Chapter 189: Part-Time Worker

The Origin Energy Temple was located on the west side of Gullan Castle. It was directly opposite Eketala Palace, and right next to the Saintly Light Divine Shrine.

More specifically, it was actually incorporated into the construction of the Saintly Light Divine Shrine.

The Saintly Light Divine Shrine was the Iron and Blood Country’s main Divine Shrine. Its construction was separated into three main segments: the Sun Temple, the Halidom Pavilion, and the Origin Energy Temple.

The Sun Temple’s primary purpose was as a sacred area to offer sacrifices to the Ancestors; its interior was split into the Altar, the Pilgrimage Stage, and the Instruction Stage. Next, the Halidom Pavilion stored various precious treasures and also served as a site for specialization training. The Wild Origin Bone and Guardian Totems were both kept here. In addition, Bone Diviners, Soulless, Guardians, and all other specialized Ravager professions were trained and produced here. Finally, the Origin Energy Temple was obviously used for Origin Energy baptisms, which was also the only way the Ravagers could gain the ability to manipulate Origin Energy.

Even though it was only one of three components, the Origin Energy Temple was without question the most important part of the entire Divine Shrine.

The temple itself was more than two hundred feet tall, and its sight was spectacular and majestic. The main body of the temple was constructed from various kinds of unique and rare metals. Its cornerstones were made from a metal that doubled as an Origin Energy insulator known as Nightraven Gold. This kind of gold almost completely prevented Origin Energy from passing through it, making it an incredibly useful armor against any and all Origin Skills. A single piece of defensive equipment constructed entirely out of Nightraven Gold could cost upwards of tens of millions of Origin Stones. Yet here, it was being used as merely a cornerstone for the Origin Energy Temple, ensuring that the Origin Energy contained inside would not leak and dissipate out.

The body of the temple was made from Starcloud, Silverheart, Rainbow Glass, and various other Origin Energy conductors. Starcloud was incredibly resilient, and it was often used in heavy-duty weapons to help amplify the power of the wielder’s Origin Skills. Silverheart was incredibly soft and moldable, so it was usually used in making shapeshifting Origin Tools. For example, Su Chen’s Mountain-Beheading Blade contained a noticeable amount of Silverheart, which was one of the reasons why it was so expensive. Rainbow Glass was even rarer; it was the best conductor for Origin Energy that was currently known. Master Arcanists loved to use it back during the Arcana Kingdom’s heyday. The stone’s body was translucent like a crystal gem, which was why it was often inlaid into magic staffs. The Origin Skills unleashed through this stone would have their power amplified many times over.

Even now, Rainbow Glass was an exceptionally difficult Origin Energy conductor material to obtain.

Any of these materials would be exceptionally valuable anywhere else, but here they had been used to construct the massive Origin Energy Temple instead. The wealth that Su Chen had been so proud of was as lackluster as a pile of dirt in comparison to the opulent temple in front of him. If he were to pool everything he had together, he just might be able to buy a small chunk of the castle and take it home.

At the very top of the temple was a ball of golden light that shone brilliantly like the midday sun.

This was the Origin Gathering Apparatus.

The Origin Energy Temple relied on this apparatus to gather Origin Energy, which it then used in conjunction with it’s extravagant materials and extremely complicated Origin Formations to perform the Origin Energy Baptism.

Su Chen stood in front of the Origin Energy Temple, gazing at this massive, towering temple. He couldn’t help but sigh with amazement.

Because this item had been constructed with large quantities of Nightraven Gold, even an Ultimate Emperor Realm cultivator wouldn’t be able to carry it away. Perhaps only the Ravagers, who had done something as dumb as construct mountains entirely out of metal, could accomplish such a feat.

There were many guards surrounding the Origin Energy Temple, as well as Ancestors, Specialists, Temple Warriors, and normal soldiers, all of them diligently patrolling this place.

However, because of Danba’s status, Su Chen was able to easily enter the Origin Energy Temple.

“I once dreamed of becoming strong enough to command all seven human countries, then slaughtering my way over here to personally see the legendary Origin Energy Temple. I never would have thought that the second half of my wishful thinking would be realized while I am still far from accomplishing the first half,” Su Chen sighed.

“The rest of this will depend on you, then,” Danba replied.

Su Chen thought for a moment, then replied, “I won’t be able to figure anything out just from watching it, though. I need to thoroughly understand the principles behind its mechanisms. I will need a map of its internal mechanisms, and it’d be best if I could observe it for myself.”

Danba immediately shook his head. “That won’t be possible. I can help you stand in front of the Origin Energy Temple, and I can even let you experience the baptism once for yourself as long as you are able to endure the brutal, violent energy and any other possible side effects. The rest, however, will depend on you.”

“You’re saying that I can experience the baptism for myself, but I can’t watch other people be baptized?”

“That’s right,” Danba replied. “I have the authority to nominate any one of my subordinates for a baptism, but I am not able to give you the clearance to stand and watch other people undergo it.”

Su Chen scratched his head, feeling a headache coming on.

Origin Energy baptisms were only meaningful for Ravagers. The powerful side effects it had on a person’s consciousness were more than enough for Su Chen to normally politely decline it. Su Chen just wanted to understand and observe the process, but there was nothing Danba could do to help him in this regard.

“Hey guys, what are you doing just standing around and watching?”

Just as he was pondering on how he should work around this issue, a few Ravagers standing guard noticed them and barked out at them.

Danba frowned. “I am the Gravel Lizard Tribe’s Chieftain, Danba. What, are we not allowed to even stand here?”

Upon hearing that he was a Chieftain, the guard’s tone became much more polite, but he still maintained his position. “The Origin Energy Temple is not a place that just anyone can stand around and gaze at. If you have someone you are nominating for a baptism, please come when your appointment with the ancestor is due. Otherwise, please depart quickly.”

The guards of the Origin Energy Temple possessed quite a bit of status. Even Danba didn’t want to needlessly provoke these guys.

Just as he was about to grab Su Chen and leave, Su Chen suddenly asked, “Why can that guy directly enter the temple?”

Danba glanced in the direction of his finger and saw an old Ravager carrying a bucket of water as he walked to the top of the temple.

“That’s one of the temple’s part-time workers. They need to clean the temple every day,” the guard replied.

“So that’s how it is. I understand,” Su Chen nodded.

As they left, Su Chen remained silent.

After they left the entire Saintly Light Divine Shrine far behind, Su Chen said, “Do you have a way of getting me......”

“You want to assume the role of a part-time worker so that you can sneak in under the excuse of cleaning the temple?” Danba asked.

Su Chen chuckled. “It is indeed easier to discuss plans with smarter people. I was originally wondering if I could turn myself into a guard, but it seems like becoming a part-time worker would be easier in this case. It also seems that they have higher demands for the guards, while the cleaners are able to more easily slip under the radar. Also, cleaning the temple will require me to go to different locations in the temple, meaning that I will have to walk through the entire temple at least once...... That fits my goals perfectly.”

Danba nodded. “That’s also what I was thinking. I should be able to get you a simple part-time worker job fairly easily, but the question is how we can ensure that you get put on cleaning duty in the future without stirring too many waves. Perhaps we should try this......”

Every morning, before the sun rose, the Saintly Light Divine Shrine would become extremely busy when the disciples of the temple gathered there.

They carried milk, honey, freshly skinned beast hides and bones to this place, chanting as they entered the Divine Shrine in a very specific and defined manner.

The Ravagers believed in the God of Rage and Slaughter, Lonperth. He represented the source of the Ravager race’s power, as well as their boundless ferocity.

Lupis had nine gods in total, symbolized by the Nine Great Totems.

Perhaps it was because their brains were simple, but the Ravagers’ belief system was also relatively simple. It was much less complicated than, say, that of the Harpies.

For the humans, secular status and motivation was much more powerful than their religious counterparts. All of the major religions as such were instead considered as sects, and none of them had a particularly high status. On the other hand, the Ravagers’ Divine Shrine supported the existence of the entire Ravager race. The importance of this location was no less than that of the Head Chieftains themselves.

In some sense, the Ravager societal framework was composed of a mix between the secular and the religious. If a Head Chieftain did not have the support of the Divine Shrine, then their rule was essentially finished.

For instance, Danba had only been able to overthrow the former Head Chieftain and become the new Head Chief because the Gravel Lizard Tribe’s Divine Shrine had supported him in doing so.

The Divine Shrine’s status and influence had always been greater than any secular organization or group’s.

In any case, the Divine Shrine had an extremely important status amongst the Ravagers, leading to countless Ravagers coming to the Divine Shrine after embarking on a pilgrimage to seek glory.

The Head Chieftains spontaneously came here for the Origin Energy Temple, while the commoners would usually place a high priority on making a pilgrimage to the Saintly Light Divine Shrine at least once in their lifetime.

Every year, large numbers of foreign Ravagers would come to the temple, making it so that the Saintly Light Divine Shrine was always incredibly busy.

Waves of Ravager disciples walked in and out of the temple, laying their most prized possession down beneath the blessings of the white-robed Ancestors, accepting the blessing of the holy water, and then leaving full of devotion and thanksgiving.

The precious milk and honey was sprinkled into the saintly pool, which slowly mixed into the river as it flowed.

Beast hides and bones were also piled up like small mountains.

The bells tolled, and the sound of chants and songs rose high into the sky, permeating every corner of the place.

At this sacred occasion, everyone behaved solemnly and respectfully. Even the wildest, most unrestrained Ravagers reined themselves in and acted appropriately and followed the ceremonial rites.

However, there were always a few exceptions.

These exceptions were even willing to disrupt the order of the Divine Shrine.

“Out of the way! Out of the way! You damned bastards, I want to have an audience with Lonperth. Lonperth, I’m here to see you!!!”

The voice of a single Ravager pierced into the ears of the tens of millions gathered in this place.

‘Who would dare be so openly disrespectful?’ countless Ravagers wondered silently.

The Head Ancestor had been in the middle of blessing a Ravager individual, but the disturbance caused him to lift his head up to see what was going on.

A lone Ravager was pushing his way forward through the crowd of attendees.

He was cloaked in a beast hide, and he held a jug of wine in his hand, teetering to the side as he staggered forwards.

“A drunkard?” the white-robed Head Ancestor frowned.

The Ravagers did like to drink, but very few were brave enough to come to the Divine Shrine after drinking.

Especially if they had gotten this smashed.

Well, they were probably only here like this because they were smashed, right?

Did this guy not have any companions? The reason this happened in the first place was because no other Ravager had tried to stop him, the white-robed Head Ancestor thought to himself.

At this moment, a few of the Divine Shrine’s guards had already reached him. They grabbed the drunkard who was advancing and dragged him in front of the white-robed Ancestor.

“Head Ancestor Chag, we’ve apprehended the drunkard. How should we deal with him?”

The white-robed Head Ancestor Chag said, “Your drunkenness has caused you to act discourteously by making a loud commotion, and you show no respect to our god by referencing his name directly…… As the rules state, you shall be fined three hundred Origin Stones.”

“Origin Stones…… That’s too expensive, and I don’t have any,” the drunkard slurred. “Do you not see that I don’t even have a gift to offer? I am still waiting for someone to give me food. Hey, doesn’t that pool have a ton of milk? And there is meat on the altar...... I want to eat meat! I want to drink wine!”

The white-robed head Ancestor stared at the drunkard. “You lack Origin Stones and even more so, sincerity, as your goal is to just hustle some food and drink for yourself. You need to be taught a good lesson, so your punishment instead will be forced labor……”

Just as he was considering what kind of difficult task to assign, a grey-robed priest standing to the side said, “Head Ancestor, one of the part-timers responsible for cleaning the temple yesterday wasn’t paying attention and fell, injuring himself. Right now the severity of his injuries have left him bedridden.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, then assign him to clean the temple,” the white-robed Head Ancestor commanded.