Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Descent of the Celestial Deity

“So, does that mean the Woma Temple is now under my authority?” Li Ren asked, somewhat absentmindedly.

“Yes, my lord. Your commands will be carried out most thoroughly by the Woma Temple,” replied the Woma High Priest respectfully from below.

Li Ren fell into another bout of contemplation. Even as he did so, the High Priest and the Master below remained in their humble posture, never wavering. He gazed at the altar, shrouded in black energy, considering it for a moment before ultimately deciding not to focus further on its mysterious aura.

From his backpack, he retrieved the slim booklet that the High Priest had dropped for him earlier, "Descent of the Celestial." A flash of white light, and the book vanished from his hands. Simultaneously, a new skill appeared in his skill bar: Summon Celestial. Only these four words as a description. Li Ren looked at the skill, and it was clear that this was not the same Celestial Descent that players could learn. He had no idea what effect it might produce.

After dismissing the High Priest and the Master, Li Ren sat alone in the vast hall. After a long pause, he finally activated the skill that offered neither explanation nor clue.

An immense surge of dark power was drawn from the surrounding environment as Li Ren released the skill. The previously placid energy on the altar began to ripple, eventually joining the turbulence. Li Ren watched in astonishment as events unfolded before him. He could feel the overwhelming might of this new force—a soul-deep sense of awe.

“Hmm? Who dares summon me?” A clear voice rang out, tinged with curiosity. When its owner glanced at the altar nearby, he smiled faintly. That smile alone radiated a warmth and immense sense of safety from the heart.

“So it’s this artifact, no wonder such potent power. I thought those fellows would never think to attempt a summoning.” The newcomer muttered to himself, then paused when he caught sight of Li Ren.

“You summoned me?” He first surveyed the surroundings, then fixed his gaze on Li Ren. His eyes were incredibly clear, and though he was enveloped in powerful dark energy, it could not conceal his innate aura.

His presence was like sunlight in winter—pure, strong, untainted, and burning with an intense determination.

“You have quite a good foundation, haha. Your Skeleton clan may be useless at everything, but your innate resilience is unmatched.” The man laughed heartily, and Li Ren, for reasons unknown, found himself as timid as a child before him. A casual remark from the stranger made his face flush with embarrassment.

“All right, enough chatter. I can’t linger here too long—if those others catch wind, things will get complicated.” The stranger paused briefly, his gaze sharp as lightning as he sized up Li Ren. Li Ren realized, with terror, that nothing about him could be hidden under that gaze; it pierced him through and through.

“It seems you have some skill with the sword. I’ll teach you a sword technique I’ve refined myself. Actually, you’d do even better with a spear.” The man sounded slightly regretful.

“I can use a spear!” Li Ren blurted out inexplicably. Regret followed immediately; spears were far from easy to wield—at least not as convenient or safe as blades and swords.

“Haha, with your current level, best stick to the sword. Train well with the technique I give you. I’ll gift you a stroke of fortune as well. Once your swordsmanship matures, and if fate allows, I’ll teach you spear arts.” The man emphasized the word “fate,” his meaning deep and mysterious.

Li Ren was in no mood to ponder hidden meanings. The pressure from this person was so overwhelming that he barely knew what he was doing. Until the man demonstrated an entire sword technique before him, each blade’s light and shadow born from the void, floating into Li Ren’s body. The sequence burned itself into his mind, as if he had watched it countless times. He moved instinctively, his body following the movements.

With every thrust and withdrawal, his pride shone through; the uncanny angles seemed almost otherworldly.

When Li Ren finally stopped and regained his senses, the man had vanished, leaving him alone at the center of the vast hall.

“Azure Dragon Five Thrusts?! Zhao Zilong?! What… what is happening?!” Li Ren muttered, stunned by the fragment of information that leapt from his mind, leaving him standing dazed for ages.

He looked again at the obsidian altar, its dark energy now depleted, yet the altar itself remained intact. Li Ren felt a subtle, inexplicable connection to it.

His intuition told him this was the fortune Zhao Yun had mentioned, though its source remained a mystery.

Putting the question aside, he carefully recalled the sword technique Zhao Yun had taught him—five moves in total.

Checking his attribute panel again, he found five new skills in his skill bar, though four were grayed out; only the first move, Rain from Fate, was usable.

Li Ren closed his eyes, slowly raising his sword. The shield on his left arm had long been discarded. In an instant, it was as if fine rain began to fall inside the stone chamber, droplets descending from above and vanishing quickly. Li Ren was left breathless, never expecting that a single sword move could exhaust him so thoroughly.

Gazing at the floor and walls, marked with countless sword scars, he knew that from this moment, he held a new trump card.

But Zhao Yun—the heroic, valorous figure—where did he come from, and what was this place? The questions only deepened his confusion; everything was becoming more complex.

Looking back at the Celestial Descent skill, he discovered that the skill bar where it had been placed was now empty. He showed no disappointment; had the skill remained, it would have seemed odd.

As he still lingered in thought, a surge of dark energy suddenly emanated from the altar, linking instantly with him.

Trusting Zhao Yun, Li Ren did not try to control the unknown energy, but watched its development with cold detachment.

After the altar connected to Li Ren, he instantly understood its true function. Like any altar, its primary purpose was worship—but the original object of worship had been forcibly erased, replaced by himself as the new focus.

The altar linked to the hearts of all dark creatures within the Woma Temple. Their worship generated a powerful energy, now directly supplied to Li Ren.

Not only did he receive the energy from these creatures, but even slain players contributed a bit to the altar, though less than blood essence, yet it accumulated automatically, without effort.

From the final fragment of information Zhao Yun left him, Li Ren learned that the altar had been slightly modified. In future, he could periodically draw endless dark energy from the monsters through the altar, using it to strengthen himself.

Li Ren nodded, glanced once more at the awe-inspiring hall, and with a flicker, returned to his player form. He strode out of the hall, and every creature in the Woma Temple knelt as he passed, saluting him like a king in his own realm, setting off for new conquests and glory.

“Congratulations to player Falling Moon for founding the third guild. Reward: 500 reputation, 5000 gold, and a gold-grade equipment of your choice.”

The system message broadcast three times, stirring the players into an uproar.

Li Ren was silently making his way back to Sentinel City. Upon hearing the announcement, he paused briefly, then continued on his way. Every monster that attacked him was struck down with a single sword, not slowing his pace.

“Damn it! Three people have been rewarded for founding guilds, and two of them are nobodies! Aren’t you all supposed to be so amazing? Why can’t you even get a simple guild charter, and let others beat you to it again and again? Now, a female player barely level thirty has started a guild—what use are you to me?! You worthless fools!” A furious voice raged in a room, while everyone below kept their heads down, not daring to speak.

Of course, such scenes weren’t limited to this place; similar situations played out across the world of human players, as if copied from a template.

Meanwhile, rumors about guild charters were quietly spreading. As to their origin, no one could say; some claimed to have heard it in a tavern in Sentinel City, but with so many sources, few bothered to verify. The guild charter’s news was far more important than its messenger.

For a time, secret dealings among players increased. Walking through Selan City, Li Ren smirked disdainfully and stepped into an unremarkable room.