The command from the king of Thunderlake Kingdom spread to every city and village.

The entire kingdom was set in motion.

Divine attendants, nobles, and merchants all contributed money and effort to the witch sacrifice.

In Thunder City, however, the command seemed to be nothing more than a call for donations and the selection of witch candidates. The people cheered with joy, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Divine Grace.

But in the cities, towns, and villages below, the situation took a drastic turn.

Once the orders were issued, executive officers in cities, sheriffs in towns, and constables in villages, along with divine attendants, seized the opportunity to exploit the people mercilessly. They issued countless decrees under the pretense of legitimacy, all to further their own interests.

Chaos erupted everywhere. The entire Thunderlake Kingdom was thrown into disarray.

“Please, not my daughter!”

“If you refuse to hand her over, then pay.”

“But I don’t have any money!”

“Your devotion to the divine being seems to be lacking. Teach him a lesson!”

Many fishing girls from the swamp villages were taken away and sent to Thunder City. Some simply vanished without a trace.

The poorly dressed fishing couples could only watch helplessly as their loved ones were taken away. Those who dared to resist faced brutal beatings.

A land dragon knight led a group of servants, going from house to house to select people. To avoid being taken, families had to pay a hefty price.

“Weren’t they supposed to choose only one person?”

“Why are they taking so many?”

The common people who had previously supported the divine being with cheers now discovered the situation was completely different from what they had imagined.

The knight riding the land dragon sneered dismissively and spoke in a haughty tone.

“Why even ask? Does the witch not require attendants? Does the divine being not need more servants?”

“Sending only one person would never suffice. That would be seen as disrespectful to the divine being. God would surely send down divine punishment.”

“The temples are also in need of handmaidens. Your daughter is presentable. Even if she cannot become a witch candidate, perhaps some divine attendant lord will take a liking to her. That would change your circumstances entirely.”

He had been fierce and menacing a moment ago, but in the blink of an eye, he became pious and solemn.

“All of this is for God!”

“This is your glory.”

With the people in tow, the land dragon knight raised his whip and moved on to the next house.

For a time, countless Snake People families were torn apart.

Many merchants and workshop owners without connections also went bankrupt. Their assets were seized, and their lives were destroyed.

This scene aligned with what Gamel, the divine attendant of the God of Desire and Alchemy, had predicted, though there were some differences.

Gamel had spoken of the nobles, yet it was the bureaucrats under the king’s command who ultimately exploited the people. They did so layer by layer, committing evil deeds in the god’s name.

The territorial nobles, on the other hand, were somewhat more restrained. This was not because they had suddenly become kind-hearted. Instead, it was because the executive officers, sheriffs, and constables were appointed by the king and would be transferred after their terms ended.

In contrast, the nobles’ territories were their own, and even the people living on their lands were considered their property. Naturally, they valued them more.

Large numbers of witch candidates were sent to Thunder City, all carefully selected as beautiful young women. Alongside them were also some young men. They too were offerings meant to be sacrificed to the divine being.

The witch was regarded as the divine being’s apostle, while the accompanying girls and boys were seen as her servants. Together, they would all be sent to the god’s kingdom.

The temple achieved the authority it sought. The king secured offerings for the divine spirit. The bureaucrats and nobles beneath him gained their share of benefits. It appeared to be a situation where everyone came out ahead.

Beneath the temple, divine attendants in blue robes stood in a solemn row. Before them, those chosen as sacrifices to the divine being were gathered, their faces a mixture of fear and resignation.

The divine attendants prayed devoutly, calling out the god’s name.

“We call upon you, great Sky Beast God, servant of the supreme Life Sovereign, ruler of Thunderlake and master of the skies and thunder.”

“We have followed your divine will. We have chosen the one you favor as your apostle.”

“Grant us your guidance.”

“Reveal to us the true vessel of the witch of the sky.”

In front of everyone, the temple and the king staged what appeared to be a solemn ritual but was actually a ridiculous farce.

After multiple rounds of selection, they were nearing the final choice for the so-called “witch.”

The selection process required everyone to enter the temple and pray. As they prayed, the clouds in the sky were believed to stop directly above the window of the chosen “witch.”

For the people of Thunderlake Kingdom, the clouds symbolized the will of the Sky Beast God, representing the great god’s divine choice.

Outside the Thunder City Temple

Amidst the crowd, Gamel watched the spectacle unfold. He saw the Sky Beast God’s divine attendants on the high platform performing their act and the so-called devout believers below bowing and shouting fervently.

Young and righteous, he was filled with indignation and rage.

“How dare they?”

“Are they not afraid of divine punishment? How can they do this in the god’s name?”

Oran also observed the farce. He had originally planned to leave but stayed because of the witch sacrifice.

In this farce, he saw the influence of divine beings on the mortal world.

Even if a divine being chooses to remain silent and take no action, there will still be countless people who, invoking your name and proclaiming it loudly, will chase after their own ambitions and desires.

Oran stayed to witness this scene, feeling it was the right decision.

It gave him a clearer understanding of the relationship between gods and mortals.

It also helped him prepare for what lay ahead.

Oran listened to Gamel’s words but kept his gaze fixed upward.

“You believe this is blasphemy, but they do not.”

“They are convinced that what they are doing is righteous. To them, it is the will of the god, a revelation from the divine.”

“It is impossible to awaken someone who is only pretending to sleep. It is even harder to reason with a group of self-deluded zealots.”

In Gamel’s eyes, this was blasphemy. They were committing evil deeds in the divine being’s name.

But in the eyes of these divine attendants and nobles, it was not so.

They firmly believed they were devout believers and saw themselves as the god’s shepherds.

Their positions naturally led them to view the divine being from their own perspective.

As the god’s servants and the god’s shepherds, they naturally had the right to interpret divine oracles. They were the ones managing this world on behalf of the god.

What they said was certainly the divine being’s will.

What they saw was certainly the divine being’s guidance.

They believed this so firmly that they not only convinced others it was true but continually convinced themselves as well.

As for whether they engaged in questionable actions or pursued their own interests through less honorable means, they saw no reason to think it tarnished the god’s name.

The god’s servants believed they were entitled to superior treatment, viewing themselves as the shepherds of the commoners. To them, controlling the lives of others was simply the natural order of things.

As for those fishermen, craftsmen, and farmers, were they even considered people?

In the eyes of these important figures, they likely did not count as people but were merely goods and resources.

What was wrong with the god’s shepherds utilizing some resources? How could the god punish them for such actions?

How could the lofty divine being concern itself with such trivial matters and details?

Gamel followed Oran’s gaze and looked over, watching the faces of those people on the platform, each as devout as a saint.

Oran turned his head, his gaze seeming to look directly into Gamel’s heart.

“In truth, even in your heart and mine, we are accustomed to this kind of wrongdoing.”

“What we feel more profoundly is the fear and apprehension that they dare to commit such acts in the name of the divine being.”

“It is not the wrongdoing itself that unsettles us so much.”

“The issue is that they have committed acts that desecrate the divine being’s name, not that the acts themselves are a desecration against the divine being.”

Gamel froze.

In that moment, he suddenly understood.

What truly angered him was not the situation itself, but the fact that it profaned the name of the divine being.

He felt sympathy for those suffering, but it was only sympathy.

He did not truly share their pain.

Oran, however, seemed to perceive the deeper truth of the matter. This clarity was one of the valuable insights he had gained on his journey.

“Is this because we are ignorant?”

“No. It is because we are divine attendants. We are part of these arrogant people too.”

Oran looked at Gamel before him. Previously, Gamel had awakened his pride, and now he awakened Gamel’s heart.

Walking in this world, everyone is a teacher to one another.

“When a person cannot step outside their own identity to view the world, they cannot distinguish black from white, nor can they see right from wrong clearly.”

Gamel showed solemn respect.

“Sir, you truly are a sage!”

Oran said, “It is only a fleeting insight, perhaps not even worthy of being called wisdom.”

“Only a true divine being can rise above mortal perspectives and step beyond the confines of the age to perceive the essence of this world.”

“Divine spirits manifest in countless forms, and every servant is simply an extension of the god’s vision.”

“If you ever go to study at the White Tower Alchemy Alliance, I hope you can learn to view this world from a perspective that rises above everything. Only then, when you return, will you be able to truly accomplish what you aim to achieve.”

“Otherwise, you will just be another ridiculous clown on that stage, someone who acts on their own desires in the name of ideals, rather than someone who truly changes this country.”

The ridiculous clowns Oran spoke of were those divine attendants, the king, and the nobles on stage.

Gamel asked Oran, “If the divine being sees all of this, will the god not be furious?”

Oran replied, “Mortals are the foolish ones. Why would the divine being be angry over foolish and ridiculous mortals?”

“This is the mortals’ own sin. It has nothing to do with the divine being.”

But at this point, Oran’s expression changed slightly.

“However, this time is different.”

“In the past, the Sky Beast God might not have cared and might never have turned its gaze toward the mortal world.”

“This time, it might erupt in towering fury.”

Gamel asked, “What is different? How do you know the Sky Beast God will be furious?”

Oran looked toward the depths of Thunder Marsh but did not explain why.

“This time is different. The Sky Beast God will certainly notice their actions.”

“When they truly begin this witch sacrifice, perhaps that will be the moment when the divine fury arrives.”

Oran raised his head, watching the farce in Thunder City.

As he observed the mortals’ reckless actions, their cheers and laughter, he could not help but reflect.

In the past, no matter what these mortals did, the divine being that supported Ruhe Beast Island would have ignored them entirely. They would have been left to stumble through their ignorance.

By wielding their authority to interpret divine oracles, they would make proclamations to the common people, declaring that the divine being had silently approved. Over time, the believers would accept it, and even the divine servants and nobles would come to believe their own words.

But now, under the Creator’s watchful gaze, these ignorant people dare to stage the grotesque spectacle of human sacrifice in the Sky Beast God’s name. What will happen?

Will this great deity, the Sky Beast God, continue to remain indifferent as before?

Gamel looked at Oran’s expression and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

“What will happen then?”

Oran did not know either. “How could mortals possibly know the fury of divine spirits?”

For some reason, Gamel believed Oran’s words deeply.

“This cannot be allowed. This will bring disaster to the entire kingdom.”

Gamel kept his gaze fixed on the temple’s direction, his thoughts racing.

Oran, however, seemed to understand Gamel’s intention. He could sense that Gamel wanted to stop what was about to unfold.

Gamel turned to Oran, his expression filled with hesitation, as if he wanted to say something.

Oran met Gamel’s eyes and gently shook his head, silently conveying his answer.

Oran understood that Gamel wanted his help. However, as the founder of the White Tower Alchemy Alliance and the apostle of the God of Desire and Alchemy, Oran could not easily involve himself in this matter.

His position carried weight and responsibility. He represented the White Tower Alchemy Alliance and, in a broader sense, the God of Desire and Alchemy.

This was not the Land of Sunrise, and it was far removed from the White Tower Alchemy Academy, making his interference even more complicated.

Gamel understood Oran’s gaze and ultimately said nothing.

Looking at this impulsive young man, Oran seemed to see his younger self.

He too had once been young and reckless of consequences.

Though his younger self had not possessed Gamel’s strong sense of justice. He had been more captivated by the mystery and power of alchemy.

To follow the teachings of the Tower Spirit, he had once turned himself into a puppet and remained confined in the Exile White Tower for nearly a century.

After that experience, he lost the bold and fearless spirit of his youth and became cautious and hesitant.

Thunder City’s Temple

The snake woman, chosen several days ago and believed by the people to be the witch of the sky, was now enshrined in the temple. No one dared to raise their head and look directly at her.

Not long ago, she had been nothing more than a fishing girl from a small village, earning her living by catching fish in Thunder Marsh.

She had never left her hometown and did not even know how to read. Now, she had become the revered “witch,” regarded by everyone as the divine being’s representative in the mortal world.

Her attire had completely transformed. Gone were the crude and tattered sleeveless shirt from before, along with the mud stains and the smell of fish.

In their place, she now wore magnificent robes with a white undershirt crafted by the White Tower Alchemy Alliance. A gemstone necklace, unlike anything she had ever seen, hung around her neck. Her hair, ears, and wrists were adorned with exquisite accessories, completing her transformation.

Everyone in the temple respectfully addressed her as Holy Maiden.

For a time, she truly seemed no longer mortal, but instead appeared as the divine being’s apostle.

The temple’s Chief Divine Servant came before the witch. He was an important figure she had once not dared to look at, yet now he did not dare to meet her eyes.

“Good morning, Holy Maiden.”

“Has your stay here been comfortable?”

“Have you encountered any trouble, or do you have any other needs?”

“You can tell me anything, or mention it to anyone, and they will inform me.”

The Chief Divine Servant was respectful, as if he truly regarded her as the witch.

The temple’s Chief Divine Servant was just as Oran had said.

He truly believed all of it was the divine being’s will. The sudden changes deep in Thunder Marsh and the white clouds that suddenly stopped in the sky were all seen as the god’s revelations to the mortal world.

He also felt compelled to believe. Without these signs, he would have to admit that he, the Chief Divine Servant, had never received the divine being’s recognition. It would mean that the entire temple worshiping the Sky Beast God was nothing more than a hollow stone shell deceiving mortals.

It would also suggest that the entire Thunderlake Kingdom had lost its mortal legitimacy, revealing it to be a country unrecognized by the divine being.

This was something he could not accept.

The king could not accept it. All the people of Thunderlake Kingdom could not accept it.

Therefore, all of this must be true.

The “Holy Maiden” looked somewhat embarrassed, unaccustomed to having people bow to her.

“I am doing well.”

“Everything here is fine.”

The Chief Divine Servant asked again, “Holy Maiden, soon it will be the day of the witch sacrifice.”

He spoke with fanaticism and excitement.

“The divine spirit’s kingdom will open for you, and you will enter the heavenly divine kingdom.”

“This is a great event that the entire Thunderlake Kingdom anticipates. It is also a sign of the divine spirit’s grace upon us.”

“Are you prepared?”

The snake woman also became serious, even showing anticipation in her eyes.

She imagined the beautiful scenery deep within the sea of clouds, a great ship passing through the heavens, and the divine being welcoming her.

She was filled with longing and a hint of unease, much like a bride on the verge of her wedding day.

“I am prepared.”

Only then did the Chief Divine Servant leave, appearing satisfied that everything was in order. There seemed to be no issues.

The “Holy Maiden” remained in the hall, diligently studying hymns that praised the divine spirit. She practiced chanting the three-part divine name with graceful intonation and worked on perfecting her prayers to the divine being.

She practiced until evening before learning those awkward characters and pronunciations.

“Sky Beast God.”

She looked at the divine statue in the hall. This was the divine being worshiped generation after generation in Thunderlake Kingdom, a figure that appeared to be draped in a gauzy cloak.

Ethereal and misty, like clouds and fog.

After learning those hymns, prayers, and the three-part divine name, she could not help but want to try.

She glanced outside and saw that no one was paying attention to her anymore. Turning back, she knelt down and began to pray, facing the divine spirit.

“Servant of the supreme Life Sovereign, great Sky Beast God, God of Thunderlake who controls the sky and thunder.”

“Your servant prays to you, seeking your response.”

“…”

She recited the divine name, repeating it several times.

However, she did not connect with the divine being.

This was partly because she did not possess power granted by the divine being, and partly because the temple’s divine name was incorrectly configured.

The temple had modeled their divine name after the configuration used by the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents’ temple for the God of Earth, rather than receiving the name directly from the divine being.

The Chief Divine Servant would never admit this. Instead, they claimed the divine name had been revealed through a divine oracle.

In truth, the second part of the name was incorrect.

It should have been “great Ruhe Great God Sky Beast.” Additionally, when used to communicate with the divine being, the pronunciation of “Sky Beast” needed to align with something resembling the pronunciation found in Trilobite Man Wisdom Script.

Despite her failure, the snake woman was not overly discouraged.

She assumed it was because she had not yet fully become the witch, or perhaps her pronunciation was slightly off.

At that moment, a figure suddenly climbed in through the window, catching her attention.

The snake woman, still kneeling before the divine statue, turned her head toward the intruder and opened her mouth to speak.

“Who are you?”

The person was none other than Gamel, who had actually snuck into the temple at this time and come to this secluded hall.

He was just a divine attendant apprentice who had managed to bypass the temple’s strict security. Using basic Divine Techniques, he slipped through multiple layers of sensing techniques and even a barrier, eventually encountering this “Holy Maiden.”

One had to admit, it was truly miraculous.

Gamel immediately spotted the snake woman and recognized this “Holy Maiden.”

He walked toward her unhurriedly, afraid of startling her.

“Do not be afraid.”

“I am not your enemy. I have come to save you.”

“I can take you away and send you home.”

However, the snake woman simply looked at him with confusion, her gaze meeting his.

From Gamel’s eyes, she did indeed see that he meant no harm.

But she answered, “I do not want to go home. Please leave.”

Gamel asked her, “Do you not miss your home, miss your family?”

“They kidnapped you and brought you here. Your family must miss you terribly. Is there anything in this world more important than reuniting with them?”

The snake woman looked at Gamel and told him.

“I was not kidnapped. I was sold to the temple by my father.”

The snake woman seemed to recall a scene.

Her father, with a cold expression, dragged her along with a rope and sold her as if she were nothing more than a piece of merchandise.

Humiliation, sadness, and pain.

She tried to push it away, unwilling to dwell on it any longer.

Her father had his reasons. The family had too many children and could not afford to feed them all. The temple was willing to pay for pretty girls, and the money was enough to support the family for several years. It would at least help them survive the current hardship.

Even though she could understand the reasoning, her heart still struggled to accept it.

She could understand her father, but she could not forgive him.

From the moment she was sold, she no longer had a home. She belonged to the temple now.

“It seems you did not know about me before you came here. You do not know me at all.”

Gamel was speechless. He truly had not known about this before coming.

The snake woman’s voice was calm, but clearly she did not want to discuss this matter further.

“I do not want to go back, because no one cares about me.”

“But here, many people care about me.”

Gamel said, “They do not care about you. They only care if the witch sacrifice can succeed.”

“Besides, do you even know the true price of the witch sacrifice?”

“To them, this is just a sacrificial ritual. For you, it is a path of no return.”

The snake woman nodded, as if someone had told her something before.

“I know.”

“I will enter the god’s kingdom. I may never be able to leave that place again.”

The path of no return she spoke of was clearly different from the one Gamel meant.

The snake woman prostrated beneath the divine statue, her expression showing neither sorrow nor joy.

“I imagine it must be beautiful.”

“When I was young, every time I fished in the marsh, I loved watching the massive cloud mountains deep in the swamp. I once rode in a boat carried by the Sky Beast God’s clouds, floating gently in the sky.”

“I have always loved white clouds and everything hidden deep within the swamp.”

“I used to hear stories about a lost kingdom hidden within the clouds. I have always dreamed of seeing it. That must be the most beautiful place in the world.”

Gamel laughed in exasperation. He had not expected the temple’s rhetoric to be like this.

In his view, they had even found an excuse for failure.

They could claim they already had the witch. If no one ever saw her again, it was simply because the divine spirit kept her in his kingdom.

No one could verify it, because no one could enter the god’s kingdom alive.

A perfect closed loop.

Gamel said to her emotionally in a low voice, “No, it is all a lie.”

“The Sky Beast God never sent down any divine oracle. That is not how divine oracles work.”

“You will not become a witch by going deep into the swamp. You will only disappear and die there, silently.”

“You will be a sacrifice. It is not worth it.”

But the snake woman did not believe Gamel’s words. “No, God chose me. That is what they all said.”

The snake woman faced the divine statue, no longer looking at Gamel.

“You are not from here, are you? I am very grateful that you worry about me.”

“Please leave quickly. I will pretend I never saw you. If you are discovered, you will lose your life.”

The snake woman had changed considerably, yet her heart still held onto the simple kindness she had as a fishing girl.

Still, one could not help but wonder. If this kindness and simplicity were continually exposed to deceit and corruption, how much longer could it endure?

Looking at the snake woman, Gamel once again recalled Oran’s words.

It is impossible to awaken someone who pretends to sleep.

Gamel grew anxious. “No, this is not just about you and me. This concerns the fate of the entire Thunderlake Kingdom.”

“Have you considered what might happen if this has been a lie from the very beginning? When the sacrifice truly begins, we might enrage the divine being.”

Gamel did not know the true reason behind Oran’s statement that the divine spirit would be furious. He could only guess using his own imagination.

But regardless, Gamel could not sit idly by and watch what Oran spoke of happen.

The snake woman could not understand Gamel’s words. She only felt Gamel was somewhat mad.

At this moment, someone outside also heard the commotion inside.

“Holy Maiden.”

“What is it? Who are you talking to?”

A person rushed in and immediately discovered Gamel’s figure.

“Who are you?”

Immediately after, the person realized Gamel was not from the temple.

“Guards! Someone has entered the temple without permission!”

“Quickly, over here!”

“Do not let him escape!”

Gamel fled in a panic, scrambling back out through the window.

At the same time, a large number of temple guards and Ability Users converged on the area.

He darted into a garden, trying to stay hidden. The Ability Users’ senses swept closer, and it seemed they were about to find him.

Just as he was on the verge of being caught, he disappeared from the garden without a trace.

Several Snake People Ability Users rushed over and met up together. They had clearly sensed movement here but found nothing in the end.

“He disappeared?”

“What is happening?”

“Where did he go?”

Gamel appeared outside the temple, still shaken.

A familiar figure stood beside him, quietly watching him.

It was Oran, the mysterious and powerful alchemist.

“So, you failed?” Oran began with a question.

Gamel realized that Oran had known his intentions from the start. Every move he made had been under Oran’s watchful eye.

Gamel said with a bitter smile, “Sir, you were the one who helped me.”

“Yes, and even with your help, I failed. I could not stop the witch sacrifice or prevent this foolish ceremony that desecrates the divine being’s name.”

“Perhaps only a painful disaster can awaken the people of Thunderlake Kingdom. Only then will those who commit evil in the god’s name face the punishment they deserve.”

Despite his words, Gamel’s voice carried a trace of fear. The wrath of a divine spirit was not something to take lightly, and he could not predict how far its reach would extend.

“Do not worry,” Oran said, remaining calm.

“The god will punish only those who are truly guilty. Even if the Sky Beast God is angered, there is an even greater and more compassionate existence that will bring peace.”

Through the divine oracle revealed by the God Iva and the Creator’s will, Oran could sense the presence of that higher being, a figure of immense power and mercy.

But Gamel looked confused. He did not know who the greater existence Oran spoke of was.

In his haste, he could only think of the Life Sovereign.

But the Life Sovereign had long since left the mortal world. How could they still be watching over this remote corner of Thunderlake Kingdom?