The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 566 The Dispute Over the Altar Code
Exhausted, yet never letting down their guard.

A strange, corrosive smell permeated the air.

Those were the cruel traces left behind after the battle between the Pillar God's avatar and the Hell Legion.

"This aura doesn't seem to be naturally formed."

Rather, it is the remnant of some evil force.

Lena touched the side of her nose with her hand.

His brows were furrowed.

On the desolate wasteland in the distance.

A fierce and chaotic battle is unfolding.

Dark storms swept across the heavens and earth.

The roar echoed through the valley and along the cliffs.

The twisted and eerie figure of the Pillar God appeared and disappeared in the storm.

Every swing brings devastating destruction.

The leader of the Hell Legion—Kerros, the Lord of the Frost Hell—stood atop the rift.

His armor, covered in frost, gleamed with a cold light.

Like an ice demon king in purgatory.

He glared angrily at the center of the battlefield.

A furious roar ripped through the sky:

David!
You were involved in this conspiracy.

Do you think you can control the situation?

David stood to one side.

He was covered in armor stained with dust and blood.

His gaze was firm and cold.

He gripped the greatsword, which had been baptized by the power of the stars.

"I'm just protecting the people and things that truly deserve protection."

You have mistaken destruction for order.

Kroos sneered.

"snort.

What you call protection.

It's nothing but self-deception!
This war is just one part of a power game.

And you.

They're just pawns!

Sudden.

A deafening clap of thunder ripped across the sky.

That was the ultimate energy fluctuation released by the pillar god's clone.

He turned several nearby hell soldiers into ashes.

however.

This force did not simply attack the enemy.

This also affected many members of both sides.

This caused chaos.

The expedition team took advantage of the chaos to hide in the crevices of the cliff.

Their expressions were grave, but their movements were swift.

David gave instructions in a low voice:

"Lena, Eileen."

Watch your step.

There were once magical traps left here.

We must find the complete codex in the altar ruins as soon as possible.

Otherwise, none of this will be a solution.

Erin nodded.

She gently stroked the small, tattered copy of the legal code hanging from her waist.

"I can feel that ancient magical aura gradually weakening."

But as long as a complete legal code is found.

That would reverse the situation.

The surrounding environment was extremely harsh.

The ruins of the main hall are surrounded by scattered rubble.

Cracks crisscross the area.

Like the roots of an ancient tree that has been growing for thousands of years, it has spread across the earth.

The air was filled with the smells of burning and sulfur.

It makes breathing feel hot and stinging.

suddenly.

A dark shadow swept overhead.

It is a raiding squad from the Hell Legion.

They were clad in iron armor.

Its entire body was engulfed in eerie blue flames.

It swooped down from the air like a bird of prey.

Lena immediately cast a defensive spell.

Use a transparent barrier to block attacks.

At the same time, several fire bombs were thrown in retaliation.

"keep Calm.

Don't let them disrupt our plans!

David shouted.

He quickly pulled up the two wounded men.

He then led the remaining members to leap toward the center of the altar.

The journey became increasingly treacherous.

Numerous collapsed stone pillars and scattered runes formed obstacles.

But they avoided the deadly traps one by one thanks to their rich experience.

In a conflict.

A huge rock accidentally slid down.

Eileen was trapped on one side of her body.

She gritted her teeth and endured the excruciating pain.

At the same time, he raised his hand to release the binding spell.

The boulder was firmly secured.

To buy time for teammates to provide rescue.

Time seemed to have been cut off.

Every second felt like a sharp blade piercing my heart.

At this time.

A low, menacing roar echoed from afar—

Lord Kerros, the Ice Lord, personally led his elite troops into the melee.

Its majesty was awe-inspiring.

Ignoring their injuries, they tore through the enemy lines like ferocious beasts.

His eyes shone with a blue-white light.

Shout loudly in the direction of David:
"Drive them back!"

The secrets of the altar must be vanished forever!

David took a deep breath.

Grip the sword hilt tightly.

"No matter the cost."

We must not allow darkness to engulf the world again!

He turned to look at his companions.

Every face at this moment embodies unwavering faith and indomitable fighting spirit.

Even when exhausted.

They showed no sign of backing down.

The morning mist gradually dissipated.

The faint morning light made the outline of the ruins even clearer.

Among the broken walls.

The smoke of battle mingled with the aftershocks of magic.

The air was thick with the smell of burning and decay.

David's expedition team hid on the edge of a cliff and ravine.

His eyes were fixed on the chaotic battle ahead, a scene of utter carnage.

A dark purple magical storm filled the sky.

Streaks of lightning, like cracks, ripped through the clouds.

The battlefield was illuminated as if the gates of hell had been opened.

The twisted and bizarre figure of the Pillar God's clone stood in the center of the storm.

His form was sometimes visible, sometimes hidden.

It seems to be constantly devouring the surrounding space.

All living beings were suffocated by this terrifying aura.

Lord Kroos of the Frozen Hell stood on a protruding black rock.

Its entire body was covered in frost, shimmering with a cold light.

He raised the enormous ice hammer high.

It is imbued with endless icy power.

He glared angrily at where David was.

Every movement exuded boundless pressure.

David.

Do you think you mortals can change the order of heaven and earth?
You're just blinded by lies!

His voice was deep and thunderous.

Yet it also exudes endless indifference.

David gripped the greatsword tightly.

The blade still retained the afterglow of starlight.

His eyes burned with an indomitable flame.

His face was stern and resolute.
"I do not believe that destruction is order."

This world deserves to be protected.

Kroos.

Our struggle.

It will only cause more innocent people to suffer.

The words have not yet fallen.

A shadowy claw, formed from the pillar god's avatar, suddenly swung out.

He cleaved several nearby hell soldiers into ashes.

But this also plunged both sides into an even more chaotic vortex.

A magical explosion erupted in the air.

Each clash shattered the earth's rubble and the dust in the air.

"Now!"

David growled in a low voice.

He quickly led his troops across the edge of the battle amidst the chaos.

"Eileen."

Watch your step.

Those rune traps are still active!

Lena.

You've created a barrier to protect our rear!

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Eileen's forehead.

Her fingers lightly touched the booklet at her waist.

Continuously chant the ancient incantation to dispel the danger lurking beneath your feet in the runes.

"Every step here is a test."

But we have to get through."

Lena traced the patterns on the barrier with her fingers.

A transparent shield slowly rose behind the team.

It spread out like ripples on water.

It effectively blocked several arrows of ghostly blue flames that were hurtling towards it.

She chanted the elemental incantation softly.

The flames gradually dissipated into smoke.

The surrounding ruins seemed frozen in time, yet teeming with life.

The moss on the collapsed pillars glowed with a ghostly green fluorescence.

The long-forgotten statue silently observes the strife before it.

Those ancient runes seemed to have their own life.

It trembled slightly amidst the swirling dust.

Like a silent witness recounting past joys and sorrows. Suddenly.

A small squad, clad in black-purple armor and engulfed in eerie blue flames, charged out from the flank.

Their wings were twisted and their faces were grotesque.

It's from the elite assault team of the Hell Legion.

The leader brandished two blades.

He swiftly and decisively killed several members of the exploration team in mid-air.

He then launched Shadow Bullets at Lena and Eileen.

"Assemble into formation!"
Don't give them a chance to break through!

David roared.

At the same time, he swung his sword and cut a rift in the void.

It swallows up some of the enemies, temporarily isolating the battlefield.

But he himself also felt the vibrations coming from the soul key within his body.

That force seemed to grow even more intense.

However, it was fraught with danger.

Eileen took the opportunity to cast a binding spell.

A silver-white rope shot out from her palm.

He firmly entangled a charging assassin.

The other party roared and struggled but could not break free.

Her brows were furrowed.

Recite the incantation to break free from control with force:

"Insufficient energy"
Hang in there!

At this moment, Kross strode steadily toward the center of the altar ruins.

It was a marble altar covered with cracks and overgrown with vines and decaying moss.

It is covered with complex runes and fragments of the once glorious but now broken and lost Star Priest's sacred texts.

With each step he took.

All of this was accompanied by a violent chill sweeping around.

Like a harsh winter storm eroding the vitality of all things.

He coldly surveyed the squad members who were stealthily approaching the altar.

“You mortals.”

They are not the true rulers here!
give up.

Otherwise, you'll face certain death!

The words have not yet fallen.

He suddenly raised the ice hammer.

Detonate the seal on the base.

This triggered a violent explosion with blue and white electric arcs.

Marble dust flew everywhere.

Faced with a sudden threat of explosion.

The team quickly dispersed and took cover.

However, several people were still thrown off balance by the shockwave and fell onto the moss-covered and cracked marble.

They had blood seeping from their foreheads and were breathing heavily.

But they resolutely refused to back down.

Because they know that the complete holy book is the key to defeating evil!
Lena crouched at the base of the collapsed pillar.

She adjusted her breathing.

Gently touch the surface of any remaining relic fragments with your finger.

"As long as it's pieced together completely."

That will awaken true power.

Her eyes glistened with tears.

It's not just about being tired.

It is also due to an obsession with hope for the future.

"Find it quickly!"
Time is running out!

David's voice was steady but filled with urgency.

He wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand.

At the same time, gaze upon the ancient array of totems laid out beneath your feet.

Hoping to discover a hidden entrance or secret.

Under his impetus.

The team members gradually began to work together in a coordinated manner.

They searched through the ruins piece by piece to piece together the fragments of the legal code.

Sometimes it is necessary to flip up heavy slabs of rock.

Sometimes, it is necessary to crack old traps and mechanisms in order to obtain important clues.

The chaos continues.

Large numbers of assassins and demon legion soldiers continued to pour in.

They unleashed devastating magical attacks.

Many places have once again been engulfed in flames and thick smoke.

And Kross did not stop either.

He swung the long hammer repeatedly.

It unleashed a violent ice tornado that swept across the enemy ranks.

The entire altar area resembled a scene of apocalyptic judgment, a scene of utter carnage and horror.
The morning mist gradually dissipated.

The broken ruins cast dappled shadows in the rising sun.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder and sulfur.

A chill mixed with decay and frost.

It was as if the land itself was gasping and groaning.

The expedition team slowly made their way through the broken stone slabs and twisted iron chains.

Every step I take treads upon relics forgotten and destroyed over millennia.

David stood on the edge of a high platform.

His sharp gaze swept across the battlefield where fierce fighting was taking place.

His armor was covered in dust and blood.

But his unwavering and steadfast expression was hard to ignore.

behind his back.

Lena and Eileen gripped their staffs tightly.

His expression was solemn but full of determination.

"The altar is not far away."

David said in a low voice.

"We must find a complete legal code as soon as possible."

Otherwise, this chaos will only escalate.

The surging magical energy crashed against the surrounding collapsed pillars and broken stone slabs like a tide.

Each explosion sent dust and debris flying everywhere.

The pillar god's clone, in a twisted and bizarre human form, lay across the center of the battlefield.

He wielded enormous shadow claws.

The soldiers of the Hell Legion were torn to shreds.

The shattered space flickered with an eerie blackish-purple light.

Lord Kroos of the Frozen Hell stood atop a towering rock.

His entire body was covered in dark blue frost armor.

He held a heavy hammer in his hand.

He growled angrily.

Each swing of the hammer brought forth a gust of biting cold wind.

Freeze the enemy into an ice sculpture.

David.

You cannot stop this reshaping of order!
Your resistance will only lead to the loss of more lives!

His voice pierced through the storm.

It's as terrifying as a doomsday prophecy.

David's gaze remained unwavering.

He simply gripped his greatsword and stepped forward.

They confronted Kross head-on.

Two completely different yet equally burning forces collided and sparked intense flames.

For a moment, sword energy clashed with hammer shadows.

The earth shook.

Every confrontation.

It shattered rocks and magical barriers within a radius of several meters.

Amidst the rising dust.

The teammates took the opportunity to sneak away.

Lena sat cross-legged on the edge of a collapsed altar.

She held up the small booklet, which trembled slightly but emitted a pale blue glow, with both hands.

"Ancient runes are still faintly discernible."

Only a few pages of the complete legal code remain.

She gritted her teeth.

A bead of sweat slid down his cheek.

But her gaze remained firm, never wavering from the tattered scroll.

Eileen stood not far away.

Use the magic wand to guide the ancient formation.

She frowned.

Concentrate fully on casting the spell to dispel the trap.

A silver-white binding rope shot out from the palm.

It tightly bound the small demons that were trying to ambush it.

"We can't let them stop us!"

She whispered.

At the same time, it blocked several arrows of ghostly blue flames.

Use a barrier to defuse a deadly threat.

The surrounding ruins are scattered like broken bird wings.

It looked particularly desolate under the morning light.

The base of the collapsed pillar was covered with moss and shimmered faintly.

Those ancient carvings seem to be silently telling the story of a glorious past and also warning of the cruel consequences of the current conflicts.

A bird of prey swept across the depths of the ruins.

His sharp eyes reflected the endless killing intent amidst the billowing smoke—

Three powerful rivals are vying for dominance here.

No negligence or carelessness is permissible.

Sudden.

A dark purple shadow swooped down from the sky.

They are the elite assault team of the Hell Legion.

They donned iron armor and burned with eerie blue flames.

Like a raptor in the night, silently swooping down.

A leader wielded twin blades and killed several explorers.

It then unleashed Shadow Bullets to attack the direction where Lena and Eileen were located.

"Unite for defense!"
Don't give them a breakthrough!

David shouted.

At the same time, he swung his sword and cleaved open a rift in the void.

Temporarily devour and isolate some of the enemies.

But he felt a strong vibration coming from the Soul Key.

That power was intense and dangerous.

His brows furrowed deeply.

That was an unprecedented ominous sign.

Eileen rapidly activated the binding spell.

A silver rope shot out and firmly bound the charging assassin.

The other party roared and struggled, but could not break free of the shackles.

Her brows furrowed even deeper.

"Insufficient energy."

Hang in there!

Her voice was urgent.

Yet he still steadily cast the dispelling spell to prepare for the long term.

Kross approached the center of the altar ruins step by step.

That moss-covered, cracked marble altar is the most symbolic place left by the Star Priest.

It is also the final and crucial location for storing the complete holy texts.

(End of this chapter)