Secrets of the Forbidden Tome, the Monarch's Eyes

The Thunder Temple's brief respite ended. Lin Ye entrusted its internal affairs to Remy and Dr. Banner, lightning flaring around him once more as he set his sights on Kamar-Taj. This time, he was not there for foundational theory, but for the forbidden zone that held cosmic secrets and taboo knowledge.

Kamar-Taj's wards were already familiar with him, and the teleportation passed without incident. The Ancient One seemed to have anticipated his arrival. She did not greet him in the courtyard; only a silent apprentice stood at the entrance to the Restricted Books Section, respectfully opening the boundary that flowed with powerful sealing energy.

Upon entering the Restricted Books Section again, Lin Ye's state of mind was completely different from before. There was less curiosity and more defined purpose, along with a heavy sense of responsibility. Even the chaotic, oppressive energy fluctuations in the air seemed to make way for him, as though they knew why this newly risen lord of thunder had come.

He did not stop before the cages that emitted sinister fluctuations. Following The Ancient One's prior guidance and the faint resonance of the [Thunder Pact] mark, he headed straight for a relatively isolated area in the deepest part of the Restricted Books Section, one formed by countless enormous black steles.

These steles had not formed naturally. They had been forged from a special material that devoured light, their surfaces covered in ancient writing that belonged to no modern language on Earth, as well as countless dizzyingly complex energy-flow diagrams and cosmic star charts. The aura they gave off was older, more obscure, and more... dangerous than the sacred artifacts outside.

"The Elder Contract Stele Grove..." Lin Ye looked at the silent cluster of steles and could sense the immense flow of information within them, along with... a binding power of laws. What was recorded here might have been ancient covenants forged between countless powerful beings at the dawn of the universe, taboo knowledge, and... records of war.

He slowly walked among the steles, pushing [Dimensional Energy Perception] to its limit. The [Thunder Pact] mark grew faintly warm, like an accurate compass guiding him toward an especially towering black stele, its surface covered in scorch marks and cracks like those left by lightning strikes.

This stele gave him the strangest feeling. It radiated a primal thunder aura that shared the same origin as the [Thunder Pact], yet it was also entwined with an incomparably deep deathly resentment of the same nature as the Endless Bone Graveyard. The two utterly opposing powers seemed to be locked in eternal conflict within the stele.

This is it!

Lin Ye took a deep breath and slowly pressed his palm against the center of the stele, where the scorch marks were most densely concentrated.

Boom!!!

An even more torrential flood of information and insights into laws than when he had touched the lightning-struck wood fragment surged into his mind!

This time, it was no longer a collection of fragmented images, but a relatively complete memory imprint from the distant past!

He "saw" it!

An endless battlefield of void, where two towering great beings were fighting fiercely!

One of them was the Thunder Giant he had once glimpsed. Wielding a gigantic hammer entwined by countless thunder dragons, each swing summoned the thunder of billions of universes. Its might was vast and overwhelming, representing ultimate destruction and creation, the wild and flamboyant force of life!

The other was an enormous Bone Throne hidden within endless gray-white mist! Seated upon it was a vague figure that radiated a terrifying aura capable of extinguishing stars and returning all things to death—the owner of those cold eyes, the Bone Monarch!

Their methods of battle were completely different. The Thunder Giant was violent and domineering, breaking skill with sheer force. The Bone Monarch, however, was strange and unfathomable. It did not directly withstand the thunder. Instead, it scattered invisible laws of death, eroding the Thunder Giant's vitality; summoned endless armies of undead to assault his defenses; and could even distort time and space, redirecting the Thunder Giant's attacks elsewhere!

The cause of the war had long been lost to history. Perhaps it had been a conflict of ideals, perhaps a struggle for resources, or perhaps merely the eternal game between ancient beings.

Lin Ye saw the Thunder Giant gradually fall into a disadvantage during the battle. Though his power was immense, he seemed to lack some... effective means of dealing with the erosion of death laws. His thunder could easily purify low-level undead, but it could not truly harm the Bone Monarch's true body, hidden deep within the mist of death. In contrast, the Bone Monarch's deathly corrosion continued to accumulate, wearing away at his life essence.

In the end, during one frenzied charge, the Thunder Giant tried to use his own core origin to detonate the Bone Monarch's throne. Yet he seemed to suffer a backlash from some contract or rule—the memories of this part were especially blurred and distorted. He ultimately failed, his own body collapsing as his core fused with that strange ancient tree and was swallowed by the chaotic sea of thunder he had summoned himself...

The Bone Monarch, meanwhile, seemed to have paid no small price in that battle as well. Cracks appeared on its throne, and its aura weakened considerably. It had no choice but to fall into a long slumber, only to be awakened recently by the commotion caused by Lin Ye merging with the lightning-struck wood and destroying the gateway...

The flood of memories slowly subsided.

Lin Ye withdrew his hand, lightning flickering uncertainly in his eyes as he processed the astonishing information.

He understood the source of that hatred. He also understood why the Bone Monarch regarded him, who possessed a pure thunder origin, as both an "heir" and a "traitor" that had to be eliminated.

More importantly, from this memory imprint and the records on the stele, he caught several crucial pieces of information:

First, the Bone Monarch's core of power was not its physical form—the throne and skeletal body might only be projections or avatars—but a "phylactery" or "true name" hidden within some overlapping dimensional layer! Without destroying its true name or phylactery, it was nearly impossible to truly kill it. It could always return from death!

Second, the Thunder Giant's power had not actually been inferior to the Bone Monarch's. In some respects, it had even surpassed it. The key to his defeat was his lack of efficient battlefield-clearing and pinpoint annihilation methods to effectively counter the erosion of death laws and the sea-of-undead tactics.

Third, this stele itself appeared to have been erected after that earth-shattering battle by certain ancient third parties—perhaps guardians of order such as the Vishanti. It recorded part of the truth while also containing a measure of contractual power. Perhaps... it imposed some form of restriction upon the Bone Monarch?

Lin Ye immersed himself in analyzing and comprehending this information, trying to find a way to counter the Bone Monarch.

[ Ding! Successfully deciphered the Elder Contract Stele (Chapter of Thunder and Death). ]

[ Rewards: ]

[ 1. [Intermediate Death Law Resistance] ]

[ 2. Title acquired: [Undead Nemesis] (Greatly increases intimidation and damage against undead creatures) ]

[ 3. Obtained incomplete information: [The Bone Monarch's weakness? (Further deciphering required)], [Binding clauses of the ancient contract? (Further interpretation required)] ]

The system notification confirmed his gains. The increased resistance and acquired title were immediately useful, while the information concerning its weakness and the contract was invaluable. Though incomplete, it pointed him in the right direction.

Just as he was preparing to further decipher the specific contractual clauses on the stele—

Bzzzt!!!

The entirety of Kamar-Taj suddenly shook violently, as though an invisible giant hand had struck it with full force!

Within the Restricted Books Section, all the sealed cages trembled violently, and the objects inside let out piercing shrieks or roars!

Lin Ye suddenly looked up. He could feel an indescribable will, cold to the extreme, piercing through layer after layer of Dimensional Barriers like a cosmic chill and descending once again! This time, it was no longer a purposeless gaze, but one bearing a clear, enraged... lock-on!

It had discovered that he was probing its secrets!

"Lin Ye! Get away from the stele!" The Ancient One's voice, more urgent than ever before, echoed directly in his mind through magic!

Almost simultaneously, dense gray-white mist of death erupted from the scorch marks and cracks on the stele before him, the one recording the war between thunder and death! Within that mist, a pair of eyes shrunk countless times over yet still cold and hollow instantly condensed, staring fixedly at Lin Ye from point-blank range!

Those eyes no longer held only hatred and slaughter. They now carried a fury like someone whose forbidden boundary had been touched and... an extremely well-concealed trace of... apprehension?

It seemed afraid that Lin Ye would truly unravel the stele's secrets!

"Ant! How dare you pry into the Monarch's secrets!" A will clearer and colder than before stabbed viciously toward Lin Ye's soul like billions of icy needles!

This attack far surpassed the previous one!

Lin Ye felt his soul quake violently. The [Soul Barrier] instantly filled with cracks! Even the lightning around his body was suppressed into dimness!

He let out a muffled groan and activated [Thunderflash: Time Lag] without hesitation, rapidly retreating!

At the same time, The Ancient One had already appeared at the entrance to the Restricted Books Section. Her hands formed seals at high speed as vast magical power poured into the section's overall seal, trying to suppress the deathly will pouring from the stele!

"In the name of Kamar-Taj, all outside paths are forbidden here!"

Golden sealing light blazed brilliantly, clashing fiercely against the gray-white mist of death and producing a teeth-grating sizzle.

Lin Ye retreated to a safe distance. The lightning in his eyes blazed once more, carrying lingering fear and cold battle intent.

The Bone Monarch... was even more powerful and vigilant than he had imagined! A single strike of will transmitted through the stele as a medium had nearly injured him!

But at the same time, he became even more certain that the stele concealed crucial information capable of threatening it!

Otherwise, it would not have reacted so violently!

This game across dimensions had entered a more perilous, and more central, stage.

(End of Chapter Fifty)