Game of the World Tree

【THE STATUE OF THE GODDESS】

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Like the other structures in Sandstorm City, the temple was built from obsidian stone. Its jet-black facade, with sharp lines and towering pillars, radiated a sense of solemnity and quiet authority.

In contrast to its austere exterior, the temple's surroundings were a celebration of life and nature. Verdant trees formed gentle canopies overhead and well-tended lawns added a sense of order and tranquility. Altogether, they created a vibrant oasis that softened the stark black of the structure and filled the area with a refreshing sense of vitality.

Above the grand entrance, the former emblem of Uller, the God of Winter and the Hunt, had been completely removed. That symbol, once clearly imprinted in Tonglu's memory, was now gone without a trace. In its place stood a new icon: a radiant emblem shaped like a scepter, glowing softly in the sunlight.

Tonglu, having done his research beforehand, recognized it as the symbol of the Goddess of Life, Evé.

The temple's main doors were immense, towering high above and crafted with intricate detail. From Tonglu's perspective, they could only be described as grand and imposing. Compared to what he remembered from his earlier visits, the entire structure appeared to have been significantly expanded and refurbished.

Yet the reason for such growth quickly became evident.

Elves moved in and out of the temple in a steady, unbroken stream. The sheer number of worshippers was striking. The devotion surrounding the Temple of Life was clearly at its peak. At nearly every moment, new visitors were arriving to offer prayers or pay their respects. In light of this, it was entirely reasonable that the temple had been expanded to accommodate such growing crowd.

In almost any faction, the number of worshippers visiting a temple was often an indicator of a god's influence and the unity of their believers faith.

The more devout the followers were, the stronger the cohesion of their belief became. As their devotion deepened, they returned more frequently to pray, thereby allowing their patron deity's influence to grow steadily stronger.

A temple as vibrant and crowded as the one before Tonglu was an uncommon sight. In all his travels, he had encountered such a scene only once before—in the capital of the Holy Maniya Empire.

That city, however, was the spiritual heart of the Eternal Church and served as the central hub for human religious activity.

It was fundamentally different from Sandstorm City.

After all, this city had only been captured by the elves a few months prior.

So to see such a newly seized city brimming with so many believers already was truly astonishing.

At that thought, Tonglu could not help but sigh inwardly:

No wonder the Goddess of Life rose to prominence so quickly…

No wonder the elven race was able to defeat the orcs in such a short amount of time…

With such a strong and united faith, the Church of Life likely outclassed most churches in the current era.

If only the dwarven faith had achieved such unity, Tonglu thought to himself. Perhaps the Divine Dwarven Faction would not have fallen into decline and their civilization would not have fractured as it did.

Just then, a warm and cheerful voice beside his ear brought him back from his thoughts.

"Sir Tonglu, we have arrived."

He turned his gaze away from the temple and gave a small nod, his expression gradually becoming more composed and solemn.

The carriage door was opened from the outside, and two elven priests clad in elegant white ceremonial robes stood ready to receive him. With respectful smiles and gentle gestures, they welcomed him down from the carriage with clear enthusiasm.

One of the priests stepped forward, his tone both cordial and respectful.

"Honorable Tonglu, Lord Thranduil has been awaiting your arrival inside the temple."

The priest's smile was so genuine, so warmly sincere, that for a brief moment, Tonglu felt a strange illusion—as if they were deliberately trying to flatter him.

He quickly shook his head, dispelling that odd thought.

Yet, the feeling in his heart grew stronger:

The elves truly are a warm and friendly people…

And more than that, their church operated with remarkable efficiency.

He had barely stepped foot near the temple, yet the staff clearly already knew who he was and why he had come. There were no delays, drawn-out ceremonies, nor excessive protocols. Everything was already prepared, and everything moved forward with precise coordination.

They understood his urgency without needing to be told.

Unlike the rigid and formal procedures common in other churches, the Church of Life had welcomed him with practical speed and sincere courtesy.

Efficient. Warm. Pragmatic.

Tonglu nodded slightly to himself.

Somehow, he found himself feeling even more favorable toward the elves because of this.

Of course, had Tonglu been aware that his arrival in Sandstorm City triggered a hidden quest notification for certain players who were now eager to complete the objective as efficiently and seamlessly as possible, he might have held a very different impression of the situation.

Whilst straightening his attire, Tonglu offered the welcoming priests a polite and friendly smile. Then after composing himself, he followed one of them as they led him inside the temple.

Looking around the interior of the temple was immense, its scale far greater than Tonglu had anticipated. It was evident that the structure had undergone recent expansion. Beyond the central hall, multiple side chapels had been constructed, each carefully designed with both elegance and reverence.

Within these side chambers, groups of elves knelt in solemn prayer. The atmosphere was peaceful yet vibrant, and Tonglu could hear their enthusiastic praises echoing through the hallways: The M|V|LE&MPYR team worked hard on this chapter.

"Praise be to nature! Praise be to life! Praise be to the great Goddess Eve!"

The voices rose and fell with rhythmic passion, creating a powerful chorus that resonated deeply through the hallowed halls.

Yet, as Tonglu continued to listen, he began to notice something rather peculiar. Mixed among them were unusual prayer requests that stood out from the rest:

"Please let me draw a legendary gold item from the lottery…"

"Please bless me with a rare skill…"

"Please, no more newbie white gear…"

He blinked, slightly puzzled.

These odd phrases seemed almost out of place in such a sacred setting. Tonglu didn't quite understand their meanings. Even so, there was no mistaking the sincere tone behind those words. Whatever their intent was, the voices that uttered them brimmed with genuine passion and unwavering devotion.

Naturally, if he had known that most of these "believers" praying were actually just the players attempting to access the game's exchange store through the temple, then he might have had second thoughts…

Passing through the solemn yet vibrant main hall and its adjoining chapels, Tonglu followed his guide deeper into the temple. The path led them through a series of arched corridors adorned with sacred murals until they reached a smaller chamber nestled at the rear of the temple.

The priest stopped before the intricately carved door and turned to him with a warm expression.

"Lord Thranduil is waiting for you inside. Please, go ahead."

"Thank you."

Tonglu gave a nod of gratitude, then stepped forward. With a steady hand, he pushed open the door and entered the chamber beyond.

As the door slowly closed behind him with a soft click, Tonglu found himself in a room that closely resembled a private study.

At the center stood a crafted desk in the traditional elven style, its surface adorned with neat scrolls and elegant quills. Behind it, a tall bookshelf stretched nearly to the ceiling, packed with a diverse collection of tomes.

Standing beside the shelf was a tall male elf, his back turned toward the entrance. He wore flowing silver hair that cascaded down his back and a ceremonial elven robe, richly embroidered with green and gold patterns bearing the emblem of the Goddess of Life.

At the sound of the door closing, the elf gently placed his book down, turned, and faced Tonglu.

Their eyes met.

The elf's luminous blue-violet gaze shimmered like starlight, and his refined features held a serene beauty so striking that even a battle-hardened dwarf like Tonglu found himself momentarily taken aback.

Then came a warm, composed voice.

"Ah, you must be the emissary of the Dwarven Kingdom, Lord Tonglu. Welcome. I am Thranduil Moonlight, the current acting Citylord of Sandstorm City."

Royalty?

An elven royal?

Tonglu was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected that the elven royal bloodline still existed.

Although Thranduil's outward strength only appeared to be no higher than upper Silver-rank, Tonglu dared not underestimate him. In any society, noble blood carried weight, and a royal's authority extended far beyond mere combat power.

Moreover, according to the intelligence Tonglu had gathered prior to this meeting, this person held the distinguished title of a Chosen of the Elven Goddess. This was no simple honorific as it signified one who could directly channel their patron deity's divine power.

Such individuals often possessed abilities far beyond what their apparent level might suggest.

With this understanding, Tonglu grew more cautious.

His expression turned solemn as he straightened his posture.

Stepping forward, he offered a respectful bow and addressed the elven royalty with dignity:

"Yes, Lord Thranduil. I am Tonglu, a representative of the Dwarven Kingdom. I come bearing the will of His Holiness, the High Pontiff of our National Church. I have been tasked with requesting the aid of the elves in helping us seal away the evil force that lies dormant beneath our homeland."

Thranduil gave a slight nod, still smiling.

"Indeed, I have already received our Goddess's divine oracle. Her Grace is well aware of your arrival. The Church of Life has also made all necessary preparations."

His voice was gentle, steady, and pleasant to the ear.

"Lord Tonglu, please come with me. The Goddess has prepared a powerful divine artifact. It will serve as the key to the sealing ritual."

With that, Thranduil turned and began walking toward the door.

A powerful divine sealing artifact?

Tonglu's expression lit up with excitement as he quickly followed.

Just as the door was opened, a sudden cry of surprise rang out.

"Ahhh—!"

A group of elves who had been eavesdropping from outside tumbled to the ground in a chaotic heap.

Thranduil's mouth twitched slightly at the sight of them.

"H-Hahaha, just carry on with your conversation, Lord Thranduil! We've got business to attend to. We'll be on our way now!"

The eavesdropping elves laughed awkwardly, scrambling to their feet, and quickly dispersed in all directions.

Thranduil: "…"

Tonglu: "…"

"Ahem… Don't mind them. The Chosen Ones can be a bit unpredictable at times," Thranduil said with a polite cough.

Chosen Ones?

Tonglu blinked, puzzled.

The term sounded familiar, but he could not quite recall where he had heard it before…

Still following Thranduil, Tonglu soon arrived at the temple's main hall.

At the center stood a towering statue of the Goddess, nearly five meters tall. The statue wore a regal crown, held a scepter, and was adorned in a majestic celestial robe. Even as a statue, it radiated grace and beauty, dignified and stunning beyond compare.

It was the holy statue of Evé, the second-generation Goddess of Life and Nature.

Thranduil walked reverently to the statue and began to pray.

In that moment, divine light filled the temple, and a distant, ethereal hymn echoed through the air.

A sacred and awe-inspiring aura enveloped the entire hall. Under Tonglu's reverent and hopeful gaze, specks of golden light began to gather before Thranduil.

Moments later, the hymn faded, the divine aura gradually receded, and the radiant light dimmed.

In front of Thranduil now rested a small statue of the Goddess, about 30 to 40 centimeters tall. Faint divine light shimmered around it, clearly a sign of some blessing from the Elven deity.

Thranduil carefully picked up the statue and placed it in Tonglu's hands.

"Lord Tonglu, this is the divine artifact granted by Her Grace. It will serve as the key to sealing the evil beneath your kingdom."

He smiled warmly as he spoke.

A divine artifact?

But… isn't this just a statue?

Tonglu stared at it, momentarily stunned.

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