IMPRISONED FOR A TRILLION YEARS, I WAS WORSHIPPED BY ALL GODS!

Staring at the hidden passage revealed behind the stone wall, the Third Princess shot Alan a surprised glance before following him deeper into the corridor.

Soon, they reached the end of the passage. Both Alan and the Third Princess stopped in their tracks, eyes gleaming with excitement as they gazed at a majestic, ancient castle ahead.

The castle was incredibly old—no one could tell how many years it had stood. Its stone walls, covered in crisscrossing cracks, exuded a profound sense of time.

Above the ancient gates floated a staff, emerald green in color, seemingly crafted from the branch of a divine tree. It radiated a rich aura of life.

Though it hovered there in silence, elemental energy clustered around it like thick clouds.

The first thought that came to both Alan and the Third Princess was clear:

This staff was anything but ordinary!

A staff that could stir the elements of heaven and earth was exceedingly rare—each one a priceless treasure.

“What a powerful staff… this must have been the one Nicolas once wielded!”

The Third Princess was visibly moved, then turned to Alan with growing curiosity.

“How did you know this is where the forbidden magus’s legacy is hidden?”

Alan pulled out his staff-sword and answered, “It guided me here.”

The Third Princess glanced at the weapon, then spoke apologetically,

“If that’s a secret of yours, you don’t have to explain. I was being presumptuous.”

Alan understood what she meant. When traveling in the outside world, it was always wise to keep some cards close to the chest—especially with significant secrets. After all, one could never be sure who they were dealing with.

However, to Alan, the Third Princess was a trusted friend of Alice—someone he could completely rely on.

With his true friends, Alan never held back. He believed in meeting sincerity with sincerity.

After her brief reminder, the Third Princess made a move toward the staff.

A treasure like that had to be secured immediately—if others arrived and saw it, it wouldn’t be easy to take it then.

But just as she took her first step, Alan grabbed her wrist.

The Third Princess turned back and looked at him. Alan let go and said,

“Wait. Something’s not right here.”

The Third Princess grew more cautious and released a wave of mind power, trying to probe the castle ahead.

However, as soon as her mind power touched the aged fortress walls, it was silently absorbed—vanishing without a trace!

The Third Princess immediately stopped, visibly wary.

She had known this place wouldn’t be simple—but she hadn’t expected even the entrance to the castle to contain such unknown dangers.

As the two of them cautiously observed the ancient castle, light footsteps suddenly echoed toward them.

Alan and the Third Princess turned to look at the source of the sound.

A young man and woman emerged from the corridor not far off.

The young man wore a snow-white noble’s robe. His features were delicate and refined, and he was shrouded in dense moisture. As he approached, the very air seemed to grow damp.

Beside him walked a woman in a translucent, fire-red dress that hugged her figure tightly, accentuating her striking curves. Every step she took left behind fiery footprints and waves of heat.

The two only glanced at Alan and the Third Princess without a word.

At that moment, a cheerful, relaxed voice rang out from nearby. A young man in deerskin gloves, dressed like a polite gentleman, strolled calmly into view.

He scanned the group and smiled.

“Ah, it seems I’ve arrived a little late.”

Thump… Thump… Thump…

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed like they were stomping on the hearts of those present.

With each step, everyone’s heartbeat quickened involuntarily.

Everyone turned toward the sound, expressions turning grim.

A woman stepped out from the left, her face expressionless. Her skin was pale to the point of glowing, and she wore a snow mink long coat. She walked forward step by step.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, her hair and pupils pure white, like a spirit of ice and snow. Her features were sharp and exquisite, her beauty stunning—but the biting coldness radiating from her made it nearly impossible to approach her.

“Lioncrest Academy really did send her…”

The Third Princess spoke at last, her voice tinged with a rare seriousness.

Alan looked at her, curious.

The Third Princess explained,

“One of the Dual Fangs of the Lioncrest—Beatrice.”

Alan couldn’t help but take a closer look.

So she was one of the top two students of Lioncrest Academy?

She definitely looked extraordinary.

Alan instinctively grew cautious. His portrait had surely spread throughout Lioncrest Academy by now. Beatrice must recognize him.

Though he didn’t fear her, if she chose this moment to strike, it could jeopardize his chances of obtaining the legacy here.

But Beatrice ignored everyone around her. She cast a glance at the ancient castle and then quietly stood still. She, too, seemed to sense the castle’s abnormality and chose not to act rashly.

At that moment, a burly man appeared, carrying eight massive hammers on his back. He lazily strolled into view, clearly disinterested in anything, yawning as if he could fall asleep at any moment.

Yet the moment people saw him, they all felt the elemental energy within their bodies grow sluggish and thick, no longer flowing as smoothly as before.

A top-tier genius had arrived.

Even the Third Princess instinctively gripped the handle of her blade.

However, the drowsy young man rubbed his bleary eyes and stopped in front of the castle, making no further move.

With so many gathered, the atmosphere grew tense—like a powder keg ready to explode.

Suddenly, the young man in deerskin gloves turned toward the Third Princess. He placed his right hand over his chest and offered a gentleman’s bow.

“Oh, I didn’t realize Her Highness the Third Princess was present. My apologies for the oversight.”

The Third Princess looked at him but didn’t recognize him. She replied coolly,

“Do you need something?”

The man smiled and said,

“Not really. I just heard you’re a friend of Alice and was wondering—has Duke Alice come as well?”

At his words, everyone’s attention immediately turned to him.

Alice.

Her name rang like thunder in the ears of everyone from the surrounding kingdoms and factions.

After all, through her own strength, she had challenged and defeated the top geniuses of these nations—without a single loss!

Thanks to her talent and her string of victories, she had long been the subject of intense attention. And naturally, many wanted to challenge her.

But opportunities had been few and far between.

The Third Princess replied coolly,

“You’re not her match. Whether she came or not is irrelevant.”

Despite the blunt dismissal, the man wasn’t angered. He simply smiled and said,

“How would I know without trying? Her spellcraft may be impressive—but that doesn’t mean my sword is weak.”

The Third Princess shook her head slightly.

“I suggest you abandon that idea. Many before you have tried, and the grass on their graves is already taller than they were.”

The man adjusted his gloves and chuckled,

“If that’s true, I’ll be sure to test her properly when the chance arises.”

Seeing this, the Third Princess no longer paid him any mind.

There were simply too many people who dreamed of defeating Alice and becoming famous overnight. She had grown numb to it.

Only when they truly faced Alice would they realize the terrifying gap between them.

Afterward, the Third Princess swept her gaze across the crowd and spoke clearly,

“Since you’ve all made it here, you must be the best of the best. I won’t waste words—the legacy of the forbidden magus lies within this castle. You all sense its strange aura. Rather than waste time hesitating, why don’t we join forces and enter together? Once inside, whatever we each obtain will depend on our abilities. What do you say?”

Her words brought a brief silence—but soon, the gathered geniuses all nodded in agreement.

While competition remained, the castle’s ominous presence made everyone feel like a needle was pricking at their hearts.

Cooperating would ensure better safety for all.

And as top talents from their respective factions, each of them had strong confidence in their own strength—they didn’t think themselves inferior to anyone. If fortune did appear, they’d fight for it then.

“Well, since the Third Princess herself proposed it, allow me to go first!”

The young man in deerskin gloves stepped forward toward the castle gate.

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