Chapter 562: Act 309 – The Wrathful Maelstrom VI
In fact, when he was in the Black Forest, Mephistopheles’ power had not yet reached today’s level; he could barely hold his ground against the Elemental Lord Andisha, who dominated the realm of elements.
However, after the battle with Andisha, his understanding of the Gray Realm deepened, allowing him to break through the pinnacle of the Enlightened Element and enter the Extreme Realm. According to Brendel’s knowledge of history, this extraordinary genius swordsman would not reach this level for another five years. At this rate, it was not impossible for him to eventually enter the Sage Domain during the Great Era.
The Five Realms of Element.
Enlightened Element, the Side of Truth, Pinnacle Laws, Extreme Realm, Sage Domain.
Since the most distant era began, the rules of the world and magic ‘Tiamat’ inscribed such rules, five ‘worlds’ beyond the Enlightened Element, traversed by people like travelers — only by crossing them could they reach what Martha called the ‘Final Realm.’
The first world, the Truth and Thorns Wall of Uvisto, was the wall of elements. Only by crossing this long wall, which spanned the line of world rules, could one reach the first world. Mortals referred to it as the Enlightened Element, which touched the world of truth.
The second world, the White Tower of Ovelia, was said to support all order in Vaunte; it was the starting and ending point of all laws, forming a super-circle called ‘the world’ centered around it. Martha inscribed all truths and laws upon the White Tower, while travelers circled the tower, climbing upwards to understanding the true meanings of the world.
It was as if children walked hand in hand with the elders; mortals called it being at the Side of Truth.
The third world, the Spiral Pinnacle, the Holy Mountain Yuktelakhil, was said to be the birthplace of all truths. Above the White Tower, a massive spiral stood in complete opposition to it, serving as its reflection; it was a chaotic land, described by the Song of Azure as Martha’s homeland. Here, chaos and order stood in ultimate opposition and harmony, where black and white coexisted. Fragments of the old world floated in endless distortion, with Vaunte rooted in this soil, simultaneously depicting the past, present, and future.
After grasping the Pinnacle Laws here, one entered the Extreme Realm, the Holy Hall.
The fourth world, the Final Plain.
This was the initial place where Martha created Vaunte, now reduced to a gray-white plain where the most primal powers and elements surged. Looking up, the sky was a sea of magic, vast and ceaseless, forever flowing in one direction — that of time, space, and all energy — making it the closest lower world to Vaunte, almost like Vaunte’s shadow.
Finally, the fifth world, the Lake of All Origins, the place of the initial birth of life. It was said this place was connected to the Abyss Pool of the Blind Goddess Yilian, revealing all secrets and truths, even the future. Only by reaching this place could mortals return to their true selves, transcending into holiness, stepping into the realm of true sages.
Thus it was called the Sage Domain by mortals.
Of course, it was not truly necessary to reach these worlds. But as one’s power gradually increased, mortals would slowly begin to see these phenomena in the spiritual world, much like Brendel touching the Wall of Elements, that invisible wall of laws that indeed existed within his spiritual world.
In the present, Mephistopheles had already stepped into the last barrier of transcending into holiness; in fact, after that battle with Andisha, he had already glimpsed the ultimate meaning of the Spiral Pinnacle. The sacred land had long since opened its doors to him.
The ultimate meaning of the Gray Element.
He stood there, the giant sword that made him famous still sheathed behind him, merely offering a quiet smile to the two high-ranking priests, two temple knights, and High Priest Merros of Cruz, as if the world had transformed into a colorless gray, drawing people deeply into it; in the gray world, there was no black or white, no relative poles, and time had no flow or stasis to speak of. The state of matter knew neither demise nor existence; everything lingered in a state between the poles.
Thus, there was no concept of attack or defense for Mephistopheles; in his laws, life and death were both void, existence held no meaning. He merely stood there before Merros, who was high above, feeling the hair on his neck stand on end, sensing that one glance from the other could reduce him to ashes.
An existence even less valuable than ashes.
“Extreme Realm?” Merros’ expression changed.
“Why I am here, Merros, you know best.” Mephistopheles did not answer, but said, “I know where you were when my homeland perished.”
With these words, the High Priest of the Andorflor Great Temple realized that today could not end well. “Mephistopheles, it’s not too late to regret now.” He gestured to his subordinates.
Receiving the order, a temple knight thrust his sword towards Mephistopheles, but the Gray Saint seemed oblivious, letting the blade pass through his body. “Cleverness won’t save you, Merros; today you are doomed.”
Everyone witnessed this bizarre scene, in the gray world — clearly just a moment ago they were still in the hall of the Rocksh Palace, but the next moment the entire world transformed into a gray-white wilderness. The Gray Saint stood at the center of this wilderness, and when the temple knight stabbed, it felt as though he had pierced through a sheet of paper, or perhaps a phantom.
But Mephistopheles’ ‘illusion’ continued to speak: “Aidenlant, the Wind Knight of the temple, with such a grand reputation.” He waved his hand, and the giant sword behind him traced an unparalleled arc — it seemed like an illusion, yet the heavy thud of a sound as if it hit a dying leather was heard, and the arm holding the sword of the temple knight was suddenly severed.
Countless droplets of blood spewed forth, and the temple knight screamed, frantically using what remained of his other arm to protect himself. The azure law lines extended along the direction of his arm, weaving into a massive shield.
The wind was soft and intangible, yet sharp as steel, but it did not save his life. Mephistopheles’ lead-gray sword glided beneath his arm, assimilating the azure law lines that passed through it as if they were crumbling to dust.
“If time does not flow, then the wind has naturally ceased.”
Mephistopheles stabbed his sword into the knight’s heart, the blade penetrating two-thirds deep, even piercing through the knight’s armor behind him. Aidenlant struggled futilely, like a lobster strung up, making choking sounds before slumping over, lifeless.
A prestigious temple knight of the Elemental Stage fell on the spot without even managing a single strike. Except for Brendel, almost all present swallowed hard.
“Now!” Merros let out a low growl: “I bear the Holy Edict, in the name of the Holy Flame King Diphith, let this pure flame purify all sins in the world.”
He pointed forward, and the temperature within the Rocksh Palace suddenly soared. The ground in the hall seemed to crack, and accumulating water instantly evaporated into white smoke; the ground rumbled and shook, golden light burst forth from the fissures, and the marble columns of the Andorflor Great Temple crumbled as a sea of flames and lava erupted from below.
In an instant, the hall resembled a scene from hell.
“Flame of the Edict!”
Brendel and Gray Saint Mephistopheles simultaneously cursed in their hearts. Among those present, probably only the two of them recognized the danger; one experienced in two lifetimes, the other had been at odds with the Cruz people and the Temple of Fire for years, so they immediately recognized that the holy spell Merros was casting was indeed the ten-ring spell, the Flame of the Edict.
Once this spell was invoked, the Andorflor Great Temple would practically become a historical relic. Brendel cursed inwardly at the madman; however, this was neither the time for cursing, so he quickly pulled back Nemeses and Princess Grifian. He saw cracks emerging across the ground, as golden flames erupted from the earth’s surface, and anything touched by the flames instantaneously turned to ash.
His quick reaction was fortunate, but the noble envoys faired poorly; most were caught in the flames at first, screaming as they turned to ash.
As a mage, Charles reacted extremely quickly, casting a protective spell to shield those around him. However, the protective spell was not omnipotent; the sea of fire was steadily advancing, and it would soon engulf them all.
“Charles!” Brendel called urgently: “Blow this temple apart for me!”
“Ah?” Charles was taken aback: “My lord, are you sure? This temple is priceless; it was built centuries ago and is the labor of a great master; it’s a cultural treasure of Erluin!”
“Mister Brendel, you can’t do that!” Princess Grifian also couldn’t help but scold.
“Stop talking nonsense, blow it up!” Brendel thought it was not the time to hesitate; from the looks of it, Merros seemed ready to demolish the place too. If they did not blow it up now, they would likely be the ones demolished.
“I understand.”
Charles immediately became serious; he looked up at the crystal dome of the temple and raised a hand: “Destructive Law, the Authority of the Dragon of War Tiamat, Dragon Strike—”
Suddenly, a pale blue beam of light appeared in his outstretched hand, seemingly penetrating the dome of the Rocksh Palace, one end centered on Charles’ palm and the other connecting to the overcast sky —
In the next instant.
The flow of time slowed; space rapidly concentrated around the center of his palm until it formed a singularity; in a moment, a bright white light exploded from that point, as if the entire space underwent a bizarre expansion…
Then came a massive shockwave.
All those not touched by the flames instinctively looked up, only to see the upper half of the Andorflor Great Temple seemingly pushed apart by this shockwave; stones, wood, tiles, glass, and crystal disintegrated, collapsing in all directions, then the whole thing erupted outward.
Boom!
From several miles away, even the whole Ampere Seale witnessed this explosion; anyone in the harbor, as well as those above it, couldn’t help but stop and stare, dumbfounded at the upper half of the Andorflor Great Temple being blown apart.
The Rocksh Palace — at this moment, had become a site of open ruins — everyone inside the palace stiffened, their gazes turned towards the young man responsible for all of this.
“Brendel, you…” Princess Grifian bit her lip tightly, her face pale, nearly fainting from anger.
Brendel couldn’t help but facepalmed himself, “Charles, I told you to blow up the Rocksh Palace, not the entire Andorflor Great Temple…”
“But you said to blow this temple apart, my lord.” Charles looked innocent.
“That was a misunderstanding.” Brendel glanced nervously at Princess Grifian.
The future regent princess was so enraged that she could not speak.
The Andorflor Great Temple was one of Erluin’s most precious cultural relics, and most importantly, it was built on the original site of the former sovereign Eke’s palace.
“It’s alright; besides, isn’t half still intact?” Charles replied optimistically. However, his words had barely finished when a loud noise was heard, and a column of lava erupted from underground. Following that, countless streaks of fire and magma surged from between the rubble, and in an instant, the remaining structure of the Andorflor Great Temple was engulfed in a sea of fire.
The ground continued to tremble and roar, clearly indicating that the true power of the ten-ring spell was still buried within, preparing to unleash its final fury upon this temple.
Brendel’s expression suddenly changed. “Quick, get out of here!”
In fact, there was no need for him to remind anyone; within the hall — if there was still a hall — the remaining people had already begun to panic, pushing and shoving as they scattered.
“Wait, what about that uncle?” Dierphir shouted.
Brendel glanced towards the sea of flames; the fire had completely obscured the figures of Merros and the Gray Saint. But he shook his head, “Don’t worry, Merros is not his opponent. What we should be worried about is ourselves…”
“We?”
Brendel nodded seriously.
……(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please support it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation votes and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)
