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Chapter 370 368-The Power of Faith

To the average observer, the Mother-Child Wraith Tree might appear as nothing more than an oddly sinister and somewhat terrifying tree.

However, through Ethan's eyes, the scene surrounding the Mother-Child Wraith Tree was starkly different.

Around the tree, countless tormented souls entwined themselves, creating a vision that could shatter the bravest of hearts with fear.

A chilling wind whispered through, carrying with it the mournful wails and piercing screams of the damned.

The trees swayed in the wind as if controlled by these restless spirits.

On the branches hung pale, ghostly faces with hollow, lifeless eyes. Their mouths agape, they let out horrific roars.

These faces were twisted and deformed, as if tormented by endless agony.

Their fingers were long and sharp, ceaselessly clawing at the air, desperately trying to grasp any soul that might escape their grasp.

Entwined around the trunk were black vines, writhing as if alive, emanating an aura of malevolence.

These vines were covered in sharp thorns, each glinting with a sinister, dim light, like swords ready to strike.

Ethan speculated that perhaps these vines were the Mother-Child Wraith Tree's means of attack.

Scattered on the ground lay the decaying bodies of infants, their faces etched with pain and despair.

These corpses were mercilessly tortured by the wraiths, their bones twisted and contorted, their blood flowing like rivers.

The entire scene was permeated with an air of death and fear. The wails of the tortured souls echoed through the air, instilling a deep sense of dread.

This place was a corner of hell, and equally, a final resting place for the Wraiths.

Ethan felt not a trace of fear; his time within the Wraith Cult had inured him to such macabre scenes. Rather than horror, he felt a sense of excitement.

The God of Wraiths, after all, was a deity that dabbled in both the righteous and the sinister.

To others, such a scene might seem ominously foreboding, even terrifying.

But where there were Wraiths, Ethan found only warmth and exhilaration.

"Ethan," he mused aloud, scanning the eerie surroundings, when something amiss caught his eye.

Around the Mother-Child Wraith Tree, the corpses were mostly of infants, likely the twisted offspring of the Deity Keepers' unnatural unions. 

Their skeletal structures were bizarrely deformed.

Yet, there was one adult among them, someone Ethan recognized.

It was Richard, a companion of the King.

"Ethan, what are you looking at?" Lana asked, her curiosity piqued as she noticed Ethan's intense gaze fixed on the base of the Mother-Child Wraith Tree.

Ethan, roused from the spectral scene invisible to the ordinary eye, shook his head slightly and said, "Nothing much. King, come here for a moment."

"My lord," King approached, bowing slightly to Ethan, "I am at your service."

"Have you been in contact with your companion recently?" Ethan asked, his tone light.

"No, why do you ask?"

"It's nothing." Ethan's eyes flickered with thought.

He pondered briefly before unleashing the power of Wraith Magic from his hands, enveloping himself in a sacred glow.

The Wraith Magic was not just for harnessing Wraiths but also for awakening them, bringing them into a state that hovered between life and death.

In Ethan's eyes, Richard's corpse, having received the summons, slowly stood up.

His gaze was vacant, his look around bewildered.

Ethan's energy flickered as if painting eyes on Richard.

Immediately, Richard seemed to come to life and slowly walked towards Ethan.

To Lana and the others, the ground around the Mother-Child Wraith Tree cracked open, and an arm, buried in the soil for who knows how long, emerged from the fissure.

Then, the rest of the body slowly revealed itself.

His skin was a dull gray-brown, devoid of any vitality, as if eroded by time and disease.

The muscular tissue had rotted away, leaving only a thin layer of flesh, exposing the shape of the skeleton underneath.

His facial expression was twisted and terrifying, his eyes sunken, pupils dilated, conveying endless fear and despair.

The nose and mouth were no longer discernible, just two dark holes, emitting a putrid smell.

His hair was sparse and dirty, tangled together like a messy ball.

The clothing on his body was corroded beyond recognition, with only fragments hanging off him.

The rotting corpse was covered in maggots and other insects, crawling over it, incessantly gnawing at the flesh.

The presence of these insects made the scene even more disgusting and nauseating.

The air around the corpse was permeated with a pungent stench, unbearable to withstand.

It was the scent of death and decay, enough to instill deep fear and revulsion in anyone.

Had Lana not known this was something summoned by Ethan, she might have struck Richard back into the ground.

The scene was too much for the two women. 

Lana, unable to bear it, took Daphne's hand, turned away, and covered their noses.

"Richard?" Ethan called softly.

King suddenly turned towards the decayed body, barely recognizable as human, then back at Ethan.

Richard seemed confused, staring blankly at Ethan.

After a while, Richard slightly bowed his head and responded, "My master, your servant Richard is ready to serve you."

Hearing this response, King's eyes immediately reddened, his head shaking slightly, emotions crumbling: "Is... is this really Richard? My brother?"

King was just Ethan's Soul Enslavement; he would serve Ethan unconditionally.

But he still had his own emotions and intelligence.

Seeing his brother transformed into this state, he could no longer hold back, shedding silent tears.

At this moment, all he thought about was not to disturb Ethan's work.

"Why are you here? This isn't supposed to be your place."

The area under the Mother-Child Wraith Tree was filled with dead infants, with the only exception being Richard's corpse.

Richard hesitated for a moment, then stuttered, "I... I don't know... someone paid me... to find Peggy... and then I..."

Ethan listened with an unrelaxed frown.

This was the tragedy of the weak. Even in death, they couldn't preserve their bodies, and their consciousness could be shattered.

Even when Ethan awakened him, he couldn't fully retrieve his soul.

After speaking, Richard stood motionless like a puppet, devoid of any action.

Maggots continued to writhe on his body, exposing the snow-white flesh underneath, a sight revolting to behold.

Ethan fell into deep contemplation. 

Although Richard's words were incomplete, Ethan had a good guess about the overall story.

It likely went like this:

After Ethan separated Richard and King, Richard was aimlessly wandering in City 32 or elsewhere.

Then someone offered Richard a handsome reward to find Peggy - the pair of eyes buried under the Mother-Child Wraith Tree.

Richard, having received the payment, didn't forget King and left a mark, hoping King would find him.

King followed the mark to the vicinity of the Mother-Child Wraith Tree but found no trace of Richard.

Eventually, something happened, and Richard died, his body buried beneath the Mother-Child Wraith Tree.

Ethan reviewed the story in his mind, curious about one particular detail.

Since only dead infants were under the Mother-Child Wraith Tree, the tree must have some restriction on adult bodies.

Perhaps Peggy wouldn't even allow adult corpses to be buried near her.

So, how was Richard buried near the Mother-Child Wraith Tree?

Suddenly, Richard appeared to be in immense pain, as if tortured by the flames of hell.

His expression was twisted in agony, his lips cracked, revealing his teeth in a silent scream for help.

"I hope my master can save me from this torment, lead me to hell. I can't bear it anymore..."

Richard spoke with difficulty, his voice harsh and unpleasant, filled with a plea for mercy.

Ethan slightly furrowed his brow and softly said, "Since you call upon my name, I shall save you this once."

As he spoke, his Wraith Magic blossomed, enveloping Richard's body in a holy light.

The maggots and unknown insects on his body melted away like ice under the sun.

Richard's body gradually became whole again, flesh restored and bones repaired...

Richard felt as if he were soaking in a warm spring: "Thank you, my lord. I will chant your name and sing praises for you!"

A stream of milky white radiance emerged from Richard's body, slowly drifting towards Ethan.

The radiance was filled with Richard's prayers.

"Power of Faith?" Ethan's eyes lit up, watching the milky white glow enter his body.

Ethan felt a noticeable enhancement in his body's strength and even an increase in his soul's potency.

For his current realm, such improvements were virtually impossible.

Ethan never anticipated gaining Power of Faith from Richard!

Richard's face beamed with an increasingly bright and radiant smile.

Suddenly, a drastic change occurred. 

His smile froze, and his expression twisted in pain.

"Ah!!!" Richard let out a wail.

Dark red mist began to emanate from his back.