Chapter 43: Beware of the Moon! [This book has been renamed with an extra chapter added as an apology]

She watched as the forefront of the illusory arm extending from the giant figure of light gradually materialized into a tangible stone palm.

That pair of giant palms faced upward, their ten fingers transforming into the ten stone pillars towering high here.

A stone pillar named "Sun" had a figure of light standing upon it, resembling a miniature version of that giant figure of light.

A stone pillar named "Star" had a dark shadow standing upon it, as profound and pitch-black as condensing darkness.

She lowered her head to look beneath her feet.

She saw beneath her feet those same strange characters that she had never seen before yet could instantly recognize the meaning of—

"Moon."

She murmured softly, then raised her head again to look at the towering giant figure of light supporting this space.

Her eyes condensed with a crimson hue, revealing a probing intent filled with madness and demonic malice.

The body below her neck suddenly expanded, transforming at an incomparably terrifying rate into a bloated mass of flesh resembling a mountain range—like a malignant tumor upon a planet, its entire body covered in symbols embodying the concept of propagation.

Yet she felt a shuddering realization: even though she was now as massive as rolling mountain ranges, she was still trapped and confined upon that finger-shaped stone pillar.

It was as if, along with the expansion of her physical form, the space on this stone pillar expanded as well, yet without encroaching upon the space of the remaining stone pillars.

Right here—

Space was being distorted!

No matter how she altered her own form, the giant figure of light behind her remained just as towering and magnificent.

The sensation that giant figure of light gave her was extremely similar to the one during the full moon—the entity she so yearned to draw close to, yet simultaneously feared and hated from the very depths of her being.

They both seemed to possess a divine status surpassing that of true gods!

"What is your relationship with the 'Primitive Moon'?"

The massive mountain of flesh suddenly collapsed into the form of a plump and tenderly beautiful female.

Her posture reached the absolute pinnacle of allure, and her countenance reached the absolute pinnacle of beauty.

The plump woman lowered her gaze from the giant figure of light, shifting it to the miniature figure of light atop the Sun Pillar, and spoke her question.

...

Hermione stood upon the Sun Pillar. The moment she watched that plump woman, the very embodiment of beauty, swell into a distorted mound of flesh brimming with reproductive desire, she guessed that the entity standing upon the Moon Pillar was Lilith, the Ancestor of the Sanguine.

That powerful Ancient God who simultaneously held authority over both the "Mother" and "Moon" pathways!

The pathways held by this Sanguine Ancestor did not derive directly from the original Creator, so back in the Second Epoch, the level of madness within her characteristics was actually the lowest among the Ancient Gods. This made the condition of the Sanguine Ancestor far better than that of the other Ancient Gods.

Yet, unfortunately... the pathways she wielded had caught the attention of the most powerful Outer Deity in the starry skies, the only currently living Pillar.

Because the sefirah "Mother Nest," corresponding to the apex of the "Mother" and "Moon" pathways, had once been a part of that Pillar.

Based on the state just displayed by the entity before her, Hermione basically confirmed that, just like in the original plotline, the Sanguine Ancestor had already been covertly polluted in part by the "Primitive Moon"...

Faced with the questioning from this "incarnation of beauty," Hermione said calmly, "'Primitive Moon'... That is not Her honorific name."

Lilith hesitated and said, "Honorific name... Then what is Her honorific name?"

Hermione gave no response. Her gaze fell upon the Blasphemy Slate before her.

After pulling this Sanguine Ancestor into this place, the slate simultaneously revealed the two deification pathways of "Mother" and "Moon."

Having finished reading this knowledge, Hermione looked toward Lilith and smiled faintly, "What kind of price do you intend to use in exchange for Her honorific name?"

"An exchange..."

Lilith, standing upon the Moon Pillar, fell into deep thought. Through the probing just now, she had preliminarily learned that the figure of light before her possessed a status no lower than her own—or perhaps even higher.

Yet she could not be certain whether the honorific name known by the figure of light on the Sun Pillar was the answer she had been painstakingly searching for.

Moreover, she could not immediately think of what price she could offer in exchange.

Pondering for a moment, Lilith weighed her words and said, "I can explain to you the contents of the 'Moon' and 'Mother' domains."

Leaving aside those Ancient Gods who had completely sunk into the desire for devouring, the few Ancient Gods who could maintain a sliver of rationality were all attempting to figure out how to preserve their rational states to a greater degree.

Amidst various directional attempts, the knowledge contained within the domains wielded by fellow Ancient Gods had also become a relatively high-value medium of exchange.

Hearing the trade proposed by Lilith, Hermione let out a faint laugh, causing the Blasphemy Slate to drift directly before Lilith.

Lilith gazed with perplexity at the Blasphemy Slate, and then astonishment filled her eyes—

The deification knowledge of the dual "Moon" and "Mother" pathways displayed on the slate was far more systematic and complete than her own as a deity!

Having read the slate, Lilith even felt a sense of filling in her own gaps and correcting her omissions!

Yet to Lilith's regret, this mysterious slate contained nothing that surpassed the level of deities.

Even so, she sighed with heartfelt sincerity at that moment, "What do you wish to obtain from me? What price do you believe I can offer in exchange for the honorific name of the 'Primitive Moon'?"

Lilith was certain that this figure of light must have a purpose in actively contacting her and pulling her consciousness into this mysterious space.

Of course there was a purpose...

Hermione desperately wanted to know why this great divine entity, Lilith, had appeared in the Ilusha tribe!

Without knowing the purpose of this great entity, she wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully...

Naturally, such a question could not be asked so bluntly. Hermione changed her perspective and inquired, "What is it that you are currently pursuing?"

Lilith's eyes rippled like water. She did not conceal anything regarding such a question; instead, she wished to use this inquiry to test this figure of light's attitude toward the "Primitive Moon." She answered candidly:

"I am pursuing the aura of the 'Primitive Moon.' I sensed a similar flavor from the 'Harvest' of the Giant race, though it is extremely faint."

This reply made Hermione suddenly understand—this great entity, the Sanguine Ancestor, had actually been lured here by the "Goddess of Harvest"!

Yet Omebella possessed the aura of the "Primitive Moon"?

Hermione pondered. The video records had not mentioned these details. While thinking, she spoke in reply to Lilith, who was watching her with a smile:

"She is the 'Fallen Mother Goddess,' the 'Origin of Evil,' the 'Indestructible.'"

Hermione did not continue with any further details.

While Lilith fell into deep thought, chewing over these honorific names, Hermione said flatly:

"This is the second answer you have obtained."

Showing the slate to Lilith was the first answer.

To this, Lilith naturally had no dispute.

"Lilith, Ancestor of the Sanguine."

"When the time is appropriate, I will demand the corresponding reward from you."

"You may address me as the 'Sun God'."

Having said this, Hermione did not give Lilith any opportunity to speak, directly cutting off the connection with Lilith, the Ancestor of the Sanguine!

"Truly dangerous..." After severing the connection, Hermione let out a long breath as she watched Lilith's figure vanish. She then turned her gaze toward Amanises, who remained silent and immersed in thought, "What are you thinking about?"

Amanises sighed and said, "That crimson figure just now was 'Sanguine Ancestor' Lilith?"

"Crimson figure? Wasn't she an extremely beautiful and plump female?" Hermione asked.

Amanises relaxed slightly, smiling faintly:

"As expected, the images we see are different. From your perspective as the 'host,' you can see a clearer image, whereas we 'guests' perceive each other only as illusory visions."

"In my eyes, you are a figure of light, and Lilith is a crimson figure. I just wonder what my image looks like in Lilith's eyes?"

Hearing what Amanises said, Hermione felt a surge of curiosity as well, and then a dark figure unexpectedly surfaced in her mind.

Right in front of Amanises, Hermione directly materialized this image within this space.

"Darkness?" Amanises murmured.

Yet immediately afterward, she smiled and asked Hermione, "I am rather curious... what did that extremely beautiful and plump female you mentioned look like?"