Light Fortress-Chapter 1518 - 219: Storm’s Return (Part 2)

The tide washes over the beach. Along the Southern Continent coast, stretching hundreds of kilometers, the coastline is picturesque and sparsely populated, with sand as white and delicate as flour.

From here, one can gaze upon a towering, majestic statue that stands above the nearshore waters.

This is the Divine Statue erected by the Storm Church.

A man clad in a robe and holding a trident, his half-bare body radiating an aura of solemnity and sanctity like a beacon.

It is said that in the waters near the Ice Sea, if a night vessel loses its way and sees this Divine Statue, it need only pray devoutly to receive guidance from the God... yet no one has received divine guidance in recent years.

The god revered in the Holy City seems to have disappeared.

As night falls, Yuanting Island in the Southern Continent is brightly lit.

Since the collapse of Sangzhou Cave, this has become the nearest southern point to the Ice Sea and the closest vantage point to view the Storm God Statue.

This small island is controlled by the church, and no one is allowed to land on it during regular times.

At this moment, several figures in azure robes stand at the highest peak of the island, approximately at the level of the statue’s shoulders. To clearly see the statue’s face, they still need to look up.

The priests of the Storm Church raise their arms, chanting softly in unison: "Above the storm, we offer the highest homage in the name of the tides, please accept it."

In the night, the waves roll, a gigantic unmanned vessel pulling its wooden masts, whistling towards the base of the enormous statue.

Every year, the church holds a similar "sacrificial ritual." This ancient, standard ship is loaded with offerings collected by the Holy City, according to the church’s creed. The people of the Southern Continent rely on the sea for nourishment, and each year’s harvest is actually a gift from the sea. So regularly sending these offerings to the Storm God’s Throne is a form of gratitude.

Returning the offerings to the sea also signifies a longer coexistence with it.

"...Boom—

Tonight’s sky is somewhat dark, with occasional bursts of thunder, the clouds hang low, the sea swells high, making the giant wooden vessel seem like a lone leaf, ready to be capsized or submerged at any moment.

Accompanied by the priests’ deep chants.

Miraculously, the vessel sails through the engulfing waves and finally reaches the statue’s base, dozens of kilometers away.

Witnessing this, the believers of the Storm Church on Yuanting Island appear extraordinarily excited.

Boom!

Suddenly, a flash of thunder light appears!

The entire dark sea turns white, and the long-dormant statue seems to come alive at this moment, its indifferent eyes igniting with flame, the gigantic ship at the statue’s base instantly struck by thunder light, a storm brewing beneath the statue, the offerings on the ship pulled into the whirlpool, the sea flips open, and the thunder roars.

Everyone is stunned.

The sacrificial ritual has never stopped over the years, yet never has one been as successful as this!

The ship shattered, the storm responded, does this mean... the sea accepted the offering? Or did the Divine Throne hear their call?

The priests standing at the mountain peak appear bewildered.

They are the closest sacrificial priests to the statue, unsure if their eyes deceived them, but at the moment the thunder light flashed, they seem to see a vague figure on the shoulder of the Storm God’s Throne.

The next moment.

A deep voice echoes in the heart lake of the mountain-top priests.

"If I recall correctly, the one in charge of ’Yuanting Island’... is the Giant Deer Saint, isn’t it?"

This voice directly arises from within the heart lake.

Yet, the guidance in the abyss prompts the mountain-top priests to unanimously turn around, their expressions become incredibly animated, some nearly shrieking in excitement.

Because at this moment, they behold the "person" they most wish to meet in life.

The silhouette stands silently behind the mountain-top priests, appearing without a trace, yet exuding majesty and sternness.

He holds a trident, his visage identical to the Divine Statue, those deep eyes seeming to possess boundless divine power, drawing one’s gaze and stirring an instinctive urge to kneel.

The mountain-top priests hurriedly bow, scrambling to kowtow, unable to utter a word.

For the fanatic believers, nothing is more thrilling than witnessing their True God of faith.

Yet this scene displeases the Storm God’s Throne.

He can understand the fervor of these fanatics...

However, no one has answered his question.

"Forget it."

The Storm God’s Throne furrows his brows, stretches out his hand, and casually grips one individual with his mind.

The figure originally kowtowing suddenly stiffens, collapsing to the ground, motionless, maintaining a prostrate posture... his Spirit Sea entirely extracted, the Storm God’s Throne scans through this fanatic’s life within a second and then casually discards it. Amidst the flashing thunder, he vanishes once more, with the few remaining priests on the mountain oblivious to their companion’s death.

...

...

Moments later.

The Giant Deer Saint stands respectfully before the vague silhouette, repressing overwhelming excitement, he speaks in a deep voice: "Lord Divine, you have finally returned... we have waited for you for a very long time!" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Out of reverence from a lower being, he does not lift his head nor gaze directly at the Storm God’s Throne.

Meeting the True Body of the Divine Throne, even for a saint, is considered an exceptional honor.