Hakara felt the person beneath him breathing rapidly.
"Change the team," she said in a low voice. "Yezi, you carry me." The mountain pass in the Desolate Mountains was exhausting, especially in the freezing winter with heavy snowfall. The forty-two witches couldn't cover much ground in a single day, so they had to find suitable campsites and recharge their badges to withstand the sudden drop in temperature at night.
"Yes, Master Mentor," a Witch crouched before her. She summoned a serpent to coil around the mentor's arm, pulling herself over. At the same time, she sensed the mentor's involuntary tremors.
Damn nightingale, Hakkara thought resentfully. Had she not repeatedly rejected his kindness, he would never have resorted to such cruelty toward his sister. At this critical juncture of approaching the sacred mountain, Hakkara would not tolerate any mishap.
What happened next? The traitor, having broken free from his chains, didn't hesitate for a second—he immediately tried to stab himself... See, that's the fate of mercy! Haqara's mind was consumed by raging fury. The stab had pierced her spine, and though the herb Ye had modified healed the wound swiftly, her lower body was paralyzed, and her feet had completely lost sensation.
When we reach the Sacred Mountain, we'll rally more witches to one day capture her and tear her apart!
"Senior Mentor, a malevolent beast is approaching," reported Chi Tonghui, the reconnaissance officer. Her eyes could see through all obstacles and concealments, leaving no trap hidden from her. She also possessed exceptional motion detection skills, having personally deflected an Inquisition Army crossbow arrow during the conflict with the Church.
"Let me down, Yezi, go help them." The Witch, carrying her on her back, nodded and crouched to place her on a rock. Her hands, bracing her body, sank into the snow, the cold seeping through her palms. "Hakara," she thought irritably, "wouldn't you first clear the snow before letting me down?"
Yet she remained silent. Yezi was the irreplaceable pillar of the group. While the Gongzhu Society relied on Wendy's gentle nature to rally the Witches, Yezi was the one who gave them the courage to follow her lead. Without her, most of the Witches would have perished in the Church's relentless pursuit.
Thinking of Wendy, Hara's heart ached. She never imagined that the person who had co-founded the Mutual Aid Society with her would betray her over Nightingale.
Even when Wendy blew her away, she never intended to kill. The venom from the Magic Power snake "Pain" took effect slowly—intense but not immediately lethal. After being bitten by "Nothingness," the toxin would be quickly neutralized... She merely wanted to give Wendy a taste of her own medicine. But if left unchecked, the toxin would still be fatal once it reached the head. Nightingale's decision to take her away was a mistake. Without "Nothingness"' s antidote, Wendy wouldn't have survived a single day.
Could it be that she, once a nun of the Church, was fated to never walk the path with her sisters to the end?
As for the other defector Lightning, Hakkara paid little attention. Having joined the Gongshu Society only recently, her ability seemed to be flight. She consistently raised objections during the search for clues about the Sacred Mountain, even openly questioning the Holy Book. Had it not been for violating the Society's principles, she would have petrified this talkative girl and cast her in the snow.
Two wolf-like creatures emerged from the hillside. The witches of the Gongzhu Guild were already handling the situation with ease. The sisters, lacking combat skills, retreated to the rear. Ye Zi was the first to activate Magic Power, causing the weeds beneath the beasts to grow wildly. Green leaves burst forth from the snow in an instant, wrapping around the enemies' feet. Another witch, Zhui Feng, drained the air around the creatures. As the two monsters soon suffocated, foaming at the mouth and convulsing on the ground, the witches watched helplessly.
This is the power of witches, thought Harkara. Ordinary mortals armed only with blades would lose their lives in the face of two evil wolves. Only witches possessing God's magical power are God's chosen. If it weren't for the Stone of God's Punishment—ah, hell's stone, as she spat on the ground—if it weren't for this vile stone, how could the Church dare to rule over them?
"Please come up, Mentor," Yezi said, bending down as she approached Hakara.
"Let's find another spot," Hakkara sighed. "You were exhausted earlier." The group continued their journey. By noon, the snow had gradually stopped, and the stone woman in charge of setting up the camp found a sheltered spot. They decided to rest briefly and have a meal to replenish their energy.
The stone woman swiftly transformed the land. The snow was buried under the surging soil and gravel, and the ground seemed to come alive, intertwining and wriggling on its own. Soon, it became smooth and hard. Everyone took their assigned tasks: setting up the cooking pots they carried, lighting fires to boil porridge. The melted snow water was poured into cups and boiled, then mixed with herbs infused with leaves, instantly releasing a rich aroma.
"Everyone, hand over your badges to Sinno," called out a young girl with hair as red as a dancing flame—a rare color. Her ability, tied to fire, allowed her to infuse objects with heat, keeping them warm for hours. The Sacred Mountain Coin, the emblem of the Cooperative Society, was crafted by her own hands.
Though seemingly insignificant, these skills prove invaluable for the mutual aid society, especially when navigating the perilous Juejing Mountains. Without any heating gear, one could easily lose body heat and faint in the bitter cold and heavy snow.
After finishing the millet porridge, the group packed their belongings and set off again. According to Hakkara's theory, the so-called Gate of Hell was actually the key to the Holy Mountain. However, the Church deliberately portrayed it as an evil place, hoping to prevent the witches from reaching the Holy Mountain. As recorded in ancient texts, they had to pass through three stone gates in total, with the final one located in the Wild Realm. Normally hidden underground, the stone gate would only rise to the surface when a blood-red moon appeared in the sky.
After a month-long trek through the Desolate Mountains from their camp, they were about to leave the mountain range and enter the untamed wilderness. In recent days, the appearance of evil beasts had become increasingly frequent.
"Quick, quick, quick look... what is that!" someone suddenly cried in alarm.
Hakara looked up and was left speechless.
A city appears on the horizon!
Snowflakes kept falling from the gray sky, with clouds pressing low, making the city's outline faintly visible through the mist.
The structures were of a style she had never seen before, with spires standing side by side. If the densely packed black dots above were windows, these spires must have been at least a hundred zhang tall! This was beyond human capability! Even the Church's pride, the Cathedral of Hermes—the pinnacle of the Tower of Heaven—stood no more than fifteen zhang tall!
Since it was not created by human hands, there is only one answer: it is a city built by God!
Hakara was overwhelmed with excitement, a voice in her heart kept shouting—she had found the Holy Mountain!