novelraw Chapter 336-1: Offerings for the God (1)
Chapter 336-1: Offerings for the God (1)
[After squeezing into the sacrificial hall, you hurriedly turn around and shut the main door.]
[The howling blizzard outside and the terrifying pressure from the Pilgrimage Angel are both cut off as the door closes, sealed outside.]
[You let out a long breath and lean against the door, looking at the scene inside the sacrificial hall…]
[At the center of the sacrificial hall floats a huge oval white cocoon. The insect cocoon hangs slightly off the ground, its top almost reaching the vaulted ceiling of the hall.]
[You have discovered the Sacrificial Cocoon!]
[Deeper within the sacrificial hall stands a tall statue of the Desire Wet Nurse. Upon the divine pedestal where the statue rests, there seem to be some offerings placed…]
[You tilt your head and listen. The roaring wind sound of flapping scaled wings comes from the top of the hall, and the entire sacrificial hall trembles slightly in a side-frequency resonance with the Pilgrimage Angel’s wingbeats.]
[The Pilgrimage Angel does not destroy the sacrificial hall to attack you, but instead continues to lie in wait atop the hall.]
[After confirming it is temporarily safe, you stride forward and arrive before the Sacrificial Cocoon.]
[You may offer up soul strength or Shells to the Sacrificial Cocoon to receive the care bestowed by the Desire Wet Nurse.][Do you wish to perform a sacrifice?]
Lin Xun let out a cold snort and decisively pressed ‘No.’
Having already been taken advantage of once for free, he would not fall for it again.
He had already joined the Firefly Oath. If he performed another sacrifice and happened to draw down the consciousness of the Desire Wet Nurse again, would that not be delivering himself to her doorstep as food?
[You walk past the Sacrificial Cocoon and head toward the divine pedestal where the statue stands…]
[Three silver trays are neatly arranged on the pedestal, set out in a triangular pattern.]
[On the left silver tray lies a slightly rusted emblem. The palm-sized emblem is carved with a design depicting a worm spinning silk into a cocoon, then undergoing Ascension into a butterfly.]
[You have discovered the Sacrificial Emblem (Special Item)!]
[On the right silver tray rests a barbed stinger about as long as a finger. The tip of the stinger is razor sharp, reflecting a prismatic, iridescent sheen.]
[You have discovered Belatu’s Barbed Stinger (Legendary+ item)!]
[On the innermost central silver tray is a broken exoskeleton mask. Only the upper half that can cover the eyes and bridge of the nose remains. The broken edge is smooth and clean, as if it was cut into two pieces by some sharp weapon.]
[You have discovered the Damaged Guardian of the Divine Kingdom Mask (Legendary+ equipment)!]
Lin Xun was overjoyed. He had not expected to receive such generous rewards after successfully entering the sacrificial hall.
The first item was the Sacrificial Emblem that Nightmare Yuri had mentioned. Obtaining this item meant he could pass the trial.
As for the second and third rewards, they seemed to be items left behind after the death of the former master of Bush Cricket City, that so-called His Highness Belatu.
He immediately tried to scoop all three items into his bag…
[You reach out toward the silver trays, but just as you are about to touch them, you are blocked by a mysterious power.]
[This power is vast and mighty, giving you a terrifying feeling that it cannot be opposed.]
[When you were outside the Divine Kingdom, crossing the Sea of Corruption and attempting to ride your sword into the high sky, you had once touched this same irresistible, mysterious power.]
[You immediately understand. This is the great power left behind by a god, something mortals cannot overstep…]
Lin Xun frowned. Being able to see but not touch felt terrible.
He tried using skills to attack, but no matter what kind of attack he used, he could not pierce the barrier formed by this mysterious might.
The rewards on the three silver trays were clearly within arm’s reach, yet he could not obtain them.
[Suddenly, a gentle female voice sounds from behind you…]
[Child, do you wish to obtain the offerings?]
[To receive the offerings dedicated to the supreme god, one must possess a heart of utmost devotion…]
[Come now, offer up a sacrifice to it!]
[When your sacrifice is able to bring joy to my Lord, you will obtain the corresponding offering.]
[You whirl around. The gentle female voice is coming from within the massive Sacrificial Cocoon.]
[You walk up beside the Sacrificial Cocoon and reach out to touch the white insect cocoon…]
[The gentle female voice tells you that if you wish to obtain the first offering, the Sacrificial Emblem (Special Item), you must sacrifice two souls at once.]
[If you wish to obtain the second offering, Belatu’s Barbed Stinger (Legendary+ item), you must sacrifice three souls at once.]
[And if you wish to obtain the third offering, the Damaged Guardian of the Divine Kingdom Mask (Legendary+ equipment), you must sacrifice a life factor that can arouse the Lord’s interest.]
[Do you wish to perform a sacrifice?]
Two souls and three souls should be referring to soul strength. As long as he sacrificed soul strength, he could exchange it for the first two offerings.
As for the third offering, it was equipment of the same Legendary+ level as Amateru Sakiina’s Harvest Sickle, and required sacrificing Shells acquired in other chapters.
Lin Xun’s lips twitched. He only felt that the options before his eyes were a naked trap.
Faced with such temptations, it would be a lie to say he was not moved.
But if he really sacrificed soul strength or Shells in exchange for offerings, he had a feeling it would be like disregarding the future for the sake of immediate gains.
Furthermore, the Desire Wet Nurse had already taken advantage of him once.
Even if he truly sacrificed soul strength or Shells, whether he would actually receive the offerings was an unknown.
Lin Xun narrowed his eyes, and killing intent rose in his heart.
“If I destroy the Sacrificial Cocoon, would I be able to take these offerings for free?”
The instant this thought surfaced, he denied it himself.
Previously, Kim had told him that killing existences such as the Cocoon of Mourning or the Sacrificial Cocoon would attract the gaze of the Desire Wet Nurse.
The first time the Wet Nurse’s consciousness descended, he had not yet joined the Oath faction, but now he had already joined the Firefly Oath. If he saw the Wet Nurse again, it might be a guaranteed death scenario.
“How can I get it for free?”
He pondered for a long time and finally, helplessly realized.
It seemed that aside from making a sacrifice, there was no other way to obtain the offerings.
“Should I try sacrificing once more? After all, what I would be sacrificing is recoverable soul strength, not directly reducing my maximum.”
“No, I can’t! Who knows if this is a trap!”
Since this concerned soul strength, which was directly tied to an Apostle’s life, it was never too much to be cautious.
If it said the sacrifice would only cost soul strength, but after the sacrifice his soul strength cap was directly reduced…
From what Lin Xun knew, aside from the blessings of Relics, there was no way in the game to raise soul strength cap.
Once the soul strength cap dropped even a little, it would be impossible to ever restore it.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have skipped the class? Perhaps killing the Pilgrimage Angel would let me obtain the offerings?”
He thought in silence for a long time and heaved a long sigh.
Trying to open the treasure chest without killing the BOSS first was absolutely impossible, unless you could exploit a bug…
Lin Xun’s eyes suddenly lit up.
He scrolled back up the game text. The underworld game displayed ‘sacrifice two souls at once,’ but it never said they had to be the Apostle’s.
Since the underworld game did not specify, did that mean he could sacrifice someone else?
For example, NPCs or monsters?
“It’s worth a try. Even if it does not work, I won’t be losing anything.”