CHAPTER 1334: CHAPTER 711: RANGER AND THE FOREST GODDESS_2

Gaven did not conceal their plan in any way, including the matter of seeking the Corruption Priesthood.

Since a God Incarnation had descended upon the Dragon Oak Mother Tree and entered the Dragon Oak Dream Realm, neither Dream Divinity nor Corruption Divinity could remain hidden, including the Dream Divine Spark.

Rather than engaging in secrecy, it was better to lay everything bare.

Before the ordinary beings, the Decay Fallen God Moando flaunted his power.

Yet before these mighty Natural Deities, he was hardly worth mentioning.

However, the fact that these Natural Deities had not acted directly to eliminate him showed the necessity of his Divine Position. As long as there was demand, he could not be completely eradicated; even if Moando were to die, another "An-Moando" or "Mo-An-Mo" would inevitably arise.

If the Corruption and Decay Priesthood were to fall into the hands of other Dark Evil Deities, merging with their own Divine Positions and spawning more troublesome Dark Power, that would pose a far greater threat.

For instance, the Goddess of Poison and Plague Talona had always coveted this Divine Position. This time, the downfall of Moando was said to be her handiwork, though unfortunately, she did not succeed.

As for Divine Positions inclined toward darkness, these Natural Deities were deeply cautious. They dared not assume direct control, for even the slightest lapse risked corruption and descent into darkness, and breaking free often required an unbearable price.

There was a precedent for this: the Goddess of Luck Tymora and Goddess of Misfortune Beshaba were originally one entity, Tyche, simultaneously governing both Luck and Misfortune. It was only through Moando’s conspiracies and machinations, corrupted by Dark Power, that they were forced to split into two separate beings with the aid of the Moon Goddess Suren and an alliance of other deities, narrowly avoiding disaster.

Gaven had keenly seized upon this point, knowing this was something all Natural Deities would be pleased to see.

Melikai, however, did not respond with the jubilance that Gaven had anticipated. She paused, seemingly shocked by the magnitude of his scheme. The smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by an exceedingly solemn expression, as she said, "Do you understand the gravity of what you are attempting? Do not assume that purifying a single Divine Root qualifies you to plot against Moando’s strength. He has cultivated the Divine Positions of Decay and Corruption for many years; the two are deeply entangled and nearly inseparable.

Should you attempt to meddle in the Decay Priesthood, you will inevitably become entangled in his Corruption Priesthood. Even a slight misstep could plunge your Mother Tree into darkness. Moando using this as a shell to regenerate is not unheard of."

The Forest Queen, having opposed the Decay Fallen God for years, knew her old adversary better than anyone.

If the matter could truly be resolved by supporting a Corruption Priesthood to oversee subordinate deities, they would have done so long ago.

Or rather, it was not that they hadn’t tried before but that they had failed repeatedly. Either corrupted by Moando’s dark strength and turned into foes of nature with greater destructive power, or manipulated by Moando to use them as vessels for his resurrection. Many lingering scars in the forest owed their origin to such attempts.

Gaven sighed inwardly. This Forest Lady, hailed as the kindest among Natural Deities and loved by countless beings, demonstrated her virtue in choosing to explain the risks rather than exploit his initiative.

Gaven sincerely expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your counsel, Lady. But the Dragon Oak Mother Tree is far more than just a tree. Especially in matters of her Soul Consciousness, she has us, the countless fae in the Dragon Oak Dream Realm. Corrupting an individual is easy for Moando, but corrupting a collective is much harder — let alone tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands. We can utilize segregation to prevent this from occurring.

More importantly, we are not fighting this battle alone. Even if Lady does not wish to embrace this honor, I believe Lady would not stand idly by when combating such Dark Power."

"It seems this is not a spur-of-the-moment decision but rather one thoroughly thought through. Whether or not I grant you my support, you seem determined to proceed." Melikai’s face once again broke into a smile, one brighter than before. "You have taken it upon yourselves to shoulder the most perilous work; what reason do I have to refuse? This is my privilege!

Let us use the temple that you purified, which used to belong to me. It was defiled under Moando’s temptation, but now your Mother Tree has cleansed it. Returning it to me would carry tremendous symbolic significance, and it would allow me to openly advance this matter."

"This is precisely what we intended to do," Gaven acknowledged earnestly. "The Mother Tree has already established a connection with this temple, serving as a signal tower for accessing the Dragon Oak Dream Realm. We originally planned to offer it to Queen Radanaxi and her followers. If they wish, they can use it to enter the Dragon Oak Dream Realm at any time."

The implication was clear: if these two matters could be combined, it would be nothing short of perfection.

The Forest Queen turned to look at Queen Radanaxi and her followers, saying, "I would like to entrust this temple, laden with special meaning, to your care. Do not rush to accept; this will be a flag of all-out war against the Decay Fallen God. Moando’s remnants will stop at nothing to destroy it, employing every means to tempt and corrupt you into darkness. It will be a daunting task."

"To accomplish this for Your Majesty is our greatest honor."

"To uphold integrity and resist temptation is what we Tree Spirit excel at most. Your Majesty entrusting this task to us is the most fitting choice."

"Your Majesty, please allow us to accept this mission."

Led by Queen Radanaxi, the Tree Spirits fervently petitioned.

The inability to refuse the Forest Queen’s task was one aspect; the other was the lure of Gaven’s earlier words. Gaining access to the Dragon Oak Dream Realm through the temple was, for the Tree Spirits, a silent temptation — a gateway to an entirely new existence.