Chapter 358: Sneaking into the Temple of the Moon

"So, what should we do? we can't just stand here and do nothing!" asked Ivan, worried about the evil magic that was about to triumph in the Temple of the Moon.

He did not know how Okegiga and the other centaurs had defeated the evil god in the past to win this brutal war. He only knew that if he continued to waste time and let the fallen centaurs successfully summon the evil god, the difficulty of the challenge would increase exponentially.

Destroying the summoning magic and reopening the evil spirit was a much easier path.

Ivan was considering the possibility of a blunt attack. Although dangerous, it was not totally impossible.

At present, the most troublesome thing was the mad dragon. He knew a powerful black magic that could have an effect beyond imagination when dealing with dragons.

"You're right, we have to hurry. It will be dark soon. This is very unfavorable for us. With the help of the Moon Temple, the fallen astrologers can use the power of the stars to defend themselves." Okegiga asked other centaurs to apply medicinal herbs to the wound on his arm and simply wrap it.

"What should we do?" Ivan tapped Okegiga's arm with his wand. Although he was not an expert in healing magic, he could do everything he could to make it better.

"Since we can't fly, swimming is the fastest way." Okegiga said, "I know a secret passageway to the Temple of the Moon, which goes through the depths of the lake."

Following where Okegiga was pointing, Ivan looked down into the cold, blue water of the lake outside the Temple of the Moon. It seemed to connect to the lake shore outside the school castle.

He didn't know if there were water people there, but the idea of swimming from the dark lake was crazy.

He turned his head to look at the proud centaur and confirmed that he hadn't misheard him. Centaurs were not aquatic animals-how would Okegiga pull it off?

"The old man thought of this earlier, and prepared some herbs for me to help us breathe underwater." Okegiga pulled something wrapped in a piece of light gray leather from his leather armor and unfolded it in front of Ivan.

Inside was a mass of green seaweed-like herbs that resembled a bunch of grayish-green slimy rat-tails.

"Slimy seaweed!" Ivan recognized this weed, and never imagined he would see it here.

He didn't know where the centaurs got these highly prized herbs from the depths of the Mediterranean. Centuries passed before the human magician Elladora Ketteridge discovered the effect of this magical herb for the first time in the history of magic. So her portrait appeared on the famous Chocolate Frog Cards.

It was said that he almost suffocated when he cooked many Branquialgas in a dish. He stuck his head in a bucket of water for a week before recovering.

From then on, the Wizarding World knew the use of Branquialgas.

Later, Wizards and Potion Masters began to analyze its specific components and developed a magic spell and a large number of precious magic potions to help wizards breathe underwater.

But by the end of the dark Middle Ages, the Centaurs, who were believed to be in a state of ignorance and primitivism, had already discovered and used Branquialgas, which was incredible.

"I've tried it before. Swallow it before you get in the water, it will work immediately." Okegiga gave Ivan a few Branquialgas. "Because the quantity is limited, this infiltration could only be carried out by the two of us, without any help."

Ivan nodded his head and looked at the herbs still wriggling in his palm.

"Listen, human!" Okegiga leaned over and looked at Ivan, his dark brown eyes shining. "What we will do in a moment is very dangerous, and we are likely to die in the Temple of the Moon. I don't know why you have come to help us, and I am very grateful to you for it. You have won the friendship of the Centaurs. But I hope you will think it over. After all, this Civil War is a matter for the Centaurs themselves. I don't want to..."

"Don't say it, I won't come back!" Ivan interrupted him. "Facing that evil god is not just the Centaurs' business!"

On top of what Ivan said, this was just Gryffindor illusion magic.

Ivan's challenge was to help the centaurs reseal the evil spirit known as the forest god. In any case, he had no reason to retreat.

Even if he died in the Temple of the Moon, it would only mean that he had failed the challenge.

Okegiga did not speak. He patted Ivan on the shoulder and then took a new spear and bow from his clan and slung them on his back.

"After a while, my people will attack the colony boys again to get their attention." Okegiga shouted, "We will take this opportunity to dive underwater and you will follow me."

They reached the rushing river, which stretched all the way to the central lake of the colony.

"All right, take the herbs, I'm going to count backwards from three and we're going to swallow!" As the battle resumed in the distant colony, Okegiga gestured, "Three, two, one!"

Time seemed to stand still as Ivan stuffed the Branquialgas into his mouth.

Hastily he took off his shoes and socks and followed Okegiga to the cold river - no wonder the water was so cold!

Ivan felt the skin on her legs being bitten as the water flowed towards her.

The further she walked, the deeper the river got, and her soaked tunic fell heavily.

The water had gone past her knees, and her two loose, clumsy feet were treading on the smooth, sticky sand and stones, and kept slipping on them.

With all his might, he chewed the Branquialgas quickly and vigorously. It didn't taste good. It was hard, slippery, like the tentacle of an octopus.

Soon, his body began to change, and his lower body, soaked in the cold, biting river water, began to swell outward. Suddenly, Ivan felt as if an invisible pillow had pressed against his mouth and nose.

When he inhaled, he only felt his mind spinning.

His lungs were empty, and he had a sharp knife-cut pain on both sides of his neck.

Ivan quickly grabbed his throat with both hands and touched two long, narrow cracks under his ears, opening and closing with the cold air....

Branquialgas worked. He had guts. He was stunned. He turned his head and looked at the centaur beside him. The strong centaur had turned into a strange monster.

He too had gills on his face, thin webs between his toes, and even his four hooves began to deform. He motioned for Ivan to follow him.

Without hesitation, Ivan followed Okegiga and dived into the water.