"I've brought you into the great hall as promised. Once we're out of the Mystic Realm, you've got to fill me in on 'Uselessness of Spiritual Partners'," Timothy said with a smile, reminding Emily.
"So it was you, the friend you mentioned before!" Emily sighed, seemingly resigned to the fact, and asked, "What's next then? What are you planning to do?"
"Next, I'm going to claim the heritage treasure of the Valley of the Undead," Timothy said, looking towards the depths of the temple.
There, an unassuming altar was set up.
[Ding, a temporary mission has been issued: Retrieve the heritage treasure of the Valley of the Undead and clear the Mystic Realm. Reward: The host will be directly promoted to Mystic Core and unlock the second meridian of the Ancient Saintly Body.]
Hearing the system's announcement, Timothy felt even more confident in his plans.
Having paid a hefty price to obtain the 'Key of Secrets' from the system, the intricately designed defenses of the Valley of the Undead seemed almost non-existent before him.
Approaching the stone platform at the center of the altar, Timothy lit the candles on the candelabra and then placed his hand directly on the crystal ball at the center.
Click, click.
Cracks appeared on the crystal ball instantly.
The subtle array and prohibitions on it were easily neutralized, and as the crystal ball shattered, the entire great hall began to tremble.
The temple shook, the ground quaked, and from the crystal ball, a beam of light shot up into the sky.
The light was incredibly brilliant, piercing into the dim, reddish sky, dazzlingly bright.
At this moment, inside the Mystic Realm, only about one-sixth of the people had managed not to be expelled.
But under the relentless assault of the flame monsters, they were nearly at their breaking point.
However, at the moment when the light shot up into the sky, the shockwave spread around, and the flame monsters affected by it dissipated into nothing.
Many cultivators, who had narrowly escaped injury or even death, looked around in shock.
Not long after, under the aftermath of the light column, all the flame monsters disappeared.
The light illuminated half the sky, turning the inside of the Mystic Realm almost into daylight.
"Who exactly saved us?"
Eyes converged, only to see a figure slowly floating up along the beam of light.
This person was the very one who had been coerced by the Umbral Tyrant and Sunflare Elder!
"Breaking free from those old monsters and even stepping into the final trial of the Valley of the Undead, how did he manage that!"
The remaining one-sixth of the cultivators, all top disciples from major sects, were now staring up in astonishment.
"This person is named Timothy. I heard he was just an ordinary disciple of the Demonic Sect, but just a few days ago, he was personally chosen by Goddess Sylvia and directly taken into Sky Sanctuary as a steward disciple."
"Choosing a Demonic Sect disciple as a steward in Sky Sanctuary!"
Many secretly marveled, truly worthy of Goddess Sylvia!
Probably, aside from Goddess Sylvia, no one else would dare make such a decisive decision.
And indeed, Goddess Sylvia's vision was unique.
One man surpassing seven Mystic Core powerhouses and stepping alone into the final trial, such an unthinkable feat was truly unimaginable!
Watching this scene was also Emily, who was in the great hall of the Mystic Realm.
She had initially followed Timothy into the final trial but ultimately chose to give up.
Looking up at Timothy, enveloped in golden light and appearing as majestic and sacred as a deity, a smile inadvertently appeared on Emily's lips.
It was enough.
She suddenly realized that what she really wanted wasn't the treasures of the Valley of the Undead or to complete the task of Holy Maiden Aeliana.
What she wanted was just to be close to Timothy.
And now, she had her answer.
"Indeed, everything about him is so different from ordinary people," Emily sighed, almost mockingly, as the light shone down, her bright eyes also seemed to sparkle with a different kind of brilliance.
Following the path of light, Timothy stepped forward.
In the Valley of the Undead, the three ancient emperors each posed a challenge.
The first to appear was the phantom of Mystic Emperor Kael.
His test was one of martial prowess.
On the path of cultivation, only strength and power reign supreme.
Otherwise, even if one possesses all the heritage treasures, without the will to advance and lacking strength, one would inevitably be subjected to others' whims.
Out of thin air, a massive beast formed from blazing fire, with three heads and six arms, its huge body radiating intense heat, roared as it charged at Timothy.
His arms, clothed in burning fabric, were covered in golden patterns. The golden flames burning on Timothy's arms, though not as large as the monster's form, were incredibly pure and seemed to contain a profound mystery.
Timothy stood his ground, his arms trembling slightly with the force he was gathering, wrapped in a strong wind pressure.
It was like the cry of a phoenix and the chant of a dragon.
This punch was unstoppable!
As the flame beast's three massive jaws snapped down, they met Timothy's fist head-on.
"Boom!"
A thunderous roar echoed as a golden wave swept across.
The three huge heads were simultaneously knocked off.
Timothy's figure flashed, leaping into the air, as a relentless surge of spiritual energy burst forth from his right arm.
His second punch smashed down, scattering fierce winds, unstoppable.
The massive body was pierced straight through!
"Ugh, huh."
The beast let out a reluctant cry, its six tree-trunk-like legs no longer able to support its massive form.
"Crash!"
The body fell, and flames scattered across the sky.
The endless fire shattered, unable to coalesce again.
"Was it... slain just like that?!"
Everyone in the Mystic Realm was focused on the sky, simultaneously shocked by this scene.
Although this monster's strength wasn't on par with the one that the Umbral Tyrant and the other seven had struggled to kill, it was far beyond any of the other ground monsters.
To subdue such a fearsome being with just two punches?
Is he even human?
Wasn't he just at the Energy Foundation level?
Absolutely terrifying!
For those who could remain in the Mystic Realm, witnessing this miraculous moment felt sufficient.
"Timothy."
Before today, few had heard this name.
But when the Mystic Realm opens again, his name will surely echo far and wide!