Chapter 349 347-Journey to the Divine Crystal Mining Mountain
Ethan had initially thought that Bogart would be reluctant to let anyone go.
After all, as described in the texts, these so-called sect guardians were known for their rigid traditionalism.
They would rather have their successors live on in the ideal world they had created.
However, Bogart's words took Ethan by surprise. "Our Wraith Cult has been dormant in the torrents of time for far too long,"
Bogart spoke in a somber tone, as if reminiscing the glorious and powerful days of the Wraith Cult. "Now that our lord has emerged, it is time to demonstrate the might of our Wraith Cult."
A sense of mission surged within Ethan's heart.
Grasping the Grip of the Underworld, he looked up to the sky as if inspired, "Bogart, rest assured. Blessed by the Lord of Wraith, I shall uplift and glorify the Wraith Cult."
Bogart gazed at Ethan, his eyes brimming with hope. "My lord, I believe in you."
Their eyes met, and they nodded to each other in a silent understanding, a mutual acknowledgment of the path that lay ahead.
After a dizzying whirl, Ethan found himself once again on the desolate land.
The black castle that stood before him had vanished as if everything he had experienced was nothing but a dream.
Ethan looked at his hands, noticing the flickering luminescence.
Traces of divinity were faintly visible on his palms.
Each of his movements seemed to ripple through the very fabric of the void.
It was only with this newfound strength that Ethan realized that his experiences were not dreams, but stark reality.
Yet, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was missing.
"Right, where are Lana and Daphne?"
Ethan suddenly reached for his waist.
His waistband was empty, the ever-lengthening rope that had been there was now nowhere to be seen.
He had not noticed when it had disappeared.
After all, the shocking and grandiose events he had endured occupied his entire mind, leaving no room to pay attention to the rope at his waist.
Ethan's face gradually contorted, malevolence filling his eyes.
He could imagine the scene – the rope at his waist snapping, and Lana pulling back only the frayed end.
The shock and despair that must have engulfed Lana.
The terrified, tear-streaked face of Daphne.
...
Together, they ventured into the black castle.
Ethan's eyes flickered with a sudden intensity as he bellowed, "Bogart, have you seen two women? One with ice-blue hair, the other with long black hair?"
Bogart's voice echoed in Ethan's mind, "Were those two women brought by you?"
A surge of relief and joy instantly replaced the fear in Ethan's heart. "Yes, have you seen them?"
Before Bogart could respond, Lana and Daphne appeared before him, shimmering into existence.
"My lord, please take care of these two women. They entered the forbidden area on their own. I thought they were invaders and had them detained," Bogart explained.
Ethan breathed a sigh of relief and responded, "Thank you, Bogart. These two are very important to me."
Bogart didn't linger on the topic of the women.
Instead, his voice deepened, "My lord, as you venture out, you will encounter various troubles. I won't always intervene, as it would negate the purpose of your trials. If you face mortal danger, call out my name three times in your heart. I will sacrifice my life for you."
After these words, Bogart's presence faded away.
Yet, Ethan sensed an undertone of solemnity in his words.
Bogart, theoretically a deity, was immortal. Why then did his words carry an air of finality?
Ethan didn't ponder long over this, quickly turning his attention to awakening Lana and Daphne.
Upon waking, Daphne saw Ethan's face and immediately burrowed into his embrace. "Ethan, I thought I'd never see you again. Do you know how desperate I felt when I saw that rope break?"
Lana, on the other hand, looked around in bewilderment and murmured softly, "Is this really hell? Have we met again in hell?"
Ethan replied with a hint of irritation, "Hell? We are still in Santos Tower. Don't overthink it."
Lana suddenly snapped to attention, her previous memories flooding back.
"That old man, the one with white hair," she exclaimed, eyes widening, "he was incredibly powerful. I couldn't muster even the slightest bit of strength in his presence."
Ethan guessed she was referring to Bogart. He shrugged nonchalantly, "Well, he is an Angel Deity. Of course, he's strong!"
"What do you mean?" Lana narrowed her eyes slightly. "You've met him, and he's an Angel?"
Ethan's mind raced.
Even with Lana's extensive background, she was unaware of realms beyond deity status.
Hearing the word 'Angel', she had likely taken it literally, not as a descriptor of a state of being.
After a moment's thought, Ethan decided not to delve too deep into matters concerning the Wraith Cult. "I came from the black castle too, so obviously, I met the old man," he said, mixing truth with fiction.
"Oh? How did you get out?" Lana asked.
"The old man said something about accepting an inheritance, and then after a spell of dizziness, I found myself outside."
"Is that so? You don't know what the inheritance was?"
"Of course not, I'm not too clear on it either…"
As they conversed, the trio walked forward.
Ethan spoke in vague terms, his words a blend of three parts truth and seven parts fiction.
It wasn't that Ethan distrusted the two women; he simply didn't want to involve them in the affairs of the Wraith Cult and possibly bring them trouble.
The Wraith Cult had a history spanning hundreds of thousands of years, and even Supreme Deities had been left lost and confused in its wake.
It was only natural that enemies existed on the current continent.
Ethan had prepared himself for this, but it seemed inappropriate to entangle Lana and Daphne in these matters, especially since they hadn't received any benefits from the Wraith Cult.
Leading the way, Ethan walked forward. Lana, driven by curiosity, asked, "Where are we going?"
"The old man told me about divine crystals in the Divine Crystal Mining Mountain," Ethan spoke truthfully, "We just need to head in this direction."
...
As they moved forward, Ethan sensed the fabric of space tearing apart around them.
Santos Tower was not a single, cohesive space; like the land of wonders, it seemed to be a conglomeration of various realms, fused together for reasons unknown.
The environment Ethan had just traversed was dark, with scorched earth, reminiscent of hell itself.
Soon, he found himself amidst towering mountains.
Majestic peaks rose, standing tall between heaven and earth, like the backbone of the land.
Sunlight cascaded over the mountains, creating dazzling rays of light that infused the entire valley with vitality and vigor.
At the foot of the mountains, lush green trees clustered together, forming a dense forest.
Within this forest, birds chirped joyously, and streams babbled, bringing endless vitality to the woodland.
However, the sight of such tranquility did not relax Ethan; his expression grew colder instead.
This place was more suitable for human habitation, which meant it could harbor humanoids or even more powerful beings.
In the previous fragmented space, though the wraiths and specters were powerful, they were confined.
In this new realm, no such restraining forces were apparent.
Daphne gazed at the scenery with a naive happiness, her face alight with joy.
It reminded her of Phito Valley.
Ethan and Lana exchanged a glance, their Power of Soul cautiously probing ahead.
As suspected, the forest concealed many exotic beasts.
Ethan had already spotted several pythons coiling around the trees.
A single careless step into the jungle would undoubtedly lead to an entanglement with these serpents.
Both Ethan and Lana possessed formidable Power of Soul.
As this power escalated, the images transmitted to their minds left them momentarily stunned.
Winding along the mountain paths, they could see quaint villages nestled against the hillsides, with houses scattered in a charming disarray and wisps of smoke curling up from the chimneys.
When their Power of Soul first encountered a human figure, both Ethan and Lana immediately retracted their powers.
After all, the presence of people suggested territorial awareness.
If any powerful beings detected their probing, it would undoubtedly lead to misunderstandings.
"What should we do?" Lana looked towards Ethan.
Licking his lips, Ethan spoke with a hint of difficulty, "It's hard to say what their intentions are, but it seems unavoidable. To obtain the divine crystal, we'll likely have to interact with them."
Carefully concealing their presence, the trio slowly made their way forward.
As they ascended the mountain path and approached the village entrance, a Magic Circle blocked Ethan's path.
He observed the Circle, with its intertwining energies of various colors.
Ethan activated his power of space, attempting to tear through the spatial fabric of the area.
However, the Magic Circle proved more advanced than he had anticipated, activating immediately.
Figures hidden in the houses swiftly moved, converging towards Ethan and his companions.
Three figures, akin to deities, hovered in the air, fixating their gaze on Ethan.
They wore loose robes in deep blue, dark red, or black, each embroidered with intricate symbols and patterns of power.
Their faces were shrouded in darkness, unrecognizable to Ethan.
They spoke first, their voices clear and loud, "Human race?"
"Yes," Ethan responded, "Who are you?"
There was a brief exchange of glances among the trio.
The man in the deep red robe replied, "One of our own, then come in."
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