At first, it affected only a few Apostles who had ventured too close to that region.
Initially, they thought they were simply hearing things.
But as time passed, the phenomenon grew increasingly severe. Eventually, every Apostle who set foot in the Hermitage heard those whispers in their mind. Then an incident involving a mutation forced them to issue an order forbidding any Apostle except the First Apostle from entering the Hermitage.
A mutation had occurred.
One Apostle went mad amid the whispers.
His body began to deteriorate, and viscous erosion marks appeared on his skin. During a gathering, he lost control and killed the two Apostles accompanying him, along with over a hundred clergy. One of the victims was his wife. Although he soon regained his senses, he could not endure the immense anguish and took his own life.
In the area where his transformation had occurred, erosion marks began to spread, gradually corroding everyone who entered.
And it was because something so horrific had happened.
For the first time, the Hidden Cultivation Society became divided and uncertain about the path they were following.
Some believed the whispers came from their god and ought to be accepted. But more believed they were pollution from the Deep Sea, the calamity their god was fighting, a sign that something had gone wrong within the Sealing Ground...
Yet there was one thing they could never deny or refute.
Those whispers came from their angelic bloodline...
"Even so, my older brother and I kept the situation under control. Older Brother suppressed every dissenting voice and imposed strict control over the Hidden Cultivation Society for a very long time. Gradually, we silenced those voices, but the whispers remained. All we could do was forbid anyone from entering the Hermitage."
Her voice gradually grew distant and