Chapter Sixty-Eight: One Piece!

As noon approached, the Festival of the Goddess of Life was about to begin. Chu Yun started to make his way toward the central square, where the crowds surged like waves. If the followers of the Dragon Cult were to cast Meteorite Spell at this moment, the thought alone was chilling.

The central area of the square remained reserved for the privileged classes; those without invitations could only scramble for seats on the periphery. Although Chu Yun possessed a mage’s badge granting him access to the central area, he chose a discreet spot instead, mindful of potential dangers. Should anything happen, he could react immediately. He doubted there would be any divine blessings at this festival; even if there were, he, a non-believer, would not be chosen.

Atop the high platform in the center of the square, a clergy member clad in scarlet bishop’s robes appeared before the crowd, his expression grave. He glanced at the statue of the Goddess of Life, then, to the astonishment of all, knelt down in front of it.

“What’s happening?”

“The bishop…”

“Could it be that the Goddess of Life has truly abandoned us?”

“Is it because my prayers lacked sincerity, or because my donations were insufficient?”

“No, no, how could the Goddess abandon us?!”

The bishop’s unusual behavior led the faithful to begin sobbing quietly, and the atmosphere grew chaotic as members of the Blackstone Knights nervously maintained order outside, fearing disaster.

Fortunately, the bishop spoke again, chanting the ancient hymn used to welcome the goddess during her festival:

[Let us sing together to the goddess Isis, praise her with one voice;
United in praise for the Mistress of Life, whose grace touches all!
We come before the true deity, our spirits:
With honesty and reverence, let us use hymns, spiritual songs, and psalms to extol her boundless love!
…]

The old verses echoed in everyone’s ears, carrying a magical power that seemed to transport their spirits to the heavenly realm. The scenery around Blackstone City’s square began to shift; usually, at this time, the goddess’s rear garden would be projected onto all the festival sites, allowing the faithful a glimpse of her divine presence.

This blessing occurred only once a year, at this precise moment, when the bishop’s singing, through sacred verses, granted mortals the chance to witness the awe-inspiring spectacle that made them yearn to die and rush to the divine kingdom.

But this time was different. Instead of the radiant, blooming goddess’s garden—the Life Courtyard—what appeared was a heap of ruins, a desolate, dark wasteland.

Soon, the crowd noticed a figure lying at the center of this dead land, faintly glowing, dressed similarly to the statue. Though her outline was blurred, the devotees who prayed daily recognized her instantly.

“The Goddess? It’s the Goddess! She’s still here!”

Though her condition seemed dire, so long as the goddess of their faith remained, hope endured. The scarlet bishop’s eyes widened with tears of joy, trembling as he continued chanting the unfinished hymn.

As the song neared completion, the vision in the Life Courtyard grew clearer. The goddess’s face appeared before everyone.

Chu Yun gasped, taking in two sharp breaths.

A gray aura shrouded the Goddess of Life, her face reduced to a ghastly skull—she was unmistakably dead. Perhaps the last vestiges of her power had been consumed by the projection, for the glow on her bones began to fade. A gust of wind swept through, and her remains turned to ash, vanishing into the air.

A hush fell over the square, as the hearts of the crowd were overwhelmed by terror and shock. If even one of the strongest gods among the pantheon, the Goddess of Life, had perished, what manner of enemy could have caused this? What kind of catastrophe awaited them? Without the protection of the gods, could they survive?

As despair consumed them, and some devotees even considered martyrdom, the staff beside the goddess’s corpse suddenly radiated a brilliant light.

Hope, fragile as a soap bubble, rose once again in their hearts.

Chu Yun noticed this anomaly. Despite the destruction, many buildings and ornaments remained perfectly intact, as if untouched by the surrounding devastation. The goddess’s staff and robes were completely unscathed, yet her magical necklace was shattered—an odd inconsistency.

The light from the staff coalesced into a figure. The faithful once more beheld the Goddess of Life they so longed for.

Regrettably, anyone with some knowledge knew this was merely an image stored within magical equipment.

“It is unfortunate… that I cannot celebrate this festival with you.” The Goddess of Life, always appearing approachable, wore a gentle smile as if chatting with her people. “When you see this magical message, it is likely that all the gods of the Pantheon have already fallen.”

The crowd was stunned, and the scarlet bishop wailed in agony, “O Goddess, please do not abandon us!”

The goddess ignored his plea; in truth, this was merely a projection, simultaneously displayed at festivals across many cities.

“There’s no need to worry.”

Anticipating their fears, Isis soothed their anxieties.

“This calamity, though its cause is unknown, was aimed primarily at the gods. I was the last to fall.”

“If your prayers are still answered now, it means a new deity has acquired a divine spark and been born under new rules.”

“There’s no need to worry about me. Thank you for your unwavering faith and support; soon, I shall return to you.”

“Do you wish to see me again soon? Do you desire eternal life?”

Her tone shifted, the goddess flashed a playful smile, melting the hearts of her followers.

“Hehe, then venture into the wilds and seek out divine shards! Deliver any shard to the current saintess, Caesar, and I will grant you eternal life and bestow upon you the badge of a Holy Knight!”

After this mischievous declaration, her expression turned solemn. She sighed, “Time is almost up; my life force is nearly gone.”

“Do not abandon your faith… I will return soon.”

Her voice faded, the image grew translucent, and finally vanished completely.

-----------------

At the same time, far away at the headquarters of the Church of the Goddess of Life, Saintess Caesar stood before the multitude, declaring her identity. The Goddess was right; her return was swift indeed.

“I am Isis, the Goddess of Life incarnate upon the earth. Followers, offer your power of faith, and I shall grant you the Flower of Life that never withers.” The saintess smiled, and countless blossoms fell from the sky.

Though she smiled as before, her demeanor seemed less natural than in the projection.

The pains and hidden ailments of the faithful were instantly healed—a miracle once more descended.

The devotees were overwhelmed, falling to their knees in tears.

Faith surged from all directions toward the saintess, but to Isis’s regret, her divine flame had been extinguished, preventing her from converting this faith into divine power to restore her divine body.

Otherwise, with her foundation, she might have immediately ascended to godhood.

For gods like her, rich in faith, the greatest obstacle was the inability to ignite the divine flame. The ignition of the divine flame was tied to the world’s laws, which had recently changed in ways unknown.

Fortunately, this world still contained many divine shards. If she possessed these fragments, even without the divine flame, she could extract their power and reconstruct her divine body. Perhaps, by absorbing other gods’ shards, her understanding of the world would change, enabling her divine flame to reignite.

Isis chose the royal road to regain divinity, harnessing the strength of her vast followers and worldly power. This time, she aimed to absorb the powers of all other gods and ascend beyond even the supreme god, who was mercilessly annihilated in the very first round.

“In this world, only I am the one true god!” From the high platform, the saintess gazed upon the masses, her words igniting fervor among the faithful.

Life and death cycle endlessly. Isis is the Goddess of Life; Lilith is the Goddess of Death. Though worshipped under different names and by different followers, they are one and the same.

Previously, Isis existed in the state of “life,” bolstered by her many devotees and thus held sway.

But this time, thanks to the power of the Goddess of Death, she narrowly returned to life, now remaining in the state of “death.” The evil and chaotic aspect of Lilith, Goddess of Death, began to dominate. She sought to claim all divine shards and become the sole true god in existence.

Only then could she truly grasp the laws of the world and prevent such calamity from happening again.

All who absorbed divine shards, be they mortals or gods, would become her enemies.