Revolt against the Heavens

After saving Cao Yun's life and killing Xin Zhe, Sister Lisha didn't stay any longer. In her eyes, it was obvious that the Sand Wolves Tribe was going to survive this battle. The tribes in general would grow a bit stronger and bolder after that. And Tie Po's name would spread farther and farther. But this wasn't the main thought in her mind. All of those were inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. What she had discovered had to be told to the High Mother as soon as possible.

Among the city-states of the Nalupu Kingdom, there was one who was the religious center of the Sisters of the Abyss order. It was relatively far from Duma City, but it wasn't as far as City Lord Sihe's city. Indeed, their religious center was in the outskirts of the Desolate Dune Desert and not in the more temperate areas of the Desolate Sepulcher. Even for Hongyu, it would have taken two to three months to get there. However, Sister Lisha was a middle Accomplished Demon and unlike most city dwellers, she knew quite a lot about the desert. She was able to avoid or scare away any demonic beast. As such, she was able to fly even faster. She even used some strangeness in space to speed up.

In the end, it took her a little less than two months.

When she reached the city, she immediately saw the tall trees reaching to the sky and the rich buildings all over the place. In the middle of the Desolate Dune Desert, there was a literal oasis. The city was not that large but it was still very impressive with extraordinary buildings. Besides, there was vegetation all over the place. It was a green garden in an ocean of sand. In the very center of this oasis was the monastery of the Sisters of the Abyss. It was a large residence with many interior and exterior gardens full of various colors and brimming with life. The entire oasis exuded a powerful vitality in fact. Most people simply called it the Oasis of Life, but it had another name that was almost impossible to translate, or even pronounce in any language. Apart from the Sisters, no one knew this language in fact, to the point that they never even taught this name to anyone outside of their order.

Atop the front door of the monastery of the Sisters, a name written in strange script was engraved. Below this world no one could read, there was another one, the Monastery of Bliss and Repose. Most of the residence was in shades of red and black with many golden and silver engravings. Thankfully, the green vegetation was altering this choice in colors. The gardens weren't just green as there were many flowers as well. All those present in the residence were women. Some had long hair while others were shaved. And all of them wore red uniforms with various shapes and shades. However, they all had a symbol on them. It looked like three pillars at first glance. But, looking closer, those pillars were in fact each formed by three distinct segments with slightly different shapes and sizes.

Before entering in the Oasis of Life, Sister Lisha used her spatial ring. Her casual clothes were replaced with a red robe that had this exact same symbol. It also had various pieces of clothes falling on her shoulders, acting like some kind of belt and altering her appearance. The design was very intricate and clearly showed a religious hierarchy of some kind among the Sisters of the Abyss.

When her feet touched the ground, she let go of any concealment. She literally appeared in the midst of a crowd of people. They were clearly pilgrim since they were clothed in various manners. As soon as they saw her, they all bowed in her direction without daring to say anything at all. Disregarding them completely, Sister Lisha walked toward the Sisters guarding the gate.

"Greetings, Sisters. I come back from an important assignment by the High Mother. My Blood is heavy with dirt, but I have to see the High Mother immediately. I won't suffer any delay."

"Understood, Senior Mother. We will convey your feelings without any delay. May the Blood flow in you."

"Thank you. May the Blood flow in you, Sisters."

Sister Lisha kept on walking in the street. As she was walking in the direction of the Monastery of Bliss and Repose, many pilgrims bowed to her. Some even kowtowed and prostrated themselves to her. She wasn't walking too fast but she seemed faster than anyone else who would run. Everyone moved away from her path so as to not impede her at all. In the Oasis of Life, the Nalupu Kingdom had no authority, the Sisters of the Abyss were all-powerful.

According to an ancient story, a man had disrespected a Junior Sister once. As soon as he insulted her, his flesh was crushed by an authoritative aura and nothing remained from him but a small bead of blood. The Junior Sister then gathered this bead delicately in her hands as though she was collecting water in her palms. Finally, she disappeared behind the heavy doors of the Monastery of Bliss and Repose. Later, the family of the dead man made a long pilgrim throughout the Desolate Dune Desert barefoot and kowtowed for forty days and nights in front of the monastery. Apparently they were forgiven as they all survived.

Of course, no one was absolutely sure of the truth behind this story but no one was in a hurry to discover it either. While in the Oasis of Life, if someone seemed to even have an ounce of animosity toward a Sister, his own family would chastise them. In fact, it wasn't rare for some young people to be beaten by their own family members, just out of fear of the Sisters.

As soon as she reached the Monastery of Bliss and Repose, the doors opened in front of Sister Lisha before she could even use her spiritual senses. In fact, she had not circulated her cultivation at all since her landing in front of the gates. Even now, she almost seemed like a mortal.

Behind the gates, on her sides, were eight sisters with shaven heads kowtowing on her way. Just as she crossed the threshold, the eight sisters barely stood up, their shaven heads still lowered, and pushed the heavy gate closed. It was clearly an effort for them. Even if they were trying to hide their grimaces, Sister Lisha could imagine them without her spiritual senses. She remembered when she had been a lowly Junior Sister. So she didn't look down on those women at all. The young blood was essential, as much as herself or the High Mother. It was unfortunate that more than half of them would not make it. But they would keep serving the Sisterhood even in death. There was no failure among the Sisters. Never!

"Red blessing on you, Junior Sisters."

"This insignificant one thanks the Senior Mother. May the Blood flow in the Senior Mother and the High Mother."

All eight of the young women spoke in unison in the silent hallway.

Sister Lisha had not waited for their answer and was already walking toward the Motherly Hall. In the Sisters of the Abyss order, it was believed that all the women entering it were related by blood. There were in fact rituals to make it so. As such, their titles were either Sister or Mother with various seniority ranks. Outside of the Monastery though, all Sisters were indeed referred to as Sisters. In fact, no one knew of their actual ranks and they were keeping it that way. Apart from the High Mother, it was very difficult for an outsider to know the rank of a Sister.

Even Sister Lisha was only known to be a Mother by Lord Wanghuo. The Nalupu Kingdom had no idea of her actual seniority. As such, they were forced to treat all the Sisters with the same respect no matter their functions.

Before long, Sister Lisha reached the Motherly Hall. Once again, she didn't have to push open the doors. They were opened in front of her. But this time, she bowed three times before entering. Once inside, all the women were wearing clothes similar to her. Indeed, there were five other Senior Mothers and twenty-eight Mothers. The room was separated by a central alley with small tables for the Mothers on both sides facing toward the south wall. Then, there was a small dais where the Senior Mother were sitting between this south wall and the Mothers. Unlike the Mothers, the Senior Mothers were facing each other on both sides on the alley that was turning into small stairs.

Finally, just before the south wall, on a large dais, there sat the High Mother. Contrary to all the women in the room, her head was completely shaved. On her bald head, there were various marks looking like tattoos made out of her own blood. They were extremely complex and beautiful. In fact, they sometimes appeared to be alive. Although they didn't move when directly looking at them, they gave the impression of being different after looking away for only an instant. This was a very strange feeling. Those tattoos were also falling on her forehead a little and all the way to her eyebrows and the very top of her nose, there were some smaller marks.

Apart from those tattoos, the High Mother had a very young face, full of life and vigor. However, her eyes appeared extremely old and filled with secret knowledge and cunning thoughts. Even to Sister Lisha who was familiar with her, the High Mother was terrifying.

Just after entering the room, the doors closed again. Sister Lisha bowed toward the Mothers, bowed lower toward the Senior Mothers and finally kowtowed toward the High Mother. Then she walked forward until the first dais. She once again bowed toward her Senior Mothers and kowtowed toward the High Mother. This time though, she waited and stayed on the ground.

"This humble Sister's Blood is heavy with dirt. May this humble Sister approach the Source of our Blood?"

"Your Mother allows you to approach within the sanctity of our Blood."

Sister Lisha stood up while keeping her waist bent forward as though she was bowing. Then, she took the final steps toward the highest dais, where the High Mother was sitting. Immediately, she stopped and kowtowed once more. After this final kowtow, she stayed on the ground, sitting, and began to speak.

"High Mother, this one followed your orders. I have spied on the one called Mo Yun and discovered many things that are of interest. Some are too sensitive to share with anyone else, High Mother."

"Leave!"

As soon as she spoke, the High Mother's voice spread throughout the room. Everyone felt as though she was talking directly to them, all except Sister Lisha. Very quickly, all the other women left the room after prostrating themselves before the High Mother. Finally, Sister Lisha was alone with the High Mother.

"You may relax your decorum, Lisha. Tell me what you've discovered."

Despite the familiar tone in the High Mother's voice, Sister Lisha knew to stay as formal as possible. The High Mother was an old monster of the previous generation before her own seniors. In fact, even Sister Lisha wasn't sure whether the High Mother was older than Lord Wanghuo, neither did they know is she was stronger or not. Thus, she didn't stand, she only sat with her back almost straight, but not quite.

"This Mo Yun is even more incredible than we had thought. There is clearly some ancient blood in his heart. I've been able to feel it during his fight against Xin Zhe. Unfortunately, I was forced to kill her as she was about to kill the boy. Indeed, Mo Yun is not an Accomplished Demon as I had surmised. But his cultivation is even a bit weaker than I had thought. He's only a 5th-grade Golden Blood Child. However, this isn't the concerning part. Mo Yun is human."

"Human?!"

"Yes, I am not too proficient in the ways of humans. But he should be a 5th-grade Mortal Warrior. My guess is that the ancient blood in his heart allows him to cultivate our 'Crimson Inferno Road'. Unfortunately, I have been unable to determine whether this blood belonged to the Progenitor. That being said, there are clear traces of the Progenitor in him. Even the sand doesn't affect his spiritual senses."

"And about those spiritual senses? Did you find how he got them?"

"He's probably cultivating a very powerful mind cultivation. Unfortunately, his array formations are complex and strong. Even I didn't see through them all. I am sure that his technique has something to do with the calligraphy I let him buy in that auction. But I can't be sure of anything else..."

"Why didn't you bring him here directly?"

The High Mother's tone was always calm and seemed sweet. But Sister Lisha had already seen her in battle, covered in blood. She knew that this decorum was hiding something else. One time, she had been talking very courteously with a visitor. Suddenly, she had ripped his head apart from his body with her bare hands because she had felt disrespected. Although Sister Lisha wasn't afraid of being killed, she was cautious.

"High Mother, he was terribly injured. Besides, I have discovered a great way to make him come here of his own volition. Apparently, he got close to a girl named Xixue."

"Xixue?"

There was a bit of surprise in the High Mother's voice.

"The name means nothing to you, but..."

"She's from the late Lotus Tribe. Her younger sister Yinlü joined our ranks when we bought her at a slave auction. Is Mo Yun really attached to this Hanqu Xixue?"

The one who was really surprised was Sister Lisha. Could it be that the High Mother knew absolutely everyone in the order, to the lowest Junior Sister?! She didn't let her thoughts interrupt her words though.

"Yes, High Mother. And he will grow even more attached as she was about to heal him when I left them."

"Great. We'll use this Yinlü then. Admirable work, Lisha. Give me all the details you can. Afterwards, we'll deal with this Xin Zhe. She might feed our well."