Goddess Kaleidoscope

Perhaps it was Lud's prayers that worked, because for the next week, the village of Pine was bathed in sunshine every day, the clay sculptures dried quickly, and the surface did not crack at all.

To Lud's surprise, a portion of the temple's interior had automatically shifted onto the clay sculpture, seemingly as a deliberate act to protect the statue.

This discovery delighted Lud. As more and more faith gathered, the colorful auspicious cloud gradually began to show some intelligence, indicating that his efforts over the past few days had not been in vain. The faith power he had collected had reached the minimum requirement for creating a god. All that was left was to build the statue and place it in the temple to show to the believers. That would be the last step.

The thought of himself, an Earthling, transmigrating to another world and actually creating a god from scratch on his own filled this imposter priest with mixed emotions. Perhaps he would soon become the real deal!

End of this chapter

On this fine, sunny day, the village elder of Pine Village, Old Rom, was making his usual rounds around the village, leaning on his cane. In his youth, the old man had served as a pikeman in the king's army, but he had to retire before he could make a name for himself because he was shot in the knee with an arrow. He then lived to the age of sixty.

However, the reason why he was elected as the village chief by the villagers of Songshu Village had nothing to do with his age and extensive experience. It was simply because he had many sons and five strong laborers in his family, which naturally gave him more confidence in speaking and acting in the village.

Because of his military service, Old Rom had once followed the crowd and worshipped "Fegorad the God of War" for a period of time. However, like most civilians who joined the army out of necessity, this short-lived faith only lasted until he was discharged. Therefore, he had no aversion or resistance to the newly arrived priest in the village or the goddess he worshipped.

But old Rom was, after all, the village chief of Pine Village, and he had a responsibility to keep an eye on the new residents, even if the other party was a priest.

Fortunately, after observing him for the past few months, Old Rom generally felt that this priest was a decent fellow. Although he had never seen him use any divine magic, he seemed to have some good medical skills.

Once, Rom accidentally twisted his back and was in so much pain that he couldn't sleep at night. His sons carried him to the temple for help. The old priest examined him and didn't use any magic. He simply used a manual healing technique called "massage" to relieve most of Rom's pain with a few rubs.

After that, old Rom became noticeably warmer towards the priest, because regardless of whether the priest was a fraud or not, at least his medical skills were very useful to their village.

As usual, old Rom strolled around the village before heading east toward the temple. He planned to chat with the old priest, who was about his age, and perhaps have him massage his old leg, which had been wounded by an arrow.

Old Rom strolled along slowly when a group of villagers, chatting and laughing, approached from behind him. Turning around, the old man saw a considerable number of people. Besides those who had already begun to believe in the Medicine God, there were many others who hadn't yet, all following him toward the temple, seemingly there just to join the fun.

"Good afternoon, Village Chief."

"Are you all going to the temple?"

"We heard that the goddess statue that the priest made by hand is finally finished. The carpenter's two sons both said it was very beautiful, so we decided to go and take a look."

"The goddess statue?"

Hearing the villagers' words, old Rom was slightly taken aback at first, but then he became somewhat dismissive. As the village's (self-proclaimed) most knowledgeable elder, old Rom had personally witnessed the Supreme War God Temple in the capital when he was a soldier. The statues enshrined inside were incredibly magnificent! The colossal statues, several meters tall, were meticulously carved from a single block of marble by master craftsmen and imbued with holy light magic. He still vividly remembered the shock he felt upon first seeing them.

In contrast, old Rom didn't look down on the priest Rudd, but he didn't think Rudd could come up with anything more amazing or rare.

However, despite his indifference, old Rom still had the mentality of a bystander who loves to watch the excitement, and he limped along with the villagers towards the temple. In the distance, they saw Priest Rud standing at the gate, smiling and waving at them.

"Hey bro, you're here!"

"Ah, I've got nothing to do, so I came over and sat down."

Because Lud, who was dressed as an old man, lied that he was sixty-six years old, making him half a cycle older than the sixty-year-old old Rom, Lud subtly gained an advantage when he tried to get close to this influential old man in the village.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, everyone was invited into the temple hall. Old Rom noticed that quite a few men, women, and children from the village had come. Besides those who had already converted to the Medicine God, there were also many onlookers like him who were simply there to join in the fun. The group of people managed to fill the rather large room.

In the center of the hall, on the altar, a life-sized statue of the God of Medicine had been placed on the previously empty stone stool. However, the statue was covered with a linen cloth, mysteriously arousing people's curiosity.

At this moment, Rudd walked in from outside. Upon seeing him enter, the believers who had already converted to the God of Medicine stood up to pay their respects to the priest. Some particularly devout elderly women were so excited that they stepped forward and gently touched the back of Rudd's hand with their foreheads to show their respect for the priest.

Like many health product salespeople on Earth, Luther's primary target audience during his missionary work was the elderly in the villages. This was because these villagers generally suffered from chronic illnesses, and poor lifestyle habits and years of working in the fields meant that lumbar muscle strain was a common problem.

Lu De happened to have learned massage and cupping from his mother. In the rudimentary conditions of the time, these traditional Chinese medicine techniques came in handy, improving their physical condition almost immediately. Some of the widowed elderly women even had some "inappropriate thoughts" stirred up by Lu De's strong (relatively old) hands kneading them.

Once Lud has won over these elderly people, it won't be long before they spontaneously persuade their family members and younger generations to join the faith. This situation, so familiar, is almost identical to what's happening on Earth, leaving Lud momentarily speechless.

It is worth mentioning that Lude's knowledge of herbal medicine was compiled from the miscellaneous notes of an old astrologer, because the plants and animals here are not entirely the same as those on Earth, and there are considerable differences.

The old man's interest in herbalism seems to stem from the fact that, after reaching middle age, he found it increasingly difficult to frequent brothels and was too embarrassed to ask priests or magicians for help. So, he wanted to concoct some potent "strengthening" medicines himself, and thus developed some expertise in this area. In a secret room in his home, he even collected a hundred or so herbs specifically for soaking in alcohol.

Standing on the minaret, Lud estimated that nearly three hundred people from the village had come, filling the more than two hundred square meter temple hall to the brim.

Although he ultimately failed to attract everyone in the village, this result was still enough to satisfy him. So Lude clapped his hands, first quieting the once noisy hall, which resembled a marketplace, and then spoke loudly to the crowd.

"Everyone! Folks of Pine Tree Village! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to visit the temple. I thank you all."

As he spoke, Lude bowed deeply to everyone present. The villagers hadn't expected that they would receive such a solemn thank you from the high priest when they had only come to watch the excitement. They were all somewhat apprehensive, but also secretly delighted by the unexpected favor.

You should know that in those large towns with walls, the powerful religious sects generally hold a certain amount of real power. The status of priests is comparable to that of nobles. Ordinary believers would take the initiative to bow and worship them. Even low-ranking monks and nuns are considered superior to commoners.

Lud was aware of these circumstances, but he needed to win people's hearts and maintain his persona as a "divinely ascetic priest undergoing trials under the goddess," so this condescending attitude was necessary. A simple bow could garner a wave of faith; it was a sure-fire way to make money for him.

"Your Excellency, you are too kind."

"That's right, we should be thanking you! If it weren't for your Fire Spirit Exorcism Technique (cupping), my old back would still be aching!"

"My lord, please let us see what the goddess looks like!"

Hearing the villagers' urging, Lud deliberately kept them in suspense and did not remove the linen covering the idol, continuing to pique their curiosity.

He told the villagers that he had personally crafted the statue over three months to perfectly recreate the image of the goddess who had appeared to him many times in his dreams. He had been meticulous and allowed no room for error. And it was precisely because of his earnestness and devotion that an incredible "miracle" occurred when the statue was fired in the kiln.

Speaking of this "miracle," Ludwig looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, his eyes filled with devout solemnity. Just then, a ray of sunlight pierced through a crack in the roof and shone on his deeply lined, aged face, making him look like a saint listening to the voice of angels.

All of this was a carefully prepared "stage effect" by Ludwig. To achieve this, he climbed onto the roof of the temple late at night, chiseled a hole in the wall, and then secretly practiced in the afternoon when no one was around, all so that he could accurately receive the holy light and present the believers with the most perfect visual effect.

Seeing that the pre-event procedures were nearly complete and the villagers' emotions had reached their peak, Lu De didn't waste any more words and slowly pulled down the veil covering the statue. The moment the female medicine goddess revealed her true appearance, everyone in the hall couldn't help but let out a loud gasp of surprise.

Even the village chief Rom, who hadn't paid much attention at first, was now stunned, not even noticing that his cane had fallen. At this moment, he had to admit that, in terms of size alone, this statue could not compare to the colossus of the God of War in the royal city, but it was so beautiful that it was like a dream, making it hard to look away.

"My God! This goddess is so beautiful!"

Amidst the villagers' gasps of amazement, a storm of faith was raging in the temple hall in Rudd's eyes. Everyone was spewing out orbs of light, and the seven-colored auspicious cloud above the hall quickly doubled in size before pouring into the statue. This demonstrated that the goddess image created by Rudd had gained the approval and love of the believers!

While secretly pleased with the result, Lud was not surprised, because he had indeed been telling the truth in one thing: a miracle had indeed occurred during the firing of the statue!

End of this chapter

When Lud first started making the idol, he didn't have high hopes because the village had limited resources; only one carpenter knew how to make pottery. Lud begged and pleaded with him for a long time but couldn't get him to help. Instead, he managed to persuade his two sons to come.

Lude, who did everything himself, first built a kiln and then dug soil. Relying on his memories from his previous life, he initially wanted to fire the statues into bone china, which requires adding more than 40% bone ash to the clay.

Fortunately, Pine Tree Village is right next to the Virtual Realm Forest and is surrounded by ancient battlefields. The villagers often dig up the remains of various creatures while hoeing the fields, so there is not a shortage of raw materials for bone meal.

However, since Rudd was a priest, it would be easy for him to cause unnecessary misunderstandings if people saw him collecting bones and grinding them into powder. Therefore, Rudd did not dare to entrust the collection of bone powder to the carpenter's two sons. Instead, he would secretly hide some bone powder at the bottom of his basket when he went to the outskirts of the forest to collect herbs. He would then crush it into powder overnight and mix it into the clay, disguising it as wood ash.

Unfortunately, Lude did not get the bone china he hoped for in the first trial firing. His kiln temperature was not up to standard, and even after multiple firings, he could only get a grayish-white, plaster-like defective product.

So after a few attempts, Lude gave up on the idea of ​​making a complete bone china, and decided to just fire one as a makeshift one, then polish it himself, paint it with a layer of white varnish, and sell it directly.

Then, a miraculous thing happened. When the finished clay sculpture was sent into the kiln for firing, Rudd was astonished to find that a great deal of faith energy flew out from the direction of the temple and all entered the kiln. With the blessing of this miraculous energy, Rudd, who had previously failed repeatedly, suddenly achieved a great success!

The fired statue was completely different from the previous failed attempts; it was crystal clear, smooth and white like solidified fat, and shone brightly under the light.

The carpenter's two sons immediately knelt before the statue, while Lud was utterly dumbfounded. He thought to himself that it had even developed a patina, saving him the trouble of polishing it himself.

With the stunning appearance of the female medicine goddess statue, Lude successfully created the sensation he desired among the villagers, reaping a large wave of faith and more than seventy new converts. He successfully brought more than half of the villagers of Pine Tree Village under his command, and even the village chief somewhat awkwardly admitted that Lude's statue was indeed quite something!

A successful exhibition and a wonderful sermon ensued, with the villagers admiring the goddess statue, which was like a work of art. Lud was on site working hard to maintain order and prevent some people from reaching out to touch it.

Everyone praised the goddess's beauty to the skies, but unfortunately, the villagers were all illiterate and had little education. After racking their brains for a long time, they finally managed to come up with just two words—"Awesome!"

The crowd finally dispersed as evening approached. Ludwig closed the door, humming a tune as he sat down in a seat at the front of the hall. Gazing at the gleaming, milky-white goddess statue before him, his excitement was still palpable.

Five months of hard work have not been in vain. Although God has not yet been created, Lud's actions after arriving in Pine Village have generally gone smoothly. Seeing more and more faith gathering around him is like watching an old farmer in China watch his hard-earned wheat field turn golden day by day. The sense of accomplishment is unparalleled!

In Lud's eyes, the statue had become a new vessel of faith. The colorful auspicious cloud that had previously hovered above the hall, and the new wave that had been collected this afternoon, were now stored inside the statue. The crystal-clear interior of the statue seemed to contain flowing light.

In an instant, Rude felt a throbbing in his heart. It wasn't the anxiety of not having eaten dinner yet, but an emotional impulse that kept compelling him to get closer to the statue and touch the goddess's body.

In a daze, Ludwig stood up from his seat and walked step by step toward the statue of the goddess, his right hand unconsciously rising. At his fingertips, sparks seemed to flicker and dance, and then, at the moment of contact, something was instantly ignited.

"Thump, thump thump..."

Like a heartbeat, yet even stronger, it emanated from within the statue. A burst of light appeared, and colorful clouds burst forth from within the statue. Rude felt himself being swallowed by a soft white light, and then a part of him was "gently" peeled away. Immediately afterwards, some kind of magical existence was born out of thin air before him.

In the soft halo of light, a slender figure gradually appeared, quickly transforming from an illusion into a very real one.

To Lude's astonishment, his goddess came to life. She was no longer a rough sketch on a wooden board, nor a rigid statue, but a beautiful young woman with flesh and blood who could bloom with a radiant smile... and with huge breasts!

This was the first time Lude had witnessed the supernatural power of another world in person after nearly a year of his transmigration. Before this, he had only heard stories about magicians and priests from some villagers or travelers.

And now, a stunningly beautiful goddess in flowing white robes stood right before him, within easy reach of his outstretched hand. Her features were exquisitely beautiful, almost otherworldly; her red eyes were as clear and bright as rubies, her skin fair yet rosy, her curves alluring. Her long, milky-white hair was tied into twin ponytails with black lace ribbons, casually draped over her chest and shoulders, subtly alluring.

"You, you are..."

"I am Evelina, your goddess."

The goddess spoke to Rudolf, her voice gentle and melodious, making Rudolf feel that simply hearing her speak was a pleasure. The name Evelina was one Rudolf had given to the goddess of medicine; the fact that she could accurately introduce herself as "I am Evelina, a goddess" upon speaking was enough to show that she had indeed possessed a fairly complete self-awareness from birth, rather than being a blank slate like a human infant.

In this sacred atmosphere filled with white light, even an atheist like Ludwig, who grew up under the red flag, couldn't help but feel a slight urge to worship the goddess. The goddess, on the other hand, was watching him with loving eyes, as if waiting for him to kneel down before her.

However, just as Ludwig was about to kneel down, a cool evening breeze blowing in from the window instantly broke the atmosphere.

"Ah chirp!"

In front of Lude, the goddess sneezed and shivered, subconsciously rubbing the back of her hands. The goddess aura that had been firmly held in her grasp vanished the moment the spittle flew out.

"Are you... a little cold?"

"Hmm, the clothes are too thin."

"..."

The white light gradually faded, and the temple hall returned to its usual appearance. The goddess's rather playful sneeze instantly snapped Lud out of his daze, and the atmosphere on the scene became somewhat awkward.

At this moment, Lude noticed that the goddess was shivering from the cold. It was the end of October, and the autumn night breeze was already quite chilly. The goddess was wearing only a thin white chiffon dress and white stockings, with her shoulders and legs exposed and a deep V-neck.

The same style, worn by a prostitute, is called eroticism; worn by an operator, it's called tactics; but worn by a goddess, it should naturally be called sanctity. Anyone who dares to think otherwise is considered a blasphemous heretic, deserving of being burned at the stake!

Lud shook his head and took off his linen robe, handing it over.

"Put this on first, it'll get cold at night."

Taking the clothes from Lude, the goddess hesitated only slightly before putting them on. After feeling her body temperature rise, she couldn't help but show a very comfortable expression, looking as innocent and naive as a young girl who was very easy to fool.

End of this chapter

After months of effort, Lud finally succeeded in creating a brand new goddess from scratch. However, when the living, breathing goddess of medicine, Miss Evelina, actually stood before him, Lud was disappointed to discover that this goddess, just like himself, was a mere shell of her former self!

As the old astrologer mentioned in his research notes, the gods created by his method are "fast-growing varieties" that produce quick results, but their strength is far inferior to those natural gods that take hundreds or thousands of years to be born. They need further nurturing to become stronger.

However, Lud never imagined that the rapidly growing new god could be so weak before meeting Evelina. She was almost no different from him, a mere mortal!