gnovel Chapter 360 The Moon Goddess's Request: She Wants to Become the State Religion of the Great Qin
Chapter 360 The Moon Goddess's Request: She Wants to Become the State Religion of the Great Qin
Zhao Qingxue turned her head and glanced at him.
His face showed no seriousness or tension, only a faint, nonchalant interest.
Like a cat watching a mouse run in front of it, not rushing to pounce, just watching.
On the high platform, the moon goddess had finished bestowing blessings.
She withdrew her hand, leaned back in her chair, and the moonlight shone in from behind her, making her white figure stand out clearly.
The people kneeling on the ground changed into brand-new white robes and kowtowed in unison.
"Your disciple kowtows in gratitude for the Moon Goddess's grace—"
The sound echoed in the hall, lingering for a long time.
The masked man turned around, facing the new disciples who had just changed into white robes, and raised his hands.
"Alright, everyone, follow me."
He stepped down from the platform and led the group of young men and women toward the outside of the palace.
The footsteps gradually faded away, disappearing at the end of the corridor.
The hall fell silent.
The candlelight flickered gently in the glass lamp, casting the white-clad figure on the high platform in shifting light and shadow.
The moon goddess leaned back on the white jade chair, without moving.
Moonlight streamed down through the skylight, enveloping her in a cool, silvery-white glow.
Her mask gleamed with a cold light under the moonlight, and her eyes were half-open, making it impossible to tell where she was looking.
She was the only one left in the hall.
No, she wasn't the only one.
She suddenly spoke, her voice ethereal, like a breeze drifting from beyond the heavens.
"Since our distinguished guest has arrived, please come out."
The three women behind Qin Mu felt a chill run down their spines.
Jiang Zhaoyue's fingers suddenly clenched the hem of her clothes.
Zhao Qingxue gripped the Frost Moon Sword even tighter.
Yunluan's hand rested on the sword hilt, her knuckles turning white.
They thought they had been exposed.
This is the headquarters of the Moon Goddess Cult, which they have been operating here for countless years. It's quite normal for them to have some other methods.
Perhaps there are some kind of restrictions placed in this hall, or perhaps the eyes under that mask can see things that ordinary people cannot.
Their gazes were fixed on Qin Mu's retreating figure.
He stood with his hands behind his back, completely still.
His moon-white robe gleamed warmly in the candlelight, and his breathing was steady and long, without even a tremor in his eyelashes.
On that delicate, disguised face, the corners of his mouth still held that ambiguous smile.
The three women felt a little more at ease.
With Qin Mu's strength, how could he be easily discovered by the other party?
A figure emerged from the shadows on the right side of the main hall.
The figure was very faint, as faint as ink that had been blurred by water.
He emerged from the shadows between two jade pillars with coiled dragons, his footsteps silent, like a cat, like a crow roaming in the night.
He was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, with a cold and stern face, and his eyes and brows conveyed the alertness and sharpness unique to secret agents.
Black crow.
Yunluan's pupils contracted slightly.
Jiang Zhaoyue clenched her fists even tighter.
Zhao Qingxue frowned.
What's Mo Ya doing here?
He was Xu Longxiang's man, the most secretive assassin in the Northern Territory.
His presence here signifies that the North has already established contact with the Cult of the Moon.
Or rather, they are preparing to lay the wires.
Mo Ya stood in the center of the hall, facing the Moon Goddess on the high platform.
His face was expressionless, but his heart was churning with turbulent emotions.
He had absolute confidence in his ability to conceal himself.
That was a skill he had honed for twenty years, a technique he was proud of and that he was unparalleled in the world.
He once infiltrated the Northern Mang royal court alone, took the head of the enemy chieftain from the camp of thousands of soldiers, and returned unharmed seven days later.
He once scaled the walls of the Qin imperial city and lay on the eaves of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, listening to the emperor and his ministers discussing matters inside, without anyone noticing him.
He believed that even if a celestial being were to appear in person, they might not be able to find his trail.
But this woman, this woman wearing a white jade mask and sitting in the moonlight, didn't even glance at him before casually uttering those words.
Since our distinguished guest has arrived, please come out.
She didn't even turn her head.
She didn't even move.
She just sat there, eyes closed, as if dozing off, as if waiting for someone who was destined to come.
Mo Ya's fingers slowly tightened inside his sleeve.
A strange, unfamiliar emotion welled up inside him.
That wasn't fear, that was shock.
It's that kind of shock that goes straight to the bone—thinking you're in the shadows, only to suddenly discover that every single hair on your head is clearly visible to others.
He recalled every step he had taken as he sneaked into the hall.
He pressed himself against the wall, stepping into the shadows, suppressing his breathing to a minimum and his heartbeat to a very slow pace.
He was certain that he had made no sound and left no trace.
But she still found him.
Mo Ya raised his head, looking at the white-clad figure on the high platform, his voice hoarse.
How did you find me?
The moon goddess did not answer.
She didn't even open her eyes.
Her lips twitched slightly, like a faint ripple spreading across the surface of water ruffled by the wind.
"The Black Raven of the North," she began, her voice still ethereal, "I've long admired you."
Mo Ya's pupils contracted slightly.
She knew his name.
I know where he came from.
This woman is more complex than he imagined.
The Moon Goddess smiled, and the eyes beneath her mask curved slightly, like two crescent moons ruffled by the wind.
"There are no secrets in this world that I don't know."
Upon hearing this, Mo Ya sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly composed.
These words might fool those so-called believers, but they won't fool him.
The other party must have some knowledge of the North, or even conducted a special investigation, to know his name and appearance.
If that's the case, then things will be much easier.
He might be able to complete the task His Highness assigned to him smoothly.
He straightened up slightly, a perfectly timed smile playing on his lips—neither obsequious nor cold.
"The Moon Goddess is incredibly powerful; I admire her greatly."
He bowed slightly, his posture respectful.
"Now that you've guessed my identity, why don't you guess again? What brings me here today?"
The moon goddess smiled, a smile ethereal and melodious, like wind chimes gently tinkling in the night breeze, or like the delicate sound of icicles breaking.
"What else could it be? They've simply come to seek my cooperation in fighting against the Qin Dynasty."
Mo Ya felt a slight tremor in his heart, and his fingertips curled slightly inside his sleeve.
This woman is indeed extraordinary.
He quickly adjusted his breathing, his face showing no abnormality; instead, a deeper smile appeared on his lips, conveying a sense of composure and certainty.
"The Moon Goddess is indeed incredibly insightful. However, there is one thing you are wrong about."
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately, enunciating each word clearly.
"I have come here not to cooperate, but to show your Moon Goddess Cult a clear path."
The moon goddess narrowed her eyes slightly, but her smile didn't fade; instead, it gained a hint of inquiry.
She leaned back in her chair and tapped her fingers lightly on the armrest, making a very soft "tap" sound.
"Tell me, what exactly is this 'bright path'?"
Mo Ya stood with his hands behind his back, his back straight, his voice as steady as a rock.
"I'm afraid you don't know yet, but your actions have been discovered by the Qin Dynasty and are not tolerated by the court."
He raised his eyes and stared directly at the moon goddess's mask, his gaze sharp as a knife.
"The Emperor of Qin has already dispatched troops to conquer us. The elite army will arrive at the southwestern border in no more than three days. At that time, your fate will likely be grim."
The moon goddess's eyes flickered slightly, the flicker was extremely fast, like a candle flame being blown away by the wind for a moment.
She didn't speak, but leaned back in her chair, her fingers resting on the armrest.
Seeing that the other party remained silent, Mo Ya felt even more confident.
He stepped forward, lowering his voice even further, so low that only the two of them could hear him.
"Therefore, you now only have one path to take—secretly submit to my Northern Territory. Only in this way can you preserve your faith; otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."
The moon goddess suddenly smiled.
The laughter was still ethereal, but it carried an indescribable meaning, like mockery or pity.
"Is that so? I'm afraid even you in the North are struggling to protect yourselves now?"
Mo Ya felt a sudden jolt in his heart, as if someone had gripped his heart.
His fingers slowly tightened inside his sleeve, his nails digging into his palms, sending sharp pain through him.
His face showed no fear whatsoever, not even a furrow of his brow.
He knew that the negotiations had reached their most critical juncture.
If he shows weakness, the negotiations will fall apart.
He smiled, his voice steady and calm, even carrying a hint of nonchalant composure.
"With 300,000 iron cavalry and millions of soldiers and civilians across our northern border, how can we say we cannot even protect ourselves?"
The moon goddess leaned back in her chair, moonlight streaming in from behind, flowing across her mask and outlining her white figure with an exceptionally cold and aloof air.
"Why do you Northerners protect my Moon Goddess Cult?"
She paused, her eyes, like cold stars, fixed on Mo Ya, her gaze like two icy knives.
"Could they be plotting a rebellion?"
Mo Ya smiled faintly, like a thin layer of frost on a windowpane in winter.
"That's not true. It was the Prince of Zhenbei who felt that the Moon Goddess Cult should not be destroyed like this, so he did it."
The moon goddess remained silent for a moment.
The silence was brief, as brief as a drop of ink falling into a deep pool, creating only a very fine ripple.
She nodded slightly and placed her fingers back on the handrail.
"I see. I understand now."
She straightened up, placed her hands folded on her knees, and stood up with the dignified posture of a deity.
"Go back and tell your prince that since you admire my Moon Goddess Cult so much, my Moon Goddess Cult can secretly submit to the Northern Territory."
Mo Ya was overjoyed, as if a stone had been lifted from his heart.
His face remained calm, and his voice was unhurried, but only he knew that his heart had already skipped a beat.
"What are your requirements?"
The moon goddess looked at him, speaking slowly and deliberately, each word as if carved from beneath the ice.
"When your prince replaces the Qin emperor one day, he must make my Moon Goddess Cult the state religion."
Mo Ya felt a sudden shock, as if a heavy hammer had struck his chest.
His pupils contracted slightly, and his fingers clenched tightly in his sleeves, his nails piercing his palms, drawing sticky, warm blood.
The state religion—this woman didn't want to live, nor did she want protection; she wanted the worship of the entire world.
His mind raced, one thought after another flashing through his mind.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
The candlelight flickered gently in the glass lamp, casting the shadows of the two people onto the snow-white stone slab, one long and one short, one bright and one dark.
Mo Ya remained silent for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed the surging emotions.
He spoke slowly, his voice so steady that even he was somewhat surprised.
"I need to go back and report this matter to the Prince."