Ms. Shirley Winster, the "Sister of Thorns", is a divine incarnation cultivated by the Church of Nature and is also an ascetic.
Her eyes had continuous thorn patterns, which even penetrated under her eyelids. Of course, in the battle of Mount Xikar, because Yin Luna performed well and the evil god was immediately suppressed by the Moon God called by the "God Summoner" after it appeared, the Church of Nature did not use the God's Descent Ritual in the end. After all, the enemy people faced at that time was not a god, but an evil undead creature born from a level 0 relic.
If Shade guessed correctly, the barefoot monk in linen clothes in front of him should be a divine body cultivated by the Church of the Sun, prepared for the old man holding the lantern, the god of the sun and the earth. Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain why he could directly touch the mud flowing on the ground without relying on any power, just like Shade.
Even Yin Luna, who is still on the airship, can't do this.
The scruffy-bearded monk nodded, but did not comment on Shade's words:
"I just came to check the situation. Although I also have the power of the earth, I cannot purify this twisted and crazy land. Tonight, it is still up to you and that respectable soul to handle everything."
He uses the singular here:
"There are followers of the evil god on the top of the mountain. They want to use what happened tonight to make important preparations before the evil god arrives. You must be prepared to face the power of the evil god."
"I have seen the power of evil gods many times."
Xia De said with a smile, and then asked the other party:
"If that god really descends upon the Randall Valley in the near future when the first Randall flower blooms, what will you do?"
The ascetic monk shook his head slightly:
"Do what we can. Godcaller, the story of Randall Valley is about to come to an end. The church has discovered this ancient city and the many secrets hidden in this ancient land. We know that you have also done a lot of things in private, so this time... If the god really descends to Randall Valley, what will you do?"
Xia De also shook his head:
"Of course, I will do what I can."
He looked toward the top of the mountain, and saw people dancing around the "black mud fountain":
"Then I will set off. The guardians may already be waiting for me."
"Please wait a moment. The truth about the Guardian... may surprise you."
Hearing this, Xia De looked at the ascetic monk inquiringly:
"So, the church already knows the truth about the Guardian?"
The haggard-looking man had a serious expression on his face:
"God Summoner, don't underestimate the True God Church. For nearly two thousand years before you appeared, it was the Church that had been protecting the material world of the Sixth Era. We do know the truth about the Guardians, but that truth may be very strange, so I will not comment on it."
This is good news. Even if Xia De doesn't understand the truth about the guardian, he will be able to find out by asking Yin Luna when she comes to the local area in a few days.
It seemed that the ascetic came here just to say these few words to Shade. Before Shade walked up, he turned around and walked down the hill.
Shade had heard from Luvia before that most of the ring sorcerers trained by the church for the descent of God had different mentalities from normal people. This was not only because they needed to undergo difficult training, but also because they were closer to God than any normal person. Now that he had come into contact with similar people again, Luvia's statement was further confirmed.
After parting with the ascetic monk, Shade continued to walk up the hill path flowing with black mud. As tiny glimmers of light rose from the mud, they gradually gathered around him and became souls.
Thomas Granger, a man in a long robe, who had only been seen once in the Emerald Dream, finally appeared again after nearly two months. He walked towards the top of the hill with Shade in silence, and the slightly glowing spirit illuminated Shade's curious face:
"Long time no see, Mr. Granger. Your family is still looking for you. After the matter in Randall Valley is over, would you like to tell the current Earl Granger about your affairs in your dreams?"
Soul glanced at Shade:
"If that's what you're asking, fine."
The last section of the trail was not long. After reaching the top of the hill, we saw that the five cultists in black robes who had appeared here were actually dancing. To be more precise, they were dancing around three black stone statues that had detached from the ground, emitting a silver blasphemous aura, and suspended in the "black mud fountain".
The three stone statues were carved with extremely exquisite craftsmanship. One was a child of twelve or thirteen years old dressed in luxurious clothes, one was a young man of the same age as Shad in ordinary clothes, and the last was an old man of the same age as Augustus priest, dressed in rags and looking like a beggar.
The three stone statues looked so lifelike that Xia De almost thought they were living people who had been petrified. And being immersed in the black mud was causing the three stone statues to undergo even more bizarre changes.
The cultists were dancing an ancient sacrificial dance, which did not look funny, but rather had a strange solemnity. When Shad and Thomas Granger also reached the top of the hill, even as the gushing black mud splashed on them, the dance stopped and the cultists gathered together.
Two high-ring and three mid-ring, judging by the power of the cultists of this era, this should be the backbone of the cult. Among them, the bearded mid-ring warlock, Shade had seen him once at Watson Manor, and the other party obviously recognized Shade.
“You’re here.”
The high-level warlock said in a very dull voice, as if he had a cold.
Xia De looked at the three stone statues floating behind them:
"I still don't understand what benefit you can get from summoning your gods to destroy the world?"
The high-level warlock replied:
"When everything comes to an end, mankind will not be able to survive. Only when the world turns into an eternal and unchanging solid stone can we lead us to a new world."
The followers of the Lord of the Blood Feast would also become food for God and be with God as a way to survive at the end of the world. More than half a year had passed since he first encountered the cultists. Now that he heard similar arguments again, Shade had a different opinion.
Of course, he still thinks this statement is no different from excreting waste gas.
"Guardian, our purpose is actually the same as yours. When our Lord descends, his power will rebalance the land of the Randall Valley, and your mission will then be over."
The high-level warlock then spoke to Mr. Granger, who shook his head:
"The balance you speak of is different from the balance I believe in. Although your gods also respect the earth, they are different from the earth I protect."
"In this case, please rest here in peace. The glory of my god will shine upon you."
The high-level warlock nodded and waved behind him. Three stone statues flew out of the "black mud fountain". After leaving the black mud, the aura on the filthy stone statues became more dazzling, and the oppression of the blasphemous elements became more shocking. When they left the black mud, Shade saw more details. The stone statues all had faces, but each one had its eyes closed.
These three stone statues are most likely the bodies of the gods prepared by the cultists for the evil god, otherwise it would be impossible to explain such a terrifying sense of power.
Not only Shad, but even Mr. Granger's soul face had a solemn expression.
The two took a step back, and after the three stone statues fell to the ground, the one representing the young man and the one representing the old man were respectfully covered with black cloth by the cultists, and then carried on the backs of two high-level warlocks:
"Then I'll see you next time."
Among the five people, two middle-ring warlocks and two high-ring warlocks quickly evacuated from the other end of the hill, leaving only Shad and Mr. Granger ready to confront the bearded middle-aged man that Shad was familiar with.
He said to Xia De very seriously:
"You let me go last time, I should have thanked you."
"You don't have to thank me. You gave me the information about Watson Manor. This is a fair deal. But I also said that if I meet you again, I will not let you go."
Xia De drew out a yellow long sword from the air, and the bearded man, whose face was half illuminated by the blasphemous aura, shook his head slightly:
"I know you're a good person, so I want to remind you one last time that sometimes people really shouldn't get involved in things that don't belong to them."
After saying this, without waiting for Shad and Granger to react, he reached out and pierced his chest, then forcibly dug out his heart.
He did not die immediately. Instead, when Shade swung his hand to strike with the Moonlight Slash, he handed his heart to the stone statue of a child beside him:
"Praise my Lord Stoneheart Demon, may the heart of the earth be with you."
The corpse fell into the mud on the ground, and Shade's attack was blocked by the stone statue of a child with his left hand raised. That not-so-big stone hand actually grasped the clear yellow moonlight and crushed it into moonlight fragments.
At the same time, the stone statue's right hand lightly caught the still bleeding heart, and then pressed it against its chest.
An irregular crack appeared on the surface of the stone, like the mouth of a ferocious beast, and the voluntarily donated heart was placed inside.
For a moment, Shade thought that the evil god was about to descend, but then he realized that according to his investigation, the Stone Heart Demon's descent ceremony was definitely not that simple.
But even so, the spreading silver blasphemous aura still formed a materialized energy shock wave, which knocked Shade away. In an instant, the world seemed to be upside down. And the "she" beside his ear was still gently reminding him:
Outsider, you have been exposed to "blasphemy" and you have gained some insights into "the heart".
Please note that due to the influence of divine power, any strenuous exercise you do next will cause your heart rate to exceed the normal range. For the sake of your health, please try to keep your body and mind stable.