https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-296-The-Unwavering-Mindset-of-a-Duel-King/12557407/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-298-You-Won-t-Leave-Here-Alive-Unless-You-Kill-Me/12557416/
Chapter 297: The Source of the Enemy
Chapter 297: The Source of the Enemy
Beyond the mist of illusions, the path ahead widened. Yet the air remained heavy and stifling, with faint light seeping through cracks in the ceiling, casting mottled shadows.
Occasional gusts of chilling wind blew in from all directions, rustling the beads of water and vines that clung to the walls, creating a soft susurrus.
Even more bizarre, as they ventured forth, ghostly shadows seemed to flit intermittently within the cave.
Flickering between light and darkness, these apparitions appeared as translucent white spirits, their outlines blurred as if formed from mist, emitting a faint, eerie glow.
However, most of them merely hovered at the periphery, standing silently by, watching as You Xuan passed through the narrow passage, showing no signs of obstruction.
On rare occasions, a few would suddenly surge forward, unexpectedly appearing right before him. But You Xuan remained calm and collected, neither dodging nor reacting. These spirits would often come to an abrupt halt just short of him, sizing him up for a moment before moving aside.
As he made his way through the passage, the souls that lingered behind would dissipate, soon vanishing without a trace.
You Xuan was intrigued. He wondered if it was only he who passed through unhindered or if others would encounter the same ease.
Or perhaps these ghosts, upon sensing certain qualities within him, had granted him permission to pass?
Surely, it wasn't because of his subtle aura of the underworld that these ghosts, sharing the same realm, mistook him for one of their own?
Nonetheless, he had traversed this path with minimal hindrance.
Venturing deeper, the ghosts eventually faded away, leaving only darkness and silence in the cavern's depths, as if they had reached the end of time.
And in this utter darkness, a light suddenly appeared.
Like a spotlight on a stage, the light converged on the very heart of this ancient seal, illuminating an ancient altar that stood silently.
Constructed from massive stones, the altar was adorned with intricate totems and symbols, exuding an air of ancient mystery. At its center rested the golden inverted triangle pendant, gleaming like pure gold in the concentrated light. The Eye of Horus, emblazoned on the pendant, seemed to gaze coldly at the visitor from beyond.
Wow, is that really the Millennium Item? You Xuan approached, examining it closely, and realized that although it resembled the legendary artifact, there were distinct differences.
Firstly, as a fledgling Dark Duelist himself, he was attuned to the presence of powerful Dark Tools, yet this object, akin to the Millennium Item, lacked the overwhelming aura of a world-ending artifact.
Secondly, it was too small.
While the shape was similar, it was noticeably smaller than the authentic Millennium Item, resembling a meticulously crafted miniature replica.
You Xuan ascended the altar and reached out to touch the Eye of Horus on the small item.
In that instant, the eye erupted with a blinding golden light.
The light threatened to engulf him, expanding endlessly. Accompanying this dazzling display were visions, as if his consciousness had been pulled into them, experiencing a movie-like spectacle.
He witnessed an apocalyptic world.
The sky was shrouded by heavy gloom, the sun devoured by thick clouds, leaving only weak gray light struggling to penetrate the gloom. Wind howled through the ruins, stirring up dust and debris. Lightning ripped through the heavens, lava spewed skyward, and tsunamis roared as they rushed toward the land, threatening to topple the very world.
With a piercing flash of lightning, the sky tore open. A massive shadow emerged from the clouds, gradually taking shape.
It was a colossal serpent god.
Its body undulated like a mountain range, its scales shimmering with a cold, metallic luster, and its eyes glowing with an eerie crimson light.
Could this be the advent of the Orichalcum serpent god, heralding the apocalypse?
But soon, You Xuan realized that it was not the future; it was the past.
This had happened before.
As he continued to watch, a temple emerged from the direction of the serpent god's roar. At the temple's pinnacle stood a throne, upon which sat a majestic figure with an indistinct face, exuding an aura that commanded reverence. The ruler slowly raised an arm, gesturing with an open palm.
It seemed as if he was saying, "Sit."
In that instant, endless golden light erupted from the pendant that adorned the ruler's chest. The serpent god let out an unwilling roar, its body contorting as if twisted by the very fabric of space, like a rag being wrung out in a washing machine.
After a long string of desperate cries, the serpent god, which had blotted out the sky and covered the sun, was reduced to something as insignificant as a tadpole, eventually shrinking to a mere speck and disappearing into a cup-like container.
The sky returned to its bright azure, the earth ceased its angry rumbling, and the oceans calmed. All was right with the world once more.
You Xuan began to understand.
Eight years ago, the Orichalcum deity had been sealed away by Pharaoh Atem using the "Container of the Heart." But Atem had already known the true identity of the deity and was aware of its inevitable return.
Even if the old Orichalcum deity couldn't break free of the seal, as long as darkness persisted in the hearts of people, it could always give birth to new forms and incarnations. And if someone powerful and unscrupulous like Dazhi were to appear again and guide it, this process could be accelerated indefinitely.
By then, Atem, as one who had passed on, would likely have returned to the Underworld and might not be able to stop it again.
So, he had left a contingency plan.
The key to sealing away the evil deity, the "Container of the Heart," was an extension of the power of the Millennium Puzzle, akin to a "Millennium Puzzle derivative."
He trusted that even in his absence, reliable Duelists would emerge in the future. With this "Puzzle derivative," future generations could, to a certain extent, borrow the power of the Millennium Puzzle and gain the strength to rival the serpent god.
At the end of the vision, the apocalyptic scenes, the serpent god, and all the images faded away, leaving only darkness. Within that darkness, the lingering golden light burned like a flame, and in its flickering, a figure emerged—a silhouette that You Xuan vaguely recognized as the late Pharaoh Atem.
It seemed as though Atem was smiling in his direction and giving him a nod.
But soon, the figure dissipated along with the ethereal firelight.
You Xuan: "..."
The Pharaoh in the vision struck a pose as if to say, "I'll leave the rest to you, my successor," which was quite cool, but You Xuan couldn't help but think, "Oh, King, please don't put all your faith in me."
To be honest, even with the divine artifact you've given me, I'm not sure if I can defeat this serpent god. It would be much more reassuring if you were here to take care of it yourself.
As this thought crossed his mind, he felt a violent tremor beneath his feet, as if the entire valley were about to collapse.
He sensed an invisible pressure bearing down on him, making it difficult to breathe, as if an unseen divine might had descended upon this entire dimension.
Something was coming.
Silent Magician and Chaotic Warrior both floated out, their expressions grim and battle-ready.
"What's going on?" You Xuan asked in a low voice.
"It's possible that the 'Sealing Vessel' has been activated and detected," Chaotic Warrior replied gravely. "'It' has personally descended into this dimension and is on its way here."
"It'?" You Xuan frowned.
Chaotic Warrior nodded, his face solemn.
". The source of the enemy."
(End of Chapter)
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