Following the seductive calls of the invisible spirit, Kent ascended floor after floor, each step filled with a mix of determination and trepidation. He crossed hundreds of levels, ignoring countless treasures along the way. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reached the top floor of the Treasure Trove Palace.
As Kent stepped onto the top floor, he saw Maya’s group, Kelly, Jia, and Princess Eila’s entourage gathered before a shimmering, membrane-like barrier. The barrier seemed to hide something significant behind it.
All the groups observed the barrier intently, but it was Princess Maya who commanded the most attention. She was meticulously arranging hundreds of talismans on the barrier’s surface, clearly prepared to breach it.
“What are you doing here?” Jia asked, approaching Kent with a curious look.
Kent just shook his head, knowing that if he explained about the spirit’s voice, Jia would likely think he had lost his mind.
“Why are you waiting outside? Come to me. I can’t wait anymore,” the seductive voice urged him again.
“Hey, where are you looking at?” Jia called, noticing Kent deep in thought.
Instead of replying to Jia, Kent addressed the spirit’s voice, “There’s a barrier ahead, can’t you see it?”
The spirit laughed softly. “The barrier is for others. But for a person of Sovereign Yang Body, this barrier is a welcome sign. Step inside. Nothing can stop you.”
“Kent… Kent… what happened to you?” Jia called again, her concern evident. All the other girls turned towards Kent, puzzled by his behavior.
Ignoring everyone, Kent set his sights on the barrier. With a hesitant look, he walked towards it, his heart pounding in his chest. The closer he got, the more intense the spirit’s call became.
“Come, Kent. You’re almost there,” the voice whispered, seductive and enticing.
Kent reached out tentatively, his fingers brushing against the shimmering membrane. To his surprise, the barrier parted for him, rippling like water and allowing him to pass through effortlessly.
Gasps of astonishment echoed behind him as the others watched Kent vanish into the barrier. Inside, he found himself in a vast, dimly lit chamber. At the center stood a massive well that extended from the top floor to the bottom of the Treasure Trove Palace. The well was covered in intricate runes and symbols that glowed faintly, casting an eerie light across the chamber.
“What is this place?” Kent muttered, awestruck by the sheer size and complexity of the well.
“Welcome to my place,” the seductive voice purred, sounding closer than ever. “You have arrived at the Heart of the Palace. Beyond this well lies the true treasure you seek.”
He approached the wall, his mind racing with anticipation and uncertainty.
“What is inside this well?” he demanded again, hoping for a clearer answer.
Only a giggling laughter came in reply and suddenly the milk inside the well began churning.
Meanwhile, Maya succeeded in breaching the barrier with her talisman and other groups also followed inside in hurry.
With hesitation, Kent reached out to touch the well. The runes flared to life under his fingertips. With the activation of runes, Kent lost control over his body as the lady spirit embraced him and pulled him into the well. His mind fell into a trance, and a vivid scene played out before his eyes.
Other who saw this scene cried out while running towards well.
In his vision, Kent found himself in the grand hall of the Spirit World. The long hall was majestic and intimidating. At the head sat the War God, a figure of immense power and authority, on a towering throne. On either side of the throne were seated 33 demigods, their expressions stern and judgmental.
At the center of this assembly knelt a woman of ethereal beauty, bound and in despair. Her presence was both captivating and sorrowful, a stark contrast to the cold and accusing stares directed at her. This was the Lust Goddess, whose reputation had brought her to this trial.
One by one, the demigods raised their voices, each blaming her for the seductive emotions and uncontrollable desires that plagued them. Fingers pointed in accusation, their words sharp and unrelenting.
“You have led us astray with your allure!” one demigod shouted.
“Your very existence is a blight upon our purity!” another accused.
The Lust Goddess, with angry and defiant eyes, stared back at her accusers. Though her title condemned her, she knew she was innocent of their claims. She had never touched a male in her life and remained the purest woman in the Spirit Realm. Yet, her title as the Lust Goddess had brought her nothing but shame and blame.
“I have done no wrong!” she cried out, her voice echoing in the grand hall. “You blame me for your own weaknesses!”
The demigods’ faces twisted in anger at her defiance, but they had no rebuttal. The War God remained silent, observing the proceedings with a stern expression.
Back in reality, the others who had seen Kent being pulled into the well rushed towards it, only to be met with an invisible force that knocked them back. Maya, Kelly, Jia, and Princess Eila’s groups all attempted to jump inside the well, but the force was too strong.
“Stay back!” Maya ordered her group, frustration clear in her voice. “There’s a powerful force at work here.”
Jia watched in concern as Kent disappeared into the well, his body enveloped by the milky water. “What is happening to him?” she whispered, her heart pounding with worry.
Princess Eila, determined to find a way through, examined the barrier closely. “This force… it feels like it’s protecting something,” she mused aloud.
Inside the well, Kent’s vision continued. The Lust Goddess’s eyes locked with his, and for a moment, he felt her pain, her rage, and her sorrow. Her voice, filled with both strength and vulnerability, echoed in his mind.
Outside the well, the groups watched helplessly as the barrier held them at bay. The air was thick with tension and anticipation.
“We must find another way,” Princess Eila said, her voice resolute.
Inside Kent vision, finally, the War God stood up, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over the kneeling Lust Goddess. He descended from his throne, each step echoing through the grand hall. The demigods watched in tense silence, their eyes following his every movement.
Reaching the center, the War God extended his fourth right hand, in which he held a radiant lotus. The flower seemed to pulsate with a divine energy, its petals shimmering with a soft, ethereal light. He gently placed the lotus on the Lust Goddess’s head, his stern expression unyielding.
“Lust Goddess,” the War God began, his voice resonating with a profound authority, “your actions have caused great turmoil among us. However, I will offer you a chance at redemption.”
The Lust Goddess looked up, her eyes wide with a mixture of hope and fear. The demigods around them murmured, their faces reflecting a range of emotions—from skepticism to curiosity.
“Go to slumber until you find a person who could ascend to godhood,” the War God declared. “I will bestow upon him the inheritance of the Pleasure God, and he shall be accepted as the 34th demigod in this Spirit World. But he must reach the path of godhood on his own. You may aid him with your powers, but you must not interfere directly in his journey.”
The Lust Goddess’s expression shifted to one of determination. She nodded, understanding the gravity of her mission. “I accept your terms, War God. But, when I step on this spirit realm again, all these backstabbers will get a taste of my wrath.”
The War God continued, his tone unwavering, “Until the day he ascends, you are banished from the Spirit Realm. You will exist only in spirit form. When he reaches the Spirit Realm and claims his rightful place, you shall regain your original body.”
As he spoke, the lotus began to glow with an intense light. The demigods shielded their eyes from the brilliance, and the Lust Goddess’s body started to dissolve into pure energy.
“Remember, Lust Goddess,” the War God said, his voice carrying a finality, “this is your chance to prove your true nature. Do not squander it.”
With those words, the Lust Goddess’s form vanished completely, leaving behind only a lingering shimmer of light. The grand hall fell into a heavy silence, the demigods deep in thought about the War God’s decree.
In the present, Kent felt the weight of the Lust Goddess’s story and the responsibility now resting on his shoulders. The vision began to fade, and he found himself once again at the well, the lady spirit’s presence still palpable around him.
Outside the barrier, the groups watched in awe and confusion. Maya, Kelly, Jia, and Princess Eila’s groups had all been stopped by the barrier’s force, unable to penetrate its protective aura. They observed Kent with a mixture of intrigue and apprehension.
Maya spoke first, her voice tinged with frustration. “What is he doing in there? Why can he enter when we cannot?”