Chapter 2021: Chapter 2021: Truth Of Goodwill And Malice

As if he had expected how Marsh would react, Harold let out a long sigh. “She wasn't the one we planned on sending to join the debate over the Godly Ways. Now she is our only choice, though.”

Marsh smiled bitterly and looked over at Zen. “He should be the original one, right?”

“Yes, that's right!” Harold replied with a single nod.

Marsh took a moment to look Zen up and down.

Zen had left a deep impression on Marsh back at the Astronomical Transit Day celebration.

He could tell that Nicholas had really wanted to accept Zen as his personal disciple before Zen's true identity had been revealed. Things changed greatly when that was announced.

It came down to the fact that Zen was Mike's son. Mike and Nicholas were deadly enemies.

Of course, at that time, Marsh was terribly shocked to discover Zen's identity too.

“If it were him, I'm afraid the odds would've been higher now. But as it stands, we have no other choice but to do as you say.” A look of regret appeared on Marsh's face.

“With all due respect, may I ask you something?” Zen suddenly asked, without warning.

“Please, go ahead.” Marsh accepted as he nodded his head.

“Why have no consummate True Gods joined in the debate? And what about Demi-holy Beings and Holy Beings? Can't you acquire the heritage on your own?” Zen asked.

Upon hearing Zen speak, both Marsh and Harold shook their heads with a bitter expression on their faces.

It was then that Marsh explained, “The debate is only popular among the True Gods from the grassroots in the divine land. Our ultimate goal is to obtain the skeleton's inheritance as well as the ability to control the entire divine land.”

The Sword Clan was the first to know the skeleton's secret in the divine land.

It wasn't long after this clan had occupied the Sunrest Tree that they discovered its absolute uniqueness.

It was a rule to all that nobody was allowed to attack in the area where the Sunrest Tree was located—otherwise known as the Non-combat Zone.

If one were to peel the surface of the tree and go inside, a totally opposing area could be found. This area was known as the Sword Clan's Killing Zone.

In fact, the so-called Non-combat Zone and Killing Zone each spread outside their respective areas.

The Truth of Godly Way that emitted from the skeleton was the Truth of Goodwill and Malice.

One could be blessed with goodwill at any moment.

And in the next, they could be rained on in malice.

It was said that both goodwill and malice were based on nothing more than a single thought. It wasn't surprising that there were two kinds of completely contrasting auras inside and outside the Sunrest Tree.

Up until now, the Sword Clan had only opened up a few Killing Zones within the Sunrest Tree.

Some Killing Zones were still in good standing. Although they were still dangerous, the Sword Clan had their own counterattack methods.

When it was dangerous, the outer layer of the Sunrest Tree would be opened and the Truth of Goodwill would be introduced into it in order to deal with the Truth of Malice. 𝘙ἁＮꝊ₿ËS̈

Zen had witnessed this scene before, notably in the Killing Zone when taking part in the second round of screening.

It was during the sixtieth divine era that a crater as wide as two hundred miles had appeared on the surface of the Sunrest Tree.

Once the crater had made its place known, a giant worm began to emerge. The worm was at least ten thousand miles long.

As the giant worm fully emerged from the tree, it hastily burst out a high number of malice. This worm could even resist the goodwill outside the Sunrest Tree!

While this giant worm's huge body swept across the area, two divine cities of the Sword Clan were razed to the ground.

Despite the fact that the giant worm was absolutely enormous, it wasn't considered a ferocious beast to the Sword Clan.

The Sword Clan had a strong foundation, after all. Additionally, at that time, the Sword Clan had three great Holy Beings, including Marsh.

That said though, it didn't seem to matter who was part of their clan. The three Holy Beings as well as several consummate True Gods could do nothing but watch the giant worm destroy their beloved cities.

The Holy Beings couldn't kill the giant worm directly due to the Truth of Goodwill that enveloped the Non-combat Zone.

It didn't take long before Marsh came up with his own, unintelligible idea.

He waved his sword swiftly and the fire he unleashed turned into a flame cage. The fiery cage trapped the huge worm.

For the simple reason that Marsh had no intentions of killing the giant worm, he therefore wouldn't be affected by the Truth of Goodwill.

Forced by the flames that Marsh had released, the giant worm began to desperately and helplessly search for its way out. Marsh deliberately freed an opening in the fire and led the giant worm forward on the Sunrest Tree.

Guiding the huge worm carefully along the way, Marsh finally led the legless beast to one of the Sunset Tree's Killing Zones.

As soon as the giant worm entered the Killing Zone, Marsh and the other two Holy Beings of Sword Clan entered immediately behind it.

Without the Truth of Goodwill's constraint, the three Holy Beings took turns performing their actions one after another. The trio eventually killed the giant worm.

After dissolving the tribulation, the Sword Clan began exploring the ravenous crater left behind by the giant worm earlier.

They had never imagined that the crater would be so deep. It dug down from the top of the tree trunk and extended for 300 million feet.

In other words, the distance almost traveled from the top of the Sunrest Tree to the deep ocean located underneath it.

More notably, the tree's trunk was hollow and there was something else hiding within.

As they continued their exploration, the Sword Clan finally discovered the skeleton. They felt an intense aura radiating from it.

“In the beginning, we didn't know this skeleton's true identity,” Marsh said to Zen.

Zen and Yan, who were both standing next to him, listened with keen interest.

Not many people were informed about the Sword Clan's secret history. Today, however, Marsh described it in detail.

“I don't understand. Then, how did you know the skeleton's identity?” Yan asked with a wary smile.

Equally smiling, Marsh turned to look at Harold. As it appeared, it was Harold who was destined to answer this question.

With a serious look on his face, Harold answered, “Your father discovered it. Or, your father and Holy Jay discovered it together, if you prefer. They found a special Sanskrit word. After cracking its code, they realized that the divine land itself was in fact a ship. The captain of the ship was located in the Sunrest Tree.”

As Zen heard this coming from Harold's mouth, he couldn't help himself but interrupt, “It seems that the biggest conflict between my father and Nicholas was caused by this, right?”

“Yes, or at least, this is one of the reasons,” said Harold, nodding his head.

“Since you've found the skeleton, then why didn't you just take it away?” Zen asked, confused.

A wry smile appeared on Marsh's face. “It's the skeleton of a warrior at the Other Shore Realm. Do you think it'll be just as easy to collect it? It is still unknown how this warrior at the Other Shore Realm died in the Sunrest Tree. What we know for sure though, is that he had a set of powerful restrictions within it. Even a Holy Being is as weak as an ant in front of such powerful restrictions. I speak from experience—I died because of the restrictions.”

“What?! No way? You died?” Zen felt immediately stunned with surprise. “Aren't Holy Beings immortal?”

“You're right, we are. If the universe in the body is still present, then the Holy Being won't die. I wouldn't be here standing in front of you and talking to you had I died completely,” said Marsh with a sarcastic smile. “When I died, I was only half dead. Just like your father, Mike. Thanks to the existence of the universe I created, I was capable of coming back to life.”

“Since such a set of powerful restrictions are present and even a Holy Being would be killed, wouldn't ordinary True Gods be courting death if they entered such an area?” Zen asked again.

With a faint smile, Harold waved his hand at Zen and shook his head. “In fact, now that's where you're wrong. It's not that we're going to take away the skeleton's inheritance. To the contrary, it's the skeleton who is looking for the person suitable for its inheritance.”