Ch 1171 - Ch 1175
Chapter 1171: 1171
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"Humph, where did this clown come from? You really think by putting up a show, we'll assume that you're the true Salan?" Dulanc seemed rather calm, as if he was well aware of the person's true intentions .
"Great Magistrate, are you implying that she is not Salan, and she's only trying to distract us so Ye Xinxia can escape?" another Magistrate said .
"Exactly, how could a cunning person like Salan walk right into a trap?" Great Magistrate Dulanc said .
Salan would be a fool to show up in the Parthenon Temple and walk into the magic formation on the sacred mountain . It was no different than walking right into a trap!
Dulanc's words were quite convincing, but to everyone's surprise, the woman wearing a hat with laces suddenly burst out laughing . Her laughter was piercing their ears harshly .
"She is Salan!" Song Qiming said with a long sigh .
Song Qiming was once the Clergyman of the Parthenon Temple . He knew more about the past than most people present . As a matter of fact, when Pang Lai told him about the death of the Master of the Shadow Element, Essendale, Song Qiming had already guessed Salan's true identity!
"Do you dare place your blood on this stone?" Great Muse Mellaura was holding the Cardinal Blood Stone as she snapped furiously .
Mellaura tossed the Cardinal Blood Stone forward . Salan caught the stone and touched the veins on its surface…
"The Supreme Pontiff has the other half of the Cardinal Blood Stones in order to control the seven Red Cardinals, to ensure that the Red Cardinals will not betray the Black Vatican . I could not help but wonder why the other half of my Cardinal Blood Stone is in your hands?" Salan played with the Cardinal Blood Stone and asked in an intrigued voice .
"Stop trying to scare us, we took it from the main headquarters of the Black Vatican after sacrificing lots of our men . You devil, hand over the antidote at once, or we won't let you go!" a Holy Court Mage named Bol snapped furiously .
The woman did not bother looking at Bol . She slowly moved her finger to her lips and bit it .
A line of blood flowed down her finger, before a drop of blood fell onto the Cardinal Blood Stone .
The blood opened the Cardinal Blood Stone that had been sealed for many years like a key . The runes on the surface of the Cardinal Blood Stone vanished instantly, emitting a blood-colored light that covered the entire mountain top!
The crowd was stunned!
The Cardinal Blood Stone only reacted slightly to Xinxia's blood, but it was far from enough to open up the seal of the Cardinal Blood Stone . The terrifying red light burst out of the stone like the gate to Hell had just opened . A strong sense of death lingered in the air!
"It's been so long," the woman stared at the Cardinal Blood Stone like a mother looking at her long lost child, displaying a weird affection for the stone .
The people soon noticed that the woman was holding onto another similar stone . It fit perfectly with the Cardinal Blood Stone . When they were combined together, it was like the bright red heart of a devil . The people almost felt like they were suffocating when they heard it beating!
"This…" the Magistrates were utterly dumbfounded .
Mellaura stood there with a blank face .
Not only did the woman awaken the Cardinal Blood Stone, she even took out the other half of the Cardinal Blood Stone, which only a Red Cardinal would have . When the two Cardinal Blood Stones combined into one, they were able to unleash an overwhelming evil aura!
She had Awakened the Blood Stone, and even possessed the other half of it!
The woman was the real Salan!
The Cardinal Blood Stone was the evidence that had convinced everyone that Xinxia was Salan, but now, someone else had thoroughly awakened the Cardinal Blood Stone . Not only did it prove that Xinxia was innocent, it also proved that the woman was the real Red Cardinal of the Black Vatican, the one responsible for the Festival of Death at the Ancient Capital: Salan!
"I have come for two things . First, I will be taking back my Blood Stone, and second, I will be taking Dulanc's life . It was just a spur of the moment that I decided to chop Izisha into pieces, nothing else . I have lots of time to settle my debts with her…" Salan admitted her identity, and even when she was alone among the people of the Parthenon Temple, she did not seem to be worried at all .
The people of the Parthenon Temple felt like their lungs were about to explode after hearing her words .
Izisha was their previous Goddess, the source of faith of the Parthenon Temple, yet the woman had chopped her remains into pieces . It was worse than killing her, and in addition to it, she even described it like it was nothing worth mentioning .
Just a spur of the moment, nothing else!
"Take her down!" The Hall Mother could not stand it any further .
The Black Totem Snake from China had given the armed forces of the Parthenon Temple a great slap in the face, and now, Salan's actions had completely destroyed the Parthenon Temple's dignity . How could the Parthenon Temple possibly retain their authority if they failed to eliminate these two heretics!?
"Yes!" Seven Golden Sun Knights that were standing close to the Hall Mother immediately stepped forward .
These seven Golden Sun Knights were responsible for the safety of the future Goddess of the Parthenon Temple . They did not attack when the Black Totem Snake showed up, as they were responsible for the safety of the Hall Mother and the Great Muse .
The seven Golden Sun Knights were obliged to obey the Hall Mother's orders when the Goddess had not been elected yet . They could easily bring destruction to an entire country with their four fully-cultivated Elements!
Even if Salan was powerful, she had no chance against the seven Golden Sun Knights .
The seven Golden Sun Knights swiftly made their moves, yet Salan had no intention of running away . She surprisingly spread her arms, as if she was waiting to be arrested . However, the grin on her face was a clear indication that she had some other plan in mind!
The seven Golden Sun Knights subdued Salan in no time, yet the enraged Hall Mother suddenly vomited a mouthful of black blood onto Great Muse Mellaura .
Mellaura's expression fell when she smelled the foul blood .
The knights immediately panicked . They quickly surrounded the Hall Mother, together with the Muses and the servants .
"How…how did you do it? That's impossible!" The Hall Mother's mouth was covered in black blood . She pointed a shaking finger at Salan in disbelief .
She was the Hall Mother of the Hall of the Goddess . She had the strongest Healing Magic, apart from the Goddess herself . She was basically immune to any kind of poison, it was impossible that the Black Vatican's poison could threaten her!
"You can kill me now, I won't resist, but if I die here, your Hall Mother is coming with me too!" Salan said calmly .
"You devil, what do you want!?" Mellaura snapped furiously .
Everyone assumed that only the Magistrates were poisoned, and their lives were currently in Salan's control . To their surprise, even the Hall Mother had fallen victim to it . The Hall Mother's cultivation was outstanding, yet the poison totally disregarded it . Even the Healing Magic was useless against it!
How did Salan do it? Could it be that the Black Vatican had penetrated the Parthenon Temple too!?
If so, the influence of the Black Vatican was simply too terrifying!
Salan did not speak . She glanced at the enormous snake that had almost broken through the magic formation .
"Song Qiming, you're familiar with the poison . Why don't you explain it to them?" Salan said .
Old Bao did not seem surprised that Salan knew what his name was . He let out a sigh and said, "It is a kind of parasitic poison . The poison can hide in a person's body for a long time, and a creature called the Sudden-Death Poison Queen acts as a trigger to it . She must have the creature with her, and if the Sudden-Death Poison Queen dies, the poison will spread to the victim's heart ten times quicker . There's no cure for it, apart from the Spell of Resurrection . "
The Sudden-Death Poison Queen that Blue Deacon Fang Shaoli had was only a prototype . Old Bao had discovered how terrifying the Sudden-Death Poison Queen was after conducting more experiments on the creature . Old Bao initially thought the Black Vatican was still unable to fully control the creature, but it turned out that Salan already had a Sudden-Death Poison Queen that was much stronger .
The Sudden-Death Poison Queen was different from the one that Mo Fan stumbled into . If the queen died, the people that were poisoned would all be in danger!
Salan was obviously well-prepared before she dared to show up in the Parthenon Temple; the people had no idea how many of them were already poisoned!
"Pamise, are you ready to die with me?" Salan smiled . She seemed quite familiar with Pamise . It sounded like she was talking to an old friend .
The Hall Mother's face was extremely pale . She was no longer able to talk properly, as blood kept surging out of her throat…
Salan stared at Pamise . She began to vomit black blood too!
As more black blood poured out of Salan's mouth, her life was draining away rapidly .
Magistrate Leonard and Hall Mother Pamise both vomited mouthfuls of black blood . The foul odor spread through the air .
"Hall Mother!'
"Hall Mother!'
"Magistrate!"
The Muses and the Holy Court Mages immediately panicked, but there was nothing they could do . They could only stand and watch .
"Stop…stop it…" the Hall Mother blurted out . While Salan was ending her own life, the Hall Mother could sense the poison spreading even quicker inside her body!
The poison was not incurable . The Hall Mother believed she could cure herself given enough time, but Salan was threatening to suicide in exchange for the Hall Mother's life! . The Hall Mother definitely did not stand a chance if the poison began to spread ten times faster!
Chapter 1172: 1172
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"Back off, back off now!' the Hall Mother ordered the seven Golden Sun Knights in a weak voice .
The Golden Sun Knights immediately obeyed the Hall Mother's order . They did not dare to provoke Salan any further .
"HAHAHA, Pamise, you are a selfish b**ch!" Salan burst out laughing .
The Black Vatican would be fine with one fewer Red Cardinal, but the Parthenon Temple could not afford to lose their Hall Mother . They had yet to elect a Goddess, and if the Hall Mother died, the Parthenon Temple would surely be in chaos!
Salan was basically a self-detonating bomb . She would not mind conducting a suicide attack on the authorities of the Parthenon Temple .
The Hall Mother and the Magistrates who cherished their lives would not dare to provoke such a madwoman . They had no choice but to swallow the humiliation .
Even they had never imagined that they would allow a Red Cardinal of the Black Vatican to do as she pleased on the sacred mountain of the Parthenon Temple . Salan was clearly scarier than the rumors had mentioned, as even the Supreme Pontiff of the Black Vatican had never done anything like this!
"Dulanc, your talents are comparable to a Red Cardinal of the Black Vatican, coming up with such a brilliant plot . Have you ever thought that you would be torn into pieces by something?" Salan walked toward Dulanc .
Dulanc was staring at Salan . It was quite obvious that the Great Magistrate was panicking, yet he was trying hard to remain calm .
"There's no way I have been poisoned by you," Dulanc seemed very confident . He was not afraid of Salan, but no one dared to move, as the woman was controlling the lives of the Hall Mother and the Magistrates .
"The girl you are trying so hard to kill is protected by a man that even I am quite intimidated by . I won't even need to do anything myself, as you are already a dead man," Salan said .
Salan walked away from the mountain top .
Many people were surrounding the place, yet no one dared to stop the woman who was carrying great sins . She was utterly terrifying to deal with . Even the Supreme Pontiff of the Black Vatican had not left the Parthenon Temple and the Holy Judgment Court in such a difficult situation before .
"Wait!" Song Qiming stopped Salan .
Salan had reached the mountain path that was already damaged beyond recognition . The people on the mountain top were hoping that the woman would take her Sudden-Death Poison Queen and leave as soon as possible . They were worried that they would be going down with the woman if she decided to proceed with the suicide attack .
"It has been so many years since the incident . Why do you have to vent your anger on the ordinary people? So many people died in Bo City and the Ancient Capital . If Wen Tai knew it was all your doing, how could he rest in peace?" Song Qiming pressed .
"It's either black or white, he has obviously made the wrong choice! As long as he continues to hide in the mountain, I will continue to massacre his cities!" Salan replied instantly .
"Millions of people have died because of a single mistake . "
"It's only the beginning," Salan promised .
Song Qiming stood still . The complicated look in his eyes was replaced with a cold murderous intent!
He was less than a hundred meters away from Salan . Salan had always been untraceable . It was most likely her first time showing up in front of them, and she was currently in the Parthenon Temple, of all places . It was the best chance they had to kill this devil . Song Qiming could not allow a devil that would continue to stir up disasters to leave so easily, especially when he realized that it was all because of the judgment that was made in the past…
Salan continued down the mountain, and slowly faded into the distance . Meanwhile, Song Qiming remained unmoving…
He was strong enough to take down Salan, but he chose not to do so .
Apart from the fact that Magistrate Leonard would die together with Salan, if he failed to kill Salan here, considering how vengeful the woman was, the Magic City he lived in would most likely be her next target . Song Qiming suddenly lost his courage when he thought about the Calamity of the Ancient Capital!
A man that had grown old would have more worries, and would be less bold . Song Qiming could not help but glance at Mo Fan and the Black Totem Snake . If Mo Fan was in his shoes, he would surely have killed Salan at all costs!
As he was hesitating, Salan had already left . The scent of the black blood lingering on the mountain top had gradually weakened too .
Song Qiming returned to his friend Leonard and saw that he had fallen unconscious . He was unsure if the man had made it .
On the other hand, Hall Mother Pamise managed to subdue the poison . Her servant was about to chase after Salan, but the Hall Mother immediately stopped her . She immediately ordered a Muse to investigate the Hall of the Goddess and find every suspicious person!
The reason why Salan was able to place them under control was because the members of the Black Vatican had infiltrated the Hall of the Goddess . The Probationary Servant that chopped Izisha's body into pieces had already committed suicide, but they still had to find out who had poisoned them!
"Hall Mother, now that Salan has shown up, it means that Ye Xinxia is innocent! I hope you will withdraw the magic formation and let Mo Fan and Xinxia go," Song Qiming said when he saw the Hall Mother recovering quickly .
"It's still a fact that Ye Xinxia murdered Panijia . She will be sentenced to death, regardless if she was Salan or not . Besides, Mo Fan dared to stir up chaos in our Parthenon Temple . There's no way we can forgive him easily!" Mellaura immediately screamed .
The Hall Mother's face was still black .
They had lost all their dignity today . They were too scared to do anything when Salan used her life to threaten theirs . As such, the Parthenon Temple would not forgive Mo Fan, Ye Xinxia, and the Black Snake easily!
"Humph, they are obviously guilty, if Mo Fan didn't show up, Salan would never have been able to sneak into the Parthenon Temple . Perhaps Mo Fan has long colluded with Salan, his sins are unforgivable!" Great Magistrate Dulanc spoke up .
Song Qiming was infuriated by Dulanc's words!
How shameless could these people be? They had failed to take down the Red Cardinal of the Black Vatican, so they were planning to sacrifice the two young Mages so they could justify themselves . Since when were the Holy Judgment Court and the Parthenon Temple so corrupt? It was quite obvious that everything had happened because they had falsely accused Xinxia as Salan!
Ye Xinxia was not Salan, meaning that there was no motive for her to murder Panijia . There was a great conspiracy behind it, yet the Parthenon Temple and the Holy Judgment Court still insisted on killing Xinxia instead of investigating the matter .
"Old Song, it's no use, the judgment has been made . That girl will not survive," Leonard said to Song Qiming feebly .
"What do you mean by that!?" Song Qiming yelled .
"Dulanc has performed the Dark Execution, the Holy Court Mages aren't the executioners…" Leonard said .
Song Qiming's expression darkened . He raised his head in disbelief and stared at the Black Totem Snake that was giving his all to break through the magic formation, and Mo Fan who was determined to rescue Xinxia at all cost!
"Dulanc, are you out of your mind!?" Song Qiming lost his temper . He could no longer stay calm . He yelled furiously and went right up to Dulanc .
Song Qiming's eyes were filled with rage and murderous intent . His overwhelming mental strength surged toward Dulanc . The Holy Court Mages nearby almost fainted, unable to withstand the incredible pressure .
Dulanc stared right back at Song Qiming . A strong energy was circling him too . One was the old Clergyman of the Holy Judgment Court, and the other was the Great Magistrate . The auras of the two highest authorities of the Holy Judgment Court clashed with one another, knocking back the Super Mages nearby .
Not a single person was standing within a hundred meters of the two powerful Mages . They had yet to cast a single spell, yet the sky had already darkened tremendously!
"She is Salan, so it's fine for me to use the Dark Execution on her . You are no longer the Clergyman, you have no right to question my decision!" Dulanc said .
"The girl is innocent, you are abusing your power!"
"I'm not the only person that voted with the black stone . Song Qiming, you really haven't learned to judge the hour and size up the situation, haven't you? Do you really think I'm the only one responsible for Wen Tai's death? I only have one Stone of Guilt, but aren't you aware of what happened to him? He was too bright, even Izisha felt threatened by his influence, and the only choice that he had was death!" Dulanc snapped .
"Then what about Ye Xinxia!?" Song Qiming snapped in return .
The Holy Court Mages and the Magistrates tried to stop them, but their auras were just too terrifying . None of them could get any closer .
"You already knew who Salan was, can't you guess who the girl is now? Oh Song Qiming, you are bound to be a failure . You are not heartless enough to be an authority . Izisha was always our leader, only she could annihilate all opposing forces and reclaim the glory of the Holy Judgment Court!" Dulanc said .
"You…you all are responsible for it!" Song Qiming immediately realized who was behind the conspiracy all along after seeing Dulanc's reaction .
However, when he learned the truth, it felt like he was having a ridiculous nightmare .
—
—
The Hall of the Goddess…
On the long corridor that was covered in purple crystals, the fair-skinned Asha'ruiya in a long, dark green dress was heading toward the end .
The end of the corridor was the Rear Hall, where a blue coffin in the shape of a sacred leaf was placed . A gorgeous woman was lying inside, covered in lots of fascinating jewelry .
Asha'ruiya went closer to the coffin . The Vice Hall Master that was guarding it hesitated slightly when he saw Asha'ruiya .
Asha'ruiya took a quick glance at the coffin and saw that the woman's remains were still intact . She harrumphed coldly and said, "Didn't they say Izisha's body was chopped into pieces?"
The Vice Hall Master was unsure of what he should say . He took the initiative to move aside instead .
Asha'ruiya went closer and saw traces of blood in the coffin . However, when she took a closer look, her face went black .
The body had clear cuts on it, but the cuts were slowly healing!
The pieces of Izisha's body… were joining back together on their own!
Chapter 1173: 1173
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
Asha'ruiya looked at Izisha, who was lying in the leaf-shaped coffin . She felt like the woman was only asleep . Her brows were shuddering slightly, and the imperious look on her face stopped Asha'ruiya from moving any closer .
Asha'ruiya subconsciously took a few steps back . She turned toward the Vice Hall Master who was guarding the place .
The Vice Hall Master did not speak . Great Muse Mellaura's voice was coming from the corridor . She hurried over to the coffin and took a close look at Izisha's remains before letting out a relieved sigh .
"You already knew?" Asha'ruiya asked .
"Yes," Great Muse Mellaura nodded .
"Do you seriously think she is the only one that can bring glory to you? In my eyes, she's leading the Parthenon Temple into a deep abyss instead!" Asha'ruiya said bluntly .
"Asha'ruiya, considering how many years you have spent at the Parthenon Temple, you should be aware that the Parthenon Temple's status has been declining over the years . It's not just because we have yet to elect our new Goddess, but because our leaders in the past were too weak, too merciful . Countless people across the world are suffering, the Black Vatican has been stirring up troubles, evil power is spreading its influence, plagues have destroyed lives, and the demon creatures are on the verge of making their moves . Our natural foe, the Tyrant Titans, has been restless too . Think of the time when Izisha was in power: our Parthenon Temple was never afraid of any country, and never compromised with any of them!" Mellaura said .
Only Asha'ruiya, Mellaura, and Vice Hall Master Lanjin, who was guarding Izisha's remains, were present .
Vice Hall Master Lanjin was not any weaker than Haylon . He was an old knight, and he rarely spoke .
"Asha'ruiya, you always have a clear view of things; you should pick your side when you still have the time . Otherwise, you will lose all your footing in the Parthenon Temple," Mellaura said .
"It seems like Andi died at your hands, too . You pretended to vow loyalty and devotion to Andi, but you were trying to kill her all along!" Asha'ruiya let out a hollow laugh .
"Andi was smart . She knew she didn't lose to the other Saintesses, but had lost to her master, so she chose to end her life that way," Mellaura said .
"How about Panijia?" Asha'ruiya asked .
"Her? Couldn't you tell that she has been one of us right from the beginning?" Mellaura smiled .
"Ye Xinxia didn't kill her, it was Panijia that killed herself, right?" Asha'ruiya deduced .
"Yes, the whole thing needed a fuse . The Hall Mother promoted Ye Xinxia to a Saintess, so we needed a reasonable excuse to judge her guilty . Don't worry, as long as Izisha reclaims the role of the Goddess, Panijia's death is basically her taking a nap . Izisha won't allow a loyal disciple to die like that . Besides, she won't hold onto the role of the Goddess forever, she needs a successor," Mellaura said with a smile .
Mellaura was standing right beside the coffin . She saw Izisha's body healing up completely, and her tightly-shut eyes blinking .
Mellaura was overjoyed by the sight of it . She had long waited for this day!
"You make it sound like it's all for the sake of the Parthenon Temple, but in my opinion, you are just unwilling to give up your power . You enjoy hoarding the great authority!" Asha'ruiya said .
"The younger generation is unreliable, so we have no choice but to put in more effort for a few more years . So, have you made up your mind? Asha'ruiya, you're smarter than Andi; you have been neutral all along, not posing any threat to either side, but you know we won't allow it . You will either submit to us, or be annihilated!" Mellaura said .
Asha'ruiya glanced at Izisha's body and said coldly, "I think Salan is still too merciful, since she didn't chop Izisha into minced meat!"
Mellaura's face darkened immediately . The disrespectful words from Asha'ruiya conveyed her stance .
"Do you really think she has the chance!? Izisha will surely pay her back tenfold!" Mellaura snapped furiously .
Asha'ruiya backed away . A thin, black sword suddenly appeared in her hand . She rapidly dashed toward Izisha's coffin with a flicker and stabbed right at Izisha's forehead .
The lifeless body suddenly opened its eyes, staring right at Asha'ruiya with a cold and merciless expression!
"How bold of you!" Mellaura yelled .
Vice Hall Master Lanjin did not expect Asha'ruiya to do such thing . He quickly went over to the coffin and unleashed a golden light to protect Izisha's body!
Asha'ruiya quickly withdrew her sword as if she already knew her plan would not work . Her foot left a black rose on the ground as she rapidly disappeared into the dark corridor…
Mellaura and Vice Hall Master Lanjin were too preoccupied with Izisha's safety . They did not expect Asha'ruiya to be so cunning . She pretended that she was determined to take down Izisha with her, yet she was actually planning to escape!
"Chase her, don't let that little b**ch get away and ruin our plan!" Mellaura ordered .
Vice Hall Master Lanjin disappeared with a flicker, leaving an afterimage behind . He quickly chased after Asha'ruiya .
—
Vice Hall Master Lanjin was incredibly powerful . He soon caught up to Asha'ruiya and stood in front of her with a cold face . He did not speak, but his eyes displayed a strong murderous intent .
"Even you are willing to submit to them? Do you have any idea who the girl that was sentenced to Dark Execution is!?" Asha'ruiya asked, knowing she was no match for Vice Hall Master Lanjin .
"I have to make a choice!" Vice Hall Master Lanjin finally spoke .
"Izisha didn't use the Spell of Resurrection of the Parthenon Temple, can't you tell!?" Asha'ruiya said .
"I know, please apologize to Wen Tai on my behalf," Vice Hall Master Lanjin raised his hand . A blue flame burned vigorously on his palm . Its light was shining upon Asha'ruiya's pale face .
Asha'ruiya's expression turned cold . Her eyes flickered icily .
A dark beam descended from the sky and covered Asha'ruiya . It turned into pieces of armor attached to Asha'ruiya's body, granting her the power of darkness .
"It seems like you are involved with the evil forces, too," Lanjin said calmly .
"The Parthenon Temple has turned into someone's playground . Even if she has the upper hand, I will not surrender it readily!" Asha'ruiya drew her sword and stabbed forward . The dark light resembling a sword unleashed a devouring energy, forcing Lanjin to back away .
Lanjin used the fire as a shield to protect himself .
The energy of the dark light looked intimidating, yet it was actually just a diversion . By the time Lanjin refocused, Asha'ruiya had long vanished into thin air, leaving a trail of black wind behind .
—
Asha'ruiya escaped into the woods . She could sense Lanjin chasing after her like a wolf following the scent of its prey .
She looked into her surroundings and caught a glimpse of her sacred palace among the mountains, but it was no longer safe there . She had no idea how many people of the Parthenon Temple had submitted to Izisha . She would be their next target once Ye Xinxia died . Izisha would not allow any competitor to live!
The sky trembled under a deafening cry . The Black Totem Snake seemed to have broken through half of the magic formation . A small section of his body was already outside of the barrier .
Asha'ruiya clenched her teeth and sprinted rapidly toward the Black Totem Snake .
She had to rely on the Black Totem Snake's power to leave the Parthenon Temple . The authorities of the Parthenon Temple had all submitted to Izisha . Even though she was a Saintess, they might still sentence her with a ridiculous accusation . It was the Parthenon Temple; only a few words were needed to sentence a person to death!
"Haylon, Shawshank, they are going to escape soon . I will strengthen the magic formation with my magic so it will destroy the snake!" Asha'ruiya arrived in front of the two Hall Masters .
"Saintess, it's dangerous here; you should go somewhere safe," a Golden Sun Knight spoke up .
"It's fine, if we let them escape, the Parthenon Temple will be in disgrace," Asha'ruiya said .
She seemed calm on the surface, yet she was actually quite worried that Haylon and Shawshank had submitted to Izisha . If so, she would have no chance of escaping .
"It doesn't matter if they make it through the magic formation . My men are already waiting outside . They won't be able to escape, but it will definitely help a lot if the Saintess is willing to strengthen the magic formation . This Totem Beast is quite tricky to deal with," Haylon nodded, agreeing to let Asha'ruiya strengthen the magic formation .
The magic formation was Wen Tai's work . It was Wen Tai that had set up the impenetrable defense for the Parthenon Temple . The man had given Asha'ruiya control of the magic formation, thus she was normally in charge of its maintenance .
Asha'ruiya headed toward the magic formation . Its energy was unable to distinguish between friendlies and enemies, yet it did not harm Asha'ruiya . It even cleared a path for her instead .
As soon as Asha'ruiya entered the magic formation, Lanjin arrived with a murderous aura and stared at Asha'ruiya, who had escaped into the magic formation .
"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to guard the Hall of the Goddess?" Haylon raised his brows and said in a displeased tone .
"Asha'ruiya has colluded with the Black Vatican and chopped Izisha's remains into pieces . I have come to arrest her at Great Muse Mellaura's order," Lanjin said, as smoothly as if he had long come up with the excuse .
Chapter 1174: 1174
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"What… Izisha's corpse was chopped into pieces?" Both Haylon and Shawshank were infuriated .
A few older Golden Sun Knights were furious too .
Izisha was their previous Goddess . Many had devoted their lives to her . The Golden Sun Knights were willing to risk their lives to take down anyone with the slightest disrespect to her!
"How is that possible? Did you make a mistake!?" Haylon demanded in disbelief .
"The Great Muse said perhaps Asha'ruiya has always held a grudge against Izisha for voting the Stone of Guilt . She took hold of the opening amid the chaos to get her revenge . It doesn't matter if she did it or not, we have to stop her from leaving the Mountain of the Goddess," Lanjin said .
"But… she already went into the magic formation!"
"I will lead some men and go down the mountain through the Starry Mountain Path, to intercept her and prevent the Black Totem Snake from leaving with the offender, Ye Xinxia," Lanjin stated .
"Alright, Vice Hall Master Lanjin, you will bring these men to the other side of the magic formation!" Haylon immediately dispensed his men to Lanjin without hesitation .
Lanjin led the elites among the knights and quickly proceeded to the mountain path . It was the only way down the mountain without being targeted by the magic formation .
The knights and Adjudicators led by Haylon and Shawshank were occupied with the battle against the Black Totem Snake . They were totally unaware of what was going on at the top of the mountain . Asha'ruiya had only gone to the Hall of the Goddess when she had sensed that a great conspiracy was taking place, and she had almost died because of it!
—
After entering the magic formation, Asha'ruiya raised her head and glanced at the Skyscraping Snake .
The magic formation was not targeting her . After all, her adoptive father was the one that set up the magic formation . No one was more familiar with it than Asha'ruiya .
"Mo Fan, I will bring you guys out of the magic formation!" Asha'ruiya yelled at the Black Totem Snake .
Mo Fan and Xinxia were being targeted by the magic formation too . If the Black Totem Snake had not protected them, the magic formation would have turned them into ashes long ago .
Mo Fan was a little suspicious when he saw Asha'ruiya . However, he decided to believe in her . If she was actually trying to set them up, she just needed to stand aside and watch .
"Big guy, don't hurt her," Mo Fan said to the Black Totem Snake .
The Black Totem Snake moved his tail and scooped Asha'ruiya up, lifting her to his head .
Asha'ruiya landed on the Black Totem Snake's head . The wild energy of the magic formation suddenly halted, allowing the Black Totem Snake to catch his breath .
"Ask the snake to move toward the valley, I'll clear a path for you," Asha'ruiya blurted out with a grim look .
Mo Fan immediately relayed the information to the Black Totem Snake .
The Black Totem Snake was struggling to move inside the magic formation . He would trigger strong traps if he was too careless .
However, when following Asha'ruiya's instructions, the Black Totem Snake clearly sensed that the magic formation was growing weaker, allowing him to move closer toward the exit .
"You're injured?" Mo Fan quickly noticed that Asha'ruiya had scorch marks on her .
"The whole thing is a conspiracy!' Asha'ruiya said .
"What happened?" Mo Fan asked .
"The four Saintesses aren't the candidates of the election; the only candidate is the previous Goddess, Izisha!" Asha'ruiya snapped furiously .
"Isn't that woman dead already?" Mo Fan said .
"Yes, or so everyone thought, but you forgot that the Parthenon Temple has the Spell of Resurrection!" Asha'ruiya said .
Spell of Resurrection!
The Parthenon Temple had such an exalted status mainly because of their Spell of Resurrection . However, the role of the Goddess had been unoccupied for quite some years, thus no one had seen the Spell of Resurrection for years!
Asha'ruiya glanced at Ye Xinxia and said, "You were always treated as a sacrifice to resurrect Izisha . Someone already learned your true identity the first day you stepped into the Parthenon Temple . They have been setting you up and have long waited for this day, to sentence you with the Dark Execution . Once Izisha is resurrected, she will reclaim the role of the Goddess, and be granted the Spell of Resurrection that she was never able to get her hands on!"
"My true identity?" Ye Xinxia was utterly confused . Didn't everyone accuse her of being Salan not long ago?
"Have you really lost all your memories when you were still a kid? Or did Salan use the Amnesia Bug on you so you won't remember it?" Asha'ruiya said .
"I really don't know," Xinxia said .
"Asha'ruiya, what do you mean by that? Xinxia is not Salan!" Mo Fan said .
"It's true that she isn't Salan, but she's still closely related to Salan! . Mo Fan, you must admit that there's no way she can't remember what happened in the past, before she was staying at your place," Asha'ruiya said .
"I really don't remember, I only know that I've been to a lot of strange places . I initially thought I don't remember because I was still too young . I can only remember the things after I moved to Bo City with my mum…" Xinxia said .
"Do you know why you and your mum went to Bo City?" Asha'ruiya said .
Xinxia shook her head .
"Back then, Izisha was hunting you and your mum . The two of you were on the run, and you eventually reached Bo City . You are Wen Tai's daughter!" Asha'ruiya said .
Mo Fan was greatly confused . Wasn't Asha'ruiya Wen Tai's daughter? Why was Xinxia her daughter all of a sudden?
"I was adopted, Ye Xinxia is his true daughter! She has Wen Tai's blood flowing in her, but that's not the main point," Asha'ruiya said .
"Then what is?" Mo Fan said .
"Wen Tai was called the Holy Saint because his cultivation and mental power surpassed his sister, Izisha . Izisha was elected as the Goddess, but there was one thing that she didn't inherit, the Soul of the Parthenon Temple . The Soul of the Parthenon Temple will attach itself to the new Goddess that is elected . It will grant the Goddess the Spell of Resurrection, making her the true ruler of the Parthenon Temple . Back then, Wen Tai's name had spread across the world, and the Soul of the Parthenon Temple intuitively attached itself to him . Wen Tai was the one with the Spell of Resurrection . Even though Izisha was the Goddess, she gained her power through violence and brute force . She did not earn the approval of the Soul of the Parthenon Temple, hence she did not have the Spell of Resurrection," Asha'ruiya said .
Mo Fan immediately remembered Asha'ruiya once mentioned that Izisha had voted with the Stone of Guilt to sentence Wen Tai to death . The reputable man was then executed without mercy . It turned out that Izisha did not cast the vote because she believed that Wen Tai was guilty, but because of the jealousy that had long filled up her heart!
Despite being a Goddess, she had never earned the approval of the Soul of the Parthenon Temple . It was obviously a humiliating blow to her . On top of that, Wen Tai's reputation had exceeded hers . Even as his sister, Izisha could not stand Wen Tai's existence!
"So this is the truth behind Wen Tai's death?" Mo Fan said .
Mo Fan was not interested in the reason behind Wen Tai's death, but he was quite surprised that Xinxia was actually Wen Tai's daughter . Wouldn't that mean Xinxia was living incognito in Bo City before she ended up staying in his house?
"Does that mean Xinxia enrolling in the Parthenon Temple and being promoted all the way to a Saintess was part of their arrangements too?" Mo Fan said .
"The Hall Mother should know Xinxia's identity . She voted Wen Tai guilty, thus she decided to promote Xinxia to a higher position . However, her decision was reckless; she basically placed Xinxia in the control of the people who are planning to resurrect Izisha!" Asha'ruiya said .
Mo Fan still had lots of things he did not understand . He was about to ask further when he saw the Black Totem Snake had left the magic formation of the sacred mountain .
Asha'ruiya had brought them out of the magic formation as she promised, but Mo Fan could not feel any joy, as lots of Mages of the Parthenon Temple were already waiting for them outside the magic formation .
The Parthenon Temple had even sent out their Mages of Faith . Mo Fan saw a whole army of them standing on the top of a mountain nearby . There were at least a thousand of them!
More troops were on standby at the base of the mountain . As for the Adjudicators and knights, some were flying in the sky, some stood on high grounds in formations . They had no intention of letting the Black Totem Snake escape!
They had wasted too much time breaking through the magic formation, yet it was the only way out of the Parthenon Temple . Based on the information that Asha'ruiya had given them, Mo Fan knew the Parthenon Temple was determined to kill Xinxia, as she played an important role in the resurrection of Izisha .
Mo Fan let out a hollow laugh when he saw the armed force of the Parthenon Temple moving into position .
Xinxia was not Salan, the accusation was no longer valid, yet these people still insisted on murdering the innocent girl .
The truth never mattered, nor was the question if the girl was guilty or not, since power was the most important thing . With power, they could sentence a person guilty or innocent; with power, these evil people could do as they pleased! Both Wen Tai and Xinxia were sharing the same fate!
"Did that b**ch Izisha really come back to life?" Mo Fan turned around and glanced at the magnificent Hall of the Goddess .
"Yeah, I saw her open her eyes . Her loyal subordinates have gotten rid of all the Saintesses . Once she comes back to life, she could easily tell the people that she had no choice but to reclaim the role of the Goddess since all the candidates were involved in accidents . " Asha'ruiya immediately felt hopeless when she saw the scale of the army in ahead . She said in a self-mocking voice, "What difference would it make now? There's no way we can escape this place . "
Even a Forbidden Mage would have trouble breaking through the army!
It was the reason why those people would use even the most detestable methods, just to hold on to their power!
Chapter 1175: 1175
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
A cold wind blew at the sacred mountain, sweeping the bluish-green petals into the air . The slightly icy floral breeze briefly fondled the faces of the people .
The petals drifting in the wind were incredibly fragile . They soon broke into pieces, scattering in the air as a great storm started pouring down mercilessly .
Ye Xinxia lifted her gaze . Her mood was like the dark and gloomy sky . She once thought the Parthenon Temple had an inviolable, sacred brilliance surrounding it . She once had high hopes when she first arrived at the place, hoping that she could do something with her humble efforts…
However, it turned out that the sacred mountain was a lot more complicated than she had imagined . The Parthenon Temple might have a sacred outer veneer, but it also had the ugliest side to it that had been completely exposed by the cold rain: the disappointing greed of humans!
Why did she even bother putting in so much effort to come here?
She would not mind if she alone was deeply trapped in this swamp, but Mo Fan was also surrounded by the armed force of the Parthenon Temple!
"Maybe I should go with them, I am the only person they want…" Xinxia said .
Mo Fan shook his head . There was no way the Parthenon Temple would let any of them go . In order for Izisha to seize the role of the Goddess, they would surely eliminate every risk possible!
"They are coming," Asha'ruiya said in a deep voice .
———
Under the cold rain and the flying petals, Great Muse Mellaura and Great Magistrate Dulanc were flying toward them, followed by a troop of Golden Sun Knights and an army of Silver Moon Knights . The light of their magic armor was bright enough to light up the mountain .
There were four Holy Court Mages behind Great Magistrate Dulanc, too . Their strength was immeasurable . Han Ji, Zhu Meng, Pang Lai, and the others had tried to keep them busy, but their efforts were to no avail .
Mellaura and Dulanc smiled when they saw that the Black Totem Snake's flesh was badly mutilated .
The magic formation of the sacred mountain had still been powerful enough to inflict serious damage on the Totem Beast . It would prevent them from losing too many elites . After all, even a Super Mage could easily lose their life if they were being careless when fighting against a Supreme Ruler!
"Enough with the struggle, even a Totem Beast has no chance of escaping from the Parthenon Temple!" Mellaura grinned coldly .
The Black Totem Snake was unleashing his Domain in the form of a poisonous mist . The blue poison started to spread across the mountain . The poisonous mist would prevent Mages below the Super Level from coming any closer, preventing the army of Advanced Mages from blasting them continuously with spells . Considering the number of Advanced Mages that the Parthenon Temple had, their spells could easily raze the mountain to the ground . The Black Totem Snake's scales had cracked open, thus the continuous blasts were still dangerous .
"I don't understand, why would you go so far and use the Dark Execution? Is it because you feel better when you use it on Wen Tai's daughter?" Asha'ruiya asked .
"You few, deal with the Black Totem Snake's poison!" Dulanc ordered his subordinates .
They had many powerful Mages on their side . If they teamed up, they would have a great chance of taking out the Black Totem Snake . However, the Black Totem Snake was incredibly powerful . If a battle broke out, anyone could die in the battle! The number of Super Mages in the world was quite limited . Even losing one was considered a great loss . They did not want to go all out with the Black Totem Snake . The best choice they had was to let the army of Adjudicators and Mages of Faith wear out the Totem Beast slowly, since the creature had already been badly injured by the magic formation!
Dulanc and Mellaura were not in a rush, either . They knew Mo Fan and his crew were like trapped beasts . Even though Han Pang Lai, Han Ji, and the others insisted on protecting them, they were currently in the Parthenon Temple . They just needed to assign a few men to keep them busy while they slowly settled the matter on hand . Everything was going according to plan!
"You are about to die, does knowing the truth really matter?" Dulanc smiled .
"It's just so I can tell my adoptive father the truth," Asha'ruiya said .
Asha'ruiya still could not understand why Xinxia had to die .
It was true that Ye Xinxia was Wen Tai's daughter, but Izisha had already opened her eyes, meaning that the girl was not the key to Izisha's resurrection . Was Izisha trying to kill Ye Xinxia just because of her hatred for Wen Tai?
If so, they could easily do it behind the scenes . Why would they bother using the power of the Holy Judgment Court on her?
Dulanc did not mind spilling the beans . He pointed at Ye Xinxia and said, "Wen Tai was a very tricky opponent . He knew his death was approaching, so he used the power of the Dark Execution to seal the Soul of the Parthenon Temple inside her body!"
"The Soul of the Parthenon Temple is inside her body?" Asha'ruiya was shocked .
Mo Fan looked at Xinxia too .
"Yes, the Holy Judgment Court didn't just make something up . There is actually another soul sleeping inside her body, but the soul isn't Salan, it's the Soul of the Parthenon Temple that Goddess Izisha needs the most! Since Wen Tai sealed the Soul of the Parthenon Temple inside her body with the Dark Execution, the only way to retrieve the Soul of the Parthenon Temple is by activating the Dark Execution!," Dulanc declared . Read more chapter on NovelFull
It turned out Xinxia's legs were feeble because her body could not bear the heavy burden of having two souls in it… they were not lying!
However, no one had expected that these people would come up with such a huge lie in order to reclaim the Soul of the Parthenon Temple . They had tricked everyone into believing that Xinxia was Salan . Even the girl thought that the lie was the truth!
If Salan had not shown up and revealed the ugly faces these people had, the others would still be kept in the dark!
"Aren't you afraid that you will offend the Chinese Royal Palace and the Enforcement Union?" Asha'ruiya pressed .
Mo Fan, Xinxia, and the Black Totem Snake were from China . By now, Song Qiming, Pang Lai, and the others would have learned the truth too . If they still insisted on killing Mo Fan and Xinxia, they would basically fall out with China!
"Chinese Royal Palace and Enforcement Union? Asha'ruiya, how could you say such a thing when you are a member of the Parthenon Temple? Since when did the Parthenon Temple have to be wary of what others think? Do you really think the Chinese Royal Palace and Enforcement Union are a threat to us? Once Izisha claims the Soul of the Parthenon Temple and obtains the Spell of Resurrection, the Chinese might even come and beg us instead . Everyone is scared of death, especially the authorities and the leaders . If we give the Chinese a chance to resurrect someone, do you really think they are going to fall out with us because of these minor characters? The Spell of Resurrection is going to give us control over everything!" Dulanc burst out laughing . In his eyes, Asha'ruiya was simply too naive!
"Izisha already led the Parthenon Temple to a golden age without the Soul of the Parthenon Temple . Once she has the Spell of Resurrection, the five Magic Associations are going to lower their heads to us too! Asha'ruiya, Izisha has always been fond of you . She always saw you as her niece with great potential . She might not be satisfied with Panijia, I'm pretty sure that you know what that means . Why would you bother to go against her and walk on the path that's going to lead to your death!?" Mellaura said .
"Who did you think helped the Probationary Servant sneak to Izisha's coffin? I was quite regretful that I didn't do it myself, or I would have shredded her into minced meat instead!" Asha'ruiya retorted coldly .
"It was you that colluded with Salan?" Mellaura said in astonishment .
"I didn't know she was Salan, but her suggestion was something that I thought of doing every day!" Asha'ruiya said .
"Well, well, well, you were pretty good at hiding it . Since you're so displeased with Izisha, I will surely relay your message to her, so she can take care of you!' Mellaura sneered .
—
The sky was suddenly filled with the howl of a great Elemental Storm . It was like the ring of a giant knell in the Citadel of Athens .
The Holy Court Mages had driven the poisonous mist away while Dulanc and Mellaura were buying time . The Adjudicators and Mages of Fatih went into their positions on the high ground and fired their destructive spells at the enormous Black Totem Snake!
The first spells that descended upon the area were the Sky-Flame Funerals from the Adjudicators . The sky was set aflame, lighting up half the mountain . The rain continued to pour down with the fire . The flames were so densely packed that there was simply no escape from it .
The rain of fire was like a grand funeral . Destructive flames had filled up the entire sky . It was like the coming of the apocalypse!
How minuscule were mere humans in the face of a terrifying rain of fire at this scale?
The Black Totem Snake raised his head and observed the flames that were pouring down . He let out a furious roar fearlessly!
The Totem Seal flickered on his badly mutilated flesh . The Black Totem Snake leapt and swam up into the sky, drawing a huge, glowing seal along his trail .
The flames poured down from the sky, but those that collided with the seal were dispelled immediately, as if they never existed in the first place .
"Keep it going, kill that Totem Beast!" Dulanc said coldly to Lanjin behind him . Lanjin waved his hand and fired a blinding white light into the air, signaling the army of Mages to attack again!
The Adjudicators took a brief rest while lots of Star Patterns and Star Constellations lit up another mountain nearby . Two thousand Mages of Faith cast their magic . Countless wind spells combined into an enormous, black tornado that connected the sky and the ground…
The black tornado was a lot bigger than the Black Totem Snake . It wriggled and approached rapidly with overwhelming, tearing force!