Chapter 336 334-The End of the Passage
The enticing voice emanating from the deity, or what Ethan thought to be an anomaly on the throne, didn't make his head reel or his Bloodline stir.
He shook his head, and the scene before him abruptly dissipated, the castle ahead remaining shrouded in darkness.
Ethan's mark could open this castle.
Thus, the castle must be related to the golden skull emblem on Ethan's hand.
Perhaps this castle was the trial of the god left behind by the deity associated with Ethan's emblem.
"Do we go in?" Lana asked, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Ethan spread his hand, looking at the clear golden skull emblem in his palm.
He never believed in tales of fortune falling from the sky, and most importantly, the suddenly appearing emblem was too bizarre.
Ethan decided to disregard it for now.
"We won't go in. The castle isn't going anywhere. Let's find the divine crystal Mr. Alvin mentioned first."
His thoughts were simple: continue the search for the divine crystal to slightly enhance his strength.
This way, entering the castle later would be more secure.
He could also continue looking for opportunities related to the divine crystal and gather information about the Wraith Cult.
Ethan was certain that the golden skull emblem in his hand was definitely connected to the Wraith Cult.
Lana didn't press Ethan but instead chuckled lightly:
"You're always so cautious, but that's a good thing."
Ethan and Lana exchanged smiles, then, along with Daphne, walked around the dark castle.
Behind the castle was a barren land, the desolate soil looking somewhat dismal.
Most crucially, this area didn't have the abundance of resources King had described. Perhaps the main opportunity lay within the castle.
The fog filled the sky, and the sulfuric smell gradually faded away.
Ethan and his companions, unsure of how long they had walked, suddenly saw another eerie castle atop a distant mountain peak.
Amidst their astonishment, as they approached, a chill simultaneously crept up their spines.
The castle they thought they had circumvented was once again before them.
The gates stood open, revealing nothing but darkness within.
Lana's eyes shimmered, as if using the Power of Soul to investigate: "This isn't right. We haven't actually left the vicinity of the castle. We've been walking in circles around it."
Ethan nodded in agreement: "Could this be some sort of illusion? Have we unwittingly entered a magical array?"
Illusions, although a type of exotic magic, also have their specific Magic Circles.
Even some specially crafted Magic Illusion Circles, combined with various materials, possess strange capabilities.
Powerful Magic Illusion Circles can even trap deities.
"It's unlikely," Lana's eyes lost their glow, "I used the Power of Soul to probe as soon as we started, but I didn't detect any illusionary array, nor the fluctuations of Illusion magic."
Ethan narrowed his eyes, unruffled, and said calmly, "Interesting. So, does this mean the castle is moving with us?"
Lana's expression was complex, laced with fear: "It seems so. A castle with such formidable abilities is unprecedented in my experience."
Ethan looked down at the golden skull emblem in his hand and whispered in a voice only he could hear: "It seems we must venture inside."
He didn't want to waste any more time testing whether the castle would keep following him.
The situation now was that the castle, much like the golden skull emblem in his hand, seemed to be inextricably linked to him. He had no way to detach himself from it.
Lana looked deeply at Ethan: "Do you need us to follow you in?"
Ethan glanced at the endless, mysterious castle and shook his head slightly: "No, let's not. It would be inconvenient for you to follow me. I should check it out alone."
Lana was curious about the castle, but right now, Ethan was the only one undergoing the trial of the god.
She didn't want to burden him, so she pulled out a magical rope from her space: "This is a continuously growing rope, a small magical item. Tie it around yourself."
Ethan looked at the magic rune on the rope, his lips twitching slightly: "The magical world really does have all sorts of strange things!"
Lana chuckled: "Magi often encounter peculiar situations when adventuring, like entering a maze. In such special cases, a continuously growing rope is needed."
Ethan tied the rope around his waist, tightening it a bit: "Alright, then I'm going in."
Lana's eyes filled with worry, she spoke earnestly: "Ethan, come back safely. If you're in danger, pull the rope three times, and we will help you."
Daphne, her features scrunched up, said word by word: "Ethan, come back soon."
Ethan gave the two women a smile and turned to walk into the castle.
He didn't respond to Lana, knowing all too well: The things hidden in this enigmatic castle were surely extraordinary.
If he encountered danger and pulled the rope three times, it would likely bring harm to the two women instead.
...
Upon entering the castle, Ethan felt as if he had become its master.
With every step he took, the wall lamps on either side gradually lit up, as if welcoming him.
Now, he could clearly see the things on the walls of the castle's corridor.
The walls were adorned with paintings of skulls and Wraiths, each exuding a spine-chilling aura.
These artworks displayed the terror of skulls and Wraiths in various forms, inevitably sending shivers down one's spine.
Ethan paused his steps, drawing closer to one of the paintings.
In it, the skull had a ferocious expression, teeth bared, with bony hands clawing out of the frame, as if it could escape the confines of the painting at any moment.
He then looked at another painting.
The skull within it stared blankly ahead, its eyes carrying an indescribable sense, as if it had foreseen its death.
This peculiar serenity mixed with a trace of unwillingness stirred something in Ethan.
He suddenly understood that the indescribable sense might represent fate.
There were many more paintings, each depicting skulls that appeared so lifelike, as if they were about to leap out of their frames the next second.
As he reached halfway, the paintings around him changed.
The skulls of various appearances in the frames disappeared, gradually replaced by Wraiths.
Ethan realized these were depictions of Wraiths, and their paintings were equally unsettling.
Some Wraiths wore black robes and held scythes, their faces pale as if messengers of the Grim Reaper; others were bound in chains, their eyes conveying endless pain and despair; still others were twisted and deformed, as if tortured to death by demons.
Throughout his journey, Ethan walked slowly, meticulously observing each painting.
So much so that he became desensitized to the grotesque imagery, feeling nothing as he viewed them.
It wasn't until he reached the end of the corridor that another massive door blocked his path.
This door towered immensely, stretching upwards beyond sight, as if leading into an endless abyss of darkness.
Forged from pitch-black iron, its surface was covered in a patchwork of rust, as if the marks of time were telling tales of its ancient and mysterious past.
The door was inlaid with countless skulls and skeletal patterns, each bone appearing so vivid and lustrous, as if ready to leap off the door at any moment.
The eyes of the skulls on the door flickered with a green light, exuding a malevolent and terrifying aura.
On either side of the door stood two tall stone pillars, carved with images of demons and ghouls.
These sculptures were so vividly detailed that they seemed as if they could come to life at any moment.
Their eyes revealed endless malice and ferocity, instilling fear in those who beheld them.
Hanging above the door was an ancient lantern, its flame as small as a soybean, casting a dim light.
The flame burned in an eerie white-green color, radiating an infinite chill. Bizarre and sinister.
The flame of the lantern flickered uncertainly, casting odd, fluttering shadows across Ethan's face.
Its light illuminated the area around the door, but beyond that was an expanse of darkness, seemingly concealing endless unknowns.
Standing before the massive door, Ethan couldn't help but feel an intangible pressure enveloping him.
This door exuded an evil and eerie aura, almost like an entrance to hell itself.
Even just standing there, his heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably, as if an invisible hand might reach out and grab him at any moment.
But too many extraordinary events had occurred along the way.
The image of the Serpent Eye Cult ritualist surfaced in Ethan's mind.
The lifeless fish eyes, a bald head covered in suckers, numerous slimy tentacles protruding from the neck, the torso of a gorilla, and the feet of a lion...
Instantly, the sinister skulls, demons, and ghouls around him seemed almost benign in comparison.
Even the overwhelming pressure he felt seemed to ease.
Ethan shuddered, shaking the image of the ritualist from his mind.
He placed his hand, bearing the golden skull emblem, on the great door.
The door emanated a cold chill, but the golden skull emblem in his hand had no effect.
"It's not working?" Ethan tried several times, adopting different poses and placing his hand in various positions.
Still, the door at the end of the corridor remained steadfastly immovable.
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