Chapter 124: Flame Part 1: Obsession [VIP]
After entering the inner hall of the Grand Temple, Xiao Yun immediately moved Yaris to a recliner. Looking at his increasingly pale face, he couldn't help but ask, "Brother, are you very tired?"
“Everyone has worked very hard along the way.”
"But you look exceptionally tired."
"because……"
Yaris reached out and stroked his brother's cheek. "I'm really worried about those who remain in the capital, especially Ulysses... They could become hostages He uses to threaten us at any time... Although I always tell you not to compromise or give in, if He places their heads on a platter and brings them to me..."
"It's extremely difficult for anyone to remain absolutely rational for a long time."
"yes."
Yaris sighed: "If I can do it..."
"You don't have to force yourself, because I will do it for you."
"That's—"
"It's my pleasure."
"But……"
"Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine."
"I don't know if the future will be good, but I believe you are my hope."
Yaris looked up and looked intently into Xiao Yun's eyes: "As long as you are by my side, even if the world collapses tomorrow, I believe we still have a future."
"Me too. As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter where I go."
Xiao Yun lowered his head and touched Yaris's forehead with his.
At this time, the servant came in: "The bathroom is ready."
"I'll take you to the bathroom to take a shower."
"Um."
Yaris accepted it calmly with a smile on his face.
…
…
As the oldest and most solemn building dedicated to the Twin Gods in the Western Continent, the Grand Temple's scale and luxury are no less than that of a royal palace in the secular sense.
Moreover, since every corner of the temple is decorated with religious carvings and murals, it has a more religious sacred feeling than a secular palace.
The bathroom reserved for the high priest was no exception.
From the ceiling to the floor, every place is decorated with mosaic paintings of gods cleansing their bodies under the service of their messengers. Against the backdrop of the many messengers wearing gorgeous clothes and jewels from head to toe, and the colorful flowers and plants growing lushly around the sacred spring, the bodies of the gods, decorated only with a light gauze, appear so clean, flawless, innocent and pure.
“These paintings—”
"The gods in the paintings are all people's beautiful imaginations."
Yaris said bluntly: "If the gods really cared about humans, there would be no wars and famines in the world."
"I think so too."
Xiao Yun lowered his head and, with the help of his attendant, helped Yaris unbutton his cumbersome clothes. "Why did you design such a complicated and cumbersome structure for the dress? It means you need help every time you put it on and take it off."
"Because people firmly believe that only by completely detaching from the trivialities of life can the uniqueness of divine blood be revealed."
Yaris complained, wrapping his arms around his brother's neck. "I hate this tedious process. It's turning me, already inept at everyday tasks, into a fragile child who can't survive without someone to care for me."
"...I suddenly started to like this tedious thing."
"Um?"
Yaris frowned in confusion: "Why?"
Xiao Yun smiled but said nothing.
…
After cleaning off all the dirt accumulated from the past few days of running around, Xiao Yun asked the servants to temporarily leave the bathroom, and soaked in the large bathtub with Yaris, which was filled with spices that could relax the mind and soothe the muscles.
Worried that Yaris would slip into the water, he took the initiative to hold Yaris in his arms, letting his brother half lean on him.
"You have something important to tell me, don't you?"
"Yes."
Xiao Yun nodded and told Yaris in his mind some of the things he had thought about during the retreat from Denos.
[…In summary, I believe that everything that has occurred since the Sacred Square tragedy until now is a carefully calculated plan by Him. His ambition is not limited to devouring us and obtaining our special powers, but also to entering the ninth floor of the God Tower and prying into the secrets of God.]
"If He wants to see, then let Him see. If He has the ability to enter the ninth floor of the Tower of God. Unfortunately, He can't even enter the eighth floor of the Tower of God!"
Yaris's inner voice was filled with sarcasm and disdain.
【Why? 】
Xiao Yun couldn't help but think of what the "Tower Master" had said to him.
Even if the Holy Family's bloodline is cut off, the Oracle will still descend. Women chosen by the Oracle undergo a specific ritual baptism and enter the sixth and seventh floors, open only to the Holy Family, to give birth to children with divine blood. What is the basis for the Divine Tower's admission to the sixth, seventh, and eighth floors? Specific genetic sequences? Voiceprints? Brain waves?
[Why is Brother so sure that "He" can't enter the eighth floor of the Tower of God? Are the entrance requirements to the Tower of God very strict?]
[The admission qualification is not strict, but he must be a direct descendant of the Holy Family, or travel with the high priest.]
[Walking with the high priest?]
The sixth and seventh floors of the Tower are only open to members of the Holy Family. Even those of Holy Family descent must be accompanied by a high priest to enter the eighth floor. As for the ninth floor...
[How do I enter the ninth floor? ]
[Only the high priest can enter the ninth floor.]
road.
【Why? Because there is only cause?】
【……Yes. 】
Yaris whispered quietly.
[The ninth layer does not exist in the mortal dimension. This characteristic means that only those who carry the so-called Si in their bodies can enter.]
[…
Xiao Yun asked in distress.
Oh my god...
Yaris gave an indescribably bitter smile.
He held Xiao Yun's hand and promised firmly, "To me, the secular throne means nothing. I want to push you to the position of emperor simply because I love you, and your ability happens to be worthy of the throne. I know I won't live long, so I must pave the way for your future..."
“Brother, you—”
[——If you only desire a secular throne, I would actually feel relieved, because with your abilities, you can definitely obtain it. After all, His power is limited to this world. Before the gods, He is nothing more than a foolish and shallow beast!]
However, your ambitions extend beyond becoming emperor. You dream of creating a completely new world, unprecedented in history. When I first learned of your dream, my heart was filled with confusion and pain. Your dream is vast and unimaginable, beyond the reach of the gods. To achieve this dream, you must enter the ninth level, uncover the secret of the world's birth, and encounter the greatest truth in the world—the absolute truth that the gods call the Golden Rule of the Universe.
When Yaris said this, Xiao Yun heard his heart pounding.
[But I want to fulfill your wish... I know you are right, your wish must be fulfilled, only then can our world have a true future...]
"Yaris——"
[To me, you are the most irreplaceable existence in this world. You are the only one I want.]
【You are the same to me.】
Xiao Yun hugged the increasingly light and weak body.
[I believe that as long as we join hands, all the wishes of this world will be fulfilled, all mysteries will be revealed, and everything will be possible...]
【Yes……】
…
After about half an hour in the bath, the attendants brought drinks and snacks to the two and announced, "The emperor's envoy has arrived in Denos. He not only brought the emperor's handwritten letter, but also requested an audience with Your Highness to convey the emperor's wishes to Your Highness in person."
"A handwritten letter? To convey your feelings?"
Yaris sneered, "What is the envoy's attitude towards the recent events in the capital?"
"The messenger said that everything was a conspiracy by an ambitious person. He respected Lord Ansel very much and expressed deep regret for his unfortunate death."
"Misfortune? Regret? Is it so light?"
Xiao Yun almost lost control of his emotions: "So many people tragically lost their lives, and he actually—"
"younger brother……"
Yaris held Xiao Yun's hand and said, "I understand your anger, because I am also very angry."
“Brother, I…”
Xiao Yun took a deep breath and asked the attendant: "Did he explain the tragedy in the Sacred Square and the Ebola Bridge Massacre?"
"No."
The attendant lowered his head, his expression heavy with sorrow. "He simply said that everything that had happened in the capital recently was a misunderstanding and the result of instigation by someone with ulterior motives."
"Someone is trying to sow discord?"
Xiao Yun suppressed his anger and asked, "What's the name of the so-called scheming person?"
“…”
The attendant fell silent.
"really……"
Xiao Yun sighed and said to Yaris, "It seems that He is determined to continue to alienate us."
"He intends not only to drive a wedge between us as brothers, but also between the priesthood and us."
Yaris was blunt: "The priesthood is not monolithic. In fact, for thousands of years, there has been a fierce power struggle within the priesthood. In the years without the high priest, the priests fought openly and secretly for the position of chief priest. In the years with the high priest, the priests of the priesthood catered to the high priest to expand their influence in the church, while at the same time uniting as one to find ways to limit the power of the high priest and the Holy Family..."
"How do I feel—"
“Where there is power, there is struggle.”
Yaris smiled bitterly and said, "The priests are undoubtedly loyal to the Holy Family and the High Priest, but they also sincerely hope that the Holy Family and the High Priest are merely symbols of the church, rather than the actual rulers of the church."
"A system of nominal monarchs?"
"Um."
Yaris nodded. "The Priesthood doesn't like capable high priests, so 7 has no choice but to obey them. Now, knowing full well that we are brothers, He repeatedly claims that I am a hostage deceived by your ambitions. This is clearly to cater to the dirty schemes of those old men in the Priesthood."
"Then why don't we stop at Denos——"
"So I just asked them to complete all preparations for the coronation within three days! After the coronation is completed, we will immediately announce it to all countries in the Western Continent. You go to Gaola to gather the army and officially march to attack. I will stay in Denos and use the name of religion to recruit more forces to join our team. By the way, we can deal with these old guys who may betray us at any time."
…
After the bath, Yaris formally received the envoy - Count Zog, who replaced the "betrayed" Malus as the deputy commander of the Emperor's Knights.
"It is an honor for Your Highness to take time out of his busy schedule to meet with me."
Count Zog knelt down and saluted Jarris with a respectful posture and a standard smile.
"Zog——"
"Your Highness."
"The matter of the Sin Tower—"
"I'm sorry."
Zog looked up and said sincerely, "The Sin Tower accidentally caught fire and burned all night. Thanks to the help of the Royal Knights, the fire was put out before dawn. Afterwards, the Minister of Security sent hundreds of civil servants to carefully and repeatedly inspect the ruins. They discovered that a large number of prisoners in the tower were unable to escape when the fire broke out. Earl Ansel, who was ordered to inspect the Sin Tower, and his entourage also died... His Majesty has expressed his condolences to Earl Ansel's family and promised that all victims of the fire will receive generous compensation."
“Will anyone believe this explanation?”
Xiao Yun sneered.
"If Your Majesty believes it, others will naturally believe it."
Zog said calmly.
"Yeah?"
Yaris smiled and asked, "The misfortune of the Sin Tower can probably be explained away as an accidental fire, but how will you explain to the public the lizard monsters slaughtering civilians in the streets and the hundreds of mangled corpses floating in the Ebola River?"
"Your Highness, this series of tragedies was caused by mass hysteria and rye poisoning!"
Zog remained calm and collected as he continued, "Several bakery owners in the lower city used moldy rye to make bread, causing widespread food poisoning among the residents. Many suffered limb necrosis and behavioral madness. Some victims survived by amputating their damaged limbs, while others, due to the severe poisoning, became insane and hallucinated, viewing normal people as monsters."
"...It's amazing that such a reasonable explanation can be found in such a short time."
Yaris raised an eyebrow teasingly.
Zog, however, was all smiles, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm and harshness in the words.
"...driven by simple patriotic sentiments, these people, caught in a frenzy and delusional state, shouted 'Save our country!' They rushed to the Ebola Bridge and indiscriminately attacked passersby, causing extremely serious social problems."
"so what?"
"Your Highness—"
Zog bowed again. "It may be presumptuous of me to say this, but His Majesty truly loves Your Highness. To ensure Your Highness's safe return, he will stop at nothing and find any excuse or reason. Please, Your Highness, see the truth as soon as possible and don't be deceived by the lies of ambitious people."
“…”
Yaris was stunned for a moment, and said slowly: "He is more shameless than I imagined."
Xiao Yun was so shocked by Zog's words that he couldn't say a word.
"...Regardless, even though things have escalated to this point, His Majesty still insists that Your Highness has been deceived and exploited by ambitious individuals. Your Silver Moon Palace remains intact, and no one has been arrested or questioned in connection with the recent events."
Zog said humbly.
"Are you threatening me?"
"I am simply stating everything I know to Your Highness."
"oh……"
Yaris nodded, seeming quite interested in Zog's words. "Unfortunately, I've already made my decision. I won't go back until I get what I want. Everyone who remains in Silver Moon Palace has long realized this. They are loyal to me and willing to do anything for me, including death!"
"Your Highness believes His Majesty is using hostages to force you to change your mind. However, to His Majesty, you are the hostage held by the rebels. His Majesty has not taken drastic measures against the rebels so far simply because he fears you will be harmed! If misfortune befalls you, His Majesty will swiftly and forcefully eliminate the rebels with lightning speed!"
"Are you done yet?"
Yaris glanced at Zog nonchalantly: "Even if you haven't said enough, you must stop. I'm tired and need to go back to my room to rest."
"Your Highness, you—"
"I'm very tired."
Yaris emphasized nonchalantly, turning to look at his brother.
"let's go."
"good."
Xiao Yun stepped forward and carried Yaris to the wheelchair.
Seeing this scene, a trace of shock flashed across Zog's eyes, and then -
"Your Highness! Your legs! I finally understand why you don't want to return to the capital! You've lost the ability to walk! Those damned rebels, in order to keep you firmly in their grasp, actually did this to you..."
"Shut up!"
Xiao Yun interrupted Zog in annoyance.
Zog lowered his head and watched Xiao Yun and a group of servants escort Yaris's wheelchair away.
…
…
After leaving the audience hall, Yaris immediately whispered to his attendants, "Keep a close eye on Zog. I want to know his every move."
——The Great Temple is a holy place for the Twin Gods faith. 7 It is adjacent to the God Tower. The spatial dimensions and fluctuations here are unique. It is almost impossible to use magical power, and naturally it is impossible to adopt magical monitoring methods.
"Yes, sir."
The attendant obeyed the order and stepped aside.
…
The group took Yaris back to his chambers in the Grand Temple. The attendants prepared the necessary items for acupuncture treatment. Xiao Yun bent down to transfer him from the wheelchair to the luxuriously canopied bed. Yaris suddenly said, "Brother, I want to go to the window and take a look at the scenery outside."
"Left window or right window?"
"Right window."
Yaris said softly.
Xiao Yun then took him to the right window where he could see the sacred tower and opened the sun visor.
Looking at the tower ahead, which shone brightly day and night, even on rainy days, Yaris sighed deeply. "Dinos is a city built around the tower. Wherever the tower is, that is the holy place of the Twin Gods."
He gently closed his eyes and sighed like singing, "The pagoda represents the will of God, and the great temple represents human desire. Therefore, the great temple must be a circular structure to form a symmetry with the pointed cone shape of the pagoda."
"you mean--"
"The ziggurat is masculine, and the great temple is feminine."
Yaris said indifferently, "In fact, the people who designed the Great Temple tried to use the round feminine shape to express the absolute submission of the world to the gods."
"Yet you never surrendered."
"Um."
Yaris nodded, his thin body trembling slightly because of the wind outside the window.
Seeing this, Xiao Yun took the shawl and blanket from the servant and covered Yaris with them: "You are very weak. You might get sick if the wind blows on you."
"I don't care about being sick anymore because I'll soon..."
"I won't let you say that word!"
"But--"
"I've wanted to share my lifespan with you more than once, if there's a way to do it!"
"Destiny is a higher level existence that transcends the gods. You shouldn't..."
"I don't think so. I believe I will find a way to prolong your life."
Xiao Yun bent down, half-knelt in front of him, gently leaned against his knees, and whispered, "I believe I can resist all temptations in the world, but if the enemy uses bait related to you, I... I don't know if I can continue to hold on... I have always believed that the morality in my heart is as important as the starry sky above my head, but you are more important than either..."
"Really?"
Yaris stared at Xiao Yun's profile in a trance, his pale cheeks quickly turned red, and his black eyes flashed with darkness and fire.
Xiao Yun looked up and looked at him infatuatedly, with endless waves of emotion in his heart.
(The twin black moons that enveloped the world in darkness in the vision of the black snake soaring into the sky... were undoubtedly these eyes... But even so... even so...)
"Yes, no matter what happens, even if you become a demon that drags the world into the abyss of hell, I will still love you. To me, you are the absolute that transcends all morals and principles."
"younger brother……"
Yaris excitedly held his brother's face and said fascinatedly: "You are the same to me... Just because you are you, I want to give you everything I can get..."
"So—stop thinking about those unhealthy things and just enjoy the protection and sleep quietly like a newborn baby, okay?"
"You want to pamper me like a baby?"
Yaris asked jokingly.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yun replied seriously, "I'd rather you were a baby so I could wrap you in swaddling clothes and hold you in my arms. In fact, whenever I have to leave you temporarily for various reasons, even if it's just to take my eyes off you for a moment, I always feel a strong sense of worry, afraid that something bad will happen to you in that moment when I'm not around..."
His body and mind were captured by the beautiful, dreamy, elf-like and unreal person in front of him, and he was willing to burn all his humanity for him.
"So do I..."
Yaris said bitterly, "The night you left me for the first time, I was very depressed. Of course, this depression didn't last long because I'm a person who doesn't rely on others. Later, you came back to me, and I was very happy. I encouraged your studies and planned your future like any older brother would do for his younger brother... I thought we were just going back to the past... but..."
His voice gradually choked and his brows furrowed slightly.
"These days... everything that's happened in the past two years has made me realize that we've returned to the past, but 7 hasn't. I'm not as strong as I thought I was. I need someone who will be with me forever! And that person has to be you, and only you! I've gotten used to being with you! Without you by my side, when I encounter difficult situations, I become like an idiot, unable to think independently. When I'm alone, I become as easily frightened and helpless as a toddler..."
"To me now, you are an irreplaceable pillar of support. As long as you are by my side, even if you don't say a word, just looking at me and holding my hand, I can feel peaceful and confident..."
"These are my feelings, too."
Xiao Yun smiled and said, "For me now, only the life related to you is meaningful."
"What if—"
"There are no ifs, and there's no need for ifs," Xiao Yun said softly, "No matter what follows your 'if', I will continue to choose you firmly and without any hesitation."
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