Ian also shared information about the Thousand-Star Beast with Yisen and Sio.
By now, they all realized that the name "Eclipsing Light Refining Dragon" actually hinted at some clues.
The spark ignites, which is the so-called ’light’... Eclipsing Light Refining Dragon, devouring light and refining it into a dragon, is a metaphor for the essence of the ’Thousand-Star Beast’ that devours other sparks and converts them into part of itself!
"Does this mean Elg and I can be considered blood brothers?"
Upon learning that the bloodline of his family hides the essence of the ’Thousand-Star Beast’, a super biological disaster akin to a detonator for Terra civilization, Yisen could only smile wryly and sigh: "He is the parasitic form of the Thousand-Star Beast, and our Ellen Family is simply the Thousand-Star Beast itself!"
"No. There is a bit of difference between the Thousand-Star Dragon and the Thousand-Star Beast." Ian thought deeply, slowly shaking his head as he said, "The True Dragon is the guardian of civilization and possesses strength equal to civilization. The Thousand-Star Dragon is the guardian of the Thousand-Star civilization, not the spark itself, and even though it possesses the power of the Thousand-Star civilization, it greatly differs from the spark."
"On the contrary, what you said about considering yourself the ’Dark Key’ interests me a lot."
Speaking softly, Ian recalled his conversation with the White Mist Bishop in the South Sea Great Labyrinth.
—Inega II brought upon himself a great disaster because he wanted to become the Labyrinth Master...
—Although not directly related, the Dark Key is somewhat connected to that labyrinth... If it’s said that the processed Sun-eclipse Refining Dragon Bloodline is the key, then, without a doubt, the labyrinth it can unlock is related to the ’Thousand-Star Beast’...
—In other words, was Inega II actually thinking of unsealing the Thousand-Star Beast back then?!
Realizing this, Ian couldn’t help but feel a chill — in the Echo’s memory, he had seen some images of the Thousand-Star Beast rampaging, an ultimate destroyer that engulfed the entire continent like a relentless tide.
If not for the arrival of the Star God, called ’Heavenly Father’ by the Terra People, who sealed the Thousand-Star Beast, Terra might already be a barren, death-ridden planet.
Reverse the thinking a bit.
Suppose, the Thousand-Star Beast is the final boss of the ’Terra’ planet, a great demon lord that no one can ignore.
Then, the so-called labyrinth...
Could it be the entire Terra planet?
And one of the top-secret plans obtained by Yisen Gard, named ’Dark Key’ plan... could very well be a plan to unlock this labyrinth and attempt to become the Labyrinth Master!
Ian raised his head and looked at Yisen Gard.
The two looked at each other and found what they wanted in each other’s eyes.
"I see." Ian muttered, "No wonder Axel’s attitude towards you is so strange... He probably doesn’t currently intend to really open any labyrinth, nor even has the desire to learn from Inega II to become the Labyrinth Master."
"But, the key is right here... It is impossible to abandon it. Such precious technology and such valuable ideas must not be wasted — so he is still trying his best to cultivate you, making you the key to The Empire’s world destruction plan."
"It’s like nuclear weapons development... you might not use it, but it must be researched, is this the ultimate deterrent?"
"...I don’t think it’s that exaggerated."
Yisen was a bit unnatural, still feeling somewhat ethereal, not very realistic, "That I am genuinely bearing such an important plan... no matter how you think about it, it seems incredible..."
"Stop underestimating yourself, Yisen, don’t compare with me, I’m a pioneer."
Patting his friend’s shoulder, the white-haired boy felt that the other might be frightened by his own performance and under some pressure now, he comforted, "Rest assured, if the sky falls down, the Four Great Orthodox Churches will hold it up."
"Speaking of this, the Huai Guang Church certainly knew something about all this back then... if we can return safely this time, I must find a chance to meet with the Archbishop level, or higher, Holder of the Huai Guang Office."
Light of Huai Guang... this name, like Eclipsing Light Refining Dragon, seems ordinary, but there must be a more profound meaning behind it.
That surely can reveal more truths about Terra.
Ian turned his head to look at Sio, who was wagging his tail and looking at him expectantly: "What about you? Do you have any new information!"
"That Ancient Dragon told me a lot too!" Seeing Ian actively inquiring, Sio immediately told Ian everything the Ancient Dragon’s Echo had said to him with great pride.
"Demons... that’s a problem too."
Ian frowned slightly.
Even though he had long known that Sio, as a fifth-generation True Dragon, was a result of the research on ’True Dragon Living Form’ by Dragon Island... he didn’t expect Sio’s Void Demon’s Poison to also be a part of the plan.
Without experiencing ’Original Sin’, one cannot become ’life’... since this is so, the origin of those extraordinary numbers of demons... most likely started from those civilizational sparks ended on Terra.
That might be the greatest curse and resentment of many civilizations towards this planet that buried them along with their wisdom and civilization.
Realizing this, Ian couldn’t help but heave a long sigh: "I thought by figuring out the truth of the Star Prison Tianyu and the Star God, I might understand Terra’s matters a bit more... now it seems, the Echo’s words are also quite one-sided."