The furnishings in this room were incredibly sparse compared to the luxurious chambers outside the Eastern Ying Divine Temple.
Apart from the lack of any extra internal decoration, even the walls were entirely constructed from decaying wood.
The only means of illumination within were three candles, inserted diagonally into the left, right, and front walls.
Chizuru Gin-bai immediately sensed something was amiss.
This wasn't solely due to the room's peculiar decor, the chilling aura at the entrance, or the dim lighting within...
It was because, the moment they opened the door, the candles were already lit.
Such miraculously burning candles naturally signified the inscription of a magic circle, and for her, a divine officer with profound attainments in arrays and the foremost array consultant of the Divine Officer organization, to feel not the slightest anomaly upon entering was a severe dereliction of duty.
Indeed, let alone upon entering, even now, as she attempted to activate her senses based on clues, she was still utterly bewildered.
It could be said that if this were an offensive array, she would now be completely dead.
Noticing Chizuru Gin-bai's horrified expression, the white-haired woman smiled, gently walked before her, and stroked her forehead:
"Don't be afraid, it's alright..."
"This array is entirely under my control, and it will not harm either of us."
"And I do not blame you for your lack of caution."
"After all, if this array could be detected beforehand, then in the entire world, perhaps only a dead person could achieve that..."
Although her doubts were now dispelled by the white-haired woman, Chizuru Gin-bai still did not appear relaxed, trembling incessantly.
The primary reason for this was that this place was unbearably cold!
Even with her profound cultivation protecting her, Chizuru Gin-bai was completely unable to resist the encroaching chill; it was utterly preposterous.
Seeing this, the white-haired woman lightly placed her hand on Chizuru Gin-bai's shoulder, channeling energy into her to help dispel some of the cold.
Only then did Chizuru Gin-bai's complexion improve slightly.
Seeing that Chizuru Gin-bai's face had finally regained some color, the white-haired woman smiled again:
"Disciple, do you know?"
"Within our Eastern Ying Divine Temple, two great secrets have always been hidden..."
"These two secrets are known only to the Temple Master."
"No one else is permitted to know..."
"And now, I have decided to impart these two secrets to you here, hoping you will understand them well."
Upon hearing this, Chizuru Gin-bai felt a surge of heat rush to her head, and even her nerves, previously numbed by the chilling cold, felt somewhat revived.
Secrets known only to the Temple Master, and now her master was to impart them to her?
Did this not imply that her master was considering grooming her to be her successor?
And that she might even become the Temple Master of this Eastern Ying Divine Temple in the future!
Although there were quite a number of divine officer organizations, roughly dozens to a hundred,
In reality, only a select few temples held significant influence in various fields.
And their Eastern Ying Divine Temple was the industry's leading powerhouse, with almost all other divine officer organizations looking to them for guidance...
Therefore, to ascend to the position of Temple Master of the Eastern Ying Divine Temple was tantamount to commanding all divine officers!
Under the allure of such immense power, how could Chizuru Gin-bai not be moved?
However, she did not outwardly display this unique joy, instead looking at the white-haired woman with a look of astonishment:
"Master... this..."
The white-haired woman continued to smile:
"Do not panic, this is a trial you must undergo, and you will face it sooner or later."
"After my careful selection, I have determined that you are the most qualified person."
"Although, according to regulations, I should inform you of this news after you officially take over the Eastern Ying Divine Temple..."
"But these are special times, and we cannot rigidly adhere to rules, can we?"
Chizuru Gin-bai was speechless, unsure how to react at this moment, and could only nod silently.
Thus, the white-haired woman led Chizuru Gin-bai to a vacant table in the center of the room and lightly tapped the tabletop, saying:
"The first secret is that we possess a magic crystal ball..."
"The origin of this crystal ball is unknown, and its true name is not known to the world."
"Its usage consumes a tremendous amount of energy, and its cooldown period is astonishingly long."
"It cannot be used a second time without a gap of at least half a year or more..."
"Moreover, what it predicts is quite obscure, and only through detailed and meticulous prayer can one glimpse its meaning."
"But even so, it does not alter the fact that it is one of the most precious treasures in the world..."
"Do you know why?"
Chizuru Gin-bai was naturally dumbfounded, saying blankly:
"Your disciple does not know..."
The white-haired woman smiled leisurely:
"Because, this magic crystal ball's predictions have, to this day, a one hundred percent accuracy rate!"
Chizuru Gin-bai was even more stunned:
"One hundred percent accuracy?! How is that possible?!"
"Even the Heavenly Dao itself would not dare to make such a guarantee, would it?!"
The white-haired woman shook her head:
"It is normal for you to doubt it..."
"But I can only tell you that this is the truth!"
"A few days ago, I used the magic crystal ball to make a prediction concerning the Eastern Ying Divine Temple..."
"Guess what I saw?"
Chizuru Gin-bai was now completely stunned, unable to utter a word.
However, the white-haired woman did not seem to expect her to respond and continued speaking to herself:
"I saw a face full of scars and crimson!"
"Do you know what this means? You surely don't..."
"The last time the largest beast tide in the history of the Sakura Nation erupted, resulting in the deaths of over ten million people in a catastrophic disaster, the crystal ball's indication was merely a faint blush of red!"
"And now, a warning of danger a hundred times greater than that beast tide has appeared, how can I remain calm?"
Chizuru Gin-bai's eyes widened in terror, feeling utterly unwell.
The explosive news she had received today was simply too much, causing her brain to feel as though it was about to explode...
Moreover, the people delivering this news were all highly authoritative, with no reason to lie...
The cruel reality was truly crushing Chizuru Gin-bai.
Speaking of this, the white-haired woman's smile became somewhat melancholic, but she still rallied her spirits and said:
"If the crystal ball only served this purpose, it truly wouldn't deserve to be called one of the most precious treasures in the world..."
"The reason it bears this title is because, each time it makes a prediction, the crystal ball also provides a solution to alter fate!"
"Although this solution may offer a slim hope, we have no other options!"