Chapter 385 – The Truth of the Miracle Domain, Hunting Sacrificial Offerings

“The origins of the Pantheon are shrouded in mystery, and although they appear formidable, I had never heard of this organization’s existence before…

They claim to be the earthly Representatives recognized simultaneously by the will of all deities, having fallen silent since the ancient departures of these deities, and now reemerging to herald the return of their will…”

The Eleventh Throne briefly shared the information he had gathered from the Holy Envoy with Lu Yuan.

His words did not seem to be cloaked in deceit or fabrication.

“Recognized by the will of all deities… to welcome the return of their will…”

Lu Yuan pondered over the Eleventh Throne’s words, thinking to himself.

Considering the methods employed by the so-called Holy Envoy, it did indeed feel somewhat ‘sanctioned by all deities’.

He could understand ancient deities having foes and forming alliances.

But an organization that encompasses the will of thousands of deities… that was extraordinary.

What circumstances could lead so many ancient deities to form such an alliance?

To oppose a more formidable entity? Or perhaps a force akin to the ancient alliance of deities?

Moreover, the Pantheon mentioned that the deities had departed in ancient times and were now about to return.

Why did they leave initially, and why are they returning now?

With only fragments of information, true or false, Lu Yuan could not deduce much.

He could only mentally note down “Pantheon” and planned to delve deeper into it when the opportunity arose.

Ever since he unlocked the [Scholar of the Mysterious Department (Extraordinary)] professional panel, a strong curiosity about ancient secrets was practically etched into his bones.

Encountering even the slightest clue, he felt an urge to thoroughly investigate.

Lu Yuan momentarily set aside his curiosity about the Pantheon and resumed his conversation with the Eleventh Throne.

“Let’s talk about you guys instead.”

Lu Yuan picked up a glass of water beside him, not to drink, but to idly play with in his hands.

“Mosa.”

The Eleventh Throne looked at Lu Yuan with an intrigued expression and spoke, “You mentioned before that your desire to join us in Mosa was not in jest?”

“Of course not.”

Lu Yuan said calmly, “I come from a background as a martial artist and have always had the utmost pursuit of combat. I have a fair understanding of your Mosa Sect’s teachings, which align closely with the martial philosophy I uphold.

Speaking of which, I have participated in many martial arts competitions organized by the Mosa Sect and even consumed what you refer to as ‘divine blood’…”

Lu Yuan did not mention that he was the Silver Spear Bearer, but the implication was enough to invigorate the Eleventh Throne.

The Eleventh Throne’s tone became noticeably more sincere and eager as he spoke with Lu Yuan.

“The Mosa Sect has always welcomed powerhouses, especially those as formidable as you.”

In the following conversation, the Eleventh Throne shared many details about the Mosa Sect with Lu Yuan.

For instance, there are eighteen individuals within the Mosa Sect like the Eleventh Throne.

Ranked by level of strength, the Eleventh Throne is considered to be in the lower middle range.

These individuals uniformly refer to themselves as sequential thrones within the sect, yet their true identities are very secretive, and aside from a few who are especially close, they are not well-acquainted with each other.

It is known that most of the sequential thrones hold extraordinary positions in the real world, either as high-level executives of certain powers or as long-established strongholds.

Overall, the real strength of the Mosa Sect is much greater than Lu Yuan, or even what is publicly perceived by countries around the world.

The organization imposes relatively minor restrictions on those at the Throne Level, which can be considered lenient.

For most sequential thrones, the Mosa Sect is more like a conglomerate of interests.

Lu Yuan also understood why the people of the Mosa Sect were searching the world for objects related to ancient deities.

This relates to the teachings and the advancement system of the Mosa Sect.

The Mosa Sect worships the deities of combat and hunting.

To please the Deity of Mosa, one must offer grand combat sacrifices or the spoils of war obtained from hunting.

The more valuable the spoils offered, the more generous the rewards bestowed by the Deity of Mosa, and the faster the sacrificer’s strength improves.

Currently, many among the Mosa Sect’s high-ranking thrones have ascended to their level of power through offering spoils of war, starting as ordinary individuals.

Unlike typical ancient deity sects that emphasize the soul and faith, these aspects are less emphasized in the Mosa Sect.

Lu Yuan was quite astonished after hearing this.

If Mosa’s situation is indeed as the Eleventh Throne described, where “treasures” can be exchanged for “Strength,” then faith seems to matter less.

This truly is good news for him.

He has already begun to contemplate where he could gather some useless items from the evil deity to quickly enhance his [Spear Bearer (Extraordinary)] professional level once he formally joins Mosa.

Time flew by as Lu Yuan and the Eleventh Throne chatted leisurely.

In the midst of this, Lu Yuan also contacted the Protectors of the evil martial alliance under his command, instructing them to return to Xia State to rest and recuperate, promising rewards upon his return.

When the shuttle gradually landed on an island in the western hemisphere, Lu Yuan and the Eleventh Throne had become as close as brothers, thoroughly enjoying their conversation.

“With Cheng Peng’s strength, if he joins us in Mosa, he would certainly secure a seat among the Thrones.

Perhaps even ranking above me, by then I would need Cheng Peng’s guidance,” he said.

The shuttle’s door slowly opened, and Lu Yuan and the Eleventh Throne stepped out side by side.

The Eleventh Throne, lion-like, wore a broad, warm smile, speaking fondly of Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan simply smiled at the Eleventh Throne’s compliments, casually observing Mosa’s “headquarters” before them.

The location was situated on one of the archipelagos in the western ocean’s international waters.

Approximately a hundred islands, big and small, all belonged to Mosa.

Each island was covered in concrete and steel, with various types of aircraft patrolling around, tightly guarded like maritime fortresses.

According to the Eleventh Throne, Mosa even had its own satellite and an Extraterrestrial Base.

Their military strength was formidable, almost comparable to a small country.

The shuttle they traveled in passed through multiple checkpoints, landing on the largest island in the center of the archipelago.

This island, surrounded by other islands, resembled a giant goat’s head, whether natural or man-made was unclear.

The entire island was covered in dark gray alloy, with hardly a trace of soil visible.

Lu Yuan extended his mental power downwards, discovering that the steel alloy continued several kilometers below the sea level, a truly grand scale.

The Eleventh Throne led Lu Yuan toward the center of the island, seemingly engaged in a discussion with someone else.

Lu Yuan wasn’t surprised; he knew that the higher-ups of Mosa were likely being briefed about his unexpected arrival.

Upon reaching the center of the island, they arrived at a massive Metal Square surrounded by layers of steel structures, where the Eleventh Throne paused.

“I might have to leave you for a moment.”

With an apologetic expression, the Eleventh Throne explained to Lu Yuan, “This is the largest Sacrificial Square in Mosa, where all significant events are held. I’ve already discussed your situation with the other Thrones, and there are no issues. You just need to undergo a simple baptism ceremony to confirm your identity. The specific ranking among the Thrones will be determined once all are present. Please wait here for a bit while I arrange the baptism ceremony for you. Don’t worry, it will be quick. Once the baptism is over, I’ll take you around for a proper tour.”

Lu Yuan nodded in agreement and said it was fine. The Eleventh Throne hurriedly left.

Once the Eleventh Throne had left, Lu Yuan surveyed the grandeur of the “Sacrificial” Square. Around the perimeter stood numerous metal columns, several meters in diameter and dozens of meters tall, adorned with carvings depicting various scenes of battle and hunting. At the very center of the square, a gigantic and familiar Goat Head floated in mid-air, composed of an unknown material in shades of black and grayish-white, exuding a powerful and mysterious will with a hint of malevolence.

From the moment Lu Yuan stepped into the square, the empty sockets of the Goat Head seemed to cast a cold gaze upon him, a scrutiny he was familiar with from when he became a “Silver Spear Bearer.”

Bored, he aimlessly wandered around the square, reminiscing about his previous battle with the Holy Envoy of All Deities. He felt that his current state of limited strength wasn’t entirely a disadvantage. If he hadn’t been stuck at the peak of the eighth stage, he might not have started to appreciate the power of the “Miracle Domain” he had touched upon earlier.

Lu Yuan examined his [Elephant Deity. Ming King Stance (Extraordinary)] professional panel and discovered a faint gray light spot that appeared after his last deep interaction with the “Miracle Domain.”

He tried to activate it with skill points, but received a prompt that it was temporarily unable to be unlocked.

Lu Yuan’s eyes lit up at this.

He was quite familiar with such situations.

It indicated that the skill he was trying to unlock represented a very high level, one he had comprehended by “leaping” beyond his current capabilities.

It also meant…

The true nature hidden behind the mysterious veil of the “Miracle Domain” was about to be revealed to him.

…

“Tap-tap-tap-“

The Eleventh Throne walked swiftly along the lengthy passageway.

Torches on the walls of the passageway cast alternating shadows and highlights on his robust frame.

The Eleventh Throne, with a determined gaze, quickly reached the end of the passageway.

In front of him, two huge metal doors stood. He pushed them open, and a spacious hall appeared before him.

In the center of the hall, a massive long table was set, with a series of grand thrones scattered neatly on either side.

In total, there were eighteen thrones, with about a third of them occupied.

At the end of the table, the largest and most ornately designed throne, seemingly forged from countless crystal weapons, was occupied by a silver-haired man wearing a resplendent diamond mask.

Beneath the diamond mask, a pair of indifferent, crystal-clear eyes lightly gazed at the Eleventh Throne as he entered.

“Garilei has arrived.”

Someone spoke, their voice hoarse with a deep undertone, “Let him explain himself.”

All eyes in the hall turned towards the Eleventh Throne.

Among the powers present in the hall, the Eleventh Throne’s strength was not particularly outstanding, and his lion-like, domineering presence was subdued.

Without any unnecessary words, he straightforwardly recounted his journey to Kasha in search of the “Heart of the Feathered Serpent Deity,” his encounter with the Pantheon, and then the matters concerning Lu Yuan.

After the Eleventh Throne finished speaking, the hall fell into a brief silence.

After a long pause, someone spoke.

“I once heard about the Pantheon, a legend recorded on an ancient piece of parchment.

Written in dozens of languages with just a few hundred words, it also involved symbols from over a hundred different Ancient Deity sects, nearly identical to what Garilei had described.

I thought it was merely a fantasy concocted by the ancients, but it’s incredible that such an organization actually exists in the world…”

“The reality of the Pantheon is still up for debate; currently, only Garilei has seen it with his own eyes…”

“Since they boldly strive to seize the ‘Heart of the Feathered Serpent Deity,’ it probably won’t be long before they reveal themselves to us. Then we’ll know whether it’s true or not… If it is, I think this could be a great opportunity to expand our influence…”

The Pantheon, inheriting the will of countless deities.

It is a mysterious organization from ancient times, likely possessing extensive knowledge about the inner workings of various Ancient Deity sects.

If we could collaborate with the Pantheon, their means of obtaining ‘Spoils of War’ for sacrifices would undoubtedly increase, and who knows how many ancient secrets and Treasure clues these ancient powers hold.

Those qualified to sit in this hall right now are all cunning individuals, quickly analyzing information beneficial to themselves from just a few snippets.

“What should be done with the man Garilei brought back?”

Someone frowned and said, “That man killed a Holy Envoy of the Pantheon; if we absorb him, it might not be so simple to negotiate a collaboration with the Pantheon next time…”

“Has there been any investigation into this person named Cheng Peng?”

“Nothing can be found under that name; it’s probably an alias…

This guy claims to be the ‘God Emperor’ of the Evil Martial Alliance, an organization I’ve checked into; it’s a minor, low-level force in Xia State, and ‘God Emperor’ is the fixed Title for the leader of this force.

Their leaders change frequently, with a very high death rate.

The information on the current leader is also blank; we can’t piece together much in a short time…”

“You brought the man here.”

At that moment, the silver-haired man wearing a diamond mask on the crystal throne at the head of the long table looked towards the Eleventh Throne and spoke calmly, “Garilei, share your thoughts.”

The Eleventh Throne’s gaze sharpened as he spoke solemnly, “This individual is very powerful, likely at the peak of the eighth stage. His methods are both mysterious and domineering. I’ve seen techniques similar to those of the True Words Temple that directly affect the mind, as well as the Strength of the Elephant Deity Sect. Oh, and he possesses a secret treasure with formidable power, capable of unleashing the might of the ninth stage…”

The Eleventh Throne paused, then continued, “My suggestion is that we shouldn’t reject such a high-level combat power just because we are unsure of the true nature of the Pantheon. We could first try to bring him in. If we end up collaborating with the Pantheon and the benefits far outweigh the assistance he could provide, we could then consider using him as a ‘sacrificial offering’ to the True Deity! This way, no matter how things unfold, it would only be beneficial for us…”

Upon hearing this, the assembly of figures in the hall fell silent.

After scanning the crowd, the silver-haired man on the crystal throne spoke again lightly, “If there are no objections, then we’ll proceed as Garilei suggested. Arrange the baptism ceremony for him.”

Suddenly, someone in the hall remarked with a sigh, “Personally, I would recommend using this person as a ‘hunting sacrificial offering’ right away. The combat power at the peak of the eighth stage, plus a secret treasure of the ninth stage level… Imagine the benefits we could gain from offering these two as sacrifices. And…”

The speaker glanced around subtly and continued in a low voice, “I’ve always felt… that this table, with eighteen seats, is crowded enough. I’m not keen on adding another chair…”

“Indeed…” Some nodded in agreement, showing considerable support for the sentiment.

However, the decision had already been made by the man on the crystal throne, and any objections now seemed a bit too late.