Divine Emperor of Death

Chapter 4477: Dark Shadow Temple

The moment Illumina, Schleya, Vereina, and Rokushi Mirai entered the Shadow Dimension, they froze because the visibility was downright bad.

At least, in the Nether Dimension, one can still see things ahead.

However, this place was dark.

The air floating here made things darker. They inhaled a bit and sensed it was filled with pure darkness energy. It didn’t mean it was pure in quality but dark and hostile, seeking to blind everything.

Schleya and Rokushi Mirai joined hands.

Illumina took a step forward, ”Everyone, stay together. Don’t leave my side. I can sense a bit of inherited memories flooding my mind about this place... so please wait...”

She narrowed her golden eyes, guarding them as she processed the information that swelled in her mind.

As a Spectral Gloomveil Rabbit, her ancestors seemed to be living here in the Shadow Dimension. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have inherited memories about this place. However, the Dimensions were unique and karmic-burdened. One wouldn’t remember most details about them until they stepped foot into them or some details were mentioned that act as a trigger for memories to surface.

”I see... it’s just like that elder said...”

Illumina uttered to herself, ”To travel in the Shadow Dimension, it is impossible. One will get lost without a strong inclination to make it to the place they want to, meaning that if we want to return, then we should memorize this place as much as possible, every single detail about it.”

”In the same way, to head to our destination, we must have a strong desire to reach it.”

”Understood.” Schleya and the others nodded.

Vereina took a deep breath. The darkness energy didn’t seem corrupting or poisonous. Instead, it was beneficial for her.

”This Shadow Dimension is truly fascinating... it’s like your failures are here to haunt you...”

Vereina’s eyes glowed. She could see vague silhouettes in the distance starting to form. The glaring thing was that most of them appeared to resemble her in form and shape.

”They’re here...” Illumina frowned, ”These are shadow silhouettes of our own selves. They seek to disturb and possess us, becoming a thorn in our minds disallowing us to maintain sanity. Watch out for their moves. They should be fairly easy to dispatch, but they’re endless.”

”Fortunately, the shadow is not my enemy since I evolved into a Spectral Gloomveil Rabbit, so I can guard us with my power, but...”

”Don’t worry,” Vereina stepped forward.

She knew she would have to lead now since she was the only one among them who visited that accursed temple that sealed Lilliana Rayton. Her lips curled, thinking it was funny that she had to think hard about her and the place if she wanted to get there. However, she was doing this to increase her own powers and not to be friendly with the old witch.

She closed her eyes, remembering what she said to Davis once.

[Give me a chance to prove myself to you. I swear I won’t lie to you anymore and become worthy of your affection. Will you... keep me by your side until then...?]

She remembered that she had asked this hesitantly, worrying that he would reject her. However, he gave her many chances subtly, and she wanted to use this chance to prove that she was not here to just ride on his sleeves. If she could obtain the Divine Exalt Grade Manual and gift it to Natalya, then she imagined she would’ve proven herself worthy.

”I’ll lead the way. Follow me.”

Vereina strode forward into the darkness.

Illumina’s aura surged, and her purple-black spectral shadow energy simply covered them like a veil- deriving the name Spectral Gloomveil Rabbit. Once this veil was put up, the shadow silhouettes were alarmed. They retreated as though they feared it deeply.

Despite the absence of light, the four figures marched steadily through the oppressive gloom, wrapped within the gentle yet impenetrable veil conjured by Illumina. The spectral gloomveil rippled like moonlight mist, eerie yet serene, repelling the encroaching shadows that whispered and skulked at its edges.

Vereina walked without looking back, her mind solely focused on getting to the destination.

The paths they were walking were just empty flatlands filled with darkness. It didn’t seem like a natural landscape but a flat plane that stretched endlessly, containing many zones that may or may not be reachable.

The darkness itself seemed alive, almost breathing and pulsing in certain areas. This dimension just didn’t appear to be a lack of light but an ocean of failed hopes, distorted memories, and festering regrets. They could tell the shadows were made up of these thoughts as whispers emerged from the distance.

None of them spoke, for caution that their voices would echo back twisted.

They relied on their resolve and on Vereina, who led them like a silver thread of certainty through an endless void. They believed she would make it since she had proven herself numerous times on the battlefield with them. Her physique was one that even nether beasts feared.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them shifted.

It was not a quake but a ripple, like walking across the surface of a reflection.

Vereina paused, ”We’re close... I can feel it. The temple should be near.”

Her voice was calm, but even she shivered slightly.

To their side, the air twisted, warping space as though a whirlpool had formed out of darkness itself. It was a gate, an unstable one, formed from thick veils of shadowy energy that continuously folded in on themselves.

”That’s...” Illumina narrowed her eyes, ”A Shadow Spiral Gate. They were left behind by ancient overlords of this dimension. Entering one is like walking into the womb of a nightmare. We should leave...”

Vereina and the others nodded.

When the ripple occurred, they knew they had stepped into another area. This area seemed to be treacherous and dangerous to traverse if they went through the gate, so they decided to continue head further.

The shadow silhouettes continued to follow them like wraiths, suddenly appearing on the edge of their vision before disappearing as they left them behind. These shadows dared not disturb them due to the gloomveil.

After an unknown amount of time, they came across a temple. They couldn’t really tell the time here, as their senses were severely suppressed. However, looking at the temple- which seemed to be made from stones that formed a jagged pyramid-like structure with strange runes all over it as though it was sealing something, Vereina was convinced that they had arrived at their destination.

”Is everyone ready?”

Standing near the cold, dark entrance, Vereina asked.

”Yes.”

Schleya and the others echoed, their voices allowing Vereina to know that they were still behind her. She heaved a sigh of relief since it was rumored that turning to look behind would have consequences in the Shadow Dimension. It was just her superstition, but this place worked on beliefs and desires, so she dared not make light of it.

”Let’s enter.”

Vereina led them inside.

They entered into the dark temple. The lighting from the lanterns were dim but still allowed them to see better than outside. They crossed the long, winding path that led into the temple. They noticed the scent of blood, and Vereina’s heart churned with numerous emotions.

She remembered this scent very well, the smell that haunted her in her nightmares.

When she first appeared here, she was almost scared to death because of the experience of being possessed and having no control over her body. But this time around, she was filled with confidence and the intent to take revenge.

After they exited the pathway, their vision came into contact with that chilled their very soul.

However, Vereina smiled.

It was that same maimed figure. A woman, her blood dripping down her body and down the rusted golden chains and pooled beneath a fountain. A Divine Exalt who was pierced by twenty-six armaments. She was none other than Lilliana Rayton, a Divergent who possessed the same Violent Punitive Soul Physique as her but maybe different in how they had developed it.

However, Lilliana Rayton had her eyes closed, heaving a long sigh.

”You’re late...”

Vereina and the others narrowed their eyes deeply when they saw a few Transcendents step out from the other side.

”...!” Furthermore, they were all Heaven’s Warriors.

Among them was a person that they didn’t think would appear here, causing them all to be alarmed.

”Clara!?”