Perhaps in some rather special worlds, small worlds are quite common, but in the world of Harry Potter, this is indeed rare.
Many times, only some special organizations, such as the Mysterious Affairs Department, and the gods who have not yet perished in this era have small worlds. A temple, although a place dedicated to the gods, does not quite seem like a place that would have a small world.
Because of this, Ian also felt that the probability of people in the temple hiding the embryo in a small world was low, so the greatest possibility was space folding technology.
Much like the Room of Requirement, even though no door can be seen here, there are special ways to open the folded space.
Of course.
Even with Ian's magical prowess, cracking such a hidden magic in a short time is definitely not something that can be done.
He lacks many necessary auxiliary measures, relying solely on magical power to analyze and decode would take about two or three days.
Ian certainly does not have so much time to stay here. As the sun set, Ian, pondering in his heart, arrived at the highest point of the temple, the observatory. From here, he overlooked the entire Memphis City. The golden-red afterglow painted the city with a layer of blood, and the Nile River, like a meandering bronze belt, reflected the last light of the setting sun.
Ian leaned against the window, watching the sun gradually sink below the horizon. Today's sunset looked particularly strange, the edge of the sun appearing irregularly serrated, as if something had gnawed at it. Strangely enough, the moment the sun completely disappeared, he clearly saw a flash of blue light on the horizon — as if someone had used a mirror to reflect sunlight.
"Yes, if the Sun God falls, the sun should not rise over Ancient Egypt, so someone used some method to create the illusion that the Sun God is still alive?" Ian stood at the edge of the observatory, his hands resting on the ancient stone railing, his gaze fixed on the eastern horizon where the sun slowly rose.
The dawn was like a thin veil, gently brushing the spires and columns of the temple group, dispelling the deep darkness of last night bit by bit. It was so dazzling, yet somehow carried a hint of eeriness, a feeling that was difficult to describe.
"But at least this sunlight does not have that nauseating feeling, maybe some deity is helping the Sun God Ra fulfill his duties."
"But why would this deity do such a thing? Is it simply to maintain a facade of peace?" The golden light spilled over the temple's copper domes, reflecting a gentle yet solemn glow, as if the gods opened their eyes at dawn. The sky gradually faded from deep blue to light purple, then turned to bright orange-red, the clouds dyed into strands of rose, like a painting meticulously drawn by the hand of gods.
A breeze passed, carrying the unique morning coolness and the freshness of grass and trees, stirring the hair scattered on Ian's forehead as he continued his contemplation.
"It is also possible that besides these priests, other divine spirits want to take this opportunity to usurp Ra and become the new Sun God?" Ian stood by the window, watching the just-risen sun on the distant horizon. The edge of the red sun was haloed with an unnatural sawtooth-like light, as if gnawed by invisible teeth. He instinctively touched the magic wand hidden in his sleeve.
The slight warmth from the wooden surface gave him some reassurance.
As morning had already arrived.
The chants of morning prayers echoed within the temple, the deep and resonant male voices reverberating among the stone columns. Through the crack of the observatory door, Ian saw a procession of white-robed priests marching towards the main hall, holding fresh lotus flowers and spices. Their expressions were somber and devout, their steps uniformly synchronized, as if the bloody ritual last night was merely a dream.
The invisible Ian stood silently, seemingly merging with this land and sky. However, his heart was far from as calm as his exterior appeared.
Last night's events — the sudden chaos, the mysterious embryo, the whispers deep within the temple, and the figure vanishing into the darkness.
All of it was etched in his memory like a brand. Yet, at present, everything within the temple seemed so orderly, as if the turmoil of the previous night never occurred. The priests, dressed in pure white robes, carrying copper bells and incense burners, walked steadily through the various halls of the temple.
The priests were methodically preparing for daily routines, chanting ancient prayers, lighting incense, and tidying altars, repeating mundane chores over and over. Everything seemed normal, obscuring the filth hidden within this temple.
The wheels of history continued to move steadily forward.
"Truly a professional performance." Ian silently sneered. No one could perceive him, and his Illusionary Body Spell remained flawlessly effective, with the morning light passing through his completely transparent body, casting a faint shadow imperceptible to the human eye.
Cautiously surveying the surroundings, he gently pushed open the side door of the observatory, moving silently down the spiral stairs.
The stairway ended at a narrow corridor, where the copper lamps on the wall were just lit, the flickering flames illuminating the scene on the mural of Ra on the sun ship. Ian noticed one mural had been altered — what should have shown the chaos serpent Apep pierced by Ra's long spear now depicted it entwined around the sun ship, its tongue almost touching Ra's crown.
Footsteps echoed from the corridor's corner, and Ian immediately pressed against the wall. Two young priests carrying golden plates filled with sacred scarabs passed by, their conversation drifting into Ian's ears: