Chapter 1268: Prophecy of the Serpent’s Scales
Eivass sat there, an anomaly amidst the attendees. The other Lord’s had donned robes of light hues, adorned with gold threads and jewels, their persons overflowing with precious ornaments on their heads, necks, and hands. Exquisite weapons hung from their waists, and their retinues carried various equipment as carriers.
Only Eivass wore a plain black robe. He bore no accessories, no weapons, nor any armor. It was as if he had merely come for a stroll rather than to participate in a ritual to summon a Heavenly Envoy.
“How about this, everyone,” Eivass said leisurely. “I know you all find me unsightly – and coincidentally, I feel the same about you. So why don’t we maintain this mutual dislike and skip the pleasantries, the tiresome ceremonies that make us uncomfortable?”
“—I think that’s perfect!”
After a brief silence, the Brave, Isma’i, boisterously responded. He looked at Eivass with a hint of admiration in his eyes and shouted, “Straightforward, a real man! That shows some spirit, unlike those hypocritical and cowardly rabbit ears. I say—old man, how about we do that?”
Isma’i was pretending to not know Eivass well, while secretly supporting him.
“…Do not be rude, Brave Isma’i.”
The old man replied after a moment of silence. He had been intently observing Eivass. For some reason… ever since meeting Eivass, Aimel Nour felt an indefinable sense of incongruity about him. He felt as if he had overlooked something important but couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong.
Seeing Eivass openly state his intentions, Aimel Nour considered it and felt that there was indeed no need to keep up pretenses—it felt like treating Eivass as a fool, and in doing so, he himself would be the fool. Since Eivass knew what they were planning yet dared to come alone, it meant he had a backup. It might as well be to proceed with their respective plans and see what everyone had prepared.
“Very well.” Aimel Nour nodded, his expression solemn as he announced, “Then, everyone—please follow me.”
He then walked towards the inner depths of the palace. The other Lords also rose from their seats. Some shot Eivass a complicated glance, while others left without even looking at him. Not a single person spoke to Eivass; even the Brave, Isma’i, simply walked away silently. It was as if an invisible barrier surrounded Eivass, or as if he carried some sort of untouchable curse, and people avoided him as if he were filth.
Along the way, Aimel Nour explained the details of the ritual: “According to the requirements of the Ouroboros Ring ritual, we plan to summon the Abyss Heavenly Envoy on July 7th at seven o’clock. At that time, Calamity Red will draw power from the Sacred Number to provide us with support.”
“—Support?” Eivass asked with interest. “What kind of support? Will They act personally, or…”
“They will contend against the Abyss Heavenly Envoy alongside us.” Aimel Nour solemnly recited the prophecy: “‘From where the sun disk falls into the sea, a thousand fiery tongues lick the bitter black salt bed. The Heavenly Fire bites at the beast’s hem, letting the sea boil and scream in the stone pot. The beast’s shepherd comes from a land of a thousand still sails and silent bronze bells— He pours the last handful of saltwater into the clay pot, only to wait for it to grow serpent’s fangs.'”
“This is…” Eivass inquired.
“The seventh chapter of *Anxi*, the Prophecy of the Serpent’s Scales,” Aimel Nour replied in a low voice. “Although people believe the prophecy of Serpent’s Scale City has been fulfilled, that is not the case. The truth has been hidden, and only a few know that the destruction of Serpent’s Scale City was unrelated to the prophecy. Therefore, *Anxi* still has one poem besides the Prophecy of the Holy Spring that has not been fulfilled. If ‘that beast’ is the Abyss Heavenly Envoy, then this Heavenly Fire and the sun disk are undoubtedly Calamity Red. They possess the divine power to burn the entire sea, and now is the time for Them to display such might.”
“—Even if it means breaking through the Veil of Balance?” Eivass said, seeming to smile yet not smile. “Do you truly believe They are willing to risk being killed to descend? Much like Supreme Heaven in the past? Or is it because you intend to crown the Abyss Heavenly Envoy as the King of Those with Scales, and They fear you will revive the Silver Crown Dragon?”
“Whichever it is, the outcome is the same.” Even when the essence of the ritual was exposed, Aimel Nour showed no shame. “The Abyss Heavenly Envoy is the Ancient King. We are His servants; what is wrong with crowning Him? If a true God were to appear and stop us, we would gladly abandon the darkness for the light. But if no one intervenes, then He will lead us to greatness again, will He not?”
The implication was that they intended to have the Abyss Heavenly Envoy and Calamity Red bid for their allegiance, and they would follow whomever offered better terms.
“—A clown,” Eivass scoffed. “Mere mortals, thinking they can scheme against a True God.”
“Clown or madman, we simply do not wish to remain prisoners of fate anymore…” Unexpectedly, Aimel Nour did not refute Eivass’s words; instead, he sounded somewhat melancholic.
They walked for a long time before finally arriving at the Ritual Chamber. This was the origin of the name “Holy Spring City”—the name “Aimel Nour,” if translated directly, should be “Fountain of Light.” And this place could indeed be called a fountain of light. It was a cold spring, a frozen lake. In the sweltering desert, there was a secret chamber constructed entirely of ice. This hollow, vast room was nearly empty. Only the frozen great lake in the center had cracked open with sun-like explosive patterns, resembling the marks left by a sniper rifle on bulletproof glass. And from the cracked spring, white liquid continuously flowed out slowly. It exuded a chilling aura, emitting wisps of ethereal white smoke like dry ice.
Aimel Nour murmured the contents of the Prophecy of the Holy Spring: “‘From the depths of the Earth’s throat, the Holy Spring shatters itself into a thousand mirrors, in each, an apprentice of the Glass Witch grows. She once bathed in moonlight of the same temperature, shattering moon disks of the same shape, nine sighs, nine closing eyes. Children slowly build high mountains from snow, and the Holy Spring awaits another snow. It wishes to freeze itself into a piece of ice as well.'”
After the “Descent of the Indigo King,” the language of this prophecy had become much more flamboyant and vague. It was evident the prophet was deliberately concealing something, as those things were unspeakable. However, at this time, as Eivass heard this poem, his eyes widened in astonishment. He understood. What was described here was the self-sealing of Amber, the nine cycles of the World… and the self-dismemberment of the Forbidden Pillar God! What kind of poet was this! The future had changed so many times; what kind of sage could see so far into the future— Eivass subconsciously placed his hand on his chest, over the emerald gemstone. …Was it you, Boss?
The Lord of Scales and Feathers did not respond. The divine radiance surged here, making the mana visible to the naked eye. It was like swirling rosy clouds, drawing gazes toward the liquid light leaking from the shattered “mirrors.”
“This is… the umbilical cord connecting the Dream Realm and the Material Realm, the mirror that reflects dreams and their reflections,” Aimel Nour said with a hint of trance, gazing at this small lake less than a hundred square meters. “In the past, *Anxi* was not yet a resting place, and this was not yet a barren desert. It was a place where the Gods descended upon the mortal world. The Candlemaster leaped out from this mirror, bringing fire and light to this World. —This is the original body of the Twin, which was discarded.”
