Chapter 1206
The Old Scars of the Earth, The Kindred Brothers of All Beings
Facing Eivass’s questioning, Adler showed no fear or guilt.
“Ah, speaking of which. Dawn City is built upon Rock Cell City, and you must know what I did there. Perhaps Rock Cell City was delivered from its petrification by you.”
Adler said, patting the container holding the Amber Egg, “The ritual that instantly solidified a city was powered by this. Or rather, it was a sacrifice to feed it.”
“The power of Amber,” Eivass murmured. “You intend to sell munitions? To bestow the power of Amber upon outsiders?”
He had indeed sensed the power of the Pillar God Amber within it… so that was how it came to be.
Not theft from a slumbering Amber, but “bleeding” a stillborn Amber?
“Not so—or not entirely so. Because it is not a weapon, but an instrument of punishment. I do intend to sell this power externally, but it is to release the accumulated power within and to solidify enough life to cultivate it.
“As for selling it to others… that’s just a side benefit. Because giving others great benefits for no reason would only arouse suspicion, envy, and greed; but if they pay a sufficient price, they will feel it is justified and accept it – people are such pathetic lives.”
Adler nodded, speaking without reservation, with no hint of being a riddle-man.
This kind of efficient communication made Eivass quite comfortable.
The white-robed Lord continued, “However, my primary reason for killing Afshien was for another matter. That fellow had no idea what dangerous thing he was doing. His sin could only be repaid with death. Along with all the residents of his city, they would all pay the price for Afshien’s negligence.”
“…Dangerous? Are you referring to the underground waterways?”
Eivass asked frankly, “Is it because he could bring water in from the outside using technology? If so, you wouldn’t be able to control people with water anymore.”
“That is part of the reason,” Adler admitted. “If people knew that water wasn’t just something to be obtained from the Lord, then all the chaos and sin from the outside would come here. Please don’t look at me like that, this is our tradition that we have upheld since ancient times, and it is also our nation’s faith and pursuit.
“After the Sky-Piercing Tower’s collapse, the first nations established were Anxi and Taichu, which still exist today. Those nations were built by descendants of the Winged Ones and Those with Scales.
“Taichu was built on land by the descendants of the Lord of Scales and Feathers after the Completion of the Equilibrium Curtain, as a ‘Supervisory Nation.’ Those with scales were among the first residents. Horus is related to those Winged Ones who still worship the Second Sun, though their correct lineage has already been severed. Anxi, on the other hand, was built by the remaining scholars and mages from the Sky-Piercing Tower… Its purpose was to guard the Sin Thorns’ tomb, and to safeguard and bury this ancient forbidden knowledge.
“Every Lord, in addition to being a contractor of the Abyss Heavenly Envoy, is also a Forbidden Mage with an ancient lineage. Before the fall of the Second Sun, all ‘Forbidden Arts’ in the world were stored in the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi, passed down separately by different Lords. The rulers of Anxi were once Winged Ones, then Those with Scales also served as rulers for a few generations, followed by degenerated Harpies, Snake People, Lizardmen, Monsters, Dragons, Dwarves, Humans… it doesn’t matter what race it is.
“After all, you must understand, my brother… esteemed Mr. Eivass. When our two nations were established, even the current Eternal Holy Kingdom did not exist – Anxi’s history is far longer than human history, and it will continue to be so in the future.
“The world ten thousand years ago was not much different from today; similarly, it will not be in ten thousand years.”
Adler’s words were calm yet filled with pride. “Once you understand the mission we bear, you will surely agree with this sacred ideal.”
It was a determination to never follow the footsteps of the era, preferring to scatter into dust in time.
It was like a homeowner in the path of urban planning who refused to relocate – either to inflate the price, or simply because he didn’t want to sell, no matter the benefit. For this, he would prefer the road to pass by his dilapidated shack, and be content with it.
He took a deep breath and said, “As for the other reason I killed him, it is because of those Sin Thorns buried beneath the desert.”
“Sin Thorns…”
Eivass realized something, his expression turning grim. “Even with the stone slabs preventing it, it’s no good?”
If this was a forbidden taboo, he had to notify them quickly – stop any further construction!
“Yes, it’s no good. That would only make the Sin Thorns aware of the water here and cause them to grow upwards. If the Sin Thorns reach shallow areas, everyone will be finished.”
Adler said bluntly, “According to the forbidden knowledge passed down in Anxi since ancient times, the Sin Thorns have a strong affinity for water and will grow towards areas with abundant water and life, plundering their vitality.
“These Sin Thorns existed before the Hourglass severed the connection between heaven and earth. They are the Sin Thorns that once existed in the Dream Realm and clogged the Origin River. Through these Sin Thorns, one can reach the origin of the Origin River. From this perspective, it can also be called the umbilical cord of the world.
“When the Candlemaster burned and devoured most of the Sin Thorns, they kept a portion. These were buried beneath this desert, and their seal was maintained by the Ring Heavenly Envoy.
“It is said that in ancient times, before the infinite cycle of reincarnation, it was Amber who accomplished this feat in the ‘Primal World.’ Now, Amber has become ‘Amber,’ and the duty of sealing the Sin Thorns has fallen into the hands of the Ring Heavenly Envoy.”
“…Can’t these Sin Thorns be completely destroyed?”
Eivass frowned, no longer holding back, and asked directly, “I am also the Child of the Candlemaster, and I have the ability to devour Sin Thorns…”
…Though it might turn him into a complete Sin Eater Beast. Because of this, Eivass stopped abruptly mid-sentence.
But upon hearing this, Adler’s expression showed no joy, ecstasy, or disbelief.
Instead, he looked at Eivass with a strange expression and slowly shook his head, “The Candlemaster would not allow you to destroy these Sin Thorns. These are the last Sin Thorns in this world.”
…Why?
This was too bizarre – why would the Candlemaster, with the ability to eliminate Sin Thorns, not eliminate them all?
And why were they guarding these Sin Thorns in the desert?
Eivass remembered that Sin Thorns were related to the power of the Void.
Did the people who established the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi, by forcibly creating a water source in this desert devoid of water through forbidden magic and residing here… have some kind of intention?
Was it to seal the Void? Or something else?
“—The Sin Thorns are our elder brothers.”
Adler said seriously, “How could the Candlemaster bear to completely destroy them?”
“Elder brothers?”
Eivass mused.
He suddenly remembered something.
Zhu Tang had once interpreted the markings on his Sin Eater Beast form for him. One of the phrases meant, “Sin Thorns are the old scars of the Earth, and they are the kindred brothers of all beings.”
Could it be…
But before he could ask further.
Just then—
Exclamations of panic suddenly erupted from outside.
Eivass sharply raised his head, looking through the stained-glass windows of the shrine, he saw the sky outside had turned a deep crimson.
In the very center of the sky, a giant fiery vortex, almost black in its redness, appeared. It was like a whirlpool in the sea… except it was inverted, stretching outwards to the heavens.
The air visibly became scorching hot, and waves of almost boiling hot wind descended from the sky, causing people’s clothes and hair to flutter wildly, making it difficult to even move on the street.
It was as if a strong current was pressing people to the ground—
The next moment, Eivass, who was sitting in the holy sanctuary, felt a strong sense of danger from the sky.
Adler’s expression also changed.
He and Eivass sensed something was wrong almost simultaneously.
With the descent of the Flame Heavenly Envoy, ‘fire’-type abilities were now much easier to cast than before.
An incomparably large fireball, like a second sun, appeared at the edge of the sky!
