Journey to Egypt
The Secret Passage was long and deep, with bas-reliefs on the walls depicting bizarre scenes: humans battling giant scorpions, wizards offering sacrifices to a half-human, half-scorpion god, and a golden pharaoh's crown floating in the air, seemingly undergoing judgment...
"This isn't like ordinary tomb murals..." Eleanor's voice lowered, her eyes gleaming with a research-driven fervor, "It might depict a lost myth."
"It could also be some kind of forgotten taboo," Skylar thoughtfully.
Finally, the three arrived at the end of the Secret Passage —a large door covered with golden runes stood silently before them.
"This is the Eye of Horus, an ancient alchemical lock," Eleanor, a direct descendant of the Hohenheim Family, quickly recognized the meaning of the runes on it. She carefully waved her wand, murmuring the family's sealing incantation. With a series of clicking sounds, the heavy stone door slowly opened, and a deep and mysterious aura emanated from within.
As they entered, their gazes fell upon a massive statue—half human, half scorpion—that stood in the center of the Chamber of Secrets, causing all three to gasp in shock.
The statue is at least three meters tall, with a muscular male upper body and a jet-black scorpion tail at the lower body, the venomous stinger at the end raised high, seemingly warning anyone who dares to approach. Its face is exquisitely sculpted, with an ancient majesty in its brows and eyes, each inlaid with two dark red gemstones, which, in the dim light, seem to be watching over any intruder.
Even more bizarrely, a peculiar symbol is engraved on the chest of this statue—it is neither Egypt hieroglyphs nor known alchemical runes, but some kind of entirely new and unknown script.
Skylar was stunned.
He stood there quietly, his thoughts drifting far away, oblivious to the calls of his two female companions.
He was very familiar with this symbol; he had seen it in a cave in the snow-capped mountains of Tibet in his previous life, and it was this symbol that led to his time travel!
Skylar's breathing quickened slightly. As if out of control, he slowly raised his hand, trying to touch the runes on the statue's chest with his fingertips.
"No—" Eleanor cried out to stop her, but it was too late.
The moment their fingertips touched the runes, the air in the Chamber of Secrets vibrated violently, and an invisible magical force spread out. The reliefs on the walls seemed to come alive, and the black lines began to twist, gradually transforming into some kind of obscure and incomprehensible characters. The statue's eyes flashed red, and a dark red radiance spread out from them, projecting onto the three of them.
"Hiss... hiss..."
A deep, hoarse voice echoed in the Chamber of Secrets.
The statue moved.
Skylar suddenly regained his senses. He raised his wand and aimed it at the statue, his sharp gaze showing he was ready for battle. Although his previous actions had been somewhat reckless, he was confident that with his strength, he could still escape unscathed with the two girls.
Cherry Moon stood behind Skylar, the Demon-Suppressing Bell in her hand ringing out a series of rapid sounds, and a silver-blue halo spread out, in case the thing suddenly attacked. Eleanor's expression also tensed up instantly, her wand quickly raised, already prepared to activate a defensive spell at any moment.
However, the statue did not attack. On the contrary, as the red light gradually subsided, its enormous body slowly shrank. Its stone shell seemed to be peeled away by some invisible force, cracking and peeling off layer by layer. Finally, amidst the swirling dust and glimmer of light, the statue shrank into a small stone statue, floating in the air, as if waiting for something.
Skylar's heart skipped a beat. His Magic Eye was still active, and he could clearly see that strange magical fluctuations swirled around the small statue, as if it possessed some unknown consciousness.
The small statue slowly flew towards Skylar, stopped in front of him, and floated quietly in the air.
Skylar instinctively reached out and caught it steadily.
In an instant, a cold and ancient sensation came through his palm, as if the entire history of the Chamber of Secrets had been poured into his consciousness. He vaguely heard countless whispers in his ears, the voices were obscure and difficult to understand, yet they exuded a certain mysterious power.
"It chose you?" Eleanor's eyes flickered slightly as she stared intently at the statue in Skylar's hand, her tone tinged with shock.
Skylar quietly felt the statue in his palm, and after a long while finally said, "Perhaps!"
[Obtain the "Scorpion King Statue"!]
After leaving the pyramids, the three of them also visited the Egyptian Wizard Museum.
The three alchemists first visited the sacred relic of alchemy, the "Emerald Tablet," whose ancient texts recorded the origins of alchemy.
Next, they also learned in detail about the long history of the Twelve Tomb-Keeper Families of Egypt, and understood the blood and tears these families had shed to protect the Book of the Dead. Unfortunately, after the evil black wizard Anubi appeared, he slaughtered more than half of the Twelve Tomb Keeper Families, causing the entire lineage of tomb guardians in Egypt to be cut off.
As they walked through the exhibition hall's long corridor, Skylar, Cherry Moon, and Eleanor all stopped in their tracks, their eyes drawn to an enormous mural.
This mural covers almost the entire wall, is four meters high and nearly ten meters wide, and depicts the magnificent scene of the legendary great wizard Moses performing the ultimate magic "Split River and Sea".
In the center of the mural, a wizard draped in a flowing golden robe stands amidst a raging storm. His arms are raised high, and the magic wand in his hand bursts forth with dazzling azure magical energy that shoots straight into the sky. His gaze is sharp as a god's, his robes flutter in the wind, and he seems to be one with heaven and earth, exuding an unparalleled aura.
Beneath his feet, the once turbulent Red Sea was cleaved in two by an indescribable, powerful force!
Two water walls, tens of meters high, were torn apart by invisible magic, tumbling and rolling to both sides, solidifying into crystal-clear ice walls. Through the delicate brushstrokes of the mural, one can clearly see the terrified scene of fish being suddenly separated within the water walls, seaweed floating in the air without the support of the water flow, and the reefs and shipwrecks on the seabed faintly visible on the exposed seabed.
On the left side of the screen, thousands of people are running along the seabed, their faces filled with shock, ecstasy, and awe, as if witnessing a miracle.
On the other side of the mural, rolling black clouds shrouded the distance, and the figures of chariots and armed soldiers appeared and disappeared in the storm, as if the shadow of death was about to sweep in.
"This... is Moses' ultimate magic, 'Split River and Sea'..." Cherry Moon murmured softly, her eyes filled with shock. Eleanor's eyes showed a similar expression, flashing with awe at ultimate magic.
Skylar smiled faintly, but said nothing.
Ultimate magic, he himself had done it when he was in Little Hangleton Cemetery.
He suddenly realized that his understanding of power had far surpassed that of ordinary people, even Eleanor from the most powerful alchemical family in Germany.
As night falls, Cairo's streets appear both mysterious and bustling under the warm, orange-yellow lights. The aroma of spices permeates the streets and alleys, and the occasional melodious sound of camel bells drifts from afar, making one feel as if they are in an ancient caravan from a thousand years ago.
The Sun Hotel is located on a quiet street along the Nile River. This historic building is full of Arabia charm, with exquisite patterns carved on the milky white walls, warm light shining through the arched windows, and a bronze chandelier shining at the entrance, illuminating the hand-inlaid wooden door.
Skylar, Eleanor, and Akabane Sakura had just finished a day's journey and entered the inn, where they were greeted by the rich scent of sandalwood and the faint aroma of rose water.
The hotel lobby is decorated with brightly colored Persia carpets, and an exquisite stained glass chandelier hangs from the ceiling, its soft light adding a touch of mysterious exoticism to the entire space.
"This place has a really nice ambiance," Akabane Sakura remarked, looking around.
"I hope the room is nice too." Eleanor casually tossed her hair, walked gracefully to the front desk, and skillfully checked in.
The three of them received their room keys. The hotel rooms were on the third floor, with the three rooms next to each other and Arabia- style patterns carved on the doors.
After opening the door, Skylar glanced around his room—it wasn't luxurious, but it was exquisitely furnished, with a beautifully carved wooden bed, an elaborate Persia carpet, bronze candlesticks, and soft white gauze curtains by the window, exuding a romantic atmosphere.
Eleanor leaned against the doorframe of her room, looking at Skylar with a meaningful smile, and said casually, "Isn't it too lonely to sleep alone on such a cold night?"
Her tone was suggestive, her eyes were deep, and her red lips were slightly upturned, subtly revealing a hint of provocation.
Upon hearing this, Akabane Sakura cleared her throat, pretending not to hear, and silently pushed open the door to her room, leaving Skylar and Eleanor staring at each other.
Skylar merely gave a faint smile and said calmly, "Get some rest. We have many places to visit tomorrow."
After saying that, he turned around and went straight into his room, closing the door without any hesitation.
Eleanor stood in the doorway, raising an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She simply shook her head helplessly, but her face returned to its usual elegant smile.
The Egypt night is tranquil and mysterious, with countless stars dotting the vast sky. The bright moonlight shines on the eaves of the Sun Hotel, gilding this ancient building with a soft silver glow. The hustle and bustle of the streets gradually fades away, and the whole of Cairo seems to sink into a mysterious dream.
Skylar stood by the window, gazing intently at the distant night sky, as if admiring the Cairo night view, but his gaze was so cold it sent chills down one's spine.