novelonline Chapter 3581 Snakes, Rings, and Temples
Chapter 3581 Snakes, Rings, and Temples
Chapter 3581 Snakes, Rings, and Temples
After explaining the whole matter in detail, Xia De shook the stone in his hand again:
"After I obtained it, I found a learned elder. He told me that the markings on this stone appeared extensively in the notes or manuscripts of mad prophets and seers who preached doomsday theories."
Combining this with my understanding of some mythological stories from different eras, I've come up with a rather bold conjecture—is the 'destiny' that Mr. Huan sealed in this snow mountain, the thing known as the 'original, flawed destiny,' perhaps…
Shad paused for a moment and looked at Chairman Lenorman. The fortune teller's eyes were a very common brown, but whether it was Shad's imagination or the other party really had other abilities, those eyes seemed to be able to see through fate.
The president of the Prophet's Association frowned slightly, then nodded amidst the howling winds of the snow-capped mountains and the glow of the flames:
"Yes, that guess is correct."
Xia De breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that his earlier alarming reaction was correct.
President Le Norman continued speaking in the firelight:
"I never expected that you would know about this matter with just this one symbol. The ancient gods sealed the fate of the world's destruction and the coming of the end times at the end of the first era here for the sake of the world's survival—this matter is also recorded in the Book of Serpent Scales."
Aside from us, the legitimate heirs of the Old Gods' Order, I assumed no one else or organization in the material world knew of this. But you deduced the result from the symbols, and the [Order of Doom] seems to know some of the truth as well. It seems we were too arrogant.”
The Serpent's Oracle is the most important ancient book of prophecy in the Prophet's Guild's collection. However, Luvia says that only fragments of the book remain, and even fragments are not accessible to ordinary prophets. Even Luvia, a ring sorcerer considered a "genius prophet" by the guild, has only heard of it but has never actually seen it.
As for his use of honorifics for Shad, it was because the ring sorcerers of the material world tacitly agreed that the "caller of gods," who could summon gods multiple times, was of a higher rank than the other thirteen rings.
Shad naturally wouldn't correct this idea:
"So, was the 'Mr. Snake' that Clement Kruger encountered when he spun the wheel in the temple the embodiment of that destructive fate?"
Mr. Lenorman shook his head:
"I've only heard your story; I haven't seen the temple, the ouroboros wheel, or the snake gentleman myself. But it's highly likely that the first eight chosen ones had to solve some ancient problems during the ceremony, and the later the chosen ones appeared, the more trouble they had to solve. Perhaps that 'snake gentleman' was the problem they had to deal with."
He carefully observed Xia De's expression, as if making some kind of judgment, and after a slight pause, he said:
"Since you are so knowledgeable about ancient times and the secrets of the ancient gods, you should also understand that the world should have been destroyed at the end of the First Age. It is only because the ancient gods continued the world that we call it a 'false fate'."
Since then, the collapse of fate and the appearance of the Infinite Serpent may be because the apocalypse was only postponed rather than completely destroyed. But I think the ancient gods also forcibly reversed fate.
Shad nodded, but he didn't want to talk about it for the time being. Regardless of what was "wrong" or "right," all he wanted was for the world to keep going.
"I haven't shared the matter of Mr. Snake with the church yet. So, have you told the church about the biggest secret of this snow mountain?"
Mr. Le Norman shook his head:
"Not yet. After all, although the association firmly believes in all the contents of that prophecy book, there is no evidence for it. Even if we inform the church, it will only cause more trouble for more people, and may even cause other problems. Since the seal has not had any problems before, it should not be known to more people."
The association had been trying to find traces of the seal in the snow-capped mountains for a long time, but was blocked by the local Fatu people.
He glanced at Claire, then continued:
"Later we also figured it out. Perhaps the many symbolic rituals performed by the Fatu people and their customs were all means for this snow mountain to strengthen the seal. So we just focused on this place and did not take any large-scale actions."
But now, with your experience and this stone, I think the fate of the apocalypse is about to break free of its seal, and that has become a foregone conclusion. It uses that unknown roulette wheel and the snake's eye to trade with mortals and create miracles, drawing power from them as well. Perhaps the [Ouroboros Eye] is in its hands.
"Yes, I know about that unknowable relic. It allows the user to see the threads of fate and truly touch them."
"According to records, that relic should have been enshrined in the ancient temple of the gods located on the top of the snow mountain, but it has most likely been stolen by Mr. Snake. Its fate has long been confused, so even we are not sure when the temple disappeared."
That temple should have played a very important role in this chosen one's ceremony, but it is now missing.
He brought up another issue that concerned Shad, which Shad hadn't even asked. In the firelight, Chairman Lenorman also sighed deeply and spoke of some secrets known only to the prophets:
"Based on the knowledge we have inherited and the fragments of poems we have mastered, the chosen ones should be able to go to the temple located on the mountaintop, pay a certain price, and obtain some unique items by making offerings in the temple."
The snake's molt that deciphers fate means the candidates need more supporting actors; the snake's fangs that fix destiny are weapons on stage; the snake's eyes that foresee fate allow the candidates to know what's about to happen. And there are even other things we don't know about. These are all 'stage props' left behind by Mr. Huan, used to make this great drama even more interesting.
That temple was supposed to be the hall where all the main characters were gathered, but now that this important location is missing, the stories on this island become somewhat incoherent. You may have also sensed it; the stories that have unfolded so far seem incomplete. The people vying for the lead roles have never appeared simultaneously, which is definitely not what a great drama should be like. How can one stand in the most dazzling position without being elevated through clashes and struggles?
The term "candidate's hall" was also used by the archbishop of misfortune (Chapter 3559).
In this way, Shad knew where to obtain the "Serpent Fang." The elder's deduction was correct; the sacrifice of the Shadow of Hem was merely a desperate measure, and the true location of the sacrifice should be the temple located on a higher peak.
Mr. Lenormann told Schard all this in order to address the following question:
Do you know the fragments of fate, the condensation of destiny?
He asked tentatively, and Xia De immediately understood:
"You have to pay out the dice rolls to get 'stage props' at the temple? Yes, that makes the most sense. Saving your points gives you a bigger advantage, but getting props can also give you more points."
"Dice. So you already knew? Were you told by the followers of the God of Luck? Or perhaps by those clowns?"
Chairman Le Norman smiled with relief, but Shad did not answer the question about the source:
"Does the association have any way to deal with Mr. Snake?"
"The upcoming 'Great Symphony of Destiny' ritual will actually only have a secondary effect on regulating the elements of Fatummister Island; its real purpose is to enhance the power of the snow mountain to strengthen the seal."
We have invited groups of ring sorcerers skilled in music, and will later send letters to various chapters throughout the Old World requesting the support of outstanding prophets to come and assist us locally. The ceremony also requires the cooperation of the Fatu people, and we hope you can facilitate this communication.
Claire finally spoke:
"Since it's for the sake of this island and the world, we will do our best to cooperate. Afterwards, the association can directly communicate with the elders."
Mr. Lenormann nodded, and Shad asked again:
"This ritual only strengthens the seal; is there a way to completely eliminate the opponent?"
"That is the responsibility of the chosen one. When the lead actor is chosen, the lead actor should perform the final act on stage, not just leave. Although the association does not know what kind of power the chosen one will gain, Mr. Huan must have already made arrangements."
Of course, we will inform the church about this later, and the church will make preparations accordingly. After all, in terms of combat strength, the five orthodox churches are still stronger; we are merely diviners.
The Prophet's Association clearly meant that they couldn't handle this, so they were leaving it to someone more capable.
And Xia De belongs to the category of people who are considered "more capable":
"The Summoner of Gods, the 'Mr. Snake' that ordinary people see is merely the materialized form of the other party. Its true nature is fate, an abstract concept. We have no way of knowing how the ancient gods sealed fate back then, but we certainly cannot destroy a piece of fate with just swords or fireballs now."
Xia De then put forward his own conjecture:
"Since that destiny is also a kind of existence similar to the Infinite Serpent, then the methods used to deal with the Infinite Serpent should also be effective against it, right? The sloughed Serpent's attacks can be effective against the Infinite Serpent, and doesn't the Prophet Association have a specific ritual that can control the Infinite Serpent?"
Mr. Le Norman shook his head:
"But these two methods can only deal with infinite serpents born from tiny destinies. Infinite serpents are destinies that are slightly more complete than the dice of destiny, while what we are discussing is the destiny of the world, not fragments of destiny, but a ring."
He observed Xia De's expression again, and seeing that he didn't react, he asked again:
"Summoner of Gods, how did you deal with the Infinite Serpent?"
The snake in the revolver was destroyed by Emilia's time manipulation, while the snake in the steam turbine was captured and sacrificed by Shad. Neither of these methods could possibly contend with the entity beneath the snow-capped mountain, or rather, Shad believed that no known power was sufficient to deal with such a formless being.
"My methods also failed with Mr. Snake."