Genius Noble With System
Chapter 272: Terrifying Grey Flames

Chapter 272: Terrifying Grey Flames

The fusion of the flames didn’t instantly improve his strength much, but he knew it would be a great help for his future. The sun flames seemed to also have the ability to temper his flesh and spirit, which he greatly needed.

The moment he fused with the flames, the chamber seemed to change, and a brand new door seemed to appear out of thin air, seeming to call him.

Apollo calmed down; he knew it wasn’t over and there was more to it; otherwise, in ten thousand years, somebody would have come out successfully.

His gaze shifted to the newly appeared door, its frame etched with intricate patterns forming a lotus glowing faintly with greyish light, giving off a mysterious and ominous vibe.

He took a step forward, the molten obsidian beneath him solidifying with each stride. As he approached the door, the runes etched into its surface began to glow brighter. Their greyish light bathed him, giving him a feeling of death and despair.

With a final glance back at the now-silent chamber, Apollo pushed open the door. It swung inward effortlessly, revealing a sight that left him momentarily awestruck.

Beyond the ominous door lay a realm unlike anything Apollo had ever encountered. The air was thick with a chilling aura, and the landscape stretched infinitely into a barren expanse of blackened ground. The earth seemed to pulse faintly, as though alive, with cracks exuding faint wisps of grey mist that curled upward like grasping fingers.

Towering monoliths, carved from jet-black stone and adorned with glowing grey runes, stood scattered across the desolate plain. Above, the sky was an endless void, neither day nor night, its darkness punctuated by faint, dying stars that flickered weakly.

His sharp gaze locked onto the focal point of this unknown space, a massive, floating seed, surrounded by lotuses whose petals were an eerie grey hue tinged with streaks of black.

They rotated slowly in mid-air, exuding an aura of profound death and decay. Beneath the lotus, a swirling vortex of grey mist churned, emanating a soft hum that resonated deep within.

The oppressive atmosphere pressed down on Apollo, and even the newly acquired Golden Sun Flame within him flickered uneasily, its warmth unable to fully dispel the creeping aura.

"Now, what kind of place is this?" He muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. It echoed faintly as if the desolate space itself was listening.

As he came closer to the seed, the space trembled, and the desolate, cracked black land started to emit ominous grey flames from beneath, trying to swallow him.

The floating lotuses started to burn with grey flames that seemed to represent death, devour, and despair.

The ground beneath him cracked further, spilling out tongues of fire that seemed eager to devour his very essence. The oppressive heat was not physical—it was the weight of death and despair, clawing at his mind and soul.

Instinctively, he used his lunar and space laws to create a strong barrier between the flames and him. But even then, he felt the weird, desperate aura of death and devouring seem to pass through that.

It wasn’t physical at all; it seemed to directly affect his mind and soul, making him lost in it. He started to struggle, as even with his fourth turn soul and spirit, he still felt deep struggle.

The barrier of Lunar and Space Laws shimmered with an ethereal brilliance, but the oppressive aura of death and despair bypassed it entirely, striking directly at his mind and spirit.

His breathing grew heavy, and his vision blurred as the overwhelming sensations clawed at the depths of his consciousness. The cries of despair, the whispers of death, and the suffocating weight of oblivion tried to pull him into an endless abyss.

"Damn it," he muttered, his voice strained.

Apollo clenched his fists, his sharp gaze flickering with determination. Despite the relentless assault on his soul, he forced himself to remain grounded. His newly fused Golden Sun Flame flared weakly within him, as though struggling to combat the consuming aura.

Even its radiant warmth seemed to waver, unable to fully counteract the eerie cold that crept into him.

He knew at the moment he had to face it head-on as the weird power of these flames seemed to be unstoppable. Slowly, the grey flames and its aura covered him entirely his eyes seemed to turn grey as he fully started to feel the endless despair and death within his mind.

He had to face it. It was the test of his will and determination and which he wasn’t going to lose easily.

Gritting his teeth, he steadied his mind and began to circulate his Primal Cosmos Meditation Technique. The unique cultivation method immediately brought clarity, illuminating his inner world like a beacon in the darkness. The chaotic voices and oppressive aura weakened slightly, giving him a precious moment of reprieve.

Still, it wasn’t alone enough, but he didn’t stop fighting, and his will remained stronger.

"This... is nothing," he muttered, his voice hoarse but resolute.

He reached deep within himself, connecting with the Golden Sun Flame that had fused with him. Though it flickered weakly, he refused to let it wane. Instead, he fed it his divine power, nurturing its light. Slowly, the faint warmth grew stronger, spreading through his body and countering the icy grip of despair.

But as all seemed to be becoming better and moving towards a good direction, the lotus with grey flames seemed to tremble and started to form some sort of unique formation, creating a mysterious array.

The formation of the array seemed to have brought enhancement to the grey flames; they started to burn with more mysterious, deadly powers. And his condition which seemed to be going towards a good direction, halted as the aura of death and despair struck with stronger than ever.

Apollo seemed lost for a moment, as though he had been pulled back into his previous life—where he was helpless, able only to watch as he slowly and painfully died in a hospital bed, consumed by despair.

The scene flashed before his eyes as if it were happening all over again. The sterile, suffocating smell of antiseptic. The cold, unyielding hospital bed. The beeping monitors slowed with every agonizing breath he took. His frail body, his voice weak, and his dreams slipping away with every passing moment.

The grey flames seemed to feed on these memories, amplifying the sense of helplessness and despair. His once unyielding spirit wavered, and for a moment, the Golden Sun Flame within him flickered dangerously low, as if it too were being extinguished by the overwhelming force.

"No..." Apollo whispered, his voice trembling, the haunting memories threatening to drown him. "I’m not... that person anymore."

He roared he wasn’t going to get lost in those memories, but the aura of despair and death seemed to overwhelm him. But as it seemed he was going to lose the ’Book of Death’ that was hidden in his mind, it seemed to tremble, and like some terrifying beast, it started to swallow the weird aura that seemed to envelop him.

Its pages flipped open with a resounding force, emitting an eerie, otherworldly aura. It felt ancient, primal, and unfathomably powerful.

The moment the book awakened, it began to act on its own. A dark, gaping vortex emerged from its pages, silently devouring the grey aura of despair and death that had enveloped Apollo.

The oppressive power, which moments ago had seemed invincible, was now drawn toward the book like moths to a flame. The grey flames recoiled, struggling in vain to resist, but the pull of the book was absolute.

His trembling ceased as the suffocating pressure lifted. He felt the despair being siphoned away, leaving his mind clear and his soul unburdened. Yet, the sight of the Book of Death in action sent a chill down his spine. Its presence was terrifying, as though it was alive and was the supreme ruler.

The swirling grey mist in the space was not spared either. It spiralled toward the book’s vortex, disappearing into its endless pages. The massive seed, which had been the epicentre of the array, trembled violently.

The floating lotuses burned brighter in defiance, their grey flames flaring wildly, but they too began to weaken as the book’s insatiable hunger grew.

He stood frozen, his sharp gaze fixed on the phenomenon unfolding within him. "The Book of Death..." he murmured, his voice tinged with awe and caution. "What the hell are you?"

But it didn’t react or show anything but continued to swallow the weird flames. As the last remnants of the grey aura were devoured, the vortex closed, and the book’s pages snapped shut, sealing itself once more within his mind. The eerie silence was the only thing that remained in the entire.

The seed in the centre of the space stopped trembling; its glow dimmed significantly. The once-menacing lotuses crumbled into ash.

Apollo took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. Everything seemed to return to normal, and only the unknown seed remained floating right in front of him.