NOVEL NEXT Chapter226-Ancient Sacred Artifacts Displayed Everywhere
Bimat Highlands, Marchin Family Castle.
Marchin sat alone on the throne.
At this moment, his gaze was hollow, his fingers absentmindedly tapping the gilded armrests.
"Tens of thousands of Stellar-rank warriors..."
This phrase echoed repeatedly in his mind, like a curse!
He couldn't understand why Aurek's foundation seemed like an endless abyss.
With such a vast number of Stellar-rank warriors, why did he still send so many Peak Master-rank warriors to subdue Blade City and Crimson Hills?
Was it just for fun?
The Libera Kingdom, the southern Akloroi Federation, the Frostborne Kingdom in the north, and the western territories had all fallen.
How could Bimat Highlands be any different?
The scales of this era had never tipped in his favor; they had never favored the Marchin family!
Ten thousand years ago, though the ancestor Veynar had humiliated the Marchin family, at least they had left a path to retreat.
Now, that last path had been completely severed, and he had no way out.
The battle flag of the Filo Empire fluttered at the border.
The fate of the Marchin family seemed like a candle in the wind.
And the empire's iron hooves—tens of thousands of Stellar-rank warriors—were sweeping toward Bimat Highlands like a torrential downpour.
His only hope was the Oracle Mountain, praying for that faint glimmer of a divine miracle.
...
At the peak of Oracle Mountain,
Lars stood on the floating terrace, gazing at the surging sea of clouds in the distance, letting out a long sigh.
"Fate is so tangled..."
"How could mortal hands possibly control the chessboard of fate..."
The aged voice echoed on the stargazing platform, and his figure turned into countless starlight, dissipating into the air.
...
With the destruction of several Half-Overlord Rank forces,
The Eye of the Firmament, Stellar Holy Sword, Inferno Blade, Ancient God-Beast Skin Drum, and Shattered Divine Oracle—these legendary sacred artifacts—were now displayed in the emperor's palace.
Among them, the Eye of the Firmament was an ancient artifact of the same rank as the Glamour Holy Sword, once the pride of those forces, containing terrifying power capable of shaking the heavens.
However, Aurek's gaze often lingered more on the Ancient God-Beast Skin Drum and the Shattered Divine Oracle!
The death waves from the Ancient God-Beast Skin Drum could instantly injure five thousand Stellar-rank warriors and even obliterate large numbers of high-level summoned creatures.
Such unimaginable power!
Even those legendary ancient sacred artifacts likely didn't possess such abilities.
And this was the result after just three strikes!
What if it were struck four or five times... or even more?
If it weren't for the sage-rank heart of the Brotherhood of the Old Gods' leader being unable to withstand the backlash and shattering, preventing a fourth strike, even Overthunder and the others might not have escaped unscathed.
The extraordinary nature of this artifact surpassed that of ordinary ancient sacred artifacts, and its true power was unfathomable.
No wonder even Empress Selene had such a strong desire to covet this item.
Then there was the Shattered Divine Oracle.
It was half a scroll containing the sacred text that led to the highest realm!
Its true name was "The Song of the Gods' Resonance!"
According to its records, mastering this scroll would allow one to control the divine fire and achieve ultimate eternity!
Aurek attempted to decipher its contents,
But he felt as though every rune connected to an independent world of laws, blocking his search for the truth.
Aurek decided to set it aside for now.
Perhaps his rank was not high enough, or perhaps the key to unlocking the secrets had not yet been found.
He would explore it further later.
After all, this was a sacred text that could guide one to immortality; the word "eternity" was an irresistible temptation for any power-seeker.
Naturally, Aurek valued it immensely.
Winston, Chuck, and the others waited nearby.
Watching these ancient sacred artifacts, which could drive even sage-rank beings mad, casually displayed like ordinary goods on the floor, Chuck's breathing grew noticeably faster.
"Send orders to Truva, Kasskazit City, and all the provinces bordering the southeast, south, and northern borders to immediately dispatch troops to reclaim all the empire's lost territories,"
Aurek issued the command.
The Brotherhood of the Old Gods, Skyeye Guild, and Sunlit Chapel had been completely eradicated.
Duke Frostborne and others were like sitting ducks, no longer a threat.
"Understood!"
Winston and the others were filled with surging emotions.
The western, northern, and southern territories had been reclaimed, and now only Bimat Highlands remained.
Once it was reclaimed, the empire, with over 1,800 cities, would once again be whole!
And this time, it would be more unshakable than any period in history!
"The execution of the conscription orders must be expedited, and resources must be fully ensured by Lighton."
"All resources accumulated by the Brotherhood of the Old Gods, Sunlit Chapel, and Skyeye Guild will be placed under your full command,"
Aurek added.
Lighton bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, the imperial treasury has been expanded again, and the current reserves are more than enough to support the war effort."
The resources seized from the Half-Overlord Rank forces, such as Blade City and Crimson Hills, were beyond anyone's imagination in their sheer quantity.
Runic armaments, mithril ingots, arcane gold, Energy Stones, high-level energy potions, and more were piled like mountains.
"Your Majesty! The traitor Rhys has been escorted back to Eryndor City."
Gaia stepped forward to report.
Aurek's eyes flashed with disgust.
"Impose the eternal binding, strip away his excess senses, leaving his life but not allowing death."
"Furthermore, anyone associated with the Hyrule War Academy shall be subjected to soul-crushing punishment."
Gaia solemnly accepted the orders.
Aurek waved the others away and exited the palace.
He gazed out at the setting sun, sinking slowly beyond the horizon.
At that moment, in his heart, Sophia's safety was far more important than any piece of land on the empire's map.
...
In the Godfall Canyon,
The last rays of the sunset bathed the primordial forest in a tragic blood-red glow.
Aside from Gersent, who led a thousand-man team searching the outer areas,
Harry, Lucy, Golden Armor, and other strong individuals ventured deep into the dangerous middle section of the canyon.
Despite the deployment of tens of thousands of soldiers, in the vast canyon that spanned across hundreds of provinces, they still felt like grains of sand falling into the sea.
Thus, the tactical adjustment was to have a seasoned veteran lead a team of Stellar-rank warriors, divided into smaller squads to conduct coordinated searches.
Thanks to the teleportation network constructed by the Void Warlocks, the squads were able to maintain close contact.
When Golden Armor's team reached a mountain peak in the middle section that emitted an ominous aura, a dull thud rang out from behind them.
The Void Warlocks immediately locked onto the source of the energy and teleported Golden Armor and his team there.
They appeared on a lake behind the mountain peak.
The lake's surface was churned by a terrifying destructive energy, and massive waves surged into the sky.
This disturbance drew the attention of others, and powerful auras were coming from all directions.
Above the lake, several figures floated, each surrounded by faint golden light.
The leader, a young man in purple robes, looked arrogant, followed by two deep-breathed Stellar-rank warriors and several attendants.
Soon, two forces landed on the east and west shores of the lake.
"It's the Pharmacists' Association and the Sea of Silent Extinction!"
The young man in purple recognized the opponents and his eyes flashed with displeasure.
He wasn't afraid of these people, but he was worried they might interfere with his plans!