At this very moment, above the disc-shaped Helios, the color of blood was surging and converging towards the axis of the entire world, climbing up along the great tower of light of Pubrus.
Just like the Tower of Babel that had once defied the gods and ascended.
The obsession that had been passed down for thousands of years reappeared at this moment. The fruit that countless alchemists had dreamed of was right before their eyes, towards the sky, towards the sun that was high up in the sky.
Publius, no, all the alchemists above Helios, the souls that had sunk into hell, the dead that had done nothing, and the wills that were filled with unwillingness and pain, all of them extended their palms towards it.
Even after a long period of time, this achievement had gradually lost its meaning.
But the mountain was there.
Following the path left behind by the gods, the alchemists once again began to climb!
Boom!
On the tower of light, the alchemist who had been drinking stiffened for a moment. He sighed and raised his head to drink the last drop of sweetness.
"What a pity …"
He murmured softly, closed his eyes, and silently turned into ashes.
His strength had been exhausted, but the next Pubrus raised his eyes again and threw himself into the torrent without a care for his own safety, until this excessively scorching flame burned him to ashes.
Then, the next one.
And the next one …
Countless split souls, harboring the same obsession, threw themselves into the furnace, using their own ashes to lay the foundation of the tower, causing the giant blood-colored hand to move upwards, upwards, and upwards.
Until the end, ignoring the burning of the sun, it firmly grasped the incorporeal proof of the gods!
Inch by inch, it was pulled downwards.
It was as if it was so hungry and thirsty that it wanted to swallow the gods into its stomach.
"Great spirit of the gods, I will offer all my 'sacrifices' for you —"
Pubrus was burning.
Amidst the flames, he continued to split himself and tossed them into the furnace. He grinned and laughed maniacally.
"— Please, mourn for me!"
.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, in the venue of the Dou Dizhu tournament under the Eternal Frost Furnace, the skeleton holding the cards paused for a moment.
It seemed to be puzzled.
"Something … doesn't seem … right …"
It slowly lifted its skull that was plastered with paper slips and looked at the bloody light that pierced the heavens and the earth. Finally, it felt the attraction and calling from the center.
Involuntarily, he was pulled away from the ground and floated up into the sky.
"Oh my god!"
It exclaimed: "I'm about to ascend!"
Huai Shi reacted and quickly stretched out his hand. The Rope of Sorrow extended and wrapped around his skeleton, holding it in place.
Bechymos opened its mouth and bit on its head, trying to keep it in place.
But the attraction of the same origin was too great, and there was no way to stop it.
Soon, cracks appeared on its arm. Then, the great rotor fell off from its body and flew into the sky. Following that, all the bones in his body shattered under the restraints, turning into fragments and dust, flying rapidly towards the giant tower of light.
By the time Huai Shi reacted, the skeleton had already completely fallen apart and disappeared without a trace.
All that remained was a thin strand of Origin Substance.
It was like an illusion.
All that was left was a half-transparent skull that emitted a faint glow of Origin Substance. It was as if the skeleton had suddenly turned into a ghost.
It had lost consciousness and entered a state of stupor.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah … …"
"What the hell?!"
Huai Shi scratched his head, unable to understand. Just as he was trying his best to maintain the skeleton's last bit of Origin Substance, he heard a warning from behind him.
"What you're doing is useless," the old voice said.
"Pubrilius has retrieved all of its fragments, so it has lost its foundation … … Don't you have the divine wine? If you soak it in, it should be able to remain intact. If you keep doing this, I'm afraid it really will fall apart. "
With this warning, Huai Shi's movements were extremely quick.
He took out his own water tank and carefully placed the skull inside.
As he watched it swim around in the purified divine wine like a goldfish, Huai Shi couldn't help but feel a surge of sorrow. Good, this time it was really going to be soaked in wine.
As the quintessence of Origin Substance, the divine wine had the ability to maintain any shattered soul. However, no matter how he looked at it, it looked as if it had been soaked in formalin.
"It won't die just like that, right?"
Huai Shi muttered worriedly.
"The divine wine will maintain its existence. As long as you can retrieve what Pubrilius took away, your friend will be able to return to its original state."
The person who didn't belong here had already come to this conclusion.
When Huai Shi turned around, he saw an old man leaning on a cane. An uninvited guest … …
Garland.
He couldn't help but frown.
"Grandmaster, why have you come?" he asked. "Could it be that you're here to punish me, the arrogant person who has violated the contract?"
Beside Huai Shi, Bechymos raised its claws and licked the sharp edges of its claws. Sparks flew everywhere.
Its gaze suddenly became dangerous.
Behind Garland, Rachel's face paled. He couldn't help but take a step back.
"There's no need to scare people, Huai Shi," Garland said coldly.
"Although you've successfully bought us quite a bit of time, the showdown before the gods has already gone out of control. Once Pubrilius truly pulls that solar wheel into his array, he will become the new Sun God, the true ruler of Helios. If we want to stop him, we have to join forces. Regardless of whether it's rational or beneficial, this is the only choice for you and me."
"Oh?"
Huai Shi was amused. "Back then, you sold me out so thoroughly. Now, you're turning around to talk about cooperation. Isn't the thickness of your skin a little too exaggerated, Grandmaster?"
"I admit that the destruction of the boundary marker was intentional on my part. However, isn't that part of our deal?"
Garland remained calm, without the slightest hint of guilt. "There's no point in returning the son of Leviathan. Rachel is proof of that.
After being infiltrated by Pubrilius, Leviathan is even more dangerous than Helios. Everyone who isn't on the contract has nowhere to run. Instead, I'm the one who saved you. "
"What about the key?" Huai Shi sneered. "Letting me use your name to go to Helios is also considered saving me, isn't it?"
"Didn't you ask for it yourself?"
Garland asked in return. "I've even confirmed with you your purpose over and over again. You want to obtain the Reflex Crystal. However, without my authority, you won't be able to enter the core of Helios at all.
I've already warned you of the risks.
From the very beginning, it was clearly stated in the contract that 'both parties must not deliberately harm each other.' Now, this clause is still in effect, Huai Shi. "
In his hand was the scroll of the ancient contract.
The clause at the top was still glowing, proving that it was true and effective.
"You can say that I took advantage of a loophole or deceived you. After all, from the very beginning, we never trusted each other at all, right?"
Garland said. "But now, if we want to stop the situation from worsening, we have to join forces. This time, I won't use the contract to bind you in any way. After it's done, everything you get, all the relics of Pubrus, and even anything that belongs to me, can be given to you.
If you're still dissatisfied with me, it doesn't matter if you want to betray me. However, I believe that above the current Helios, we're each other's only choice. "
"You're right. Well said. It's a pity that I'm not interested in your empty promises at all."
Huai Shi was still cold and unmoved.
"But you won't let the followers of the Pied Piper carry out their conspiracy in front of your eyes either, will you?" Garland said. "Our interests are the same. We don't need to be friends. We just have a common enemy."
He said, "Even if it's just this, I believe that we already have the foundation to join forces."
In the silence, Huai Shi looked at him silently and didn't speak.
After a long time, he laughed mockingly.
He had to admit that this old man had grasped his bottom line and was well aware of his choice. Garland might be more suitable to be an intermediary or a broker than an alchemist.
He could always come up with reasons that others couldn't refuse.
He could always control the situation, see the most important things clearly, and control the rhythm.
He could always make others run in circles.
He could always succeed.
"I have to admit that what you said makes a lot of sense. Your proposal is very wise. Your determination is admirable, and you've successfully convinced me."
Huai Shi raised his hand and applauded in admiration, but his eyes didn't waver.
He just looked at him calmly.
He told the old man in front of him.
"I can form an alliance with you, Your Excellency, just like the last time. But I don't need your empty promises, nor do I need you to answer any of my doubts and mysteries in alchemy — "
He said, "I only have one question, and I need you to answer me directly."
In the distance, amid the earth-shattering rumbles, Huai Shi stared at the old man in front of him and asked word by word, "Now, in front of me, the grand master who wants to form an alliance with me …
Is it 'Publius' or 'Garland'? "
Behind him, Bechymos raised his scarlet eyes, no longer concealing his hunger and thirst for food. Behind him, the lightning radiance of Waterhate rose from his hand.
Regardless of whether it was the Origin Substance Incarnations behind them, the Paradise Guards, or even the Lizardmen army.
All of them were coldly looking in his direction.
They were waiting for his answer.
The answer that would determine whether he was friend or foe.
Behind the old man, Rachel was frozen in place, dazed.
He stared blankly at the old man beside him and Huai Shi across from him.
He didn't understand at all … … what were they talking about?
"Who exactly are you?"
Huai Shi looked indifferently at the old man in front of him. "Your Excellency, answer me. Who exactly are you?!"
"I am Garland, Garland van Herman."
The old man raised his hand and once again raised the contract in his hand. "Do you have any questions about my identity? Huai Shi, or do you think that Publius can impersonate me? "
Huai Shi laughed softly. "Ah, I don't have to worry about that. Publius might not be able to impersonate Garland, but Garland … … might be able to impersonate Publius, right?"
He paused for a moment, then asked curiously, "However, is it convenient for you to show us the inheritance of the Blessed Herman family? Legend has it that a single drop of your blood can expel all poisons and evil spirits … … Ah, I forgot that you have a blood fever. What a coincidence, isn't it? "
Huai Shi shrugged sympathetically. "A legendary bloodline was actually destroyed by an illness in alchemy. What a pity. The heavens are truly unkind to you. What a pity!"
Garland remained silent. He didn't say anything, but at the same time … … he didn't refute.
"I've always been curious about one thing."
Huai Shi held the Waterhatred in his hand, his smile growing more and more cheerful. "It's about the rules and decrees of Helios … …
In order to protect the technology and power left behind by the gods, all alchemists born in Helios can't leave for the rest of their lives.
Alchemists who come from outside can only stay for seventy years. They can either die after seventy years because they know too much, or they can leave Helios without knowing anything. At the same time, they have to accept the commandment to never tell anyone about anything above Helios.
Old Mister Garland, you are an outsider, so you are naturally free to come and go … … But how did Publius leave Helios?! "
Garland didn't say anything, but beside him, Rachel couldn't help but frown. "It's just a decree. For a grandmaster, it's naturally easy to break it. There's always a way around it."
"Yes, that's what everyone thinks."
Huai Shi nodded. "But there's another possibility, isn't there?"
He looked straight at the old man in front of him and asked again, "What if … … for Publius, there's no such thing as a rule that he can't leave?"
Why could Publius, the prisoner of Helios, come and go freely?
Why would the skeleton of Publius think that he was a member of the Herman family?
Why would Grandmaster Garland be so familiar with Helios … …
There were too many doubts and inconsistencies.
All this time, Huai Shi couldn't figure out what was going on.
He once again recalled the principle of alchemy — if there was gain, there must be loss.
"Someone reminded me that the so-called price and result can be interchangeable. Sometimes, the important thing isn't what you gain, but what you lose."
Huai Shi stared at the old man in front of him. "And what did you lose, Your Excellency?"
Garland didn't say anything.
And Huai Shi had already found the answer.
"After eliminating all the impossible answers, there's only one truth."
Huai Shi raised his finger and pointed at the old man in front of him, announcing in a booming voice:
"… … Publius is your biological son, isn't he?!"
Dead silence.
A deathly silence suddenly descended. Everyone fell into a state of shock, dumbstruck. Even the old man, who had always maintained a calm expression, was stunned.
Garland: "… …"
Ragnar: "… …"
Bechymos: "… …"
At the side, the incarnation of wrath spat on the ground in disdain.
That inference was too stupid.
The embodiment of compassion nodded in agreement. 'That's true.'
Even Bechymos couldn't help but show a look of disdain.
"Ahem, I'm sorry, that was a slip of the tongue … … Let's try again."
Huai Shi coughed awkwardly, trying hard to put on a serious expression. He raised his finger again and said, "After eliminating all the impossible answers, it's really … …"
"No need to test me anymore, Huai Shi. There's no need to be deliberately mystifying."
Garland interrupted his indirect questioning and told him without hiding anything, "Since you've seen Hecate's temple, you more or less have the answer in your heart, right?"
"It's just like what you imagined … …"
He answered frankly, "That's right.
"… … Before I became Garland van Herman, my name was Publius Augustus."
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