Myth: The Ruler of Spirituality

Before leaving, he inadvertently uttered a remark, and then Zeus saw the indifferent gaze of the girl in the blue dress. He involuntarily set aside his ulterior motives and transformed into lightning to fly back into the sky.

The girl was not as easy to handle as his powerless sister Demeter, so the Divine King did not ponder it any further. He now needed to hurry back to Olympus to take care of the issues that followed.

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With departures and returns, the day and night had alternated more than once. This brief period had nothing special about it, the world still seemed peaceful and harmonious, aside from the comings and goings of the Divine King.

However, in another part of the earth, a betrayal that had lasted a century was finally drawing to an end.

The Sun God had descended underground, and the Moon still hadn't risen. Nobody knew where the Moon Goddess, who drove the silver chariot, had gone recently, but for Moanda, this was actually a blessing.

No one knew exactly what the Sun God and the Moon Goddess did as they drove their chariots across the sky, nor if they happened to cast their eyes upon the earth. While the likelihood that they would dare peek into Mother Earth's orchard was slim, for the Nymphs, "slim" was still better off as "none."

Especially today, for according to her previous estimate, today was the day the special fruit would ripen. Your journey continues with m v|l--NovelFire

"Hope all goes well," she murmured.

With a silent prayer in her heart, Moanda carefully avoided drawing anyone's attention. On this quiet night, she ventured alone into the Golden Apple Orchard.

The sound of the wind carried a tinkling, bell-like noise from afar. It was clear and scattered, chaotic yet touching, like an ancient symphony played by nature or a story of mystical pasts from the dawn of creation.

Amidst such harmonies, the Nymph passed variety of flora and fruits rarely seen across the Nine Realms and stood once again beneath the towering Divine Tree, looking up at the "Ancestor of All Trees" from Chaos.

It had grown taller and more thriving. Compared to a hundred years ago, it was as if it had received some sort of supplement in a brief period, making its presence even more unfathomable than before.

Still merely a mortal creature, Moanda was unaware of the secrets behind the changes, only witnessing the external transformation of the Divine Tree. Mysterious patterns naturally formed on its perfectly proportioned branches, and even the mist settled on each of its leaves, all indicating that the power of the Golden Apple Tree had been enhanced.

Although Moanda could notice these changes, she was unaware of the reasons behind them. The Nymph did not know that a realm that had once penetrated the Nine Realms through the Divine Tree had merged with Chaos, causing the natural forces of the world to gain various degrees of growth.

She simply attributed all this to the changes of the era and silently prayed that no unexpected changes would occur.

Fortunately, everything thus far had gone smoothly today, and until now, nothing beyond her expectations had occurred.

"Golden Apple... a treasure only the most noble among the gods are worthy of enjoying. Even the king who rules over them must bow before it," she whispered, caressing the trunk with her right hand, her gaze fixed on the only fruit on the tree close to ripeness, or rather, it had now ripened.

The fruit stem was nearly detached from the branch, as if a breeze could cause it to fall. Of course, Moanda knew that was impossible; without a command from Mother Earth, it would hang there perpetually, until Gaia needed it, or someone else plucked it.

"Shared possession, twin birth... If you do not wish to grow in ignorance and become a mere plaything in Gaia's hands, then please bless me," she said.

Her voice was calm, and although she knew the Golden Apple Tree couldn't understand her words, Moanda still spoke to it.

"What you lack, I will provide; what I lack, you shall fulfill. Eventually, there will be a place for us in this world. Nymphs will not be mere servants at the gods' beck and call. We will establish our own realm, like the cities of Humans, the Mount of the Gods."

Without waiting for a response, Moanda lightly pushed off the ground, effortlessly climbing the tree trunk. She felt a surge of invisible force sweep over her body, but ultimately she did not react.

This was Mother Earth's legacy; if anyone else were performing this act today, they would instantly trigger the forces Gaia had left on the tree, but now, faced with an insider's betrayal, it proved ineffective. With nimble movements, Moanda touched nothing superfluous and soon reached the golden fruit.

It was so beautiful, so radiant, truly a divine fruit not of the Mortal Realm. Taking a deep breath, the Nymph reached out her hand. As she touched the exterior of the Golden Apple for the second time in her life, feeling its pure life essence, Moanda's heart settled.

Without hesitation, she simply plucked it and brought it to her mouth.

There were no surprises, no sudden intrusions by Outsiders, or anyone else to stop her, and then engage in a struggle vying for righteousness and possession. Moanda thus successfully consumed the Forbidden Fruit.

In a secluded corner of the orchard, near a heath-covered oak, the tree withered and then revived; on the branches of the Golden Apple Tree, the life of the Nymph surged and waned. With the fruit ingested, Moanda closed her eyes as if falling asleep, and then tumbled from the canopy.