Chapter 2: Temple of the Underworld God or Temple of the Moon Goddess

Seeing that Li Bin paid no heed to his warning, the terrifying knight’s face contorted with rage. He thrust his battle standard into the ground and shouted, “No one can ignore Targo’s warning! For the dignity of the Moon Goddess, brothers, attack!”

At his command, the death pegasus knights behind Targo raised their blades and charged at Li Bin. Their speed was so swift that even the fastest of Li Bin’s own troops, the Harpy Venomists, could not match them.

Fortunately, Li Bin’s own race was adept in both magic and martial arts. Even without a weapon in hand, he was not one to be felled in an instant. Enduring three heavy blows, Li Bin stumbled out of the temple, battered and dirt-stained. Thankfully, the death pegasus knights, in their pursuit of speed, had sacrificed much of their attack power; otherwise, even if Li Bin managed to escape, he would have been in a dire state.

But Li Bin was not one to yield after such a setback. After downing several potions, he quickly rallied his troops for a counterattack on the temple.

Targo, anticipating Li Bin’s return, simply stationed his forces at the temple entrance. As soon as he saw Li Bin’s army approaching, Targo shouted, “Outsider, it’s useless even if you bring an army! No one can save those whom Targo wishes to kill!”

Before Li Bin could speak, Reed by his side could restrain himself no longer. Brandishing his longsword, he charged forward, unleashing a triple strike upon Targo.

Targo was not to be outdone. His three-meter-long heavy spear whirled effortlessly in his grasp, the gleaming tip deflecting all of Reed’s attacks as fluidly as water.

Li Bin did not know why Reed was fighting so desperately, but he could not just stand by while Reed risked his life. Quickly, Li Bin gathered several apprentice mages and began casting a large-scale curse. If successful, it would halve the already weakened attack power of Targo’s death pegasus knights.

Perhaps the system did not wish Li Bin to complete his first grand battle spell. Mid-duel, Targo noticed Li Bin’s preparations. With a mighty effort, he forced Reed’s sword aside, raised his heavy spear high, and a beam of moonlight descended from the heavens, illuminating Targo and the death pegasus knights. Bathed in its radiance, the knights surged out of the temple, shouting blessings to the Moon Goddess as they charged at Li Bin.

Though Li Bin’s soldiers rushed forward to fend off the death pegasus knights, the curse spell he had prepared failed. After a fierce skirmish, the death pegasus knights left two corpses behind and, before the moonlight faded, retreated into the temple.

It was only then, amidst the chaos, that Li Bin realized it was broad daylight—clearly, the moonlight just now was a divine miracle from the temple’s deity.

Furious, Li Bin prepared to resurrect the two fallen death pegasus knights to use against Targo, but Targo acted faster. Amid the shouts of “Blessings of the God of Death!” the two corpses sprang to their feet and dashed back into the temple.

“Whose temple is this, anyway?” Li Bin shouted in exasperation.

He truly could not continue the fight under such circumstances. Within the temple, the death pegasus knights enjoyed its protection and enhanced abilities. Outside, a single invocation to the Moon Goddess granted them moonlit blessings. Even if slain, they were quickly resurrected by the God of Death’s grace. How was Li Bin supposed to defeat them?

Just then, something astonishing happened. As Reed fought Targo, a halo appeared beneath his feet, and he was suddenly teleported away.

Li Bin stood stunned for a long moment before understanding dawned on him. He stopped his troops from advancing and, step by step, entered the temple himself.

Inside, he once again heard the system’s prompt and Targo’s warning. This time, however, he did not retreat. Instead, he casually cast two curses upon Targo.

Targo’s heavy spear twitched, thrusting straight at Li Bin, who stood not far away, but the death pegasus knights did not move at all.

Realizing his guess was correct, Li Bin’s confidence soared. He threw down two Clouds of Death and charged into the swirling mist.

Li Bin knew the Cloud of Death would not do much damage to Targo; at best, it would obscure Li Bin’s position. To prolong the fight, he continued casting Clouds of Death, moving swiftly within them until the entire temple was shrouded in toxic mist.

But Targo soon discovered his location. He swiftly raised his heavy spear and launched a series of thrusts at Li Bin, who retreated while casting curses, trying to hinder Targo’s attacks.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Li Bin felt his magical power waning. At that moment, a halo appeared beneath his feet, and he felt himself suddenly lifted and teleported into a vast underground sanctuary.

Inside, Reed, who had arrived earlier, was closely studying the murals on the walls. Seeing Li Bin, he hurried over and said, “So, you made it in as well.”

“Yes,” Li Bin replied with a smile, “though I don’t know what’s inside, this is certainly a unique way to invite someone in.” He turned his attention to the murals.

Soon, Li Bin understood everything from the images. This elven city had once been the dwelling of a certain Elven Moon Goddess. Under her care, the city quickly rose to become a level-10 metropolis.

Normally, at this level, an elven city could prepare to invite dragons to settle within. But when it came to choosing between the green dragons, who were closest to elves, or the righteous golden dragons, opinions in the city diverged. While the residents debated endlessly, something went wrong with the summoning ritual they had already begun. Three dragons appeared that should never have arrived—and they decided to stay.

These were the darlings of the Underworld: the mighty Bone Dragons.

The sudden arrival and settlement of the Bone Dragons greatly displeased the Moon Goddess. Yet bound by the law that any dragons summoned by the ritual were to be regarded as citizens, she could only let them stay while devising a secret solution.

What the goddess did not expect was that, only days after the Bone Dragons took up residence, a certain Death God of the undead arrived, intent on hunting these three undead traitors.

By then, however, the Bone Dragons had become established citizens. The two deities negotiated for some time, but in the end, the dispute erupted into a full-blown conflict that lasted half a year.