Chapter 418: Goddess’s Marks

After all the commotion, the Palace fell into deadly silence. The energies in the surroundings returned to flowing smoothly, as if nothing extraordinary had just happened.

Priam simply turned around and walked away with light steps.

He began descending the immense staircase, every one of his movements being closely followed by the gazes of the people around him. He didn’t even bother looking back, simply continuing on his way.

After getting a considerable distance away from the Palace, Priam slowed his steps. He turned toward the Palaces rising around him and briefly wondered where he should go.

Until he remembered his new ability.

[Karmic Connection Search]

[Activate?] [Yes / No]

Priam confirmed his choice and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, the world around him seemed to lose all life, covered in deep shades of gray. All colors disappeared completely.

He quickly looked around, feeling Ether evaporating from his meridians at an alarming rate. It only took a few seconds before he shifted his attention back to his own body.

Then, he saw a glowing red thread connected directly to his chest. The moment Priam fixed his gaze on it, the thread seemed to become even more vivid and stretched out, cutting through space toward his left.

Priam took a deep breath and began moving, following the trail of the red thread without hesitation.

A few seconds later, he came to a stop, finding the imposing structure of a Black Palace rising before him. The Karmic Connection was coming directly from there.

[01 Special Mission Acquired!]

[Recover all the Goddess’s Marks left with her allied races]

[0 / 4]

Priam read the system message and swallowed hard. He remembered when he found the first Goddess’s Mark among the Pristine Wild-Spirit tribe. On that occasion, he obtained Rumbling Heavens. Besides that, he had heard a message from the Sovereign Goddess herself, confirming that 4 Marks still remained behind, under the custody of her allied races. (Chapter 75)

Priam didn’t know whether those races still existed after so much time had passed. However, he had now received definitive confirmation that they did.

Without wasting any time, he advanced toward the Palace, guided by the red thread.

Standing before him was the Ancestral Miasma Palace.

The place seemed completely deserted and, from what he had heard earlier, remained empty most of the time. This was because it housed the knowledge of Miasma—a type of power that was absurdly rare for anyone to manifest or control.

Miasma could be considered the opposite counterpart of Nature energy. Very few races could control the energy of nature, and learning to do so without possessing a specific bloodline was almost impossible. Miasma, however, was something even rarer to find among living beings.

In the past of this sect, there had been a Sacred Family that had mastered this aspect with great skill.

However, because they were absurdly powerful, they were exterminated when the Sovereign Goddess fell. Their inheritance remained within the Palace, although almost no one throughout the ages had managed to make use of it.

Almost no one... because, in the current generation, individuals capable of doing so had emerged.

Priam had heard this story from a Central Elder long ago: one of the Goddess’s Races had returned to the sect shortly before his arrival.

As he pushed open the temple’s heavy doors, Priam found himself facing a gigantic and gloomy hall. Floating in the skies of the chamber was a pulsating red Diagram, filled with methods of use and advanced concepts regarding Miasma.

At the back of the Palace... Priam spotted 4 figures in deep meditation.

They were humanoids of average height, with pale skin and hair as black as night. Behind their backs, they had a pair of black wings covered in dense feathers. The aura they emitted had a dark purple and sinister hue, capable of sending shivers down anyone’s spine.

They were the humanoid race known as the Fey Risen.

They sat with their eyes closed until they sensed Priam’s presence and approach. When they opened their eyes, their irises were completely black, pierced only by a small red slit in the center.

There were 3 men and 1 woman.

The red thread Priam could see was connected directly to them. The reason was obvious.

Priam quietly snorted and deactivated the technique immediately. Only a few minutes had passed, but he had already lost nearly 80% of his Ether.

"You..." one of the men murmured, adopting a thoughtful expression.

Priam smiled calmly. "I’m Priam. It’s a pleasure to meet you. You’ve probably already heard of me. I’m from the Vanculari race... and my mother is a Cursed Forest Elf. Our ancestors were extremely close allies of the Sovereign Goddess."

Priam spoke slowly, while the four silently nodded, analyzing him and carefully sensing his presence.

After a few seconds of reflection, Priam continued. "I came looking for you now because I finally had the opportunity to do so. I have a very serious question to ask you."

The four stared intently at him, waiting expectantly for his words.

"In the past, I encountered another race in the mortal plane. It was a small tribe that still worshipped the Goddess and strictly followed her laws and teachings. In that place... I found a temple, and inside it, I obtained a Goddess’s Mark. The natives told me that I was a Missionary of the Goddess, and that I would have to find other Marks in the future."

Priam spoke every word calmly, watching the expressions of the four change drastically into pure shock and surprise.

Internally, he sighed in relief. He wouldn’t need much effort to obtain those Marks after finding the surviving races; all he had to do was bring up the subject, and they would lead him straight to the secret.

After a brief silence, he concluded, "My question is simple: do the Fey Risen still possess this Mark?"

Abruptly, all four stood up at once, exclaiming in unison:

"Yes! Please, come with us immediately!"

Priam nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face.

The four moved quickly, guiding Priam to a teleportation inscription. In an instant, the runic glow enveloped them, and they emerged within the territory of another inner planet.

Priam looked around. He was in the heart of a bustling metropolis, filled with ordinary people moving about in every direction. This was one of the planets designated for the peaceful lives of the families and descendants of the disciples.

Guided by the city’s runes, Priam was led by the four Fey Risen until they stopped in front of an imposing mansion.

As soon as they pushed open the main doors, a dozen figures hurriedly came out of the residence.

They all turned their eyes toward Priam, their expressions filled with indescribable excitement.

He immediately understood their reaction—after all, he had already heard the same story from the Pristine Wild-Spirit. Giving the Goddess’s Mark to a legitimate Missionary was the supreme mission the Goddess had left for her five allied races. For those people who treasured every sacred word, handing it over meant fulfilling their purpose and finally being able to rest in peace.

"Sir, this way." Priam was quickly led toward the back of the mansion.

There, in the most secluded corner, he came across a small temple.

The sight brought back old memories, and painful ones at that. The place was incredibly similar to the temple he had discovered with the Pristine Wild-Spirit. There was even a small female statue carved without many details.

At the center of the statue’s chest, a subtle, multicolored glow shimmered.

"Fiendlight Goddess..."

He murmured the name softly—a title he rarely heard, preserved almost exclusively by the oldest allied races. Priam had no idea where such a name originated, but he was certain that one day he would uncover the truth behind it.

Everyone stopped at a respectful distance. Priam took a deep breath and walked firmly toward the statue.

When he stopped in front of it, he extended his hand. Suddenly, the multicolored glow emanating from the small object in the statue’s chest intensified dramatically, filling the entire temple with radiant light!

Seconds later...

[Goddess’s Mark Absorbed]

[Second World Mage Technique unlocked!]