No one responded to Gavin. Everyone stood in stunned silence, trying to process the shock they had just witnessed.
No one had expected they would truly come face-to-face with someone from 30,000 years ago.
Luca, however, was focused on something different from the others. His gaze was fixed on the chest of the person in the crystal coffin.
Although the crystal provided a barrier, he could still see it clearly: there was a pearl, roughly the size of an apple, emitting a faint glow right where the person’s heart should be.
For a moment, Luca’s heart seemed to stop, and he exhaled a slow breath. “After all this time, I’ve finally found it.”
“Celestial Pearl…” Sophia whispered, a flicker of purple energy flashing in her eyes, only to vanish almost instantly.
“This person isn’t right. Don’t get too close,” Luca warned, not allowing himself to relax just because the Celestial Pearl was within sight. His eyes remained fixed on the young man in the coffin.
A corpse that had not decayed for thousands of years was already rare enough, but one that remained perfectly preserved after ten thousand years? That was something far more dangerous.
Moreover, this person possessed the Celestial Pearl, so who knew what kind of power could be at play here?
The others hesitated, not making any sudden moves.
Luca stepped forward cautiously.
As he approached, he could see that the crystal coffin contained the body of a handsome young man, someone who appeared to be only a few years older than Luca himself. The young man was dressed in splendid royal robes, wearing a crown, his eyes tightly closed, and his hands folded on his abdomen, as if he were merely asleep.
Could this be a corpse from ten thousand years ago?
A chill ran down his spine, but he pushed forward, determined. If he couldn’t find the Celestial Pearl, then so be it, but now that it was right in front of him, it would be ridiculous to give up out of fear of an “undead corpse.”
Luca cautiously drew a Diamond-level staff from his belt.
After a brief moment of consideration, he put the Diamond-level staff away and replaced it with a Gold Grade staff, which he placed carefully on top of the crystal coffin.
Buzz—! A powerful wave of energy suddenly surged from the coffin, and in an instant, the Gold Grade staff was reduced to dust, crumbling away into nothingness.
Luca’s reflexes were lightning-fast. The moment the energy surged, he immediately let go of the staff.
Almost as soon as his hand left the staff, it disintegrated into golden powder and vanished into the air.
“Hiss!” The others gasped in shock, and Luca felt cold sweat bead on his forehead.
Such overwhelming power!
At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that he had used a Gold Grade item instead of something more precious.
“The Crystal Coffin is protected by the Celestial Pearl. You can’t open it by brute force.” Sophia said, stepping closer to Luca.
Luca glanced at her and asked, “Is there another way? We’ve finally found it. We can’t just stand here and watch.”
Sophia paused to think for a moment and then replied, “If we use divine blood, it might be able to open.”
Divine blood—blood of the gods.
The gods had an intricate connection with the Celestial Pearl, and the blood of most gods could trigger a response from the Celestial Pearl.
Of course, it wasn’t just the gods. Beings with a divine body also had divine blood flowing through their veins. For example, Luca, Sophia, and Fratis—all three of them had divine blood, though the divine power contained within it was not as vast as that of true gods.
Luca’s eyes flickered with understanding as he smiled and asked, “So, should I do it, or will you?”
Sophia shook her head without expression. “The divine blood in my veins has been tainted by Zenobia’s power. If I use my blood, it might backfire and cause the Celestial Pearl to go berserk.”
“Then I’ll use mine,” Luca said, without further explanation. He drew a Superclass dagger from his storage ring and slashed it across the palm of his other hand.
Golden blood began to flow slowly from the wound, and then the injury began to heal rapidly, revealing his formidable physical prowess.
The blood dripped onto the crystal coffin, and the Celestial Pearl within visibly trembled. The blood ignored the coffin entirely, swiftly seeping into the pearl.
Luca could clearly feel a connection between himself and the Celestial Pearl at that moment. The faintly glowing barrier surrounding the coffin completely vanished.
He then tested it with two other weapons to make sure nothing unexpected would happen, and, when satisfied, placed his hand on the crystal coffin.
Nothing occurred.
Luca applied gentle pressure with his hand.
Creeeak—! The crystal coffin began to open slowly, revealing the corpse inside.
It hadn’t oxidized. Even the royal robes on the body looked as fresh as if they had just been put on.
Luca gave the body a glance, then reached out to take the Celestial Pearl.
But just as he moved, a pale, slender hand shot toward the Celestial Pearl with faster speed.
However, Luca’s movement was quicker!
Boom!!
A golden spear swept through the air, and Sophia’s hand collided forcefully with the Solar Divine Spear. A burst of terrifying power erupted at the point of contact!
The Solar Divine Flame flared up, and both of their figures were sent flying backward.
The crystal coffin and the corpse inside, protected by the Celestial Pearl, remained completely undamaged.
Seeing the sudden escalation between the two, Gavin and the others were left stunned, their mouths agape.
What is happening? Why are Lady Sophia and Lord Luca suddenly fighting?
“You didn’t think I’d forgotten about you, did you? Zenobia.” Luca said with a smile, looking at Sophia, whose face had turned ashen, her eyes glowing purple.
Since entering Seacastle, he had been quietly keeping an eye out for Zenobia. The moment Sophia had reminded him of the Celestial Pearl’s location, he had sensed something was off and had silently prepared for action.
Zenobia, her face cold with fury, responded, “Human, give me the Celestial Pearl, and I will spare your life. If you refuse to comply, I won’t hesitate to send you to your grave!”
“You can try,” Luca said as he lightly tapped the ground with the Solar Divine Spear.
Buzz!
A series of magic runes suddenly spread out across the ground!
High-level magic runes and Superclass magic runes were densely layered, and there were at least a hundred of them. Among them was even a Transcendent-level magic rune. Multicolored lights surrounded Luca, creating a stunning and awe-inspiring sight.
The Magic Runes Domain!
“You’re courting death!” Zenobia sneered, raising her hand. A dark purple light suddenly flashed in her palm.
Power gathered, and the sky rumbled with thunder! Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire
A bolt of purple lightning, like a spear, shot down toward Luca’s head with terrifying speed!
“Be careful!” Ellie and the others shouted in alarm.
Luca narrowed his eyes, his feet glowing with silver light. In an instant, he disappeared from his original position.
Boom! The purple lightning struck the ground where Luca had just been, the destructive force of sinful desire swirling like a hurricane. The magic runes domain that Luca had just established was instantly shattered.
Zenobia’s expression changed sharply, her anger flaring. “You dare!”
At the same time, Luca appeared in front of the crystal coffin, without hesitation reaching for the Celestial Pearl.
“The legacy of the Sun’s Dawn… I didn’t expect it to still exist…” The moment Luca grasped the Celestial Pearl, an ancient voice echoed in his mind. At the same time, he felt an overwhelming surge of pure power flooding into his body.
Boom!! A violent shockwave erupted, centered on Luca.
As the surrounding grass and soil were whipped up into a tornado, completely engulfing him!
Under the influence of this power, Luca’s divine energy, which had been stagnant for so long, suddenly began to grow at an astonishing rate. In the blink of an eye, it broke through 1000 points.
At the same time, a pressure that reached the Divine Realm suddenly exploded from Luca’s body!
The sky darkened, clouds gathered, and the atmosphere became eerily heavy.
Luca’s body floated into the air, surrounded by flashing lights of various colors.
Divine energy, witchcraft power, magic, blood energy… all his abilities began to surge wildly under the enhancement of the Celestial Pearl!
“Is this the power of the Celestial Pearl?” Luca marveled inwardly as he felt the power flowing within him.
Back in Dawn City, he had learned about the Celestial Pearl’s abilities. He knew it could amplify powers, and he had heard that the extent of its enhancement was terrifying—enough to allow someone in the Divine Realm, like Zenobia, to face the entire Divine Court directly.
At that time, he hadn’t fully grasped the concept.
Now, he understood what it felt like to have one’s strength multiplied by tens, even hundreds of times in an instant!
Under this surge of power, even though he was still only a Superclass-level practitioner, Zenobia, who was in a sealed state, might not be his opponent anymore.
It felt absolutely exhilarating!
“As for what you said earlier, I’m returning it to you now.” Luca turned to Zenobia, whose eyes burned with murderous intent. A provocative smile played at his lips as he said, “Leave Sophia’s body, and I’ll spare your life. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to shatter your divine soul!”
“Do you really think I’m afraid of you?” Zenobia gritted her teeth, and the power of sin surged violently around her, a terrifying aura that made even the others feel their legs trembling.
Though the murderous intent in her eyes almost overflowed, in the end, she still refrained from attacking.
She knew her own situation all too well. Sophia was merely temporarily suppressed by her. The divine spell she was currently drawing to try to fight back, combined with her weakened strength, meant that she was facing both internal and external struggles.
If she fought Luca now, she would surely lose.
Just as she was about to unleash some angry words, Zenobia’s gaze suddenly caught something in the corner of her eye, and her expression brightened.
At the same time, a strange feeling of danger rose in Luca’s heart.
And it was coming from behind him!
That corpse? How could he have forgotten about it?! Luca’s expression changed, and although he reacted quickly, immediately using space magic runes to shift his position, he was still a step too late.
A bony hand, sharp and defined, shot out from behind him, grasping the Celestial Pearl in his hand like lightning.
Then, a force, no weaker than Zenobia’s, exploded from the corpse!
To the shock of everyone present, the figure lying in the crystal coffin suddenly stood up!
The magnificent royal robes fluttered in the wind as the young man, crowned with a golden crown, gazed down from above, his eyes like stars in the sky. He looked at Luca with disdain and coldly said, “A mere Superclass, daring to steal the greatest treasure of my Farlenben… you truly have an audacious spirit!”
His voice carried an overwhelming pressure.
As the words fell, everyone felt a pressure like a mountain descend upon them.
Thud! Thud!
Except for Luca and Zenobia, everyone else’s legs buckled, and they dropped to their knees.
Ellie, in particular, turned pale, trembling all over.
She looked up at the young man, and from his presence, she could feel a deep-rooted fear and awe rising from her very bloodline!
The last king of Farlenben—Vittorio Gray!