Extraordinary pedigree

Chapter 754 [Survival of Civilization·Iron Crown]

Xia Xiu stared at the old man in front of him. The strength of the other party made him realize that if this confrontation continued, it might only make the situation more uncontrollable.

He sighed softly and changed the [Lever of Heaven] in his hand from a battle stick to a more low-key 15-inch magic wand. The silver light quickly faded and turned into a warm brilliance.

The three incarnations gradually disappeared into his body, taking away the suffocating sense of oppression.

He showed his kindness to the old man.

The old man still stood there, his eyes calm and restrained, quietly observing every tiny movement of Xia Xiu.

Xia Xiu noticed that the old man was very surprised by the seeming existence of the [Incarnation of the Master], and... admired it.

“You’re a seeker, right?

You remind me of my father. You are just like my father. You are both children of Vajuma and Mekhane; you are sons of flesh and machine, symbolizing Human civilization originated from the combination of life and reason, and was also limited by the contradiction between these two forces.

You are like my father, you are both Apollos. "

Xia Xiu's eyes narrowed slightly, and his heart was slightly shaken.

[Wazijuma] and [Mehane]...

The two are just different in pronunciation of the old man. In Terran language, these two are [Adabos] and [McCaan].

Judging from the semantics, the old man should not be talking about the think tank, but the existence of the two themselves - the God of Infinity and Brokenness that he covers.

The son of flesh and machine...

The perfect prosthesis...

Once again, he thought of the scene when he was born in Terra, the scene of his awakening on the [Spiral Road], and the deal between the four monarchs and himself.

Before he went to the [Spiral Road], he had been shrouded in a unique Mi Mu, similar to the [obstacle of knowledge and vision] - he had never recalled that his appearance before and after his birth were basically the same. details, and he forgot some of the relevant memories before he came to Terra.

Ever since he participated in the Interpretation War, everything that happened here has been disconnected from the past memories, and has also undergone tremendous changes from the original so-called "game".

Previously, the Four Monarchs turned into the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and made deals with themselves because of the so-called "Perfect Prosthetic Body".

Xia Xiu pondered for a moment, quickly organizing words in his mind.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, I'm listening."

The old man said happily.

"Of course, but I hope your speech is more valuable than silence. My father always said - your speech must be more valuable than silence."

When Xia Xiu heard this, he subconsciously stretched out his left hand to rub his chin.

It seems that if you want to get the answer from this unfathomable being, you must be concise and concise without going into details.

So, he raised his head and asked three simple but profound questions in a clear and calm tone:

"Who are you? Where are you from? What are you doing here?"

Very classic philosophical questions.

After the words fell, the air seemed to be quiet for a moment, and even the echoes around him paused slightly.

The old man was stunned for a moment, and then laughed softly.

His laughter was not loud, but it was as loud as a bell, with a power that penetrated the soul.

He spoke slowly, with appreciation in his voice:

"Three questions get to the point. A wise person uses the fewest words to paint a huge picture."

"Simplicity is the soul of wisdom, verbosity is the body of superficiality." Xia Xiu replied.

Hearing this, the old man became even more happy. His eyes showed some admiration and he adjusted his stance slightly.

"It seems that this old man likes this style of tone..." Xia Xiu thought in his heart, and he was ready to give in to what he liked.

"Great, I like the way you phrased it, now it's time for me to answer."

The old man paused, then slowly raised his hand to tidy up the brown ancient clothes, his movements gentle but with a solemn sense of ceremony.

He stared straight at Xia Xiu, his weather-beaten eyes shining with an indescribable depth of light.

"So, let me answer your first question first - 'Who am I.'"

Before he finished speaking, the old man suddenly took steps and walked slowly towards Xia Xiu.

The footsteps were clear and powerful, and the air seemed to be weighed down by an invisible force.

The old man got closer and closer, until the distance between the two was only an arm's length.

Close enough to easily launch a devastating attack.

Xia Xiu narrowed his eyes slightly, and the light in his golden pupils flickered for a moment. He restrained his instinctive fighting reaction and tightened his fingers on the magic wand slightly, but did not make any hostile move.

He just stood there quietly, staring at the old man in front of him, waiting for his next words.

The old man stopped and stood in front of the blond young man.

His gaze passed over the blond young man's dazzling golden pupils, and a trace of complex emotions flashed through his eyes, which were both probing, a little sarcastic, and even mixed with a touch of imperceptible sadness.

He slowly raised his finger and pointed at the mural on the east wall. The golden man standing before the sun wheel wears a shining crown and holds a silver-tipped staff.

The old man's voice was low but clear, echoing throughout the temple.

"I am the third son of the Sun, the last guardian of Ode Papadopolis."

"My name is Seth."

As he spoke, he raised his chin slightly, like a noble prince.

He added meaningfully:

"I am Set - the real Set."

[Set] - one of the nine gods in the Book of the Dead, the god of drought and storm.

Of course, in addition to this [Set], there is another [Set].

One of the original three sons of man, the brother of Cain and Abel.

Set's eyes fell back on Xia Xiu, and a smile appeared on his face, with an inexplicable deep meaning.

His eyes swept across Xia Xiu's body, and finally stopped on his golden pupils, as if he saw countless hidden secrets from them.

"My eyes saw..." Set whispered, "You have traces of information about other bloodlines of Wazijuma... I feel the fluctuations of the solar boat."

Set's eyes were fixed on Xia Xiu, as if waiting for confirmation.

"You also killed his information owner. I can still feel... my brother's breath on you... [(Cain)]... You killed his information owner with a destined death."

Xia Xiu's fingers gently turned the magic wand, which was a kind of silent defense, and also kept him calm.

He didn't like the old man getting so close to him. The mysterious, leisurely and oppressive aura made him feel uncomfortable.

What made him more alert was the things about him mentioned in the old man's words.

Bodfe II's [Osiris], the Piercer's [Cain]...

The triple halo behind him was trembling slightly at this moment, making a hissing sound of heat dissipation, which was the result of high-intensity ether calculations.

He could feel a strange and cold gaze spying on him.

This gaze was as precise as a razor, bypassing all barriers and reaching the periphery of his information fragments.

As a [Crown], Xia Xiu's existence has long been like an "information integrator". Only information bodies with a deeper level than him can confront at this level.

And Set, obviously, has reached such a level.

Moreover, the other party is observing directly without any concealment, which is a bit provocative.

Despite this, Xia Xiu did not show any panic.

His curiosity overcame all the discomfort at this moment. He tilted his head slightly, and his tone was low but with a hint of interest that was difficult to conceal:

"Cain? Is he your brother?"

Set nodded, and a self-deprecating smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He turned and pointed to a broken mural on the wall. The figure on the mural seemed to have lost its clear face for some reason, and the only remaining outline was blurred and sad.

"The name of this mural," Set whispered, with a trace of deep fatigue and sigh in his voice, "is-'The Betrayal of Three Sons'."

The old man's fingers slid gently on the rough surface of the mural, moving slowly and carefully, as if afraid of disturbing the memories sealed in it.

His eyes stopped on the blurred outline, and heavy emotions flowed from his eyes, as if he was dragged into a distant past by the unforgettable pain.

"His voice was low and slow, and every word seemed to be dug out from the depths of his memory.

"This painting symbolizes the conflict between the three sons, and also foreshadows the division and decline of the kingdom."

"His three sons, they represent - rationality, jealousy and betrayal."

Xia Xiu listened quietly, his eyes following the direction of the old man's finger, and the image on the mural became more and more vivid.

His triple halo flickered slightly, and the phantoms of three incarnations appeared faintly behind him, as if responding to some kind of resonance.

The old man continued:

"The eldest son... He is the embodiment of machinery and rationality. He is known for his logic and calm wisdom, but it is this blind pursuit of rationality that makes him try to replace his father, use logic to strip away human nature, and believe that only machinery and reason are the eternal answers. "

"He gave an impassioned speech to the people of the world, calling for reason and rationality, and asked his father to hand over the throne to him. ”

“The kingdom bowed to the first son and worshipped him as a god, but his father cursed him, saying that his pursuit would lead to irreversible rigidity and destruction, so he would corrupt the land and his followers. ”

“He was exiled and forced to wander in the most desolate place in the world until the sun rose in the west and set in the east.”

The man in the mural had a serious face, holding an exquisitely carved but angular scepter, and his eyes showed indifference and indifference.

“The second son…”

The old man’s finger moved to another place.

“It symbolizes excessive reliance on the power of flesh and blood. He believed that blood and force were the only way to inherit the throne. He rebelled because he was jealous of his father’s power and tried to seize the kingship through violence and conquest. ”

“He built an army, ravaged his father’s land, raised swords and torches, and razed the world to the ground, but he was knocked down by his father and locked in a stone tomb deep underground. "

His finger slid across the image of the strong man on the mural, whose eyes revealed anger and anxiety.

"I think the story is not as simple as it is above. You have overlooked the real contradiction."

Xia Xiu looked at the mural and pointed out a real core issue.

He did not completely believe the words of the man named Seth in front of him, because the other party's words were full of various symbolic meanings.

When the old man spoke, he keenly noticed that something was wrong.

If the eldest son symbolizes machinery, the second son symbolizes flesh and blood.

So, the real conflict lies not with their father, but with their brothers.

For Sarkia and Brokenness.

Xia Xiu has an extraordinary keen intuition.

Seth looked at Xia Xiu and couldn't help but admired again:

"You are indeed the unifier of flesh and machinery."

Seth continued:

"Indeed, there are many details in the story. The story just mentioned is just a macro narrative, and the real details are yet to come.

In fact, the real cause of the war was the conflict between flesh and machinery. At that time, the eldest brother Cain and brother Abel had already fought a war over the throne.

However, there was a brief pause in that war.

At that time, brother Abel came out of his tent and offered peace to my eldest brother Cain.

But at that moment, the eldest brother, who claims to be the most sensible...

He was indeed his father's child, and he still had the most profound instinct to devour everything in [Vazjuma]. He picked up the Iron God's Spear from the ground, and he killed brother Abel.

He pressed Abel's body beneath him and shouted crazily that he was the legal master of heaven and earth and the only legal heir to his father's throne.

Then rationality returned... He burst into tears, regretting everything he had done and feeling extremely desperate.

He brought Abel's brother's body to the gate of his father's city and called out to his father.

The father... cut open his eldest brother's body, fed the arms he used to kill Abel to the wolves, and then placed several curses on his soul.

From then on, he was destined to wander the world, and every land he set foot on would be cursed.

He was also cursed with perfect memory, so that he could never forget the fear in Abel's eyes when he was struck by a spear. "

"Brother Abel had changed when his father came back with Abel's body."

"His spirit was severed from his body, filled with a truly horrific hatred, and he brought the werewolf organization into the world."

"It's ridiculous."

"The elder brother who followed reason used the most bloody means to kill his brother; the elder brother Abel who believed in blood and force tried to persuade reason with love."

"In the end, they all went to extremes and went back to the starting point."

"The father felt sorry for his son, so he put brother Abel into a cave where he could hate him forever.

But let me tell you - even a father filled with despair is still scary. During that time, the gods trembled at the sight of him, and so did I. "

The old man's finger rested on the end of the mural, where the missing person was.

He paused and his tone became deeper:

"The youngest son... his father's favorite son. He was intelligent and charming. He inherited his father's crown, but due to greed and betrayal, he stole [the survival of civilization] for his own use."

“While his father was sleeping, the youngest son went into his father’s room and took the crown from his head.

This is the greatest betrayal, because what a father loves most is his youngest son..."

The old man paused again, and continued with a hint of exhaustion and sadness in his voice:

"When his father's kingdom collapsed, he cowardly fled into the night.

Father... when the sun turned the world into a smoky ruin, we... those who followed the few disappeared into the shadows.

Pursued by the kingdom and his eldest and second sons, we have been fleeing in the dark night for thousands of years.

All they want is the crown, all they want is [the survival of civilization].

For this they searched all over the world.

But it hid, stayed away from them, until they faded into legends, and finally legends turned into myths.

When I finally returned to the sun, the world had changed again.

The fields are lush, the forests are lush, and the weather is sunny.

The people who escaped with me rebuilt their families, and their families spread throughout the new world.

People who describe this place call it the Youyang Plate. "

Xia Xiu stared at the mural. He already understood something, but he still asked in a low voice:

"What's their end?"

The old man turned around and looked at Xia Xiu, with complex emotions in his eyes:

"The eldest son was swallowed by flesh and blood and became its eternal slave; the second son was imprisoned by his own reason and trapped in an endless logical maze; as for the youngest son..."

The old man's voice was low and somewhat sarcastic.

"He put on the iron crown, but was crushed by its weight and fell deeper into the abyss. Everything he coveted eventually came back to bite him."

Seth said in an extremely sad tone:

"This mural not only symbolizes the past, but may also foreshadow... the future."

Xia Xiu's eyes were still focused on the murals on the east wall, his eyes sharp, as if he wanted to discern a deeper truth from those faded pictures.

He spoke slowly, his tone mixed with temptation and curiosity:

"Why doesn't my younger son return the iron crown to the sun?"

Seth was startled for a moment, then a slightly mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He slowly raised his hand and pointed at the picture in the mural, the golden man, and the other's staff and crown. His voice was lowered a bit, and every word contained a certain irony.

"Why?"

Seth's tone was a little sad.

"Because the kingdom has long been destroyed by his betrayal."

“My father was the founder of Ode Papadopolis. He used the power inherited from [Vazjuma] and [Mehane], combined with abnormal technology and knowledge, to build this extraordinary city.

This city is the first great city where humans and abnormal forces combine, and is known as the "place where existence comes".

Audapaupadopolis means ‘city of radiance’ or ‘source of life’ in our language. "

Seth then asked in a desperate tone:

"Why not return it?"

"Because the kingdom has long perished because of him. The real Ode Papadopolis, that glorious kingdom, was destroyed by his own hands. But he is arrogant and shamelessly claims to be...the last guardian."

“We had actually been hiding from him for a long time, and after brother Abel was killed, I knew there would be other brothers who would kill their own brothers to take my father’s crown – so I stole the crown and ran away.

My children hid like bugs with me.

Because I felt my father’s anger—a certain inescapable rage.

It was like a heat wave, a purgatory, hitting him in all directions like a storm, scaring away the few people who remained in the city.

But we endured it until a hundred years later he recovered and returned to his empty halls.

But we...we heard some legends.

In the disappearance of the crown, the dark host on the fleet of longships, the king dancing under the scarlet star, the legend of the father who stood alone against them. "

His eyes were full of self-scorn, self-contempt, pain, self-blame...

His eyes fell on the broken lines on the mural. Those images that had lost their original bright colors seemed to be responding to his accusations.

"He knows that the glory of the past can never be restored, and he is not worthy of standing under the brilliance of the sun anymore."

Seth's voice echoed in the empty temple, and every word seemed to carry a deep-seated resentment.

Xia Xiu frowned slightly, a thoughtful light flashing in his eyes.

His eyes swept across the mural and landed on the vague ruins at the feet of the golden man:

"So, his so-called protection is just to cover up his crimes? Just to deceive himself and others to maintain some kind of non-existent glory?"

Seth suddenly sneered. He stared at the golden eyes of the blond young man, and for the first time there was coldness in his eyes.

"Deceiving yourself?"

Xia Xiu looked directly at the opponent without fear.

Seth quickly withdrew his gaze and said in an extremely self-deprecating tone:

"Yes, this is not only self-deception, but also a betrayal of the past. He stole the Iron Crown, he destroyed the kingdom, but he tried to stand on the ruins and pretend that he was still the child of the sun."

When Xia Xiu heard this, he gently turned the wand in his hand, and his golden pupils flashed with complex light.

His voice was low but with a hint of unquestionable power:

"So, what he protects is never the kingdom, but his own crimes."

Seth's eyes were focused on Xia Xiu, with a trace of complicated emotions appearing in his cold eyes.

He nodded slowly, his voice low but filled with endless resentment:

"Yes. What he protects is his crime. He uses lies to justify his betrayal, and uses the brilliance of the Iron Crown to cover up his despicability."

Seth paused and his eyes fell on the mural again, his eyes becoming deep and distant.

He continued:

"The next question is, you ask me, where did we come from... billions of years ago -"

"Billions?" Xia Xiu couldn't help but interrupt him, with a hint of uncertainty in his tone.

"Are you sure you didn't use the wrong quantifier?"

Seth's eyes flashed with a sarcastic smile, and he whispered:

“Nothing wrong, I would even say, or even longer ago.

Billions of years ago, we were once as young as the world and creation itself.

It’s just that a long time has passed when we really move, when we really act in the material world, when we really exercise wisdom, and when we really study the truth - so those billions before are all void and meaningless. of. "

"However, in the beginning..."

The old man's tone gradually became lower. He slowly raised his head, his eyes seemed to penetrate the temple, looking back at the endless past:

“We see the God of Steel dotting the sky with fiery stars; the God of Flesh and Blood spilling the first drops of blood onto the earth, giving it life.

The snake and its dark brother laid the foundation of what was right and wrong, and I, then, was just a child. "

Seth's tone suddenly paused, with an indescribable emotion:

"I was there to see the first sun rise when the world began to move. I was there to witness that moment of glory... and I was there to see it die."

He paused, looked at Xia Xiu deeply, and there was a hint of meaning in his tone:

"I think the facts I tell you may not be the answers you expect.

"Maybe," a self-deprecating smile appeared on the corner of the old man's mouth, "you will think this is just a crazy old man talking to himself and boasting, but..."

Before he finished speaking, his expression suddenly became serious, and his eyes seemed to be burning with a kind of true knowledge that penetrated everything. He said in a low and solemn voice:

"We do see the sum total of all dimensions and realities. We see the beginning of the universe, and we see the symbol of knowledge - the tree."

Xia Xiu's brows wrinkled slightly, and there were waves in his heart.

He intuitively felt that this was not a lie, but what exactly was this "tree"?

The old man ignored Xia Xiu's doubts. His eyes seemed to be recalling some grand truth, and his voice echoed as if from the depths of endless time:

"It is a bridge between 'existence' and 'non-existence', symbolizing wisdom, creation and the pursuit of truth. At that time, our number was still small. We lived in an infinitely mysterious world, and the haze of creation shrouded the planet."

The old man walked slowly, his fingers gently swiping across the stone pillars in the hall, which were engraved with difficult-to-recognize ancient symbols.

His voice was low but powerful:

"However, in the midst of that haze, we learned many great truths.

We studied, observed, and learned for countless millions of years. When we learned what we could do, we came here - built the first city on this land - Odepapadopoulos.

This is where the "existence" came.

At that time, men and women with unimaginable powers walked the streets of Odepapadopoulos.

My brothers and I, men with miraculous eyes, kings in scarlet cloaks, lords of dragons and the sky, messengers of Saturn, and so on.

But the greatest of these is the first king in the world.

He is The sun, he can create mountains with a snap of his fingers, transcend the wilderness with a lift of his foot, and summon the sea with a shout.

His voice is brisk and powerful, like the whisper of a thunderstorm on the horizon.

He holds a spear that is said to kill gods. His eyes look beyond the heavens and witness the worlds beyond.

We call him the sun because we believe he is the embodiment of the joy of creation. ”

“‘Existence’…”

The old man paused, and his tone became lower:

“That’s exactly what I want to say. I believe you have witnessed many incredible [miracles], but I want to tell you that there are only two true gods in this world.”

He looked up at the dome of the hall, as if he could see through the sky to the end of truth. His voice gradually became low and loud:

“‘Existence’ and ‘non-existence’—they are not entities, nor thoughts—they are existence and non-existence. ”

Xia Xiu’s eyes flickered slightly, and a trace of shock appeared in his golden pupils.

He listened quietly without interrupting the old man.

"When the work of 'existence' was completed," the old man's voice was like a bell in the storm, "the remaining part of the truth became a snake - an existence that only studied where it came from, learning those truths about itself - it had lost.

And the other, 'non-existence', was once the shadow of 'existence'.

'Non-existence' contains 'existence', and as a long nothingness, it extends beyond the world - farther."

Seth's eyes were as blazing as fire, he stared at Xia Xiu, his tone as shocking as thunder:

"They coexist as the most real knowledge. Everything that has ever happened, yes or no, happened in front of them at the same time. When these truths were first realized, the world was created."

The atmosphere in the temple was like solidified amber, and the air was filled with an indescribable solemnity.

Xia Xiu still stood there, with complex emotions flashing in his golden pupils.

He stared at Seth, as if waiting for more revelations.

Seth raised his head slightly, his eyes fell on the carvings on the top of the temple.

"I have said before that the 'Tree' is the sum of all dimensions and realities.

It is the origin of all things, the root of all creations and old gods.

The existence of the tree transcends time and space. It was created by the [Three Brothers of Death] and the most compassionate [Spark of Creation], and it is protected by the ancient [Snake]."

"The three brothers are one of the [Original Architects]. They built the skeleton and soul of the world, and the [Spark of Creation] is the recorder and interpreter. The spark uses its never-extinguished brilliance to illuminate countless truths and wisdom. They jointly created the 'Tree' and placed it in all things. The top of the tree, making it the core of the world. "

"And the center of the tree..."

Seth paused, his voice became deeper, with some indescribable awe:

"The center of the tree is the [Library of the Exile].

A huge treasure house of knowledge that transcends time, space, dimension and reality.

There are all the books that have been written, are being written, have not been written and will never be written.

That knowledge is so vast that it is incomparable, and the library itself is built on the back of the [Venomous Snake]. "

"The library is on the back of the snake?"

Xia Xiu repeated in a low voice, with an unconcealable surprise in his voice.

Seth nodded, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

"Yes, the snake is the guardian of knowledge, but also the seducer. It guards the truth of the tree, but also extends a fatal invitation to those who dare to climb the tree. My father-"

"My father, under the guidance of the snake, walked into the library, into the forbidden place where all the books that have been written, unwritten, and will never be written are stored."

"He is the one who gets wisdom from the tree."

Xia Xiu stared at Seth with a sharp gaze, and the wand in his right hand gently tapped his left hand. There was a sense of inquiry in his tone:

"So, what is the wisdom that your father picked from the tree?"

Seth's mouth twitched, revealing a bitter smile.

He turned around, his eyes fell on the huge tree shadow in the mural again, and after taking a deep breath, he slowly said:

"There he learned to resist. No longer willing to be dominated, he determined to usurp the throne. He shattered...his own 'father's' throne."

Xia Xiu frowned slightly and said in a low but clear voice:

"His father?"

Seth nodded, as if recalling a painful and unforgettable past event:

"His father, the Iron God [Mehane], was one of the original creators."

"My father, the Sun. He longed to be freed from that endless bondage, and the first flame of betrayal grew in his heart. He plucked wisdom from the tree, met a woman who called herself Lilith, and united with her , gave birth to two children—Cain and Abel.”

His voice dropped:

"After that, Lilith left him. My father cut a rib from his chest in the shape of a snake and used it to shape my mother. I was their only child. But my birth came at a heavy cost—— My mother died soon after due to extreme weakness.”

Xia Xiu's thoughts sank slightly, Lilith...

Deducing another information complex that was defeated by himself in the war, the true darkness of the Crimson King is engraved in Hope's body.

He knew that the Lilith in Seth's mouth was not a projection of information, but the real Lilith.

On the east wall mural, in addition to the two sons, among the four other people surrounding the sun, the naked woman with a snake wrapped around her body should be Lilith.

Seth closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and continued:

"After my mother passed away, my father was never the same. He became lonely and silent, but the number one sin began to grow in his heart - jealousy. He began to look up to the sky, longing to make that sky his. He would That piece of sky is regarded as a symbol of his ambition and conquest."

“When we built this city, Ode Papadopolis, the first city of ‘humanity’, he already longed for more.

He touched creation itself, reaching out to another dimension. He became the first man to transcend the order of the universe. "

Seth slowly raised his head, with a hint of fear and awe in his eyes:

"He took certain things from another world, another 'existence'...the most important of which is a crown."

"It was a crown of iron - he snatched it from another piece of 'being' and called himself 'King of all existence'.

In this land of existence [the Promised Land], he ascended the throne of power. "

Xia Xiu quickly understood the meaning of the sentence on the front wall:

"They will know what existence is -"

Seth's voice gradually became lower, as if he was recounting a taboo truth buried by history:

"He is still kind and beautiful, but his desire grows stronger. He longs for more, and his gaze penetrates the earth, the stars, and beyond. He needs to obey its call."

"It?" Xia Xiu keenly captured the key points in Seth's words.

Seth nodded slightly, his eyes deep, as if he could see through the end of time:

"That crown, that is [the survival of civilization], is his irresistible call. Only the 'most powerful and ambitious people' can be recognized by the crown.

The youngest son of the Sun steals the crown... but - he is no better than his father, and [the survival of civilization] cannot exert real power in his hands. "

“Only the Father can light the crown, and only the superman, who is both human and divine, can harness the crown.

For the sun, for Apollo - he could no longer think of anything but the greatness of the universe. "

Set's tone was tired, the memory paining him, but he continued.

He answered Xia Xiu's last question - what was he doing.

"In the beginning..."

Seth spoke, his voice laced with weariness and regret.

"I've been running away."

“The kingdom was shattered, and the successive blows and betrayals left my father exhausted.

The first son, his most loyal general, led his soldiers to resist his father's rule; the second son, his wisest child, led the people to try to rebuild a new kingdom; as for the third son..."

Seth's voice paused slightly, as if he was suppressing his emotions.

"When his father was helplessly sleeping, he arrogantly stole the Iron Crown, thinking that this was a way to relieve his father's worries."

"The loss of the Iron Crown and the betrayal of his youngest son made my father extremely angry."

"He casts a curse upon the whole kingdom and upon his own descendants."

Seth's tone became deeper and deeper, and a flash of pain flashed in his eyes.

"The land of the kingdom became a wasteland, and the cities were covered with smoke and ruins. He inflicted extreme punishments on each of his three sons. Then he left Ode Papadopolis."

"Leave?" Xia Xiu repeated in a low voice, trying to capture the deep meaning hidden in this sentence.

Seth nodded, with a trace of sadness that could not be concealed in his tone:

"Yes. He left."

“Perhaps it was because of the war that he was unable to maintain the balance between flesh and machinery, and he was afraid that the earth would be swallowed by the unknown force.

So, he left, but no one knew where he went.

Maybe he's dead, maybe he's rotting deep in the core of the planet, no one can tell. "

Xia Xiu didn't speak, just listened quietly, thinking of the desperate scene when this "father" dragged the entire kingdom into the abyss.

Seth's voice continued to echo in the hall.

"Later, in order to atone..."

Seth's tone was filled with regret.

"The younger son began to search for the person who could truly inherit the Iron Crown. After experiencing one civilization after another, he met someone who could wear the crown.

The man wore an iron crown, which he called [Apollyon]. "

"[Apollonia] built his own halls, temples, and libraries. He was the hope of mankind, the closest thing to a father's will I have ever seen."

Seth raised his head, with a hint of light in his eyes, as if he was recalling those short glorious years:

"In his time, every old man on the land of Youyang knelt down to him and respected him as the 'King Beyond Darkness'. When he passed away, the crown was passed on to his son Uwen, and I left That family.

After saying goodbye, I returned to the East - to this city that my father and my brothers built together. I found peace here, and for the first time in billions of years since my birth, I was able to rest. "

He paused, his eyes darkened:

"So, I can finally rest."

"Then what?" Xia Xiu broke the silence, with an invisible pressure in his voice.

Seth let out a long sigh, and his voice lowered, as if it was carrying an aftershock from the depths of time:

"When I woke up, the world had completely changed. New powers and a deeper darkness had descended."

"The bloodthirsty people appeared in the east; the Daevites and their crazy king took up arms against the west and started a thousand long bloody battles;

The descendants of [Apollonia] - my friend's family - call themselves the Lords of the Sky, and are conquering every colony on the continent and plundering every ruler.

In the West, rumors spread that there was a race that came from the darkness and was extremely powerful. They used trees and roots to make weapons. These wars came to the world and engulfed everything. "

Seth’s voice was low but full of strength:

"You can find the ruins of these wars, but you will never understand them. Those wars are so old that their meaning has long been lost, but they laid the foundation for the future world."

"Next," Seth's eyes were deep, as if looking through the hall in front of him towards the end of time, "I can only watch. I watched for thousands of years, one king after another came and went, each time They all inherited the throne that was filled with blood and curses, but my father’s iron crown was always on their heads.”

His voice was filled with endless fatigue and vicissitudes, but the majesty that had witnessed a long history was still there.

"I saw the Daevite hero slaying the only son of the King of Heaven II on the battlefield of the Holy City. I saw Ultan El Meto, the mad magician, raining fire from the highest heavens, To burn [the firstborn] of the east, until Malus the Wrathful, the grandson of the old King of Heaven, pulled him down from the heights and burned him to ashes.”

Seth paused, as if sorting out the broken memories of those long years, and continued:

"I also saw Joel Apologna crossing the sea to meet the kings called [the children of the night]. Her end was to be buried alive and then sacrifice her heart to their terrible goddess. The tree - the deep sins of mankind are buried in the roots of that tree."

Xia Xiu stood there without interrupting.

His fingers gently rubbed the magic wand in his hand, and he frowned slightly. He was obviously full of doubts about the ancient names and events in Seth's narrative, but he was also full of curiosity.

"I can only watch and wait while the world keeps spinning."

Seth raised his head, with an ancient sadness in his eyes.

"Then Sarrus VIII, the eighth king of heaven, crossed the sea and destroyed the last of the alien races. When Sarrus IX buried their princess, the powerful blasphemy that princess brought with her would also destroy into his kingdom."

Seth's voice was filled with painful memories:

"With deep sadness, I watched the kingdom of mankind crumbling, and watched Sarus suffer betrayal from all sides. His knights knelt down to the evil god one after another, degenerating into monsters and beasts. Lahire in the West, and Beina Ogier, Hector to the south, and Lancelot to the east - he was once the chancellor of Sarus, but betrayed him and became his last enemy."

Xia Xiu raised his eyebrows slightly, and his voice was low but with a hint of uncontrollable interest:

"Lancelot? King Arthur? The Sword in the Stone?"

"The last ally?" Xia Xiu raised his eyes slightly, seeming to be curious about this title.

Seth's gaze fell in the distance, as if he saw that earth-shattering battle through the mists of time.

"For several weeks, Lancelot fought a long battle against the ancient dragon Bharata, the sea-lord Arcturus, and the last of the Daevite kings. They were the last of the great heroes, but now forgotten. The battle took He killed each of them, and only me and Bharat were left.”

There was a painful tremor in Seth's voice:

"In his last gasp, Bharat tore Lancelot's stinking heart and threw his broken body into the Palace of the Sunset. But Bharat left, taking his last life with him, leaving behind I'm alone."

"The last titanosaur also died because of me."

His eyes dimmed:

"The rest, and my brothers. They wander around, looking for our father's Iron Crown. I imagine my father is out there too, assuming he's not slowly rotting away in the heart of Terra."

Seth took a deep breath, with a hint of self-mockery in his voice:

"The crown has long been lost. When the blasphemous darkness devoured Sarus IX, the Iron Crown also fell. And when the palace of Apollonia collapsed one night, the last king of heaven died, and the kingdom of mankind was torn apart again."

His voice became low, almost like he was muttering to himself:

"[The Children of the Night] rode their huge and terrifying warships across the ocean and plundered everything they could take away. Those who could not take away were left forever on this desolate land."

Sons of the Night...

Xia Xiu recalled the records about [Sons of the Night]. He had read the encrypted documents of the Kingdom of Heaven and knew a fragment of the record about this race:

[The Daeva army is so strong that no one can stop it, but it is not always such a behemoth.

When the empire was first established, the unity was complete, and the Matriarch Council was established. The newly born Daeva used the grass children and wooden beasts stolen from the [Children of the Night] to form a military force and expand the army.

One of the early tactics was to target the enemy's small farming communities, plunder their livestock, and capture many slaves; because of this, the Daeva learned to cut off the enemy's food and grass first, and then approach the city.

It is said that rituals are also performed to understand the results of the battle, and if the results are not as expected by the Matriarch, the tactics will be changed. Because of this, the Daeva military force has not only become a synonym for unstoppable, but also an unpredictable asymmetric war. 】

--"Excerpt from Daeva Sociological Analysis".

[Children of the Night], one of the structural structures of the Daeva's extraordinary military, was mentioned several times in the fragments of the first supernatural war that can be traced back to the Mem, but there is no specific mention of their origins.

I didn't expect to hear this from Set.

What is certain is that the history and civilization that Sett talked about took place before the First Supernatural War, and are even older than the Glorious Era.

Xia Xiu raised his head, with a bit of exploratory light in his eyes, and his voice was steady:

"What happened later?"

A heavy look appeared on Sett's face, as if the dust deep in his memory was uncovered again. He took a deep breath, and his tone was low but full of the majesty of telling history:

"Later... the great flood came."

His eyes became deep and distant, as if he was looking at an irreversible past.

Xia Xiu couldn't help but combine this matter with the [Crisis Sequence·Yuktrasil/World Tree] of the Kingdom of Heaven, and he also thought of the Ivy War that is closely related to him now.

The Ivy War is essentially related to the new collapse thing [Golden Tree] formed by the combination of two [Crisis Sequences].

The original intention of the Kingdom of Heaven to participate in the Ivy War is actually very simple-once there is an opportunity, the [Golden Tree] will be cut down immediately.

Seth's words continued:

"I don't know why it came. But I always feel that it has an inseparable relationship with the melee of the gods and the war between flesh and blood and machines. Those wars devoured countless worlds and eventually pushed everything into the abyss of destruction."

There was a hint of chill in Seth's voice, as if the distant disaster scene was reappearing in front of him:

"The arrival of the great flood was accompanied by intermittent extraordinary rainstorms. The rain was not an ordinary natural phenomenon, but some kind of more ancient magic. The water level continued to rise, reaching 1.3 to 2.8 kilometers, swallowing all lowlands. Those who could not adapt to underwater life, or those who could not find shelter in high places, inevitably died in the rising water level."

"The sea does not swallow it, and the way of long and dark is also--"

Xia Xiu remembered the only words left on the south wall. He frowned and asked in a low voice:

"All Was all life destroyed? "

Seth shook his head and continued:

"Not everything was completely destroyed. Some forests in the old world actually adapted to the new environment. Trees grew in the flood, and floating ecosystems formed under the branches and leaves. I am sure that this was also the result of some entities using magic at the time. But apart from that, the remaining ecosystems, including most animals and plants, were completely destroyed by the flood. "

His tone became heavier, as if he was narrating a doomed tragedy:

"Whatever human civilization existed at the time, it was wiped out in this disaster. After the flood receded, the surviving human settlements degenerated to the primitive state of hunting and gathering. The once glorious civilization is gone, leaving only broken ruins and undecipherable symbols in the eyes of future generations. "

"But..."

Seth paused, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

"The drastic decline of human civilization is not just the result of the flood itself. What is more fatal is that after the disaster, a powerful force began to introduce a reverse-metamorphosis effect to the world. It is a magic that uses the catastrophic nature of the flood to completely erase certain memories of the past."

"Erase the memory?"

Xia Xiu's eyes flashed with a sharpness.

"What's the purpose?"

Seth sneered and replied:

"Obviously, the purpose of that power is to completely sever humanity from its violent and magic-infused past. This reverse-metamorphosis effect has weakened most humans to a nearly inhuman state. They no longer even have the ability to understand history and pass on civilization."

"What a pity..."

Seth's voice was filled with sarcasm.

"Those attempts to clear the abnormal history are in vain after all. Because soon, the Red King came to the world."

"The three Chaos Lords followed closely behind, bringing new wars and disasters."

Seth paused, a trace of exhaustion that could not be concealed appeared on his face:

"The Red King was the most powerful being of that era. He made Daeva surrender and inherited the entire legacy of the [Nightborne].

At that time, the Daevite army had mastered many ancient magic arts based on the finds found in the ruins, including the 'blood magic' that was lost in the great flood. The terrifying military [Tree Pets] of the [Night Sons] were also reawakened and carried forward by Daeva. They developed more than fifty subspecies after the flood and adapted to various battlefield environments.

It is no exaggeration to say that Daeva at that time was the most powerful country after the Great Flood. "

"The Red King almost ruled the entire planet, but because of his change of faith, the inheritance of blood magic fell into the hands of another... person who amazed me - he followed the path of flesh and blood. Even more distant than my father, he nearly enslaved [Wazjuma] and built a throne worthy of the Iron Crown.

He built a huge palace and paradise in [Vazjuma]'s body, and his throne controlled the power of the boundless beast. He was already at the level of my father. I thought at the time that he would be the one to truly unify the planet... "

Xia Xiu listened silently. Of course he knew who was looking for the Dao Iron Crown. He also knew what the paradise looked like, and he had even seen what the throne looked like.

He was one of the heirs in line to that palace and throne.

Moreover, when the other party mentioned the Red King, Xia Xiu immediately thought of the history of the Chaos Monarch at that time.

The reason Seth mentioned the three Chaos Lords was because [Salesh] had not yet been born at that time.

The birth of [Sales] is inseparable from the battle between Robert Brom and Ion.

This is another incident related to machinery and flesh and blood.

"if……"

Xia Xiu's thoughts surged, and he secretly speculated:

"If the man on the mural is indeed Robert Brohm, the timeline and history don't seem to match up."

He recalled the records in history and whispered to himself in his heart:

"Robert Brom was supposed to be a hero in the post-Flood era, a contemporary of Ion. However, this mural shows that he was actually a contemporary of the sun, which is simply impossible..."

His golden eyes shone calmly and sharply, and he came to a bold conclusion in his mind:

"Unless there are two Robert Brohms in history."

He raised his hand and pointed at the iron man on the mural, his voice was calm but with a hint of questioning:

"Seth, do you know Robert Brom?"

Seth followed Xia Xiu's fingers to look at the mural, and his eyes fell on the figure made of iron. There was some contemplation on his face, and he nodded slowly:

"Of course I know...he is a prophet, the prophet of [Mehane]."

"prophet?"

Xia Xiu's tone rose slightly.

Seth’s voice was low and determined:

"Yes, he once represented the father of the sun, that is, [Mehane]-the embodiment of reason, who came to meet the sun.

At that time, [Mehane] was already broken, so the prophet walking on earth represented the will of the Iron God.

He paid my father the highest tribute in the name of reason and order, and was pleased that my father had spread the ways of reason throughout the kingdom.

He...was Cain's teacher. "

"Cain's teacher?" Xia Xiu's tone was full of surprise.

"So why did he appear in the post-Flood era to compete with Ion? He didn't belong to that era at all."

Seth withdrew his gaze, and there was a hint of complexity in his gaze:

"You're asking a good question. In fact, I did meet a man named Robert Brom in the post-Flood era, but that man was extremely stupid. He didn't know what he was interfering with."

Xia Xiu slowly exhaled, a light of understanding flashing in his eyes.

He said softly:

"That's it... Robert Brom in history is two people. One is the real prophet and the messenger of [Mehane]; the other is the person who was replaced in the post-flood era."

"No wonder... Ion's rise is traceable, but Robert Brom's unification of the mechanical city-state seems hasty and abrupt, like some kind of miracle... or some kind of manipulation by an external force, as if he was originally meant to Restraining Ion and being born.”

Three of the four main outsiders surrounding the sun on the east wall are already known.

A king in crimson robes, with a flaming crown on his head, extending a hand of friendship - the Crimson King.

Next to him was a naked woman with a snake wrapped around her body - Lilith.

A man made of iron - a prophet.

There is another one, a wizard in dark blue robes, who is he?

"Who is the last person on the east wall mural?" Xia Xiu asked directly.

Seth raised his gaze and stared at the wizard on the mural, with a subtle smile on his face.

There was a bit of weirdness in his tone, even mixed with some complicated emotions that couldn't be concealed:

"Wondertainment."

"Wen De Ting Mente?" Xia Xiu frowned and repeated this awkward name.

Seth nodded, his eyes wandering between the outlines of the wizard on the mural.

His voice was low and slow: "He... or they, is a mystery. Some call him a genius, and some call him a madman. There are different legends about his name in many civilizations, but most of them are related to 'toys' and 'children'."

Xia Xiu narrowed his eyes, as if he found it unbelievable:

"Toy maker?"

Seth smiled gently, but there was something strange in his smile:

"Yes, one, or a group of children's toy manufacturers. But what they make is far beyond the scope of 'toys'. The power contained in those toys is enough to subvert a city, or even a world."

"Wendetingment is a strange existence, so strange that even those of us who have witnessed countless reincarnations of the times cannot really understand him. He is stranger than any existence I have ever seen. He always wanders between order and chaos like a shadow. His purpose and intention are always a mystery."

Xia Xiu stood there quietly, with his head slightly lowered, and fell into deep thought.

His golden eyes flickered in the dim hall, like a burning flame.

He digested every word Seth said in his mind, comparing and analyzing the symbolic parts with his own knowledge.

This ancient being knew everything and was surprisingly frank.

This attitude was completely different from those riddlers on this land who liked to hide every word in layers of fog.

"I have to remind you of something," Seth's voice broke the brief silence.

He raised his head, with an indescribable heaviness and worry in his eyes, "Be careful of the original demon."

Xia Xiu looked up at him and asked in confusion:

"The original demon?"

Seth nodded and took a deep breath.

"It was the four knights of Apollonia."

"La Hail was the first to kneel, followed by Lancelot, Ogier, and finally the reluctant Hector."

"They swore allegiance to Sarus IX, but when the blasphemer's dirty words emerged from the ground, their hearts changed."

His palms slowly clenched, as if controlling his emotions.

"They have fallen. They have become strange in appearance, like the ancient goblin gods. Because of their betrayal, their ugly appearance is called the curse of Sarus IX."

"Lancelot is good at using the scepter, so his arm is deformed. His mind is occupied by anger and destruction, and there is no other thought. When he crosses the mountains, the sound is like a group of pigs screaming."

Seth paused, as if recalling some unbearable pictures, his voice trembled a little:

"I have seen Lahail walking invisibly in the west, like a dark shadow. The noble Hector is sleeping in the south, his dream is disturbed, and Lancelot has been lying here, but his body... is not cold."

"Why?" Xia Xiu asked.

Seth took a deep breath, and his voice was more solemn:

"Because, the indestructible blasphemer they said appeared in the sky again. Lancelot prayed to it, hoping that it would give him powerful power."

Xia Xiu's right hand tightened slightly, and his fingertips brushed across the magic wand in his hand.

He whispered:

"You mean, some things are still moving, and some things are already asleep?"

Seth nodded, with a deep worry in his eyes:

"Yes, these original demons, they have not completely died. And the burden of this city will eventually exhaust my energy, and I can't protect it forever."

He turned his head and looked directly at Xia Xiu, with a hint of sadness in his voice:

"So, I need your help. I am not truly immortal, I just live long enough, which does not mean that I can live forever."

"This city and its secrets will be passed on to you in the future-the holders of the Book of the Origin, the sons of mankind, you must keep these secrets."

At this time, Xia Xiu's doubts surged out, and he didn't know how many times he had done so.

"The Book of the Origin..."

He whispered, with a hint of inquiry in his tone.

"You mentioned it many times, but what exactly is it?"

Seth looked at Xia Xiu, with a faint light flashing in his eyes.

"My father was inspired by the guidance of the snake when he established his throne at the beginning of the universe. He found the 'fruit of knowledge' in the library on the tree, which was the original book.

The word 'book' may not be completely accurate, but it is the closest way to describe it."

His finger gently pointed to a certain direction in the air, as if the library was floating at the other end of this space.

"We mentioned the library of the snake before - the largest knowledge treasure house in the universe. Its growth transcends time and space, dimensions and reality.

The words in those halls describe everything about 'existence and existence'.

And the 'original book' not only describes 'existence', it is 'existence'."

Xia Xiu frowned slightly, his hand gently stroked the magic wand, and his mind quickly sorted out the complex information.

Seth continued, with a little regret in his tone:

"The book contains the most basic truths, which can never be understood by man or beast.

'How, why'...

These and more things are recorded in the book."

Seth paused, his eyes became deeper, and there was a hint of powerlessness in his tone:

"I tried to read that book to know the truth. But I failed. I believed that as long as I could understand it, I could correct all the mistakes in this world. But I am just a confused and ignorant child."

Seth sighed softly, and his voice became deeper:

"I almost got lost in another book..."

"Another book?" Xia Xiu asked immediately.

Seth's eyes darkened, he turned his head to look at Xia Xiu, and said slowly:

"There are two books in the library - 'The Book of the Original' and 'The Book of Non-Existence'."

He paused, with a hint of fear in his voice:

"The latter also contains truth, but it is an impossible truth, a truth that does not exist. Its content is dark, ancient, and about all the existences that cannot be understood."

Xia Xiu's fingers tightened slightly, and a hint of caution appeared in his eyes. He whispered:

"Does the library still exist?"

Seth replied:

"The barrier created by the spark still exists, but it will fail one day.

Some people know what is there, and they will go to find it."

After a moment of silence, Xia Xiu's eyes flashed with complex light.

He gently stroked his chin, as if weighing the authenticity of some information.

Heaven is the holder of the 'Book of the Original', so Eden might be...

Many of the deepest secrets of Heaven flashed through Xia Xiu's mind.

『Original Book』, 『Spiral Road』, 『Twin Gate』...

"I want to ask, how did you determine that we are the holders of the 『Original Book』?"

He suddenly asked, with a hint of inquiry in his tone.

Seth looked at Xia Xiu and said slowly:

"The reason why I can be sure is that you have the breath of 'non-existence'...

You are an impossible thing, but you are written down by 'existence'. This is very strange, very strange.

Your essence is the same as my father, both are impossible things. In some ways, you are both children of flesh and blood and machines.

This is why I tell you everything I know."

Xia Xiu's eyes condensed slightly.

【！ ！ ！ ！ ！ 】

【The above related settings refer to the "Completion Plan", and the second setting is carried out in the same way. 】