Page 140
by adminThe Thief Guild truly lives up to its reputation as the go-to source for information. Just two days after our meeting, they delivered the red dossier I needed on the third day. Along the way, I taught Jin Luosha the internal martial arts techniques while thoroughly reviewing all the materials, committing them to memory before burning them to ashes. After a half-month journey, I arrived at the foot of Saint Spirit Mountain with Jin Luosha and Youlijia.
Originally, Holy City was established by devout followers of the Light God who gathered at the foot of Saint Spirit Mountain. In terms of scale, it naturally cannot compare to major cities like Star Shattering Abyss, nor does it match Lima City, but nearly ninety-nine percent of the city's inhabitants are fervent believers, along with a steady stream of pilgrims, making it unique on the Mainland.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted by personnel from the Temple, allowing us to bypass the usual waiting period for pilgrims and proceed directly to the Sistine Chapel atop the mountain. However, the ascent still had to be made on foot. Although Saint Spirit Mountain is not particularly tall, reaching several hundred feet in height, it takes ordinary people several hours to climb. Members of the Temple have their own means to reach the top quickly, but others must climb themselves to show respect to the Light God, even if they are kings of great nations. Such issues did not concern me; I carried Jin Luosha and followed the Temple's priest up the mountain.
At the summit of Saint Spirit Mountain lies an expansive area. Before the grand Sistine Chapel stands Victory Square, which is larger than the War God Square in the Orc Alliance's Holy City. The square features twenty-two towering statues, each several dozen feet high. On the left are the twelve sages, on the right are the seven founding monarchs of humanity, and in the center are the "Three Great Founding Fathers" —— "Ancestor of Sword Saints" Reinster on the left, "Emperor of Dragon Sealing" Chris on the right, and "Eternal Prophet" Gandi in the middle.
"Emperor of Dragon Sealing" established the first human nation, bringing the aid of dragons to humanity, laying the foundation for human dominance on the Mainland. "Ancestor of Sword Saints" created the "Nameless Sword Technique," giving humanity a formidable army and the power to dominate. "Eternal Prophet" Gandi provided humanity with faith and spirit.
Gandi was born twelve hundred years ago as a slave raised by orcs. Lacking martial talent, he suffered constant abuse. Unlike those who either submitted to fate or rebelled violently, Gandi spent years in deep contemplation, seeking to liberate not just himself but all his fellow humans. After escaping and gaining freedom, Gandi wandered far and wide, searching for ways to save humanity, traversing the entire Mainland. Through years of observation and reflection, he realized that for humanity to stand on its own, all humans must have the desire and confidence to free themselves. Thus, he began preaching the faith of the Light God, compiling a history and mythology for humanity, declaring the Light God as the chief among gods and humans as the chosen race created by the Light God, destined to rule the Mainland. However, due to indulgence and neglect of divine reverence, humans were punished with ten thousand years of hardship. Now that the time has passed, humanity would reclaim divine favor and become the masters of the Mainland.
Though these myths, clearly altered, were ridiculed by those who knew the true history, they offered a beacon of hope to the downtrodden humans. Countless people followed Gandi, listening to his teachings and spreading them further. Gandi's work extended beyond preaching; he organized people, imparted knowledge, selected talents, and established institutions. Humans began to form their own towns, cities, and cultures, developing their own beliefs and values, which ultimately became the foundation of human dominance on the Mainland.
Throughout his life, Gandi never learned any martial arts, magic, or divine skills, nor did he amass wealth or power. Yet his wisdom and ideas became the ultimate force that changed the world. At his death, hundreds of thousands of followers held his funeral, during which the Light God performed miracles, revealing a diamond-like crystalline skull in his cremated ashes, imbued with divine power. This skull became the revered clan relic known as the "Eternal Holy Grail."
Two hundred years after Gandi's death, when "Emperor of Dragon Sealing" founded the nation, Gandi's successors established the Radiant Temple and declared the Light God as the guardian deity of humanity. From then on, Gandi's status as the foremost founding father among humans remained unchallenged. Though I consider Gandi a charlatan who achieved his goals through fabricated stories, even so, he led hundreds of thousands of believers without accumulating wealth or enjoying luxuries, never marrying or having children, living a life of asceticism, dedicating his entire being to his race, achieving unparalleled accomplishments. His great compassion, great aspirations, and great merit surpass even the Buddha of my past life. Even my proud master Huang Yaoshi would bow in respect and admiration.
After sincerely paying homage to Gandi's statue, we entered the Sistine Chapel. This vast cathedral spans numerous buildings, yet the highest hall is only one story tall. Standing in the center of the hall and looking up, the dome adorned with 1,842 stained-glass windows depicting a heavenly panorama seems to hang in the clouds, a marvel unseen in both this life and the past.
The Temple officials who had been waiting for us led us into a side hall. In a simple yet dignified room, I met the individuals responsible for this meeting.
There were only three people present. Leading them was a beautiful woman in her twenties, with rare jet-black hair, a face like a painting, eyes like lacquered dots, and beauty rivaling Catherine. Her skin was as smooth and pure as porcelain, exuding an elegant and noble aura, resembling a princess or queen of a great empire. Beside her stood two elders, one wearing the robes of a high priest and the other dressed as a mage, adorned with a Grand Mage emblem symbolizing the highest honor in magic.
0 Comments