Chapter 604: Are You Pure of Heart?
The Grand Hall of Eternity
Before arriving, Sivana had pored over a massive amount of historical data related to ancient Egyptian magic. He knew the legend of the Rock of Eternity and had a significant understanding of the Council of Eternity guided by the Gods.
In the dimly lit hall, seven stone chairs were arranged in a circle, with each chair representing a divine pantheon: the Ancient Egyptian Ennead, Mount Olympus, the Eastern Celestials, the Ancient Indian Brahman, the Mesoamerican Sun God, the Mayan Feathered Serpent, and the African Witchcraft God.
Seven divine systems, each choosing a human representative to form the Council of Eternity, whose purpose was to protect Earth from invasions by Heaven and Hell.
These were all stories passed down in ancient texts. Sivana had read them countless times but never imagined experiencing them firsthand.
This scene before him was arguably the greatest archaeological discovery in centuries. It verified a piece of history, pushed human civilization forward by thousands of years, and directly proved the existence of the Gods.
The Ancient Age, the Age of Gods, the Age of Man—this was the true history of Earth's civilization, not some notion of apes evolving into men.
Sivana clenched his fist, overwhelmed with emotion. Along with the excitement, he felt a degree of tension. The oppressive presence of the old man was too strong. He even felt that the old man could eliminate him with a mere gesture. However, as time passed, he noticed something strange.
The old man seemed very weak!
He used all his strength just to stand up, trembling uncontrollably with every step, his body swaying as if he might collapse at any moment.
Sivana seemed to understand something. His eyes darted about, and he tentatively asked,
"Friend, what is your name? Why are you in the Rock of Eternity? Did you accidentally stumble in here like I did?"
"Do not equivocate. Answer my question. What is your purpose?"
"Come on, relax."
Sivana casually waved his hand. "I've checked the records. The Rock of Eternity hasn't appeared for thousands of years. There can't be living people inside. We're all outsiders, so stop pretending. When did you come in? Based on the dust on your hair, it's been at least a few years. Have you been able to leave?"
The old man: "..."
"By the way, do you know where the exit is? I've been wandering for most of the day and haven't found it."
The old man frowned. Perhaps due to not speaking for thousands of years, he was having trouble keeping up with Sivana's line of thought.
Sivana appeared very nonchalant, yet internally he was extremely tense. To relieve the pressure, he began to pace around the hall. Passing by a sculpture, he pretended to ask out of curiosity,
"What is this sculpture? It looks like a demon."
Before his words faded, the sculpture's eyelids suddenly opened. Red light flickered in its eyes, and whispers laced with various negative emotions flooded into Sivana's mind, like the voice of a demon, or perhaps some kind of summon.
At the same time, the other six sculptures also opened their eyes, staring intently.
A strange power spread throughout the hall.
The old man's face changed drastically. He raised his scepter and forcefully struck the ground.
"Get back!"
An unseen force expanded outward. The seven sculptures reluctantly closed their eyes, returning to their previous state.
Sivana stood motionless, as if his soul had been sucked out. After a long moment, he regained consciousness.
"The Seven Deadly Sins?"
"These sculptures are the sealed Seven Deadly Sins."
Sivana looked utterly incredulous. "Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust. The legendary seven demons are sealed here!"
The old man took a breath and whispered in an extremely hoarse voice,
"Turn right outside this hall. There is a teleportation array in the room at the end of the corridor. Leave this place and do not return."
"No."
Sivana suddenly shook his head. "I'm not leaving. I will stay."
He walked nervously toward the stone table. "They told me that the crystal sphere is the key. If I grab it, I can form a covenant with the Seven Deadly Sins and gain power comparable to the Gods."
"Power comparable to the Gods! How strong must that be? I must become stronger!"
"I must master the most terrible magic in the world!"
"I must become a respected God, making all those who looked down on me bow!"
Sivana broke into a grotesque grin. The old man realized what was happening and tried to intervene. Just then, the seven sculptures opened their eyes again, unleashing a mental shock that made the old man stagger.
Sivana slowly reached out his hand. The moment before he touched the crystal sphere, a feeling of intense terror surged through him. Fear blossomed in the depths of his soul, spreading to every corner. He trembled and turned his head, staring blankly at the man who had appeared in the doorway.
"Who... Who are you?"
Luke removed his face mask, revealing his true face.
"Luke Shaw? How is that possible?"
"Nothing is impossible."
Luke walked to the stone table and knocked Sivana out with a single blow. He then looked up, directly facing the old man.
"Wizard Shazam?"
The old man was stunned. It had been thousands of years since he had heard that name.
Luke continued, "The ancient texts of my school record your story. Wizard Shazam, custodian and protector of the Council of Eternity, possessing the talent to communicate with the Gods."
The old man couldn't help but ask,
"How do you know these things?"
Luke bowed respectfully. "I am from the Eastern Celestial Court."
The old man's face shook. "Impossible! The Celestial Court has fallen!"
"But their power lives on."
Luke extended his index finger. A deep golden light appeared at the tip. The light shifted, sometimes turning into fire, sometimes into ice, and sometimes into a fierce wind.
"This power, sir, should be familiar to you, shouldn't it?"
The old man fell silent, his expression full of complex melancholy. Memories deep within his mind surfaced involuntarily.
Each of the seven great pantheons represented a civilization's heritage. The Mayan Feathered Serpent, the African Witchcraft God, and the Mesoamerican Sun God were the weakest. The remaining four were on par, all possessing highly complex divine systems. The distinguishing feature of the Eastern Celestial Court was its resilient soul and flexible divine nature. This divine nature is a wondrous energy from which everything in the natural world can be derived, including metal, wood, water, fire, wind, rain, and lightning.
The young man before him was demonstrating this divine nature, exactly as the old man had experienced it thousands of years ago.
"Why have you come here?"
Luke pointed to the stone chairs. "For it."
The old man looked back at the chairs and said bitterly, "The Age of Gods is over. The Council will also become history."
"No, you are mistaken."
Luke's voice was firm. "As long as humanity has enemies, the Council of Eternity retains its value. Its significance must not be erased."
"Does humanity still have enemies?"
"How could it not? Demons, angels, dark creatures, aliens, cult organizations, and more keep emerging every few years."
The old man fell silent again, apparently deep in thought. After a long time, he whispered,
"You want the Rock of Eternity?"
Luke nodded. "It should not be buried in history."
"I cannot give it to you."
Luke frowned. "Why?"
"Your heart is not pure enough."
Luke: "..."
Seriously, what the hell?!
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