Chapter 84: Ultimate Faith

  The day after Clovis left, Ethan easily infiltrated the heretical sect "The God of Nature." After spending a day there and asking around, he had a general understanding of the sect.

  It was a very strange heretical sect. The strangest thing was its loose structure. Most believers were local villagers, or rather, nearly all the villagers in the surrounding villages, plus many people from Aery City itself, had become followers. Among them, those with some prestige, like village heads, had spontaneously become minor leaders.

  The term "heretic" felt like a stretch for them. Normally, the believers farmed, worked, and went about their business, no different from ordinary people in lifestyle. As long as the local officials didn't interfere with their activities, they didn't oppose the authorities. And compared to other mysterious heresies, they showed no vigilance towards newcomers, instead being very warm and welcoming, enthusiastically inviting others to join.

  The only thing that made them seem "heretical" was that every day at noon, they went before that sacred forest to sit quietly and worship, meditating under the care of "The God of Nature." The method of meditation was simple and easy to learn; even an illiterate farmer could sit cross-legged, focus their mind, and feel refreshed afterward. Meditating before the Whispering Woods naturally made one feel that soul-deep shock more clearly.

  This simple meditation was taught to the believers by the sect's leader, the Prophet.

  The Prophet was the one who initiated "The God of Nature" sect. No one knew him or where he came from. When the army came to disperse "The God of Nature" followers last time, the Prophet claimed to have sensed a divine revelation from "The God of Nature" that a miracle would descend. Sure enough, those guardian statues suddenly appeared, causing everyone who offended "The God of Nature" to vanish. Under the impact of such living, powerful miracles, the growth of "The God of Nature" accelerated daily.

  Today at noon, another group of new believers would be taken before the sacred forest to experience the power of "The God of Nature." Ethan mingled among them. But naturally, he wasn't there to experience any divine presence; he was going to see the Prophet for himself and witness those strange statues.

  He had to resolve the situation here as quickly as possible, then leave to catch up with Rodhart. Against forty to fifty thousand believers, the troops he had brought were utterly insignificant. Besides, these believers were just common folk. So the most effective solution now was to find the sect's leader, figure out exactly what trickery they were using.

  The new believers were led to the place of worship by a fifty-something man who looked like a pedantic scholar. He had apparently been a teacher at a school in Aery City before. In "The God of Nature," people with some learning like him spontaneously spread the faith to the believers. He walked along, constantly explaining the doctrines to the new adherents.

  "The great Nature nourishes all things without asking for anything in return. How majestic is that! And those gods fabricated by religions to serve rulers and nobles, to make us obey them docilely – how ugly and powerless they seem in comparison to this great Mother of All Things."

  "So 'letting nature take its course' is our creed. We won't constrain you believers like those man-made religions do. Within it, you won't feel the slightest bit of discomfort."

  "There's no need for me to say more. Use your own eyes to see that great forest of 'The God of Nature.' Use your heart and soul to feel it. That soul-shaking power is absolutely no match for the wooden and clay idols in the churches. Just sit there sincerely meditating before 'The God of Nature' every day, and you can feel connected to this great nature, finally achieving unity with nature and transcending the troubles of the mortal world."

  The new believers nodded together, voicing their admiration. Just sitting there dozing off to receive divine blessings and achieve unity with nature – this was indeed a convenient and cheap bargain.

  Ethan had a strange feeling. The main reason this sect had grown so astonishingly fast in such a short time, besides utilizing the Whispering Woods, was that it was just too... he couldn't find the right word in his limited vocabulary, but it felt too... a bargain.

  Whatever the religion, it attracted followers through promises and displays of power. The Church used heaven and hell to coerce and entice, using the magic of Light mages and priests to display power. Now, "The God of Nature" displayed power that surpassed human comprehension, not only possessing a power that truly shook the soul but also the sudden appearance of guardian statues. This was far more impactful than the Church's prayers, making it undeniable.

  Just sitting there spacing out for a bit to receive divine blessings and achieve the highest state of life? Compared to the Church's promise that only sincere prayer and devout faith would get you to heaven after death, this was simply too convenient, too wonderful, too practical.

  Every new initiate learned that simple meditation. Ethan had already been taught it when he infiltrated. It was a slightly altered version of a mage's basic meditation, made very simple. All magical elements were removed, leaving only a sense of calm and mental energy. And if you meditated before the Whispering Woods, that soul-deep resonance would naturally be felt more clearly.

  Ethan also found it strange that using such a bargain slogan to attract so many people... what for? Just to have them sit there quietly? But now there was no time to delve deeper. As long as he found the trick behind those so-called guardian statues today and saw the so-called Prophet, he could arrest who needed arresting, kill who needed killing, and smash what needed smashing. The rest would be easy to handle.

  Led by the pedantic scholar, the new believers arrived before the sacred forest. It was, in fact, the very meadow where Ethan and Vedenina had first met.

  The meadow, once stained with slaughter and zombies, now had an atmosphere of sanctity and solemnity. Densely packed, over a thousand devout believers sat cross-legged on the grass, facing the forest with eyes closed, meditating. Even when the Magic Academy's great cathedral held services, it didn't have such a magnificent atmosphere. And these were just a drop in the ocean compared to the thirty to forty thousand believers; it was said there were several other similar gathering places around the forest's perimeter. Ethan stood among the new believers, seeing the long-lost Whispering Woods.

  Gazing at the forest that once struck terror into the heart, Ethan clearly felt the power that once shocked the depths of the soul, making one fear and dare not look up, had almost vanished, leaving only a trace of its presence, like the dying breath of a giant still echoing among the ancient trees, barely maintaining the dignity of this ancient sacred site. And now, the believers covering the ground added a touch of the absurd and ridiculous to that remaining majesty.

  The new believers, seeing the Whispering Woods for the first time, were instantly conquered by its residual divine power. Their previous doubts instantly gave way to piety. The crowd exclaimed in unison; some even knelt down. The pedantic scholar's pious expression held a touch of pride as he led them towards the forest's edge.

  Ethan followed the surrounding new believers, but his attention was fully focused on the dozens of statues standing on the meadow. These were the legendary guardian statues that had appeared overnight, revered by the "The God of Nature" followers.

  These strange statues all had the same appearance, standing five to six meters tall. Human-like bodies and limbs ended in claws. Their faces, like those of rats, were sordid and furtive, yet they had mouths that stretched wide to their jaws. They had two sheep-like horns on their heads and a pair of bat-like wings folded on their backs. These stone statues knelt in a half-crouch, spaced dozens of meters apart, forming an arc facing the Whispering Woods. They truly seemed, as the believers claimed, to be guarding the sacred forest. According to the believers, these statues appeared silently overnight, forming a neat circle protecting the forest – something human power absolutely could not achieve. If that wasn't a miracle, what was?

  But Ethan could now be certain these strange statues had absolutely nothing to do with the Whispering Woods. He had never seen such things in the elven dwellings, and their grotesque style was completely at odds with the elves' rigid but aesthetically nature-loving traditions. Besides, The Withered Wood Warden was powerful enough to protect them; why would they need these strange, ugly statues?

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  Ethan walked up and touched one of the statues. It felt like stone, and its lifelike carving was clearly beyond the skill of ordinary craftsmen. Ethan stared intently at the statue's somewhat eerie face, and suddenly a faint sense of foreboding rose from the depths of his heart.

  "Don't touch our sacred guardian statue with your dirty hands." An old woman believer rushed over and slapped his hand.

  "Are you sure?" Ethan asked, as if questioning the old woman, or perhaps muttering to himself. His face was filled with shock and horror.

  The old woman, thinking this audacious fellow had finally sensed the divine majesty, walked away satisfied and sat back down to continue meditating.

  Ethan's heart was now filled with utter shock. Because when he placed his hands on these statues, he felt a faint magical fluctuation.

  A mere magical fluctuation wouldn't have startled him so much; he had expected these mysteriously appearing things to be magical in nature. The reason for his extreme shock was that this magical fluctuation felt familiar, familiar enough that he could almost smell its odor – the stench of decay.

  It was also on this meadow, when he met his senior sister Vedenina, that the zombies she summoned had carried similar fluctuations. Later, when extracting monsters at the Magic Academy, he had smelled the same odor on the skeletons and zombies. And not long ago, when Sandro raised his hand and turned the Paladin Order members into living corpses, those corpses also carried this fluctuation.

  Ethan stared blankly at the dozens of statues on the meadow. According to the old believers, this was only a part; there were over a hundred encircling the Whispering Woods. He then looked at the devout believers covering the ground. Under the bright daylight, Ethan suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

  "O believers who worship 'The God of Nature,' gather! I have something to say." A very loud, imposing voice suddenly rang out. Even across the wide meadow, everyone could hear clearly. The believers who had been sitting in silent meditation all turned towards the source of the voice.

  "It's the Prophet!" The believers exclaimed as if hearing celestial music. "The Prophet must have something important to announce!"

  Ethan struggled to make his way through the crowd to a place where he could see the Prophet.

  This man revered by tens of thousands certainly deserved such respect. If Ethan had seen him elsewhere, he would have thought him a transcendent hermit or sage. He wore snow-white clothes, spotlessly clean, blending with his silver-white hair and long beard to appear pure and dignified. His face was dignified and authoritative; every wrinkle seemed synonymous with virtue and an understanding of the universe's mysteries. He sat cross-legged under one statue – the one closest to the Whispering Woods, and whose style differed from the others, with its wings spread, as if embracing and protecting the Prophet beneath its feet. Even with just such a leader of extraordinary temperament, it was understandable that this sect could attract so many followers.

  The already densely packed believers pressed even closer, shoulder to shoulder in absolute silence, focusing on the Prophet's slightest movement.

  "Comrades who worship 'The God of Nature,' I bring you good news." The Prophet's voice was loud. With his back to the Whispering Woods, the forest's residual intimidating power seemed to infect his voice, lending it an ineffable mysterious charm. He pointed at the statues and said: "According to my communication and meditation with 'The God of Nature,' tomorrow at noon, 'The God of Nature' will descend upon every believer who prays and meditates sincerely beside a guardian statue. This miracle will allow us to achieve unity with nature, reaching the highest state our lives have pursued."

  A suppressed yet excited collective sigh rose from the believers' mouths, sweeping across the meadow.

  The Prophet's voice sounded again, and everyone immediately fell silent, afraid of missing the smallest note from his lips. But his voice was loud, ensuring everyone could hear clearly. "Because tomorrow's prayer and meditation are most important, everyone should rest well tonight and conserve your strength. And I will be here conducting my final communion with the divine."

  Ethan suddenly remembered something he had heard and asked a believer nearby: "I heard the Prophet hasn't left here since these statues appeared, is that true?"

  The believer nodded firmly: "Yes. The Prophet spends all his time communicating with 'The God of Nature.' Day or night, wind or rain, he meditates here. Never leaves. You didn't even know that? New here?"

  "Never leaves here day or night? Doesn't he eat, shit, or bathe?" Ethan stared hard at the perfect religious leader. He suddenly confirmed one thing: this person, or if he could still be called a person, was definitely not a Necromancer. "That is the Prophet, a sage who has a spiritual connection with 'The God of Nature.' Please don't use such filthy, worldly words." The believer was displeased. "You know? Your luck is truly amazing. To join and encounter such a blessing right away."

  Ethan sighed, agreeing. "I think my luck is very good too."

  Night fell.

  Rather than saying the Whispering Woods at night was deathly quiet, it was more accurate to say it was simply dead.

  Following the Prophet's instructions, the tens of thousands of believers who had sat here during the day had all returned home to rest and conserve their energy for the miracle at noon tomorrow. Now there was no sound of living things, only the faint light of a new moon and stars casting a deathly stillness on the ancient trees and statues. The ancient trees still exuded their residual majesty, frightening away beasts and insects from approaching. There wasn't even a wind. Only the statues continued their grotesque kneeling, silently confronting the ancient trees' divine power.

  Under the statue closest to the forest, a figure sat. He blended seamlessly with the silent, eerie surroundings, making no sound as he sat cross-legged. A head of silver-white hair and a long white robe still looked sacred and dazzling in the faint moonlight and starlight. The Prophet, even in this deathly and terrifying environment, still appeared otherworldly and refined. For the sake of communion with 'The God of Nature,' he spent every night here alone in meditation, an act that required solitude, so he had previously instructed that no one disturb him at night.

  Two footsteps sounded from the darkness in the distance, breaking the deathly silence. Two figures slowly separated from the darkness and walked closer.

  The Prophet showed no reaction to these two sudden figures, still sitting with sacred solemnity and greatness.

  The two figures walked closer, coming right up to the Prophet. Still, the Prophet didn't react, not even flinching, remaining utterly absorbed in his meditation. But the two visitors showed no respect for this pious focus. One of them even reached out and placed his hand on the Prophet's silver-white head.

  The Prophet seemed tolerant, still sitting silently, not even his eyelids twitching. This disrespectful man apparently didn't appreciate the gesture. He pressed down on the Prophet's head, twisted his wrist left and right, then grabbed the silver-white hair and yanked straight up.

  The Prophet still didn't move. His face remained calm and composed, but his silver hair came off along with his skullcap, lifted off like a lid.

  The originally silent and deathly environment seemed to liven up considerably. Once the Prophet's skull was opened, what was revealed was a mass of insects – some grub-like, others earthworm-like, even some with wings. This swarm of small things, apparently long suppressed by that solemn dwelling, seemed excited beyond measure at their sudden exposure to the air, writhing and buzzing excitedly. The man who lifted the Prophet's scalp beckoned to the active insects, chanted a few incantations, and the insects quieted down, burrowing back into the depths of the Prophet's skull. The man nodded, satisfied, and said: "This insect puppet should only last until tomorrow anyway. But it should be fine. It will hold until noon when the believers are gathered."

  His companion, with an aged voice, said: "This insect puppet was truly worth the price. It effortlessly deceived so many people."

  "He was originally a pastor in a small town far away, quite respected. But secretly, he often molested little girls under ten. I happened to discover it and casually exposed him. Unexpectedly, the entire town refused to believe it, thinking I was the real criminal. That's when I realized how useful a respectable facade could be. Coincidentally, I needed to go back home to handle some matters recently, so I captured him and made him into this insect puppet alive to rally followers. See, the intimidating effect of his appearance is quite good, isn't it? Now we have forty to fifty thousand people to use. During this time, we've had them sitting and meditating. Tonight, we told them to go home and sleep well to conserve their energy. Tomorrow, their vitality will surely be abundant, very suitable for our needs."

  The two men's voices were very strange, sounding as if something was constantly stuck in their throats, making their words unclear.

  "At most, we can only use four or five thousand. Those gargoyles can't eat that many either." His companion's voice was aged and tinged with bleak indifference, as if discussing a table of unappetizing food. "Your excuses are indeed effective on these idiots. 'Unity with nature,' 'the highest state of life.' To think you could deceive forty to fifty thousand people into joining this sect you thought up on the spur of the moment."

  "Strictly speaking, I didn't deceive them," the man said with relish. "It truly lets them achieve the highest state of life – death. Isn't death the ultimate state of life? All living things strive for this final end, don't they? Most poor wretches in this world always think about pursuing some illusory, mysterious goal to transcend their unsatisfactory reality. Letting them end their lives in beautiful fantasy isn't also very merciful and poetic?" He looked up at the starry sky and sighed. "Tomorrow will surely be fine weather. With your one hundred and eight gargoyles, and with the help of so many enthusiastic common people, by noon tomorrow, this ancient sacred forest and all the elves within will be reduced to ashes. This feat, unaccomplished for tens of thousands of years, is about to be achieved in our hands. Even I feel a long-lost excitement."

  "The Leaves of the World Tree will be ours. As for that Sunwell, see if we can use it. If not, figure out how to destroy it." Even while discussing such a grand plan, his companion's voice remained bleak and indifferent, lacking passion. "Hmph, actually, Vedenina had a chance last time, didn't she? I don't know what she was doing. After all that trouble, she only took away one Leaf of the World Tree and ended up wasting it mysteriously. Women are truly extravagant enough."

  "Please try to understand. Whimsy is a girl's privilege, and also what makes them cute. Since we're handling it ourselves this time, won't that be better?" This man carefully placed the Prophet's skullcap back in position, making the disgusting puppet look dignified and worthy of reverence once more. "Everything is best handled personally."

  "I heard Ronis the old man sent people here to quell the heretic rebellion. We'd better not let them interfere tomorrow. Do you know who he sent?"

  "I'm not entirely sure. I've been busy with other matters lately and didn't pay attention. But since the Prophet has already spoken out, those enthusiastic believers will surely come as promised. No one can stop them."

  "However, we should also be careful of that human kid who was with the elves last time. If he shows up again, it could be troublesome." The aged voice was tinged with caution.

  "Hmph, what can a mere human do against us?" The man sneered. "Even if he comes, he'll just be adding one more corpse to the feast."

  "True. But it's better to be cautious. The last time he escaped, he was carrying something very important on him. Ronis the old man values him greatly. He might have grown stronger."

  "Even if he's stronger, he's still just one person. What can he do against the two of us and over a hundred gargoyles?" The man sounded unconcerned. "Besides, I have a feeling he won't come. He seems like the type to avoid trouble when he can."

  "Perhaps you're right." The aged voice sounded slightly relieved. "But still, we should be prepared. The ritual requires absolute concentration. Any disturbance could be catastrophic."

  "Relax. Nothing will disturb us tomorrow." The man patted the Prophet's head. "This little fellow will ensure everyone behaves and gathers obediently. By the time they realize what's happening, it will be too late."

  "Let's hope so." The aged voice sighed. "For our sake, and for the sake of the great cause."

  The two figures gradually faded into the distance, completely vanishing into the darkness. The place returned to its deathly silence, only the air filled with the foul odor of burning trees from earlier.