but wonder whether being punctured by them would be his end.

As Sein’s mind raced, he felt a fraction of the restraint on his body lift. It was not much, but enough to allow him to speak.

Sein did not waste this opportunity by foolishly denouncing the goddess for daring to bring her influence into the Magus World. Nor did he boast about his connection to a divine tower.

This evil goddess was clearly far more powerful than himself, and if she was this strong, she undoubtedly had a deeper understanding of the Magus Civilization than he did.

Any attempts to intimidate her with his alliances would likely fall flat.

Instead, Sein carefully asked, “Uh, if I may ask, is your main body currently in Blackhaven of the Western Archipelago?”

His tone lacked any of the boldness he had shown earlier when mocking her. Now, he spoke with the utmost politeness, reflecting his newfound humility.

Sein’s experience as a black magic initiate during his teenage years had taught him one crucial lesson: in a world where the strong ruled over the weak, knowing when to push forward and when to yield was key to survival.

There was no shame in bowing before a being far more powerful than himself.

After all, staying alive was the foundation of everything else.

Despite his dire circumstances, Sein had not abandoned all hope.

He was not ready to give up struggling for survival just yet. If a chance presented itself, he would seize it without hesitation.

However, the harsh reality was that this Spider Goddess appeared capable of crushing him with just a flick of her finger.

Sein knew that the form standing before him was not even her true body but merely a clone constructed through divine power.

He had seen Lorianne perform a similar feat before, though the strength of her clone was limited to, at most, a demigod level.

On the other hand, the clone of this Spider Goddess radiated a power that felt nearly on par with Lorianne’s main body!

This was the reason Sein wisely chose not to mention his connection to a Rank Four tower master.

He lacked the leverage to threaten her and knew any such attempt would be laughable.

Instead, he decided to go along with her words, hoping to find an opening—a slim chance at survival.

At the very least, he could aim to understand the reason for his fate, even if his struggle ended in death.

If Sein were to die, he refused to perish as just another forgotten soul in some dark corner of the Underworld.

Sein’s demeanor seemed to amuse the Spider Goddess, eliciting a soft chuckle from her.

She did not bother answering his question. Instead, she raised a pale, slender finger and gently traced it along Sein’s cheek, stopping at the crown of his head.

Scarlet blood trickled to the corner of Sein’s mouth, and he knew the wound would likely leave a scar.

Due to the paralyzing toxin from the spider silk, he could not feel any pain.

His successful body tempering had kept him intact; otherwise, any ordinary mage in his place would have surely had their head split open.

“What a fresh soul, what a juicy brain! What do you say I devour your soul and turn your body into a wight?” the Spider Goddess teased.

Her lips curled into a cold smile as she continued, “Your physical resilience rivals that of a Rank Three knight, and your magic conductivity is exceptionally high. Plus, your origin flame is... unusual. The wight I’d create from you would undoubtedly be my finest work in the past century!”

As she spoke, the goddess pinched a wisp of Sein’s Ashen Flame between her fingertips. With a casual rub, she snuffed it out as though it were nothing.

The disparity in their power rendered all of Sein’s cunning and strategies utterly meaningless.

The initial respect on Sein’s face slowly gave way to calmness and composure.

If death was inevitable, he would meet it with dignity.

Still, questions lingered in his mind.

“Wight? Are you a Necromancer?” Sein asked. He had some knowledge of necromancy, thanks to Leena’s diligent research over the years.

Sein himself also possessed a certain affinity for necromancy but had never explored it deeply due to his limited energy.

The goddess scoffed, her lips curving in mild disdain.

“Necromancer? Hardly. I simply studied it for a time under an old geezer,” she replied dismissively.

Just as Sein opened his mouth to ask another question, the goddess’ patience wore thin. She had no interest in continuing the conversation.

Her small, pale hand—its nails now sharper than before—reached straight for Sein’s head. If she were to apply her strength, his skull would surely crumble like a piece of soft tofu.

Yet, before Sein could experience the agony of death, a soft white light suddenly radiated from within his body.

An instant later, a faint dragon’s roar echoed from his chest.

“You have been touched by the Planar Light... and blessed by someone from the Baxia’s family?” the goddess murmured, her beautiful eyes widening in surprise.

Her hand froze mid-motion, her lethal nails stopping mere inches from Sein’s forehead.