Chapter 543 The First To Pray
It was early autumn, and one could still experience a cool breeze in the mountains at about seven in the morning. Jonathan, who was standing at the foothill of Mount Vista Cumulus, was taken aback by the large number of hikers.
The foothill’s parking lot that could accommodate a few hundred cars was fully occupied. Though the parking lot was already jam-packed, more passenger vehicles were still coming in. Some gave up and eventually parked their cars by the road.
The road to the mountain was crammed with people, with traders and their stalls lining the path. Even Yaleview’s most famous mountain, Mount Jarvick, had never been as busy as Mount Vista Cumulus.
Jonathan walked up to a trader that sold beverages and took out a one-hundred banknote. “Hi, could you tell me what’s so special about Mount Vista Cumulus? Why are there so many people here?”
The trader accepted the banknote with a smile. “I suppose you’re not local?”
Jonathan nodded. “I’m from Jadeborough—came here on a business trip.”
“Planning to visit Triplex Manifesta?” the trader asked while pressing his hands on the table.
The man’s response piqued Jonathan’s interest. “How do you know I want to visit Triplex Manifesta?”
“Well, there’s nothing else on Mount Vista Cumulus except Triplex Manifesta.” The trader pointed at the crowd with a fan in his hand. “Look at these people. Some of them had arrived two days ago. You should have come earlier. Anyway, you can always come back again.”
Jonathan chuckled. “I didn’t come here for sightseeing. I came here for work.”
“Oh, come on. Do you think these people came here for sightseeing?” The trader burst into laughter. “They’re all here for Triplex Manifesta to pray for their wishes to come true. And stop acting as if you don’t know what this place is famous for, young man. Now tell me what you want to buy so I can give you the correct change.”
The trader decided to ask Jonathan to leave as he had lost interest in talking to him after listening to the inconsistent remarks he made.
At the sight of his reaction, Jonathan took a bottle of mineral water. “I’ll take this. You can keep the change. Please allow me to ask a few more questions because I didn’t understand what you said just now. Do people really come to Triplex Manifesta to pray for their wishes to come true? Is it that effective? I don’t quite believe it.”
The trader froze while putting on his glasses to look for smaller banknotes to return to Jonathan. “Have you not heard of anything about Triplex Manifesta?”
“I wouldn’t have asked you so many questions if I was familiar with this temple.” Jonathan chuckled. “I came here to look for someone, not to pray.”
Upon hearing that, the trader folded the banknote Jonathan gave, put it into his wallet, and pulled out a plastic chair.
“You should have told me earlier. I thought you were just pretending to be ignorant. Fine. I’ll explain to you what is so miraculous about Triplex Manifesta.”
After listening to a detailed explanation, Jonathan finally understood why this place was so popular.
Triplex Manifesta used to be an ordinary temple on Summerbank Mountain.
Sitting on top of the mountain’s main peak—Prima Majestica, it was the only mountaintop temple in Summerbank.
Though there were devotees who would come to pray, the temple was never as packed as this.
Coincidentally, Jonathan came at the right time.
He was surprised by the trader’s explanation. “Do people compete to become the first person to pray at the temple? I’ve come across this news, but I always thought this would only happen on New Year’s Eve.”
“People think that’s effective, but they’re just doing that to make themselves feel good.” The trader chuckled at Jonathan’s remark. “But prayers do come true for the first person to pray in Triplex Manifesta!”
According to the trader, a thorough cleaning would be carried out in Triplex Manifesta once every three months. After the cleaning, the temple would open its door to welcome its devotees on the eighth day of the month.
Nevertheless, only devotees willing to spend money would earn the privilege to pray first in the temple.
It was not merely a gimmick to attract the crowd.
Devotees who obtained exclusive access to the temple would also get to meet the chief monk of the temple.
The chief monk would act as the intercessor on behalf of the devotees, and that was how their prayers would come true.
Jonathan’s eyes instantly gleamed with hope.
He would not be surprised if the trader told him that the chief monk could answer devotees’ doubts and offer them words of encouragement.
After all, the chief monk would be able to share his wisdom with the devotees, guiding them to the right path.
Nevertheless, the trader insisted that prayers would come true.
Jonathan could not help but think of Dark Web.
From saving lives to selling organs, killing people, and taking revenge, Dark Web seemed to be the only organization capable of doing all that.
There was something amiss about Triplex Manifesta.
Jonathan looked up, trying to peer through the fog and locate the peak. Excitement flashed in his eyes. “Thanks for your explanation. I must compete with the others to become the first to pray in the temple now.”
Jonathan began his hike after bidding the trader farewell.
The trader looked at him and grinned. “You shouldn’t waste your time and energy. Those influential figures in Summerbank would have…”
Before he could complete his sentence, Jonathan had vanished from his sight. Where did he go? He was just here seconds ago!
The trader placed the water bottle back into the refrigerator and looked at the crowd. “Get yourself a bottle of mineral water! I can give you advice and tell you more about Triplex Manifesta, but you’ll have to pay…”
Meanwhile, more and more devotees got frustrated with the hiking trail.
The beginning of the hike at the foothill was a walk in the park as it was a gravel path. It was also wide enough for ten people to walk side by side.
Yet, the path became narrower as the altitude increased.
At some parts of the trail, the width was less than two feet wide. Devotees would even have to tilt their bodies sideways to pass through.
Anyone stopping at any point would cause a long jam for hikers behind them.
The excitement continued to build up for Jonathan as he took a sidelong glance at the people who took a break by the side and those who had given up on conquering the peak.
He also noticed most hikers were people belonging to the middle class, and they seemed to come from well-to-do families.
The fact that they were all gathered here proved that Triplex Manifesta was an unusual attraction.
Jonathan decided to visit the temple because he wanted to look for the pill he had taken three years ago.
He would not need to go through the hassles of finding the pill if Triplex Manifesta could fulfill his request.
People might be astonished by that baseless myth about the temple, but not Jonathan.
It was not difficult for a cultivator to make sense of the logic behind the myth.
Jonathan hopped up the trail effortlessly. With each hop he made, he could advance ten steps up the stairs. All the devotees widened their eyes in disbelief upon seeing how Jonathan passed them by in the blink of an eye.
Jonathan could have reached the peak in less than twenty minutes, but he had to stop for a while.
He had to make the stop not because he was exhausted but because two men in black suits and shades guarding two sides of the path stopped him from going to the top. “The peak is not open to the public. Please leave.”
