Storm of Gods

Chapter 122 City of Mist
The sky was a hazy, blood-red hue, with a chilling wind howling past from time to time. Below lay an endless expanse of thick fog, which remained motionless despite the raging winds. The entire land was shrouded in darkness, with no sunlight.

Within the mist, various rustling sounds could be faintly heard, some so dense they were chilling. Strange, hairless creatures fought and devoured each other in the gray fog. This world stretched as far as the eye could see, like a ghost realm.

As one ventures deeper into the fog, faint glimmers of light can be seen. These dim lights act like lighthouses in the fog, diminishing its intensity. As one goes further, various small villages appear around the lighthouse. The deeper one goes, the denser the light becomes, until finally a magnificent and imposing city comes into view. The entire city is nestled within the embrace of the lighthouse, and its towering walls, tens of meters high, resemble a giant supporting the sky. The walls are covered with deep claw marks, as if they had been scratched by some terrifying monster.

There are more lighthouses around the city, and many people are working. The ground is covered with a gray plant, and black water flows through it, nourishing everything. Inside the city, lights are bright, and people are bustling about. It is a pure land in the misty ghost realm.

The city of Dipo, the City of Redemption in the Misty Continent, is said to have been a rich and beautiful land with blue skies and white clouds a thousand years ago. It was spring all year round, and rice seeds sown casually would yield a bumper harvest. People only needed to plant to harvest an inexhaustible supply of food. They were all the children favored by the Creator God, whose will often descended upon this land to bestow blessings. However, this favoritism also led to the prevalence of extravagance and the expansion of greed. People became arrogant, and all sorts of taboo things happened. From sneaking around to being unscrupulous, one day a blasphemer appeared.

The blasphemer angered the Supreme Creator, who ultimately unleashed divine punishment. From that moment on, the sun and moon vanished, endless mist shrouded the earth, most creatures perished, rivers dried up, and demons crawled out of the abyss to devour human bodies and souls. Heaven turned into hell. Moreover, they constantly infiltrated human minds with their delirious whispers, punishing those filthy thoughts.

Everything pointed to destruction. Countless people died, slaughtered, and cannibalized each other across the misty continent. This tragedy and depravity lasted for a long time. Civilization and order collapsed completely, and humans became worse than animals. Some survivors began to repent and pray, begging for the forgiveness of the supreme creator god. However, the supreme creator god completely abandoned this continent and never came again. This place was abandoned, and disaster and chaos continued.

The days of utter darkness lasted for a long time, until a pure chosen one of the gods sacrificed his life and soul to plead with the heavens for a chance at salvation. This finally moved another noble god, who used his supreme divine power to establish the city of Dipo, saving the survivors of this continent. This god was known as the "Triad God," with three heads and three eyes, possessing supreme supernatural powers and holding the supreme authority of creation, protection, and destruction. From then on, everyone in Dipo worshipped the Triad God, who was their only faith.

In the misty world, lighting is provided by a highly durable black oil. Due to the mist, most plants have died. The most common plant is a bare, very hard shag tree, covered in sharp thorns. Its wood is extremely hard, making the mist even more dangerous. These thorns are somewhat poisonous, though not fatal, but they can cause pain that lasts for several hours. However, the trunk of the shag tree can be used to obtain shag wood, which is a very practical building material.

The creatures that can survive in the mist are at the top of the food chain, and are all hunters who eat humans. The main food of the Dipo people is gray moss and rye. Gray moss is the main food of the common people. Some livestock that can survive in the darkness have also been preserved. In addition, they go deep into the mist to hunt. After several generations of attempts, they have also discovered some edible creatures.

Under the protection of the Triad God, the harsh environment was no longer deadly, but rather the abyssal monsters summoned by the Supreme Creator God. Even after the Supreme God left, they continued to seek opportunities to exterminate the Diva people. The lighthouse outside the city was the first line of defense to protect the city of Diva.

Lighthouses surround the city of Dipo, arranged in two layers. The outermost lighthouse stands alone in the mist, serving as a sentry tower. The lighthouses further in, with villages nearby, are the work areas. The Dipo people must ensure that the lighthouses' lights never go out. If they do, the mist will completely cover the area, and monsters from the abyss will immediately occupy it. Every piece of land is the Dipo people's living space and must be resolutely defended. Thus, an important yet extremely dangerous profession was born in Dipo city—the lamplighter.

Each lighthouse is guarded by a lamplighter who keeps it bright. However, a lighthouse alone in the fog is constantly attacked by the murmurs of creatures from the abyss. The lamplighter will either go mad, be eaten by monsters, or become a monster himself. This is a resource-intensive profession, so it is filled by the "Rahu" of the Tiva people.

The Divas are naturally divided into four classes from birth, with the highest class being the Chief God. The first person favored by the gods was named Chief God, which later came to represent purity and nobility. They are the chosen ones of the Triad God. Chief Gods are born with fair skin and a red crystal on their foreheads, which is a gift and protection from the Triad God. They control the activities of the Church and the priests, are supreme, and have the power of life and death.

The second class of Tisalis are the military and administrative nobles of Tiva City. They manage the city's daily operations, hunt, fight, explore, and maintain order. They are also favored by the Triads and have relatively fair skin, but no crystal beads. Intermarriage is allowed between the chief deity and Tisalis.

The third class is the Sheren, who are ordinary Diva people, including farmers, hunters, merchants, and craftsmen. They have gray skin and are the second most numerous.

The fourth class is the Rakshasas, the lowest class in the city of Dhiva. They are born with dark skin, a symbol of sinners, and can be considered not human. They perform all the heavy and dangerous work and have no power. Rakshasas must willingly endure torment and pain to atone for their sins and gain redemption in the next life. Rakshasas are also the most numerous in the population of Dhiva.

Being a lamplighter is the profession that a Ratna can choose that is closest to salvation. Although it is dangerous, countless Ratnas still hope to have such an opportunity because even if they die, the Trinity will give them a chance to be reborn. When their sins are paid off, they can become a Regent, which is the only way.

Bati didn't know how he could be so lucky to be chosen as a lamplighter from among the many Radas. He was very grateful, for it was a ray of redemption in his humble and lowly life. Because of his selection, his sister would also have a better living environment and the opportunity to become an excellent servant.

In the city of Dhva, only brave and strong male Rakshasas have the opportunity to become lamplighters, while female Rakshasas with delicate skin and beautiful appearances have the opportunity to become servants to serve the adults. This indicates that they have redeemed some of their sins in their previous lives, which is why they have retained their excellent qualities. If they work hard in this life, they will most likely be liberated in the next life.

Only those between the ages of 12 and 18 have the opportunity to become lamplighters. Those who are too young cannot withstand the harsh environment outside, while those who are too old cannot resist the invasion of the whispers of the abyss. The Tathagatas will select the strong and healthy from a very young age and subject them to cruel training to become lamplighters and servants.

Servant soldiers are a lower-ranking unit, mainly used to explore deep into the fog and act as vanguards to resist the invasion of abyssal monsters. They are either candidates for the Lamplighter or those who were eliminated during the Lamplighter selection process.

All the Rakshas present were physically strong and possessed considerable spiritual energy. Each of them had a bald head, as they were born as sinners and had all their hair shaved off.

Faced with the invasion of the abyss, only the steadfast and pure Rahu can protect the soul. Once evil thoughts arise, snake hair will grow from the top of the head. The snake hair will bite the host, indiscriminately attack the surrounding life, and is also contagious.

Batti and his sister Elsa are orphans, relying on each other for survival. This is already much luckier than most Radar. His skin isn't particularly dark, and Elsa's is even darker, which suggests their sins aren't too heavy, or perhaps they've already redeemed themselves somewhat in their past lives. With continued effort, he will soon become a sinless person. "As a lamplighter, only by dying with clarity can one accumulate merit. Falling into madness will only increase sin. Your opportunity is hard-won; remember this well, keep your soul pure, and do not add to your sins!"

More than 300 Rakshasas, around 16 years old, were gathered in the main hall. All the Rakshasas prostrated themselves on the ground with reverence and excitement, trying their best to curl up their bodies so as not to defile the sacred temple with their dirty bodies. This was their first and only opportunity to come to the temple in their lives.

Before them stood a supreme being, a true supreme being, a noble priest whose mere presence would make them feel ashamed. His radiant glow represented holiness, a living embodiment of salvation and hope.

The area around the main gate was occupied by the nobles of the Tishri. After the priest finished speaking, he left. Next, the Tishri were in charge of the "baptism." Being chosen as a lamplighter did not necessarily mean one was qualified; one still needed to undergo baptism. It is said that many sinful people died directly when they faced baptism.

Groups of people followed Tishri into the inner palace, and occasionally screams could be heard. Of course, this only made the other Rakshasas laugh. It was undoubtedly a very cowardly act. No one thought that they couldn't survive, and they felt that the screamers didn't deserve to be there.

Bati was among them, slowly following behind the group, barely daring to touch the ground with his toes. His filthy body couldn't defile the hall, and everyone else did the same. After what seemed like an eternity, it was finally his turn.

Barty entered a dimly lit room. In front of the room was an altar with a black box on it. There were hissing and rattling sounds coming from the box, as if something was inside. The room also smelled of blood, and the floor looked like it had been wiped clean.

As a Ratna aspiring to become a Lighthouse Keeper, he underwent various combat training from a young age. They had to face attacks from abyssal creatures, protect the lighthouse, and die for salvation. If they could complete the Lighthouse Keeper mission, they could live and be saved to become a Hermit. It was extremely difficult, but some Ratna had accomplished it. This was a wish that no Ratna dared to speak of.

Several people dressed in gray robes watched Barty quietly. Barty bowed his head respectfully, showing no fear no matter what he faced.

"is it him?"

“It’s him, the most talented among this batch of Rakshasas.”

"He's fairly good-looking, so let's give him a try. Hopefully, it will work out."

At the command, Barty stood in the center of the altar. He had heard that baptism required placing a sinful object inside the body and using one's will to purify it and complete the atonement. That so-called sinful object should be in the cauldron.

However, a Tathagata appeared carrying a long, black sword. "As this year's prospective lamplighter, your performance has placed you in the top ten, so you have been given a special opportunity to draw it."

Barty gripped the longsword, and the moment he touched it, he felt an uncanny connection to his own flesh and blood, even sensing his own heartbeat. It was completely different from the weapons he used in training. Immediately afterward, an overwhelming killing intent surged forth, and the stench of blood seemed to engulf him. In an instant, Barty's pupils turned blood red, his muscles bulged, and he desperately controlled his emotions, his teeth clenched tightly. The longsword felt like it was going to burst his body, but he didn't let go at all, and he didn't even utter a sound.

Several gray-robed men nodded in approval. It was rare to see someone so skilled in the Crimson Eyes after only ordinary training. Moreover, their resilience was also remarkable. It seemed that the person in charge of training had not exaggerated.

But that wasn't enough. This divine relic had entered a chaotic and self-destructive phase, causing immense harm to its host. The higher-ups were just giving it a try.

Barty fought the knife in his hand for a long time, his body began to crack, and blood splattered. The gray-robed men around him just watched quietly, as if they were looking at merchandise. Success would be good, but failure didn't matter. Once a divine relic enters a chaotic stage, it means that it is not far from dissipating. Even if it is barely maintained, it will only delay the process. Using Rahula to try is better than nothing.

Barty felt an overwhelming killing intent. In the boundless darkness, he seemed to see a giant monster with snake-like hair on its head, holding a black sword that could split the heavens, its back to him. It seemed that even a single glance could make him explode on the spot. But Barty's hands remained clenched firmly. The physical pain could not overcome his resolute soul. He wanted to live, to live to achieve redemption, and to allow himself and his sister to live normal lives.

Long-term training has given him muscle memory, and his relentless efforts have made his psionic energy incredibly solid and rich. Even after a period of frantic consumption, a steady stream of psionic energy continues to flow out, with no obvious decline. There is even a sense of competition between them. At this moment, Barty, who was standing, was covered in blood and gore, but he did not move an inch and remained silent from beginning to end.

Finally, the vibration of the longsword weakened and gradually subsided. As the runes on the ground lit up, the longsword seemed to melt and disappeared into Barty's body.

(End of this chapter)