https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1192-Breaking-the-Veil-Awaiting-the-Prayer-Day/13487236/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1194-Preparing-to-Harness-the-Name-s-Power/13487238/
Chapter 1193: The Firm Seed Consolidates the Will
Chapter 1193: The Firm Seed Consolidates the Will
The Initiation Ritual had been prepared months in advance, and those participating in the ceremony were individuals of high status within the Federation government.
The Primitive Church generally treated such people with care. While the ritual itself was important, the sect emphasized the deepest desires and emotions of the human heart.
They constantly encouraged their followers to release their inner thoughts and desires, so it was unnecessary to suppress any genuine yearning from the initiates.
The priest overseeing the ritual gestured, and someone in the distance took out a bell and began to ring it.
As the tinkling sound filled the air, Lao Zheng felt a strange force enveloping him, urging him to do something. However, he remained still, watching as a few others who had arrived with him mechanically stepped out from the crowd and slowly walked toward the Square Pool, then jumped in.
A blood-red mist shrouded the bottom of the pool. Those who entered disappeared silently, but from Lao Zheng's perspective, the bottom was filled with a thick, viscous liquid. The flesh of the initiates dissolved rapidly, turning them into white bones within seconds before sinking out of sight.
This action seemed to trigger something, causing two stone pillars on either side of the pool to light up. The light was faint but continuously emitted a field of power.
Lao Zheng could see that this power wasn't generated by the deaths of the initiates, but by the emotions of those on the Circular Platform who had witnessed the scene.
After about a dozen people had jumped, the priest checked the light on the pillars and signaled someone, and the bell finally stopped. No one else in the crowd stepped forward.
The remaining people showed a cold indifference to those who had jumped. This was partly due to their own numbness, but also because the drugs they had taken had reduced their reactions and perceptions to a minimum. They only responded to specific ritual props, not to external stimuli.
Two more people then stepped forward, holding a golden pole. They approached the golden curtain and used the pole to lift a corner of the curtain, allowing a beam of light to shine out and illuminate the ground outside. The people standing outside seemed to be touched by this light.
Lao Zheng saw clearly that the light was from a Rift. This curtain likely concealed a path to a Rift, serving to mask its presence.
From the moment he was assigned this mission, his goal was to confirm the existence of the Rift. However, he wasn't sure if it was a temporary phenomenon or if it had always been there.
If it was temporary, it might disappear after the ritual, making its discovery meaningless. He needed to determine this, which required a closer inspection.
Standing where he was, he couldn't do that.
He looked around, noting that in front of him were three guards who seemed to be fighters, but they were not particularly vigilant. After all, everyone in the crowd appeared sickly and on the verge of death.
The priest, from his posture and gait, seemed like an ordinary person with only some mental abilities.
They were about fifty meters apart. If he burst forward with all his might, he could reach the curtain in an instant and see the truth.
Lao Zheng stood up slowly, gazing at the curtain.
Perhaps due to the different energies contained in the seeds or the different hosts, even Chen Chuan hadn't noticed that each host displayed a unique personality.
In this situation, if it were the Puppet Blood Staff, they would have charged forward without hesitation. But Lao Zheng, being more cautious, first looked around to see if there was anything he could use to his advantage.
He subtly pushed the person in front of him, causing them to lose balance and fall sideways, pulling others down with them. This created a minor commotion.
Despite the disturbance, neither the people on the opposite side of the circular platform nor those in front of him paid much attention. They knew the initiates were merely sacrificial materials, not valuable in themselves. Most were on the brink of death, kept alive only by drugs.
Moreover, the backgrounds of each person were known, and they had all been drugged, so what could they possibly do?
Lao Zheng kept his head down, not looking at the front. Inside his body, however, mutated tissue was rapidly expanding, covering his muscles and veins. This transformation was hidden under the cloak given to him by the Primitive Church, making it invisible.
At this moment, the elderly woman, under the guidance of the ritual's overseer, approached the curtain. The light seemed to rejuvenate her withered spirit, making her feel like a young woman again, full of vitality and youth.
She trembled and said, "Yes, yes, this is what I want." She reached out with her withered hand, trying to touch the light. For this power, she was willing to give everything—everything except herself.
The ritual overseer said, "Madam, once all the sacrifices are offered, you can walk through here and touch the entity to complete the ritual."
"Yes, yes, I can't wait", the elderly woman said, her voice filled with madness and anticipation. "Hurry, throw in the sacrifices! I can't wait any longer!"
At that moment, Lao Zheng's pent-up strength finally erupted, and he shot forward like an arrow.
The guards in front of him reacted quickly, showing their high level of skill. One of them instantly appeared in his path.
Lao Zheng's body was infused with the mutated tissue given to him by Chen Chuan. Though the amount was small, the sudden burst of power was enough to rival a fighter. However, he didn't use this power to fight.
He couldn't sense the situation beyond the curtain, and he wasn't sure if there were any fighters hiding there. By not revealing his full strength, he hoped to avoid immediate confrontation.
His goal was to get as close to the curtain as possible. Once he reached a certain distance, even if there were fighters, he could burst through with all his might.
Seeing the guard in front of him, he suddenly veered to the side, as if trying to go around. His speed was so fast that everyone was caught off guard.
Then, he suddenly accelerated in the opposite direction. Even those with experience couldn't keep up with his movements.
Dodging the guard, he dashed straight for the curtain.
The sudden commotion took the elderly woman by surprise. She was still standing at the entrance when a dark shadow flashed past, and her drug-weakened body was instantly shattered by the impact.
The air currents sent the curtain flying inward, splattered with blood and flesh.
The sudden turn of events left everyone in front of the curtain stunned.
This initiate, though not of the highest status, had a special background. They had chosen an appropriate date and prepared extensively for her, never expecting the ritual to end in such chaos.
Lao Zheng ignored them, bursting through the curtain. Suddenly, a figure appeared before him, blocking his path.
His mutated tissue sent out a warning. He knew this was a fighter, likely hidden in the Rift, either in training or as a guard.
But he had nothing to lose now. The mutated tissue in his body twisted and burst, and he moved in a triangular path in mid-air. The fighter tried to stop him, but the force of his full-speed charge was far beyond that of an ordinary fighter. The man's arm was ripped off.
The mutated tissue in Lao Zheng's body began to dissolve, unable to sustain his weak physical form any longer.
But he had achieved his goal.
Before him, a glowing rift opened in a mass of writhing organic tissue. It was a stable Rift.
He had found what he was looking for.
Gazing at the light, he willingly dissipated his own strength. His body crumbled like sand, rolling to the ground and dispersing into a pile of dust.
The fighter, grabbing his severed arm, pressed it to the wound. The flesh on his arm began to regenerate, quickly healing.
But his face was grim as he stared at the pile of dust on the ground. After a moment, he turned and walked out.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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