Thunder Temple

The outer halls were tall and imposing, with staircases much taller than those of the inner chambers. From a distance, one could feel the temple’s grandeur and sanctity.

A light rain fell, striking the steps outside the hall. In the distance, thunder rumbled through the clouds, accompanied by flashes of light.

The thunder seemed to tear a rift in the thick, dark clouds, allowing rays of light to pass through.

A soaking wet snake person, panicked and uneasy, twisted his serpent tail as he staggered up the sloped steps, which were carved with patterns of thunder and clouds. He stumbled as he rushed into the hall.

He quickly passed through a side archway and arrived at a secluded library.

“First Seat Lord, something has happened.”

Inside the library, the temple’s Chief Divine Servant was preparing for the Witch’s Ritual, searching through ancient texts to perfect the ceremony.

He was reading books that recorded the history of ancient times, detailing the sacrificial rites performed by generations of the Mother of All Snakes in the City of Life.

The pages depicted bonfires, altars, and the Dance of Snake Maidens.

He would accompany the procession and lead everyone in performing the ritual on Silver Fish Island before sending the witch into the Kingdom of God.

“What has happened?”

The Chief Divine Servant was not particularly moved. In his eyes, nothing was more important than the Witch’s Ritual.

But the Chief Divine Servant raised his head as soon as the messenger spoke.

“First Seat Lord, I have an urgent report. The witch’s carriage has been destroyed. A hurricane suddenly appeared outside the city, bringing heavy rain.”

“The storm swept the witch’s carriage into the river, and after that, it simply vanished.”

The Chief Divine Servant’s fury erupted instantly. A powerful pressure bore down on the messenger, nearly forcing him to his knees.

“What is the meaning of this? How could you allow such a disaster to occur under your watch?”

“The Witch’s Ritual is imminent, yet you have allowed this calamity to unfold at such a critical moment?”

“This ceremony is a sacred offering to the divine, a moment of utmost importance.”

“Am I to inform Her Holiness the witch of your failure? Or perhaps you would prefer I explain this disgrace directly to the divine?”

Terrified, the messenger cautiously added another sentence.

“First Seat Lord, there is something unusual to report.”

“An observer claimed to have seen a bolt of lightning descend from the heavens, after which the witch’s carriage vanished entirely.”

“The storm itself, with its torrential rain, felt unnatural, as though its origin was not of the mortal realm.”

The Chief Divine Servant’s eyebrows rose, his eyes staring as if he could not blink.

He said nothing for a long time, lost in either shock or contemplation.

Water from the messenger’s body had not yet dried, continuously dripping onto the stone floor with crisp sounds.

Even though it was raining lightly outside, the sound was distinctly clear, for the man inside had fallen so silent it was as if his breathing had ceased.

Moisture covered the messenger’s face, revealing his fear and unease. At last, he spoke.

“First Seat Lord, could it be…”

Before he could finish, the Chief Divine Servant immediately cut him off.

“Silence.”

“I am the most devout servant of the divine, and Her Holiness the witch is the apostle chosen by the divine.”

“The Sky Beast God will protect us, for we are the embodiment of the Sky Beast God’s will in the mortal world.”

The Chief Divine Servant stood and approached the other man.

As if to convince himself, he repeated his words, emphasizing their identity again and again.

“If the divine has a will to convey, how could we not know of it?”

“How could we possibly not sense it?”

After hearing these words, the messenger felt reassured.

‘That was right.’

‘The First Seat Lord was the controller of the divine faith in the mortal world, and Her Holiness the witch was the apostle chosen by the divine.’

‘They were the two people closest to the divine. How could they not sense the divine will?’

But the Chief Divine Servant felt a flicker of unease. He turned his gaze toward the depths of the rain, staring at the dense clouds in the sky.

A sense of discomfort stirred within him.

Storms, sudden rain, thunder.

These words echoed too closely the power and authority of the Sky Beast God.

‘Could it be?’

‘No, it could not be.’

They were conducting a ceremony for the Sky Beast God, offering their most precious gift, their devotion, and their faith.

‘Why would the Sky Beast God act in such a way?’

‘It made no sense.’

Beneath the Chief Divine Servant’s calm and composed exterior, a strong undercurrent of doubt churned.

At this moment, the messenger on the ground began to speak of another matter.

It concerned the person the Thunder Temple had been searching for recently. For this, they had searched the various prayer halls and merchant homes inside and outside Thunder City several times, offending quite a few people.

“First Seat Lord, there is something else to report.”

“At the shipbuilding workshop, someone claimed to have seen the heretic who intruded into the temple before.”

“It was the man named Gamel, one of the people of Thunder Marsh who has turned to serve a foreign god.”

The Chief Divine Servant frowned. “The one who tried to abduct Her Holiness the witch?”

“What was he doing there?”

The messenger, perhaps believing it himself or perhaps just wanting to shift the blame, answered quickly.

“I am unsure, but he used the heretic’s peculiar lamp and directed its light toward the carriage. What followed was the disappearance of the witch’s carriage.”

“Those present claimed he laughed in a sinister and deranged way, declaring that the carriage’s destruction was a marvelous event. He proclaimed that our Witch’s Ritual would never come to fruition.”

The Chief Divine Servant grasped at this answer as if it were something he desperately desired, confirming it without thorough investigation.

He pointed at the messenger and declared loudly.

“That is right!”

“It has to be the work of these heretics. There can be no other explanation.”

“They seek to disrupt the Witch’s Ritual, hinder the emergence of the divine apostle, and thwart the Sky Beast God’s will from blessing this nation.”

The Chief Divine Servant of the Thunder Temple immediately determined that the servants of the God of Desire and Alchemy had masterminded this. At that moment, anger began to surge across his face. The anger was not feigned in the slightest but rose genuinely from his heart.

The Chief Divine Servant bent down and locked eyes with the snake person prostrate on the ground, his gaze filled with disgust for those heretics and their followers.

“It appears you are not entirely at fault. If the power of a foreign god was truly involved, it would have been exceedingly difficult for you to prevent this calamity.”

“These heretics and foreign believers persist in infiltrating our land, spreading their lies and corrupting the people of this nation.”

“This is a sacred nation of faith, devoted to the Sky Beast God. It does not belong to them.”

“And yet, their schemes have begun anew.”

The Chief Divine Servant’s voice grew sharp with anger, his words laced with disdain. “This is nothing less than an invasion by a foreign god, an assault upon Thunder Marsh and our sacred homeland.”

“These heretics dared to summon the power of their false god within the Sky Beast God’s domain, desecrating our holy land and destroying the carriage prepared to receive divine power.”

“They seek to steal the faith of this nation, to defile what is sacred and rightfully ours.”

Drawing from what the other man had said, he quickly pieced together a series of reasons.

The more he considered it, the more it seemed to align.

He arrived at the conclusion he was seeking and began collecting various pieces of evidence to support and validate his reasoning.

The snake person divine servant prostrate on the ground now shared the same righteous indignation, loudly declaring.

“We absolutely cannot let them succeed!”

The halls deep within the temple lacked the imposing grandeur of the outer layers, but they were adorned with even more resplendent and luxurious decorations. These halls displayed treasures that commoners could only dream of seeing in their lifetimes.

The “Sky Witch” resided here. This was her temporary palace in the mortal world.

When Lise first arrived, she felt that nothing here belonged to the mortal realm, as if it were the Kingdom of God itself.

There were utensils made of gold, bronze mirrors with gilt coating, and white ceramic painted vases as delicate as white jade.

Any single one of these items, if taken outside, would be enough for her former family to live a life of aristocratic wealth.

She had once not dared to even touch these things, fearing she might accidentally break them.

However, the female attendant by her side reassured her with a calm and reverent tone.

“Your Holiness, it is their fortune and glory to be used by you.”

“You are the divine apostle, and they are but worldly objects.”

Lise picked up the silver utensils and gracefully ate a piece of meat. Her movements were refined and deliberate, resembling those of a noble. As she finished, an attendant promptly handed her a white cloth to wipe her hands.

After the meal, she was guided to her next set of tasks, each prepared with precision and care.

Lise came to an altar filled with divine servants, all lined up on both sides.

Some played music while young girls sang hymns of praise.

A divine servant presented wine. Its faintly fragrant liquid entered Lise’s nose.

The divine servant explained, “Wine is a sacred offering, Your Holiness. By partaking in it, divine servants may attune themselves more closely to the divine and perceive its voice with greater clarity.”

This was an essential item for divine rituals passed down among mortals.

In more ancient times, wine was an exclusive possession of divine servants.

Only later did it gradually come to be enjoyed by kings and nobles, finally entering the world of commoners.

Lise picked up the wine cup and drank it down.

It was Lise’s first time drinking wine, something that even kings once could not enjoy. Yet now, she could drink it freely.

The resplendent palace, the unimaginably abundant and luxurious life, the lofty status that commanded the reverence of thousands.

This sensation completely overwhelmed Lise.

She was utterly captivated.

After Lise finished the wine, a faint blush spread across her cheeks, enhancing her beauty and charm.

The lightheaded sensation made her feel as though she were drifting on clouds.

Nearby, someone began to chant incantations. A red glow started to ripple around the altar.

Whoosh!

The divine servants of Thunder Temple summoned a Fire Demon.

Flames rose high into the air, sending waves of heat across the altar.

The powerful Fire Demon twisted its massive form, its shadow shifting ominously as it seemed to observe everyone nearby.

The divine servant who had summoned the Fire Demon turned to Lise and began to explain its significance.

“Over a thousand years ago, the Mother of All Snakes was blessed by the Ruler of Life, granting the snake people the ability to command Fire Demons.”

“Fire is a gift from the sovereign and plays a central role in the ceremony.”

“Both fire and dance are sacred rituals that allow us to connect with the divine.”

Lise watched the divine servant use a Divine Technique to summon the powerful Fire Demon.

As Lise watched the divine servant wield such formidable power and command the Fire Demon with ease, she was captivated by the display of strength and control.

She finally understood why the divine servants said mortal wealth was insignificant. It was simply an external thing.

With such immense power, they had transcended the realm of ordinary people.

Those gold, silver, and worldly objects were merely things of the mortal realm. What they pursued was beyond what mortals could imagine.

Lise turned to the divine servant, her eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation. She asked, “This power that you wield, can I too possess it?”

The divine servant responded with a respectful tone, “Indeed, Your Holiness. In the future, the power you will command will far surpass this. It will be a thousand, even ten thousand times greater.”

He continued, “The Earth Witch of the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents can summon a Divine Tree that shrouds an entire city. With a single breath, she can transform a city from the depths of winter to the bloom of spring.”

“When you ascend to become a true witch, Your Holiness, the power I possess will pale in comparison to yours.”

Lise listened intently to the divine servant’s words, her mind painting vivid images of the Earth Witch’s extraordinary abilities.

“Mortals, divine servants, apostles,” she murmured softly to herself.

And finally, she thought, “Divine beings.”

Lise finally understood the hierarchy of the mortal world and what she was about to possess, what she would become.

She awakened from her dazed intoxication with the witch’s life and finally, vaguely, understood what kind of existence a witch truly was.

Everything in the mortal world was merely the most vulgar of things. The pursuits of divine servants and apostles had already transcended them.

She became even more eager for the upcoming Witch’s Ritual.

The divine servant used the fire of demons to light the bonfire on the altar, then respectfully said to Lise.

“Your Holiness, it is time to begin.”

“Performing the dance for the divine is the most devout and solemn of rituals.”

Lise began the sacrificial dance beneath the altar and flames.

This was a rehearsal for the true Witch’s Ritual.

She had recently studied for a long time with the finest dancers in Thunderlake Kingdom. Powerful divine servants had specially strengthened her body and used Divine Technique to enhance her learning ability, cramming various knowledge into her mind by any means necessary.

She was no longer just an ordinary fisher girl. Life in the temple was transforming her into someone entirely different.

She wore elegant garments and danced beneath the blazing altar fire.

Her expression was one of intoxication as the effects of the wine rose steadily to her head.

She was lost in the rhythm of the sacrificial dance.

Fire and the serpent’s dance.

Ding ling!

Her swaying hair caused the silver bells tied to its ends to chime softly. The golden rings on her hands clinked together, producing crisp, melodic sounds.

A graceful snake maiden performed a dance to please her god beneath the glowing bonfire.

Accompanied by the gentle melody of the harp, the scene was both sacred and mesmerizing.

When the offering dance ended, she returned to her palace, which had been temporarily converted from a hall.

Today, someone came to the temple deliberately seeking out Lise.

Her former father.

He had sold Lise, and from that moment, she ceased to be his daughter.

She sat behind thin veils, surrounded by handsome and beautiful attendants, with divine servants standing guard nearby.

She was the center of everything and the revered figure known as Her Holiness the witch.

That man who had once been the head of the family, whom Lise had never dared to resist, now lay prostrate on the ground.

When he saw Lise, he immediately moved forward a meter.

He called Lise’s name with anticipation.

“My Lise!” he called out, his voice trembling with emotion. “It’s me!”

Lise looked down upon him from on high.

Her face showed only coldness. She felt that even contempt would be excessive.

“I am not your Lise. I am the apostle of the divine.”

“You have mistaken me for someone else.”

The common man looked at Lise, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

Looking carefully, she was beautiful and noble, more noble than the noblest aristocrat he had ever seen. This great hall contained things beyond what he imagined the wealthiest king could possess.

Aside from having the same face, he could no longer see even a single trace of the former Lise.

Not the timid, weak girl who did not dare resist even when he dragged her out to sell her.

Lise’s father froze.

He discovered he could not seem to recognize her at all. Within this dignified and sacred palace, he stammered when he spoke. How could he dare question anything?

Perhaps she truly was no longer his daughter. Perhaps she had become Her Holiness the witch, another person entirely.

“Yes, Your Holiness the witch.”

“I may have… mistaken you for someone else.”

He left in a panic, too afraid to say another word. As he fled in embarrassment, he stumbled and bumped into a pillar outside.

Lise stood up to leave. The coldness and loftiness on her face vanished.

Walking through the corridor, she suddenly felt very relaxed, experiencing an indescribable happiness.

She could not help but laugh. In the corridor, she began to dance, spinning in circles as she rushed out.

Lise whispered softly to herself, her voice steady and resolute.

“I am no longer Lise, the fisher girl from the swamps.”

“I am Lise, the Witch.”

As Lise stepped out of the corridor, she noticed a group of temple attendants standing nearby. Their eyes lingered on her, and their hushed whispers hinted at a conversation she was not meant to hear.

Inside the witch’s palace, it seemed as though everyone in the hall was talking about something.

News from the shipbuilding workshop had spread rapidly through the temple. The matter became widely known, accompanied by strange and unsettling rumors.

Lise asked the female attendant who was close to her.

The female attendant told her, “Your Holiness, the Witch’s Ritual cannot be held on schedule.”

Lise suddenly grew tense. “Why?”

The female attendant explained the situation to her. It was then that Lise discovered the witch’s carriage had been utterly destroyed.

It had vanished in a peculiar rainstorm, leaving no trace behind.

“The ship vanished during the rainstorm?”

“Someone claimed to have seen lightning strike the carriage and even saw the silhouette of a divine spirit in the sky?”

The female attendant also mentioned another rumor, speaking of people’s suspicions.

“Some say the divine descended with divine punishment.”

Lise’s body instantly went weak. She nearly collapsed to the ground.

“How can this be?”

Lise finally understood why those people were looking at her with suspicion.

If the divine descended with divine punishment, what did that mean?

Even the female attendant now had a hint of doubt hidden in her eyes as she looked at Lise.

Lise despised that look, the one filled with doubt directed at her.

But deeper than the hatred in her heart was panic and fear.

Lise was terrified. She felt all the strength leave her body. It was as if something deep within her, something that had been holding her together, was slipping away.

Her identity as a witch was all she had. To question her role as a witch was to question everything about her.

It was to question her very purpose in this world.

Yesterday, she had heard the sound of thunder. She had thought it was the divine calling to her.

In reality, that sound was the thunder that destroyed the witch’s carriage in the distance.

The words of the man who had once intruded into the temple lingered in her mind. She could still hear his voice, calm yet resolute.

“This is all a fabrication,” he had said.

“The Sky Beast God has never delivered a true divine oracle. This is not how divine will is revealed.”

Lise had never believed those words and did not want to believe them now.

“That is impossible!”

“This cannot be!”

Lise shouted in panic. She looked at everyone around her, seeming to want another answer.

At that moment, the Chief Divine Servant entered.

His voice rang out.

“It is true that a divine destroyed the witch’s carriage.”

He surveyed everyone in the witch’s temporary palace. All of them avoided his sharp gaze.

“But it was not our divine. It was the god of the heretics.”

“A foreign god who covets and seeks to seize the Sky Beast God’s nation of faith.”

The temple’s Chief Divine Servant interrupted the spread of “rumors” and spoke the “truth.”

“What nonsense are you all speaking?”

“A few disturbing rumors from heretics, and you have already lost your devotion and faith?”

“Someone with such unsteady faith is unworthy of entering the Kingdom of God.”

The people the Chief Divine Servant brought with him immediately took away those who spread rumors and whose faith was insufficiently steadfast.

Among them was the female attendant who had been close to Lise.

They would face harsh punishment. The temple was relentless in its treatment of those who lacked devotion or dared to question the divine.

The female attendant cried out in desperation, her voice trembling with fear.

“Your Holiness the witch, I beg you, save me!”

“Please, save me!”

“I have done nothing wrong. I only repeated what others said.”

“I have never doubted you, never doubted the divine!”

Lise felt a surge of compassion rise within her.

The Chief Divine Servant, however, reminded her, “Your Holiness, the divine’s majesty must not be violated.”

“Such people who betray and doubt the divine are unworthy of following you into the Kingdom of God. This would only defile the divine’s glory.”

Lise agreed with the Chief Divine Servant. She shared his disdain for those who questioned the divine and the sacred oracle.

As their desperate cries reached her ears, she clenched her fists and forced herself to look away, allowing the guards to take them.

The Chief Divine Servant bowed respectfully and addressed her. “Your Holiness the witch, there is no need for alarm.”

“Everything has been carefully examined. This is nothing more than a calculated scheme by the heretics.”

The Chief Divine Servant explained to the “Sky Witch” Lise the full story, detailing the causes and effects. He described the cunning nature of the heretics’ conspiracy and the methods they employed.

“It was a heretic named Gamel who did this. He used the heretic’s lamp to perform a ritual, summoning the foreign god’s power to destroy your carriage.”

“Do you remember the heretic who intruded into your palace many days ago?”

“That crazed fellow,” the Chief Divine Servant continued. “He failed to harm you before and failed to sabotage the Witch’s Ritual.”

“But now he has appeared again. To prevent the Sky Beast God’s power from descending into the mortal world, these heretics have fallen completely into madness.”

Lise immediately recalled Gamel’s figure. “It was him?”

The Chief Divine Servant nodded. “That is right. It was him.”

“This is a foreign god invading this country. These foreign believers and heretics are declaring war on us.”

The Chief Divine Servant raised his head, his eyes filled with coldness.

“They will not succeed.”

“The divine has already chosen her apostle. The divine will and protection will descend completely upon this country.”

“Those heretics will disappear forever from the Sky Beast God’s domain.”

“That foreign god who wishes to occupy Thunder Marsh will also be expelled by the Sky Beast God’s power.”

The Chief Divine Servant addressed Lise with unwavering conviction.

“Your Holiness the witch, the Witch’s Ritual will not be canceled. It will merely be postponed for a short time.”

“The more these heretics strive to hinder us, the more resolute we must be in entering the Kingdom of God and welcoming the divine power into the mortal world.”

Lise placed her hand over her chest, her expression softening with relief. “That is truly reassuring to hear.”

She continued with a grateful tone, “As the most devout servant of the divine in the mortal world, you will undoubtedly safeguard the divine’s faith and protect the Kingdom of God. Is that not so?”

The Chief Divine Servant lowered himself to the ground in a gesture of absolute devotion. “We are prepared to give everything for the divine and for our faith.”

“Our very existence is devoted to this sacred purpose.”

At this moment, both were extremely devout, firmly believing what they wished to believe in their hearts.

At this very moment, the White Tower Alchemy Alliance’s Miracle Temple utilized the power of the Rainbow Tree to send letters to the various prayer halls and alchemists throughout Thunderlake Kingdom.

The letter was signed by Oran, the apostle of the God of Alchemy.

Oran, known as the Fourth-Rank Puppet Alchemist of Ruhe Beast Island, was a figure of great renown.

In the letter, the apostle of the God of Desire and Alchemy issued a warning to all servants of the God of Desire and Alchemy. He urged them to temporarily leave Thunderlake Kingdom and travel to the Land of Sunrise to prevent unnecessary casualties and conflicts.

The letter included the following passage.

“Faith belongs to the divine. Those who presume the divine will, those who represent divine intent with mortal hearts, will ultimately go against the divine.”

“Faith means walking together with the divine and carrying out the divine will.”

“It is not committing evil in the name of protecting the divine’s glory, not slaughtering in the name of destroying the divine’s enemies, not venting personal desires by borrowing the divine’s name.”

“To all servants of the God of Desire and Alchemy.”

“True faith does not lie in guarding external things or shouting with your mouths, but in whether your hearts truly uphold the divine will.”

These words held a deeper meaning.

But the more obvious meaning was to advise all alchemists in Thunderlake Kingdom to abandon everything temporarily and return to the Land of Sunrise.

As long as one’s heart could remain with the divine, those external things could all be abandoned.

This news was very sudden, but it was confirmed as the apostle’s will.

All the prayer halls and temples of the God of Desire and Alchemy that received the letter, along with the alchemists themselves, fell into an uproar.