Chapter 1715: Chapter 521: Susu Garcia’s Farewell_2

Zoe Smith looked quite indifferent and explained: “The Underworld is different from the Card Master Plane, with a different flow of time… I went on a journey to some dangerous place and was contaminated by the aura of the Underworld, and that’s how I ended up like this.”

As she spoke, she saw the worried looks in Leonard Churchill and the others’ eyes and instead offered comfort: “It’s nothing serious. This is the destiny of the Great Priest Lineage. I’ve done what I wanted to do; this price is totally worth it. Don’t all stand there; we still have a long journey back. Take a seat… Leonard, come, sit beside me.”

None of those in the carriage were ordinary people; they all understood the meaning behind her words.

In Zoe Smith’s speech, there was not a hint of pity for herself, only unwavering belief.

“…”

Listening to her words, Leonard walked over and sat beside Zoe Smith.

He knew this elder had something important to impart.

Sophia Jones and Noah Wright sat opposite them.

The rest took their places elsewhere in the carriage.

“Woo, woo, woo…”

At that moment, the train’s whistle sounded again, as the train slowly started moving.

Outside the window was a blur of fog rushing by in reverse, completely obscuring any view of the outside world.

Leonard asked, “Auntie Garcia, what exactly happened?”

He knew that Tracy Garcia had been to the Underworld and seemed to have no negative effects.

So why would Auntie Garcia lose half of her life after just one visit?

“Well, that sealed history must eventually be known by others.”

Zoe Smith sighed softly after hearing his question, then continued: “It’s not really worth mentioning, but since you want to know, I shall tell you. However, this will be a long story…”

Once she started speaking, the atmosphere resembled that of an elderly storyteller by the fireplace, recounting stories to children gathered around her.

Zoe Smith narrated gently: “Years ago, the Taren Empire was on the verge of collapse due to the ravaging of the ‘Seven Catastrophes Monarchs.’ The Royal Family prepared various means to salvage the situation… including using faith to restrain Faith Pollution… As the High Priest, my family’s ancestors were in charge of nearly all plans. Our forebear chose Empress Montini’s [Plum Blossom Q – Moonlight Queen] Sequence, and intentionally caused a leakage of Divinity… which is the Divine being ‘Master of Dreams and Pleasure’ Arachne, the one pointed to by the Silver Moon Sect of the East Wilderness…”

This discourse began with the various secrets of the last decades before the collapse of the Taren Empire, 3,000 years ago.

Noah Wright appeared to be already familiar with this part of history, listening with a distant and profound gaze, showing no surprise.

Leonard Churchill and Sophia Jones also generally knew some fragmented information.

And now, they were hearing directly from a descendant of the Great Priest Lineage about that segment of missing history, the shock indescribable.

“Initially, using faith to restrain the contamination of the Outer Gods did have miraculous effects, successfully resulting in the sealing of three Outer Gods ‘Elemental King Lagros,’ ‘Crimson Corruption Seyadis,’ and ‘Plague Source Takpara’… However, the Empire was too far gone, suffering incessant wars, with the ‘War Disaster Master Mondliod’ no longer controllable… The collapse was inevitable. Especially since Lord Crossa had suffered backlash from the [Tyrant] origin card and acted willfully in governance, making many mistakes…”

“Then the ‘Kindle Fire Plan’ came into being…”

“One of those sparks was in the East Wilderness, also the most crucial one. Initially, Sinless City, where the Empire’s relocated citizens had a respite due to the separation by the Abyssal Rift. But as time passed, problems gradually emerged. With external enemies gone, the Moon God faith was beyond control. My ancestors in the Garcia Family realized that the faith in [Moonlight Queen] was utterly uncontrollable. If left there, the Royal Family and future Card Master Civilization would cease to exist…”

“Afterward, my ancestors in the Garcia Family worked together with the Illuminate Association, completely dealing with the Silver Moon Sect’s unrestrained expansion…”

“However, that battle was mutually destructive, and both the Garcia Family and the Illuminate Association nearly lost all of their elite forces; my forebear was also seriously injured. Moreover, the issue of Faith Pollution could not be eradicated…”

“Although the Moon God was sealed, the uncontrollable divinity of the [Plum Blossom Q] origin card was not resolved. My ancestors in the Garcia Family knew that Moon believers would inevitably make a comeback in the future… she laid out a grand strategy for a thousand years…”

“To thoroughly eliminate the influence of Moon God Arachne, all books were burnt, and history was artificially disrupted. Even within the Royal Family, that secret content was sealed for 3,000 years… until now.”

“The root of it all still lies in that [Plum Blossom Q] origin card. It was the device used by the great Divine being who created the Card Master Civilization to seal the Demonic Power, and it is the only means that can completely restrain Moon God Arachne…”

“…”

Having heard these words, Leonard had started piecing together all the fragmented information in his mind.

Once Moon God Arachne had broken free from the restraints of the origin card, it was impossible to be sealed back in as a Demon Mark of humans.

At that time, the Moon God’s position was too authoritative, entwining the luck of the Taren Dynasty and all powers of faith, lacking conditions to subdue it.

Then the last High Priest, Will Smith, thought of leaving this method for the future.

The 3,000-year sealing had brought Moon God Arachne’s Divine Power to the brink of exhaustion.

Now was the best chance to seal it.

….

Leonard, Sophia Jones, and Noah Wright listened in silence.

Meanwhile, Bonnie and the others sitting in the back were so shocked they didn’t know what to say.

They had just learned; that’s how the once mighty Taren Empire collapsed;

And that’s how the Card Master Civilization and Orlan Dynasty came to be;

Zoe Smith finished the story of that missing history in one breath, seemingly draining most of her energy, increasingly unable to conceal her fatigue.