BXBX NOVEL Chapter 297: Chapter297:Chaos And Harvest
After another attempt to sense Enzo proved fruitless, Oris stopped observing.
Instead, he focused his attention on the people fighting for the fragments of Eomaia's flesh and blood, paying little interest. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on the figure in the black robe, Westover. After Westover had blown Eomaia's body into pieces, he tried to take advantage of the chaos and escape, disguising himself among the crowd.
Unknown to him, Oris had been keeping a close watch on him.
When Westover managed to break free from the crowd and leave the central area of the Otrank Mountains, he couldn't contain his laughter and shouted, "Hahaha! I've escaped! What about the people from the Temple of the Seven Gods? I've fooled them all! They're nothing but a bunch of idiots!"
Oris, hidden in the shadows, furrowed his brow slightly.
Despite hearing Westover's insults, he chose not to reveal himself and seemed to be waiting for someone else to appear. However, after tracking Westover for a long time without anyone else showing up, Oris finally lost his patience.
He appeared directly in front of Westover, blocking his path.
Seeing Oris, Westover's pupils contracted, and he turned and ran.
Oris shook his head slightly, casually flicking away Westover with a snap of his fingers, exerting just enough force to incapacitate him but not to kill. He then approached Westover and demanded, "Who exactly instructed you to do this?"
Westover sneered contemptuously in response, "Instructed me? Others dare to presume?"
Hearing these words, Oris sighed and without hesitation, swiftly put an end to Westover's life.
Yet, deep inside, he became even more perplexed.
From Westover's appearance, the removal of Eomaia's lifeless body by Westover, to the explosive scattering of Eomaia's remains that caused widespread chaos, everything seemed to be orchestrated according to a predetermined plan. Especially after spending a long time in the Otrank Mountains, Oris had developed a keen sense of being manipulated.
For this reason, he chose to track Westover.
However, he never anticipated that the outcome would be like this. It seemed that Westover's decision to shatter Eomaia's body was his own, without any external manipulation.
Frustrated by the lack of clues, Oris left in disappointment.
But not long after his departure, an aged figure emerged near Westover's lifeless body. With a casual wave of their hand, the figure dispersed Westover's remains into wisps of black mist. They then looked up into the distance, a faint smile appearing at the corners of their mouth, muttering to themselves, "Chaos is still the best, the more chaotic, the better."
If Enzo and Elsie were present, they would have recognized this aged figure as none other than the "Mau" master, the very embodiment created by Maude.
...
As time passed, news of Eomaia's shattered remains spread, drawing more and more individuals into the chaos of the Otrank Mountains, all vying for the fragments of flesh and blood.
Amidst this turmoil, various opposing factions began to make their moves.
In the vast courtyard of Otrank City, the stronghold of the Temple of the Seven Gods, Patricia, Oris, Lanathel, and others stood respectfully on the side, all gazing towards the elderly figure seated in the center. The old man appeared to be of advanced age, emanating an aura of age and decay.
Taking a sweeping glance at the assembled individuals, the old man spoke slowly and deliberately.
"The latest command from the temple is to eradicate as many members of the Primordial Beast Clan from the Fierce Beast world as possible. As for the flesh of Eomaia, collect it on the side."
Oris, Lanathel, and the others nodded in unison, responding, "Yes, Lord Norman."
Meanwhile, Mansfield took the initiative to step forward and addressed the old man, saying, "Lord Norman, originally, the Temple of the Seven Gods had a chance to possess the entire corpse of Eomaia. However, due to Oris' arrogance, the Dark Society took the corpse away, shattering it into fragments that were then seized by others. This has been a tremendous loss for the Temple of the Seven Gods."
After listening, Lord Norman looked towards Oris and inquired, "Oris, is this true?"
Fearlessly, Oris admitted, "Lord Norman, as Mansfield has stated."
Lord Norman nodded, raising his withered right hand and summoning a beam of light on his index finger. The beam shot forth, piercing Mansfield's forearm.
Tha left him incredulous.
Mansfield quickly exclaimed, "Lord Norman, it was Oris who allowed the Eomaia corpse to be stolen!"
Lanathel's expression turned grim, as she rebuked, "Mansfield, silence!"
However, Lord Norman waved his hand, rising to his feet. His eyes devoid of vitality, he stared at Mansfield, causing him to feel an overwhelming sense of oppression.
Then, Lord Norman spoke, "Within the temple, we do not allow mutual accusations."
The elder then turned his gaze towards Lanathel, admonishing, "Furthermore, Lanathel, oversee your subordinates diligently. In three years' time, when the Temple conducts its joint assessment once more, I trust that both you and Oris will excel in the evaluation, becoming integral members of the Temple and thereby earning the qualification as the battle of geniuses of the entire Starry Sky."
Lanathel and Oris assumed solemn expressions, echoing in unison, "Yes, esteemed Norman, we shall endeavor to do so."
Within the hallowed halls of the Temple of the Seven Gods, members were classified into ordinary, elite, and core members. Ascension through the ranks required undertaking corresponding assessments, which were not solitary endeavors. Instead, trials and simulated combats were held at designated times to ascertain the strength of each member.
Of course, exceptions existed, but they were exceedingly rare occurrences.
As for the battle of geniuses mentioned by the elder Norman, it was a grand competition held across the entire expanse of the Starry Sky, encompassing regions controlled by humankind. This contest gathered a plethora of exceptional talents, and securing a ranking in this event, even at its conclusion, was sufficient to elevate one's renown.
-verified
Throughout the annals of all past participants who made the list, barring those who met untimely fates due to assassination or perishing in hidden realms by unforeseen means, every individual emerged as a formidable immortal deity, endowed with enduring longevity, establishing themselves as absolute powerhouses within the Starry Sky.
Indeed, a saying circulated within the Starry Sky that only those who had partaken in the battle of geniuses could truly be deemed geniuses.
Oris, Lanathel, and their companions naturally harbored this aspiration in their hearts.
...
On the other side.
Upon obtaining a fragment of Eomaia's flesh and finding a secure location, Enzo promptly withdrew from the state of Magic Shadow and entered the realm of the small world, once again attempting to use the fragment to give birth to a Eomaia doppelgänger. However, as the blood-red threads entwined around the piece of Eomaia's flesh, Enzo's expression suddenly changed.
He immediately flung the fragment away, his face contorted with displeasure.
"Damn it! This thing is fake!"
Enzo cursed angrily.
If the fragment of Eomaia's flesh was a fake, naturally, the corpse was not real either.
But it must be acknowledged that the forger's methods were highly skillful, as they did not fully fabricate but rather utilized Eomaia's blood to create this "Eomaia corpse" to some extent. In a sense, it was indeed Eomaia, but an incomplete one.
"Though it is fake, it is still possible to extract some vital essence from it through The World Tree..."
"If I can acquire more fragments of flesh, I can gather the necessary materials to bring forth the Eomaia doppelgänger. However, who could forge such an Eomaia corpse? Firstly, the person must have seen and be familiar with the true appearance of Eomaia. Secondly, that person should have spent a considerable amount of time in the Fierce Beast world, at least earlier than Oris."
"Most importantly, that person wields great power."
Enzo muttered to himself, analyzing the current situation.
Eomaia's aura was incredibly strong, difficult to conceal. To conduct research discreetly without drawing attention, one must have a powerful force responsible for guiding and safeguarding.
Considering all these points, the name of a force sprang into Enzo's mind.
"The Beast Temple!"
Enzo blurted out involuntarily, his thoughts coinciding with Oris's.
However, compared to Oris, Enzo possessed more information. He uttered another name: "Maude!"
Indeed, these seemed to be the tactics of Maude.
Although they had only met for the first time on the Fierce Beast continent, Maude had left a profound impression on Enzo during their encounters in the Disaster World. In Enzo's mind, Maude's intellect and strategies were even more impressive than their formidable strength.
If anyone on the Fierce Beast continent could carry out such a plan, it could only be Maude.
Realizing this, Enzo immediately left the Otrank Mountains and dashed towards the mysterious Node Temple. However, upon reaching the supposed location of the Node Temple, he found that it had vanished, leaving behind only a deep pit. This discovery caused a slight change in Enzo's complexion.
After contemplating for a moment, Enzo jumped into the pit.
The pit was thousands of meters deep, with darkness enveloping its bottom.
But as soon as Enzo descended, a faint blue flame ignited at the bottom of the pit, illuminating the entrance to a narrow passage. It seemed to beckon Enzo to enter.