Having crossed the vast ocean and traversed the wide strait, Chu Feng also took a detour to witness the Pyramids, sights he had previously encountered only online and in books.
After casually disposing of a few howling mummies waving bandages around, Chu Feng, transformed into a streak of rainbow light, finally approached his destination.
Looking down at the dilapidated city below, his gaze carried some hesitation. Although he had arrived in the area, the specific location still needed to be carefully pinpointed.
And while Chu Feng was searching for suspicious buildings, a ritual to obtain supernatural powers was underway right beneath an ordinary building in the city.
"Master, the ring has been brought!"
The middle-aged man pushed a cart into the familiar room.
On the cart, a box made of gold sparkled under the light, yet it seemed to contain some kind of living creature that was constantly trembling.
The elderly man gently caressed the exterior of the gold box, a slight curve lifting the corners of his mouth.
"It seems our little fellow is getting a bit impatient!"
His words were tinged with teasing, but it was clear that the thing inside the box did not agree with him.
No sooner had his voice fallen than the movement inside the box suddenly increased severalfold.
Luckily, the box was crafted from pure gold, its weight ensuring its stability. Otherwise, it would have been knocked to the ground by the thing inside.
After confirming the level of activity inside the box, the old man nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at the people in the room.
"Has Romiel arrived?"
"Master, I'm here!"
From the crowd, a figure significantly more robust and taller than the others straightened his black coat before walking out with a calm expression.
"Hmm, sit here! You know what to do next, right?"
The sturdy Romiel nodded slightly and walked directly to the stone chair in the center of the room, sitting down with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Seeing that the other party was ready, the old man nodded with satisfaction and then signaled to the middle-aged man by his side.
"Yes, Master!"
The middle-aged man bowed in response and immediately led several people with iron chains to the side of the stone chair, where they bound Romiel with the chains.
Seeing actions completely different from before, Romiel, who had been quietly waiting for the ceremony to start, became somewhat panicked. However, he dared not resist and could only look towards the old man at the front of the crowd.
"Master, why is this? Why am I being tied up?"
Romiel struggled a few times, causing the chains that bound him to clatter noisily.
"Do not fear; this is merely a precaution. Romiel, as long as you maintain your devotion to God, He will protect you from any harm!"
The sudden change in the ritual caused some confusion among the people around, but facing the old man standing before them, they dared not openly question him.
Only Romiel, the person concerned, found his mind racing with wild thoughts.
"Master, my devotion can withstand the test of the fires of Hell, but I would also like to understand what these chains and that gold box are for."
Seeing the insistently inquisitive, sturdy man, a flash of impatience crossed the old man's eyes.
"You do not need to know too much detail; just understand that they can grant you even greater Strength. Haven't you always wanted to do more for the Yulei Sect to prove your devotion? This is the best opportunity I can offer you!"
The elder spoke and, without waiting for a response, signaled to the crowd to gather around, readying themselves to start the ritual.
Romiel, encircled by the others, saw the preparations for the ritual begin and didn't dare ask too many questions, fearing he might disrupt it. He could only close his eyes and hope for a smooth process.
Once everyone took their positions, they each pulled out a shiny silver coin from around their necks, holding it in their hands and bowing their heads, awaiting the elder's next steps.
"Fadika, begin," the elder softly nodded to the middle-aged man standing by the golden box.
Upon receiving the signal, Fadika promptly inserted a specially made key into the lock of the golden box.
CLICK.
With a light sound, the golden box, sealed for who knows how long, finally opened.
As the box sprang open, the middle-aged man and the elder simultaneously moved to their designated spots. The elder, also holding a silver coin taken from around his neck, bowed his head. He then began to intone in an unknown language, his voice like a song.
Under the elder's lead, the gathered individuals, who formed a Hexagram when viewed from above, also joined in the recitation.
For a moment, it was as if a group of devout followers were praying to their deity.
White light gradually emerged in the hands of everyone, the silver coins connecting, forming a radiant Hexagram pattern.
And from the now-open golden box, a lone, ancient ring began to emit an inexplicable murmuring sound.
The instant the murmur arose, streams of murky smoke gushed from the box, spreading towards the people nearby as if intent on engulfing them.
In the midst of the murky smoke, a shriveled hand covered in scars suddenly burst out of the box, grabbing its edge and emitting a sizzling, corrosive sound.
The hand's owner seemed unconcerned about its now-charred palm, as another similar hand emerged from the box.
Another burst of sizzling, accompanied by a strong stench of decay, heralded a Bizarre slowly crawling out of the box.
"You godforsaken traitors, the time for my revenge has finally come!"
BANG! With a loud sound, the originally exquisite golden box instantly flattened into a golden disc, its Runes completely destroyed and its Exorcism effect drastically reduced to almost nothing.
Even if they wanted to force it back into the box, it was already too late!
The Bizarre wasn't in a hurry. It wanted these damned humans to slowly experience fear. Only then could it vent the anger from its long confinement.
With a bloodcurdling laugh, its hideous hand slowly neared the middle-aged man's shoulder.
It wanted to savor the taste of this human's arm first.
But in the next second,
A white light suddenly shot out from the Hexagram, enveloping it instantly.
"Damn it, what is this thing?"
The Bizarre struggled frantically as if caught in a viscous fluid, but beneath the immense strength erupting from the Hexagram, it could only float, bit by bit, towards the white Hexagram in the sky.
The force of the Bizarre's struggle was clearly beyond everyone's expectations. An inexplicable pressure bore down on them, making their chanting incredibly difficult; even opening their mouths to speak felt like an immense effort.
For a time, the Hexagram in mid-air flickered, and the Bizarre, now hovering over the stone chair, seemed on the verge of escaping at any moment.
At this critical moment, the elder, their leader, had an idea. A beam of silver light shot forth from within his cloak, landing in Romiel's outstretched palm.
In Romiel's open hand, a silver coin, identical to those in the others' hands, began to slowly release its own glow.