Chapter 373 Bringing Talents to the Moonlight Cult, Hunting Goddess Artemis, Sacred Tree Disease (1W)

autumn.

A strong wind blows over the North Sea.

A masted sailing ship rides the wind and waves, moving forward in the rolling sea fog.

On the deck, Crane held a pipe in his hand, staring at the surging waves, and said with interest:

"I often hear old people talking about a legendary monster called the Kraken. I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to see one in this lifetime..."

Yeats rested his hands on the deck railing, his silver hair fluttering in the sea breeze.

The Kraken, no one knows whether it is a crab or an octopus.

I have seen the descendants of the Kraken before, and the claws of the Kraken really satisfy the Goddess of Darkness!

However, even Yeats himself didn't have the chance to taste it at that time.

"I'm really curious about what the stew made from legendary monsters would taste like..." Ye Zhi sighed.

Cran smiled in silence.

He knew the Duke's temper.

No matter what kind of monster you encounter, your first reaction is whether you can make it into a delicious dish!

In the distant sky, rolling black clouds were floating, revealing the depression before the storm.

"The storm is coming, let's go back to the cabin." said Clan.

"Don't be nervous, the dark clouds will soon dissipate."

Yeats took out Pan's flute and played the wind-control song.

The magical power contained in the music spell of the Six-ring Bard dispersed the cumulonimbus clouds above the sea, leaving Clan stunned.

This is Master Liuhuan’s control over the power of nature.

Clan thought that just a wave of his hand could cause changes in the celestial phenomena.

You can also directly draw magic power from the creative field for your own use without going through tedious meditation steps.

Even better than the power of nature is the power of the domain that only the legendary saints can master! Cran suddenly thought of the president of the Adventurer's Guild, the legendary demon hunter Anthony.

This battle-hardened warrior could crush and defeat even a Six-Ring Master.

Presumably, Anthony has touched the threshold of the sanctuary.

And looking at the entire Golden Lion Kingdom, the one who has the greatest hope of achieving the Holy Land is probably... the Duke of Honeysuckle in front of him! Whether it is the Holy Land master or the identity of God's Chosen, Ye Zhi is destined to have a unique advantage on the road to the Holy Land.

I can't help but compare Yeats two years ago with the figure today who can easily calm a storm at sea.

Clan was touched, shook his head, and said, "In two days, we should be able to reach the [Luerdan Port]."

"From there, we can take the land route and reach the Grand Duchy of Lucia in the interior of the empire in one day."

The port of Lucerne is nicknamed the "Veneto of the North".

It is bordered by the North Sea in the west and the Rhine River in the east. It is known as the gateway to the empire and is rich in tulips and cheese.

The local lord was known as the "Duke of Tulips". He was a master in the financial industry. He vigorously promoted bonds in his territory and accumulated a lot of wealth. He was also one of the seven electors.

With wealth comes extravagance and decadence.

The red-light district of Luerdan is also world-famous, with enthusiastic beast girls of the Isu tribe, charming half-snake hybrids, and cold elf maids... This is also recorded in Peren's masterpiece "Guide to the Evaluation of Alien Races".

Yeats looked up at the sky.

If only Perron were on this ship.

When talking about the red-light district in Ludwigshafen, he could talk about it for three days and three nights!

The next day.

The Sea Eagle is anchored in the port of Deere.

Yeats traveled light and did not inform the local lord of his visit.

The union manager at the dock, with his experienced eyes, noticed that the passerby's clothing and demeanor were extraordinary, so he approached and greeted him warmly, and recommended the berthing business:

"We can help take care of and maintain your boat. If you wish, we can also hire a professional navigator to use the [Ship in a Bottle] spell to store your boat in a drifting bottle so that you can carry it with you..."

Crane stepped forward to negotiate.

After a while, he turned back and said:

"The drifting bottle used in the [Ship in a Bottle] spell is specially made. When needed, throw the drifting bottle into the sea, and the boat will quickly return to its original shape... I think it's quite convenient, I'll give it a try."

Ye Zhi nodded.

The tea business made Yeats very wealthy, so he didn't feel bad about spending this little money.

The port city of Ludwigshafen is quite prosperous, and you can see foreigners wearing strange clothes on the streets.

At the entrance of the Merchant Guild, there is a Chocobo rental business, which is very popular.

The price of war horses in the empire is several times higher than that of chocobos. For civilians, the best choice for pulling carts is the ostrich-sized, fast-footed, hard-working chocobo.

Yeats found it novel and did not rent a carriage. Instead, he chose a chocobo to pull the carriage and headed to the Grand Duchy of Lucia along the official road.

As night fell, the five chocobos were still galloping under the stars.

Because the journey was long, Yeats purchased these five chocobos.

"The public security in Luerdan is relatively stable."

On the carriage, Clan showed his profound knowledge and said, "In some Elector Counties where war breaks out, there are often bandits blocking the road. Chocobos will panic and lose control when encountering war. Dragon lizards wearing armor are actually a better choice for mounts..."

"Elector, what does that mean?" Gray asked curiously.

"More than a hundred years ago, the then emperor issued the Golden Edict, which established and standardized the election process for the emperor of the empire."

Crane explained: "According to the principle of majority rule, only seven electors have the power to elect the emperor of the empire... Because of this, the electors have a huge influence in the empire, and their status is much higher than that of ordinary dukes."

Yeats was thoughtful.

The current emperor of the empire is named Frederick, and he comes from the famous Habsburg family.

The family relied on marriage alliances and flexible political tactics to control almost the entire continent.

Due to inbreeding, the probability of producing geniuses and deformed children has greatly increased.

Crucible's Fighting Qi is a special fighting qi tailor-made by the lame God of Fire for the disabled. However, practicing Crucible's Fighting Qi is considered a shame in the Habsburg family.

The true geniuses in this family often possess extraordinary talents and are able to practice a variant of the fighting skill called [Golden Fighting Qi].

Today's Frederick the Great has honed his golden fighting spirit to the extreme.

"As for the Grand Duchy of Lucia, that place has had an indissoluble bond with the Moonlight Cult long before the establishment of the duchy..."

Crane looked at the Akers, who were cuddling together, and smiled friendly.

"I think it's more appropriate for the legend of the Moonlight Sect to be told by real Moonlight believers."

Axe's wife, Luen, had a thin face. She held Axe's hand, smiled slightly, and said softly, "Since Mr. Cran said so, I will obey your orders respectfully..."

According to Luen, a thousand years ago, the Grand Duchy of Lucia was still called "Land of Lucia", and Lucia was a respectful name for the moon goddess.

At that time, an oak seed fell from the starry sky into the Grand Canyon in the land of Lucia, and slowly grew into a towering tree.

This giant tree exudes surging moonlight divinity, attracting many Moon God believers, and the Moonlight Temple was gradually built in the Grand Duchy of Lucia.

"We call that sacred tree the 'Tree of Lucia', which means the Tree of the Moon Goddess."

Luen said slowly: "It is because of the magic power provided by the Moon Goddess Tree that the Moon Island can float in the sky and become a wonder of the Moonlight Sect..."

Yeats nodded slowly.

The capital of the Grand Duchy of Lucia is called Yuexia Castle.

It is famous for its highland city and the large canyon that divides the center of the city into two.

The Moon Goddess Tree is rooted in the canyon of Yuexia Castle, and its roots spread throughout the canyon.

The Moon Spring water, which contains the divinity of moonlight, flows through the canyon forest and becomes a water source for the residents of Moon Gorge Castle. It also greatly increases the rate of awakened moonlight believers in the area.

"An island suspended in the sky?"

Gray was surprised and asked, "Is your sect's temple on the floating island?"

Lu En pursed her lips and said, "Only a few believers who are favored by the Moon God are qualified to be led by the moonlight and go to Moon Island to receive trials."

"We usually call the temple located on the Moon God Peak in Yuexia Fort the Main Temple, and believers usually practice on the Moon God Peak."

Luen's eyes flashed with reminiscence, her eyes softened, and she gently held Ax's palm.

"I was training at Moon God Peak, that was a long time ago. If there are any discrepancies in some details, please forgive me, Lord..."

Ye Zhi nodded slightly and said:

"What do you mean by the Moonlight Cult's triennial holy festival that you mentioned earlier?"

"The moon has its own laws of movement, with three being the sacred number. When the moon is at its brightest, it is the Moon Goddess Festival. Believers bathe in the moonlight, hoping to receive the blessing of the Moon Goddess." Lu En smiled.

"During the Moon Goddess Festival, the Moon River will flow down from the Crescent Peak of Moon Island, creating an extremely dreamy and beautiful scene."

"As far as I know, those who are blessed by the Moon God can ride the Moon River to the top of the mountain and communicate with the Moon God face to face in the Moon Temple at the highest point of Moon Island. This is the grace that all Moonlight believers dream of."

Lu En's eyes showed a trace of yearning, and then he shook his head gently, saying: "However, the Moonlight Cult is currently in the shadow of the epidemic, and the form of this year's Holy Festival may also change..."

Ye Zhi's eyes showed thoughtfulness.

If I remember correctly, this year's Holy Festival Trial is related to the Moon Goddess's eligibility to be chosen by God.

Because of the special status of God's Chosen One, the difficulty of the trial is greatly increased.

In the past, one only had to withstand the scouring of the Moon River to pass the trial and receive the blessing of the Moon Goddess.

This year's trial requires the participants to climb up against the Moon River until they reach the Moon Temple at the highest peak.

The Moon River, although called a river, is no different in form from a waterfall.

The silver waterfall pouring down from the peak is filled with the surging divinity of the Moon God. In this river, other divinities will be suppressed, and climbers can only rely on their own will and physique.

In the original plot, Celine, the Moonlight Saint, had a fierce competition with a pair of siblings. In the end, Celine relied on her status as the vessel of the Moon God to call the moon in the sky to approach her, causing the tide of the Moon River, forcing the brother and sister to give up climbing, and finally won the qualification to be chosen by God.

Celine even left a famous quote, "I want the moon to come to me."

However, the current plot has changed greatly compared to Yeats's memory.

Yeats thought to himself.

The whereabouts of the Lord of Plague did not appear in the original plot, and this epidemic was probably a butterfly effect caused by me.

No matter what, I must qualify to be chosen by the Moonlight God, and I have to find a way to sneak into the Moon River.

Helping the Moonlight Cult find the real culprit of the epidemic in exchange for a place in the Moonlight God's Chosen Trial seems to be a good plan...

This time, Yeats did not intend to put on a vest, but decided to participate in the God's Chosen Trial as the Duke of Honeysuckle.

If the plan succeeds, then everyone will know that Ye Zhi is the co-chosen one of the gods of art and the moon, and his influence will be further enhanced! The reason why Ye Zhi planned this was because his identity as the chosen one of the moon was suitable for public disclosure, unlike the sensitive identity of the chosen one of the dark night.

After all, the Moonlight Sect belongs to the orthodox belief and has been supported by the empire, while the Dark Night Sect is a suppressed existence, and the identity of the Chosen One of the Dark Night is not suitable to be seen in the light.

"In the Moon River, all abilities except the Moon's divinity will be suppressed, so climbing the Moon River is purely a test of willpower..."

Ye Zhi thought to himself, "But for me, my dark night divinity seems to be able to offset the moonlight divinity. Can I use magic even in the Moon River?"

Thinking of this, Ye Zhi's eyes lit up and he nodded secretly.

Moonlight is chosen by God, and it is destined for me!

If I succeed, I can eat the gigolo of a goddess again!

The carriage pulled by the Chocobos sped through the provinces of the empire.

The next day, at dawn, a towering tree in the distance came into view.

Gray opened her mouth wide, eyes filled with shock, and saw a giant silver tree reaching into the sky.

The base is rooted deep in the canyon, the trunk is shining silver, a vine suspension bridge is hung above it, guards stand with spears, and the tree canopy is vast, glowing like stars.

And right above the giant silver tree, an island was suspended in the sky.

The dark grey rock base and the high peaks of the island are clearly visible.

"The Moon Goddess Tree is worthy of its reputation!" Clan exclaimed.

Yeats nodded involuntarily.

What a spectacle, it really is!

The mean-looking Zuan Ya secretly said:

"You know, if this Moon Island falls down, it will definitely create a huge hole!"

Yeats had mixed feelings.

I accidentally let you put a flag on the city gate.

Princess Celine had already known about Yeats's itinerary and was waiting here early.

"Mr. Yeats, long time no see."

The silver-haired beauty was wearing a long dress and a gem on her forehead. She greeted him, "You must be tired on the journey. Please come with me to the palace to rest for a while."

Ye Zhi nodded and invited Celine to ride in the carriage.

She ordered her followers to lead the way and led everyone to the Duke's Castle in Yuexia Castle.

"Your Highness Celine!" Lu En said with great trepidation when she saw him, "I am a priest of the Moonlight Cult. It is an honor to meet you!"

Celine is not only the saint of the Moonlight Sect, but also the princess of the Grand Duchy of Lucia. Her status and reputation in Moon Gorge Castle are well known to everyone.

"May the Moon God bless you."

Xilin nodded, smiled gently at Lu En, and said softly: "The plague is rampant in Yuexia Castle. Since you are here, you should take good protection... This is a special sachet made by the sect's Chinese medicine doctor. It has a certain effect on the plague. Please accept it."

The silver sachet was made of expensive material and had a light fragrance. Ye Zhi quickly determined the type of potion used in it. It was a four-ring potion, which was very valuable.

Celine gave each of the entourage in the carriage a sachet. Her demeanor was graceful and elegant, but fatigue was clearly visible on her snow-white face.

Ye Zhi couldn't help but ask about the current condition of the city.

Celine's smile was slightly bitter: "The sect's infirmary can no longer accommodate so many patients, so they set up a temporary tent outside the city... The Hospitaller Knights are also stationed outside the city. They have been asking to enter Moon Gorge Castle, but I did not agree..."

"Will the festival continue, Princess Celine?" Luen asked.

Celine nodded slightly, with a hint of determination in her silver eyes.

"No matter what, the Holy Festival must continue. This is also an opportunity to pray to the Moon Goddess to perform a miracle and save Moon Gorge Castle!"

Clan picked up the pipe, then forced himself to put it down, coughed lightly, looked at Yeats and said, "Let me get off the carriage first. I plan to go to the camp of the Hospitallers to take a look."

Ye Zhi was stunned and asked in surprise: "Could it be that you already have a clue?"

"It's just a hunch." Clan said, "I have some personal connections with the Knight Commander Phoenix of the Hospitaller Knights, and I can learn more about the condition from him..."

As he spoke, Cran seemed to have thought of something and glanced at Yeats awkwardly.

The Phoenix, who was famous throughout the continent, was captured by Yeats and escaped only after paying a ransom. This has become a scandal in the Hospitaller Knights.

Crane had no idea how Yeats would feel about meeting Phoenix again, so before going to the meeting, he looked at Yeats for advice.

Yeats had no objection.

Although he and Phoenix were once rivals on the battlefield, Yeats still fully recognized Phoenix's philosophy of curing diseases and saving lives.

If Phoenix really had other plans, with Cran's investigative abilities, he would be able to find some clues.

soon.

Crane got off the carriage and walked towards the camp facing away from the city gate.

Everyone took a carriage to the Duke's Palace.

The dinner was quite formal, arranged to the specifications for receiving a duke.

Yeats was personally entertained by Grand Duke Benoit, one of the electors and Celine's father.

In the magnificent hall, the long table was covered with a silk tablecloth. The ingredients for the dinner were simple but ingenious.

Duke Benoit looked ashamed: "The city is affected by the epidemic, and I am unable to entertain you properly. I am really ashamed."

Duke Benoit was a short old man with a snow-white beard and simple clothes.

This elector was a rare people-friendly person. He had a bad reputation among the nobles but was deeply loved by the common people.

"Your Excellency the Duke, don't mind."

Ye Zhi smiled modestly and said:

"I came here this time because of my teacher's request. I want to help your place overcome the crisis and do my best."

The old man was stunned for a moment, a hint of warmth flashed in his eyes, and he said sincerely: "Your Excellency the Duke's mentor has a reputation that has spread throughout the continent. As his student, you have indeed inherited his noble character... On behalf of the people of the Principality, I would like to ask Your Excellency to accept my respect!"

Duke Benoit stood up and saluted with his hands on his chest, and Yeats hurriedly returned the salute.

Celine sat aside, gazing at the handsome young duke, her eyes twinkling slightly.

Over the past six months, the reputation of the Duke of Honeysuckle has grown day by day, and even Celine, who is far away in the empire, has heard of him.

He not only became one of the youngest masters in history.

He also performed outstandingly in the civil war of the Golden Lion Kingdom, and almost single-handedly helped Queen Theresa to the throne.

The Duke of Honeysuckle, who is not even twenty years old, has already been a prominent figure in the Golden Lion political arena, having experienced two dynasties. Most importantly, he is also deeply trusted by the current queen. It is rumored that the two are very close friends in private.

Celine really admired the fact that this household name volunteered to go into danger and do his part to end the epidemic.

Looking at her father and the Duke of Honeysuckle who were chatting happily, Celine smiled and said softly, "Didn't His Excellency the Duke say that he wanted to visit the Moonlight Sect? If you don't mind, I'll take you to visit the Moon Temple on the Moon Goddess Peak later."

Please...collect 6...9...books...!

"The moonlight divinity is quite active there. Perhaps Your Excellency the Duke can gain some insights and benefit from it." Celine said kindly.

Yeats meant exactly this.

Climbing up to the Moon Goddess Peak, you can also observe the floating Moon Island in the night sky up close.

The night breeze is blowing.

Under the cover of night, the Moon Tree in the Lucia Grand Canyon becomes a natural light source, emitting bright silver light. The magnificent bridge across the canyon connects the urban areas on both sides of the canyon.

Yeats climbed up the Luna Peak, stood on the rock illuminated by the moonlight, looked up at the sky, and exhaled a breath of white air.

The moon hung high in the night sky, and Tsukishima looked like a floating city, floating in the center of the huge full moon, appearing particularly small.

"Nighttime is when the moon's divinity is most active."

Xilin smiled and said, "The followers of the Moon God often practice at night... The Moonlight Temple is in front of us."

A long white stone staircase was visible in front of him, leading to the temple halfway up the mountain. Silver moon fire was burning in the holy fire basins on both sides of the stairs. Outside the towering archway, stood a man in a purple robe with a cold aura, quietly looking up at Tsukishima.

Hearing the footsteps, the man in purple stopped and turned back, looking at Celine silently.

"Luvian." Celine smiled slightly. "This is the distinguished guest from the Kingdom of Golden Lion, the Duke of Honeysuckle, Ye Zhi, and also the Blessed One of the Moon Goddess that I mentioned to you before."

The purple-robed man named Luvian had a flash of surprise in his single eye hidden by his bangs, but it disappeared in an instant.

He nodded wordlessly at Yeats, his eyes alert and hostile.

Yeats was a little confused and didn't know where this hostility came from.

"Luvian has been speechless since childhood," Celine explained. "He is the guard knight of the Moon Temple. He also went to Moon Island and received the blessing of the Moon Goddess."

Yeats suddenly realized.

It turns out to be the "Moon Man" who appeared in the plot! Luvian can control twelve "Arc Moon Blades" at the same time and is the mainstay of the Moonlight Cult.

"May the moon god guide your path. Greetings, visitor from afar."

A soft voice sounded, and Ye Zhi saw a ghostly figure floating beside Luvian, giving her a friendly smile.

"She is Luvian's sister, Luna. Due to some accidents, she lost her body, and her soul attached to Luvian's body. The two are like twins." Celine transmitted.

Yeats nodded in greeting.

The Luvian siblings are unique geniuses of the Moonlight School. The brother is good at Moonlight combat skills, while the sister is good at Moonlight spells. However, due to their greed for quick success and recklessness, they were too eager for quick results during a practice, which caused the backlash of the Moonlight divinity, causing the brother to lose his language ability and the sister to lose her physical body.

From then on, Luvian lived with guilt and tried every possible way to help her sister rebuild her body.

As long as he becomes the Chosen One of the Moonlight Gods, he can ask the Moon God to use the jade-like mineral "Moonstone" to create a statue and meet the conditions for his sister's resurrection.

Seeing that there were competitors who possessed the blessing of the Moon Goddess and were likely to participate in the Moon Goddess Trial, Luvian's vigilance was understandable.

"I will show Lord Yeats around the temple, and you guys stay here." Celine ordered.

Luvian stepped aside to make way for the temple, her eyes fixed on Yeats.

"My brother, he has heard that you have the blessing of 'Moon River', so he is very concerned about you." Luna smiled apologetically, "Please forgive me if it has made you unhappy."

Ye Zhi looked back at Luvian and smiled:

"There will be a chance to spar."

Luvian's eyes moved and she nodded silently.

Looking at his departing back, Luna sighed softly: "Brother, he is already a six-ring master, you shouldn't provoke him."

Luvian said nothing, but just looked quietly at the Moon Island in the sky, with loneliness, guilt and determination in her eyes.

"I understand, brother, he doesn't want to miss this opportunity."

Luna floated behind Luvian, stretched out her illusory hands, gently hugged his back, and whispered:

"I believe my brother will definitely be able to reach the Moon River..."

Moonlight Temple, side hall.

The female statue is carved from silver ore. She has a beautiful and noble face and is holding a silver longbow. Beside her lies an elk with golden antlers on its head.

"Is this a statue of the Moon Goddess?" Ye Zhi asked in surprise.

Yeats once presented moon cakes to the Moon Goddess at the Moon Well, which attracted the Moon Goddess to come in person.

But that time, the Moon Goddess performed miracles through Celine's body.

Yeats has yet to understand what her image is like in the world.

The statue in front of him was tall and strong, with smooth muscle lines and a wild beauty, which was not consistent with the cold impression that the Moon Goddess left on Yeats.

Xilin shook her head and said, "The one enshrined in the side hall is not the Moon Goddess, but the Moon God's subordinate god——"

"Artemis, goddess of the hunt."

Ye Zhi nodded in understanding.

Hunting is a very important law among the powers held by the moon god. He granted this law to his subordinate god, Artemis, the goddess of forest and hunting.

Artemis's position under the Moon God is equivalent to that of Skahch under the Night Goddess.

Scahah manages the authority of the Shadow Realm on behalf of the Goddess of Darkness.

Artemis' hunting skills and archery skills are among the best among the gods.

Under the prerequisite that powerful divine power cannot interfere with the Central Court Continent, the status of God becomes very important.

"According to legend, Artemis, the goddess of hunting, is responsible for protecting the chosen ones."

Xilin raised her silver eyes and stared at the lifelike statue, with anticipation in her eyes:

"Whenever the Moonlight Cult or the Chosen Ones are in danger, the hunting goddess Artemis will come on her golden-horned deer on a moonlit night..."

Xilin clasped her hands together and prayed softly:

"I hope that this time, the moonlight can guide us and save us from danger."

Ye Zhi couldn't help but feel a little bit of anticipation.

In other words, if I become the Moonlight God's Chosen this time...I still have hope to learn archery from Artemis? You know, I have always been a believer in the goddess of hunting.

I decided to bring my talent to the Moonlight Sect and become the new Moonlight God's Chosen! "Sir Celine, I have a question to ask you..." Ye Zhi pondered.

"You can tell me what you want." Celine smiled.

"I heard from Luen Priest that the Moon God Trial will be launched during this Holy Festival." Ye Zhi said, "How can I obtain the qualification to participate in this trial?"

Xilin was stunned for a moment, looked at Ye Zhi in surprise, and asked, "Do you also want to participate in this trial?"

"I'm just curious. After all, I also have the blessing of the Moon Goddess, and I want to have a deeper understanding of the way of moonlight."

"Your Excellency the Duke, there is no need to hide anything." Celine revealed Ye Zhi's thoughts and said with a smile, "Any extraordinary person will not miss any opportunity to obtain a blessing. After all, a blessing is several times more powerful than ordinary combat skills. Moreover, you are known for your Moonlight School, so it is inevitable that you will be interested in the trial at the Holy Festival."

Since it was pointed out, Ye Zhi admitted it generously and nodded:

"Yes, to be honest, I also want to join this trial, but I don't know the specific requirements."

Xilin's eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly:

"I'm sorry, Your Excellency the Duke. If it were the Moon Goddess Trial in previous years, you would be fully qualified to participate in the trial, given your experience of having been noticed by the Moon Goddess, and the elders would definitely allow it."

"But this year's Moon God Trial... the circumstances are rather special, please forgive me for not being able to reveal it to you... In short, this trial can only be participated by those within the Moonlight Cult, please forgive me."

This Moon God Trial is related to the selection of the Moonlight God Chosen, which the Moonlight Sect has not yet revealed to the outside world.

Yeats could also understand why the Moonlight Cult did this, and thought to himself: "It seems that the conventional routine will not work. I have to change my thinking. If it doesn't work, I will put on the vest of 'Sherlock'..."

Seeing Ye Zhi lost in thought, Xilin's expression slightly changed. She remembered that the Moon Goddess had favored him. She tightly grasped the hem of her skirt and said with determination:

"In fact, Lord Ye Zhi, I might be able to... help you get a spot in the trial!"

Ye Zhi was slightly stunned.

"This trial has a special meaning, and it is also related to the plague that is ravaging Moon Gorge Castle." Celine said, "We hope that those who pass the trial will be able to climb to the Moon Temple at the highest point of Moon Island, talk to the Moon God under the moonlight, and ask Him to send down a miracle to resolve the plague."

Celine raised her determined eyes and looked at Ye Zhi.

"And you have been noticed by the Moon God, and you have an indissoluble bond with Him. The Moon God also thinks highly of you, otherwise it would be impossible for Him to personally bestow upon you such a powerful blessing as 'Moon River'..."

"If you are the one to call upon the Moon Goddess, the possibility of her coming will be greatly increased. That's what I think." Xilin paused for a moment and said seriously, "So, I will do my best to lobby the elders to help you apply for a place to participate in the trial!"

Yeats was a little surprised.

In the plot, the reason why Celine wants to become the Chosen One of Moonlight is not to become stronger, but to pray for a miracle and save her subjects.

For her, a person who has a greater chance of getting the Moon Goddess to perform a miracle should participate in the trial.

Ye Zhi decided to accept Celine's kindness and said with a smile: "Before participating in the trial, I will do my best to investigate the cause of this epidemic... If I can resolve this epidemic before the trial, I believe the elders of the Moonlight Sect will agree to give me a place."

Xilin's eyes flickered, and she nodded gracefully, saying, "Three days from now, the trial will officially begin. Before then, I will give you an answer!"

*Yuexia Fort, outside the city.

The crude camp was filled with the stench and smell of decay, while groans and wails added a sense of uneasiness and restlessness to this cold autumn night.

Clan tightened his cotton coat and suddenly saw a ghost-like shadow standing in front of him. He was slightly startled and calmed down before he could see the other person's appearance clearly.

The doctor was wearing a tarpaulin coat and a bird-beak mask. He looked at Crane through the narrow glass. He looked like a crow, and his low voice came from his long beak.

"There is a risk of infection here, sir, please leave as soon as possible."

Doctor Bird's Beak.

A product of the Middle Ages created to fight the plague.

The beak of the bird-beak mask was filled with herbs and flower petals, designed to filter miasma from the air and prevent infection, and a wooden staff was held to avoid direct contact with the patient.

Kelanliang received the sachet granted by Shilin, which is also a pass in Yuexia Fort today.

"I'm here to see Knight Commander Phoenix. Please tell him that Crane Doyle wants to meet me."

Doctor Birdbeak nodded slightly, and after a moment, he turned back and said, "Knight Commander Phoenix is ​​bleeding the patient. Please go to the big tent and wait for a moment."

Clan passed by the simple tent in the night, and through the gap in the tent, he saw through the fire basin the patient who looked like ashes and covered with black lymph.

A man leaned against the wall, his neck covered with terrible pustules, his eyes were unfocused, and he lowered his head and muttered something.

In the big tent.

Clan waited for a long time and finally saw Phoenix.

The man took off his thick mask, shook his sweaty blond hair, looked at Clan, and smiled tiredly:

"Mr. Crane, I didn't expect to meet you here. What can you do for me?"

Clan accepted Anthony's commission, and as the president of the Adventurer's Guild, Anthony had to deal with the Knights, so Clan and Phoenix had met several times.

"It's hard work to help the patients." Kelan said with admiration, "Don't worry, take a rest first."

Phoenix sat down and used his medical skills to fight against the curse of the Lord of Plague, which was a heavy expense even for a Six-Ring Master.

He adjusted his breathing and listened to what Clan Daoming had to say.

"I was asked by the Duke of Honeysuckle, Yeats, to investigate the cause of the plague..."

"Yeats?"

Phoenix was surprised and asked, "He is also in Moon Gorge Castle?"

Crane nodded.

Phoenix smiled bitterly and said, "Then I guess it's not convenient for me to meet him..."

The nightmare scene of the spear piercing his defense reappeared before his eyes. A chill ran through Phoenix's heart. He felt a bit of awe and sighed softly:

"I once fought with him, and you must know that. You shouldn't have come to me, Mr. Crane."

"Duke Yeats approves of your deeds of saving the dying and healing the wounded."

Crane smiled and said, "As long as there is no conflict in our apparent positions, we may be able to become temporary allies."

Even though the holy sword [Durandel] was taken away by Yeats, Phoenix was convinced. After all, he was inferior to the opponent in skills, and being able to save his life was already a mercy from the opponent.

On the other hand, during his captivity, Yeats did not abuse him and still retained the dignity that a knight should have. For this, Phoenix was very grateful to Yeats.

Listening to Crane's words, Phoenix's eyes flickered. He sat upright in his chair and pondered, "So, Mr. Crane, what do you want to know when you come to me?"

"The Hospitaller Knights have been fighting against the plague for a long time. You are all very familiar with the curse of the Lord of Plague. You must have noticed something suspicious in this city."

Crane said: "We can work together to eradicate the root of the disease in Yuexia Castle. Is this what you hope to see?"

The detective's eyes were sharp. The blond knight was silent for a while, then said helplessly: "Mr. Anthony should have mentioned to you where my heritage came from?"

Crane nodded.

Phoenix's medical skills were originally inherited from the 'God of Medicine', a subordinate god of the God of Light, and not from the 'Healing Angel' Raphael.

It was only after Phoenix gradually became famous for his medical skills that the Knights Hospitaller found him and recruited him.

"In my heritage, there is a spell specifically used to detect plague curses, which can roughly determine the source of the curse."

Phoenix said: "According to my judgment, the source of this plague... is the Moon Goddess Tree."

Cran was suddenly startled.

"How is it possible? The Moon Goddess Tree is the sacred tree of the Moonlight Cult. Unless someone has tampered with the Moon Goddess Tree, otherwise..."

"I also doubted whether my judgment was wrong at first, but after checking the patients over the past few days, my hunch has become stronger and stronger." Phoenix smiled bitterly.

"There must be something wrong with the water source of the Moon Goddess Tree. The people of Moon Gorge Castle call the spring water in the canyon the 'holy spring'. The sicker they are, the more they rely on the holy spring..."

Crane frowned: "Have you talked about this with Duke Benoit?"

"Yes, I asked him to let me enter the Lucia Canyon to investigate the Moon Goddess Tree, but as expected, I was rejected." Phoenix said helplessly, "That place is the holy land of the Moonlight Sect. There is no way that a member of the Church would allow me to lead the troops in."

"The reason I'm still here is because I'm worried about the further spread of the disease. I've already suggested to Duke Benoit to block the border, and I'm still discussing it with him."

Phoenix's eyes flashed with compassion, and he sighed, "Hopefully, not too many people will die this time."

Whether these words are true or not remains to be further discussed, but it is worth discussing with Yeats…

The two chatted for another hour, and Cran gained a lot of clues. He stood up and said:

"It's getting late... Please allow me to go back to my residence. I will visit you again tomorrow. You don't have to see me off."

Looking at Clan's back, Phoenix's eyes flashed with hope, and he murmured to himself: "Duke Honeysuckle is a hero of the time... If he can solve this epidemic, it will be a blessing for the local people..."

*“The source of the plague may be hidden in the Moon Goddess Tree?”

In the study of the palace, Ye Zhi put down the book and was slightly startled.

"Phoenix doesn't seem to be lying, but this matter is indeed strange." Clan frowned and said, "Who has such great power to plant a curse in the Moon Goddess Tree silently without being discovered by the Moonlight Cult?"

"One possibility is that there is a traitor within the sect."

"Another possibility is that the enemy is beyond our imagination and has a sanctuary-level attainment in the field of plague."

Ye Zhi's mind flashed with the nightmare curse ability of the Pus-Flower. He pondered for a moment and said, "If Phoenix's guess is true, then the roots of the Moon Goddess Tree must have some degree of disease..."

"I will tell Celine the truth and try to get to the roots of the Moon Goddess Tree to find out the situation."

Clan nodded, looking worried, and said, "There is also news from merchants that troops from the Papal States are gathering on the border of the Grand Duchy of Lucia. The commander and intentions are unclear, so we must be careful..."

Ye Zhi's eyes narrowed slightly, his palms felt slightly hot, and the sulfur flame symbolizing divine punishment seemed to be burning fiercely in his chest.

If anyone dares to attack us, we will burn him to ashes with fire!

(End of this chapter)