Chapter 110: Chapter 26 Tilu Temple_4
Just as both side’s attacks were about to clash, Prophet Pu Lin finally opened his eyes and said lightly, "That’s enough, stop." Two beams of blue light shot out from him, penetrating the defenses of Xuan Yue and Ah Dai, and struck directly between the eyebrows of the two Tilu warriors. The warriors simultaneously withdrew their battle axes and calmly returned to their original positions, as if nothing had happened. The pressure they had been exuding also disappeared at once.
Ah Dai and Xuan Yue both felt their bodies lurch forward. Ah Dai, who had received most of the force, could not help but spit out a mouthful of blood and fell on one knee out of weakness, panting loudly. Xuan Yue wasn’t much better; her face was pale, her temples drenched in sweat, her right hand clutching the Phoenix’s Blood tightly, and she glared furiously at Prophet Pu Lin.
Two gentle balls of white light emerged from Prophet Pu Lin’s hand, enveloping Xuan Yue and Ah Dai like lightning. In the glow, they both felt an indescribably comforting warmth throughout their bodies, and it seemed as though their previous fatigue and injuries had completely disappeared. Ah Dai stood up, glanced at Xuan Yue who was somewhat stunned, and then asked Prophet Pu Lin, "Prophet, what happened?"
Prophet Pu Lin showed a gentle smile, sighed, and said, "That’s right, the union of kindness and evil, the unity of light and darkness, led by the Phoenix’s Blood, has passed through numerous barriers. We have finally met, you two are the ones I have been waiting for for thirty years!"
Not to mention Ah Dai, even the exceptionally intelligent Xuan Yue was taken aback. She said petulantly: "Prophet Pu Lin, shouldn’t you explain things to us?"
Prophet Pu Lin looked at Xuan Yue and said, "Beyond these stone doors, lies a secret that our Pu Yan tribe has kept for a thousand years. The reason you both were able to reach this place was entirely due to the guidance of the Sky God. Children, as soon as you step through these stone doors with me, your destiny will be changed, and everything will develop according to the Sky God’s guidance. Let’s go in, inside, I will tell you everything you want to know. Thirty years, ah! I have finally waited for you." After saying that, he lightly waved his wooden staff and the two huge stone doors slowly creaked open revealing the darkness inside. Prophet Pu Lin paused for a moment and said, "Follow me." He then walked in, seemingly filled with thoughts.
Xuan Yue moved closer to Ah Dai and asked with concern, "How are you? Are you okay?"
Ah Dai looked at the Tilu warriors on either side of the stone doors and shook his head, saying: "I’m alright, let’s go."
Xuan Yue nodded. Having come this far, there was no way back. They could only keep moving forward, taking it one step at a time. Both of them followed behind Prophet Pu Lin and entered the darkness behind the stone doors. The moment they stepped in, the stone doors suddenly closed behind them, the massive sound echoing endlessly through the cavernous hall.
Xuan Yue jolted and grabbed Ah Dai’s warm and broad hand, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "Ah Dai, you, you must protect me!" Within this mysterious and unsettling temple, even someone as brave as Xuan Yue couldn’t help but feel fear.
For the first time, Ah Dai felt that Xuan Yue was so helpless and vulnerable, which only stirred the protective instincts within his heart. He squeezed Xuan Yue’s hand gently, his body emitting a faint white light, surrounding and protecting both him and Xuan Yue. Xuan Yue felt a comforting warmth spread through her, her whole body leaning against Ah Dai, as if she found a safe haven in him.
This was an enclosed space without any light source. Strangely, there was no feeling of being suffocated here.
"In my name, I borrow your power, go, Power of God." Prophet Pu Lin’s aged voice echoed, and the environment suddenly brightened up. Ah Dai and Xuan Yue discovered that this was not a very large cavern, and the light was actually coming from gemstones embedded in the walls, illuminating the cave with a soft yellow glow. Prophet Pu Lin stood in the center of the cavern, staring at the rock wall in front of him. The walls, including the ceiling, were covered in murals. Under the glow of the gemstones, the lifelike murals seemed extremely mystical.
Prophet Pu Lin slowly walked over to Ah Dai and Xuan Yue, sighing, he said, "Children, what you see here is the record of my Pu Yan tribe’s millennia-long history."
Xuan Yue frowned, "What does the millennia-long history of your Pu Yan tribe have to do with us, why did you have to bring us here?"
Pu Lin did not directly answer Xuan Yue’s question, he faintly smiled and said, "Little girl, how old do you think I am this year?"
Xuan Yue was taken aback, perplexedly gazing at Pu Lin’s wrinkled face, she questioned, "You’re so old, you must be in your eighties or nineties, right?"
A hint of sorrow flashed across Pu Lin’s eyes as he shook his head, "Yan Fei, the Clan Leader, and I grew up together. He is 62 years old this year, and I am a year younger than him."
Xuan Yue and Ah Dai looked simultaneously shocked at Pu Lin. Pu Lin let out a self-deprecating laugh, "Do you know why I look so old even though I’m only 61?"
Ah Dai merely shook his head with a clueless expression, but Xuan Yue responded thoughtfully, "Could it be because of your title as a prophet?"
Pu Lin nodded, "You’re right. Prophets like me and the priests of your Holy Church have some things in common – we are all devout followers of the Sky God. In terms of power, I’m inferior to the priests of the Church. However, I possess an ability they do not." Speaking up to this point, a spark flashed across Pu Lin’s eyes, "That is, I can foresee the future. Children, prophets of our Pu Yan tribe possess absolute power within the tribe, even the Clan Leader must obey the commands of the prophet. The Pu Yan tribe has over thirty clans, and this is the largest one. The Tilu Temple is where the prophet worships the Sky God and senses the future. Only one prophet can exist within the Pu Yan tribe, always appointed by the previous generation prophet. It’s safe to say, I am the most gifted amongst them. You must be aware of the Blood Moon event a few years back, girl from the Holy Church?"
Xuan Yue was moved and unintentionally blurted out, "Are you referring to the Millennium Catastrophe? How...how do you know I’m from the Holy Church?"
Pu Lin gave a faint smile, "Any discerning person could tell. The sacred aura you emanate is not something ordinary Light Magicians possess. If I’m not wrong, your elder must be a Red Robe Priest from the Church. Furthermore, being entrusted with the Church’s treasure, the Phoenix’s Blood, suggests an extraordinary relationship with the Pope. Am I correct?"
Xuan Yue blankly nodded, "So, why did you call us here? Does it have something to do with the Millennium Catastrophe?"
Ah Dai looked surprised and glanced between Xuan Yue and Pu Lin, then asked, "What is the Millennium Catastrophe? What does it have to do with the blood rain five years ago?"
Xuan Yue scoffed, "When the blood moon hangs in the sky, a disaster is bound to occur. When the blood rain falls upon the world, catastrophe is imminent. The Millennium Catastrophe is soon to befall upon us. Don’t you know about this legend?"
Ah Dai blankly responded, "I didn’t know. What does this Millennium Catastrophe have to do with us?"
Pu Lin sighed, "If it didn’t involve you, I wouldn’t have called you here. It was the Sky God who guided you to me, the great saviors of the impending disaster."
Before Ah Dai could react, Xuan Yue began to tremble in shock, "What...what did you say? You’re saying we are the Saviors of the Millennium Catastrophe?" She was all too familiar with the term Savior. Five years ago, on the day of the Blood Moon, the Pope had issued an order for all clergy members to search for the emerging Savior. And the only clue the Pope had given was, "Kindness, Evil, Dragon, Phoenix, Love." This cryptic clue had left all the clergy members puzzled for five years without any leads. The Pope had once mentioned that if the Savior was not found, chaos would ensue, and the entire land would be engulfed in a storm of bloody rain.
The Prophet Pu Lin turned his back to Ah Dai and Xuan Yue, "Although the Pope possesses divine power, he was a priest by origin after all. The reason I’m certain you are the Saviors is not just because of my prophet status, but more importantly, when I asked for our Pu Yan tribe’s destiny thirty years ago, before the Blood Moon descended, I received a more detailed divine instruction in exchange for thirty years of my life. This instruction is related to the Savior. So, the reason I seem so old is because I’m technically 91 years old, considering the thirty years I exchanged. Child, please tell me whatever you know about the Savior."
Xuan Yue was utterly stunned, while Ah Dai, standing next to her, was still clueless about what Pu Lin and Xuan Yue were discussing.
Xuan Yue said, "The Pope received a vague clue about the Savior when confronting the Blood Moon. These are the few words he received, ’Kindness, Evil, Dragon, Phoenix, Love.’" Even though this was a secret of the Church, Xuan Yue revealed it. The reverence she felt for the elderly prophet in front of her inspired her to speak the truth.
