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The massive golden hammer fell from Garuda's hand, crashing down with a heavy, muffled sound.
Thud!
Garuda's form shook violently, his face twisted in pain as he stumbled backwards, clutching his left chest.
In his chest pumped with hot blood, his heart suddenly contracted, a severe twisting pain emerged, as if he had lost something precious, causing him to weep uncontrollably.
Pain!
So painful!
The image of Vishnu that had always lingered at the side of his heart suddenly turned into golden light and dissipated, leaving not a trace behind. The whispers of the Supreme Lord were gone from his ears, the fragrance of the Supreme Lord was no longer in his nose, and the radiant image of the Supreme Lord disappeared from his eyes.
Even the faint doting smile of the Supreme Lord in his mind was fading away.
"Supreme Lord! Supreme Lord!"
"Where are you, Supreme Lord?!"
Garuda panicked in an instant, looking around and crying out in desperation.
The devas fell silent, their expressions one of shock and fear, all holding their breath in disbelief.
Such a venomous curse!
Such a powerful curse!
Believers losing their faith is like taking away their lives.
No!
Even more terrifying than taking away their lives!
Garuda was anxious and nervous, his wings flapping wildly behind him, feathers falling as he panicked, his hands joined in prayer, eyes closed in praise of the Supreme Lord.
"Praise Lord Vishnu!"
"Praise the Supreme Lord!"
...
Prayers continuously emerged from Garuda's mouth, yet he felt not a hint of response.
Alas~
At that moment, the Fire God Agni shook his head and sighed, igniting the last remnants of his divine power, flames suddenly bursting forth from his hands, holding up a ball of red fire.
Within this ball of fire emerged a myriad of hues.
Within the hues, the world, the gods, and all beings seemed to be encompassed.
The next moment, the flame flashed suddenly, spreading like wind, and Garuda's praying figure with joined hands appeared within the ball of flame, with the urgent prayer echoing within it, unceasing.
Fire Sacrifice!
If the power of faith in a ritual is to be conveyed to the gods, it must pass through the fire sacrifice.
The fire sacrifice burns, connecting heaven and earth, piercing through all people and gods, and transmitting faith to the gods.
As the Fire God and the god of ritual, Agni had control over this fire sacrifice, which was held within his hands.
"Garuda, your prayers echo within this fire sacrifice and have not reached the Supreme Lord. It seems the curse has taken effect, and the Supreme Lord will not see you again!"
Fire God Agni said somberly.
Upon hearing this, Garuda's face was stricken with grief, his praying hands slowly dropping, rage accumulating in his heart, revealing a complex and fiercely sorrowful expression, his sharp eagle eyes staring fixedly at the Heavenly Emperor.
At that moment, a wild wind whipped up, lifting Garuda's disheveled hair, a terrifying pressure emanating from his being.
"Indra, you are too venomous, preventing a believer from dedicating himself to the Supreme Lord. You are utterly unworthy of being the Heavenly Emperor!"
Garuda gritted his teeth and said.
"You realize the venom now, yet when you disrupted the power of asceticism, wasn't that venomous? In the past, Shiva, in his anger, incarnated as Bhairava, plucking off Brahma's arrogant fifth head. Even Shiva, for the sin of killing Brahma, exiled his incarnation, leaving Bhairava in abandonment, far from the human world."
"The son of Brahma, Daksha, therefore turned against Shiva, swearing never to worship Shiva again, and this even led to the latter events involving Lady Master Sati."
"All of this was part of Shiva's divine play, Leela, a warning from the Three Aspects Deity to the world never to act in arrogance, to serve as a lesson to future generations!"
"Yet now, not only have you disturbed my asceticism, brother killing brother, forgetting the exhortation the Supreme Lord has given us, but you also dare to rebel, raising your weapon with the intent to kill me!"
"You have already committed the sin of arrogance that is beyond redemption!"
"The venomous one is you!"
Indra's eyes widened as he glared at Garuda, his eyes blazing with thunder, raising his arm to call forth.
Boom!
In the Heavenly Realm, a response echoed, lightning surging like dragons and snakes dancing wildly, illuminating Indra's face with continuous thunderous roars, deafening to the ears, adding to his momentum.
He might not win in a fight now without his divine power.
```
But when it came to occupying the moral high ground, he would not easily concede.
"You, you, you..."
"I never wanted to kill you!"
Garuda's chest heaved, his face flushed red, pointing at Indra, he found himself at a loss for words.
As one of the Three Aspects Deity, Brahma was born with five heads, but the fifth head was extremely arrogant, endlessly spouting nonsense, insulting the Vedas Scripture, which represents the wisdom of the universe.
Shiva, unable to bear it any longer, decapitated Brahma's fifth head as Bhairava, one of his incarnations.
This act enraged Daksha, Brahma's son. As the progenitor, most of life in the world was born from him; hence, he decreed that all beings in the world must not worship Shiva.
At this time, Sati, the rebirth of Shiva's female energy, was Daksha's daughter.
Caught between her husband Shiva and her father Daksha, Sati eventually immolated herself.
Garuda was, of course, crystal clear about this incident.
"Damn Indra, to actually bring this up against me—is he comparing me to Daksha?"
Garuda fumed inwardly.
In the end, for the sin of pride, Daksha too had his head removed and replaced with a goat's head.
His fate was quite unpleasant!
Garuda gasped for air, feeling both aggrieved and angry.
He wanted to retort but didn't know what to say!
"I'm so angry, despicable Indra, you've framed me!"
Garuda, with a flushed face, rebuked.
At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the Heavenly Realm, letting out a long sigh.
"Alas!"
"It seems I have arrived too late!"
The Ritual Master Immortal stepped forward, sighing.
With black hair cascading down his shoulders and a complexion as golden as wheat, he wore a long yellow brocade coat over a white inner shirt, exuding an air of high elegance and distinction.
Ritual Master Immortal Pih Po Ti!
The third son of Brahma, Yān Qi Lạ, and father to the Immortal, was proficient in all sorts of spells, hymns, and sacrificial rites, serving as a guide to the Devas and also a good friend and counselor to Indra.
"Praises to the Ritual Master Immortal, Guide of the Devas!"
"Praises to the Ritual Master Immortal, Guide of the Devas!"
"Praises to Pih Po Ti!"
The Devas all saluted and praised.
The Ritual Master Immortal brought his hands together and bowed slightly, saying softly, "Praises to all the Gods!"
He then turned his gaze to Indra and Garuda, seeing the two glaring at each other, an air of incompatibility like fire and water between them.
His brow furrowed slightly, revealing a look of distress.
He had received an order from Brahma to mediate the conflict between Indra and Garuda. Now, as the Gods were losing their divine power and chaos reigned over all things, it was no time for civil strife.
"Indra!"
"Can you lift the curse from Garuda?"
The Ritual Master Immortal thought for a moment and decided to address his friend Indra first.
Maybe this side would be easier to talk to!
Indra's expression remained calm, and he let out a light chuckle.
"As everyone knows, once a curse is cast, it cannot be retracted."
Indra said.
"But conditions can be added to the existing curse..."
The Ritual Master Immortal candidly said.
Once cast, a curse borne from the Power of Asceticism could not be altered; however, it was like writing code—one could add conditions in front of the original curse.
But this too would consume the caster's Power of Asceticism!
"It will consume my Power of Asceticism!"
Indra's tone suddenly paused at this point, then continued with a smile. "But it's not impossible, let him apologize to me immediately!"
"And one more thing, to cut away his prideful heart and obey the Righteous Law, he must treat me as he would the Supreme Lord. Henceforth, whenever he sees me, he must praise me thrice!"