Cursed Immortality

Chapter 1285: The Inescapable Prison

The pure vitality through the sacrificial ritual entered the chained altar itself. Although it was incomparably tiny compared to the God of Hollow Undead’s true strength, it was still enough to cause even the ancient chains to faintly groan.

“Heh…it isn’t even one ten-thousandth of My former power. But it is more than sufficient to get things done.”

Alexandra looked toward Destin Saint and questioned, “You knew?”

“Hoho…” Destin Saint smiled helplessly, “Of course. Our old timer has been imprisoned for far too long. Someone possessing his level of power would naturally devise…little tricks.”

“Fortunately,” He looked toward the ancient lock, “This prison isn’t the strongest work the old fellow ever created. Otherwise…”

He chuckled softly, “Our friend here wouldn’t even possess enough consciousness to devise such a ritual.”

The Undead Skyfall remained silent because Destin Saint spoke the truth. Had the Jailor truly wished it, “He” would have remained in eternal unconsciousness. Unable to think, scheme, or even to hate.

Only because the prison had been created under lesser authority was “He” capable of preparing everything that was unfolding today.

One could say the ‘Jailor’ had been merciful towards the God of Hollow Undead, and by not putting him to eternal slumber, the former was giving a chance to the latter to redeem itself.

But even that was an impossible task, for the God of Hollow Undead had been imprisoned here without any way to break free, even with his consciousness intact.

This feeling of helplessness and despair was in itself the biggest torture for someone like the God of Hollow Undead, who claimed himself to be unkillable.

Yet the underlying truth was that an entity like the Jailor could end someone like the God of Hollow Undead easily if they really tried, but instead, they decided to imprison “Him” here without blocking their spirituality.

That’s why the God of Hollow Undead didn’t hesitate to follow Destin Saint because, first, the latter also had the key to “His” freedom, and second, since the latter could get the key from the Jailor, it spoke to how influential and powerful Destin Saint might be.

Destin Saint looked toward the altar completely unbothered by Alexandra’s dubious glare, and said meaningfully, “So, with this recovered strength, you can accomplish what I asked?”

“Heh.” The Undead Skyfall chuckled confidently, “This amount is more than enough. As long as I move before…”

“He” suddenly stopped without finishing the sentence as if afraid of speaking it out loud, and the abyss became silent.

Destin Saint merely smiled as he already knew, and nodded, “As expected. No need to finish.”

Neither of them elaborated any further, but Alexandra quietly frowned.

‘Before…what?’

She was curious, but neither seemed willing to reveal it. But one thing became clear: whatever they referred to, even the God of Hollow Undead intended to avoid it.

Suddenly, the Undead Skyfall became completely silent, and the altar trembled almost imperceptibly.

Destin Saint instantly noticed the subtle change, “Hm? What happened?”

Several moments passed, and then a cold laugh echoed throughout the abyss.

“Heh, it seems a little ant has wandered into My Divine Temple.”

Destin Saint’s voice deepened, “Your Divine Temple above? So, someone actually reached it.”

Unlike Alexandra, Destin Saint immediately understood what the Undead Skyfall meant. The Divine Temple the Undead Skyfall had been referring to was the Bone Citadel above. It was the true Divine Temple of the God of Hollow Undead.

Although its authority had become almost completely suppressed by the prison, it remained a genuine Divine Artifact. It was also the core medium through which the Undead Skyfall gathered authority and power across countless ages.

Without it, the endless undead empire outside could never have existed, and Undead Skyfall would not even have been able to spread his influence beyond this abyssal space.

Nonetheless, despite sealing and placing the Divine Temple above this space, the Undead Skyfall had to wait for countless years to nurture the Undead Lich King and his minions.

The Undead Skyfall had been waiting for a perfect chance to strike to regain his freedom, and he even gained it and almost failed because of that unexpected variable’s interference.

If not for Destin Saint’s arrival, the Undead Skyfall would’ve fallen into slumber after he used divine descent within the Jailor’s prison. Moreover, he was even going to use the remaining power to further hide away his prison because he was afraid of that anomaly which gave even him trepidation.

Yet now that freedom was just around the corner, and the Undead Skyfall had launched the sacrificial ritual, he wasn’t afraid of anyone in the Legendary Plains except for Destin Saint.

Even Destin Saint inwardly admitted, ‘Quite the schemer…’

Had the prison’s influence not constantly restrained the Divine Temple, given enough time, the Undead Skyfall might truly have ruled not merely the Legendary Plains, but eventually he might’ve really been able to free himself.

Fortunately, that possibility no longer mattered, for as long as the lock remained under his authority, the Undead Skyfall would never dare oppose him. Because the Undead Skyfall Prison in itself was a terrifying divine artifact specifically made to imprison tricky foes like the Undead Skyfall.

Once they had been imprisoned in the Undead Skyfall Prison for a certain amount of time, it would leave an unremovable imprint on their very existence.

Once this imprint had been fully integrated into a prisoner, even if they were released from the prison, the prison would always remember them, and using the ‘key’, they could be imprisoned again no matter where they ran or hid, and how powerful they became.

Not even the Undead Skyfall knew about this certain ‘effect’ of the Undead Skyfall Prison, and he had no idea that even if he managed to regain his full power, he had never succeeded in escaping this place unless he was someone like Destin Saint, an Arcanist.

That was the terror of the entity behind the Undead Skyfall Prison!

Since the start, the Undead Skyfall was never going to have freedom, and Destin Saint won’t allow him to roam free, but he has no intention of revealing this to the Undead Skyfall as long as the latter behaves.

After all, Destin Saint always controlled others while they think they are still in full control.

He chuckled as he said, “So, what do you intend to do with this unfortunate ant?”

The Undead Skyfall stated with icy killing intent, “The ritual has begun. Since it has come this far…I shall invite it inside. For an audience.”

A cold chuckle escaped the altar, “Heh…perhaps it is even the little insect that ruined My strongest pawn.”

Destin Saint’s smile suddenly seemed to freeze, and for the first time since arriving, his expression became genuinely alert.

“…Who are you referring to?”

Silence reigned as the Undead Skyfall said nothing. How could “He” possibly admit that a mere mortal had destroyed the Undead Lich King before “His” very eyes?

Such humiliation would never leave “His” mouth.

Several breaths later, the altar finally answered coldly,

“You’ll see.”

A deep rumble echoed throughout the prison, “After all…I’ve already opened the door!”