Journey to the West

Time flew by, and it was the third sunset.

Li Ye bid farewell to Lancelot and set off on the road to the Sun King's territory.

A sandstorm raged, engulfing the sky and the earth.

It prevented the green Wyvern from advancing further.

"The ambient temperature is around fifty degrees..."

Having completely blended in with the surroundings, with his head wrapped tightly, Li Ye, braving the fierce wind, realized he might be lost.

Unlike before when Serenity Hassan guided him to the temple, Li Ye had no guide on this desert journey. Coupled with the lack of prominent landmarks in the sandstorm, Li Ye quickly lost his sense of direction in the endless tempest.

After an unknown amount of time, just as Li Ye was growing impatient.

A dark shadow emerged from the storm.

A creature with wings and the body of a lion with a human face silently watched Li Ye.

'Sphinx!'

Li Ye, who was prepared, recognized the true form of the monster before him, the sphinx from Egyptian mythology.

"I have no intention of invading your territory, I can leave immediately!" Li Ye, who had finally encountered a living being, shouted before he could even feel joy, attempting to communicate with the Sphinx.

But instead of a response, he was met with a fierce beam of magical energy!

The Sphinx opened its massive maw, and the swirling sand followed.

Boom!

The dazzling beam instantly pierced the sandstorm, leaving a massive crater in the yellow sand. A crystalline substance coated the surface of the crater, shimmering brilliantly.

Li Ye's figure appeared in the distance, having dodged the Sphinx's sudden attack.

'Am I going to fight?!'

Li Ye quickly pondered. Would killing this Sphinx lead to conflict with the Sun King's forces?

The Sphinx was undoubtedly an important part of Egyptian mythology, and moreover, it was summoned and placed in the desert by the Sun King and others.

Fight or flee?

Clang!

After an internal struggle, Li Ye slowly lowered his stance, his palm resting on his sword hilt.

As Li Ye's magic surged, the magic surrounding him crackled like arcs of electricity.

Li Ye's eyes quietly transformed into vertical pupils.

Boom!

Crimson lightning, like a dragon, tore through the storm with unrivaled might.

Following closely behind, the roar of thunder accompanied by blood-red rain soaking the yellow sand, the Sphinx's colossal body crashed to the ground. A gaping hole, passing straight through its chest, appeared!

Dozens of meters away, Li Ye barely managed to dissipate his momentum and looked back.

A scorched gash, as if struck by lightning, appeared between him and the Sphinx.

He hadn't used the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception; it was a single blow that achieved instant death with his own power!

"Still need to temper myself," Li Ye suppressed the smile at the corner of his lips.

Three days of tempering had indeed yielded results for Li Ye. Lancelot's Divine Speed Strike, specialized for Li Ye's powerful bursts, was fierce enough to break the sound barrier.

The biggest problem was Li Ye's lack of control and the excessively long charge-up time.

Just as Li Ye was reveling in his self-proclaimed genius, a shadow descended once more, shattering his pleasant mood.

Li Ye couldn't help but click his tongue. How many Sphinxes had the Sun King deployed in the desert?

Then, an angry question instantly drowned out the rustling wind: "Outsider, do you intend to make an enemy of the Sun King!"

It was then that Li Ye noticed someone standing atop the Sphinx. They held the Staff of Vance, wore simple yet grand white clothing and gold chains on their dark skin. Despite appearing as a young girl, she exuded an aura of nobility to Li Ye.

However, from the magical fluctuations, Li Ye instantly discerned the girl's true identity.

Her true name was—Pharaoh Nitocris of the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt!

Nitocris's gaze immediately fell upon the lifeless Sphinx in the sandstorm. Anger surged within her, and she questioned, "I am Pharaoh Nitocris, answer me, do you dare challenge the radiance of the Pharaoh!"

"It was not my intention; this Sphinx attacked me first!" Li Ye, not wanting to clash with Nitocris, tried to explain.

"Such barbarity cannot be forgiven!

If you wish to prove yourself, offer your martial prowess to earn the forgiveness of the great Pharaoh Nitocris!"

"Mirror of the Underworld, appear!"

As Nitocris waved the Staff of Vance, a mirror-like darkness unfolded before Li Ye.

Six flawless white skeletons were slowly lifted, standing before Li Ye!

'Are these undead?!'

Nitocris's summoned undead differed subtly from the specters Li Ye had encountered in the Temple of Azrael; their pristine skeletons were clad in armor and armed with strangely shaped blades and spears.

Furthermore, each skeleton fought like a seasoned warrior, exuding a chilling aura that made Li Ye's skin crawl!

'It's a form of death summoning, similar to Heroic Spirit summoning, but limited to Egyptian dead!' Through the magical fluctuations emanating from the skeletons, Li Ye immediately realized that Nitocris's undead summoning was far from simple.

Li Ye had no time to ponder further as the six Egyptian undead charged him in unison, launching a fierce assault!

Clang!

Forced to counter-attack, Li Ye immediately braced himself.

Unlike in the Temple of Azrael, Li Ye now knew how to deal with such a numerous enemy.

With an explosive sound, Li Ye instantly closed the distance to the six undead.

The sudden burst of speed was so fast that even Nitocris couldn't react, let alone the six undead!

Bang!

An absolutely sharp punch, carrying immense force, directly pierced through one of the undead!

The sudden surge of wind pressure even pushed back the pervasive sandstorm!

'Five left!' Li Ye's gaze was like lightning, his gem-like Mystic Eyes locking onto the nearest undead as he drew his sword!

The crimson lightning shot out like a rainbow, piercing the Lines of Death with unrivaled power!

"You've got some skill, but it's not enough!" Nitocris, having finally reacted, swung the Staff of Vance heavily. Golden light shot out, threatening to strike Li Ye in an instant!

Seeing Nitocris attack again, Li Ye immediately abandoned the remaining three undead and retreated.

Unexpectedly, the golden lights suddenly changed direction, carving sharp right angles in the sandstorm as they charged towards Li Ye once more!

At this moment, Li Ye also saw the true form of the golden lights: metallic eyeballs.

But no matter the material, they had no effect on Li Ye!

With just a few sword strikes, he cut down all the golden lights!

Then, before Nitocris could launch her next attack, Li Ye powerfully finished off the remaining three undead!

"I must admit, your sheer bravery is remarkable. You are indeed an outstanding warrior, I have to acknowledge that!"

Nitocris's angry voice reached Li Ye, allowing him to relax slightly.

But then her tone shifted: "However, the trial is not over yet! Since you killed the Sphinx, you shall accept its wrath and prove whether you can atone for your sins. Let this Sphinx, bestowed upon me by the Pharaoh, tear apart your limbs!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Nitocris vanished, leaving an exceptionally large Sphinx to confront Li Ye.

'So strong—'

Thinking this, Li Ye silently lowered his stance, locking onto the most prominent Lines of Death on the Sphinx's body.

"Wait!! I take it back, let's just forgive you like this."

Nitocris, who had appeared from somewhere, quickly stopped Li Ye's next move.

Seeing that Nitocris had lost her will to fight, Li Ye played along: "So, I have finally earned Miss Nitocris's forgiveness, have I?"

"That's right! Pharaoh Nitocris has decided to forgive you, be grateful for it!" Nitocris shouted, glaring with wide eyes.

"Great Pharaoh Nitocris, may I depart then?" Li Ye didn't want to get entangled with Nitocris any further and just wanted to escape as soon as possible.

"Tell me, do you intend to go to the Holy City and pledge allegiance to the Sun King?"

Nitocris, seemingly realizing Li Ye was easy to talk to, questioned him sternly.

"That's right. I traveled all this way precisely to pay my respects to the great Sun King."

Li Ye continued along this line: "Great Pharaoh Nitocris, could you guide me on my path forward?"

After an unknown amount of time, Li Ye could feel the sandstorm weakening until the sky suddenly cleared.

The fresh, free air did not lull Li Ye into complacency; the distant scenery instantly captured his attention. With the very first glance, he recognized the magnificent architecture he had seen just a few days prior.

The Temple of the Composite Great God of Radiance!

Unlike the grand temple Li Ye had seen upon his initial summoning, what stood in the desert was a more colossal complex of buildings.

Even Li Ye, who knew nothing about architectural aesthetics, could immediately recognize the beauty of the place.

'Should I go?'

Li Ye stopped at the outer perimeter of the magnificent complex, gazing at the central pyramid in deep thought.

The Lion King had tasked him with gathering intelligence, but to what extent was that considered gathering intelligence?

Would seeing the Sun King at this level be sufficient?

Li Ye couldn't be sure. Having delayed his departure for three days, he was uncertain.

After some thought, Li Ye felt that since he had come this far, turning back wasn't an option.

As Li Ye officially stepped into the temple grounds, he felt the presence of something grand.

It was like a blazing sun in the heavens.

All along the way, Li Ye saw signs of people's activities and immediately understood: not only the land but also the people had been summoned together, making it a complete nation.

Continuously observing the city, Li Ye headed straight for the central temple.

Mythological tales were inscribed on the stone pillars extending on both sides, immersing Li Ye until he snapped back to reality upon reaching the long staircase.

Crossing the stairs, Li Ye was greeted by two solemn statues.

They had the heads of eagles and bodies of humans.

Li Ye took a deep breath and slowly walked into the temple.

Within the resplendent temple, jade pillars stood in abundance, and sacred murals announced the identity of the temple's master.

Nitocris, whom he had met once before, stood quietly to the side, while the black-haired king on the towering jade throne slightly raised his eyelids.

"!"

Li Ye instinctively held his breath.

"Hm?"

The black-haired king straightened up slightly before bursting into laughter.

"Hahahaha! Isn't this the Lion King's knight! What, did the Lion King send you to scout?"

On the golden jade throne, the black-haired king laughed uncontrollably.

With a single glance, Pharaoh Ozymandias recognized Li Ye, the one who had stood by the Lion King's side back then.

It was precisely this that made Ozymandias laugh so heartily.

Unlike the Lion King's divinity, Li Ye could be certain that the being before him was a king in every sense of the word, both in power and in magnanimity – a complete kingly presence!

He was both the son of the sun god Ra and his incarnation;

Thus, he proclaimed himself the sole absolute ruler on Earth: just as birds soar through the sky, fish swim in the sea, and flowers bloom in the fields, he was rightfully the divine king.