It felt a bit unfamiliar.
The secluded wind drifted to the bottom of the well.
She was feeling the temperature of this world, listening to its sounds...
She stretched out her hand and gently scooped up a handful of water.
Then, she took a sip.
So... the well water from Divine Temple Mountain was sweet and clear.
The girl climbed out of the ancient well and reached the mountaintop, where she encountered a pair of sisters hiking.
The scene at the foot of the mountain was chaotic.
The fire couldn’t burn in Li’s Divine Temple; hence after the Flame Demon Umbrella launched that flare, the Transcendents of the Li Family were in disarray... Neither daring to move forward nor knowing what had just happened.
Was that figure converging atop the mountain the descent of the Divine Embryo or just an act of deception?
Seizing the opportunity.
Li Qingci quickly headed up the mountain with her sister.
And the moment they reached the summit, they happened upon the scene of Chu Ling emerging from the mountain well.
In this world, who else but a "Divine" could possess such an enchantingly beautiful body? A little more voluptuousness, a touch less gauntness, flawlessly just right... Beyond that, there was a temperament between her brows that seemed out of place with the mundane world.
In Li Qingci’s eyes were pity and indifference, wisdom and bewilderment intertwined, traits so contradictory yet coexisting, captivating anyone who glanced her way.
Li Qingci stood rooted to the spot, stunned.
"So there really is... a Goddess..."
Qing Sui, too, was spellbound.
In the legend of the Li Family, the "Divine Embryo" was nothing but an ethereal and elusive being.
Until now, barely anyone believed in this legend...
Chu Ling, with a tender smile in her eyes, looked at the two women she had "met" earlier.
She slowly opened her mouth, her voice coming out with some nervousness and a bit of a stutter: "My surname is Chu... you can call me... Chu Ling."
However, once she spoke, her voice was exceptionally gentle, soothing like a spring breeze.
It was a sound that filled one’s heart with endless beauty at the mere hearing.
"Lady Divine... I’ll get your clothes!" Li Qingci snapped back to her senses and quickly spoke.
Chu Ling noticed as well.
She was completely unclothed at the moment, "without dress."
This... was not quite decent.
With a slight smile and a light gesture, a set of "Ancient Sacrificial Robes" drifted from the old house of the temple far away. These were clothes meant for grand ceremonies or formal prayers.
The ancient robes floated before her and enveloped her.
Red lapels and a white sash, a cinched waist.
She looked... truly like a deity from ancient times.
Li Qingci felt as if she had witnessed a "bright, unprecedented moon." If one were to compare beauty with the Lady Divine, then all other women in the world were like dim stars, paling in comparison.
In her trance, a clamor suddenly rose from the foot of the mountain.
The Transcendents of the Li Family regained their composure... They climbed up the mountain, not only to intercept the Li Qingci and Qing Sui sisters but also to witness the figure that had just appeared on the summit.
After reaching the mountaintop, they too witnessed a scene they would never forget.
A young woman dressed in Li’s Divine Temple Ancient Sacrificial Robe, holding a black umbrella, had the dark clouds that were initially spread like ink above re-converge overhead. Only now, a line of celestial light pierced the darkness, falling directly above the woman’s head.
It was as if a Divine was descending from heaven.
It truly looked like a Divine’s descent.
Because Qing Sui hadn’t been able to hold the umbrella, the recent strike of the Flame Demon Umbrella only managed a momentary hit on Second Elder Li Changchi... In the end, the strike caused limited damage, resulting in nothing but torn clothes and a shattered protective talisman. Li Changchi was not seriously hurt.
So this elder was the first to reach the mountain top.
Seeing this scene, his expression turned ugly... The beam of golden light atop the mountain was real, there indeed was a so-called "Goddess," and those two Li sisters were hiding behind her at this moment.
Those who had ascended Divine Temple Mountain Top looked at each other in bewilderment.
Was the ancient legend of the Li Family... true?
So... was Qing Sui’s so-called "Light-Seeking" plan also real?
In the crowd of the Elder Council, doubts, and questions began to emerge, not all members were unwaveringly on Li Changchi’s side...
"May I ask, are you..."
A trembling voice arose.
Li Xuan’s face was pale as he looked at the woman, speaking with a hint of disbelief.
What he wanted to ask was what most people wanted to know.
Could this truly be the Goddess mentioned in tales?
Chu Ling, holding the black umbrella, gave no answer.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to answer, but because she was still slowly getting used to her "speaking" ability.
However, her expression differed from when she saw the Li sisters; now facing the Transcendents who had reached the summit, her eyes held neither warmth nor pity.
Impenetrable by anyone, incomprehensible by any.
"There can be no Goddess in this world!"
A deep voice cut off Li Xuan’s question.
Li Changchi’s face was dark. His breathing became uncontrollably ragged at the sight of the Goddess, only now slowly stabilizing.
Second Elder placed a heavy hand on Li Xuan’s shoulder and said coldly, "Pretending to be divine, performing tricks... If there were Goddesses in this world, why would they suffer in silence until now? Are you trying to tell me the Goddess only came into existence today?!"