Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Do you still remember me?
Su Cheng originally thought that he would have to travel a long distance across the ocean.
She had forgotten that the Eternal Night Cult was still flourishing in the Northern Continent at that time, and their temples were spread across every country, though their number was smaller than that of the Holy See.
After arriving at Jinpo City, she and several black knights began to use the teleportation array.
They presented the token left by Hurwitz, and the mystical priests of the Amber City Temple greeted the group with great fear and trepidation.
Then the magic circle was opened.
——This magic array sent them to the temple in the capital of the Principality of Anser, and the same experience was repeated several times afterwards.
So most of the time was spent in the secret temple.
Of course, it didn't take very long. Including the time spent waiting for the magic array to be debugged, it was only half a day.
At dawn, she emerged from a magic tower and saw a harbor made of dark basalt and towering palaces along the water.
A deep sense of tranquility and pressure came over me.
It was a huge complex of buildings constructed almost entirely of black. The bell tower, palace, and covered bridge were all made mainly of obsidian. They looked thick and solid, as if they were deeply rooted in the earth.
In the morning light, the mirror-like walls faintly exude a deep blue-purple luster.
The gold and silver column bases, window frame trims, and door lintel symbols all shine brightly, without any signs of wear and tear caused by time.
Hurwitz's subordinates had obviously been here many times and walked through some kind of employee passage with ease.
There weren't many checkpoints along this route, only a group of guards also wearing black armor. They let them pass after checking the tokens and verifying their identities.
Su Cheng felt that those guards were extremely powerful.
It was at a level that made her feel threatened.
She suddenly had a concrete understanding of the question of "why the Holy See failed to completely overthrow the secret cult" - although this was essentially because the power of the God of Light could not crush the God of Darkness.
They passed through a vast square, surrounded by towering temples that looked like countless silent black giants.
The spires like stalagmites are rugged and undulating, and countless aerial bridges crisscross and connect the giant temples.
Priests in dark windbreakers or robes shuttled between these buildings like a dense colony of ants.
After going deeper into the High Court, Su Cheng looked up again, but what he saw was no longer the pale blue sky of the early morning.
The distant sky is tinged with a gauze-like blue-purple hue, and time seems to be frozen before the night falls.
Large patches of black and purple flames stretched across the sky like clouds, wriggling slightly like a living thing.
"…What does this mean?"
"That is the power of His Majesty the Dark God," a black knight replied, "It will protect us from harm."
Su Cheng suddenly understood, "Because wherever 'light' shines, it can be affected by that person's power, right?"
As they approached the temple ahead, they were greeted by a priest in black and purple robes.
"Lord Vole has received a message from Lord Hurwitz," the man said politely, "and has sent me to guide you. Welcome, Lord Su Cheng."
Su Cheng thanked her, "...Although I don't know who Lord Volley is, thank him."
The black knights had retreated, leaving only the priest leading her forward. They walked up the long stairs and entered the quiet and magnificent corridor.
I also met a lot of people during this period.
The clergy of the secret cult all wore dark clothes. In addition to robes, windbreakers and armor, some also wore casual clothes, but they were mainly pure black, black purple, black blue, or black silver and black gold.
They rarely say hello, and basically just pass by each other without looking at each other. It seems that only acquaintances with whom they have a good relationship will exchange a brief greeting.
Therefore, few people paid attention to her.
"Lord Vole is one of the guardians of the Tower of All Knowledge and the Grand Supervisor of the Esoteric Cult."
The priest said softly, "Lord Hurwitz believes that you are qualified to apply for the permission to read the forbidden area, but this requires the approval of Lord Volley—"
Su Cheng's heart skipped a beat.
She didn't think the Dark God would meet her immediately. After all, he wasn't always in Highgarden. Most of the time he was probably in the Divine Realm.
So if you spend time at the cult's headquarters and are free to browse their ancient books, you will probably be able to find some answers.
She had thought of this plan before.
“…This is it.”
They arrived in front of an exceptionally magnificent giant tower. The base of the building was even wider than the square before, and the tower that rose from the ground was hidden in the misty clouds.
The two entered through a small door on the third floor of the side. The door was engraved with many strange and mysterious runes. She tried to identify them but couldn't find any familiar feeling.
A word flashed through Su Cheng's mind, and he couldn't help but ask subconsciously: "Is that ancient magic?"
The priest nodded. "If you haven't done much in this field, it's normal that you don't recognize it. It's a very ancient, complex, semi-permanent magic array for monitoring..."
Su Cheng was too embarrassed to say that he had absolutely zero knowledge, except for knowing this word.
The tower was filled with the faint scent of incense and cold stone.
The division of the internal space is also magical. From the bottom floor to the dome, the hall in the middle is vertically connected, and the shelves embedded in the walls are filled with scrolls and books.
A pillar with an elevator stands on the central axis, and thousands of corridors extend from the pillar like the branches of a giant tree.
Books are also placed in these corridors, and at the end of the corridors are bookshelves connected to the walls.
The side door they entered led to a long corridor with shelves on both sides piled with papyrus scrolls, leather or wooden tablets, and some thick books with strange bindings.
The bookshelves in the corridor were not very tall and did not completely block her view, so she could see figures swaying in other corridors.
There were probably hundreds of people reading in the entire tower, but because it was so large, it still seemed very empty.
She looked at the priest curiously, "Can any member of the secret cult come here?"
"Yes," the latter nodded, "The Forbidden Zone is not open to anyone, but it is open to all church members. Some people come from all over the Northern Continent to seek knowledge..."
The priest paused. "And it's not just the clergy. Anyone who is allowed to enter the High Court, even if they haven't pledged allegiance to the Dark God, as long as they are not prisoners here for trial or punishment, can come and go freely."
They took the elevator to the top floor, walked through a long corridor, and then left the public library area in the center and began to travel deeper into the tower.
After a while, the two came to a heavy stone door with a small star map array engraved on it, and silver runes were shining.
The priest reached out and touched one of the runes, and the door slowly slid open.
The space inside was comparable to a small auditorium, more than ten meters high. Glowing spells were engraved on the black stone walls, providing ample light.
There were all kinds of strange books on the shelves on the wall. Some of them turned pages slowly and automatically without wind, some books were inlaid with strange eyeballs, staring at the visitors, some were crystal slabs that were playing some kind of pictures, and some looked like papers made of monster scales or bones.
The air was filled with the smell of ink, mixed with a smell similar to dried mushrooms.
There is a huge stone platform in the middle, the base is covered with dense runes, and the things on the platform are in a mess.
A gelatinous creature emitting a faint green phosphorescence was wriggling in the glass cover.
A large cauldron boiling black potion was placed on the magic circle, with thick smoke coming out from time to time. Distorted human faces appeared in the smoke, seemingly screaming in pain, but making no sound.
There were more crystal boxes and metal cages scattered around, containing smoke of various colors, organs or bones, as well as some very small creatures. It was impossible to tell whether they were complete bodies or cut parts.
There were also countless pieces of draft paper with calculation formulas written on them, and various books piled up like mountains.
"...Sir." The priest spoke cautiously, "Lord Su Cheng has arrived."
The figure who had been buried in the mountain of books slowly raised his head upon hearing this.
The priest retreated as if fleeing for his life.
Su Cheng blinked, "Hello, Lord Volley."
Sitting at the table was a tall, brown-haired man in a pure black uniform that perfectly outlined his lean and well-proportioned figure, making his waist appear particularly slender.
He has porcelain-white skin, handsome and elegant features, beautifully curved cheekbones, a straight nose, pale lips, and a rather gentle expression.
At first glance, he looks very young and refined, a typical scholar.
but--
He has a pair of chilling eyes.
The color of the iris is obviously very light, like some kind of cool ice green, but it is like a bottomless pool of water.
His gaze was so penetrating that it seemed to pierce through the skin and examine the human soul.
This person also wore a monocle with densely sparkling runes, and a thin silver chain hung beside the lens, which made his unique temperament even more apparent.
"Your Excellency Su Cheng."
The brown-haired man nodded, revealing an expression that was almost fascinated. "This is really a surprise. One person has the marks of three ancient gods on him—"
He said as he slowly stood up, "There are even dragons."
Su Cheng: “?”
Su Cheng: "Three?"
Volley's eyes fell on her face.
For a moment she felt as if she were being stared at by a snake, a creepy interest burning in those cold, ice-green eyes.
"Oh?" The brown-haired man raised his eyebrows slightly. "Is this beyond your understanding?"
Su Cheng could only think of that door and the dancer from Huishan Town, and was not sure where the third one came from.
Su Cheng: "Since you can tell the number, then you probably know who they are, right?"
"No," Volley shook his head decisively, "but if you cooperate with me and do a few experiments, we should be able to figure it out quickly."
Su Cheng looked at him expressionlessly, "No."
Volley looked at her silently for a few seconds, then showed a look of regret. "What a pity... You are a dragonborn, you should be a perfect specimen."
Su Cheng simply remained silent.
This guy didn't know how he sensed it.
Hurwitz hadn't mentioned any of this—it wasn't clear if he was being polite or if he wasn't that perceptive.
Volley took out a small stone token from the drawer and tossed it over. "This originally belonged to my deputy. You can use it to enter and exit any room in the Tower of All Knowledge. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean we have any superior-subordinate relationship."
Su Cheng noticed the tense used by the other party, "Where is your deputy?"
"He's here."
Wally said casually, reaching out and knocking on the big pot on the table where black liquid was boiling. The smoke from the pot turned into a weeping human face.
Su Cheng: “???”
Su Cheng: "When you said he was there, did you mean the soup made from his body was there?"
"What?" Volley tilted his head to look at her and suddenly laughed, "No, there are no bones or flesh in here, only his soul."
He paused. "He violated a taboo and was punished. According to the rules, I can be responsible for ending this matter."
Su Cheng: "...So you turned him into experimental material."
"This is his last contribution to the esoteric cult," Volley said confidently, "My research results will be shared with the entire church—"
His eyes shone with an extreme desire and greed, "His Majesty the Dark God will also reward me and grant me more mystical knowledge..."
Su Cheng took the token and stepped back silently, "Yes, that's good. I wish you success."
After saying that, he turned around and ran away.
The priest had disappeared without a trace. After leaving the office, Su Cheng looked around in confusion and remembered that he had forgotten to ask how to get to the forbidden area.
But she really didn't want to turn around and face Volley, that guy was too weird.
So she decided to explore the tower.
Su Cheng spent three or four days and finally managed to walk around the place up and down, and found several entrances to the so-called forbidden area.
The token could indeed open any door, and she even accidentally entered the rest rooms of several clergymen.
Of course, those people didn't care at all. Especially when they saw her token, they treated her warmly and told her where she could get food.
These people are all subordinates of Wo Lei, who are usually responsible for various maintenance tasks of the Tower of All Knowledge, from repairing magic arrays to organizing books.
Su Cheng never saw Wo Lei again.
According to these clergymen, the Grand Treasurer spends 99 percent of the year locked up in his office.
Except when summoned by His Majesty the Dark God or at extremely important meetings in the church, people rarely see him.
Su Cheng plunged into the sea of books with confidence.
She originally wanted to look at the records of knowledge related to the ancient gods first, but in the process, she inevitably came across some books about so-called ancient magic.
Then it got out of control.
The so-called ancient magic is literally the magic of ancient times - it is said that it was the era of elves, who could easily control the elements without spells.
The ancient elven language can easily complete complex magic arrays, allowing elemental elves to voluntarily maintain a certain form permanently.
Su Cheng read the book fascinatedly for several days and couldn't help but make some related attempts.
The clergy in the tower also knew some ancient magic, and after a brief exchange with them, she became more familiar with them.
She soon discovered that elemental magic was only a part of ancient magic, and there were many more forms of power in this field.
Su Cheng studied day and night for several months, and during this time he also made up for a lot of knowledge about illusion.
Finally, after being troubled by a difficult problem for two days, he stepped out of the Tower of Knowledge and wanted to go out and relax.
She also found some records about ancient gods.
But for some reason, some information was obviously intercepted, as if they were intentionally trying not to let people know.
She walked back and forth in the temple complex shrouded in twilight, and unknowingly walked for a long time, with fewer and fewer priests passing by.
Occasionally, a few people wearing gorgeous robes appeared.
They wore a lot of jewelry, with gold and silver chains hanging around their waists and pearls hanging from their hems. They looked like they had just returned from a banquet.
——Although it seems to be a cult uniform, it looks more complicated than other clergy uniforms.
The air became moist and warm, like some precious ointment being evaporated, or like flowers and plants blooming after a recent rain.
She walked past a corridor covered with rune-carved columns and was enveloped by thick water vapor.
Suddenly, the view became clear.
In front of us was a huge circular sunken bathing area, with misty water vapor everywhere, and the entire space was shrouded in the soft light of magic crystal candles.
The rare white jade on the ground makes the sapphire water in the bathtub even clearer.
In the hazy mist, there is a slender naked figure.
He sat casually beside the sink with his back to the entrance, his wet, jet-black curly hair draped over his ivory back.
A few strands of curly hair rested against the hollows of the shoulder blades, and below was a tight and powerful waistline, as well as muscular thighs.
The water droplets slid down the white skin, along the graceful spine and undulating back muscles, outlining charming tracks.
It was a body that was full of power yet extremely delicate.
He held a long-handled bone comb in his hand, running it through the thick black hair with slow and graceful movements.
——That is not a natural nobility, but more like a movement developed through training, specifically to show charm.
The comb in his hand was also lustrous white, and between his beautiful fingers, it almost blended into his fair and translucent skin.
The teeth of the comb passed through the wet hair, squeezing the water droplets into pieces, making a subtle but clear rustling sound.
The next second, the black-haired young man turned his head and looked over.
Su Cheng met those eyes that looked like red garnets and couldn't help but feel a little emotional.
"It's you," the man stared at her, "Are you from the church too?"
"...Do you still remember me?"
"Yes."
The man put down the comb and stood up.
Su Cheng choked slightly.
She had met the God of Lust more than once, and had had intimate relationships with him both in fantasy and reality, so she could face this seductive body calmly.
What's more, he hasn't become a god yet. If we really talk about his charm, he probably can't compare to the image in our memories.
After all, it is not a mortal body, but the product of the condensed power of gods.
but--
On that bare and lean belly, there was a blood-red heart-shaped emblem, wrapped by rose vines.
Su Cheng: “…”
This thing is about 70% similar to her curse mark.
Su Cheng: "What is that?"
The black-haired young man looked down and said, "I'm not sure what you're asking about."
Su Cheng raised his hand speechlessly, "That mark—do I look like a retard? Apart from that, what else could make me ask this?"
"Sorry," he said quietly, "some people say things that are knowingly flirtatious."
The black-haired young man said this, but his expression relaxed a little.
He seemed satisfied that she wasn't flirting with him.
The look he gave her became softer, or in a sense, less guarded.
Then, a look of confusion and bewilderment emerged on that angular, impactful, and gorgeous face.
"As for this—"
His fingers fell on his lower abdomen. "They say this is the mark of the one favored by God."
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