Chapter 626: The War of Faith
Translator: Noodletown Translations Editor: Noodletown Translations
There had been conflicts on this land since ancient times, and some dark marks of those conflicts were still left in some places. This time, the envoys from the Judgement Godly Palace brought light with them.
“I pray to God that he will dispel the gloominess from this land!” Luther chanted. It was his first time entering a land inhabited by non-humans.
It wasn’t spring, but the winds here were balmy with all kinds of flower fragrances. The cities were built on both sides of the rivers with all kinds of plants covering the buildings.
Under the elves’ meticulous care, the plants looked organized and beautiful. The path of gravel traveled through the forest with the group of buildings winding their way down the mountains without the restrictions of city walls. This was Auderalei, one of the elf cities. Its name meant ‘a small creek with clear and white-water ripples.’ Therefore, it was also called White Creek City.
As time went by, the creek had turned into a wide river, but people still called it with the old name.
The elf clan didn’t have a large population. In Silver Moon Forest, one could count the number of cities of this scale with one hand. The elves living out of the cities mostly lived in their own groups. Obviously, few humans could enter this forest.
If one day, a human nation could gain permission from the Elf Council of Elders and build magic teleportation arrays to connect this forest with the human world, it would be a major event that would shock the whole world.
St. Heinz sat in his grand and glorious godly palace with a chessboard before him. One half of the chessboard was white with lively sculptured pieces of knights and mages. In the middle stood a dignified-looking noble man holding a scepter.
The other half was black, and the knight standing in the center raised a longsword.
He placed a white chess piece on the black area opposite to him.
It was obvious that the white chess pieces had the upper hand.
Sitting across to him was a holy-looking old man wearing a snow-white priest robe. He stroked his beard and said with a smile, “Mr. St. Heinz, your chess skill is as stunning as usual.”
“I heard that the result of your research has even amazed many saints, Mr. Dulan?” St. Heinz said mildly.
“Hahahaha…” The white-haired old man laughed and said, “They were arguing about a useless problem, and their eyes almost popped out when they saw my conclusion. In this area, I’m confident in my abilities.”
His smile oozed confidence.
“By the way…” St. Dulan said, “The envoys are about to reach Silver Moon Forest, My Lord.”
St. Heinz said calmly, “They brought the best products of the Dulan Workshop with them.”
“They are the products of my disciples; I just gave them some tips. They are nothing.” St. Dulan shook his head with a chuckle, giving the impression that he was looking down from the peak of the tallest mountain.
St. Heinz said with a smile, “I think the elves will feel fortunate to get advice from St. Dulan.”
…
For elves, they treated every visitor as their guest, which was a tradition of this ancient and polite clan. They welcomed any visitor who showed no hostility.
While welcoming this big team of visitors, a cheerful atmosphere permeated the streets in the entire city as if the elves were celebrating a grand festival.
“Welcome, Mr. Luther.” The elves were friendly to any visitor who had the permission to enter their cities.
Cheers and elegant harp music floated in the clear sky. With squinted eyes, Luther looked around with his right hand behind his back in a loose fist as he walked forward with the sincerest smile he could muster.
“Elder Sewell.” Luther dismounted from his winged lion and slightly bowed at the group of elves who were walking up to him.
“I’m pleased to see you, Mr. Luther.” The leader was an elf woman whose age was indeterminable at first glance. With the spirit of a teenage girl, she had the calm presence and mature grace of a woman in her thirties. She had long blond hair resting on her shoulders, and she wore a deep green body-fitting robe which accentuated her elegant and slim figure. Each move of hers looked extremely graceful and wise.
Her tone was mild while she said, “I’m surprised that Mr. Luther would make a journey to our place in person. But as you know, we don’t welcome missionaries.”
“Of course,” Luther said, “But I come to Silver Moon Forest as a merchant. I hope you don’t have the wrong impression about the purpose of my trip, Elder.”
“Oh…?” This female elf elder looked surprised. “I didn’t know that you’ve changed your profession, Mr. Luther.”
Since the elf clan wasn’t self-sufficient with everything, they traded merchandise with humans while the relationship between the two races gradually eased in. It was true that they seldom mingled with humans, but this freedom-loving clan didn’t impose many restrictions on the interchange of goods.
However, foreign missionaries were not allowed to preach in Silver Moon Forest. Although there were no written rules forbidding it, this behavior was frowned upon as a blasphemy to the elves’ own god.
“I brought a brand-new cultivation mystical realm with me! It is so advanced that it will feel like it is from the next era.” While they walked toward the Elder Council Hall in White Creek City, Luther announced in a loud voice, “It’s the newest product of the Dulan Workshop. I think everyone can appreciate a good product, including elves.”
“We welcome you as our guest, but I think we have our own cultivation mystical realms and don’t need one from outside.” Elder Sewell obviously had no interest in the new stuff since the elf clan had bountiful inheritances and great skills in making this stuff.
Luther seemed very eloquent with words. “Maybe… you can just try it and see if our mystical realm is as good as yours. If possible, I think the wonderful people of your clan wouldn’t mind having another option.”
Sewell’s gaze wavered as if she were thinking of something.
At this moment, another elf said mildly, “Although I don’t think we need it, I think Mr. Luther is right. Our people will make the choice for themselves. If it is truly an excellent product, we can’t stop people from using it. Anyway, we are confident in our own crafts.”
The speaker was a male elf who appeared to be in his thirties. With a smile, he said the words as if he were making a statement.
“Zizz is right.” Obviously, many people agreed with this male elf. “We are confident in our own crafts, right?”
Elder Sewell frowned slightly since she had sensed the meaning behind Luther’s words.
Proud and reserved, the elves had their own long-standing combat techniques and magic spells which enabled them to gain a high standing on the continent. They were proud of their own cultivation mystical realms and didn’t think that they need to import such things.
However, Luther claimed that he had brought a mystical realm as good as theirs.
It was not only a sales tactic; it was also a concealed provocation.
While the realization dawned on her, the situation seemed to begin to slide out of her control.
At this moment, in the glorious grand hall in the Judgement Godly Palace, St. Heinz put down another chess piece.
“The elves are indeed smart, but they are also overconfident and overly prideful, which makes them arrogant and conceited,” St. Dulan said with a smile, “That elder is intelligent, but the other elves are not so smart. Besides…”
An indescribable smile appeared on his face as he said, “This move is indeed excellent, My Lord.”
“But I think you have more plans for them, right,” St. Dulan continued.
“You saw through it?” St. Heinz said expressionlessly, “If it’s only a mission to bring the cultivation mystical realm to other races, it doesn’t need me planning everything.”
“This is the beginning of the war of faith.” He put down another chess piece lightly, but the move seemed to hold weight as it felt like thunder rumbled behind him.
St. Dulan froze for a moment. Then, he inhaled deeply with a solemn expression as if the whole chess game became grand and majestic because of this sentence.