A light rain fell from the sky. The droplets tapped gently against the stone-paved road, creating a rhythmic sound.

Fortunately, the road remained clean and firm. The rain seemed to wash away any dust, leaving the surface glistening under the gray light.

This was the wealthy district of Begalei. Though established only a few years ago, it already exuded an air of affluence.

Originally, this area was just an empty plot of land across the river, outside the city. After Mooneclipse City was designated as the capital, the city walls were expanded to incorporate it.

The buildings here were all new and inhabited by wealthy merchants.

Of course, this was not considered the most prestigious residential area in Mooneclipse City. In this world, the highest status still belonged to the temple clergy and the kingdom’s nobility.

A Snake Person wearing a long, belted robe and a waterproof cape led several people through the streets.

Finally, they arrived at a courtyard with tightly shut gates, giving the impression that no one ever entered or left.

From the high windows of this building, one could see the cemetery across the river.

Based on his investigation, Kiton had quickly discovered multiple incidents of corpse theft, some dating back several years. Recently, there had also been a few strange disappearances.

However, these cases had no leads or conclusions, and nobody had ever investigated them.

Over time, they simply turned into unresolved mysteries.

Following the most recent corpse theft, his investigation revealed that the cemetery’s keeper was involved. He then followed this lead all the way to this place.

According to the keeper, he would silently transfer fresh corpses across the river by boat at night, where strange people would be waiting to receive them.

Through further investigation, Kiton found this peculiar building.

It was said that during the day, the building appeared abandoned and dilapidated, its door always remaining firmly shut.

But when night fell, strange, concealed figures would suddenly appear inside the building.

This had sparked many eerie rumors in the neighborhood, though few people truly believed them.

Kiton instructed several of his men to keep watch over the exits and entrances. He then prepared to go inside and investigate, aiming to confirm if this place was, as the cemetery keeper claimed, a gathering spot for sinister corpse eaters.

A man approached Kiton and spoke. “Lord Kiton, people say this place comes alive at night, but no one has ever seen anyone enter or leave.”

“That is quite strange.”

Kiton replied, “It means there must be a hidden passage or some method of entry that others don’t know about.”

“Of course, that is only if that fellow was telling the truth.”

That fellow, naturally, referred to the cemetery keeper.

Kiton climbed over the wall into the courtyard with deliberate care. He activated his Divine Technique, “Divine Technique: Silence.”

This ensured that his every movement was completely soundless.

He circled the spacious courtyard before entering the building. He immediately discovered signs of human activity inside, though no one was visible.

He followed the traces and soon found the entrance to a cellar.

Carefully, he made his way down the steps.

Once below, he discovered a vast underground space. His eyes quickly caught sight of several figures moving about in the distance.

The center had been arranged into a magnificent banquet hall. A long table was placed at the elevated end, along with several Snake Person-style round-legged chairs. Snake People typically sat on these, wrapping their tails around the high round legs for support.

The hall was supported by pillars carved with floral patterns and surrounded by wooden doors and passages.

This underground area seemed to be their true gathering place, while the building above merely served as a cover.

“Hurry up!”

“Are the positions set?”

“Today’s guests include important figures, people beyond your imagination. If anything goes wrong, punishment will be the least of your worries.”

“Everyone, be serious.”

Kiton observed that these people were all Ability Users, but they were merely entry-level apprentices who posed no threat to him.

They appeared to be in the midst of preparations for some kind of ceremony. It seemed the event had not yet officially started.

From their behavior, it was clear they were waiting for the arrival of the real guests.

Kiton pushed open a nearby wooden door and saw shelves holding identical clay pots that emitted a nauseating smell. After opening one to look inside, he nearly vomited.

Inside was a pair of human eyes, preserved in some kind of liquid to prevent decomposition.

At that moment, someone suddenly passed by outside. Kiton immediately placed his hand on his Book of the Witch Spirit, ready to use his Divine Techniques if necessary.

However, the person merely walked past without any intention of entering.

“Why hasn’t the Chief arrived yet?”

“He must be greeting that important person.”

“Who could it be that requires the Chief to personally receive them?”

“Stop guessing and just wait patiently.”

Kiton waited until there was no movement outside before he pushed the door open and stepped out.

He hid behind pillars to avoid being seen as he entered several more rooms.

Finally, he came across a room that was clearly locked. Using his Divine Techniques, he managed to unlock it and slip inside.

Inside, Kiton found many books. He picked one up from the table titled 【Cannibal Cult Secret Rituals】.

“Cannibal Cult?”

Kiton had never heard of such a thing, though its very name sounded evil.

After browsing through the book, he found it contained a great deal of knowledge about medicine.

It described the functions of different human organs and the secrets of the human body.

If one only looked at these sections, the book could almost be considered a medical text.

But the content that followed was unspeakably evil.

“After Divine Beings created the intelligent species, each intelligent being possessed an extraordinary bloodline. If one could find the appropriate method, one could devour the power of others.”

“And this method is the secret ritual I have compiled in this text.”

Just this passage alone made Kiton feel a chill run down to his bones.

He stood frozen, unable to turn to the next page for a long time.

He thought he could guess what the “appropriate method” might be.

When Kiton finally turned the page, it detailed the same unspeakably evil ritual he had imagined.

This book was clearly guiding its readers on how to gain supernatural power by committing the horrifying act of consuming their own kind.

Even more frightening was the realization that this was not just a product of imagination.

The author had evidently succeeded.

The book included some illustrations. Though they were simple sketches, they conveyed an indescribable madness and corruption.

Turning toward the back, Kiton found content that left him completely flabbergasted.

The materials described were no longer human.

The author of this book had somehow summoned monsters from the Abyss through rituals and then used them as ingredients. However, this method proved too costly, with a high price and great risk, so the author had not attempted it many times.

Kiton could not fathom the kind of deranged mind capable of devising such methods and carrying out such experiments.

He turned to the final pages, where the author had depicted a scene that did not exist in this world.

It was a star burning with raging flames.

But the angle of the illustration was strange. Stars should be in the sky, viewed from below. Yet in this picture, the star seemed to be in a dark, bottomless chasm.

Looking closely, one could see thousands of human figures wailing within the flaming star, as if they were being boiled in magma or struggling in a vat of oil.

The more he looked, the more his scalp tingled with horror.

Below the image was a line of text: “The Lord of Purgatory wields a flaming whip, watching us hungrily from atop the burning star, waiting for us to enter the kingdom of Purgatory.”

“Do you hear it? The thunderous roaring sound from its abdomen.”

“Cannibals will suffer its curse. We eat people, He eats us, this is fate.”

The final word, “fate,” seemed scrawled askew, as if the writer had been too terrified to hold the pen steady.

He had discovered the cannibals’ secret, compiled this 【Cannibal Cult Secret Rituals】, and even arrogantly used Abyss monsters as his ingredients.

He had proudly recorded his great achievements in the book, but then he suddenly realized that a more terrifying existence had set its sights on him.

From the moment he tasted the forbidden fruit, the curse had followed him like a shadow.

Or perhaps all his power was, itself, a curse.

Kiton’s eyes focused on the name. “Lord of Purgatory?”

Since its birth, Purgatory had finally begun to appear before the public.

The author of this book had used “He” to describe this entity.

In the author’s view, this was undoubtedly a Divine Being.

Through this book, Kiton truly sensed the extraordinary nature of this Cannibal Cult. He had confirmed many things, but the notebook’s contents far exceeded his expectations, making him want to leave this place immediately.

After confirming their location, he knew what the next step must be.

The cult was likely planning to hold a gathering this very night.

He had already made up his mind. Once he left, he would immediately mobilize the Witch Spirits, temples, and security forces to completely eradicate this evil cult.

Kiton emerged from the room and saw that more people were now outside.

He had to use another Divine Technique to conceal himself.

Divine Techniques were useful tools that could achieve various effects, but against powerful beings, using them could attract unwanted attention and become a vulnerability.

He passed between pillars, quickly heading toward the way he came in.

As Kiton was leaving, he saw several Snake People carrying a crystal coffin down the steps. Inside the coffin, a woman’s corpse was preserved in ice. It was the very corpse he had initially been searching for.

She was the daughter of the fallen temple attendant family, the Spore Leaf family.

Looking at the corpse, Kiton suddenly felt nauseated and wanted nothing more than to capture all of these people at once.

“Despicable!”

“These vile and corrupt individuals.”

Kiton quickened his pace.

As he stepped out of the cellar tunnel, he was caught off guard. A group of people stood waiting for him at the top of the stairs.

A masked figure thrust a supernatural dagger emitting a black light at Kiton from behind.

Kiton reacted quickly, immediately employing the Witch Spirit’s most distinctive ability.

“Reality Shift.”

Kiton’s form instantly turned incorporeal. He escaped the fatal strike and immediately tried to rush outside.

But another masked figure blocked his path, holding a delicate white scepter. Looking closer, one could see it was crafted from a bone.

The figure seemed to know Kiton’s identity and immediately called out his name.

“Lord Kiton.”

“Why not be content as a judge instead of coming here?”

“But since you have arrived, do not think about leaving.”

The white bone scepter waved, and black energy in the form of flowing light surrounded Kiton from multiple directions.

Even more terrifying, a horrifying black shadow on the ground rose up and lunged at Kiton.

Kiton’s expression instantly changed as he recognized this power, which contained the laws of a curse mark.

“A Third-Rank Ability User?”

Kiton placed his hand on his law-code-shaped Book of the Witch Spirit and immediately summoned his Text Contract Spirit.

Knowing he was no match for his opponent, he sought to use the power of the law code to suppress the other, though the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents’ Spirit of Legal Code was not yet particularly powerful.

“In the name of the law code!”

“I declare you guilty and sentence you to…”

But midway through his recitation, Kiton suddenly stopped.

He looked down at his hands and body, which were now covered with black spots.

The masked person holding the bone scepter could not help but laugh. “Young man,” he said to Kiton, “you should not touch others’ belongings, understand?”

“Those items are poisoned.”

“It is a poison made from Abyss monsters. You did not notice, did you?”

Kiton was a Witch Spirit who had spent most of his life studying in the wasteland, with little experience in the mortal world.

He had a burning passion but clearly lacked experience in many areas.

Perhaps it was precisely this youthful naivety that fueled his passionate spirit.

Kiton looked at his opponent. “Fallen ones who devour their own kind, you will all face judgment.”

The black shadow on the ground rose up and tore Kiton apart.

Several Cannibal Cult members gathered around, seemingly wanting to claim something from the body.

But they found that he had left nothing behind.

Watching Kiton dissipate like ash, they were all puzzled.

“What is this?”

“He died without leaving a corpse.”

The Cannibal Cult Chief spoke. “This is a Witch Spirit.”

A member of the cult approached the Chief. “Chief, this place has been discovered. Should we not evacuate immediately? It does not seem safe to stay here.”

The Chief immediately refused. “No need. We can discuss that after tonight.”

“This Kiton is dead, and I have dealt with the people he brought outside. They will not discover us so quickly now.”

“Besides, tonight is extremely important. That person will be joining us.”

“So, tonight must proceed without any problems. We must successfully recruit them. If we miss this chance, they might change their mind next time.”

Beneath his mask, the Cannibal Cult Chief’s eyes had completely changed, now filled with ambition.

“After tonight, everything will change.”

Not far from the High Executive Office stood a grand palace.

Its high walls loomed over the surroundings and were heavily guarded at all times.

This was the royal palace of the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents. Over time, as the King of Ten Thousand Serpents became more of a symbol than a ruler with real power, the palace, too, lost much of its former grandeur.

An elderly, white-haired Snake Person holding a book was explaining its contents to a young man.

The book contained ancient epics about how King Alpens implemented reforms, taking royal power from the ancient Fire Guardians to establish the Suinhor City-State.

It told the story of how this ancient hero became the first king of the Snake People.

“The Divine Beings chose King Alpens.”

“Under divine authority came royal authority.”

“The king is chosen by the Divine Beings. No one in this world can replace the royal bloodline.”

The elderly Snake Person was from Suinhor and was even a former temple attendant. However, due to an accident, he could no longer use Divine Techniques, so he left the temple and became a renowned scholar.

The young man listening was Akmanmon, the King of Ten Thousand Serpents.

The elderly Snake Person being hired as the King’s teacher was certainly no coincidence.

And the King’s decision to choose such a teacher was surely deliberate.

When Akmanmon was still a confused child in his mother’s arms, he was pushed by the times onto the throne.

His father died tragically while campaigning against the Thunderlake Kingdom, and the Dark Moon General seized power. At that time, he was oblivious, even laughing at the general who brought troops to force his way into the palace.

He became king in a haze.

Some told him he was the supreme king of the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents.

Others told him he was not a king, just a puppet.

He would become furious and even loudly rebuke them, saying he was the true master of this country.

But when he truly stood before the Dark Moon General, watching that man who led thousands of conquering troops ride a Land Dragon from afar, he could only tremble in his shadow. He was still just a child.

He followed the other’s thoughts, saying the words the other commanded him to say.

His mother once tried to regain power, even planning a coup.

Then, she mysteriously fell ill and passed away.

He had no support and could not resist. He was taken from his home and brought to this strange city.

Now, he lived alone in this unfamiliar palace.

News constantly arrived from the outside, telling of the Dark Moon General’s greatness and brilliant victories.

But later, Dark Moon also passed away.

He thought his nightmare had ended. He excitedly ran to the palace gates, believing he could finally escape his imprisonment.

But even with Dark Moon gone, he still could not pass through those doors or escape his cage.

His childhood passed amidst tragedies and power struggles, spent in a prison called the royal palace.

Seeing Akmanmon lost in thought, the elderly Snake Person assumed he was moved by his words.

So, he stepped closer, quietly consoling his student.

“Your Majesty, if you desire, the disciples of the Crimson will assist you in reclaiming your power.”

“With divine protection, you can reclaim everything that rightfully belongs to the King of Ten Thousand Serpents.”

Akmanmon looked up. “Teacher, do you have a way to make me an Ability User?”

The young King of Ten Thousand Serpents seemed to have asked this question before, making the elderly Snake Person somewhat helpless.

“In this world, there are two ways to become an Ability User. One is to be born with talent, and the other is to have an innate affinity for divine power.”

“And Your Majesty, you have neither.”

“Power and strength sometimes cannot be possessed simultaneously.”

He seemed to be advising the King that having power meant he should not also seek strength.

In the era of the Trilobite Men, there was another method: the Bestowing of Power.

But this Divine Technique from the Creator disappeared along with the Trilobite Men.

Akmanmon was not receptive to the elderly Snake Person’s words but did not directly refute them. He only said softly, “Power without strength…”

He did not say the rest aloud.

“Is merely another form of being a puppet.”

Akmanmon once again thought of Dark Moon, that dark knight who came from afar carrying immense power.

That was the moment the young king truly understood how deeply intimidating those with strength could be, an intimidation that struck directly at the heart.

Only by possessing strength could one gain true freedom. Only then would what one possessed truly belong to oneself.

His teacher finished the day’s lesson and prepared to leave when he suddenly remembered something.

He approached Akmanmon, looking at him with concern.

“I heard the Spore Leaf family’s daughter had an accident. She was buried a few days ago.”

“Your Majesty, I hope you will not be too saddened by this news.”

The “accidental death” was actually a suicide.

Akmanmon had reached a marriageable age, but someone like him could not decide whom to marry. Everything had been arranged for him.

A “most suitable” person would marry him, continuing his life as a puppet.

The Spore Leaf family’s daughter was someone Akmanmon had previously loved, a palace maid from his youth.

But she seemed unable to accept this reality.

After being driven from the palace, she chose to end her own life.

Akmanmon, the King of Ten Thousand Serpents, seemingly possessed everything, yet in reality had nothing.

He was just a lonely person.

The young King appeared calm and composed, but the moment his teacher mentioned this, his breathing stopped.

His neck stiffened, the veins bulging visibly.

He wanted to say something but seemed unable to speak in this state.

The elderly Snake Person expected an outburst, but Akmanmon merely picked up his cup from the table, took a sip of water, and set it down.

Then Akmanmon calmly said, “I already knew.”

“Mortals can never escape the constraints of death. This is fate.”

The elderly Snake Person looked at Akmanmon, opened his mouth to speak, and then simply sighed.

A king, naturally, needed to endure what ordinary people could not.

After the elderly Snake Person left, Akmanmon entered his bedroom.

He changed into a cape, then left the palace through a hidden passage.

He boarded a pre-arranged carriage. When he next appeared, he was inside the mansion that Kiton had discovered earlier that day.

Akmanmon also wore a mask covering the upper half of his face as he entered the spacious underground hall.

At this time, the scepter-wielding Chief approached him and bowed.

“Honored guest.”

“We have been awaiting you for a long time.”

Akmanmon asked, “Is everything prepared?”

The Cannibal Cult Chief nodded. “As you instructed, everything is ready.”

Akmanmon entered the hall, and everyone rose, bowing to him and the Chief.

Akmanmon proceeded to a secluded ritual hall, where he saw the crystal coffin had been placed.

Supernatural power sealed the corpse inside, making it appear lifelike.

Akmanmon stood before the coffin without speaking for a long time.

After a while, he opened the crystal coffin and gently touched her face.

Bending down, he kissed the corpse’s forehead.

He felt no warmth, only an unnerving coldness.

The Cannibal Cult Chief beside him asked Akmanmon again, “Are you ready?”

“Are you certain you want to do this?”

“We can select better materials for you, fresher ones that are more befitting of your status.”

Akmanmon nodded. “Yes. I only want her.”

Under the Cannibal Cult Chief’s control, a ritual began.

During the ritual, the woman’s blood was entirely drained from the crystal coffin. Her body disintegrated into ash and vanished.

The bright red blood followed the patterns on the crystal coffin, was refined by the ritual’s power, and was finally gathered into a single bottle.

The banquet began as a group of noble figures gathered, seated on both sides of the long table.

Akmanmon and the Cannibal Cult Chief sat at the two ends.

This was a carefully prepared cannibal ritual. The table was laden with ingredients collected through rituals and supernatural power.

The Cannibal Cult Chief stood up.

“Come, let us share this feast of transcendence.”

“From this day onward, we are one.”

Akmanmon raised his cup and drained the red liquid in one gulp.

Along the two sides of the table, some eagerly devoured the flesh and blood on their plates. They wolfed it down greedily, as if afraid to miss a single morsel.

Others seemed to be experienced participants, skillfully using their utensils, unaffected by those around them.

Some watched the others hesitantly but ultimately swallowed the food despite their nausea, seeking a power beyond mortality.

However, no matter their initial demeanor, once they took this forbidden step, they all spiraled into madness and sank completely into Purgatory.

Under the flickering lights, the most horrifying scene came into view.

This was the cannibals’ frenzied night feast, an evil gathering of fallen people. Beneath the exquisite masks were faces consumed by desire, one after another.

Akmanmon drank the blood in his cup, symbolizing his eternal fall into darkness.

A tinge of bright red slowly trickled down from the corner of his mouth.

Akmanmon could not describe his feelings at this moment. He could only join the madmen in their laughter, ultimately walking toward madness himself.

No one knew why they laughed, but when one person started, the others could not help but join in.

Laughter seemed to release all emotions.

Uproarious laughter could express joy, while bitter laughter could express sorrow.

Amid the laughter, Akmanmon suddenly felt his consciousness being pulled away, as if it were leaving his own brain.

He heard many whispers, like people conversing in the air.

He had awakened his ability and could now hear the unshielded thoughts of others.

At that moment, he suddenly heard a familiar voice whisper softly in his ear.

“Even in death…”

“…I still cannot be with you.”

Akmanmon laughed madly, continuously pounding the table.

“See? Are we not together forever now?”

Kiton’s funeral proceeded as scheduled.

However, the burial did not contain Kiton’s remains. Instead, it held some of his personal belongings.

His burial site was the same cemetery that Long and Kiton had once visited together.

Witch Spirits differed from ordinary living beings. They could shift between tangible and intangible states, having been infused with the power of the Door of Truth, which allowed their bodies to partially ghostify.

Normally, they appeared similar to living people. They could be touched, needed food and water, and could marry and have children.

But once they died, they completely dissipated.

The funeral had ended, and everyone had left.

Long stood before the stone coffin, his expression blank.

He still could not process what had happened.

“Kiton.”

Long never imagined that their last farewell would truly be their final goodbye.

Long wanted to find who killed Kiton and make them pay.

For the first time, he truly understood how the victims in court felt, yearning for perpetrators to be punished.

But Long did not know who did it.

Even the news of Kiton’s death had been delivered by his teacher.

Sukob was currently far away. He attended the funeral only in his Contract Spirit form and would not return for some time.

Long’s teacher, Sukob, had informed him that the killer had used Abyss power to corrupt Kiton’s spirit. This prevented Kiton from returning to the Kingdom of God in soul form, leaving him to travel only to the Creator’s Dream Starry Sea in his Life Dream form.

So, even Sukob did not know exactly how Kiton died.

Though legends said one could send letters to the Dream Starry Sea via the Rainbow Tree, no one had ever heard of letters returning from there.

Long left the cemetery, walking along the street.

Before his eyes, Kiton’s image seemed to appear, rushing about this district as a judge, time after time.

“I feel I am maintaining order in a place, becoming a symbol of justice and fairness in the Begalei District.”

Long punched a nearby wall, saying bitterly, “Why?”

“Why must a good person like him die?”

At that moment, a voice came from a window in the wall.

“Hello.”

“Please do not block the sunlight from the window. My master really likes the light shining in from outside.”

Long quickly smoothed the wall, as if trying to erase the mark his punch had left, though there was no mark at all.

He hurriedly said, “I’m sorry, I’ll leave right away.”

The other replied, “It is fine.”

Long looked up and saw someone arranging a fern plant.

The person stood at the windowsill and was only visible from the chest up.

They wore strange robes with peculiar patterns, and their face was somewhat unlike that of the typical people from the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents.

But he did not see the figure in white robes quietly sitting inside the room.

Or rather, his eyes saw it, but his consciousness dared not register that figure.

Long simply apologized again and hurriedly left.

After he departed, a tall girl in a dress emerged from within, coming to stand behind the white-robed figure.

Hila looked outside. “A city that appears so prosperous, yet it has unimaginably dark corners.”

Yin Shen was composed. “Every era consists of light and shadow.”

“When light falls upon the earth, darkness is born with it.”

Hila did not quite understand. “Mortals truly are complicated beings, are they not?”

The white-robed figure replied, “Isn’t it precisely this complexity that makes them mortal?”

“It is because of that surging desire that mortals create miracle after miracle, constantly breaking through impossibilities.”

“But likewise, because of this surging desire, they repeatedly test the dark boundaries, endlessly lingering in self-destruction.”

“If they were like spirits, perhaps ten thousand years, or even ten million, would see little change.”

She glanced at the Divine Being, her gaze lingering. After all, she was a spirit too.

“God,” she murmured softly.

Yin Shen raised his head. “That is why I like spirits. But mortals naturally have their own rules and ways of existing.”

“The problems they create, let them solve themselves.”

“Everyone plays their own role.”

Hila knew from the beginning that he would not intervene in such matters. The mortal world had its own order, and every place had its light and darkness.

She had gradually come to understand that the destruction caused by mortals was just scattered shadows beneath the light, an integral part of the natural order.

If God Yinsai were to intervene, the mortal world’s order would be shattered.

Regardless of his intentions, it would be like the fierce sun descending to earth, evaporating everything in its path.

Even a single will or glance from him would inevitably alter the course of history.

Hila looked at the Divine Being and asked, “God, are You playing the role of God as well?”

Yin Shen calmly replied, “God is just my name.”

“Hila,” Yin Shen said, “the word itself holds no meaning. It is merely a convenient way for you to address me, just as Yinsai is.”

Hila said, “But because of You, the word ‘God’ has meaning.”

Another figure suddenly rushed out and hugged Yin Shen’s leg.

“God, I’m tired of the scenery here. Let’s go see fireworks instead!”

Yin Shen reminded Shelly of this journey’s rules. “We must follow the rules. We go wherever the door opens.”

Shelly glanced at the door and muttered, “What if the next door opens on a volcano? We’d be blasted into the sky like fireworks!”

Unfortunately, before the God Yinsai, she had no power to make her words manifest reality.

Yin Shen said, “It’s not yet time for the next door.”

Shelly had no choice but to hope the next door would open somewhere she wanted to go.

Yin Shen said to the Witch Doctors, “Go out today and buy some common items.”

Shelly perked up and called out to the Witch Doctors, “Hey, bring back something fun, will you? My Temple of Life is so empty!”

Not only was her Temple of Life empty, but her City of Life was empty, and even her entire Dream Continent was empty.

But how could the Witch Doctors dare say anything to the supreme Divine Being?

They instantly transformed, growing tails, and lined up to go shopping.