Chapter 374: I do have another way to get stronger
Following Timothy out of the house, Elder Turner couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.
After a long silence, he finally couldn't hold it in any longer. "Uh, Timothy, I seriously suspect you're avoiding me."
"What? No way! Elder Turner, you're the esteemed High Priest. How could I possibly avoid you?"
Timothy spread his hands in mock innocence.
"Then… why were you so quick to turn me down, but the moment I mentioned Goddess Sylvia, you agreed right away?" Elder Turner's face fell, looking almost pitiful.
He had asked Timothy several times to grab a drink and chat, seeking advice on how to find a partner. He had thought they'd become close friends, despite the age difference.
But now, he was starting to feel a very obvious double standard.
And the gap in treatment was way too big!
"No, no, it's not like that. The Goddess is so intimidatingly proud, there's no way I'd agree just because of her. I only agreed to help out of respect for you, Elder Turner." Timothy smiled and patted Elder Turner on the shoulder, sounding as if he was being completely sincere.
But Elder Turner wasn't buying it.
In the past, when Timothy had told him about venturing into the Abyss Canyon with the Goddess to slay two massive sea serpents, he hadn't doubted him for a second.
But now, Elder Turner was starting to feel like something was off.
No matter what Timothy said, he was convinced of one thing: in Timothy's eyes, the Goddess was definitely special.
Thankfully, the Goddess, who had written The Uselessness of Spiritual Partners, had made it clear many times that she wasn't interested in love.
Sure, her attitude toward Timothy was a bit different, but it wasn't like there was anything secret going on between them.
Still, Elder Turner couldn't shake his unease.
'The Goddess is coming to observe the disciples' training soon. I'll have to keep a close eye on things, just in case,' Elder Turner thought, making up his mind.
Before long, the two of them arrived at the large, open space in front of the Goddess's statue.
Gathered there were all male disciples.
Today wasn't even a scheduled training day, but after returning from the Sepulcher of the Sacred, many of the male disciples had been deeply shaken by what they had witnessed.
So, they had organized extra training sessions on their own, hoping to quickly improve their skills and shoulder the responsibilities of being men.
What they didn't expect was that Elder Turner had actually brought Timothy with him.
"Timothy's here!"
The moment they saw Timothy, the disciples erupted in excitement.
They all knew that Timothy had been the only one to accompany the Goddess to the Netherworld to battle Supreme Emperor Verena.
In all the years since the Sky Sanctuary was established, countless prodigies had emerged.
Every High Priest and Holy Envoy had power comparable to a Holy Emperor.
But no one had ever been worthy of fighting alongside the Goddess.
This fact only made the disciples admire Timothy even more.
"I've brought Timothy here. If you have any questions about your training, just ask him directly," Elder Turner said, clearing his throat and addressing the eager disciples.
His words caused an immediate uproar.
The disciples had been dying to ask Timothy questions for ages, but he was rarely around.
If he wasn't off somewhere outside the Sky Sanctuary, he was being summoned by the Goddess for who knows what.
Now that they finally had the chance, there was no way they were going to let it slip by.
But the questions they asked were all over the place, though not chaotic.
Some asked what kind of Arcane Arts Timothy practiced to maintain such a strikingly handsome appearance. Others wanted to know if he had some kind of secret encounter that allowed his power to grow so quickly. Read exclusive content at empire
And then, there were the bold ones who dared to ask if the rumors were true—whether Timothy and Goddess Sylvia had secretly become a couple.
Of course, the disciple who accidentally blurted out that last question immediately realized his mistake.
But before he could even cover his mouth, he was dragged into the crowd and given a good beating.
After all, you can joke about a lot of things, but this was definitely not one of them.
Not to mention, the fact that Goddess Sylvia had written The Uselessness of Spiritual Partners, a text revered by countless female disciples across various sects, was enough to dispel any such rumors.
The Goddess's closeness to Timothy was clearly just her way of acknowledging a promising young talent.
"A real couple wouldn't just show concern. At the very least, they'd bring each other water during training. That's what a real relationship looks like."
"Exactly! The Goddess would never bring anyone water. Her actions toward Timothy are just her recognizing his potential. There's no way they're a couple!"
"Yeah, I finally get it now, haha!"
"Hahaha!"
The analysis from two elite inner disciples quickly cleared up the confusion.
Hearing this, the other disciples also had a sudden moment of clarity, as if they'd just discovered a new truth.
"Right! Why didn't I think of that before?"
"Haha, the Goddess bringing someone water? That's obviously impossible.
Forget about a disciple—even a Supreme Emperor wouldn't be worthy of such a gesture from the Goddess!"
With that realization, the sour feeling that had been gnawing at the male disciples finally dissipated, and their spirits lifted.
"Brother Timothy, I'd like to ask—what's the real reason you keep getting stronger?"
At that moment, one of the disciples finally asked a question that was a bit more useful.
"The reason I'm getting stronger? It's because of the Goddess, of course."
But as soon as Timothy said this, the atmosphere around them seemed to freeze.
The disciples, who had just been feeling relieved and cheerful, suddenly went stiff.
But Timothy quickly continued, "The Goddess is the symbol and faith of the Sky Sanctuary. She's the great being we should all dedicate ourselves to.
If you make protecting the Goddess your goal, your conviction will become unshakable, a force that nothing can break.
By striving for the day when you're strong enough to protect the Sky Sanctuary and offer your strength to the Goddess, you'll find the resolve to keep pushing your limits."
His words stirred something deep within the male disciples, filling them with a sense of purpose and excitement.
At the same time, they all let out a collective sigh of relief.
'Oh, so that's what he meant by "for the Goddess." For a second there, I thought Brother Timothy actually had feelings for her…'
"Yeah, I almost thought the same thing."
"But, aside from that, I do have another way to get stronger."
Before they could finish their discussion, Timothy suddenly spoke up again.