The air inside Tavern became increasingly turbid. Li Wen was like a statue melting into the shadows, quietly observing and listening. Her hood was lowered, revealing only her graceful jaw and pale lips.
Time passes slowly in the hustle and bustle. During this period, she heard at least three versions of the legend about the "Sea Serpent Queen" treasure, each of which was full of promises but full of loopholes; she also heard about the tragedy of an unlucky adventurer team encountering mutated sand crabs outside the city and almost being wiped out; there were also sailors complaining about the increasingly stringent port taxes, and a new "church" that seemed to be recruiting believers, promising eternal life and wealth.
eternal life?
Li Wen's fingertips tapped lightly on the rough wooden table, and this word touched a sensitive nerve in her. For most people in this world, eternal life is an unattainable dream, a gift from the gods, a forbidden magic, and the privilege of the saints. It is associated with the lingering undead in Decay Lineage, the flesh-and-blood deformed ones who transformed themselves, or the ancient magic that requires sacrifices and rituals. It is usually accompanied by huge costs and horrific side effects. There are few serious churches that dare to so bluntly claim that they can grant "eternal life" to their believers.
Just when she was thinking about how to further inquire about this "emerging church", Tavern's heavy wooden door was violently pushed open.
The hustle and bustle of conversation instantly dropped a few decibels, and everyone's eyes were drawn to it.
A group of five people walked in outside the door. Their clothes were completely different from the sailors or adventurers in Tavern. These people wore uniform gray-white robes with a simple but eye-catching cross emblem embroidered with blood-red silk thread. They had an almost fanatical calm on their faces, and their eyes swept over everyone in Tavern, as if they were examining a group of lost lambs.
When Li Wen glanced at the emblem on their chests, he immediately connected it with the reward on the dock bulletin board. The commission to find information on "Black Reef Bay" and "Sunken Horn" might have been issued by the organization with this cross emblem.
"Eternal Life Blessing Cult!" Someone exclaimed in a low voice, with a hint of fear and curiosity in his tone.
The leader was a tall and thin man. He walked to the center of Tavern and said in an overly loud and contagious voice, "May Radiance... no, may the eternal light bless you all, foreign travelers and tired souls!"
His companions immediately dispersed in Tavern, walking towards the outsiders who looked like they had just arrived at the port with smiles on their faces. They had no weapons in their hands and their expressions were gentle, but their unquestionable posture made people feel a subtle sense of oppression.
"We are the messengers of Eternal Life Blessing Cult," the tall and thin man continued. His voice seemed to have a strange penetrating power, able to overwhelm the original noise of Tavern. "We are here to convey the truth to every soul that longs for salvation."
He paused and slowly glanced at everyone present, including the corner where Li Wen was. "Death is not the end, and pain is not inevitable. In this world full of corruption and despair, our Lord, the great the Blessed One, is willing to bestow the gift of eternal life on every devout believer."
The atmosphere inside Tavern became extremely strange. Most of the sailors and adventurers who were originally rude and bold were silent at this moment. Some lowered their heads to drink, while others looked at these uninvited guests with ridicule or suspicion. A few new travelers to Port Belen showed curiosity and even shaken expressions.
Li Wen hid under the hood and did not act rashly. She carefully observed these members of the cult and confirmed with just one glance that there were no extraordinary beings among them. But what is worth noting is the tall and thin man. There is an indescribable bewitching power in his words. Although he does not use obvious supernatural power, he can easily attract the attention of others.
"Blessing of eternal life? It's really ridiculous!" A half-drunk sailor slammed the table and stood up, pointed at the tall and thin man and cursed, "You liars! Which god can grant eternal life? Death is the destination of everyone! You are just bastards who want to cheat money!"
The gentle smiles on the faces of the members of the cult did not disappear. One of the sturdy believers walked towards the sailor. His movements seemed very slow, but he carried an irresistible sense of power.
"My friend, your soul has been blinded by the suffering of Mortal World," the strong believer said calmly, but when approaching the sailor, the ring in his hand inadvertently lit up with a faint light, which was difficult for others to detect. "Only by accepting the blessing of our Lord can you wash away your sins and enjoy eternal blessings."
He did not take action, but just stood in front of the sailor, but the sailor seemed to be suppressed by some invisible force. His face first showed anger, and then turned to panic. Finally, he fell to the ground with a broken whimpering sound from his mouth, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying.
This scene instantly silenced the commotion that had just arisen in Tavern. Everyone fell silent. No one dared to taunt or question. Even the experienced adventurers lowered their heads and avoided eye contact with the members of the cult.
Are you not a supernatural being but possessing magical items? A bit interesting...Li Wen showed a slightly interested expression on his face and chose to continue watching.
"Our church is in the port area," the tall and thin man seemed to have turned a blind eye to everything that had just happened, and still said in that bewitching voice. "Any soul who desires to understand the true meaning of eternal life can visit us. The light of our Lord shines in all directions, and the door to eternal life is open to everyone."
They stayed in Tavern for a while, distributed some leaflets with cross emblems printed on them, and then left under the silent gaze of everyone.
Li Wen didn't move. She was still sitting in the corner, her thoughts racing.
This "Eternal Life Blessing Cult" not only has a weird name, but also has an extremely strong acting style. Even though the power they used only scared the sailor, their silent influence is definitely not something ordinary people can have. It must have used extraordinary magic items. And their emblems are consistent with the bounty, which is almost certain that they are directly related to the secrets of "Black Reef Bay" and "Sunken Horn".
Will they have anything to do with that Soul Lord?
Li Wen was thinking that she needed to get close to this religious sect to understand their details and why they were interested in those two places.
But that was not now. Li Wen glanced at the darkening sky outside.
By this time, Fu Qingyan and the others should have finished their work and returned to their free agency, right? Then it's time to go to her and ask about Sea Chart. If nothing else happens, the underwater ruins described by Sea Chart may be closely related to the place where Soul Lord was sealed.