After Changing to the Ruthless Way, the Brothers Cried and Begged for Forgiveness-Chapter 490: I’ve Been Watching You for a Long Time, Bearers of Fortune
Reined in, the cultivator gave an abashed laugh, straightened, and spoke crisply: “Seniors, this place is called the Little River Realm. Though the land is blessed, cultivation resources are scarce, so our peers’ strength is middling at best. Everything changed a year ago when the goddess descended and transformed the realm.”
Emotion caught him mid-sentence and his voice swelled: “The goddess is boundless in compassion. She grants blessings and freely helps us break through our bottlenecks. To honor her, the major sects joined hands to raise this altar. Today is the first grand ceremony.”
Yu Zhao traded a look with Ancestor Sui Bian and the others. She asked again: “Do you know the goddess’s background?”
The man’s expression turned solemn, almost secretive: “The goddess is an envoy of the divine. How could the likes of us pry into such matters?”
“Many thanks, Fellow Daoist.” Yu Zhao passed him a piece of spirit jade in thanks.
He accepted it but did not rush off. Instead he ventured carefully: “If you seniors encounter difficulties in cultivation, you may also seek the goddess’s blessing. She is kind of heart and will not turn you away.”
Yu Zhao arched a brow. The goddess’s influence was greater than she had expected; even a native such as this believed utterly. Likely the rest were no different. She sent the man off with a few polite words, then turned to Ancestor Sui Bian, Old Black Daoist, and Senior Xiu Yu and asked in a low voice: “What do the three of you make of this?”
Ancestor Sui Bian rubbed his bald pate: “From what she does, she sounds like a great philanthropist—doesn’t cultivate herself and spends all day dispensing blessings. What’s in it for her?”
“An anomaly hides a demon,” Old Black Daoist said curtly, “I fear this goddess has another scheme at work.”
Senior Xiu Yu’s tone remained cool: “We are only passing through. Whatever she plots has nothing to do with us. Why dig to the root?”
She was not wrong. They might be cultivators, but time and strength were finite; if they chased down every curious affair, even three more pairs of hands would not suffice. But the three of them coveted the jade core crowning the goddess’s staff and were in no mood to leave.
Ancestor Sui Bian’s eyes turned, and he reached for his trump card. He softened his voice and stretched the syllables: “Xiu Yu…”
Alas, he had forgotten that his present face was hideously ugly; to pull such a wheedling look was cruelty to the eye. Senior Xiu Yu felt positively affronted. She turned her head away in distaste, but when his face drooped she sighed despite herself: “Fine. Go, if you must.”
She never could refuse him.
“We will be careful,” Yu Zhao promised at once.
Ancestor Sui Bian and Old Black Daoist nodded vigorously. After a quick council they decided to slip into the palace that night and take the goddess’s measure.
With nightfall they ghosted to the palace walls. There were a few guards, but their cultivation was low, more for show than defense. Ancestor Sui Bian chuckled under his breath: “Mere decoration. We can get in without effort.”
“Move, no point wasting time,” Old Black Daoist said.
Veiling their auras, they sidestepped the guards and drifted into the palace. The interior was lushly appointed; rare spirit stones studded the walls, the floors were blanketed in the pelts of spirit beasts, and fragrant incense threaded the air—luxury upon luxury.
“The goddess does know how to live,” Ancestor Sui Bian said, looking around, “this palace is built to indulge.”
Senior Xiu Yu hesitated: “Lavish as it seems, it still falls far short of her flower carriage.”
Old Black Daoist swallowed; an old itch rose in him. He pried a green gem from the wall and weighed it, a frown gathering: “Something’s off.”
“What is it?” Ancestor Sui Bian shoved in close.
“Look,” Old Black Daoist showed him the stone, “to the eye it passes for green crystal, but it’s imitation. Worth little.”
Ancestor Sui Bian’s eyes widened. Unconvinced, he gouged a gem from another wall; that too proved false. The four of them looked at one another.
“What is this false goddess playing at? Outward splendor, inner shabbiness… don’t tell me the flower carriage and the jade staff are fakes too,” Ancestor Sui Bian blurted.
“No,” Senior Xiu Yu said, shaking her head, “those are real.”
A woman could not help but admire beauty; she had looked several times and with care. She was certain: the ornaments on the flower carriage were genuine, and the jade core set in the staff was true. Ancestor Sui Bian nearly scratched his scalp bald, still unable to reconcile such tawdry pretense with such authentic finery.
“Forget it for now,” he said at last, “let’s keep going and see what else we can find.”
They pressed deeper and soon came to a broad great hall. In its center loomed a massive statue. Yu Zhao had assumed it would be the goddess’s likeness, but up close she found it strange: the figure was swathed head to toe in white robes, only a pair of eyes left bare.
She studied it. Suddenly she realized the statue’s eyes were glimmering faintly, as if watching them. Her heart tightened and she said quietly: “We’ve been discovered.”
As her words fell, the light about the hall flickered; a cool, clear woman’s voice drifted from every side: “What brings you here at such an hour?”
Ancestor Sui Bian stepped forward and called out: “Since you know we’ve come, why not show yourself?”
“If you are so interested in me,” the voice said, “come and meet me face to face.”
As she spoke, the statue at the center began to turn, revealing a stairwell descending into the earth. “She was ready for us,” Ancestor Sui Bian said, voice low, “no harm in paying a visit.”
Old Black Daoist nodded hard: “Four of us against one of her is more than enough.”
“Do not grow careless,” Senior Xiu Yu said. For all that, she accepted the invitation.
They took the steps down and at last reached a spacious underground chamber. In its middle, the goddess sat poised on a jade chair, hands resting upon the jade staff, gazing at them with an even calm.
“We’re here,” Ancestor Sui Bian said, and as his voice fell the entrance sealed behind them. Darkness dropped over the room; only the staff shed a soft glow that brushed the goddess’s face, making her expression unreadable.
“You think shutting the door will keep us in?” Ancestor Sui Bian snorted, contemptuous. “You underestimate us.”
The goddess’s voice rose, cool and echoing: “I’ve been watching you for a long time, bearers of fortune.”
Chapter 490: I’ve Been Watching You for a Long Time, Bearers of Fortune
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