However, if the "Holy Seal" here truly was the "seal" among the "Three Divine Artifacts," then there should also be an angel's "evil spirit" sealed within it.
Who would that be?
With that thought in mind, Ebner did not stand on ceremony and directly picked up the so-called "Holy Seal" to examine it.
After a moment, he discovered that there really was a soul of extremely high level lurking within the seal. It was just that, compared to the "Magic Mirror" back then, the sealing of the "Holy Seal" was far more complete, so It had remained in a state of deep slumber.
Although I still can't determine the exact Sequence of this "remnant soul," from my observations it should be related to the "Order" pathway…
No wonder the "Holy Seal" can influence the "Hand of Order" within the "Ghost Empire," creating those "Urban Legend Rules."
Understanding dawned in Ebner's heart, but outwardly he showed no change in expression as he asked the elderly man before him:
"Mr. Gold Jin, when you came to find me just now, you said you had important information to tell me… what was it?"
Hearing this, Gold Jin, the white-haired and white-bearded Chairman of the "Foundation," became solemn and said gravely, "It is a sentence that the Saint instructed the 'Foundation' to pass on to you."
"What is it?" Ebner pressed.
"The root of the disaster lies in the 'Primordial Plain,'" Gold Jin meticulously repeated Roselle's final words from back then.
"Primordial Plain"? Upon hearing this, Ebner's eyelids twitched.
That name is rather intimidating… "Primordial" is not a descriptor just anything is worthy of.
"'Primordial Plain'… that's a place name, right? Where is it?" Ebner asked again.
"The 'Primordial Plain' is the place where this world first intersected with that other realm, and it is also the first 'Inner World' that formed after the Saint saved the world…
"Our 'Foundation' headquarters is currently located there.
"Additionally, because that plain is vast, with a pleasant climate and fertile soil, it is also the largest grain-producing region in this world.
"Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to support a population of nearly seven million."
Farming inside an ordered 'Spirit World'? You people really are impressive…
However, as far as I know, every single 'Inner World' produces a monster that is nearly unsolvable for that world. Only by using rules to "seal" it—like how I dealt with that black cat—can one possibly develop the corresponding 'Inner World'…
The very first 'Inner World,' the 'Primordial Plain,' would naturally be no exception…
So, was it Roselle who sealed it back then?
And what kind of 'monster' could it have been, such that even Roselle was unable to completely resolve it?
At that thought, Ebner suddenly felt a strong sense of unease. With a wave of his hand, he created a hidden space and stored Roselle's "mechanical puppet," The Book of the Three Divine Artifacts, and the "Holy Seal" inside it. Then he instructed Gold Jin:
"Immediately take me to the entrance of the 'Primordial Plain.' Something has probably gone wrong!"
With that, he grabbed the elderly man in front of him and flew straight out of the temple, while simultaneously pulling out a "historical projection" of himself to rendezvous with Xio, Edwina, and the others, protecting them in passing. If any major danger arose, it would immediately lead them away.
But unexpectedly, they were still a step too late.
When the projection arrived outside the temple, more than ten thousand people on that mountain peak had all vanished, clearly having fallen into a suddenly appearing super-large "Inner World."
Fortunately, although the projection's strength was inferior to Ebner's true body, it possessed similarly abundant means. After a brief observation, it found a weak point in space, tore open a rift, and drilled its way inside.
Meanwhile, Ebner's true body no longer had the bandwidth to worry about the projection's situation. While carrying Gold Jin through the air, he was shocked to discover that in just a few short minutes, hundreds of "Inner Worlds" had appeared across this world, as if the apocalypse itself had entered a countdown.
"How could this happen?" The elderly man, who was also observing the scene through the shared "vision" provided by Ebner, cried out in shock, his face filled with disbelief.
"This must mean that something has gone wrong in the so-called 'Primordial Plain'! If this world is to continue existing, hurry up and point the way!" Ebner said with a frown.
I'm not too worried about Xio and Edwina. They have the talismans I gave them, as well as the backing of the 'Princess' and the 'Dragon.' Escaping safely shouldn't be too difficult.
As for Philina… the fact that she so coincidentally entered the 'Ghost Empire' and encountered me means someone must be arranging things behind the scenes. Naturally, someone else will worry about her.
Hearing this, Gold Jin snapped back to his senses. After a brief consideration, he made up his mind and pointed toward a small alley at the foot of the mountain.
"The nearest entrance is in the sewer beneath that alley!"
Ebner followed the direction he pointed and saw that the space around the alley was already becoming abnormal, as if something were about to burst out, creating an extremely oppressive feeling.
The precursor to an 'Inner World' invasion… As expected, is the thing sealed within the 'Primordial Plain' about to break free?
Ebner narrowed his eyes and evaluated the "power" level being displayed. After making a preliminary judgment that he could handle it, he set the Chairman of the "Foundation" back on the ground, then directly "opened a door" and stepped into the so-called "Primordial Plain."
...
On the boundless plains where the "Foundation" headquarters was located, the once-vibrant scenery had completely vanished, replaced by a bizarre blood-red expanse.
The wheat, vegetables, and other crops planted here had transformed into grotesque monsters, sprouting tentacles and revealing sharp teeth as they lunged toward the few armed squads still resisting.
Inside a hastily constructed defensive position, several soldiers together hurled Molotov cocktails, temporarily driving back the "wheat monsters" that had charged forward.
Yet there was no joy on anyone's face—only deep gravity.
"Captain, this won't work… Those wheat-turned monsters can regenerate endlessly, and we're running low on Molotovs!" the observer spoke up.
"Yes, Captain… We should withdraw first and come back after replenishing our supplies," another team member followed.
His expression was extremely ugly. The more he had loved those wheat fields before, the more he now loathed them.
The captain, however, shook his head.
"Withdraw? Headquarters has already fallen—where can we retreat to?
"Besides, it was our negligence. We failed to notice that Robin had already been possessed by a monster and still brought him back to headquarters, which led to this disaster…
"We must make up for the mistake we made!"
Hearing the captain's resolute words, the other team members fell silent for a few seconds, then spoke one after another:
"Captain, you're right… This is our responsibility."
"I must personally kill the monster that possessed Robin!"
"If the 'Foundation' is gone, the world will be destroyed sooner or later. We have no path of retreat at all!"
"Captain, we'll use the remaining Molotovs to draw away those monsters. You charge straight into the castle and restart the Saint's seal in one go…"
The captain pressed his lips together, then accepted his subordinates' suggestion and gave them a military salute.
Then, under the cover of his teammates sacrificing their lives, he charged all the way to the castle gate, upon which were inscribed in the Saint's own hand the words "Restrict," "Protect," and "Obey."
But at that very moment, a woman of peerless beauty, her entire body exuding an aura of temptation, walked out from within the castle. Embedded in her sleeve was a human face, faintly recognizable as Robin's.
At the sight of this, tears streamed from the corners of the captain's eyes.
He had not cried when headquarters fell. He had not cried when his teammates sacrificed themselves to buy him a chance… but now, his tears flowed uncontrollably.
Because he recognized the woman before him—she was precisely the original "monster" that the "Saint" had sealed beneath the castle!
Despair flooded the captain's heart. He understood that all of his and his teammates' efforts had already come to nothing, that the world was about to end…
His mentality collapsed.
But collapse did not mean surrender. Even knowing it would be useless, he still raised his firearm and pulled the trigger at the woman's sleeve.
Even if he was going to die, he would first deal with the "traitor" of his squad.
However, the face of "Robin" embedded in the woman's sleeve twisted into a mocking expression, as he waited for the captain to humiliate himself.
At that moment, the captain's gun barrel was pressed down by a hand, and a man abruptly appeared at his side.
It was Ebner.
Seeing the way he appeared, the captain froze for a moment, then burst into wild joy.
"You… are you the new Saint descended as foretold in the prophecy?"
Ebner looked at the captain with appreciation and gave a slight nod. Just as he was about to reply, Robin's face sneered and spoke provocatively:
"A new Saint? Hahaha, unfortunately, you're too late! The Demon Lord has already revived! You all—"
Before he could finish, the beautiful woman cast him a single glance, and he instantly turned into a block of stone.
Before being completely petrified, "Robin" struggled to move his mouth, vibrating the air in broken fragments:
"Demon Lord… why…?"
The woman known as the "Demon Lord" ignored him entirely. Instead, she walked straight up to Ebner and respectfully bowed.
"Greetings, 'Father God'…"
(End of this chapter)