The Solar Cult

The old man invited us to stay in Willow Village, which was a good suggestion, but if I wanted a comfortable life, I had many other places to choose from, so why come to Mount Targon?

Varus and I continued our quest for the gods. When we got hungry, we picked some wild fruit to eat along the way. The fruit here was much sweeter than that in the outside world, and after eating it, we were full of energy!

Then I suddenly remembered Lulu's fairyland; the scenery in the two places was so similar! If we made jam from the fruits here, would it also have health benefits?

Never mind, I'll eat as much as I can. Judging from the energy I feel in my body, this fruit is good for me!

Mount Targon high into the clouds; it doesn't look far, but it's actually quite a walk. The two of us hurried until the sun was high in the sky before we even reached the vicinity. 👻♕ 👺♥

The old man said that many tribes lived on Mount Targon, and they became more powerful the higher you went. In fact, we didn't need to climb up the mountain step by step from the bottom. I used the Wind Force and Varus's wings to fly directly to the top.

There was no feeling of oxygen deficiency here, nor was there any snow accumulation; the rocks were exposed everywhere, creating a desolate atmosphere.

"Would gods live in such a place?" Varus wondered.

"I don't know either. Let's see if we can ask someone."

We wandered around the summit but didn't see a single person. We only found many stone altars and similar structures. After a while, we finally found a stone house.

Two men stood in front of the house, dressed in simple coarse cloth and carrying Steel Spear; they appeared to be two guards.

Having finally spotted some living people, Varus and I quickly went over to greet them, "Hello."

The two men became very wary after spotting us, gripping their Steel Spear and pointing them at us. "Who are you?!"

"Don't be agitated. We are outsiders, here seeking divine help. May I ask where this place is?"

"This is the prison of the Solar Cult. If you seek divine help, you can ask the elders." After saying this, the two guards pointed out the way to a place surrounded by huge rocks not far away.

After thanking the two men, Varus and I set off to search for the location of the Solar Cult, which they had mentioned.

There are many buildings here, resembling a small town. Because of the low-lying terrain and the surrounding boulders, it is not easy to find.

At the same time, I found it very strange. There wasn't even a blade of grass nearby. How did the people live? Were they all so powerful that they didn't need to eat, drink, or rest like the Ascended?

The people here dressed simply, but Varus and I were very conspicuous. After learning our purpose, they led us to the Grand Papacy of the Solar Cult.

To enter the Vatican, one must first undergo a "holy baptism," which is essentially a prayer recited by a sect elder.

I wasn't interested in this kind of thing, so I just muddled through it. Varus, on the other hand, was exceptionally serious and recited it very fluently. Afterwards, the elder even praised him.

"Your sincere heart will surely receive the blessing of the Sun God."

"Elder, you flatter me. I am Ascended of Shurima, already blessed by the Sun God."

No wonder he was so serious; it was because of our shared faith. The elder of the Solar Cult seemed to have heard of the Ascended as well. He smiled and nodded, then led us into the Holy See.

There were many believers in the Vatican. When the elders came in, they immediately knelt down behind everyone and prayed together. It wasn't appropriate for us to stand, so we had to kneel down as well.

They just prayed before coming in, and now they want to continue? Don't these people find it boring?

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Before coming to Mount Targon, the elders in Willow Village said that the higher you go, the stronger people become, but after carefully sensing it, I didn't detect any powerful aura.

I looked up at the person in the main seat, dressed in magnificent clothes. He must be a bishop or something. His aura was a little different, but I didn't sense that he was particularly powerful.

This is already the summit, why is that?

At that moment, a samurai made eye contact with me. She was the only one here who didn't need to pray. When she saw me raise my head, she glared at me angrily. I quickly lowered my head to avoid being kicked out.

The warrior wore golden armor, held a holy sword in his hand, had long brown hair hanging down his back, and had three-dimensional features and a resolute face.

I know her— Leona!

Ever since I arrived at the Solar Cult, I've been wondering if I'd run into her. I didn't expect to encounter her so soon. But seeing her glaring at me, I think my first impression of her isn't very good.

After a while, everyone finally finished praying and gathered around the bishop to await his blessing. At this moment, the elder who had brought us in stretched out his hand, the meaning of which was unclear.

Does he want money?

It was a bit unexpected, but thinking about it, it's possible. Otherwise, how would the people here survive?

I tried taking out a few gold coins and handing them to him. The elder was very pleased. "Your heart is very devout. Wait here for the bishop to answer your questions."

The elder finished speaking and left, but Varus and I stood there, stunned. A few gold coins and you think you're devout? I clearly didn't say a word after that.

I don't care about the few gold coins; what I really care about is how such a sect can answer my questions. I don't believe that such people can serve the gods.

"I have a feeling we've been tricked?" Varus asked me in a low voice.

"Anyway, it's quite surprising. I didn't see how powerful they were; they seemed rather decadent. But we can't make that conclusion. People need to eat to live. Maybe they really can communicate with the gods. Let's wait and see."

As we were talking, Leona came over. "Who are you two?"

"We come from a place called Shurima in the outside world, and we'd like to ask you some questions..."

"I'm not interested in your questions. You just said you didn't see the power of the Solar Cult, but rather its decadence. It seems you're quite confident in your own abilities?"

I didn't expect her to hear such a soft sound. How good is Leona's hearing? Of course, it could also be because she was staring at me the whole time. But there's no point in thinking about it now. Since I've been exposed, I should apologize.

"I'm sorry, Lei... Your Excellency, I meant no harm, really." I almost let it slip; in my panic, I forgot what I was going to say next.

"I am Leona, a Templar. State your names, strangers."

Yasuo.

Varus.

"Yasuo, Varus, please refrain from uttering any words that would tarnish the Solar Cult. Also, you've already paid your wish money; the Lord will answer your questions, so don't worry."

Hearing this, I breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, she didn't seem to care about what had just happened, or they might have gotten into a fight.

She also said that we were paying a wish fee, which seems to be the rule here. I hope the bishop can help me!

Just as we were waiting to be summoned, chaos suddenly broke out in the hall. Someone among the praying crowd stirred up the confusion, shouting:

Long live the new moon!