Chapter 230: Lore
Fang Yu saw the villagers placing a bronze cauldron in front of her. The cauldron was around 10 meters in diameter and 7 meters in height. It was so heavy that most of the villagers gave all their best just to move the cauldron.
They placed the cauldron above a large stove with flames roaring underneath it. They then filled the cauldron with water. They then proceeded to put herbs and oils on the cauldron.
In no time at all, the contents of the cauldron began boiling as black steam came out of it.
Fang Yu started to feel that something was wrong in the ritual, but she could not place it well.
After all these preparations, Fang Yu saw a person who went between the cauldron and Fang Yu, with the person facing Fang Yu.
"Yes, I like this one too." Fang YU thought lewdly as she looked at the nervous woman facing her.
If Genie can be called a tempting beauty, then the one in front of Fang Yu was an innocent lamb. This innocent lamb had a flawlessly white skin rivalling even that of Fang Yu's. Her body only had modest proportions, but her silky black hair and angelic expression made Fang Yu want to play rough with her.
"Hold it in Fang Yu!" You are an honorable goddess here! Do not taint your image! And stop from grinning creepily!" Fang Yu thought to herself.
The woman was wearing a robe that looks like a ceremonial robe. She gave Fang Yu a shy look as she tried to manage her bearings.
She took a deep breath and let it all out at once. The woman's shy countenance changed as her eyes became slightly sharper. Her posture straightened, and her actions began to look more confident.
She then began dancing in front of Fang Yu while a person in the background began to tell a story.
Fang Yu realized that the story was a lore of the Goddess. Fang Yu immediately focused on listening.
{Once, this planet was nothing, no living beings, nothing at all!}
{Eons passed by with this planet existing just a hunk or rock.}
{Suddenly, living beings appeared on this planet.}
{Nobody knew where they came from, everything just... existed.}
{Eons passed by once more, as these beings lived their lives with no purpose.}
{They had the abilities to shatter mountains and part the seas, yet they all felt empty.}
{It was then that she appeared.}
{Beauty incomparable to any, benevolence like no other, it's the Goddess!}
{With her divine providence, she turned this planet into a paradise!}
{At that paradise, everyone was able to wield abilities beyond comprehension!}
{They flew and fought with power enough to shatter stars!}
"What the?" Fang Yu exactly knew what the speaker was talking about. According to the story she heard, this planet supported cultivation before! That was the only explanation for the story saying that their ancestors wield powerful abilities.
The story also tells that the 'Goddesss' supposedly suddenly appeared on the planet. Not only that, but she can control the whole planet. The only beings that Fang Yu knew that can do things like this was the soul of the planet!
"Since this 'Goddess' appeared as a real body, that means she at least had reached Sixth Stage!" Fang Yu had chills when she realized that this planet was at least a Stage Six Planet before!
"But then, why did this planet become like this, a sh**ty Stage 0 Planet?"
Fang Yu's mental query had been answered when the narrator continued talking.
{All is well and great in this paradise.}
{However, it was then that the Behemoth appeared!}
All the villagers had a look of anger on their faces at this part. Even Fang Yu could feel the rage and grief they were experiencing.
{The Behemoth devoured the earth we are living in!}
{The Behemoth consumed the sky where our Goddess resides!}
{The Goddess and her followers fought to the bitter end, but it was all for naught...}
{At the end... the Goddess had no choice but to perish together with the Behemoth!}
{Before she left, the Goddess promised everyone that she will be back!}
{Praise the Goddess!}
{Praise the Goddess!}
{Praise the Goddess!}
If they looked zealous before, now the villagers started to look manic. Fang Yu could feel their creepy devotion creeping towards her.
"......"
From what she heard, Fang Yu could infer that a powerful enemy invaded this planet, and the 'Goddess' had no choice but to self-destruct with the enemy. That explains the sudden downfall of this planet.
If the Goddess only died, this planet will still stay as a Stage Six Planet. But this Behemoth supposedly gave the planet enormous amounts of damage.
Combine that with the death of the 'Goddess' and it was already a certainty for this planet to regress.
"Wait, if this formerly was a Stage Six Planet, then doesn't that mean that they are countless treasure buried here?" Fang Yu thought excitedly.
But before she could feel excited, she suddenly received a message from Andromeda. This message however was already sent by Andromeda an hour ago. There must be some unknown interference that only made the message available now.
The message said,
"I do not know where you are right now Fang Yu, but let me remind you some things. According to my scanner, most of the humans on this planet were living underground. There were some left living in the surface, but the majority was actually underground."
"I do not know the reason why they are in the underground, but I advise you to not be close with the surface dwellers. You can talk with them a little, but do not, I repeat, do not, stay with them for longer. I can feel something... wrong with them."
"....." Fang Yu started feeling a little scared after seeing that message. She still had her face on a calm façade as she watched the continuation of the ritual.
The shy girl that was dancing earlier continued dancing, this time at the accompaniment of musical instruments.
While she was dancing, Fang Yu tried to use the scan function of her suit. Since her suit was a downgrade version of Andromeda's suit, it's scanning capacity was weaker. It was not able to even penetrate the ground.
[One human detected, rushing towards Fang Yu's area. ETA, 5 minutes.]
"What a drag..." Now Fang Yu had to deal with one more possible Goddess worshipper. Fang Yu swore to herself that once she was done with this ritual and with that pesky intruder, she will do an extravagant treasure hunt on this planet.
"Hehehehe.... Treaures, here I come!"
But her thoughts were cut off when the ritual proceeded to the next stage.
The dancing girl whipped out a knife that she positioned against her throat. The blade glistened as it slowly touched her throat.
Somebody then erected stand much taller than the cauldron. The dancing girl climbed the stairs of the stand until she was at the top of it.
Just below her was the cauldron, with its steam still billowing.
The dancing girl raised her knife high in the air as she shouted,
"Praise the Goddess!"
"!!!!" It was then that Fang Yu realized that this ritual was a f**ked-up one.
"I should not have gone here!"