usatvline Chapter 532: Light Sprouting from Darkness
Chapter 532: Light Sprouting from Darkness
In that mysterious and quiet space, time seemed to flow extremely slowly. Every breath was filled with an indescribable atmosphere. The darkness was pervasive as if it were a substance. It was so quiet that only the sound of the Styx flowing could be heard.
"Xiadie, how much time do I have left?"
Xiadie gently raised her pale hand, as if she was controlling the fate of all living beings in the world, and slightly opened her lips, "You come to me every week to ask, Kexia, you acted a little too cowardly, didn't you?
Xiadie stood opposite. Wherever she was, the darkness seemed thicker, like a loyal servant surrounding a king.
She raised her hand lightly, and the action seemed casual, but it caused the waves of the Styx to surge instantly.
The black waves rushed up into the sky, and the loud noises made when they collided with each other made the whole space tremble slightly. The space seemed to be unable to bear the weight, and layers of twisted ripples appeared.
From the tumbling river, purple butterflies emerged like ghosts. The light from their bodies was cold and mysterious, weaving a gorgeous and eerie web of light in the darkness.
They dance around the butterflies, the sound of their wings flapping like some ancient and mysterious spell. The trajectory of each butterfly is precise and complex, as if following some supreme instruction.
A pocket watch appeared in Xiadie's palm without any warning. As soon as the pocket watch appeared, the temperature around it seemed to drop suddenly, and the darkness gathered towards it as if it was attracted.
The dark purple butterflies swarmed towards the pocket watch. As they entered, a clear ticking sound was heard from inside the pocket watch. The sound was cold and mechanical, and each tick was like the god of death measuring the scale of life.
After a moment, the ticking sound stopped abruptly, and the "click" sound of the pocket watch closing seemed particularly abrupt and decisive in the silence.
"You only have seven days left." Xiadie's voice was calm, but like a verdict, it echoed here for a long time.
When Xia heard that, his body stiffened slightly and he dispersed the shadows around him.
Although he did not say much, behind him, wherever the light reached, the darkness melted away like ice and snow meeting the scorching sun, leaving behind a bright and fiery trail, which formed a sharp contrast with the surrounding darkness.
Xiadie stared at Kexia, and a barely perceptible fluctuation flashed in her eyes.
"If you want to do it, just do it, or don't struggle in vain."
"No matter what the outcome is, death is waiting for you." After saying this, Xiadie took light lotus steps and turned away gracefully.
Her black robe fluttered in the wind, rustling, as if telling of the loneliness and cruelty that had remained unchanged for a thousand years. She no longer looked at Na Kexia. To her, the struggle of his fate was nothing more than a boring farce, not worth her attention.
"Xiadie, do you really think that this predetermined fate cannot be shaken? How could I easily succumb to this so-called shackles of time?"
Hearing this, Xiadie's mouth curled up slightly, but then disappeared.
Xiadie turned around again and stared at him straight.
"So, are you ready to face the 'Gods'? As a scholar, are you willing to take part in the game and break the curse that has been passed down for thousands of years?"
"As a bearer of wisdom and courage, how can I be afraid of any difficulties and obstacles?"
"Even if I have to face obstacles as insurmountable as mountains, and the shackles that have imprisoned me for a thousand years, I will swear by my will that I will break them into pieces. Even if my body turns to dust, I will never change my mind."
"That Kexia, what you are trying to challenge is the order created by a powerful being far beyond your imagination. In the past, there were countless so-called 'wise men' who were arrogant and tried to break through this cursed cage, but their souls are now sinking and struggling in the endless abyss of the Styx, imprisoned by darkness forever, unable to break free forever."
As she spoke, she slowly raised her white yet majestic hand. In the palm of her hand, the power of darkness quickly gathered into a bottomless, inky black vortex like an awakened demon, as if showing Kexia the terrifying horror of the underworld in a silent but extremely deterrent way.
"The fate of those losers is definitely not my destiny. I seek the treasure of knowledge in every inch of land in the world and accumulate the crystallization of wisdom in the long river of time. What I want is the choice at this moment, and the courage to challenge this absurd destiny."
"I firmly believe that the radiance of wisdom will penetrate this lead-thick, dark fog that seems like an eternal night, and completely dispel the cursed haze."
"And I will never regret it. I will use every action and every struggle of mine to prove to the world that fate is not an unshakable giant pillar. Even in this era shrouded in darkness for thousands of years, hope and change can be like a spark that will eventually set the prairie on fire."
Xiadie stared at Kexia closely, her eyes as cold as ice stars. After a long silence, she slowly spoke, "So what are you going to do? Is it not just a simple question this time?"
"You don't want me to help you, do you? You know I have to guard the Hades Snake and I can't leave here easily."
"It would be best if you could come and help. I'm here to remind you that no matter what happens in the outside world, whether it's a landslide or something else, you must not let the snake out." Na Kexia said seriously.
Xiadie nodded slightly, "Of course I know the seriousness of this matter. The Hades Snake has been sealed here for countless years, but you also know that this seal is not foolproof. If it encounters an extremely strong external impact or someone deliberately destroys it, its stability will be threatened."
Xia frowned at that moment, "That's why I want you to stay here."
"Are they also ready to defeat the 'Gods'?"
At that moment, Xia didn't say much, just nodded slightly.
"What about Aglaia? How is she doing?" Xiadie asked.
"She...is still praying in the temple, and whenever she has time, she follows the messenger of the Three Phases to distribute food." Na Kexia answered truthfully. When talking about Aglaia, his eyes unconsciously revealed a hint of complex emotions, including respect and helplessness.
"Hmph...a nice guy." Xiadie snorted. She was not particularly dissatisfied with Aglaia, but she found her behavior difficult to understand. In Xiadie's view, the strong prey on the weak in this world, and civilians are just like ants. Why bother to care about their life and death?
In this cold and dark world order, the eternal law is that the strong are respected. In her eyes, Aglaia's good deeds seem to be an inappropriate naivety that is incompatible with this cruel reality.
However, she knew that Aglaia's persistence was not meaningless. It was a persistent protection of the brilliance of human nature, and her protection seemed so great in such a place.
But what she couldn't understand was that she prayed to the gods, but it was the war of the gods that brought the world to the brink of destruction...
...
Inside the temple, it was quiet and gloomy, with only Aglaia's gentle breathing remaining, like a subtle rhythm in the silence.
Her smooth golden hair cascaded over her shoulders. In the dim light and shadow, Aglaia walked lightly to the altar and slowly knelt. Her white 'dress', which was similar to that of a 'Dorian Peplos' but not so revealing, spread quietly on the cold and dimly glowing marble floor, like a blooming holy lotus.
She slowly put her hands together in front of her chest, her long eyelashes trembling slightly and gently drooping, hiding her blue-green eyes behind them, and then she began her sincere and solemn prayer.
"Great and merciful gods, I, Aglaia, offer you my most sincere respect and prayers in this world of darkness and chaos. May your light penetrate this thick haze, fall into every corner, and warm the souls struggling in suffering."
"I have witnessed the sufferings of the world. The common people are like a lone boat drifting in a storm, fragile and helpless. They are struggling with hunger and illness, and breathing hard in fear and despair. I pray that you will give them strength and hope, so that they can bravely face the hardships of life."
“May you bless this land and protect it from the flames of war, so that the white dove of peace can fly in the sky again, keep those evil forces away from us, and let justice and kindness take root in everyone’s heart.”
"I also implore you to look after the mountains, rivers, flowers, plants and trees on this land. May the rushing rivers have clear waters, nourishing all things. May the towering mountains have solid foundations, providing shelter for all living things and bringing comfort to tired travelers. May the lush and dense forests be full of vitality, and become a paradise for all living things." Aglaia leaned forward slightly, immersing himself in this sacred moment of dialogue with God.
In an instant, a faint breeze quietly sneaked in from the skylight of the temple dome, like a caress from God, gently ruffling the strands of golden hair on her forehead. Aglaia's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes. The tears in her eyes sparkled in the light of the candles on the altar.
She knew that the gods might not respond immediately, but her faith would never waver.
She stood up gracefully, and gently straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes with her bare hands. Then she turned around and walked towards the heavy door of the temple with firm steps. Before leaving, she took an object from the mannequin beside her.
She will once again step into the hustle and bustle of the world and hardship, distributing food and love to those who are hungry and desperate. With her own good deeds, she will become a sacred torch of love and hope. Although this light is a little weak in the face of the vast world, she firmly believes that as long as the torch of faith is never extinguished, the little bits of light will eventually gather into a dazzling galaxy that can reshape the world, dispel darkness and usher in light.
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