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With the help of the "Book of Law", Hobert saw many places with gorgeous colors in Calderon City, and those should all be members of the "Underworld Faction".
Hobert "tampered" with his position and instantly appeared next to a gorgeous color on the edge of Calderon.
Did the "Underworld Faction" member's body undergo a mutation, or did they simply abandon their body? In any case, from the outside, they were no different from normal undead.
He was now wondering why he was emitting light?
Hobert waved his hand at him, and the "Underworld Faction" member was immediately hit by a huge force, slammed into the wall of a building, and the force immediately followed up, pressing him firmly against the wall.
"What research is the 'Underworld Faction' conducting in the 'City of the Dead'?" Hobert asked.
The "Underworld Faction" member knew that he had encountered an enemy, his expression indifferent, with no intention of answering any questions.
Hobert didn't force it, "distorting" his remaining state of "life" into "death", and so this member really became a dead person.
Hobert "used" the power of the surrounding "City of the Dead" to drag out his soul and complete the preparations for necromancy.
He asked again: "What exactly are you researching?"
Bang~
Just as the undead was about to open his mouth, he exploded in place!
Hobert was slightly stunned. This was not a "secret keeping" ability, but rather the other party's spirit body was very fragile and could not withstand the torment of "necromancy".
This made Hobert frown: Did he have to investigate it himself?
Hobert glanced again at the undead with colorful "markings" around him. Because the city had a structure that was high in the middle and low around the edges, he could easily see the positions of the other "Underworld Faction" members.
One of the locations was very close to the center of the city.
At this time, the center of the city still looked somewhat illusory, and the specific situation could not be seen clearly.
Hobert planned to approach the center to see if he could find any clues.
The phoenixs in the air had long noticed Hobert, but Hobert's movements were too fast for them to catch up.
Just now, when Hobert was trying to perform necromancy, they finally surrounded Hobert.
The phoenix who had interrogated Hobert and the others before sneered: "My feeling was right, you really have a problem."
The pale light on their bodies became more intense, as if they were forming a closer connection with the "City of the Dead", forming an encirclement with a strong Underworld power.
On the latest page of the "Book of Law" in Hobert's hand, a line of silvery words appeared unhurriedly: There is no air in the Underworld. Flying here obviously does not conform to the relevant rules of aerodynamics.
Amidst the screams of the phoenixes, they fell to the ground one by one, and the encirclement immediately disintegrated.
Hobert glanced at the "Brass Book" in his hand: You know quite a lot!
In the next second, Hobert used the method of "distorting" space to delve deeper into the "City of the Dead".
When he came to the middle of the city, Hobert found that his Beyonder abilities were affected in some way, as if there was always an ethereal force pulling at his spirituality, and it didn't seem as flexible as when he was outside.
He guessed that this should be the influence of the "River of Eternal Darkness". The deeper he went into the center of the city, the greater this influence should be.
At this time, the "Book of Law" showed new words: "Creator" is a very special existence. He is the shadow of all rules and the shadow of death, so the influence in the "City of the Dead" will be limited.
Hobert immediately felt his spirituality return to normal and continued to walk inside. He gradually felt the surging power in the center of the city.
It seemed like the most terrifying thing in the world was hidden there, but Hobert couldn't say exactly what it was.
It was because he couldn't say it clearly that even Hobert felt fear from the bottom of his heart.
Intertwined with fear was sadness, the reluctant and helpless sadness when facing death, and the disappointment after failing to resist the power of death time and time again.
Hobert took a deep breath. If he continued to move forward, the effect of the "Book of Law" would also begin to weaken. Although it was a uniqueness with a very high rank, the center of the city belonged to the power of the Sefirah!
So he began to summon the power of the "Nation of Disorder" to form a barrier around himself.
But in this way, he could only move forward step by step and could not use extraordinary power to reach his destination quickly.
As he walked forward, Hobert looked at the streets on both sides. The buildings on both sides were very complete, but they looked a bit grim and dilapidated, like a well-preserved ancient site.
It was just that the surroundings were eerily quiet, and Hobert felt that he could even hear the sound of blood flowing through his blood vessels.
Moreover, the visibility here was limited. Even Hobert's vision was affected. He couldn't see the edge of the city, let alone Monteson Port "in the air".
It made him feel as if he was isolated in another world.
Suddenly, Hobert's inspiration stirred and he looked at a room carved out of a huge white bone.
The bone-white door opened gently, and Selena with wine-red hair walked out of it. She had a bright smile like she did when she was alive: "Teacher, long time no see."
"Long time no see." Hobert smiled: "I avenged you."
"Thank you. But more than that, I want to know how Freya and Dennis are now?"
Hobert was chatting with an old friend, walking forward and saying: "Freya is currently the Deputy Minister of the Security Department of the Duchy of South Balam.
"Dennis is currently helping me keep an eye on the research laboratory of South Balam and the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. His specific position is the Chief of the Security Department of the Science and Technology Department."
The research laboratory cooperated by both parties has never stopped its research work even during the war and even during the direct confrontation between South Balam and Intis.
Because Hobert has been giving some strange topics, these topics were difficult for people to understand at first, but after the research results came out, they would have unexpected uses.
Selena followed behind Hobert and sighed: "I really envy them!"
If she were still alive, she would also be a high-ranking official in the Duchy of South Balam.
Hobert smiled: "I am also quite envious of them, for having such a good teacher."
"Teacher, you are still so...humorous." Selena smiled helplessly: "You don't seem to be sad about my death?"
"Selena." Hobert took a deep breath and said: "Death is a part of life. It is like the wind passing over the earth, while the earth, which symbolizes life, is always still.
"Life is the essence of the world. It is always connected to the earth and has never changed."
Selena asked curiously: "Teacher, when did you become a believer of the Church of the Earth Mother?"
"I always have been." Hobert smiled: "I was baptized by the Mother Church a long time ago."
Selina had heard of this matter. She asked in a tone of request, like she did when she was alive: "Teacher, is death really so understated to you?"
"It depends on the situation." Hobert said seriously: "For example, when I encounter an enemy, I will work hard to invite them to die!"
Selena smiled again: "I may never be able to learn this kind of freedom from my teacher."
Hobert looked at a stone statue emitting colorful light in front of him: "Okay, let's talk about it here first, I should get down to business."
After saying that, the barrier formed by the "Order Crystal" around him suddenly grew larger, encompassing the stone statue, but still isolating Selena from the outside.
Hobert came to the stone statue and shook his head: "It's really miserable. It's been eroded by the 'River of Eternal Darkness' and assimilated by this city, and finally turned into a stone statue."
"You are wrong, this is a way to gain eternal life!" Black blood flowed out of the stone statue's eyes, ears, nostrils, and corners of its mouth. It seemed to be talking to Hobert with its spirituality: "As long as I am close enough to 'death', death will completely leave me."
Hobert nodded, as if he agreed with the other party's idea: "Then let's talk about it, what did you find in this city?"
"Found the aura of the Phoenix Ancestor!" Cracks appeared on the other party's face: "As long as there is still death, he still has the possibility of resurrection!"
Hobert once again looked like he agreed with this statement very much: "I have also heard that the 'Death' is relatively special, because he himself is death, so it may be difficult to truly die."
This time he changed his strategy. While asking back, the abilities of "distortion" and "charm" quietly distorted the other party's thinking, making the other party relax their vigilance and be more willing to express their inner thoughts.
The stone statue cracked little by little, and a very handsome, but somewhat childish face appeared inside. It turned out to be Erebus, who had been killed by Hobert long ago!
Erebus smiled: "Isn't it very surprising."
Hobert smiled: "You are not Erebus, he is already dead."
"It is precisely because I am dead that I can come here."
Hobert still shook his head: "The angels I killed have no chance of survival, and they cannot be found even in the underworld."
"You are wrong." Erebus said: "As long as you have experienced death, even if your spirit body is destroyed by you, you can still leave a mark in the underworld."
"So, you are not Erebus." Hobert said: "You are just a mark!"
He raised the "Brass Book" in his hand: "If you were Erebus, you would have been staring at it and unable to take your eyes off it, but you didn't even look at it.
"An Erebus without a competitive relationship is not threatening to me at all."
"Erebus" was stunned for a second or two before saying: "Are the 'Lawyer's' ways of thinking so strange?"
Hobert, however, retorted, "Because you discovered the aura of the 'Phoenix Ancestor,' you were corrupted and want to use those auras to revive Him?
But what does this have to do with 'City of the Dead,' Calderon? Why is this city mutating?"
"Erebus" replied, "This city is a symbol of the 'Phoenix Ancestor's' existence. As long as this city is not destroyed, the 'Phoenix Ancestor' will not completely perish.
We are not corrupted. As far as our 'Underworld Faction' is concerned, as long as we can once again dominate the Southern Continent, it doesn't matter who sits in the 'Death' position.
We have been researching how to give the 'Underworld' a certain consciousness, integrate it with the real world, and provide us with a constant stream of power.
The connection between the 'City of the Dead' and the 'Phoenix Ancestor' fits our expectations very well, so we are researching in this direction.
We are not corrupted or eroded, but we have actively made some modifications to ourselves."
Whether he did it on purpose or didn't realize it at all, just now, he said twice, "We are not corrupted."
Hobert opened his mouth: "What a group of pathetic people!"
At this moment, He even speculated that the first "Underworld Faction" was very likely influenced by this city in the Underworld. With the "Underworld Emperor" fallen and no deity in this pathway, the influence they received deepened, and they became a faction of the Numinous Episcopate.
But this is not what Hobert is concerned about. He pondered for a moment before saying, "In other words, interrupting the revival process of the 'Phoenix Ancestor' can make the Underworld return to normal?"
"Erebus" smiled contemptuously: "Your idea is too naive. Although you are an Archangel, you are currently in 'City of the Dead,' Calderon! With your power, you simply cannot stop the revival of the Death."
Hobert shook his head: "In my opinion, the 'Phoenix Ancestor' cannot be revived, because She does not have the uniqueness of the 'Death' pathway."
"Erebus" said: "She is death itself. In Her Divine Kingdom, She is 'Death.'"
Hobert understood the other party's meaning. This is a bit like the relationship between the "Moon" pathway and the "Crimson Moon." The connection between them is very close, but after all, they are two different things.
One is an abstract manifestation, and the other is a truly existing thing.
In the field of mysticism, they respectively represent the authority of the "Moon," probably a relationship of equality, not a relationship of mutual subordination.
If the "Phoenix Ancestor" really revives, then She is "death" itself, or this process, while the uniqueness of the "Death" pathway in the hands of the Evernight Goddess is an abstract death.
Then, the first thing Hobert thought of was whether to ask the Evernight Goddess for help?
But He also thought that the Evernight Goddess was not very willing to contact the "River of Eternal Darkness" at this time, so she later asked Klein to help her "fetch water."
So, He planned to solve it himself first and try. If he couldn't solve it, he would pray to the Evernight Goddess to see if he could get any inspiration.
Hobert glanced at "Erebus": "You can die."
As he spoke, the "Sword of Disorder" appeared in the hand that was not holding the "Brass Book." Hobert casually slashed and stabbed "Erebus," shattering him again.
"Erebus," who fell like gravel, smiled: "It's useless."
At this time, the bone-white door of a house built of skulls next to him suddenly opened.
"Erebus" walked out from inside: "Here, no one can kill me."
He glanced at Selena: "And I can also use the symbolic meaning here to launch an attack on you. That barrier of yours is useless."
Hobert realized that this "Underworld Faction" member was different from the one he had just killed.
Since he couldn't kill the other party, He planned to continue forward, preparing to find the entrance of the "River of Eternal Darkness" in this city and try to seal it or cut off the connection between the two to see if it could solve the problem?
But in the next second, He suddenly appeared in a room with dim lights. On the sofa in front of Hobert sat a family of four, motionless like puppets, looking at Hobert with eerie smiles.
Their eyes made Hobert feel cold all over, as if awakening some terrifying memories deep in his soul.
Hobert was slightly stunned and immediately understood that this was the attack launched by "Erebus" using the "City of the Dead!"
And this scene seemed to be a scene from a horror movie he had seen before.
Suddenly, a very soothing music sounded behind Hobert, but in such a strange environment, the soothing music seemed to be attacking Hobert's spirit body, and every syllable could deepen His fear!
Hobert looked back and saw that there was a gramophone behind him, which was playing music. It turned out that the family with eerie smiles was appreciating the music of the gramophone.
He retracted his gaze, but suddenly found that the family of four with eerie smiles had stood up at some point, vaguely surrounding Hobert.
They were still standing there motionless like puppets, as if they had been standing from the beginning.
An invisible sense of fear enveloped the entire room. Hobert didn't dare to breathe, feeling that the family of four could pounce on him in the next second.
But the level of the Archangel still kept Hobert calm enough. He pondered slightly and had a good idea to break the situation.
At this moment, the music in the gramophone stopped. Although the family of four were still motionless, Hobert's spirituality felt that their faces were becoming ferocious.
He knew he couldn't wait any longer. He immediately raised his hand and "distorted" the family of four, making their stiff bodies move like puppets and dance a joyful dance.
The music in the gramophone sounded again. This time, it was no longer soothing music, but a music that seemed to hit Hobert's heart, and every syllable could evoke His terrifying memories.
Hobert looked at the gramophone, and the music suddenly changed, "distorted" by Him into a joyful tune.
The dim and unclear lights above his head also became colorful, and the haunted house became a dance hall.
Hobert looked at the dancing family of four. The eerie smiles on their faces and the ferocity they gave made their movements even more ridiculous.
"What's so scary?" Hobert said contemptuously.
The family of four suddenly merged into one person, it was "Erebus." The haunted house-like setting around him also turned into the streets of the "City of the Dead."
Hobert once again included "Erebus" in his barrier, and without saying a word, "distorted" the other party's emotions, making him laugh "haha."
"Erebus's" face was full of unwillingness, but he couldn't control his emotions at this time, laughing forward and backward, laughing and kneeling on the ground.
Only then did Hobert continue to walk forward while thinking about how to seal and how to deal with the revived Ancient Death. This time, "Erebus" and Selena did not follow.
After only a few steps forward, "Erebus's" laughter could no longer be heard, and the surroundings returned to silence, as if time had stopped here.
This gave Hobert the illusion that the things he was currently doing were not urgent at all.
Finally, Hobert came to the bottom of the city, where there was a huge, deep black palace supported by pillars.
The walls were inlaid with various skulls, and some places were covered with a layer of bloody skin of different races.
Because of the protection of the "Nation of Disorder," Hobert stepped into the palace, and what came into view was a hall filled with coffins of various styles. The coffins that had previously floated into the air, from which phoenixes struggled to emerge, should also have come from here.
As soon as Hobert was about to take the second step, the interiors of these coffins made some sounds like rusty joints being opened again.
He immediately injected spirituality into the "Book of Law," and this Sealed Artifact lived up to expectations and once again showed a line of mercury-colored text: This is the "City of the Dead," the dead should be at rest.
All the coffins suddenly fell silent.
Hobert continued to walk forward. In the depths of the hall, there was a downward passage composed of gray-white steps.
At the entrance stood a huge stone tablet. At the top of the stone tablet stood a tall, slender statue of a giant bird that seemed to be made of bronze.
There were two sentences on the stone tablet composed of "Language of the Dead": Even gods cannot escape; even death will be imprisoned.
Hobert nodded: This is the place.
He immediately mobilized the surging power from the "Nation of Disorder" to seal the downward entrance, but He found that there was an illusory force resisting the "Nation of Disorder," and it could not completely cover the entrance.
That was the power of the "River of Eternal Darkness," only a Great Old One could resist the power of a Great Old One.
Hobert frowned, feeling that he should change his thinking.
At this moment, a giant bird's head stretched out from the downward entrance!
Hobert was very familiar with the "appearance" of this head, it was the "Ancient Death" Gregrace! Hobert had used the corpse of the "Ancient Death" more than once, so he was very familiar with it!
The Ancient Death has been resurrected!
Resurrected silently!
There was not much fanfare, nor was there any surge of power, as if He had never fallen, as if He had just rested in the River of Eternal Darkness.
His eyes seemed to be cast in bronze, with layers of illusory doors inside.
Even as the Archangel, Hobert felt his spirit impacted by a single glance into the eyes of the Ancient Death.
Fortunately, the barrier formed by the power of the "Nation of Disorder" protected him; otherwise, Hobert's spirit would have been severely damaged!
Hobert, prepared for this, donned glasses made from the "Order Crystal." Now able to directly face his opponent, Hobert immediately expanded the barrier formed by the "Nation of Disorder," encompassing the resurrecting Ancient Death within it.
Simultaneously, a new rule appeared on the "Book of Law" in his hand: Death Gods are dead, which is why they are called Death Gods.
Feathers fell from the Ancient Death's head, revealing the rotten skin beneath, oozing with pale yellow pus.
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