The chill hanging around the temple was all too familiar to Li Ye—the same chill that often surfaced when he used the Eyes of Death Perception—
Death.
I came to the right place!
Li Ye raised a hand, signaling the wyvern to retreat, then headed for the temple alone.
Already terrified of approaching the temple, the Green Wyvern acted as though it had been pardoned and decisively hid behind the mountain opposite them.
Li Ye, meanwhile, arrived before the Temple of Azrael and stepped into its grounds.
An even more violent tide of death swallowed Li Ye whole, as though both his body and spirit were dying at once!
Thud—
Drenched in cold sweat, Li Ye dropped to one knee and instinctively clutched his chest, unable to hide his shock.
For that instant, he had truly felt as though he had died!
Whoosh—
A gust of icy wind swept past, and goosebumps instantly rose all over Li Ye's body as he knelt there.
"What was that?"
Though he had heard no footsteps, Li Ye was certain that something had emerged from the temple.
It was watching him!
Realizing he was being watched by an unseen presence, Li Ye swiftly rose and retreated.
Why can't I detect anyone whenever they show up— Li Ye grumbled inwardly.
Ten pitch-black figures drifted out from the depths of the temple. Black, crystalline liquid flowed over their enormous humanoid skeletons, making them seem like ghosts!
"Is this a trial...?" Li Ye wiped the cold sweat from his brow, his gaze fixed firmly on the ghost in the center. Only that one emanated an aura too powerful for him to ignore.
Its magical energy fluctuations even surpassed Serenity Hassan's!
Facing such opponents, Li Ye decisively drew his sword. After a brief hesitation, he chose not to activate the Eyes of Death Perception.
Li Ye could not guarantee that he would see deaths different from the usual ones within this unusual temple.
There was no further conversation. The ten ghosts charged at Li Ye in unison, while the largest ghost at their head let out a piercing shriek.
"!"
The shrill blast nearly tore Li Ye's eardrums apart, making his movements falter.
And in that very instant of hesitation, the ten ghosts that had been eyeing him hungrily closed in!
Blood sprayed in an instant!
Li Ye barely managed to block with his sword as he was sent flying backward!
The ten ghosts had seized the timing perfectly, and every attack was difficult for Li Ye to fend off!
Forced to defend, Li Ye retreated again and again, even leaving the temple grounds. Yet the ten ghosts pursued relentlessly, giving him no chance to catch his breath!
There are too many of them!
Li Ye realized it at once. The ghosts were formidable individually, held an overwhelming numerical advantage, and coordinated flawlessly. He was completely outmatched!
The ghosts worked together so seamlessly that they gave him no opening to strike. Even if he used the Eyes of Death Perception, he could not quickly eliminate one ghost to reduce their numbers—unless he wiped them all out in one blow!
At that thought, Li Ye's pupils contracted as he recalled what he had seen not long ago—
The dazzling radiance unleashed by the Lion King!
It had not even been a Noble Phantasm release. Mere Mana Burst had created such terrifying destruction!
Li Ye rapidly considered the possibilities of Mana Burst, gathering half the magical energy in his body at his sword's edge before releasing it all at once!
It'll work!
This strike would decide the battle!
The instant Li Ye began gathering magical energy, the lead ghost noticed what he was doing and actually imitated him, gathering magical energy for a release of its own!
With the Dragon Heart, Li Ye's magical energy circulation far surpassed that of an ordinary person. Moreover, the ghosts were a step slower in gathering their energy!
Just as the ghosts' claws were about to reach Li Ye—
"It's too late!"
Boom!
A surging crimson torrent howled forth, like lightning from the heavens descending into the mortal world. Heat capable of melting gold and iron instantly engulfed the ghosts, vaporizing them completely!
After the torrent passed, the ground before Li Ye was scorched black, while melted rock slowly flowed across it.
Li Ye, however, felt all strength leave him and collapsed onto the ground with a thud.
The longsword in his hand had also vaporized during the Mana Burst.
Holy hell... that was exhausting.
Li Ye panted heavily. He had merely imitated the Mana Burst used when the Lion King and the Sun King clashed, yet it had placed such a tremendous burden on him.
Less than a third of his magical energy remained. At the Dragon Heart's recovery rate, it would take two hours to refill completely.
Before then—
Li Ye gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet, unsteadily straightening his back as he walked toward the Temple of Azrael.
Clang—
A bell rang faintly, echoing through the empty valley.
The moment he heard it, Li Ye's Dragon Blood boiled. With his magical energy fully activated, he opened the Eyes of Death Perception!
That is... death? Li Ye stared fixedly at the temple before him. Countless Lines of Death merged into one, outlining a human figure.
Merely looking at that figure made Li Ye's mind boil with a thunderous roar!
"One who has died and been reborn, who bears the bond of the mountain—your voice has reached me. Your desire to save humanity's future has earned the recognition of my sword.
"However—
"Any who dare enter my temple must first face death!"
"As one of the dead, you seize the right to live. Only by passing through this rite may the demon that compelled my appearance be absolved!"
As the deep voice rang out, violent magical energy fluctuations spread from the temple!
Faced with this scene, Li Ye casually wiped beneath his nose, crimson blood staining the gaps between his fingers.
It was clearly the overload caused by staring directly at death!
Less than half a minute of looking at it has this effect? The First Generation Old Man of the Mountain really is...
Li Ye had no time for amazement. A massive, indistinct shadow crawled out of the temple, its magical energy powerful enough to shake the atmosphere itself!
Though it resembled the ghosts Li Ye had seen before, it was smaller in size, yet the magical energy it emitted was on an entirely different level!
"Fight!"
Rather than being intimidated by such an enemy, Li Ye's fighting spirit soared. His Mystic Eyes, transformed into vertical pupils, gleamed like jewels as they took in the ghost's death!
One on one, Li Ye was confident he had a chance of winning!
My remaining magical energy can't support a drawn-out battle. One strike will decide it!
Bang!
Crimson Lightning flashed, and Li Ye vanished from where he stood.
He poured all his magical energy into this attack, achieving absolute Divine Speed like Thunderclap Flash!
Slash—
Li Ye, who should have been empty-handed, held a dagger that pierced through a Line of Death on the shadow's body!
It was the dagger from Cursed Arm Hassan!
As the shadow dispersed, that deep voice spoke again.
"Eyes that can stare upon death. One who touches death must surely be one of the dead—welcome to my temple. I am the Old Man of the Mountain—Hassan-i-Sabbah!"
No longer the vague figure composed of death that Li Ye had seen, the Old Man of the Mountain truly appeared before him.
His burly two-meter-tall body was clad in armor, standing with a sword planted before him. Beneath that skull mask, there seemed to be nothing at all.
"Nice to meet you. What should I call you?" Li Ye feigned ease, though cold sweat continued to trickle down his forehead.
The pressure he felt after the Old Man of the Mountain appeared was even greater.
"Without name or surname, call me whatever you wish." Ghostly flames within the Old Man of the Mountain's skull mask flickered without wind.
"You serve the Lion King, who has fallen into godhood, yet harbor other intentions. O disloyal knight, what is it that you seek?"
"King Hassan, I want to learn Assassination Techniques and death from you—" Li Ye's heart pounded frantically. He knew those words were overly rash, but having come this far, he might as well wager everything!
"What a greedy person. You have already died and been reborn, yet instead of appreciating the beauty of life, you throw yourself into death's embrace."
Li Ye actually heard a hint of teasing in King Hassan's deep voice.
"The world's end is drawing near. The future envisioned by the pure white King—the Lion King—is not the salvation I seek. Humanity's future should not stagnate here—"
To Li Ye, the continuation of Human History was tied to his own survival.