Chapter 324: The Stars Are About to Return to Their Places

After the extinction of the fish-people tribe, all sides fell into a brief period of silence.

The fish-people under the Dark God's remains were nearly wiped out, but it did not send further divine servants or adherents to retaliate—whether out of cowardice or fear that Wu Chang and the Great Mother had formed an alliance and were setting a trap for it, no one knew.

On the other side, the Kingdom of Orgre also fell temporarily silent.

Perhaps the fish-people tribe's deterrent power was too strong, or perhaps the Great Mother had just lost a projection and needed to reopen her terrestrial divine realm for resupply.

Outside, the surface world churned with turmoil, but on Briver Island, under the protection of Erin and Wu Chang, the islanders were full of confidence for the future.

Under Mayor Mo Leina's leadership, the islanders began rebuilding their homes and renovating the Briver Cathedral.

The former Orgre state religion cathedral was officially converted into the Yongguang Sect's own temple.

Today was the day the Yongguang Cathedral's renovation was completed, and also the day the Yongguang Sect was formally established beyond the Quiet Town.

To celebrate the sect's birth, the islanders replaced the original Festival of Grace with today, launching a grand celebration.

During the Quiet Town instance, Wu Chang had attended the Festival of Grace—back then, the Festival of Grace ostensibly praised the Great Mother's mercy, but the real revelry was feasting on Golden Flying Fish.

This time was different: everyone celebrated Erin's resurrection and her attainment of divinity from the bottom of their hearts.

The Miracle Tree before the Yongguang Cathedral swayed gently with the islanders' revelry, as if joining the celebration itself.

Speaking of the Miracle Tree, when it first took root in this plane, it was only three or four meters tall; in just three days, it had grown into a giant tree twenty to thirty meters high.

Every morning, the townsfolk found the Miracle Tree had doubled in height from the night before.

Now, the Miracle Tree's canopy spread like a giant umbrella, enveloping the Yongguang Cathedral.

At this rate, the Miracle Tree would soon grow into a Pillar of the Divine Realm even within the Quiet Town plane.

On the summit of Seabird Mountain, Wu Chang and Erin stood side by side, overlooking the vibrant town below.

"Isn't the Miracle Tree growing a bit too fast?"

Even Wu Chang, who had planted the Miracle Tree, sensed its growth was abnormal.

There are only so many people on Briver Island—even if their faith was pure beyond measure, and each person's devotion equaled a hundred ordinary believers, it still wouldn't be enough to sustain the Miracle Tree's explosive growth.

Moreover, as the islanders grew accustomed to Erin's return, their emotions would gradually calm, and their fervor should decline.

Yet the Miracle Tree's growth rate showed no sign of slowing—on the contrary, it was accelerating.

Erin closed her eyes, sensing for a moment, then frowned and said:

"The Briver townsfolk's faith is pure, but the volume of their devotional energy is not significantly different from that of ordinary believers."

If the Miracle Tree's growth wasn't fueled by the townsfolk's devotional energy, then where was it drawing its nourishment from?

Wu Chang suspected: "Could the Miracle Tree's abnormal growth be tied to the secret of Briver Island?"

Erin further resonated with the Miracle Tree, causing it to emit a faint golden light that scattered with the wind, bringing a sense of ease and exhilaration to the reveling islanders.

She broke the resonance and shook her head:

"I can't locate the source of that mysterious force. It may truly be connected to Briver Island's secret."

Briver Island's secret was extremely concealed—even Professor Ebett, who controlled the island's lighthouse and had been working on the Artificial Deity Project for years, had failed to discover it.

Had it not been for raiding Count Jemaine's estate, Mandazhu Sect and the Great Mother would never have noticed it.

Wu Chang scratched his head—could such a hidden secret have been accidentally uncovered just by planting the Miracle Tree?

That would be so embarrassing.

He looked at Erin and said: "Looks like we should head down for a drink and celebrate our good fortune today."

Erin smiled: "Don't drink too much—the Miracle Tree just sent me a sense of unease. It told me something is about to happen."

Wu Chang asked: "Aren't you coming?"

Erin was tempted—she longed for the festive atmosphere below—but then she hesitated, her expression uncertain:

"I am their deity. Staying here to protect them is enough."

Wu Chang grabbed Erin's hand and pulled her running down the mountain.

"Young Lady Erin, you're not like those aloof puppets—you don't have to play any role. Just do whatever you want."

"We've been through so many worlds together—you should've realized by now that deities are deities not because they hold themselves high, but because their fists are big enough."

Erin suddenly stopped, yanking Wu Chang to a halt.

Wu Chang turned around, puzzled: "Young Lady Erin? Eh?!"

Before he could react, Erin assumed her divine true form, scooped him up in a bridal carry, spread her wings, and flew toward the town.

"Fine, I'll listen to you."

Wu Chang was speechless: "But…"

Erin, as if not understanding his meaning, said seriously: "This is faster than running."

Wu Chang had fantasized about many bridal-carry scenarios when alone with Erin—but he never imagined he'd be the one carried.

He muttered with mild annoyance: "Young Lady Erin, I think our positions are reversed."

Erin blinked and smiled: "But right now, this is exactly what I want to do."

Wu Chang rolled his eyes—fine, he'd dug his own grave.

With their arrival, the town's celebration reached its peak.

At dusk, slightly tipsy, Wu Chang received a message from his True Self: Ernst wanted to see him.

His True Self went to the cliff beneath Seabird Mountain to meet Ernst, who had been lying in wait.

Before Wu Chang could speak, Ernst rushed in:

"My lord, I just remembered something important."

"When Dagang ordered us to block the Orgre Kingdom's fleet, he gave a command: we were to spare no cost to ensure the Orgre Kingdom's fleet could not approach here before a specified date."

Wu Chang frowned: "What was the specified date?"

Ernst confirmed: "Today."

Wu Chang hissed: "Damn, no wonder you're a fish-man—perfectly inherited the fish's memory. If you'd remembered a few hours later, you wouldn't need to remember at all."

He asked, "Did Da Gang say why?"

Ernst said, "No. Regarding the Lord's will, Da Gang never explains his reasons to us."

Upon hearing it was related to the corpse of the evil god, Wu Chang's expression turned grave.

These past few days, Wu Chang had asked Ernst many questions about the Lord of the Deep Sea; according to Ernst, no one in this realm was powerful enough to summon Wuqu Star Lord.

Unlike the evil god's remains on the Silent Passage, the Lord of the Deep Sea did not arrive wounded—he was sealed beneath the ocean.

On the contrary, the Lord of the Deep Sea devoured wildly on land, feasted until full, then dragged an entire small landmass down into the deep seabed before entering slumber.

That means the current Lord of the Deep Sea is in perfect condition—uninjured and having rested for over a thousand years.

This made it impossible for Wu Chang to ignore.

Today is the day the Lord of the Deep Sea has chosen. If Ernst's poor memory causes him to fail preparing in advance, and the Lord of the Deep Sea's plan succeeds, then before leaving this realm, Wu Chang would definitely make Ernst into a spicy fish head.

Having obtained the intelligence, Wu Chang's main body ended his revelry early and began considering countermeasures.

As the sun slowly sank below the sea, a whistle pierced the air, shattering the festive atmosphere along River Road.

Dozens of massive steam-powered iron warships appeared on the horizon—the fleet of the Kingdom of Orgre arrived at River before the Lord of the Deep Sea.

Wu Chang clicked his tongue, thinking today was truly a good day—everyone showed up on this day.

The flagship, named Mercy, sailed into the harbor; the steamship docked steadily, and rows of neatly uniformed Knights of the State Church descended from the deck.

They moved in perfect formation, steps synchronized, tacitly forming square arrays, lining both sides.

Dozens of priests carried heavy red carpets out, laying them from the pier all the way to the town center.

Upon the red carpet, Archbishop Gilman walked slowly beside a girl; they seemed less like invaders and more like guests attending a banquet.

Facing the State Church Knights once again, the islanders reacted with exceptional fury.

Unlike before, Briar Island was no longer merely their home—it was now the founding ground of the Yongguang Sect Sect, their sacred site.

This time, they would never again surrender quietly and leave the island.

Though the islanders now appeared harmless, before meeting Ailin, they had all been half-fishman pirates—not good people at all.

Under Mo Leina's incitement, townsfolk rushed home to retrieve weapons, ready to fight these heretics to the death.

But before anyone could act, Wu Chang waved his hand and dispersed them.

"Put down your weapons, go home, and don't come out until I call you. Don't be so tense—get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow morning, everything will be over."

What nonsense—these Briar River islanders were the believers he'd painstakingly gathered; he wouldn't let them become consumables over a meaningless fight.

Mo Leina urged, "But…"

Wu Chang cut in, "No buts. This is Ailin's will."

Mo Leina: "Hmm…"

Since it was Ailin's request, the islanders no longer resisted and returned to their homes.

Yet they did not put down their weapons as Wu Chang said—they gripped their rifles and long knives tightly, watching outside through the windows.

After dispersing the islanders, Wu Chang and Ailin walked toward the town entrance, meeting Archbishop Gilman face-to-face as he approached along the red carpet.

This was Wu Chang's first time seeing Archbishop Gilman in person; Gilman was over fifty, but through immense power, he had preserved his body in youth, appearing only in his early thirties.

Tall and slender with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he carried himself with elegant grace. Combined with his signature gray hair and deep, wise eyes, he possessed lethal appeal to girls of all ages, universally regarded by the upper-class ladies of Orgre as the ideal lover.

In the tranquil small-town realm, Archbishop Gilman was the embodiment of perfection, the symbol of virtue.

But in Wu Chang's eyes, Gilman's appearance, paired with his perfectly tailored archbishop's robe, was the textbook definition of Dafan Sect.

This look, if used in a TV drama, would be spoilers from the first scene.

Archbishop Gilman had the looks and aura of a Dafan Sect villain; the girl beside him was no less so.

The girl was exquisitely crafted, like a mannequin, radiating holiness and compassion, making people instinctively lower their gaze, afraid to meet her eyes.

If anyone wondered what "perfection" meant when describing a person, her existence was the most authoritative answer.

But there was one condition—that the person had never seen Ailin.

If someone had seen Ailin first, then saw this girl, they wouldn't think her perfect—they'd only see her as a clumsy imitation of Ailin.

"Mortal, you're thinking something very disrespectful."

Faced with Wu Chang's scrutinizing, disdainful gaze, the girl grew angry.

Hearing the familiar address and tone, Wu Chang instantly recognized her identity. He asked, "Great Holy Mother?"

"Hmph." The Great Holy Mother gave a cold snort in reply.

Wu Chang, wary of the unseen Lord of the Deep Sea, held off on acting.

He turned to Archbishop Gilman and asked, "What do you want on our island?"

Gilman spoke calmly:

"This is territory of the Kingdom of Orgre. After Count Jemein's death, Your Majesty granted this island to me. Therefore, it is my island."

Wu Chang shook his finger. "Taking what belongs to others doesn't suit your status, Archbishop Gilman."

Hearing Wu Chang use the word "take," the Great Holy Mother reacted sharply. She turned her gaze to Ailin and said coldly:

"You stole the body I descended into, stole my Sacred Scar and made her a god, stole my cathedral, stole my believers—who is the one stealing from others?"

Wu Chang smirked. "Ailin died once because of you. I brought her back to life. She is mine, not yours. The Sacred Scar belongs to Ailin—she is mine, so the Scar is mine too."

"As for the Briar River islanders, they never worshipped you. And as for the cathedral—it's laughable. You say it's yours? Then call out to it. Does it answer?"

The Great Holy Mother, accustomed to high status and long used to being obeyed, found Wu Chang's manner of speaking unbearable. She lost her composure, her voice growing hurried.

"It says 'State Church Cathedral' on the sign, and my statue stands at the entrance!"

Wu Chang frowned, displeased. "On what grounds do you write 'State Church Cathedral' on our church?"

The Great Holy Mother froze. She looked at Archbishop Gilman, her face visibly flushing.

Listen to him—does he even speak human language?

Listen—does that even sound like human speech?

Archbishop Gilman, seeing the Grand Mother was at a loss for words, took over the conversation.

"Can you prove this is your church?"

Wu Chang replied, "Of course I can."

Archbishop Gilman, with a mocking curl to his lips, asked, "Do you call it, and does it answer?"

Wu Chang turned and shouted, "Eternal Light Cathedral!"

As the words left his mouth, the Miracle Tree before the Eternal Light Cathedral's square trembled. Over these past days, the cathedral had fused with the Miracle Tree; now the cathedral swayed gently in unison with it, and the organ inside burst into loud music.

Wu Chang shrugged and said, "See? It answered."

Archbishop Gilman: …

He had not expected Wu Chang to have this trick—he saw clearly that the cathedral had not been manipulated from within or influenced by any ability, but had truly come alive, responding of its own accord.

He had never seen such a sight. Helplessly, he turned to the Grand Mother.

If the church answers, it must truly be theirs—then let's just admit we're stealing it.

He was stunned, but the Grand Mother was even more stunned; her mouth hung open in disbelief as she stared at the Miracle Tree, her voice trembling as she spoke:

"Is that the Pillar of the Divine Realm?"

Wu Chang mimicked the Grand Mother's earlier response and answered with a single "Hmph!"

At this moment, the Grand Mother's eyes held nothing but the Miracle Tree. She walked toward it, murmuring:

"It's truly the Pillar of the Divine Realm—if I had it, I would have long ascended to a Higher Deity and awakened my Authority."

"Why? How? How could a mortal, a puppet, possess this thing?"

Thud.

The Grand Mother collided with something and froze. She shifted her gaze and saw Aileen blocking her path.

Aileen looked at the deity she had once worshipped—her eyes held fear, reverence, nostalgia, and pity. Finally, she cast aside all past impressions of the Grand Mother, leaving only resolve in her gaze.

"I am not a puppet. I am not your possession."

The Grand Mother's cheek twitched. She sneered, "Hah? What's this puppet saying—"

Before she could finish, a sharp elbow struck her face, shoving her unfinished words back into her throat and sending her rolling backward.

Wu Chang raised both hands toward Archbishop Gilman, who had drawn his weapon and entered combat stance, and said:

"I didn't mean to—it was just that her expression was so insufferable, I couldn't hold back."

Archbishop Gilman, sword in hand, stepped beside the Grand Mother and asked, "Shall I free you from your bindings?"

"No need. I'll do it myself."

The Grand Mother rose from the ground. Her pristine white robe was now caked in dirt; her nose, struck by the elbow, bled continuously. She tried healing it several times with Light Magic, but could not stop it—she could only press a handkerchief against it.

"You—you damned mortal—you've angered me again!"

The Grand Mother slowly rose into the air. White flames appeared around her, swirling above her head and coalescing into a massive radiant halo.

Wu Chang could feel it—this woman was truly desperate. She was about to manifest her Divine Form.

In the instant the Grand Mother revealed her Divine Form, he saw a streak of crimson malice on her body—the same malice left behind when Dagang died.

That malice had indeed followed her, now clinging to her Divine Form.

His gaze turned to the Blood Testament. A crimson tide surged toward him, pulling him into the malice.

Unlike other malices, the scene recorded in Dagang's malice had nothing to do with his battle against Wu Chang, nor with his fight against the Grand Mother.

His malice was pure darkness—cold, heavy, suffocating. He must have still been deep beneath the ocean.

Dagang moved through the darkness until he reached a fissure deep in the seabed. He knelt before it, his posture reverent.

From the other side of the fissure, a message reached him.

"Guard this place. Prevent any foreign deity from approaching. The Stars are soon to return to their places. Do not let them disturb the Master's Awakening Ritual."

(End of Chapter)