Chapter 337: The Incarnation of the Sun, the Purifier among the Stars
Chapter 337: The Sun's Incarnation, Purifier Among the Stars
It turns out this was the Fallen Mother Goddess's scheme all along. No wonder something felt off during last night's battle.
Due to the late hour, he hadn't gone to check on Fors's condition at the Star Hall after returning home last night.
Tonight was a full moon. The Fallen Mother Goddess, taking advantage of Mr. Door's call and the methods left on Fors last night, was able to seep her power through and successfully corrupt Fors.
Although this corruption was far less severe than Mr. Door's, it was enough to cause Fors considerable torment.
At the Star Hall, Hastur calmly observed everything. "Fallen Mother Goddess, did you go to all this trouble just to make me look at you with a bit more respect?"
Who doesn't know how to throw out a few taunts?
"Stars, I have seen through your facade. Your current state is far inferior to mine," Fors's eyes transformed from black and white to completely fallen darkness, like two black abysses hanging high. At the end of the abyss, the Fallen Mother Goddess's gaze was scanning the radiance of the stars.
Her fallen and evil gaze was like a predator lurking in the depths of darkness.
"The reason you dare not pull me into the Star Hall is because you fear my status."
"Your inexplicable hostility also stems from your lack of confidence."
"The light of the stars will eventually fall completely into the abyss."
The Fallen Mother Goddess, using Fors's body, spoke confidently with a sinister tone full of mockery.
As she spoke, an eerie chill filled the room.
Seeing this, Xio hurriedly found a secluded corner to hide, watching the clearly different Fors with a worried expression.
Though she couldn't hear the conversation between the Stars and the Fallen Mother Goddess, she vaguely guessed what was happening.
The Stars were battling against the evil presence parasitizing Fors's body!
Hastur calmly spoke: "Can your abyss contain the light of the blazing sun?"
With these words, a beam of pure golden light, almost tangible in its intensity, suddenly descended, completely enveloping Fors.
The layered doorway behind her was shaken and purified, dissipating into wisps of black smoke in the blazing sunlight.
Fors's body began to tremble violently. She collapsed to the ground, her eyes gradually returning to their original black and white colors.
"Stars, is this your authority?" Fors stubbornly raised her head, looking up at the starry sky above and the waterfall-like blazing sunlight, a hint of mockery at the corner of her mouth.
"No, this is the authority of the Eternal Blazing Sun," Hastur silently added in his heart.
More accurately, this was the ability of the Sequence 7 Sun Priest of the Sun pathway - Summon Holy Light.
When he had advanced to Sequence 6 Corruption Baron, he had already planned to touch upon the authority of the Eternal Blazing Sun, but he had never used this ability before.
His descriptive sentence was: "The brilliant golden light is the hope of new life, the light that dispels darkness, the antithesis of all shadows and corruption. He is the bearer of light, the incarnation of the sun walking the earth, the purifier among the stars."
The final order chain transformed into a curled-up sun, merging into his brow.
This was the first time he had used it, and the result was excellent. The authority of the Eternal Blazing Sun was highly compatible with him, as if it was meant to be.
The Summon Holy Light cast through the Star Hall was like the Eternal Blazing Sun itself descending, directly purifying the corruption within Fors in one breath.
The Fallen Mother Goddess's corruption didn't even have the strength to struggle before being thoroughly purified.
Warmth, long-forgotten warmth began to surge from every inch of skin, dispelling the chill and stiffness throughout her body. It felt as if she was immersed in a hot spring with just the right temperature.
This feeling was a bit like returning to the amniotic fluid of the maternal body at the moment of birth.
Fors's pores opened wide, greedily bathing in the blazing sunlight. Although her face and clothes were stained with blood, in the golden sunlight, her entire being was as pure as constantly refined glass.
The impurities within her body seemed to be continuously expelled with each breath through her pores.
Xio, who had long since retreated far away for fear of being affected, now looked at Fors before her and felt a moment of unfamiliarity, her breath catching.
Kneeling on the ground with eyes tightly closed, palms open and facing upward, Fors looked like one of those blessed recipients in church murals. If a pair of wings of light had grown from her back, she would have been an angel!
A pure white angel!
When the golden blazing sunlight dissipated, the starry sky on the ceiling vanished with it.
Fors was still immersed in endless warmth until Xio gently patted her cheeks several times, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"Xio, I feel unprecedentedly energetic," Fors murmured, then her eyes reddened and moistened. She turned over, kneeling on the ground to pray devoutly to the Stars, thanking them for their protection this time.
While corrupted, she had only lost control of her body but was still somewhat aware of what was happening outside.
She knew it was the Stars who had intervened to purify her, allowing her to regain control of her body and restore her sanity from the hands of the terrible evil god.
Without the Stars' protection, even if she hadn't been possessed tonight, she absolutely would not have been able to get through this full moon's whispers.
It was the most helpless night in her memory.
The Stars had ignited her hope for life!
"Thank you for the Stars' protection," Xio also prayed devoutly to the Stars.
After a good while, Fors and Xio embraced each other in tears.
"Oh, Fors, has your skin improved?"
"Has it?"
"Absolutely!"
Xio stroked Fors's cheek again. Could Fors really have such smooth and delicate skin like that of a 16-year-old girl?
"It does seem to have changed a bit," Fors said, not quite sure.
"It's not just a bit of change, it's a huge change. Even the dark circles under your eyes from years of staying up late writing have completely disappeared!"
Xio took the opportunity to pinch Fors's cheeks again, patting them lightly several times. The springy texture was irresistible.
Among the people she knew, only Miss Audrey had such smooth, delicate, and flawless skin.
But how could Fors possibly compare to Miss Audrey?
Fors cupped her own cheeks and rubbed them a few times, indeed feeling different from before.
"Quick, go to the bathroom and wash up, then look in the mirror!"
Xio urged, pushing the still puzzled Fors into the bathroom.
She found herself somewhat wishing that she had been the one corrupted and possessed tonight. Perhaps under the Stars' blessing, she might have even had a chance to grow a bit taller.
In the Star Hall, Hastur carefully examined Fors and Xio's physical conditions once more. Only after confirming that he found no abnormalities did he withdraw his gaze.
The Sun, purifier among the stars.
Its ability to purify corruption was indeed outstanding. He wondered if it would work on Mr. Door as well.
Unfortunately, the star where the Fallen Mother Goddess resided was completely covered in darkness, making it impossible to discern Mr. Door's exact state.
But that didn't mean he had no test subjects. Roselle would also make a good experimental subject.
Hastur's gaze fell on the Fallen Mother Goddess's star, but he didn't immediately take retaliatory action. He had other important matters to attend to tonight.
He would try after advancing to Sequence 5 Chaos Scholar.
He would only conduct simple attempts. As for trying to directly purify Mr. Door and Roselle from the Fallen Mother Goddess's grasp, even with the help of the Star Hall, he would need to wait until he reached Sequence 2 Angel to have even a slight chance.
...
Royal Manor.
By the time Hastur emerged from the bathroom, the ball had already ended.
Seeing him appear, Gehrman broke off his idle chat with a young lady and walked over to ask if he was feeling unwell.
Hastur could only use the excuse that he was accustomed to the coarse food of South Wales County, and after returning, he had eaten too much of Backlund's refined cuisine, leading to stomach discomfort.
Gehrman didn't think much of it, only telling him to take care of his health.
As the ball ended, Crown Prince Edwina, who was responsible for hosting this evening's banquet, ascended the platform and began a proper yet tedious speech.
Halfway through, he turned his gaze to Hastur and enthusiastically introduced: "Now, let me introduce you all to a promising young nobleman, Earl Hastur Campbell."
"At a young age, he has already gone to South Wales County to handle coastal defense line affairs. During his tenure, he has cooperated with the Church of Storms multiple times to eliminate marauding pirate gangs."
"He even had those damned pirates hanged one by one on the gallows, sweeping away the navy's recent dispirited atmosphere."
Hastur walked up to the platform amidst a round of applause. In such occasions, he didn't need to say anything heartfelt; he just needed to praise the King and the Kingdom of Loen.
As he spoke on the platform, he keenly sensed someone observing him.
He inconspicuously scanned the gathered dignitaries, his gaze finally falling on an old man standing by the second-floor railing.
Hastur recognized this person.
Derick Augustus, the former Duke of South Wales. He hadn't expected him to attend tonight's banquet as well. Had he come specifically for him?
Hidden in his seemingly casual glance was deep hostility.
Hastur's gaze only swept past briefly, not lingering intentionally.
After finishing his speech, Hastur came alone to the edge of the garden.
On one side were nobles engaged in elegant conversation under brilliant lights; on the other were temporary couples whispering sweet nothings in secluded bushes.
At the boundary between order and chaos, Hastur took out the Chaos Mentor Potion he had prepared earlier from his coat pocket and swallowed it in one gulp.