---

Chapter 30: Reverse Scale

Although the scene was slightly different from the outside world shrouded in gray fog before, the disorienting sensation from the pet contract felt exactly the same as when facing the Phantom Cloud.

Inside the Eternal Guardian Light, while there’s an effect that prohibits spatial transfers and creates illusory space fields, the effects are significantly weakened at this depth, after all, Vilyric hadn’t anticipated encountering such a situation when she released it; she only covered a range of three hundred meters below the surface based on minimal standards.

Vilyric didn’t rush to break through the space using the same method again. On one hand, they were underground, and causing chaos could lead to some troublesome situations; on the other hand, she also wanted to see what the other party intended to do.

Soon, a hazy gray space stabilized, and the scenery quickly became clear.

Where Vilyric found herself was in front of a magnificent and grand temple standing on the ground.

Strangely, Xiao Guang, Edwina Cecelia, and Epunya were also right beside the Priestess. It seemed the other party didn’t intend to separate them like before.

Only Leila and Renée, the Winged Sisters, had vanished.

“Tsk.”

The Little Dragon Daughter tilted her head in displeasure and looked at the Black-haired Girl with a questioning gaze.

Clearly, after being toyed with multiple times using the same trick, and having lost the two girls who had accompanied her in playing cards for more than a month and could be considered companions, the short-tempered Giant Dragon couldn’t hold back any longer. The other party didn’t seriously think she was utterly powerless against this, did they?

“Wait a little longer, this should be the final place.”

Vilyric didn’t make any guarantees or say much, just gently patted her pet’s head on tiptoe and strode towards the temple door.

The Little Dragon Daughter, who shared an understanding with her master, naturally grasped her intent and temporarily repressed the impulse to completely destroy the place, quickly following behind.

Edwina and Mr. Epunya exchanged slightly helpless glances and hurried to follow suit.

Although they were legendary existences that ordinary people could only look up to in their lifetime, here in this mysterious place, they seemed to be completely useless…

The temple constructed from the illusory space was vast, yet its furnishings and arrangements were almost identical to the previous underground altar, even the mural depicting the protagonist remained as the Earth Mother Goddess Xi Fu, only with much more detail and refinement.

If this temple truly reflects a past existence, then the previous underground altar must have been modeled after it.

In the center of the temple, magnified by tenfold, stood an altar, but this time it wasn’t a stone statue that stood upon it.

The Earth Mother Goddess Xi Fu, with long hair and a skirt entwined like tree roots, stood serenely on the divine platform, her light gray, ethereal eyes gazing at the four who walked in through the temple doors, specifically fixed on the Black-robed Priestess and her Giant Dragon behind.

“Those who worship the divine, why not bow in reverence?”

The divine voice, though not loud, instantly transcended the temple and echoed in the minds of the four, overwhelming them with an will like a truth of the world. The half-beastman Epunya momentarily lost his senses, almost instinctively about to kneel.

Although Edwina was also slightly affected and her gaze appeared a bit blurred, at that moment, a thin layer of nearly imperceptible golden light suddenly enveloped her body.

Like a blessing granted by the divine, it instantly cleared the Holy Knight’s expression, and she hurried to help Epunya, who had already fallen to the ground.

“Hmph, pretentious!”

While a worship ceremony may be the most normal ritual for the divine, in the ears of the already upset Giant Dragon, it was nothing but a significant provocation.

With Vilyric showing no signs of stopping her, Xiao Guang could no longer hold back.

In an instant, with the golden vertical pupils as a start, a terrifying pressure burst forth like an unstoppable tide, completely shattering the divine will spreading throughout the temple, causing even the figure of the Earth Mother Goddess on the altar to become slightly hazy.

Vilyric still did not stop her.

This thing wasn’t truly the Earth Mother Goddess Xi Fu; just like the remnant soul sealed in the stone statue within the Priestess’s pocket, centuries of time had long caused them to split, change, and form nearly independent individuals.

The Earth Mother Goddess Xi Fu had long since perished.

If she is neither a god, how can she claim to be one? Show respect to the divine?

She’s just a Pseudo-God.

If the other party was willing to lower their stance and talk nicely, Vilyric wouldn’t mind giving her a chance, after all, this being should have a lot of information.

However…

“Blasphemer, you shall suffer death for your impudence!”

After a fierce blow from the Little Dragon Daughter, the will formed from the remnants of Xi Fu’s soul finally wavered, its false divinity crumbling instantly. Just as she frantically shouted this line.

The air suddenly quieted.

On the other side, thanks to the momentary stillness, the two mortals finally broke free from the divine suppression entirely.

“What… is going on?”

The nondescript half-beastman muttered quietly, but in the bizarre atmosphere enveloping the temple, his voice was so faint like a mosquito that Edwina quickly gestured for silence.

The Holy Knight could feel all the light elements around her bursting forth with incredible rage at that last moment along with their master.

The Goddess, was angry.

“Is it a death of aeons…?”

Vilyric stepped forward expressionlessly.

“Radiance.”

Light patterns spread out.

“Courage, Wisdom.”

Two more brilliant halos appeared behind the Black-haired Girl.

“Discipline, Source, Resilience, Protection, Soaring, Holy Counter, Eternity.”

Colors of every type, vibrant and dazzling lights began to sprawl beneath and behind her.

With every word uttered, a new halo adorned the girl, causing her presence—along with the ever-present Golden-haired Dragon Daughter beside her and the two adventurers who stood frozen—to soar in unison.

The supreme presence, for the first time, thoroughly and unreservedly manifested in this world, to the point where with every step Vilyric took forward, the presence of the Earth Mother Goddess had to retreat under the pressure.

Stopping in front of the altar, the Black-haired Girl faced the Pseudo-God who was already teetering on the edge.

Like a true deity descending onto the world, the priestess, with a tone devoid of any emotion, yet one that halted breaths, slowly spoke.

“So, say that again?”

The figure of the Earth Mother Goddess swayed like a tiny boat in a storm, its beautiful and holy face shimmering with an expression of doubt akin to that of a mere mortal.

But in the end, she seemed unable to endure the suppression.

“You blasphemous…”

“Light.”

With a gentle note, a brilliant holy spear broke through the air from behind the Black-haired Girl, piercing directly into the chest of the Earth Mother Goddess, sending her crashing against the wall of the temple, spear and all embedded within.

Just like the evil beast pinned by Xi Fu with a tree spear on the mural behind her.

Vilyric continued to walk forward.

Even the most unruly Giant Dragon Daughter was now rendered speechless by the overwhelming intimidation radiating from the White Robed Girl, unable to dare make a sound.

The golden Radiant Spirit rose behind Vilyric and under the overlapping amplification of the Holy Light, even if Vilyric did not cast any single target amplification skills, that terrifying level 110 presence already caused the entire temple to tremble and become increasingly illusory.

Surrounded by light, the girl approached the Pseudo-God who had been pierced by the holy spear yet hadn’t perished, helplessly struggling in mid-air.

Although she looked up to her, her gaze was like that of a ruler looking down at humble ants.

“So, say that again?”