Chapter 3537: Medusa (3)
Chapter 3537: Medusa (3)
Ning Shu continued her cultivation while occasionally shifting her body.
A pair of eyes stared at her from outside the door, surveying her with a burning, unbridled intensity.
The gaze was so brazen that Ning Shu could no longer ignore it.
She rose from the bench and put on a veil, revealing only a pair of deep eyes. Her irises were a faint blue, shimmering like the sea under sunlight.
The person outside grew even more audacious in his scrutiny.
Ning Shu thought, ‘Ugh, my temper!’
She walked out of the temple and looked up to see a golden chariot drawn by white horses in the sky. A man stood upon it. He possessed a thick beard and eyes that were fixated squarely on her.
This was Poseidon. He was burly with a shock of blue hair and dressed in a long robe.
His features radiated a sense of intense aggression and immense ambition.
Poseidon constantly sought to seize the throne of Zeus. He was bellicose and never satisfied with the power he held, often clashing with the other gods.
Ning Shu grew wary. Was the assault about to happen now? She weighed her own strength. Could she defeat him? He had a trident that could control the elements.
Poseidon’s gaze remained glued to her, as if his eyes were about to pop out of his head.
Ning Shu really wanted to slap him across the face.
What are you looking at, you creep?
But she couldn’t. First, she wasn’t strong enough yet. Second, if she did something out of line, she would disgrace Athena, who would then punish her.
His look made her feel nauseous. When people said the ‘inner circle’ was a mess, they were definitely talking about the Olympian gods.
Nothing was off-limits for them.
“Poseidon, what are you doing at my temple?” Athena appeared in the sky, looking at him on his golden chariot.
At Athena’s appearance, Ning Shu prostrated herself on the ground in a display of utmost piety.
A beautiful person was lovely no matter what they did. Seeing her prostrate like that made Poseidon’s heart flutter. She was truly a stunner.
Poseidon forced himself to look away from Ning Shu and toward the armored Athena. “I’m just here to see this prosperous city. It wasn’t meant to be called Athens, at first. It should have been named after me.”
He looked at the city, wondering what would happen if the sea swallowed it whole.
Although Athena didn’t want to offend him, Athens was her protected domain. She wouldn’t tolerate his insolence.
Even though he was the sea god, she was the daughter of Zeus and had possessed great power since birth.
In a way, she was a child sired solely by Zeus.
A prophecy stated that a son born of Metis would overthrow Zeus. Fearing this, Zeus swallowed Metis whole.
Afterward, Zeus developed a severe headache. He asked Hephaestus to split his skull open. Go ahead, son. Hack into me.
The fire god took an axe and split his father’s skull.
To the amazement of the gods, a beautiful, armored goddess leaped out, radiant and magnificent.
Athena seemed like an extension of Zeus himself, the executor of his will. Metis’ role as her mother faded, making it seem as if Athena was born of Zeus alone.
She held a high status in the patriarchal pantheon—a queen and a ruler.
She looked at the sarcastic Poseidon with indifference. He was still stirring up trouble because he’d lost the naming rights to the city.
Technically, he was her uncle, but blood relations meant nothing to these gods.
And there were too many gods to count.
“You’ve seen it. Now leave,” Athena, clad in armor, stared at him. She hadn’t failed to notice his eyes wandering toward her priestess.
Athena frowned.
Poseidon laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m just passing through. I’m leaving now.”
He rode off on his golden chariot, but his gaze remained fixed on the prostrate Ning Shu. His intent was too obvious.
“Athena, your priestess is beautiful, even more so than my sirens,” Poseidon said brazenly. “Let her be my priestess.”
Athena pursed her lips, her expression screaming one word—’Scram!’
He chuckled and flew off, leaving behind a final remark. “Athena, I’ll be back for you.”
Poseidon was ill-tempered and insatiably greedy. He ruled the oceans but still fought for land, even dreaming of taking Zeus down.
Athena watched the chariot fade away before turning to Ning Shu.
“Medusa.” Athena walked around her.
Ning Shu immediately replied, “Present.”
Athena sat down and looked at the prostrate girl. “You are my priestess. You represent the Parthenon. Watch your words and deeds. Do not rely on your beauty to act out of line, or I will punish you.”
Athena was the goddess of law and order. She’d even established the first court in Athens.
Ning Shu remained prostrate, the chill of the floor seeping through her thin clothing. “I will remember.”
Athena looked at Ning Shu’s attire. “Do not wear such clothes.”
Athena was a serious, dignified virgin goddess, fully armed and armored.
She was displeased that her priestess was dressed so revealingly.
Ning Shu touched her head to the floor. “Your believer will remember.”
She didn’t want to dress like this either. People stared at her every time she went out.
“Lift your head,” Athena spoke with majesty. Ning Shu looked up but kept her eyes closed. She didn’t dare to look directly at the goddess.
Athena looked at her. She was indeed beautiful. When the temple sought a priestess, all of Athens had participated in the search before finally choosing Medusa.
Athena’s aura was heavy and far more powerful than Ning Shu had imagined.
As a newcomer, Ning Shu didn’t think she could take on a war goddess who possessed divine strength and multiple powers.
Avoiding Poseidon was her priority. Without the assault, there would be no punishment.
It was a chain reaction.
Going against Athena without cause would be unreasonable and invite divine punishment.
A priestess actually daring to strike her own deity?
She stayed prostrate until Athena disappeared before slowly getting up.
Afterward, Ning Shu covered herself up completely, adding two layers of clothing despite the stifling heat.
She wasn’t the only one in the temple, and what Medusa wore wasn’t entirely her choice.
The extra layers made her sweat profusely, especially when she left the temple.
Besides her priestly duties, she cultivated in secret. Poseidon’s look earlier told her this wasn’t over.
Fortunately, spiritual energy and starlight power were abundant. But she had no chance to test her ordinance powers. Practicing under Athena’s nose was too dangerous.
Medusa was supposed to be a regular human. If she suddenly controlled water, Athena would definitely get suspicious.
Without absolute power, she had to stay low.
As a divine servant, her job was to serve the goddess and spread her glory to the mortals.
What annoyed Ning Shu was that men still stared at her despite her conservative clothes. If it were just admiration, she wouldn’t mind, but their gazes were unbearable.
If she weren’t a divine servant, who knows what her fate would be in this world?
This era was characterized by loose morals. Gods were promiscuous and so were the people. Ning Shu felt like she had been cursed.
Even those who came to worship couldn’t keep their eyes in check.
A priestess had to be a virgin—pure in mind and body. Athena’s punishment of Medusa was for that perceived lack of purity.
It had been a while since Poseidon’s last visit.
She kept track of the days. Time meant little to gods. Perhaps he was busy but would eventually remember her.
She needed to cultivate harder during his absence. With enough strength, she could resist and avoid the defilement of the temple.
This time, she would make sure that rapist got what he deserved.
Athena split her time between the temple and Mount Olympus.
Whenever Athena arrived, Ning Shu would relay the people’s petitions.
This age produced many heroes, including the one who eventually beheaded Medusa for Athena.
Ning Shu couldn’t understand why Athena, who could have killed Medusa in seconds, went to the trouble of cursing her and then sending Perseus.
Perhaps it was to build the hero’s reputation. Killing a Gorgon was a feat to be sung about through the ages.
The snakes on her head and the gaze that turned men to stone… what a terrifying monster, and what a legendary hero!
Ning Shu prostrated herself and said, “Goddess, the weather is hot, and there are signs of drought this year. The believers are praying for relief.”
The people of Athens worshiped her deeply.
Athena looked at Ning Shu’s clothes and looked away. “I understand.”
“Also, the livestock seem to be falling ill and dying.”
Athena was the goddess of wisdom, war, and agriculture. She taught mankind weaving, painting, animal husbandry, and more.
People turned to her whenever anything went wrong.
Athena hummed in acknowledgment, her eyes scanning Ning Shu. Ning Shu felt like she was being seen through.
The goddess’s armor shimmered, and her hair was bound by a golden band. She was radiant but emanated a golden divine power.
Ning Shu pressed closer to the floor, wondering if she had displeased her.
The thoughts of gods were hard to discern.
Although called gods, Ning Shu felt they were just exceptionally powerful beings.
When bored, they would place bets or fight over titles like ‘most beautiful goddess,’ leading to wars between gods and men.
These gods were human in every sense that mattered, driven by greed, anger, obsession, and lust.
“Has Poseidon visited recently?” Athena asked. Her voice was clear and melodious yet had a metallic ring to it. As a war goddess, she possessed the aura of a commander.
She was beautiful yet masculine.
Ning Shu replied respectfully, “The sea god has not returned since his last visit.”
She didn’t know why Athena asked, but she answered honestly.
Athena looked at the girl prostrate before her, a head she could crush with a single step. “Poseidon has taken a liking to your beauty.”
Ning Shu: “Uh…”
“In life, I belong to the goddess. In death, I am her ghost,” Ning Shu said, while touching her head to the floor.
She half-expected the goddess to demand she disfigure herself.
If she were ugly, Poseidon would surely run away.
But why should she hurt herself?
Should she ‘cleverly’ disfigure herself just because she knew someone might try to rape her?
Ning Shu’s thoughts were running wild.
“Would you like to become Poseidon’s priestess?” Athena asked.
Ning Shu: …
Was this a test? Would giving her priestess away bring Athena any honor?
Ning Shu said, “I am unwilling.”
“If you are unwilling, do not rely on your beauty to act out of line. If anything happens, I will punish you,” Athena warned.
Ning Shu gathered her courage and asked, “What if I am forced? What if I cannot resist?”
Athena’s eyes grew incredibly sharp, and Ning Shu understood instantly.
She continued, “The goddess loves her people as if they were her children, granting mankind wisdom and skills. If a divine servant is in trouble, will the goddess offer protection?”
“Are you questioning my divine majesty?” Athena looked down at her.
Ning Shu immediately replied, “I would not dare.”