Chapter 155: Appearance (Part 1 and 2)

Chapter 155: Appearance (Part 1 and 2)



Of course, the most crucial reason for daring to venture into the unknown temple was based on Rain's rapidly growing strength.

Rain glanced at his panel:

Name: Rain Callan

Occupation: Apprentice Wizard (Extraordinary) lv4 (132/1000) / Knight (Extraordinary) lv4 (57/1000) / Beastmaster (Extraordinary) lv3 (12/500) / Blacksmith lv4 (329/1000)



Attributes: Strength 18, Dexterity 16, Mental 20, Remaining Attribute Points: 3, Remaining Skill Points: 4. Looking at the last 3 and 4 in the attribute column, Rain couldn't help but think, 'With savings at home, I'm not worried.'

Additionally, as Rain's Mental Energy surpassed 20 points, his mental activity and sensitivity to perception had greatly improved.

Therefore, although Rain could sense a hidden danger within the dilapidated temple, he also vaguely felt that this danger didn't seem powerful enough to completely overwhelm him.

After weighing the potential dangers and opportunities in his mind, Rain nodded and said, "I have no objections, but Father Rudolf, I suggest that the Night Watch and the Sheriff's men stay outside."

Rain looked around and noticed that the drag marks on the ground had become denser.

This was like a strongman in the human world not daring to challenge an elephant in a test of strength.

Lagra's beautiful eyes widened in shock, and she gasped, taking in a breath of cold air.

Hearing this, many of the Night Watch members breathed a sigh of relief.

Additionally, judging from the opponent's recent attack movements, its body was incredibly massive, but its actions were extremely agile and swift, like a monkey.

"It seems that this place should be the ruins of a Mother Tree Sect temple."

In the end, after discussing with Rain, Father Rudolf decided to leave the severely injured Temple Knight and all the Night Watch members outside the temple.

"These are drag marks from a heavy object." A Temple Knight squatted down to examine the marks.

Suddenly, the top of the stump ripped open a blood maw several meters long, like a giant Rift Beast.

The pattern was drawn with simple lines, and the most eye-catching feature was an extremely tall tree with tiny human figures at its base, making the height difference seem hundreds of times greater.

All that was left was to wait for the Carnage Tree Spirit to slowly perish amidst its agonized wails! Rain immediately shouted a warning, "Be careful! The Carnage Tree Spirit isn't dead yet!"

"Okay, Father."

Having learned from the murals that this was a Mother Tree Sect temple site, Father Rudolf immediately recognized the monster upon seeing it and quickly recalled its origins, "This is the Carnage Tree Spirit mentioned in books, a guardian of the Supreme Mother Tree in the Mother Tree Sect!"

Usually, if this were a temple, there should be some patterns on the outer walls. Rain thought to himself.

But Rain had a feeling that the corpse seemed to be more than just nourishment for the monster; it seemed to have been fused into its body.

Under the cover of vines, the outer walls were adorned with numerous linear patterns.

"Not just a heavy object, there are traces of blood on the soil surface, indicating that this is where the body was dragged." Rain, with his keen perception, also carefully observed and added.

Father Rudolf smiled slightly, nodded, and said, "Of course."

At this moment, the others also noticed Rain tearing at the vines, and they quickly approached.

An unexpected attack interrupted Father Rudolf's explanation.

"It's said that they usually remain in a state of slumber and can only be awakened by sacrificing a large number of extraordinary beings. I never expected there to be a Carnage Tree Spirit guarding this place!" Father Rudolf explained quickly.

At this moment, the Carnage Tree Spirit, having missed its attack, began to undergo changes in its massive body.

The group tightened their grip on their weapons and continued forward.

"Let's have them stay outside and be on guard."

The group immediately turned around and saw that the half-collapsed gate they had entered through was now covered with dense, thick vines that writhed like living creatures.

In an instant, the group saw the true form of the monster before them.

Dozens of massive roots intertwined and smashed towards the group, who quickly rolled to dodge the attack.

Although the wound still had traces of the Azure Longsword's energy, as more and more roots withered, a strange energy was rapidly born, and the Azure energy on the wound was quickly neutralized by this strange energy.

"Also, everyone, be vigilant and cautious." Father Rudolf's expression turned solemn as he issued a warning.

"However, around two thousand years ago, at the beginning of the Empire's establishment, the Mother Tree Sect was labeled as a cult and eradicated. Although there were rumors of scattered followers spreading their beliefs later on, they have essentially been extinct for many years." Father Rudolf briefly explained the Mother Tree Sect.

Just a minute ago, the Carnage Tree Spirit was howling miserably, and numerous roots had already broken off. How was it still alive?

With Dark Vision, Rain could clearly see that within the dimly lit hall, the Carnage Tree Spirit was rapidly regenerating by growing numerous thick tendrils from the inner wall to repair the wound.

"I think I should be able to guess the origins of this temple. This is the iconic pattern of the Mother Tree Sect!"

Father Rudolf, Rain, Lagra, and three Temple Knights, a total of six people, entered the temple to explore.

It looked so similar to the blood sacrifice ritual of the Black Flame Church.

It seemed like the roots had just finished digesting the corpse? These red, fleshy ligaments were still active, pulsating like a heart, and slowly oozing red liquid.

As the gaping wound on the Carnage Tree Spirit's body, which had just been the size of a washbasin, began to shrink at a visible rate, the others couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

Not only was it not dead, but its wound was gradually healing!

The ancient temple, seemingly collapsed due to its age, resembled a garden wall overgrown with vines and plants, giving the entire exterior the appearance of a verdant hill.

Humans tend to fear the unknown.

"Rain, I want to go too. I haven't found my brother's other battle axe yet," Lagra said, standing beside Rain, her beautiful eyes filled with anticipation.

Rain soon made a discovery.

In the next moment, the creature pounced with incredible speed, performing a swift death roll on a lightly wounded Temple Knight who was moving a bit slower! "Boom!!"

The scene, unfolding in the dimly lit hall amidst the mottled light and shadows, evoked a sense of revulsion, horror, and eeriness.

"No, it's not necessarily just a human corpse."

Indeed, the traces here were more evident.

However, this process seemed to involve the absorption of life and energy from the roots, rapidly repairing the Carnage Tree Spirit's wounds.

Clearly, this indicated the presence of a colossal tree, with its protruding parts signifying its towering height and grandeur.

As Father Rudolf unfurled the Advanced Divine Scroll 'Sword of Judgment'.

Careful and sensitive observation was also a manifestation of strength.

No sooner had Lagra finished speaking than everyone's attention was drawn to the ground where her finger pointed.

"I don't remember the exact reason for their annihilation, but it seems it was due to their bloody sacrificial rituals and pursuit of absolute autonomy. Those were probably the reasons for their extermination by the empire," Father Rudolf replied after some thought.

Rain, on the other hand, was amazed by the divine art he had just witnessed.

"Rain is right. If I'm not mistaken, these hairs belong to a Brutalized Wild Boar's mane," Father Rudolf nodded.

Especially at the entrance to the temple hall, the ground was marked by overlapping drag marks, forming a path like a small stream merging into a river, leaving behind a noticeably wide and slightly indented trace.

"That's right!" came the voice of Father Rudolf from behind.

Additionally, he gained a clear understanding of the 'bloody sacrificial rituals' of the Mother Tree Sect, as mentioned by Father Rudolf.

Ordinary people like them couldn't possibly contribute much.

"It's probably not that simple." Rain, observing the scene before him, felt that it wasn't just a simple sacrificial ritual.

"I've seen a temple like this somewhere before," Father Rudolf muttered, his face showing signs of deep thought.

Everyone felt a sense of palpitations, as if a massive and obscure aura was rapidly awakening. The next moment, the dense Carnage Tree Forest trembled, causing the twisted branches to shudder. At this moment, Rain's core skill, 'Danger Sense lv3', began to frantically warn him! Rain narrowed his eyes, immediately pulling Lagra back. Before he could say anything, a loud "Boom!" echoed as the ground beneath them suddenly exploded, and an enormous monster leaped out from underground!

Only then did everyone realize that the Carnage Tree Forest they had seen earlier was not a forest at all but the roots of this gigantic monster.

Soon, they followed the drag marks, heading towards the temple hall.

"This drag mark is significantly wider, likely caused by dragging a beast. Look, there's hair in the soil, and these thick, long hairs are unlikely to belong to a human."

Once a beautiful garden, it had withstood the test of time, enduring the elements without maintenance. Now, the grayish-white granite walls were almost completely collapsed.

"Sizzle!"

The creature's size was so immense that its weight was estimated to be in the tens of tons, far beyond human proportions.

The Carnage Tree Spirit's main body was buried underground, with its roots growing upwards. These roots entwined with the various carcasses dragged by the Demon Knight, creating a bizarre and twisted combination.

As the sound reverberated, the already dim temple hall grew even darker.

"This place might be dangerous. I'll keep an eye out for your brother's weapon, but I suggest you stay outside for safety."

"There's another one here," said another Temple Knight at the front, pointing to a newly discovered drag mark.

Before him, a pointed sword appeared, five meters in length, emitting intense energy fluctuations and a pale blue glow.

The tree stump of the Carnage Tree Spirit was instantly pierced through by the pale blue energy sword, creating a basin-sized hole that went right through it! Witnessing the power of Father Rudolf's divine art, the other two Temple Knights, who had been immersed in shock and grief over their lost companion, couldn't help but feel delighted.

Additionally, Rain noticed that even without the entangled corpses, the roots had exposed muscle and ligaments resembling blood-red biological tissue beneath their original gray bark.

Indeed, they were roots! They seemed to be growing upside down.

"This seems to be a crude altar, and a sacrificial ritual is about to take place," a Temple Knight said in a low voice.

Suddenly, the sound of rustling came from behind the group, like a swarm of snakes slithering across the ground.

"Is this a tree?" exclaimed a young Temple Knight in surprise.

Rain had never seen a monster of such colossal size!

Two of the thickest roots, resembling arms, lifted the creature's massive upper body upright, while hundreds of thinner roots twisted together, forming a giant snake-like entity.

The entire process was so swift that the young Temple Knight didn't even have time to scream before vanishing from this world.

In the ruins of a temple where birds and beasts had disappeared, only the three Demon Knights seemed to have the ability to drag corpses. Rain silently pondered.

At first glance, these corpses seemed to be just corpses, but as the group approached, goosebumps instantly rose.

As she looked up, she saw the direction of Rain's team in the ruined temple.

"If there's a Carnage Tree Spirit here, does that mean there's a Mother Tree-related thing here?"

As they entered the hall, everyone's pupils tightened! The scene before them was too bloody and shocking! A dense Carnage Tree Forest appeared before them, with intelligent beings such as humans, ogres, and lycanthropes, as well as the corpses of other beasts. These beastly corpses were particularly large, seemingly born from Brutalization.

Rain looked in the direction of Lagra, and sure enough, another Moon Blade Battle Axe was lying here.

Numerous fine roots around it had withered and broken, falling to the ground and quickly turning into dead wood. The flesh that had been wrapped around the roots instantly turned into rotten flesh.

With Father Rudolf's angry shout!

"I'm not afraid of danger, and I'll protect myself as well." Lagra raised the Blood-Patterned Steel Shield in her hand.

Even he didn't know if he could dodge that attack.

So, as Father Rudolf waved his right hand, a divine art similar to a flare lit up in front of the monster.

The next second, a loud roar echoed through the temple hall.

"Also, their main doctrine is that life originated from a Strange Mother Tree in the void, and this Mother Tree brought vitality to the world. Therefore, everyone must revere and worship the Mother Tree."

Obviously, when facing a monster with so many roots, you can't even attack its main body without shaving its head or beard first.

The overly dark environment was definitely not conducive to the team's combat, as most people didn't have Rain's 'Dark Vision' ability.

"It's recovering quickly! Keep attacking!"

"The Mother Tree Sect was active a long time ago, and ancient records from the distant past mention it. It's said to be an ancient sect that existed in the distant and ignorant age."

Including Rain, no one in the team intended to try to confront the monster head-on.

Since she had been paying attention to the ground or corners for any weapons left behind by her brother and his squad members, Lagra immediately noticed the dragging marks on the ground.

"Boom!"

"No wonder, the helmets of these Demon Knights have a Crowned design on top, which is probably a tribute to the Mother Tree." Rain thought for a moment and continued.

After a moment of thought, Rain quickly switched weapons, replacing the Pig Head Hammer with the Radiant Greatsword!

"Oh! This is my brother Haral's battle axe!" Lagra quickly walked to the half-collapsed temple door, calling out.

Rain picked up a black hair as hard as steel needles, covered in dirt.

As the air flowed, Rain immediately smelled the stench of rot and decay, unsure if the foul smell came from the red flesh or the roots themselves.

But at this moment, these once-powerful individuals were like skewered meat, hanging on thick, sharp branches.

"Pfft!"

Thinking of this, Lagra, holding her brother Haral's battle axe, looked at the temple hall with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, as if there was a hint of hope and expectation. "Be careful, I feel the evil ahead is getting stronger and stronger, right in the temple hall." Father Rudolf, on the other hand, stared at the temple hall with a serious expression, reminding them.

After passing through the overgrown garden with vines, a grand building similar to Rain's past life's Parthenon in ancient Greece appeared before them.

This made Rudolf instantly furious! He took out the Advanced Divine Art Scroll from his chest without hesitation and tore it open. "Divine Art: Sword of Judgment!"

Rain understood Lagra's urgency, but compared to the danger inside the temple, he hesitated.

Previously, he thought the Demon Knights only attacked and killed intruders in this area.

On the other hand, hundreds of small figures were depicted, worshiping and praying under a large tree.

"I see."

This plant-like, animal-like monster made everyone's skin crawl.

A Temple Knight quickly drew his Knight Longsword, intending to slash through the vines, but suddenly, everyone turned to look at the Carnage Tree Forest in the center of the temple hall.

Indeed, the church's foundation was strong, and the attack speed of that Azure Greatsword was incredibly fast and powerful.

The walls were covered with various climbing plants like ivy, roses, and vines, creating a lush, heavy atmosphere as if they had endured the passage of time.

It seemed that these traces, like dragging corpses from all directions, all led to the ruined temple hall.

Just as Lagra and several Temple Knights were about to step forward to observe.

However, the 'Tianjin Twisted Dough' before them was half gray bark and half red flesh, intertwined like a twisted dough.

Judging from the traces on the ground and the axe's impact point, Haral might not have been completely dead when he was dragged over, still holding the axe tightly.

At the same time, he appreciated Rain's keen observation skills.

Facing this giant monster over ten meters long, with countless flesh roots, Rain, though holding the Unyielding Force, didn't know how to approach it.

After some thought, Rain walked to the side of the temple, where the walls were covered in vines, and observed carefully.

"Yes!" Father Rudolf nodded.

"Could it be that the Demon Knight is collecting human corpses for some evil ritual?" The lightly injured Temple Knight, after some thought, suggested a possibility.

"Alright, but stay close to me. If anything goes wrong, we retreat immediately," Rain said, seeing that he couldn't convince Lagra, and reluctantly agreed to her idea of entering together.

After all, having just witnessed the Demon Knight's combat power, they already knew that this was a mystical incident, and these monsters' strength was difficult even for Temple Knights to handle.

Outside the temple, most of the more than ten tall Doric-style columns still stood tall and majestic, silently telling the story of their former glory and grandeur.

After Rain pulled away a large bunch of vines, an extremely unique pattern appeared before his eyes.

The garden was no longer filled with artificially planted and cultivated delicate flowers, but instead, wild weeds and shrubs, with the occasional tall tree, flourishing with lush branches and leaves.

After a brief rest, the group of six slowly entered the dilapidated temple's garden.

In his opinion, the bloody sacrificial ritual was not the main focus.

"Boom!!!"

What kind of monster was this!

As his mental energy continued to grow, Rain's perception also improved. With his current level of perception, he seemed to easily discover details that were previously easy to overlook, which made Rain feel quite pleased.

"Hmm! Such strong energy fluctuations!" The black-haired female elf, who was also traveling through the Night Song Forest, suddenly stopped.

"Hmm?" The two Temple Knights turned to Rain with puzzled expressions.

"Collecting flesh and blood, or collecting corpses. There must be an altar inside, but I don't know if the sacrificial ritual has already been successfully performed."

"Rain, look at the ground," Lagra said, pointing.

"Carnage Tree Spirit!" Father Rudolf suddenly realized something and exclaimed.

When everyone learned that this was the site of a temple from thousands of years ago, belonging to the Mother Tree Sect, they suddenly felt much more relaxed, no longer as tense as before.

Apparently, they would collect the corpses of their defeated enemies and drag them into the temple.

"Clang!"

The appearance of the Energy Longsword was extremely abrupt, as if it had appeared out of thin air. In the blink of an eye, the Azure Greatsword swiftly attacked the Carnage Tree Spirit! Having just devoured a Temple Knight, the massive tree spirit seemed to still be savoring the 'delicacy', and its huge body didn't have time to react or dodge.

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"This is my brother's remains," Lagra said, her eyes red with tears, pointing at a thick tree trunk where a tall humanoid corpse was entangled and twisted together with the tree.

The Carnage Tree Spirit, having just devoured a Temple Knight, was now howling in pain, its massive body rolling around in agony.

Everyone hurried over to examine the situation again.

Collecting flesh and blood?

The Temple Knight who couldn't dodge in time was suddenly swallowed by the gaping maw that opened up, pulling him into the Carnage Tree Spirit's body.

The monster's body was a thick wooden stump, about two to three meters in diameter and seven to eight meters long, with densely packed roots of various thicknesses fused with flesh and blood.

Apparently, these intelligent creatures had their heads or upper bodies still mostly intact, but their lower bodies were already strangely intertwined with the flesh and blood, forming a spiral structure similar to the 'Tianjin Twisted Dough' that Rain had seen in his previous life.

The key point was the latter's 'seeking autonomy'. If the Empire was strong enough, it would never allow autonomy, and it was different from splitting off to become an independent nation.

This giant monster seemed to be using these super-powered (brutalized) corpses as nourishment.

However, Rain's keen perception discovered that although the Carnage Tree Spirit couldn't withstand the attack of the Sword of Judgment, it was severely injured but not killed!

This went unnoticed by the others due to the extinguishing of a light-like technique.

This was getting interesting.

From the outside, if not for the collapsed granite walls, this place no longer showed any signs of an artificial garden.

Usually, these patterns were used to record the deeds or grand battles of revered deities, as deities required faith and worship, and murals were one effective way of promotion.

The three Temple Knights, with their swords and shields, led the way, while Father Rudolf, Rain, and Lagra followed behind.

If they couldn't dodge the Carnage Tree Spirit's attack, the power of divine arts would be the best explanation.

These roots, of various shapes and sizes, twisted and entangled, stretched for more than ten meters. This was a nearly twenty-meter-long giant monster.

The Carnage Tree Spirit before them was ten times larger than an elephant.

"Roar!!!"

"It sounds like this Mother Tree Sect isn't that bad after all?" Rain asked, stroking his chin.

The two Temple Knights closest to the Carnage Tree Spirit saw their roots falling to the ground and turning into withered wood. They thought that the powerful divine art should have already destroyed the Carnage Tree Spirit.

"Such energy fluctuations! Hmm! There's another energy, this seems to be..." The black-haired female elf pondered for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise.

After a moment of thought, she quickly adjusted her direction and rushed towards the direction of the ruined temple.

She seemed to think it wasn't fast enough.

The next second, her tall figure suddenly disappeared, transforming into an eagle, soaring into the sky, flapping her wings vigorously.

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end