Chapter 940: Chapter 133: The Ritual Lifted
They bypassed the Joseph Manor occupied by anomalies, climbed over Sugard Mountain, and were met with the cold from the Main Affinity Continent along with the wilderness.
"It seems like it’s going to snow again." Katerina wrapped herself tightly in a blanket.
"Miss Katerina, your hand..."
Puxiu just saw Katerina’s hand twisted into a warped shape.
"It’s the residue from the Land of Vortex."
Katerina said indifferently. Her left hand wasn’t her dominant one, and looking on the bright side, her vortex-shaped hand had a stronger grip.
At least a lot of unfortunate souls who entered the Land of Vortex never came back out, like Elena and Pav.
The members of the Twisted Church spread out, transforming from a ring of guards to a formation surrounding Lu Li’s group, stretching into a line several meters long.
This stance would make anomalies that don’t rely on vision realize they were difficult to provoke, while also allowing them to sense the approach of intangible anomalies in advance.
The dampness spreading on the mountainside made the church members’ cloaks heavy and sodden, but they didn’t mind the slipperiness. Katerina wasn’t used to such moisture; the cold dampness almost seeped into her bones.
Suddenly, Ophelia seemed like a furnace, exuding warmth to dispel the damp coldness.
Katerina felt much better and her bias toward her lessened a bit.
With the protection of the Twisted Church members and Ophelia’s warmth, the silhouette of Watch Town emerged at the edge of the distant mist.
Its condition was as dire as the already ruined Belfast, the town’s silhouette covered with the mottled dark hues of a faded painting, buildings with softened edges like shadowy corners wrapped in moss.
Mycelium blanketed the outskirts of the town, guarding it.
Whether the pathway to hell and Hades escaping into hell still existed was unknown.
And outside the mycelium, tilted wooden signposts stood like gravestones. The graffiti on them was unintelligible until they discovered one sign stating, "Teyegolai Family Territory, No Trespassing."
They were already very close to the mottled mycelium on the outskirts. The tentacle cultist stopped.
"Further ahead, the Teyegolai Family will detect us."
"What is that?"
The mycelium not far away suddenly bulged, changing shape cloud-like during growth, finally forming into the outline of Lu Li.
"Unbeliever traveling with heretics, why have you come here."
Countless friction sounds arose, vibrating the air into human language.
"I am looking for the Shadow of the Maiden, an evil spirit named Anna." Lu Li said.
"We haven’t seen her. War is about to begin, retreat."
The shadowy outline of Lu Li turned toward Watch Town. On the distant horizon, a cloud darker than the overcast was approaching.
"Should we wait a bit?" Katerina asked.
"No need, we’re going back."
War, this term represents large-scale conflict.
"The Teyegolai Family" was evidently well-versed in language. If they said war, it meant a real war was about to break out on the mountainside, possibly even spreading to Belfast.
The farther away they were, the better.
"Then where to look for her next?"
"Himfast."
Following Anna’s trail, Lu Li knew she must have been there.
They retraced their steps as the war over Watch Town had already begun.
The dark clouds solidified into the outline of spears, thrusting down from the overcast.
A mottled giant claw rose from Watch Town, reaching for the skyward spears.
The spear pierced the giant claw, crashing into Watch Town, raising a black wave several meters high, surging and spreading.
It seemed the Teyegolai Family was at a disadvantage.
"Do you know what the intruders are?" Lu Li asked the tentacle cultist.
"Pavlov Shapechangers, they’re fighting for territory."
The Teyegolai Family launched a counterattack; the mycelium within Watch Town protruded, supporting a black anthillic column over the Pavlov Shapechangers. The mottled mycelium scattered around the town rose like smoke, pulling downward toward the town.
"They’re the servants of the ancient god, the Six-Faced Beetle." The tentacle cultist proactively revealed secrets to Lu Li.
"Why then are they hostile?"
"The ancient god is dead; they are masterless lambs."
The tentacle cultist then revealed the reason to Lu Li for sharing the secrets: "Our master was a god ruling the world in olden days, and it still exists, strong."
It hoped Lu Li would join them.
Lu Li ignored it, and the tentacle cultist didn’t press further. It wasn’t a radical heretic, and radical heretics weren’t allowed to join the gathering place.
And as the price for revealing the information to Lu Li, a merchant handed a box containing an eyeball to the tentacle cultist, along with 560 contribution points.
The war over distant Watch Town gradually became enveloped by moisture, leaving only the sound of vibrations spreading there.
They climbed over Sugard Mountain, returning to the Twisted Church gathering spot.
Next, Lu Li would return to the Elm Forest to board Andrea headed for Himfast.
But before that, Lu Li needed to resolve a problem.
"Be back in five minutes."
The Twisted Church chapel, Lu Li said.
The merchant quietly walked outside the chapel, disappearing into the cold light.
"Let’s hurry and find Miss Anna."
Barry’s voice brought back the attention of everyone gazing outside the chapel.
"Yes."
Lu Li nodded, looking at the twisted figure on the divine seat.
But before saying goodbye, a whisper from the oracle-delivering cultist echoed.
"Barry is an evil spirit."
Katerina and Puxiu froze, looking at the bewildered Barry in astonishment. He clumsily stammered, "I... I’m not, look at my arm."
Barry displayed his mantis-like curved forearm. It was the pollution from the Land of Vortex when he lent a pendant to Katerina.
"They say Barry is a companion impersonated by an evil spirit, it distorts your memory and perception; when the merchant appears, it disappears."
Lu Li frowned in thought.
They didn’t remember this.
"The merchant just doesn’t like me!" Barry couldn’t help but cry out to defend himself.
"He saved me in the Land of Vortex, I trust him." Katerina whispered as well.
"I... I only know it tricked us into doing a second thing before." Puxiu mumbled softly.
Ophelia stood beside Lu Li, firmly supporting him.
Lu Li stared at the twisted figure on the divine seat, comparing the differences between his experiences and its narrative.
"The merchant returns in five minutes, right?"
"Yes."
Lu Li looked at Katerina, Puxiu, and Barry: "Then wait five minutes."
His decision revealed some suspicion, causing the steadfast Puxiu and Katerina to doubt, quietly moving closer to Lu Li.
Five minutes felt longer than expected.
When Katerina and Puxiu felt several "five minutes" had passed and were nearly convinced by Barry’s words, the merchant’s silhouette emerged in front of the chapel.
The twisted cognition returned, realizing Barry stood there abruptly, not leaving upon the merchant’s arrival.
"You don’t smell good anymore, never mind."
Barry murmured in a sinister whisper, inconsistent with his hearty demeanor, before disappearing on the spot.
It left due to the humanity in Lu Li.
"Will it appear again?" Katerina asked.
"It shouldn’t," Lu Li replied.
Barry wasn’t defeated. What drove it away was Lu Li no longer possessing the humanity that attracted it. Until his humanity grew, it wouldn’t entangle itself again.
Just to be sure, they repeated the process, and this time Barry didn’t reappear.