Situation Changed

Northern Sea Passage's Head was bitterly cold, and the deserted Divine System temple seemed frozen solid.

Master Ban and Seven Seas Builder stood side by side at the entrance to the Divine System. Their breaths turned into clouds of white mist in the bone-chilling cold, blurring their outlines but making the determination in their eyes all the clearer.

"So this is the Divine System of the White Wolf and Soul Force."

Master Ban's voice trembled slightly in the cold, but his gaze remained exceptionally resolute.

He wore a heavy black coat, its hat pulled low over his forehead, revealing only his steadfast jaw and tightly pressed lips.

Seven Seas Builder wore a deep-colored robe. His eyes were cold and sharp, as though they could see through everything.

"The mission says there are two curses. We'll deal with them first, then head to Jia's special field."

His voice was steady and powerful, as though everything were under control.

Master Ban smiled and nodded.

"Before dealing with the special field, we need to settle things here first, so ordinary people don't panic."

His words revealed both the importance of the mission and his concern for ordinary people.

Then Master Ban murmured in a low voice:

"Born of darkness, return to darkness; clear the filth, destroy all evil."

A transparent barrier instantly enveloped the entire Divine System, sealing off the noise and disturbances from outside.

The two began clearing the mission.

They moved through the corridors of the Divine System, casually disposing of the low-level curses and Soul Force that emerged from the corners.

Those Soul Forces were like ghosts in the darkness, but before them, they had no power to fight back.

Soon, they reached the main hall of the Divine System. At its center stood a statue.

The statue wore a bamboo hat and a hunter's robe, held a sacred staff in its right hand and a dragon in its left. It was the familiar image of the Earth God known throughout Japan.

Yet beneath that dignified exterior lay a secret no one knew.

"Wait, an Earth God?" Master Ban's voice carried a trace of uncertainty.

"If the records are correct, it is indeed an Earth God."

Seven Seas Builder's expression grew solemn. His eyes lingered on the statue for a moment, as though searching for some clue.

"But shouldn't an Earth God only have two curses?"

Master Ban's doubt spread through the air.

He knew the Earth God's status in Japanese belief, and he also knew that once faith declined, curses could be born.

The Earth God, a god who protected the land, was worshipped by people.

People believed the Earth God could bring them good harvests and prosperity, so during every harvest season, they offered sacrifices and prayers.

However, when disaster struck, such as floods or droughts, people's faith would gradually collapse.

They would blame the Earth God's anger for bringing misfortune upon them.

The collapse of that faith could give rise to Soul Force similar to the Earth God.

"Indeed. The Earth God has many believers, so if curses are born, they are usually around Level Two."

Seven Seas Builder slowly spoke, his voice carrying a trace of solemnity.

"I'm afraid something has gone wrong. We can't be careless."

The two exchanged a glance and saw unease in each other's eyes.

Northern Sea Passage's Head was filled with not only bone-deep cold, but also a sense of unease. The deserted Divine System temple seemed even more oppressive.

Seven Seas Builder's voice sounded especially cold in the silence.

"If it really is an Earth God, this isn't something the two of us can handle. We need to report it to headquarters immediately."

His eyes revealed an unquestionable determination.

Master Ban's expression changed, and his heart tightened. He suddenly looked up, only to see the Earth God statue's previously closed eyes abruptly snap open. A faint green glow, like ghost fire, burned fiercely in the darkness.

The Earth God's lips curled into a sinister smile, filled with malice and disdain, as though mocking the two of them for overestimating themselves.

"I'm afraid it's too late to retreat now."

Despair tinged Master Ban's voice. He knew full well that neither he nor Seven Seas Builder was a match for the Earth God curse.

Seven Seas Builder said nothing more. He swiftly turned and pulled Master Ban toward the main doors of the Divine System.

But would the Earth God curse let them go so easily?

With a wave of its staff, two green-mouthed, fanged evil spirit curses sprang from the pool beside it.

Like messengers of the Earth God, they carried a ferocious and terrifying aura as they lunged at the two men.

The two evil spirit curses were enormous. Their mouths alone were large enough to swallow an adult whole.

Master Ban and Seven Seas Builder's hearts sank. Without time to think, they both leapt aside, narrowly dodging the evil spirit curses' attacks.

But they had no chance to fight back. They could only flee frantically, with a single thought in their minds: survive.

The two rushed out of the temple's main hall and retreated along the narrow corridor.

The cursed faces of vengeful souls behind them quietly moved through the corridor. The fleeing pair decisively hid atop the corridor's beams, where doors stood open on both sides, attempting to use the height to evade the cursed faces' pursuit.

Their choice of cover was wise. The cursed faces moved swiftly in the water, but their speed slowed considerably once they reached the corridor beams.

At some point, rain began to fall from the sky. Unlike the rain outside, which fell in every direction, this rain carried a heavy force, as though it wanted to crush people beneath it.

As the raindrops landed on them, the two felt as if they had sunk deep into mud, every step difficult.

In contrast, the cursed faces of vengeful souls were like fish in water. Their speed soared, and they quickly closed the distance between themselves and the two men.

Master Ban and Seven Seas Builder's hearts pounded like war drums. They knew full well that they had reached a critical moment of life and death.

Yet neither of them gave up hope. Supporting each other, they continued to run forward, trying to find a sliver of light in the endless darkness.

At that moment, they were no longer timid curse masters, but warriors struggling in despair and seeking light in the dark.

Their figures flickered weakly through the rain, yet their unwavering conviction burned fiercely like a blazing flame, never extinguishing.

The rain grew even more violent. Raindrops as large as beans fell like sharp blades, slicing through the air and cutting at Master Ban and Seven Seas Builder's nerves.

Finally, they fled to the broken wall before the temple, but the cursed faces of vengeful souls caught up with them at the same time, blocking their path.

The two stood back to back, cautiously on guard as they faced those several sinister cursed faces of vengeful souls. Yet there was not the slightest fear in their eyes.

"Running isn't an option. We need to find a way to deal with these cursed faces of vengeful souls first."

Master Ban took a deep breath. Rain streamed down his cheeks, mingling with sweat and making him appear even more resolute.

He turned his gaze toward Seven Seas Builder, determination blazing in his eyes.

Seven Seas Builder nodded. His gaze was calm and profound, as though he could see through everything.

"This rain is strange too. I'm afraid it's also an effect of the Earth God's spell. But so what? If we can take down these cursed faces of vengeful souls, it'll still be worth it."

His words carried an unquestionable resolve.

The cursed faces of vengeful souls closed in once more, opening their gaping, fang-filled mouths as if they wanted to swallow the two whole.

Master Ban and Seven Seas Builder charged forward without hesitation, one wielding a blade and the other a staff.