Boiling Beast Bloodline
Chapter 1044 - 265: Mermaid’s Lament

Three thousand years ago, the Moni Religion had once been a wildly popular religion on the Aegean Continent, but no one knew how it had developed there. There were rumors that the Goddess Moni had descended to Earth multiple times in the form of a mortal emissary, displaying miracles to humans. This far-fetched rumor once led to a vast number of fanatical and radical followers for the Moni Religion. Even many Beamons abandoned the teachings of Shamanism to follow the Moni Religion. However, this religion was destined to be short-lived, as the smoke of war from the great sea-land battle brought it from splendour back to tranquillity.

Nowadays on the Aegean Continent, there are many ancient temple ruins similar to the Moni temple, a record of past glories and present decay.

Looking at this enormous temple that spanned tens of acres, Liu was truly puzzled. This was the desert! Where had the original builders found so much greenstone to construct the temple?

"Although it looks a bit dilapidated, the overall structure of the Moni temple is still very sturdy," said Knight Piero, who was guiding them, when he saw Shaman of Divine Songs’ gaze lingering on the stone lintel above the entrance inscribed with the words "Great Temple of the God Edi" in the common script of the continent. There was a tuft of green grass growing from it and an abandoned bird’s nest. The knight hurriedly explained.

"These pillars are so large that they could probably withstand an earthquake," remarked Liu, nodding. There were dozens of huge pillars supporting the exterior colonnade of the temple, each one carved into the image of a half-nude, bearded strongman - the phallic part half-hidden and half-exposed, the diameter shocking------referring to the pillars, of course.

"These wall gaps are so tight that not even a dagger could be inserted," remarked Knight Piero with a smile, pointing at the moss-covered steps. There were hundreds of stairs, and the gaps between the stones were so fine they looked like single lines, barely discernible to the naked eye.

"All the followers, stop for a moment!" Liu leapt onto the stairway, waving his hands vigorously at the noisy crowd of worshippers and followers, "Priests and guards, come with me into the temple."

The priests massaged their sore shoulders and heaved a sigh of relief, finally able to rest.

On either side of the ancient temple’s staircase, there stood towering monster statues, sculpted from nephrite. The craftsmanship was extremely exquisite. Younger priests walking by couldn’t help but turn their heads for another look, as they always felt these monsters were on the verge of pouncing to devour someone. Although they knew the thought was absurd, the feeling persisted and haunted their minds; the more experienced priests, having seen more of the world, silently scoffed at the novices’ behaviour, striding forward with chests puffed out and heads held high.

Stepping into the immense temple, Liu felt a chill on his face as gusts of icy wind swept past, immediately followed by several delicate bodies pressing against his own.

The ancient bronze lamps in the corridor had been filled with animal fat and were cracking noisily as they burned, startling the bats in the alcove above, which emitted occasional "squeaks". After walking through the long, mossy corridor and entering the main sanctuary, what appeared before Liu and the priests was a ten-meter-tall statue of the Goddess Moni. The Goddess Moni had the face of a beautiful woman and body of a lion—perfectly blending the epitome of yin and yang, feminine and masculine. Instead of being jarring, it was particularly harmonious.

The statue of the Goddess Moni squatting on the altar was holding up the heavens with her hands, with a tuft of blue flame burning high in each palm. The two semi-transparent blue flames were angled to support each other, casting a dim and eerie light that illuminated the face of the Sacred Fire Goddess, veiling the beautiful and delicate features in a layer of blue luminescence, emanating an indescribable charm. An ethereal lament, accompanying the flickering and swirling blue flames, echoed quietly throughout the temple, quite magical.

Below the altar, groups of Beamon soldiers had already taken up positions. The iron-blooded soldiers, aside from the god Kampas, seemed to have little interest in any other deities. They didn’t even spare the Goddess Moni statue a glance, as staff officers and commanders in uniform were gathered around sand tables, engaged in urgent discussions with maps and rulers, while the scribes next to them were busy taking notes with goose quill pens.

Noticing the influx of people in the temple, a few Beamon officers looked up and gave the priests a dismissive glance with the signature arrogance of professional soldiers, before lowering their heads to their work again. This contemptuous gesture made the group of priests collectively utter a cold snort.

"Your Majesty, esteemed lords, please wait a moment, I will immediately find Lord Boban and Colonel Kahn," said Piero, noticing the priests’ displeasure and quickly speaking up.

"Go ahead, this temple must have enough rooms to accommodate us. Set us up first. Priests are not the rough military men, we need to rest," said Liu with a chuckle. His words immediately drew more defiant glares from the Beamon officers.

"It’s very strange! The two clusters of blue flames on the statue couldn’t possibly have been lit by the Beamon officers who came in earlier. Could it be that this fire is never-ending? This temple must have been built many years ago, right?" asked Joan of Arc curiously, "Did you hear, every time those flames flicker, I can hear a lament, as if it’s sighing, or as if it’s revealing something."