Chapter 177: The Truth: Entering the Ninth Floor of the Tower of God [VIP]
"What are you doing!"
Xiao Yun was the first to come to his senses. He rushed to Alfonso and grabbed his collar angrily.
"Why open the life support module? Why!"
"I……"
Alfonso looked at Xiao Yun blankly: "What did I just do?"
"His Highness Alfonso did nothing just now."
Ulysses restrained himself and said, "We held him tightly, and his hands didn't even touch the life support module—"
"That's—"
[It was me…I was the one who opened the life support pod…]
The white wind gradually condensed into a human shape. The eyes and lips were colorless and pale, and the thick and dense white hair hung down to the ankles like silk threads. The slender and soft body seemed to be wrapped only in a layer of translucent gauze, so thin that it could be broken by the wind at any time.
He looked at Xiao Yun intently with his pure white eyes without irises or pupils, and there was a faint glint of water in the corners of his eyes.
“You, you…”
Including Ulysses, almost everyone was so nervous that their hair stood on end, except Xiao Yun and Alfonso who showed nostalgic smiles.
Xiao Yun even stretched out his hands towards the smooth, white, translucent phantom that exuded the fragrance of Bisarua.
"Yaris, you are still... It's incredible, you are still... Come, take me with you... Even if this is just a false dream, I will-"
【I'm sorry, I know you won't accept my death, so I prepared for my own death.】
"—Yaris!"
[Now that my body has completely transformed into a body, it's time for you to go to the ninth floor. Go quickly—there, you will find the truth, and then be with me forever... forever...]
"Forever?"
Yes... forever...
The phantom closed its pale eyes and dissipated into the air as the candlelight flickered.
The candle flame continued to burn, illuminating the countless flowers that filled the room. The pale cheek lying quietly in the life support cabin completely lost the luster of life at this moment, becoming a real wax figure of E - everyone present could clearly feel that something crucial had completely left.
What lay there was no longer a "person" but an object, an "indescribable thing" that exuded a silent aura that was incomparable to that of an inanimate object, although it was exquisite and lifelike, the most beautiful among the countless flowers that filled the room.
"good evening……"
Xiao Yun muttered softly, pressed his cheek against the cold forehead, then closed his eyes and remained motionless.
…
…
As night falls, lights begin to light up one after another, starting from the square in front of the Great Temple in the inner city of Dinos.
As the night deepened, the number of lights in the square increased.
Those were believers, civilians, and envoys who came from all over the country and even foreign countries to mourn Yaris. They held candles and walked quietly from the outer city to the inner city all night long, and finally gathered in the big square to pray for Yaris.
Everyone was wearing black clothes, and the women wore black shawls, so from a distance, one could only see countless candles moving, and the entire city of Dinos became a sea of light.
It was a dreamy and sad picture, with all the lights moving unsteadily on the road.
When they follow the flowing river of light in sorrow to the altar of the great temple adorned with countless lights, they will place a candle on the altar, then light another candle, hold it in their palms, and pray silently.
Most people were in tears, some were even wailing, but when they approached the altar, the crying suddenly stopped, leaving only silent sobs and gentle prayers.
The night gradually became filled with prayer songs and the sound of burning candles.
John Deere and Marina quietly walked behind Xiao Yun: "Your Majesty——"
"What is it?"
"Mikael...Mikael..."
Marina sighed. "Actually, I knew this would happen. When he asked to escort His Highness Yaris's remains to Denos as the lead knight, I had already... but I didn't expect... when I walked into his room just now, he... I'm very happy that he did what he always wanted to do... I ask His Majesty to allow me to place an item from His Highness Yaris in my brother's coffin... and let him sleep beside His Highness Yaris..."
"I understand how you feel."
Xiao Yun said politely, looking at John Deere: "Teacher, you——"
"Kellyer and the other attendants... they didn't leave any suicide notes..."
Xiao Yun nodded. This was something he had guessed a long time ago.
"In fact, Ulysses mentioned to me a few days ago that Kelly and the others might follow His Highness Yaris. We prepared twenty coffins in advance, but the actual situation still far exceeded our expectations... According to tradition, those who were His Highness Yaris's servants in life will be buried in the temple built by His Majesty for His Highness Yaris after their death. This way, they can continue to accompany His Highness in the other world. I will record the additional expenses incurred by this -"
"This"
"yes."
"Marina, tomorrow is the last day of the funeral. I will invite you after tomorrow. Now, you go first."
"Yes."
Marina fought back tears and prepared to leave with John Deere.
At this time——
“
Xiao Yun looked at the countless swaying stars outside the window. Death could not have any impact on the world, and death could only wait... But in Rees's Sea of Light, I think death has always had an impact on the world. Death is a part of life, and death is the essence of life.
"His Majesty……"
Marina hesitated for a moment and whispered, "...I don't want to say anything more. I just hope you don't forget the agreement you made with His Highness Yaris."
"Of course, I always remember the agreement I made with him."
Xiao Yun said calmly, "He promised me. He said that as long as I can successfully enter the ninth floor on the last day of the funeral, we will be together forever... forever..."
“…”
Marina and John Deere quietly left the room.
Xiao Yun stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the large square covered by flickering light vortexes and the river of light that was still flowing from the alleys of the city.
There is no wind tonight, no stars or moon, all the stars have fallen to the ground and gathered into a sea of light.
Those who miss the deceased either cuddle up to each other and cry silently, or hold candles and recall every moment with the deceased...
“I really envy them…”
Xiao Yun smiled, stretched out his hand, and took out from his collar the light red crystal pendant that Yaris had given him when he first left the Capital of Light. It was a personal item of Yaris’s, and contained a mysterious magic circle made by Yaris himself. It once allowed them to have intimate conversations despite being far apart, but now it has become the key to entering the ninth floor of the God Tower.
"After daybreak, I will set off to the eighth floor of the Divine Tower to activate the planetary machine, enter the ninth floor, and obtain the truth and eternity..."
"—It's incredible. On such a quiet and solemn night, I feel so relaxed. I feel like I'm walking on the flowery avenue leading to happiness."
"Yes, I completely understand Kelly and the others' choices. If you hadn't forced me to do so many things, if... I would probably have gone down the same path... But it doesn't matter. We are only separated temporarily physically, but our souls will always be entangled with each other..."
Muttering to himself, Xiao Yun came to a corner of the room and gently stroked the black dragon egg that was placed there as a decoration.
——On the night when Yaris's last heartbeat stopped, a large amount of black substance suddenly emerged from Xiao Hei's body, which had been dormant for a long time, and wrapped it up. It quickly formed into a two-meter-high black dragon egg with a faint golden color flowing on the surface.
"Xiao Hei, did you seal yourself off because of Yaris's departure?"
The dragon egg had no reaction.
"I still don't know who the blurry figure on the Death Throne of Fire and Darkness is. Perhaps it's Yaris's past or future, or perhaps it's the gene provider for Yaris's present body... But no matter who it is, what is its relationship to Yaris, and what is its relationship to you, I believe that Yaris and I have the most special bond in the world. I believe that he has only temporarily left this world... As long as I successfully enter the ninth floor and know the truth, we can achieve the eternity he promised..."
…
…
Xiao Yun slowly walked towards the large, towering mechanical device that almost occupied the entire room.
He already knew its name.
Planetary Machine.
A legacy of an ancient super civilization that requires the joint operation of two administrators with ultimate authority to be fully activated.
The instrument had obviously sensed Yaris's death. In the huge transparent tube that reached the ceiling at the center of E, countless crisscrossing thin lines were flashing with colorful light. Surrounding the transparent tube was a huge circular control platform with a diameter of more than five meters. All the operating panels were in working state and the buttons were all shining.
[——Please place your palm on the panel to verify senior administrator privileges!]
The machine made a cold, emotionless sound.
Xiao Yun followed his instructions and pressed his palm on the transparent panel.
Red light swept across——
[Senior administrator authority verification passed, individual identity confirmed to be Xiao!]
Snap!
The machine popped out a small groove.
[Please provide proof of authorization from the previous ultimate authority owner, individual identity "Yaris"!]
Xiao Yun took a breath and put the light red crystal pendant that Yaris left for him into the groove.
Snap!
Cracks appear on the crystal surface.
Red liquid flows into the machine.
[——"Yaris" authorization certificate passed!]
Following this sound, the room that had been bright as daylight—including all the flickering lines of light in the transparent tube at the center of the machine—suddenly disappeared, and the machine that filled the entire room was silent as a stone.
However, even though the lights were off, the space still resonated with vibrations similar to a machine running at full power, and the room was only dimmed rather than dark.
"…What does the Planet Machine want to do? Turn me into a mummy in the corner of the eighth floor?"
In the dim room, Xiao Yun half-jokingly said, realizing that he was trapped.
He didn't mind dying, nor did he mind becoming a mummy with his soul trapped in his body forever.
He was even glad that he could become a mummy on the eighth floor of the divine tower, because this was the place closest to Yaris in the world.
(Yes, for me...)
[Owner--]
The system voice suddenly sounded.
Xiao Yun was stunned for a moment, then looked up and saw LA spread its golden wings and appeared right in front of his vision.
(LA…you…)
[Master, are you going to enter the ninth floor of the divine tower?]
(This is the agreement between him and me.)
[Please extend your right hand toward me——]
Xiao Yun extended his right hand towards LA as he was told.
In the dim room, the golden wristband that had long been integrated into the body showed a shining light. Then, a ball of golden threads like spider silk emerged from Xiao Yun's palm. The golden threads spiraled upwards, tightly connecting Xiao Yun and the golden bird in the air.
Crash——
The silent earth suddenly collapsed, but because of the golden spider silk in his palm, Xiao Yun was able to float in the air under the drag of LA.
He looked down and saw that the huge machine covering the entire eighth floor was sinking into the dark tsunami like the skeleton of an ancient creature from another planet.
Xiao Yun couldn't help but hold on to the spider silk tightly.
[Master, you have "golden wings" made of Rhinegold in your body. You only need to release the "golden wings" to fly.]
(Golden Wings...)
[Yes, golden wings... Rheingold...]
As he said this, more light flowed out of Xiao Yun's body and condensed into radiant golden wings.
At the same time, LA was climbing higher and higher with the spider silk, and they were getting farther and farther away from the eighth floor that was swallowed by the dark torrent. Xiao Yun's vision was gradually occupied by the blue sky and light white clouds, and he almost forgot about the creepy dark tide that swallowed everything below.
(What’s going on? Why do I feel…)
[The ninth floor of the divine tower does not exist on the modern world of Ella. To enter the ninth floor, beings in the modern world must pass through a water barrier and then walk up the stairs to the door of the ninth floor...]
(Does Yaris also need this process to enter the ninth level?)
[Yaris's situation is completely different...]
LA's voice was a little gloomy.
Xiao Yun couldn't help but suspect that there was a special connection between LA and Yaris, or -
(You actually knew Yaris a long time ago, right?)
[…Master, you are about to enter the water barrier!]
As soon as he finished speaking, LA disappeared.
In the golden light emanating from their wings, Xiao Yun found himself being dropped by LA onto the magnificent seabed. Soft, continuous white sand lay beneath his feet, surrounded by cool, slightly brackish water. Marine plants of various shapes swayed gently in the current, and schools of colorful fish swam past him. Crabs, shells, and octopuses occasionally scurried past his feet, stirring up fine sand and mud...
(The seabed…it’s actually at the bottom of the sea…)
Xiao Yun thought speechlessly.
What made him feel even more incredible than being at the bottom of the sea was——
(This is clearly deep sea, but… not only did I not get flattened by the pressure of the deep sea, I didn’t even have difficulty breathing…)
(Is it a hallucination? Or is it——)
Suddenly, a huge black object flew across the sky. From its streamlined shape and the swinging of its fins and tail, it could be determined that it was a whale. However, because the distance was too far, Xiao Yun could not determine the species of the whale that flew over his head.
(It could be a killer whale, a humpback whale, or even some strange creature that only exists in this special sea area...)
While thinking, Xiao Yun began to move his body in the water.
Crash——
The sticky seawater slid across my body, and the resistance made moving underwater much more difficult than walking on land. Various snails and shellfish crawled in the white sand, and there were also octopuses running quickly along the sand with their shells on their heads...
The seaweed sways with the water flow like grass, the jellyfish spread out their transparent skirts and swim smoothly, and the corals are relatively stable, but the surface is covered with coral polyps and various small fish that come here to feed.
(If it weren’t for the water, I’d be wondering if I was walking in an underwater tunnel at an aquarium…)
Xiao Yun thought carelessly.
The system said that to enter the mysterious ninth floor, one must first find the stairs and follow them to leave the strange water barrier.
(Where are the stairs…what should I do to find the stairs…I…)
The intense anxiety made the magnificent deep-sea scenery lose its appeal. Xiao Yun instinctively looked for a way out in the water, but suddenly—
He saw an anomaly.
In the dark blue water ahead stood a triangular black shadow as tall as a mountain, with overly regular and smooth edges that looked like an artificial building.
(What is that? An underwater pyramid? A staircase? Or... some kind of prehistoric civilization ruins?)
Xiao Yun muttered to himself and walked straight towards the mysterious triangular building.
…
The first thing that appeared in front of Xiao Yun was a rectangular stone half-buried in the white sand with obvious traces of artificial cutting and polishing on its surface. Then there were more rectangular stones forming a passage that had become discontinuous and dilapidated after being eroded by sea water and marine life for a long time.
(This is obviously a forgotten prehistoric civilization site, similar to the Atlantis civilization that sank into the sea...)
Xiao Yun pondered silently, gazing with admiration at the ancient ruins in front of him. They were already deserted, corroded beyond recognition by time, and had almost merged with the ocean.
Fish swim among the broken pillars, seaweed uses stones to stabilize its shaking bodies, shells cling firmly to the surface of each stone, and the sea water flows silently over the triangular building that looks like an ancient pyramid.
(Long, long ago, this was the center of the city, where countless people gathered and lived... But now—there is nothing left here. The magnificent houses are only the hardest stones. The marble pillars are broken, corroded, and buried in the white sand. The statues that the craftsmen carefully carved are only a blurry outline...)
(This city... the city with such a great pyramid and the civilization that built it... was buried silently in the deep sea, leaving nothing behind... no name... no record... nothing...)
Xiao Yun thought sadly.
(…Ten thousand years from now, will the humans who now thrive on Ella and everything they create also be buried underground and underwater, becoming a mystery incomprehensible to new civilizations? Just like the Eternal Empire and the countless civilizations that existed on Ella before it emerged?)
(Earl Kang said that the humans of Ella have always struggled on the road to civilization, repeatedly igniting the flames of civilization, mastering science and technology, and attempting to advance into space, but time and again their own stupidity and arrogance have led to the collapse of civilization...)
(These before us should be the last traces left by one of those civilization collapses...)
In melancholy, ethereal music sounded in my ears, and the distant melody was filled with a hint of sadness.
Xiao Yun narrowed his eyes, looking at the hazy yet real ancient pyramid in the water, and Yaris's murmurs flowed through his mind.
(Death is the truth of life, life is the existence of death... Only when you embrace death, life truly belongs to you... Death is the blessing of life, life is the meaning of death... Life and death are one... Life and death...)
(Life and Death...)
In a trance, Xiao Yun saw the dancing stars and the universe again. Countless threads of fate whizzed past his body along the sea water, and his body unknowingly came to the bottom of the ancient pyramid.
The pyramid made of huge stones is very tall and long, and its surface is full of bumps and swaying seaweed due to erosion by sea water.
Xiao Yun raised his head as high as he could to try to find the top of the pyramid, but he only saw a vast expanse of white that looked like the sky.
(——The pyramid is a stairway to the ninth floor?)
Xiao Yun thought quietly and decided to look for an exit by going up the pyramid.
(Since it's an underwater world, there's no need for me to climb honestly. I can consider swimming or just - spread my wings!)
Xiao Yun said to himself in his heart.
As soon as the thought came to mind, the glittering golden wings suddenly spread out and carried the body to the top of the pyramid.
…
His body gradually rose, but his legs were dragged by some force below as if they were hanging iron balls. Xiao Yun looked down and saw the sand on the seabed turned into waves rushing towards him, trying to wrap around his legs.
(These white sands...)
[The white sand on the seabed represents the resentment of the dead...]
LA's voice sounded again, and the figure of the three-legged golden crow was close yet out of reach.
[…The city was called Sik. Thirty thousand years ago, it was the center of civilization on the planet Ella, incredibly prosperous and magnificent. However, it eventually sank into the sea, vanishing without a trace…Buried and forgotten along with the city were countless dead… Their bodies long since dissipated, but their resentment has turned to white sand, madly cursing all life that passed through it…]
(I see……)
At this time, the white sand was raging even more violently, stirring up terrible waves and stretching out countless hands made of sand, like water plants, octopuses, and some indescribable monsters, desperately wriggling upwards, trying to swallow or grab Xiao Yun.
"I'm sorry! But everything is over for you! It ended thirty thousand years ago! Accept death! Death is the proof of life—"
Xiao Yun declared painfully, and the "Golden Blade" was swung down with bright flames, and shrill and desperate screams suddenly filled the ocean.
“—Ahhhhhh!”
“Why! Why!”
"I don't want to be forgotten!"
"I want to live!"
“Life… Life…”
“…”
The surging screams stirred up even more terrifying resentment. The white sand continued to gather and combine, stretching out like thick tentacles, grabbing towards Xiao Yun.
[Owner--]
"I know!"
Xiao Yun whispered as he continued to fly towards the top of the pyramid.
Fortunately, although the resentment was as mad as the sea, they were afraid of the "golden blade" wrapped in bright flames. Therefore, Xiao Yun always stayed ahead of the monsters.
Finally, he managed to break out of the water and climbed up to the altar-like platform at the top of the pyramid, panting.
In the center of the platform stood a pair of black obelisks over 20 meters high with four gleaming facets, and a door hung in the middle of the obelisks.
Xiao Yun walked to the door, raised his hand and knocked twice gently.
Boom! Boom!
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