Chapter 583: Inwardly Timid

Roberta glanced deep into 'Kartasha', as if discerning the direction.

Then she raised her willow-like brows slightly: "The directions and paths inside are twisted, making it hard to recognize them, but I remember a little. Master, follow me. I think that place is unlikely for others to enter. Kukulkan's power will tear them to shreds."

Behind her, a wind giant had already appeared, with twelve arms, each holding a 'Fang of the Wind God', and she forcefully blasted through the outer prohibitions of 'Kartasha'.

This was easy; the protective power of 'Kartasha' was already very weak, with even several obvious gaps on the outer layer, otherwise it would not have been discovered by archaeologists.

However, Roberta's method of entry was still very violent—she directly cut through all obstacles ahead with the sword in her hand. No matter what lay ahead, she simply hacked through it with one strike.

This tremendous commotion also made several archaeological teams on the outskirts of the city turn their heads to look.

At that moment, a figure in a red jumpsuit tore through the void and appeared beside Li Mochen, none other than 'Death's Enemy' Thomson Beor.

"I was a bit delayed. When you sent the hire request, I was still arguing with Anthony. He said time was short and didn't want to pay me that much. Shit, I'm never taking his jobs again! And I take back what I said—you're much better than him."

Thomson Beor then glanced around: "I'm not late, am I? Ah, it's already started? This way of clearing the path is really full of aggression."

"You've come just in time. You can take over for her! Follow the direction Roberta indicated and clear the way for us, OK?"

Li Mochen pointed ahead. The reason he had invited this guy was precisely to use him as a shield for the three of them.

When it came to flesh regeneration, Li Mochen, who held the life divine authority, was not much weaker than this fellow. But Death's Enemy Thomson Beor could also be immune to most poisons, curses, and so on—there were very few forces in this world that could fatally harm him. So in this situation, he was an excellent pathfinder.

And the interior of the Mayan City of Gods was filled with all kinds of deadly traps. There were twisted souls wielding curse powers, hidden and lethal fierce plants, and various miasmas and toxins. These caused the casualty rates of the archaeological and exploration teams that entered here to remain high.

"I knew it!"

Thomson curled his lips and drew a pair of long knives from behind: "As soon as I heard it was Kartasha, I guessed. You're using me as a meat shield, right? No problem. But you still need to be careful. I came here two years ago on a similar mission. I know there's a very powerful force lurking inside that could crush me in an instant. Of course, that doesn't include you. Andre, you've got a new nickname in the mystical world now: the Scarlet War God! Like it?"

He had already taken over from Roberta, clearing the path under her guidance.

Meanwhile, Hazel followed behind Li Mochen, looking around the city entirely composed of pyramids with great curiosity as she spoke: "I guess it was the Feathered Serpent Kukulkan who destroyed this city with his own hands, but in the end, he chose this place as his final resting and recuperation site. Fate is truly strange."

It was evident that in the early 'Maya' era, America was indeed filled with many gods. These five hundred-plus pyramids were each the dwelling of a deity.

But among them, only the nine tallest, each six hundred meters high, symbolized the Ninefold Gods—the nine most powerful deities of the 'Maya' at that time. They each had their own divine kingdoms, but this was also their residence.

Hazel had crammed some knowledge of Indian mythology before departure; she could at least identify the origins of more than half of these pyramids and their owners. Most of these pyramids and temples belonged to city-state gods, forcibly gathered together by the Ninefold Gods to maintain divine rule over the entire Maya Empire.

This was not only the City of Gods but also the City of Priests. Those who held the highest authority in the Maya Empire were the priests serving these deities.

Thus, in Maya, the iconic divine office of the god-king was not the sun, nor thunder and sky, but the 'Protector God of Priests'. Both 'Itzamna' and 'Kukulkan', the two generations of god-kings, used priests to restrain, control, and even bypass the other gods.

"But from what I know, Kukulkan's strength is formidable. Eight hundred years ago, he killed at least 270,000 angelic troops of the Church of Light and tore apart the earthly incarnations of two Angel Kings. If the Church hadn't overextended in its expansion here, and if the seven Angel Kings hadn't suffered wounds, the Goddess of Liberty and the Rosicrucian Order wouldn't have found their opportunity. Through the so-called revolution, they destroyed the power of the Old Church in France. In the end, the Church of Light didn't continue the pursuit and allowed Kukulkan to hide here. I think he must have an ancient god's status, right? It's been over 700 years since he completely lost his faith."

"He does have an ancient god's status, but it's very weak. Otherwise, he would have already walked the earth. His strength still relies on laws and stars. As long as the wind exists on this land, as long as the descendants of the Incas survive, and as long as Venus still shines here, he will not die."

Li Mochen knew Hazel was worried. He smiled and rubbed his cousin's head, thanking her for the reminder.

"I'll be careful. But compared to those seven Angel Kings, I do have some advantages, don't I?"

His advantage lay in his relatively low cultivation and magical power; this world could accommodate his strength well, allowing him to exert his full power.

The magical energy concentration of the Bright World was indeed a hundred times that of the Primordial Vault, but it was not without limits.

It seemed that when power reached the level of a high god, or the Eastern Mystic Immortal rank and above, it would cause small-scale collapse in this world.

Thus, the 'Severance of Heaven and Earth' and the 'Treaty of Separate Governance between Humans and Gods' were not entirely compromises by the gods to humanity, but also practical necessities.

So during the Aztec conquest, those Angel Kings could only walk the world in incarnations prepared by the Church.

There was still worry in Hazel's eyes. She knew what Li Mochen wanted to do, and her heart inevitably felt uneasy.

Legend had it that the Feathered Serpent had once approached the rank of 'God-King'—rank, not just the chief of the Indian gods.

Hazel still held reverence for these high-ranking deities.

Although Li Mochen had just achieved an astonishing feat in Berlin, this time was different. They were about to face the true body of a former 'quasi-God-King'. Hazel couldn't help but worry for Li Mochen.

"But I think no matter what, since He made the Church of Light give up the pursuit and the gods still walking this world dare not covet Him, it shows that this former Indian god-king still has some strength. Andre, you plan to kill Him this time, right? I feel you're a bit full of yourself. The battle in Berlin made you forget yourself."

This was from Death's Enemy Thomson up ahead: "Ha! I can feel His power. He's trying to intimidate you."

Li Mochen did not answer this time. He looked grimly toward the pyramid at the city's center, his eyes showing a mix of sternness and fervor.

If possible, he certainly wanted to take down Kukulkan. He wanted to glimpse the mysteries of the God-King and the sun through this Feathered Serpent, and he also coveted Kukulkan's foundation—the accumulation and wealth of a deity with 1,200 years of supreme god history were bound to be extraordinary.

Li Mochen even coveted Kukulkan's power! After the Scarlet Dragon Armor was restored to completeness, the four domains of this mythical armament—'Solidity', 'Indestructibility', 'Magic Resistance', and 'Eternity'—had all risen to the level of divine authority. The 'Duel' and 'War' divine authorities had been elevated to a high level.

Among them, the most valuable was the high-level 'Duel' divine authority, which could bring him two more slots for seizing power.

Unfortunately, the Holy Master Bernie Madigan and Cardinal Cressey Cook, who had fallen by his hand in Berlin, both possessed combat power at the mid-divine level. Yet their strength came more from the Lord of Radiance than from themselves.

This did not meet Li Mochen's requirements. In the future, although the 'Scarlet Dragon Armor' would have the chance to wash away old power, each refinement would be more difficult and demanding than the last.

So he had to choose the right candidate from the start. And that 'Feathered Serpent' was a very good target.

This was also the value of the 'Scarlet Dragon Armor' and the reason it could contend with the Vatican in the Middle Ages. Though this mythical armament was lower in rank than the 'Holy Lance of Longinus' and the 'Kongtong Seal', if used properly, its power surpassed both.

While the Roman Curia was still meeting to discuss how to counterattack and reclaim the sacred relics from him, Li Mochen was already plotting how to enhance his own military advantage and widen the power gap between the two sides.

Of course, he would not force it or take too great a risk.

Li Mochen had to first assess the strength of this Feathered Serpent. If there was no opportunity, he would simply grab some things and leave, returning to accumulate strength and come back in a few years. But if Kukulkan could not recover his strength after seven hundred years of recuperation, then he would show no mercy.

In fact, Li Mochen had already sensed the presence of the Feathered Serpent. The latter was hiding in the complex folded space within the city of 'Katsha', sizing up their group with its huge, hate-filled serpent eyes.

And their spiritual wills had already clashed across the void. As Thomson said, 'Kukulkan' was trying to intimidate him.

The spiritual power of this Feathered Serpent was exceptionally strong, making Li Mochen feel unusually strained even after merging with the original owner's divine soul and amplifying his spiritual strength more than tenfold.

This was completely different from the spiritual impact of the seven Angelic Kings in the Berlin battle. Those powerful archangels under the Lord of Radiance were separated from him by a membrane. But now, Li Mochen was directly withstanding the spiritual pressure of this Feathered Serpent.

In less than three seconds, Li Mochen had gained a new understanding of the power of a divine throne. And 'Kukulkan', hidden deep within the city, was not even at its peak.

However—

As the spiritual confrontation continued, a hint of excitement and joy appeared in Li Mochen's eyes.

Though the Feathered Serpent was doing its utmost to display its power, Li Mochen had already glimpsed its weak essence through the power of fate.

Since gaining control of the 'Holy Lance of Longinus', Li Mochen's Titan Eye and True Dragon Vision had undergone some changes. He could now see the threads of fate of those around him, discern their destiny trajectories for the next few hours, and attempt to disturb or even manipulate them.

And the thread of fate that Kukulkan now displayed before Li Mochen's eyes completely exposed its true state.

Its physical body had died, leaving only a huge serpent corpse coiled deep within the city. The state was similar to a lich, but Kukulkan could not control its body normally like a lich.

Those Angelic Kings had inflicted great wounds on its divine body. Yet Kukulkan was unwilling to abandon it and still tried to use its own divine authority over life and death to save its flesh.

After all, losing the physical body meant losing the rank of an ancient god. In the West, ancient gods were also called 'flesh gods', equivalent to the 'flesh buddha' of the Hindu Buddhist tradition.

So that massive serpent body was something Kukulkan could never give up. It had almost succeeded. It seemed only a few steps remained, but this also tied up most of Kukulkan's energy.

And the powerful divine soul it displayed at this moment did not originate from its own body but relied on a treasure—because Li Mochen had already glimpsed the fate trace of this mythical armament.

All non-living matter has its fate, from tiny dust and mustard seeds to the sun, moon, and stars. The fate trace of a mythical armament was especially conspicuous.

Obviously, Kukulkan was using its power to bluff.

But before preparing to act, Li Mochen first used the 'Zhou Tian Divine Mechanism Xuan Shu Lock Star Secret Method' to divine the auspiciousness, then instructed Hazel and Robert.

Help me demolish all the pyramids around here! The more, the better. Thomson Beowulf, that includes you!

Demolish? Are you sure, Andre?

The Death's Enemy Thomson raised an eyebrow. "But these are Mayan relics, priceless ancient artifacts. If the Mexican government finds out, they'll go crazy. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will surely condemn you, Andre, and your reputation will be ruined. I can't go along with this. These cultural heritages must not be destroyed. I am a man of principle and morality—"

Li Mochen couldn't be bothered to reply, just shot him a 'you're annoying' look. "One million gold shields per pyramid!"

Hazel was the first to act, effortlessly smashing a nearby pyramid to pieces. The little girl transformed into a dragon, and with her immense strength, a single claw was enough to destroy these pyramids, which had lost most of their mystical power and were gradually weathering and decaying.

Robert also slashed out hundreds of sword auras and wind blades in an instant, each strike raising a cloud of dust.

But the two of them combined could not match the Death's Enemy Thomson. He simply charged forward, using his body to level these millennia-old structures one by one. He also continuously unleashed source-force slashes of immense power, entwined with massive lightning serpents, covering the pyramids on both sides.

"That's mine! Mine! Seven, ten—Miss Yvonne, you silver-spoon types, don't steal my business, OK? I'll fight you!"

Amid these shouts, Thomson not only flattened a large number of pyramids but also cleared the path, killing two birds with one stone.

However, this scene indeed caused the archaeological teams around the city to wail in anguish. People rose into the air from all directions, flying over, presumably to persuade and obstruct.

But most of them were sent back to their starting points by the powerful wind pressure Robert generated. The remaining few were knocked unconscious by a single strike from Li Mochen.

At this moment, Hazel was already gaining ground, having completely flattened twenty-two pyramids. By the time she destroyed the fifth, she had guessed Li Mochen's intention, so she put in extra effort. A look of satisfaction appeared in the girl's eyes, as if she enjoyed the process.

This made the Death's Enemy frantic: "Do you have to steal mine? Are you a destruction maniac? OK, OK, I think we can achieve greater efficiency through division of labor. We need to cooperate."

Li Mochen had been watching Hazel, observing her abnormality.

Perhaps because she had fully inherited the power of the Calamity Flame Dragon Lady Adriana, Hazel seemed increasingly fond of, or even addicted to, the feeling of destruction. This was evident from the two hundred pieces of damaged equipment in the fitness hall of Sword Manor, all destroyed during Hazel's training, with a total value exceeding one hundred thirty million gold shields.

Li Mochen smiled bitterly, thinking that the girl's mind had indeed been corrupted.

This was one reason he was reluctant to let Hazel participate in battle early. The power of the dark side could corrode the human heart—this was absolutely true. Many in the Primordial Dome had fallen into demonhood because of it. It was very bad; it would distort Hazel's temperament and allow Adriana's soul to revive within Hazel's body.

The reason Li Mochen had agreed to let Hazel fight was partly due to insufficient strength on his side and partly because he believed that constant suppression would only fuel Hazel's destructive urges. Appropriate release was not a bad thing.

But judging from yesterday's battle outside Atlanta and today's scene, the situation is still somewhat serious.

This was his miscalculation. After inheriting everything from Adrianna, Hazel's dual-element mystical transformation had become unbalanced again. The 'Ice Heart Overwhelming Sea Art,' only at the sixth level, was insufficient to suppress Hazel's mind.

Fortunately, it was discovered early and could still be suppressed and remedied. If luck was on his side, this problem could be preliminarily resolved today—

As they drew closer, Li Mochen sensed dozens of disordered divine powers interweaving and crisscrossing within, causing distortions in spacetime. Among them was an ice-type power mixed with the power of the starry sky—

Li Mochen soon had no time to focus on Hazel, as the pressure on his mind increased dramatically.

A phantom giant feathered serpent began to manifest in the sky above the city center of 'Katasha.' Its body, a full seven thousand meters long, coiled around the nine tallest pyramids, with its massive head towering four thousand meters above the ground. It gazed down at Li Mochen with eyes as large as hot air balloons, filled with both contempt and intense greed.

'Get back! Descendant of traitors, this is no place for you! Your flesh is delicious, but now is not the time for me to taste it.'

This thought slammed directly into Li Mochen's mind. At the same time, a massive whirlwind arose in the city center, directly suppressing the wind giant behind Robert. A torrent of lightning generated around them, striking down in waves, reducing Thomson Beo's body to charcoal!