Chapter 335 333-The Mysterious Castle
Ethan gazed down at the skull-shaped golden emblem in his hand, murmuring softly:
"Could this be related to the Wraith Cult mentioned by the skull giant?"
After a thorough inspection, finding the emblem in his palm harmless, Ethan's concern eased. Instead, he turned back.
Lana Mokos and Daphne looked on with anxious and puzzled eyes, as if they couldn't understand Ethan's actions.
"Ethan," Lana Mokos called out as he turned around, waving her hands frantically, "Are you alright? If there's any problem, maybe it's best to retreat."
Daphne, too, cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone, shouting:
"Ethan, come back first."
Ethan felt a sense that the skull bridge no longer posed a threat.
He stepped on the bridge's surface, pondering for a moment, then returned to Daphne and Lana Mokos' side.
Lana Mokos and Daphne hurriedly approached him.
"Are you okay?" Lana Mokos patted her chest, "I saw you standing motionless on the bridge and thought something had happened to you."
Ethan shook his head slightly and, without hiding anything, showed the emblem on his palm to both of them.
"Lana, have you ever seen this kind of emblem before?"
Lana Mokos took Ethan's hand, examining it closely, then frowned, "I haven't seen it before. It doesn't seem malevolent. It exudes a sense of sanctity and antiquity."
Ethan nodded slightly, caressing the skull-shaped golden emblem:
"If it were malevolent, I would have cut off my hand long ago."
Lana Mokos appeared to be deep in thought, seemingly pondering over something.
At this moment, Daphne asked, "Ethan, what exactly did you see on the bridge? I saw you crying and laughing, then suddenly you flung a skull away, and after that, you fell silent."
"What exactly did you experience?"
Lana Mokos also lifted her gaze, looking at Ethan with keen interest.
Ethan narrated everything that had happened on the bridge to them.
Daphne's eyes widened in awe, her mouth curving into an impressed smile as she exclaimed:
"Ethan, you are so amazing! I had no idea you went through so much on the skull bridge."
Ethan stroked Daphne's hair, chuckling:
"If you keep praising me like that, I might start to take it seriously."
"I mean it," Daphne pouted.
Suddenly, Lana Mokos, as if struck by a realization, exclaimed, "What you described sounds like a deity's trial!"
"A trial?" Ethan looked surprised, "Like the trial we experienced with the God of Sea?"
"Yes," Lana Mokos, holding Ethan's hand and looking at the golden skull emblem, continued, "You entered the skull bridge and faced an illusion. You broke free from it. That was the first level of the trial, testing the strength of your soul. Then the bridge transformed into a skull giant, which was a test of your power."
"You easily defeated the skull giant, indicating that your strength surpasses the benchmark of the trial."
Ethan reflected on his recent experiences and said thoughtfully:
"I hadn't considered that aspect, but what you're saying makes some sense."
Lana Mokos grew more excited as she spoke, touching the golden skull emblem in Ethan's palm again:
"It must be so, this emblem is a token given by the deity behind this. It's like an entry ticket or a proof of identity."
Ethan observed the skull emblem, sensing its pure, divine aura, exuding an ancient wisdom.
It did seem to make sense.
Lana Mokos, her excitement palpable, her eyes wide with enthusiasm, said:
"When we underwent the God of Sea's trial, it required our physical presence. But this time, your trial of the god was only in the realm of consciousness. Comparatively, the deity behind this trial seems even more formidable than the God of Sea."
"From the looks of it, it must be a god associated with wraiths or death."
As she spoke, Lana Mokos fell into contemplation again.
Ethan, however, was unconcerned. With or without the trial of the god, he was determined to become a deity.
He even hesitated to tell Lana Mokos about the Wraith Cult.
He feared that if Lana Mokos knew of the Wraith Cult, she might get entangled and unable to extricate herself.
After all, the path to becoming a deity was arduous yet singular, and seeking information about the Wraith Cult in Santos Tower could lead Lana Mokos into many dangers.
As for the trial of the god, Ethan was completely indifferent. Becoming a deity was not limited to just the trial of the god.
With this thought, he waved his hand dismissively, his face showing strong confidence, his eyes blazing with fervor:
"Let's not dwell on this. Even if it isn't a trial of the god, so what? Nothing can stop me from the path of becoming a deity."
Lana Mokos rolled her eyes internally, thinking, "You really doesn't know how blessed you are. Opportunities like a trial of the god are rare. Maybe we should shift our focus from searching for the divine crystal to the trial of the god."
However, Ethan was dismissive, declaring confidently:
"Let's not bother with that. We've already promised Mr. Alvin, so we should follow through. We can't give up halfway. Let's continue our search for the divine crystal first."
Knowing Ethan's character, Lana Mokos didn't press the matter further.
But, as she gazed at the endless, hellish landscape ahead, she asked hesitantly:
"How shall we proceed in our search?"
"Just keep moving forward," Ethan pointed ahead, "We only have a chance if we keep going."
With that, Ethan stepped back onto the skull bridge.
He glanced sideways, smiling, "Ladies, please follow closely."
The skull bridge no longer had the eerie feeling it had before.
Although it still looked somewhat terrifying, the emblem in Ethan's palm gave them courage.
After undergoing the trial of the god, Ethan was somewhat an heir apparent to deity status.
The two women, heart pounding, followed him onto the skull bridge, which showed no signs of change.
The three of them walked steadily across the bridge.
At the end of the bridge stood a towering black castle, seemingly erected at the center of this world, emitting an ominously malevolent aura.
The castle was perched atop a desolate hill, shrouded in thick fog.
Its walls, made of gray stones, looked ancient and dilapidated.
The spires of the castle soared into the clouds, as if reaching for the edge of the sky.
Embedded in the spires were black gems, flickering with a strange light.
The castle's gates were tightly shut, as if guarding some unspeakable secret.
Ethan and his companions halted, observing the exterior of the black castle, and knew immediately.
This place was undoubtedly extraordinary.
But with no other choice, Ethan could only walk forward.
Drawing nearer, Ethan examined the tightly closed gates, engraved with strange symbols and incantations.
He didn't recognize any of them.
The magic symbols and incantations of the Azure Empire were intricate and uniform.
But these symbols and incantations were rough, complex, almost as if they were hastily drawn.
"Do you recognize them?" Ethan asked softly, looking at Lana Mokos, who was almost pressing her face against the gate.
Lana Mokos slowly shook her head but spoke with excitement:
"However, I think these incantations might be Divine Tongue."
"Divine Tongue?" Ethan scoffed, "Divine Tongue carved on a door frame seems a bit far-fetched."
Lana Mokos didn't respond. Instead, she pulled out a dagger and began tracing the incantations on the ground, imitating those on the door.
She meticulously copied the incantations, but as soon as she finished the last stroke, the incantations on the ground transformed into black mist and dissipated.
"See," Lana Mokos, waving her dagger excitedly, said, "This must be Divine Tongue, right?"
Ethan's eyes widened in surprise. Santos Tower was indeed a treasure trove.
Even the incantations on a door held such high research value.
Ethan's gaze was fixed intently on the gate, while Lana Mokos watched him cautiously, her tone tinged with confusion:
"What are you planning to do?"
"Do?" Ethan placed his hand on the door, "I'm seeing if I can take this door down."
Before Ethan could exert any force, the golden skull emblem in his hand had already activated, channeling energy from his body into the door.
"Creak, creak, creak—"
The door emitted a rusty, squeaking sound, as if it hadn't been opened for ages.
Above the black castle, the wind whipped up, and the fog swirled wildly, as if excitedly welcoming its master.
Ethan, observing the now open door, took a few steps back.
Daphne and Lana Mokos did the same, mirroring his steps.
"The door's open?" Ethan stared into the dark abyss of the castle, stating the obvious.
Lana Mokos didn't mock Ethan but instead asked anxiously:
"What did you do?"
Ethan looked at the slowly fading golden skull emblem in his palm, bewildered:
"It seems to be this so-called trial of the god mark."
"We can't just go in, can we?"
Lana Mokos was extremely calm at this moment. Although she was excited about Ethan acquiring the trial of the god mark, she also knew.
If Divine Tongue was engraved on a door, what mysterious things could be hidden inside the castle?
No one could know!
If they recklessly entered, it would be no different from walking into their own demise.
At that moment, Ethan, for some reason, felt as if he could clearly see inside the castle.
On a throne several meters high, sat a figure holding a staff... a deity.
He radiated a holy light, gazing at Ethan from afar.
Around him were endless skulls, with several skull giants, no less formidable than him, standing by his side.
"Come, Ethan, this place belongs to you."
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