The Power in the Depths of the Castle

A figure soared out from the castle and crashed onto the beach, sending sand spraying in all directions. It was a woman with a voluptuous, fiery figure clad in dark greenish-black illusory scales. She had short, deep-blue hair, fin-shaped ears, and wielded a steel trident. Standing on the sand, she watched the warships sailing toward Paphos Island, twirled her trident, and struck the sea with a heavy blow. A deep azure halo spread across the water. In an instant, the calm sea surged into monstrous waves, hoisting the warships high into the air before slamming them down violently. Like flimsy skiffs trapped in a tempest, they seemed on the verge of being swallowed by the ocean at any moment. Dark clouds rolled across the sky, blotting out the sun. Lightning flickered faintly as a downpour loomed. High above, Zhang Yuanqing scrutinized the voluptuous woman and immediately identified her from the information Herasine had provided. Cynthia the Siren, child of Aphrodite, Goddess of Beauty. Unlike Aphrodite's demigod children, Cynthia possessed an innate ability to command sea beasts. When she was happy, the sea was calm and serene; when she was angry, the sea churned with violent surges. On Paphos Island, there had always been disputes regarding Cynthia's parentage. Aphrodite publicly claimed that Cynthia was the child of the God of War, but Cynthia had inherited the bloodline of a siren. Consequently, the slaves privately shared an unspoken consensus: Cynthia was the child of that ocean god. Even so, Aphrodite was notoriously fickle and amorous, boasting countless lovers. Whether god or mortal, everyone had grown accustomed to it, so there was no real need to dwell on Cynthia's parentage. Under the canopy of dark clouds, heavy rain poured down. Over a dozen warships bobbed and drifted amidst the churning waves, their decks shedding warriors into the sea with every violent roll. Right then, a grand, resonant chanting echoed from the lead warship. As if infused with some mystical strength, the tossing warships billowed their sails and surged forward together. When waves rose, they crested the swells; when waves crashed down, they skillfully maneuvered around them. No matter how violent the storm grew, it could no longer threaten the vessels. Watching this unfold, Zhang Yuanqing raised an eyebrow. He could not identify which known class the power within that chanting belonged to. The only possibility was that it belonged to an entirely new class—the class of the God of Light. Yet the God of Light class was not present in the First District. While his thoughts flickered, Cynthia leaped from the beach and plunged headfirst into the sea. Moments later, the raging waters parted with a deafening splash, and a tentacle dozens of meters long shot out, coiling around one of the warships. The tentacle tightened and twisted. Creaks and snaps rang out as fractures rapidly webbed across the hull until the ship shattered completely. Warriors tumbled into the water one after another, swallowed by the waves, while the more powerful combatants leaped onto neighboring warships just as their vessel broke apart. More tentacles burst through the waves, lunging toward the warships shrouded in faint golden light. At that moment, a magnificent, solemn tenor boomed from the lead warship: "The God of Light prophesies: the warships shall ultimately set foot on Paphos Island, conquer it, and destroy it!" The words had barely fallen when the sea suddenly bulged, revealing a dark greenish-black back vast enough to resemble a small continent. It was an enormous whale. Releasing a desolate, ethereal cry, it hurled itself at the source of the tentacles. The two sea beasts clashed violently beneath the surface, churning up swells that nearly submerged the warships. *Does the God of Light class also have the ability to tame sea beasts? Did the prophecy command the giant whale, or did it merely foresee its appearance?* This was the second time Zhang Yuanqing had witnessed the power of prophecy. The first had been at Qinfeng Academy, with the President's fragment of the Compass of Light, which could "forcefully" prophesy by having whatever was written on it come to pass. Whatever was inscribed on it was guaranteed to become reality. Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds. Drawing upon his knowledge of the Compass of Light, he pieced together a rough understanding of prophecy: short-term prophecies that did not involve high status could alter fate and become reality. Prophecies concerning major future trends or involving high-status items and beings, however, were pure divination that could neither be modified nor manipulated. Just then, the sea bulged once more. Amidst erupting white foam, a figure a hundred zhang tall materialized, condensed from hundreds to thousands of tons of seawater, mirroring Cynthia's exact likeness. Holding a trident, this hundred-zhang figure thrust viciously toward the lead warship. Suddenly, the warships tossing on the sea turned into flashbangs, erupting with a white light far more blazing than the sun. The hundred-zhang avatar Cynthia had formed seemed blinded by the glare and froze stiffly in place. High above, Zhang Yuanqing also shut his eyes as a sharp sting stabbed through them. Opening his eyes a dozen seconds later, he looked down at the sea, only to find that the warships of the God of Light had already retreated. *They retreated?* *Just like that?* Zhang Yuanqing was utterly baffled. This was nothing like what he had imagined. Weren't the followers of the God of Light supposed to be extremely formidable? Hadn't they put the entire island of Paphos on edge, mobilizing everyone for war? *I haven't even finished cooking my instant noodles, and you're already calling it quits?* Zhang Yuanqing could not help grumbling inwardly. From that brief clash, it was easy to see that the followers of the God of Light did not seem to possess especially potent, highly destructive attack methods. Instead, they had an abundance of flashy, bizarre spells. *Well, judging from Cynthia's aura, she's a late-stage level 8 Siren. Without ocean-related authority, breaking through her blockade to make landfall would be extraordinarily difficult...* Zhang Yuanqing judged that this was likely why the followers had chosen to pull back rather than launch a brute-force assault. Even if they made landfall after taking heavy casualties, they would still have to face Aphrodite's other children and countless followers, making the outcome uncertain. *The golden light shrouding the warships seemed like the divine power of the sun, but it was far too faint. Looking at it this way, the Compass of Light, which shares the same source as the sun, really is an item belonging to the God of Light class.* *Then what is the relationship between the God of Light and the Day Wanderer?* Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows in deep thought. *** Mounted atop a giant tiger with a human face, a tiger's body, and nine long tails, Heavenly King Demonic Eye finally arrived in the Zhuolu region after an entire day and night of hard riding. Looking across the expanse, a boundless, impenetrable fog blanketed the wilderness, forests, rivers, and sky, stretching for who knew how many hundreds of li. It seemed as though the entire world had been reduced to nothing but thick fog. Demonic Eye had never witnessed fog of such an exaggerated scale. Those who had released it were the legendary fiend god Chi You, seventy-nine Ancient Gods of War, and countless Mist Lords. At the same time, he was astounded that the ancient orthodox faction had been able to battle the Jiuli tribe within this dense fog for three days and three nights. It clearly showed that both sides had committed an unprecedented number of troops and experts, rare across all of history. Even in reality, where the orthodox and evil factions were on the brink of their final war, it would be impossible to recreate the grand scale of the Battle of Zhuolu. *In the Battle of Zhuolu, demigod-level experts are plentiful, and level 9 Dominators are a dime a dozen. As long as I keep away from the main battlefield, I shouldn't encounter any demigods.* *I'll definitely run into level 9 Dominators, but fortunately, I have companions by my side. As long as I suppress my Bloodthirsty Rampage, stay rational, and play it safe when encountering powerful foes, I have decent odds of survival...* *Yet if I do that, the most I can achieve is clearing an S-rank dungeon. It's unlikely I'll draw the gaze of the Supreme Being. What must I do to win His gaze and receive His blessing?* Demonic Eye pondered the true purpose behind entering this dungeon. To draw the gaze of the Supreme Being, the best way was to perform exceptionally well in the war. However, even though he had now advanced to level 8, he was far from top-tier combat strength in a terrifying conflict like the Battle of Zhuolu. Drawing too much attention would only get him swatted to death by a peak Dominator or a demigod. As he was lost in thought, Man, the Ancient God of War riding a three-headed black leopard, let out an excited roar toward the sky, swept his massive hand forward, and bellowed: "Kill!" Hundreds of Mist Lords wearing bronze demon masks led mutated beasts, charging into the dense fog. Demonic Eye's blood silently boiled. The instinct of an Ancient God of War stirred an involuntary frenzy within him now that he was immersed in a large-scale war. Casting aside his stray thoughts, he followed Man and charged into the fog. *** Night fell. Having won a victorious battle, Paphos Island was ablaze with bonfires, filled with singing and dancing. The castle was brightly illuminated. Slaves wove across the lawns carrying fine wine and roasted meat, while guards gathered around the fires, laughing boisterously as they downed large bowls of wine and devoured huge chunks of meat. Young female slaves swayed their waists, dancing to an eccentric rhythm. Holding a miniature harp, Cupid fluttered lightly above the crowd, plucking a merry tune. Zhang Yuanqing and Herasine joined the victory celebration as well, though they remained among the slave leaders. "Great Cynthia, my goddess, you have protected the safety of Paphos Island!" "With Lady Cynthia guarding the waters of Paphos Island, the followers of the God of Light will never set foot on our shores!" The guards offered sincere praise and adoration. Cynthia's expression, however, remained sullen, because the star of the banquet was not her, but her younger sister, Saiketia. Saiketia had inherited Aphrodite's beauty and was the Goddess of Beauty's most dazzling, radiant child. Wherever she went, she was the center of attention. Women envied her, and men adored her. Sipping his fruit wine, Zhang Yuanqing scrutinized Saiketia from afar. She possessed platinum hair, skin as smooth and lustrous as milk, and exquisitely delicate features. Every smile and glance she cast radiated intoxicating allure. Over a dozen slaves knelt around her, scrambling to attend to her every need. Drunken guards showered her with praise, their gazes overflowing with adoration and infatuation. Suddenly, a sharp twist of pain struck Zhang Yuanqing's waist as a fair, delicate little hand pinched him viciously. Puffing out her cheeks, Herasine said angrily, "Amini, you said I was the most beautiful woman!" "You are, you are..." Zhang Yuanqing brushed her off casually. "Your eyes have been glued to Saiketia the whole time!" Herasine snapped. *Nonsense! Can you compare to a Dominator-level Desire?* Zhang Yuanqing muttered inwardly, then promptly cast Emotional Soothing on her. Herasine instantly calmed down and said with delight, "Amini, the followers of the God of Light aren't as formidable as the rumors made them out to be. With Goddess Cynthia guarding Paphos Island, we're completely safe. "Once Lady Aphrodite brings back reinforcements and defeats the God of Light, the crisis on Paphos Island will be resolved!" *Unfortunately, the Goddess of Beauty will never return. In reality, she will be killed by the God of Light while passing through a forest!* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. After humoring Herasine with a few more words, he directed his gaze toward the god's children once more. At present, one child of the god had yet to make an appearance: Eriga, who held dominion over the sky. From the moment Zhang Yuanqing had entered the dungeon until this victory banquet, Eriga had not shown up once. *Does he have social anxiety, or is he not on the island?* After murmuring a remark in his head, Zhang Yuanqing shifted his thoughts back to the dungeon itself. After the God of Light's followers retreated, he had scouted the island. This irregularly shaped landmass had a diameter of roughly ten kilometers. It possessed abundant resources, with vast stretches of forest and pasture. The fauna primarily consisted of penned goats and cattle. There were no crop fields, and the followers on the island sustained themselves on wild fruits and fishing. Zhang Yuanqing had found nothing else out of the ordinary. The map was remarkably simple. As for the figures on it, aside from the five children of the god—including Cupid—everyone else was negligible, including the dozen or so demigod bastards. On his third day in the dungeon, enemies had finally appeared, yet the encounter had barely involved him. *In terms of difficulty, this isn't normal. It doesn't even match an A-rank like Ruler of a Fallen Nation,* Zhang Yuanqing mused. The simpler things seemed, the more uneasy he felt. A delayed crisis only meant that when it finally erupted, it would be all the more terrifying. Yet the map had already been searched, and the interpersonal dynamics were straightforward. There was truly nowhere left to explore. At that thought, he turned his gaze toward the soaring clock tower and the towering domed structures. *I haven't explored the castle!* *I'll search it late tonight...* Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head and drank his wine. Once the banquet ended, Zhang Yuanqing returned to his quarters. As a slave leader, he naturally lived within the castle grounds. All the slaves resided in a domed building on the western side of the castle. Zhang Yuanqing's room was small, under thirty square meters. Aside from a bed and basic daily necessities, it was practically bare. Of course, desks and wardrobes were nonexistent concepts in this era; simplicity was the prevailing theme. He washed his face with clean water from a wooden bucket, kicked off his straw sandals, and lay down on the bed for a moment. Before long, the wooden door was quietly pushed open, and a pretty head peeked inside. It was Herasine. Neither of them spoke. With tacit understanding, they shut the door and undressed... Shortly after, the crude wooden bed began playing its creaking symphony. *** Late at night, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly opened his eyes from a sound sleep. He had not awakened naturally; rather, a faint, elusive surge of mysterious power had startled him awake. That power originated from deep within the castle. Its rank was exceedingly high—high enough to startle him awake. Yet at the same time, its aura was remarkably faint, radiating outward unconsciously rather than targeting anyone specifically. It felt as though some extraordinarily high-ranking, powerful object had leaked a trace of its might.