si-mexico Chapter 588 You Vomited Up the Mural
Chapter 588 You Vomited Up the Mural
"But this so-called temple looks really dilapidated!"
Jade kicked away a small stone blocking her path and looked around at the drafty building.
The entire roof of the temple has collapsed, or rather, there was never a dome to begin with?
Xu Ning carried the wine gourd, drinking as he walked, while also observing whether there was any unusual information inside.
"In ancient legends, the Red King's subjects would traverse the Path of Sacrifice and then hold a ceremony here to praise their king."
Tirzad's voice came from the gourd, like a narration of their actions.
Jade turned back to stare at Xu Ning's drinking motions, "With you swaying back and forth like that, won't the great scholar get dizzy inside?"
Xu Ning chuckled, "No way, there's another door ahead. It doesn't look like there are any obvious signs of a mechanism here. We'll probably need Benben to open the door..."
Sure enough, before anyone noticed, Benben slowly floated to the door. As the light patterns on his body flickered, the same fluorescent blue patterns appeared on the door, and then it slowly opened.
Xu Ning didn't look at Jiede, who was dancing with Benben, but instead stared at a stone staircase sloping downwards inside the door, and couldn't help but silently complain in his heart.
"No way, is it another underground maze like the one we just had? What's wrong with the Red King! Whether this tomb was originally buried underground by yellow sand or was built like this from the start, the designer he hired must be a really weirdo."
The journey that followed completely confirmed Xu Ning's guess.
The passage winds and turns, sometimes up, sometimes down, with various hourglass mechanisms and ignition mechanisms, opening and closing doors repeatedly. Doors, doors, all doors.
It's even more despairing than the labyrinth that Harunosuke set up in Shiki Taisho back then.
If it weren't for Zeberlele's seemingly "superhuman intuition" about roads, always able to quickly find the right path, Xu Ning would have summoned his rock elemental clone to melt a straight path leading into the depths of the cave.
"Now, whenever I see a door, I feel like throwing up, ugh!"
Xu Ning and his daughter Jiede stood together in a small room that resembled an elevator. Belial stood behind him, gently patting Xu Ning's back to ease his nausea.
Jade looked at Xu Ning with some concern, "I think you're just drunk and that's why. Also, please don't throw up here. None of us can avoid it. We'll sink to the bottom soon. Go outside and throw up then."
Xu Ning waved his hand laboriously, indicating that he could still hold on, but in his heart he was frantically suppressing the thought of demolition.
Fortunately, after descending from this small room for a short while, a new room came into view.
Unlike other monotonous small rooms, this room features a huge mural painted on the wall directly in front of you.
At the very top center is a pattern that resembles both an eye and a sun, radiating countless rays of light that envelop countless figures of varying sizes.
"Hehe, it really does fit the image of the Red King in historical legends!"
Tirzad's voice came through again.
"He likened himself to the sun, erected seven pillars beneath him, and built a tower of power from top to bottom, bringing his subjects under his gaze with supreme power, a terrifying monarch who inspires trembling fear."
Xu Ning, who was rinsing his mouth with a gourd, was stunned when he heard Tirzad's words.
Holy crap, if you hadn't mentioned the Red King, I would have thought you were talking about that one in the heavens!
Perched atop Sky Island, beneath which sits the Seven Demon Gods, establishing a top-down management system that brings the entirety of Teyvatna under the watchful eye of Heaven. That eye is the Eye of God.
Jade walked up and looked at the murals carefully for a few moments. With her hands on her hips, she retorted to Xu Ning's gourd, "I think this is pretty good too. Everything is peaceful, everyone is doing their part, and everything is in good order."
Xu Ning watched with great interest as Jade and Tirzad inside the gourd debated.
As far as he knew, the Queen of Winter seemed to have semi-publicly raised the banner against the laws of nature, and he didn't know what the Ice God's purpose was, but in her eyes, the one on Sky Isle was probably just like the Red King in Tirzad's eyes.
Jade's idea, however, seems to align more with the ideas of people in other countries.
That's life now, which is actually pretty good. The Demon God War is over, the Black Tide is over, and it's rare to have such a peaceful and prosperous era. We can live the life we want as we please. Even if we are ruled by the laws of nature, what's wrong with that?
But what is the Red King, who seems to be imitating the laws of nature, really thinking?
Xu Ning took a step forward, looked up at the eye directly above the mural, and then felt that the huge eye gradually transformed into a handsome face, while the seven human figures below it turned into seven stone pillars topped with various masks.
"Amon, why are you making so many beast masks? Do you think the title of Crimson King isn't terrifying enough, and you want to switch careers and become the Beast King?"
Xu Ning felt his body move forward uncontrollably and grabbed a crocodile head mask from a stone pillar.
"What kind of title is this, King of Crocodiles?"
Xu Ning touched the texture of the genuine crocodile skin and then looked at the smiling young man above.
"You said you'd think about what I mentioned last time, and this is what you came up with? Trying to be like that guy and creating a mini Teyvat? Is this what Flower taught you?"
The young man named Amon laughed, "Nabu wouldn't be that bored; it was my idea."
Xu Ning felt himself purse his lips. You know you're playing this way and it's boring?
“You tell me all of this is wrong, but how do I know you’re right?” Amon stroked his chin and laughed. “However, it’s quite simple to verify. I rule this land in the same way as that one. If they feel satisfied and happy, then naturally that one is right; if they eventually oppose me, then naturally that one is wrong.”
"I'll consider your absurd suggestions when that time comes."
Xu Ning sighed and pressed the crocodile head mask in his hand onto the head of a large, pointed mask.
"I bet you're stubborn and won't learn your lesson until you're faced with the consequences. Didn't you receive the decree from that person? The world is about to descend into chaos, and you and Hua'er will be caught in the crossfire sooner or later..."
Amon laughed heartily.
"As long as the three of us are of one mind, we can share the royal power in this Sumeru Land. Who can control us? Who would dare to provoke us? You wouldn't bring Liuxia to fight us, would you?"
Xu Ning glanced at the silly boy again, sighed, and turned away.
"Alright, you can continue to indulge in this false joy. Just don't wake up crying one day. I'm leaving. I'm going back to my hometown to try and persuade that old man, although I don't have much hope, just like here."
Amon chuckled from behind, "I think you're just worrying too much about unnecessary things. You should just find a female companion who's willing to cultivate with you. But even Liuxia, who's with you day and night, doesn't like you. I guess the one who would like you hasn't been born yet, haha."
Xu Ning was furious, "Finding female companions? Like you, two-timing? Bah! You still have the nerve to brag? Shameless!"
Amon shouted in embarrassment and anger, "What nonsense are you talking about? Who's two-timing? I... I only have... only..."
"Oh, you don't know which name to use? Or haven't even decided on one yet? Either way, you're pretty pathetic!"
Xu Ning laughed heartily and walked out.
The ripples before his eyes gradually subsided, and Xu Ning felt the consciousness that had just overflowed returning to his body.
However, I could still hear the shouts of that guy named Amon.
"...Never let that bastard into my room again. Remodel this house for me. Add two more doors to every straight passageway, and make sure each room has at least three corridors. Install a door at every junction. That bastard is terrified of this. Next time he comes, let him vomit to death on our doorstep!"
Xu Ning took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to curse, and kept comforting himself, "If the blame is on me, then I shouldn't be the one who's angry."
However, he still harbored a burning anger inside, and couldn't help but exhale, spitting on the mural, giving a fierce look of contempt to the Red King of yesteryear.
"Ugh, Xu Ning, you vomited up the mural!"