Ch. 777 - Goddess Palace

Hearing the Dust Envoy’s words, Xu Zimo didn’t hesitate and followed him into the temple.

The temple was quite spacious, with several large halls inside. Over a dozen Dust Envoys moved in and out, all busy with their tasks.

“Where did you get that token?” the monk Great Wisdom looked curiously at Gu Yue as they walked.

“My mother gave it to me. She said if I ever found myself in danger here, I should show the token,” Gu Yue replied.

“Your mother might be a Divine Envoy,” Great Wisdom said.

“She must have some connection to the Goddess Palace.”

“I don’t know,” Gu Yue said, her mood low. “I don’t understand why she sent me out of the Mortal Dust Palace and didn’t let me stay by her side.”

“The Mortal Dust Palace is a place one can enter but never leave,” Xu Zimo said with a smile. “If your mother managed to send you out, she must not be ordinary.”

The group followed the Divine Envoy into a grand hall.

The hall was simply decorated, with blue and white windows and walls.

At the head of the hall stood a statue.

The statue was dozens of meters tall, depicting a woman ascending to the heavens.

She wore a flowing cloud-patterned gown, also in blue and white, with blue ribbons coiling around her.

“This is the World-Weary Goddess, the founder of our Mortal Dust Palace,” the Dust Envoy explained as he noticed their curious looks.

Xu Zimo nodded slightly.

The statue had no face, only a carved back, offering little detail.

“How long does it take to get from your temple to the Goddess Palace?” Great Wisdom asked.

“At the fastest, a day. Though we’re connected by teleportation arrays, the distance is still quite far,” the Envoy explained.

As he spoke, he pulled out a red token from his body.

He placed it into a slot in front of the statue.

The next moment, a blue and white light shone from the statue of the goddess.

The light seemed to reflect outward, and began rotating at one corner of the floor.

“Hurry in,” the Dust Envoy said.

“The array only stays open for a limited time.”

Once Xu Zimo and the others stepped into the teleportation array, the light spun faster.

The next moment, the light condensed into a glowing point and swallowed everything, vanishing into the void.

Watching them disappear, the Dust Envoy finally let out a breath.

“They’re gone?” a voice came from the door. An old man with a cane slowly walked in.

“Elder Cang, what brings you here?” the Dust Envoy greeted him quickly.

“They forced their way in, how could I not show up?” the old man chuckled.

“You gave in?”

“They had a Divine Envoy’s token,” the Dust Envoy replied.

“I suspect that’s not the only reason,” the old man smiled.

The Dust Envoy was silent for a moment, then said, “I couldn’t beat him.”

“Let’s hope things remain calm,” the old man shook his head slightly.

“The Mortal Dust Palace may look peaceful now, but everything is stretched taut, ready to snap at any moment.”

...

During the teleportation, it took about half a day before Xu Zimo and the others reappeared outside.

Much faster than expected.

The three found themselves standing on solid ground, looking around.

It seemed they had arrived inside the Goddess Palace.

They stood in a vast plaza.

Statues surrounded the area, and fountains morphed into various shapes.

Two women in red robes stood guard before the teleportation array.

“What business do you have at the Goddess Palace?” asked the Envoy on the left, her voice cold.

“We’re here to find something,” Great Wisdom replied with a smile.

“What are you looking for?” she asked, confused.

“The Nirvana-Fire Pearl. Do you know where it is?” Xu Zimo asked.

“The Nirvana-Fire Pearl?” the Envoy frowned. “Which temple are you from?”

Gu Yue quietly took out her Divine Envoy token.

At first, the two women paid it little attention.

“What’s this?” the Envoy on the left frowned, then her eyes suddenly widened.

“This is what the Palace Master instructed us about.”

The two Envoys gave Gu Yue a deep look and said, “Please come wait in the grand hall. If there’s anything to discuss, you can speak with our Palace Master.”

Xu Zimo wasn’t in a rush and nodded slightly.

One of the two Envoys took the token and left.

The other led Xu Zimo and the others to a cold yet magnificent grand hall.

The hall was built from translucent blue and white stone, like glass.

At the top was a throne, appearing to be made of gemstone.

It sparkled and shone brilliantly.

The multicolored gems reflected all kinds of lights under the sun.

Xu Zimo and the others were seated at a table in front of the throne to wait.

“How do I get in touch with my mother?” Gu Yue asked hopefully.

“Ask the Palace Master when she arrives,” Xu Zimo said.

“That token of yours is clearly special.”

As they spoke, a sound of distant horns suddenly rang out outside.

“The Palace Master arrives,” a cold voice called out.

Accompanied by several red-robed Envoys, a woman wearing a crown and holding a staff slowly entered.

She was regal and elegant, dressed in a majestic white cloud-patterned gown.

The dress was a one-piece robe, flowing and a bit loose.

The hem stretched a meter long, carried by several Envoys behind her.

The robe was embroidered with wide sleeves and cloud motifs, adorned with pearls and gemstones, luxurious and graceful.

As the woman stepped forward, Gu Yue’s eyes widened.

She opened her mouth to speak, but the Palace Master suddenly released a powerful aura.

Gu Yue was so shocked she couldn’t get a word out.

“You may leave,” the Palace Master waved to the Envoys at her sides.

The Envoys bowed and quietly exited the hall.

“What brings you to my Goddess Palace?” the Palace Master glanced at Gu Yue, then asked Xu Zimo and Great Wisdom.

“We heard the Nirvana-Fire Pearl is here,” Xu Zimo replied.

“So what if it is, and what if it’s not?” the Palace Master asked.

“We came specifically for the Nirvana-Fire Pearl,” Great Wisdom stood up and smiled.

“Why not do a good deed, Palace Master? This man Xu here is fated with the Pearl. Gift it to us and form a karmic bond.”

“I’m not very familiar with the Nirvana-Fire Pearl,” the Palace Master said. “Why don’t you stay here at the Goddess Palace for now? Once I’ve looked into it, we can discuss again. How does that sound?”

“I’ll wait for three days,” Xu Zimo said. “If this can be resolved peacefully, that would be best.”

The Palace Master nodded. Her calm demeanor and handling of the situation left Xu Zimo slightly puzzled.

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