Work Prophet
Chapter 580 - 12 Does it hurt?

Chapter 580: Chapter 12 Does it hurt?

The group arrived at Red Leaf Lake before the sun set.

Just as Ivan had said, the lake was eerily silent, with a blackish-green surface and the corpses of dead fish.

The foul smell made one want to stay far away.

Ivan said to Li Yu, "I called the priests of Epictetus, the Forest God, to look at it, and they told me the lake was under a severe natural curse. They even asked me if I had any enemies."

"I don’t know if what they are saying is true or false. I’m not a follower of Epictetus. Maybe Epictetus himself is behind all this.

"I’ve not been here long, and I know how many lords of Elk Valley view me; to them, I am just a foreigner..."

Ivan rambled on and then looked expectantly at Li Yu, "So, what do you think, Prophet Merlin, can you lift this curse?"

"Hmm, no problem, just do as I previously described."

Li Yu took a quick look and knew what was wrong with the lake—it was obviously due to the rapid proliferation of blue-green algae causing oxygen depletion.

Resulting in the mass death of flora and fauna, thus further exacerbating the loss of ecological function, exceeding the lake’s ability to repair itself.

Eventually forming the current stinking lake, and the pungent odor was the aroma of organic matter decaying and decomposing in the lake.

Such a polluted lake would not be easy to manage even with modern methods.

Luckily, Li Yu had the "Water Purification Gem" in his hand. This was his first time using this newly acquired equipment, and he wanted to see its effects.

Li Yu extended a hand towards Yimer, who was trembling and looked on the verge of crying, and said softly, "Come with me."

However, Yimer seemed rooted to the spot, not moving until Ivan coughed, then she asked shakily, "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn’t hurt, you’ll hardly feel anything," said Li Yu.

Yimer then relaxed slightly, although she grabbed Li Yu’s hand, she looked as if she were heading to the gallows.

Ivan was somewhat dissatisfied, but Li Yu had already started towards Red Leaf Lake with Yimer, so he held his tongue.

Jude and Duren silently followed behind them, together tossing a lamb and seven different-colored fish into the lake.

Garrison had to go to great lengths to gather these fish.

Meanwhile, Li Yu found an ancient tree by the lake, thousands of years old, and carved a Divine Pattern of Saturday on it.

Then he said to Yimer, "Pray."

"How... how do I pray?" stammered the girl, her teeth chattering.

"Just follow my movements, then bow your head, and mutter whatever comes to mind," said Li Yu.

"Ah?" Yimer was stunned; she had never seen such a casual prayer before.

But seeing Li Yu already stretching out his left hand and gesturing ’six’, she hurriedly mimicked him, too scared to ask further.

"Good," said Li Yu. "Now, as I begin to speak, just listen. Don’t worry, we are now some distance from your great uncle and his men; he can’t hear what we’re saying.

"But don’t make any extra gestures or expressions, so as not to arouse his suspicion. Got it?"

Yimer didn’t know what Li Yu was planning, but she nodded slightly.

And then, the next sentence from the priest of the Double Rest Sect utterly flabbergasted her.

"Your father is not dead."

"Really?" Yimer was startled, remembered Li Yu’s warning, and quickly lowered her head again.

"But I heard people say my father was killed by that Wing Tribe assassin at Crow Square. The long sword completely pierced his throat... With such a severe injury, it’s simply impossible for him to have survived, right?"

"For a Saturday, nothing is impossible," Li Yu said indifferently.

"When you were nine, you found a kitten named Cheese, but your mother wouldn’t let you bring it home. Eventually, it was your father who found a flower shop to foster Cheese there.

"And you would go there every few days to see if it was doing well. That was a secret just between you and your father, right?"

"Is my father really still alive?" the girl asked excitedly, "Or are you, like the Priest of Cornelia, also capable of reading minds?"

"Whether what I’m saying is true or false, you’ll find out if you leave with me. Of course, you can also choose to stay here."

"No, please take me and my mother away," Yimer said without hesitation, "I don’t want to stay here anymore. Uncle Ivan is a very scary man, he drove us out of the castle and even used me as a sacrifice."

"Don’t be afraid, everything I said at the banquet was false. I won’t use you as a sacrifice."

Perhaps because her heart had been deeply hurt by her uncle, Yimer preferred to believe this Foreigner before her.

"But... if you can’t purify Red Leaf Lake for Uncle Ivan, I’m afraid he won’t let my mother and me leave."

"I can purify Red Leaf Lake, but I don’t need your help to do it. I can manage it on my own."

"Ah!" Yimer exclaimed in joy, "I knew it. The god worshiped by Dragon Slayer Knight Ireya must also be merciful and just."

"If you have no further questions, then let us begin," Li Yu said, and after he spoke, he threw a small cloth bag containing quicklime into the lake.

He then had Yimer kneel by the lakeside and stretch one hand into the water.

Ivan stood not far off watching, and after a while, he saw changes in the calm lake water, as bubbles started surfacing.

Ivan’s eyes widened, and he muttered, "Huh, are there really Water Spirits in Red Leaf Lake?"

Garrison beside him said, "I’ve heard from the messages coming from the Royal Capital that Prophet Merlin is indeed very skilled."

"Do you think he can do it, purify Red Leaf Lake for us?"

"That... I can’t say," Garrison replied deferentially, "but if he can’t do it, I doubt anyone else can."

Ivan thought of the stench that permeated the castle every summer and his face changed subtly. He really did not want to experience it again.

And for the moment, their only hope rested with this prophet from the Double Rest Sect.

Li Yu soon completed the purification ceremony and then led a somewhat weakened Yimer back.

She seemed very afraid of Ivan and said to him, "Uncle, I... I really did my best."

"What did the Water Spirit say? Did it agree to lift the curse?" Ivan asked eagerly.

"I... I don’t know, it didn’t say anything."

Ivan felt somewhat disappointed at this, and when he looked at Red Leaf Lake, he didn’t see any changes in the lake before him.

But Li Yu said to him, "You can come back and see after a day. The ceremony needs time to take effect."

"Alright then," Ivan agreed reluctantly.