Chapter 388 386-The Other Shore
After their tender moment, the two continued on their journey.
As for why the giant hand suddenly retreated, Ethan suspected it had something to do with the Primordial Light in his mind.
Reflecting on it, just a wisp of aura from the Primordial Light was enough to amplify his energy.
How powerful could the Primordial Light actually be?
With deep questions in his mind, Ethan didn't dwell on them for long and moved forward.
Standing on the bridge, Ethan looked down at an abyss beneath his feet.
The fog enveloped the air, making the entire environment seem hazy and mysterious.
His vision was obstructed by the fog, unable to see the bottom of the abyss, only feeling deep fear and unease.
The bridge appeared and disappeared within the fog, as if it might vanish at any moment.
Ethan walked carefully on the bridge, each step filled with tension and vigilance.
He could hear the wind from the abyss, a call from the depths, instilling immense fear in him.
Crucially, it seemed as though wraiths were writhing in the fog, making Ethan even more cautious.
Fortunately, after the battle with the giant hand, the rest of the journey was relatively simple.
Soon, the two reached the other shore.
At the end of the bridge stood a majestic and mysterious structure, the Shadow Clan's Valhalla.
It sat amidst darkness, its outline only occasionally illuminated by flickering lights.
The architectural style of Valhalla was unique, filled with a sense of mystery and majesty.
Its walls were made of black stone, engraved with ancient runes and patterns, as if telling the history and legends of the Shadow Clan.
The gates of Valhalla were tightly closed, as if guarding the secrets within.
In front of the door stood two massive gargoyle statues, their eyes flickering with a cold light, seemingly warning anyone who dared to approach.
On both sides of the door, there were rows of tall stone pillars, carved with symbols of the Shadow Clan.
"What's written on these?" Ethan asked, looking at the symbols on the pillars.
"These are the names of Shadow Clan heroes," Sherry explained after examining them.
Ethan blinked slightly, reassessing Valhalla.
The main structure of Valhalla was built with black marble-like material, its surface covered in complex reliefs and runes.
These runes shimmered with a strange light, as if narrating ancient tales.
Around the hall, twelve massive black pillars stood, each carved with a fierce shadow beast.
Their eyes glowed with a red light, as if scrutinizing every person who entered.
The great doors of Valhalla were made of two large black iron plates, inlaid with skull-shaped metal decorations, giving off a sinister and terrifying vibe.
On either side of the door stood two tall Shadow Guardians, their bodies composed of pure dark energy, holding black longswords in their hands, their gaze cold and resolute.
"Do you want to go in?" Sherry asked, looking at the two Shadow Guardians, her expression a bit tense.
She feared another situation like the giant hand might occur.
"Since we've come this far, there's no reason to back down. Let this outsider have a good look at what the Shadow Clan's Valhalla is really like."
Sherry initially wanted to persuade Ethan, but seeing his determined gaze, she refrained from speaking further.
She took Ethan's hand and pushed open the great doors.
A cold wind rushed towards them, carrying an icy and profound breath, as if coming from another world.
What he saw was a dark world, illuminated only by the faint light flickering on the twelve pillars in the center of the hall, casting light on the surroundings.
The pillars seemed to be in some sort of mysterious alignment with those outside, leading Ethan to speculate it might be an unknown type of formation.
The reliefs and runes on these pillars shimmered with an eerie blue light in the darkness, imbuing the ambiance with a sense of epic gravity, weighing heavily on one's emotions.
Ethan felt a strong sense of oppression, as if the whole world was exerting pressure on him.
He could sense a powerful dark energy permeating the surroundings, a feeling both frightening and exhilarating.
Looking up at the ceiling of the hall, he saw an endless darkness, like a bottomless abyss.
He could sense a powerful force peering at him from there, belonging to the Hero Spirits, both formidable and mysterious.
Ethan tried using Wraith magic to attempt communication with the Hero Spirits present.
However, unfortunately, although Hero Spirits are a type of Wraith, they possess their own beliefs and a strong sense of spirit.
They were not so easily influenced by Ethan's Wraith Magic.
He dared not delve deeper into contacting the Wraiths, unsure of what might happen if he angered the Hero Spirits here.
Upon entering the grand hall.
In the center of the hall stood a massive black throne, upon which sat a mysterious figure draped in a black robe.
His face was concealed by a black veil, with only his eyes, flickering with a red glow, visible. They exuded a sense of coldness and authority.
Around the hall were rows of black sarcophagi, each emanating a strong aura of darkness.
These sarcophagi sealed the heroes and warriors of the Shadow Clan, their souls eternally imprisoned here, becoming guardians of the Shadow Clan.
At the deepest end of the hall, a gigantic black portal stood open, through which a pitch-black night sky could be seen.
Upon entering, Ethan was startled by the Shadow Clan member seated on the throne.
"Who is this person?"
Sherry appeared quite relaxed, speaking softly:
"This is our Shadow Clan's previous High Priest. After their death, each High Priest's physical body is brought here to preside over Valhalla."
"Is he alive?"
"Definitely dead. It's said that this High Priest almost reached the threshold of deityhood, but ultimately perished, later being ceremonially brought into Valhalla by the current High Priest."
Ethan nodded slightly, then pointed towards the open portal at the far end of the hall:
"Is that a starry sky beyond the portal? Is Valhalla of the Shadow Clan also some kind of teleportation device?"
"No," Sherry gazed at the expanse of stars, her tone somewhat wistful, "Whenever a new hero or warrior dies, their soul is guided from that starry sky to here, entering one of the sarcophagi and becoming a part of Valhalla."
Ethan's expression flickered, various thoughts crossing his mind.
Firstly, he pondered the nature of that starry sky.
According to conventional beliefs, after death, souls either enter hell or heaven.
But there had never been mention of souls entering the starry sky and then being summoned...
Could it be a realm specially constructed by the Shadow Clan's deity to collect the souls of deceased clan members?
But if that were the case, wouldn't every member of the Shadow Clan have the potential for resurrection?
Ethan decided not to dwell on these questions and asked:
"So, what should we do now?"
Sherry took a deep breath and gave Ethan a slight smile:
"Now, I need to summon the Hero Spirit of the Shadow Clan to guide me to the Rule of Shadow. That's the power of deity and the key to wielding the authority of the Shadow Clan."
"But once I summon the Hero Spirit, I'm not quite sure what will happen. You must be careful and try not to conflict with the spirits here."
"After all," Sherry gestured towards the multitude of black coffins beneath the throne, "these are the resting places of the souls of my clan."
Ethan nodded slightly: "Don't worry, I won't cause you any trouble."
Sherry looked deeply at Ethan, then knelt on one knee, chanting softly:
"Great ancestors, I am your descendant. I summon your souls in the name of the Shadow Clan. Please respond to my call and bestow upon me your strength and wisdom. Let me become your successor, to continue your legacy and glory."
"Thunderous Rumbling—"
The entire hall began to tremble, and the lids of the coffins started to shake as if something was emerging from within.
Such a bizarre sight would have made Ethan flee immediately with Sherry, had it not been for the fact that this was the Valhalla of the Shadow Clan.
Sherry's status in the Shadow Clan was indeed high; merely chanting a spell was enough to initiate the process.
A monolith slowly descended from above the hall.
A black light gently fell from the sky above the Valhalla of the Shadow Clan.
This was the Rule of Shadow, the supreme law of the Shadow Clan, representing the essence of darkness.
As the Rule of Shadow descended, it enveloped the entire hall in darkness.
Black clouds gathered in the sky, forming a massive vortex that swallowed all light.
With the arrival of the Rule of Shadow, the pillars and walls of the hall began to tremble as if shaken by a powerful force.
At this moment, the twelve black pillars within the hall came into play.
The blue light emitted from the pillars illuminated the entire space.
This blue light not only formed a force that stabilized the entire space but also materialized the Rule of Shadow, which was originally in a chaotic state of light.
This was something Ethan had not anticipated at all.
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