A Chemist's Interstellar Saga
Chapter 142: Thyrsus

Chapter 142: Thyrsus

Once they had made up their minds, Drexel and Arix followed the map on the opticomputer and tracked down the location of the Pontifex.

This place was the heart of the Moon Goddess Temple. The buildings here looked grander and more sacred than anywhere else.

Arix and Drexel hid by the entrance of the main hall, sneaking peeks inside. An old man in priest robes was praying to the Moon Goddess statue, his back to them.

"What now? We can’t see his face," Drexel whispered, stretching his neck to get a better view.

"How about we sneak in?" Arix suggested.

"No way. If we alert him, they will skin us alive," Drexel shot back.

"What are you doing here?" a voice suddenly asked from behind them.

Arix and Drexel froze, turning slowly like wooden dolls.

An old man in priest robes stood there, smirking.

"You still haven’t answered my question. What are you doing here?" His smile was professional, his eyes kind yet chilling.

"Um... we’re here to find... Arix, run!" Drexel stammered. They backed away slowly, then bolted out when they were a meter away from the door.

"Heh!" The old man chuckled coldly, waving his hand.

Suddenly, countless black figures appeared out of nowhere, quickly surrounding them.

Drexel held Arix tightly with one arm, manifesting a blue-tinged psychic spear with the other. He eyed the black figures warily.

"Oh, you have talent. Would you like to stay and become a Pontifex?" The old man seemed intrigued by the psychic spear.

Before Drexel could answer, Arix exploded with anger.

She bared her small fangs, growling at the old man. "Don’t even think about it! My brother’s going to get married and give me cute nephews!"

Drexel blinked. ’Thanks, but I’m not planning on getting married young!’

"Heh." The old man laughed, but his gaze turned sharp as a blade. "The Tiger clan is always so annoying, even the little ones."

With that, he unleashed his immense psychic power at Arix.

Drexel quickly set her down and swung his spear at the old man. But he was no match.

The spear barely touched the old man’s attack before Drexel was slammed to the ground, skidding several meters across the floor.

"Pfft—" Drexel used the spear to stop his slide, but as he came to a halt, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Drexel!" Arix rushed to his side, her eyes filled with concern. Seeing the blood on the ground, she turned a fierce gaze toward the old man, an intense killing intent emanating from her. This was the first time Arix had ever felt the urge to kill.

"Cupid!" Arix called out in her mind.

"I’m here!" Cupid responded, transforming into a surge of psychic power that quickly flowed out from within her. A force more terrifying than the old man’s psychic power surrounded Arix, ready to strike back at any moment.

"Supergiant+ psychic power." The old man in the white robe frowned, surprised as he looked at the young girl.

However, his killing intent only deepened. He knew this little cub must be the new pureblood of the Tiger clan. If he could kill her today, it would be a devastating blow to them.

With that thought, the old man’s pupils turned vertical, and his psychic power transformed into a massive lizard, striking toward Arix.

"Stop!"

At that moment, a psychic barrier intercepted the old man’s attack, shielding Arix and her brother. The Pontifex had arrived without anyone noticing.

"Thyrsus, who gave you permission to act in my hall?" Vezgor looked at the old man with a cold, indifferent expression, as if he were an insignificant insect.

"Your Holiness, I was just trying to catch these little thieves. If I’ve caused any disturbance, please forgive me." Thyrsus, upon seeing who had arrived, realized there was no longer any chance for him. He quickly bowed his head and admitted his fault.

Vezgor seemed indifferent to Thyrsus’s explanation. He glanced at Arix and Drexel, his expression changing slightly upon seeing their condition.

"They came here at my behest," Vezgor said calmly.

Thyrsus knew Vezgor was lying but could do nothing about it. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he forced a twisted smile and said, "So it was just a misunderstanding. In that case, Your Holiness, I’ll take my leave."

Thyrsus turned to leave, but Vezgor’s voice halted him.

"Wait. You attacked my people. Priest Thyrsus, shouldn’t you provide an explanation?"

Thyrsus’s eyebrow twitched as he struggled to contain his anger. He turned back with a forced smile, "What more do Your Holiness require? I will comply with any request."

"I don’t have any specific requests, but there are always consequences for attacking my people," Vezgor said. Then, a surge of psychic power, just as formidable as Arix’s, pierced a large hole through Thyrsus’s shoulder.

The searing pain in his shoulder made Thyrsus grunt, and he instantly fell to his knees in a pathetic state. Yet, he didn’t even have the courage to lift his head. He kept it bowed, teeth clenched, not daring to retaliate against the man before him.

After punishing Thyrsus, Vezgor paid him no further attention. Instead, he turned to Arix and Drexel, saying, "Come with me."

Arix and Drexel exchanged a glance and grinned, their faces lighting up with happiness. "Sure thing!" they chimed in unison.

As they walked away, Arix couldn’t resist sticking her tongue out at Thyrsus, making a taunting face. She then huffed triumphantly and skipped after her brother.

Thyrsus watched the trio leave with a cold gaze. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he issued a chilling command to the black-robed figures around him, "Find out who those two are."

"Yes, sir," the black figures responded respectfully, Then they walked out and vanished into thin air.

"Vezgor, I will settle this score with you sooner or later! Just you wait!" Thyrsus muttered coldly. Clutching his bleeding shoulder, he turned and left the scene.

In the grand hall, Vezgor sat cross-legged on a cushion, quietly watching the siblings.

Arix and Drexel were initially nervous but soon became restless.

Drexel, filled with doubts, locked eyes with Pontifex Vezgor. Meanwhile, Arix’s gaze was fixed on the statue of the Moon Goddess.

The Moon Goddess, named Sylvana, had two forms like everyone in the Empire.

In her human form, she wore a crescent crown, a long white robe, and carried a torch. She was as radiant and beautiful as the moon.

In her beast form, she was a blend of white tiger, white deer, and white wolf. Her snow-white body, both elegant and mysterious, had massive wings. It was said that those wings could obscure the stars of the galaxy when spread.

As Arix stared at the statue, a deep sense of awe filled her heart.

"Do you like the Moon Goddess?" Vezgor suddenly asked, looking at Arix.

Arix was caught off guard, flattered that the Pontifex was speaking to her. She quickly nodded. "Yes, Grand... um... Your Holiness. Is the Moon Goddess really named Sylvana?"

She had wanted to call him grandpa but worried Vezgor might not appreciate it, so she chose a more respectful title.

"Yes, Her esteemed name is Sylvana," Vezgor replied solemnly. His cold face showed no expression, and he didn’t seem to mind Arix’s formal address.

"Can you tell us the story of Sylvana and how she became the Moon Goddess of the Empire?" Arix asked, surprised at how approachable her grandfather seemed. Her previous tension eased.

Drexel, hearing his sister’s question, turned his attention to Vezgor. He, too, was curious about the Moon Goddess, despite finding little useful information online.

"Sure," Vezgor nodded gently, meeting their eager gazes.

He began to recount Sylvana’s story.

Sylvana’s rise to a common Goddess started with the origins of the Empire. The ancestors of the Empire’s people came from ancient Earth, living before Earth’s first great catastrophe.

During this mythic era, life was primitive, and various clans constantly competed. The Wolf clan emerged victorious, becoming the supreme ruling tribe.

The wolves had their own deity, Sylvana.

When the Great Flood occurred, the wolves prayed to her. As the floodwaters rose and despair set in, Sylvana appeared.

She used all her power to create a crescent-moon ship, transferring all remaining life on ancient Earth to other habitable star systems.

But Sylvana exhausted her divine power in the process and fell into a deep sleep, disappearing without a trace. To honor her sacrifice, the beings she saved built what was now the Moon Goddess Temple in their new home.

"I see," Arix said, rising to bow slightly to the statue, showing sincere respect.

"Sylvana is a deity worthy of reverence," Drexel added, performing a formal Empire salute to the statue.

Seeing their actions, a slight smile appeared on Vezgor’s lips, his eyes filled with affection. But when the siblings looked his way, Vezgor quickly concealed his emotions.

Arix and Drexel exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.