I'm starting a mythology craze at Marvel

Chapter 197 Ceremony
The emperor was terrified. He did not expect that Xia Ling in front of him actually knew the talisman in his hand, which was given to him by God!

The emperor's hands were shaking, and he unconsciously clenched the talisman in his pocket. It was his last resort and the key to controlling everything he believed.

He tried to hide his inner panic with his eyes, but Xia Ling's sharp gaze seemed to be able to penetrate everything.

"Your Majesty, you don't have to panic." Xia Ling's tone was calm, but every word revealed unquestionable majesty. "We don't want to take anything from you, but the origin of this talisman and the secret it hides are crucial to solving the current problem."

The emperor hesitated for a moment, but finally compromised. He slowly took out the yellowed talisman from his pocket and handed it to Xia Ling with trembling hands.

The talisman was engraved with ancient characters and mysterious patterns, emitting a faint fluorescence, and seemed to contain some unknown power.

Xia Ling took the talisman and looked at the words and patterns on it carefully, with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"This is indeed the talisman of Amaterasu. I didn't expect it to fall into your hands." Xia Ling whispered to himself, as if recalling the ancient legend related to this talisman.

The Emperor was standing by, feeling uneasy, but he didn't dare to ask any more questions. He could only pray silently, hoping that Xia Ling could use this spell to help them eliminate the demons and save the island nation from the dire straits.

Xia Ling looked up at the Emperor: "Your Majesty, the power of this spell is not something we can easily control, but since it chose you, perhaps it means that you have some special mission."

Hearing this, the Emperor felt a glimmer of hope: "Then... can you tell me what my mission is?"

Xia Ling shook his head: "The mission is not told by others, but you need to find and understand it by yourself. However, what I can tell you is that this talisman may be able to guide us to find the source of the demon's power."

Xia Ling's words were like a warm current, slowly flowing into the emperor's anxious heart. He stared at Xia Ling closely, as if he had grasped the last straw.

"Director Xia, I am willing to pay any price as long as it can save our country." The emperor's voice was firm, but he could not hide the trembling in it.

Xia Ling nodded, his expression solemn: "Then, the first thing we have to do is to unlock the secret of this spell. As far as I know, Amaterasu's spell not only contains divine power, but is also closely related to the ancient sealing technique of the island nation. This spell may be the key to opening the seal or suppressing a certain power."

As he spoke, Xia Ling took out a yellowed ancient book from his bosom. On the cover were three large characters, "Divine Talisman Records", engraved in ancient Chinese, which looked simple and mysterious. He gently turned the pages, his fingers wandering between the lines, as if he was looking for something.

"According to ancient records, to decipher this kind of spell, a specific time, place and ritual are required. The place mentioned here is the 'Shadow Shrine' located in the far north of the island country." Xia Ling's eyes became deep, as if he had penetrated the boundaries of time and space.

The Emperor frowned upon hearing this: "The Shadow Shrine...what is that?"

He had never heard of this place in his own country, but it didn't matter. Just because he hadn't heard of it didn't mean that this place didn't exist.

"It is the key to unlocking the secret of the spell." Xia Ling closed the ancient book and looked at the emperor firmly. "We need a journey, an adventure to the Shadow Shrine. There, we may find a way to control the power of the demons, or even a way to seal them."

The emperor took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with determination: "Okay, I am willing to go there in person. For the sake of my people and the future of the island nation, I must do this."

"Then let's get ready to go. Otherwise, we don't know when the mastermind behind this will cause another disaster."

But at this moment, there was a hint of hesitation on the emperor's face, and he was about to take the risk again.

He had nothing before and was already in a desperate situation. He had no choice but to risk his life. But now he is out of danger. Does he really want to go?
"Your Majesty, I must warn you first. You are not out of danger yet. Your throne is shaky. If you don't go this time, I may not be able to save you the next time a danger arises."

Xia Ling's words were like a heavy hammer, hitting the emperor's heart hard. The emperor's face turned pale instantly. He knew that what Xia Ling said was true. Since the demons were rampant, his throne was like a candle in the wind and rain, which could go out at any time.

"I...I know." The emperor's voice was trembling, but he still tried to calm himself down, "I'm just...just a little scared."

Xia Ling nodded in understanding. He knew that the emperor was just a puppet. Although he seemed glorious on the surface, he was actually just a vase with a lot of rules and regulations. He really couldn't take on any responsibilities.

This expedition to the Shadow Shrine is undoubtedly another adventure where life and death are uncertain.

"Your Majesty, I understand your concerns," Xia Ling said, "but please believe that we will do our best to protect you. Moreover, this expedition is not only to save the island nation, but also to save yourself. Only by finding a way to control the power of the demons can we truly ensure the stability of your throne."

The emperor nodded helplessly upon hearing this. If he really wanted to get rid of his past situation and become a real emperor, holding power like his ancestors, then this was the time for him to devote himself.

"Okay, I've decided." The Emperor took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind. "I am willing to go to the Shadow Shrine in person. No matter how many difficulties and dangers lie ahead, I will move forward without hesitation."

Xia Ling smiled and nodded, he knew that the emperor had made the right choice.

Next, all they needed to do was to prepare to set off as quickly as possible for the mysterious and ancient Shadow Shrine.

At dawn, the emperor and his entourage passed through the vast forest and winding mountain roads and finally arrived at the entrance of the Shadow Shrine. Just as the legend said, this place is shrouded in a strange fog all year round. It is so quiet that you can only hear your own breathing and the occasional roar of wild beasts in the distance.

The gate of the shrine was closed, and there were intricate totems carved on the gate, which seemed to tell an ancient and mysterious story. The emperor stood in front of the gate, feeling both awe and uneasiness. He took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the heavy gate.

The creaking sound of the door hinges resounded in the empty shrine, and an ancient and solemn atmosphere filled the air. The interior of the shrine was dim, with only a few faint rays of light coming through the cracks in the roof, illuminating an altar in the center. On the altar were some offerings that looked very old, as well as the talisman that the emperor was familiar with, which was faintly fluorescent.

"Is this... the Shadow Shrine?" the emperor asked in a low voice, with a slight tremor in his voice.

Xia Ling nodded, his eyes scanning the surroundings, as if looking for something: "Yes, the key to unlocking the secret of the spell is hidden here. But first, we need to perform a ritual to awaken the power of the shrine."

Under Xia Ling's guidance, the group began to arrange the items needed for the ceremony.

They lit incense and candles, placed offerings, and began to chant ancient spells according to the records in ancient books.

As the spell sounded, the air in the shrine seemed to begin to vibrate, and those ancient totems seemed to be activated and began to emit a faint light. Suddenly, the talisman on the altar began to flash violently, and a powerful energy surged out of it, enveloping the entire shrine.

The emperor and everyone else only felt a powerful force holding them up, as if they were in a strange space where light and shadow were intertwined.

In this strange space where light and shadow intertwined, the emperor and everyone felt an unprecedented shock. The energy released by the spell surged like a tide, not only illuminating every corner of the shrine, but also filling the air with an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.

However, at this moment, a cold and powerful aura suddenly invaded, breaking the originally peaceful atmosphere.

That was the power of demons. They seemed to sense the existence of the talisman and began to make moves, trying to seize this power.

"Oh no, the power of the demon has invaded!" Xia Ling's face suddenly changed, and he quickly looked around, trying to find any trace of the demon.

The emperor also felt the threat of this power, and a strong fear surged in his heart. Shouldn't he have come here?
If I had known earlier, I should have stayed here honestly. Even if I had to be a vase, it would be better than losing my life.

"Director Xia, we must stop them!" Tianhuang's voice was extremely trembling. Now the only one he could count on was the director of SHIELD.

Xia Ling nodded, knowing full well how serious the situation was at the moment.

He quickly commanded everyone to begin a more complicated ritual according to the records in ancient books to fight against the invasion of demons.

However, the demons were so powerful that they not only broke through the shrine's defenses, but also began to influence the emperor's mind.

The emperor only felt that his consciousness began to blur, as if he was being pulled by an invisible force and was about to fall into an abyss from which there was no escape.

"No! I can't be controlled by the devil!" The emperor roared in his heart. He struggled with all his might, trying to stay awake.

"Your Majesty, at this moment, only you can save us."

The emperor was stunned. He had no idea what he had to do at this time. What else could he do in this situation?

“Now I can use spells to set up a magic circle to seal the demons, but I need a descendant of God to serve as the center of the circle.

Right now, you are the only descendant of Amaterasu, so you are the perfect person to be the center of the formation."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's face turned pale in an instant. He said in a trembling voice, "I... I can't do this. I'm just an ordinary person. How can I be the descendant of Amaterasu? What's more, I don't know how to cooperate with you to set up the magic circle."

Xia Ling stared at the Emperor, his eyes revealing an unquestionable firmness: "Your Majesty, you must believe that you are not only the Emperor of the island nation, but also the continuation of the bloodline of Amaterasu.

At this critical moment, only you can take on this important task, and I will personally guide you, you only need to follow my instructions. "

The emperor's heart was filled with fear and anxiety. He looked at Xia Ling's murderous eyes and realized that he had no way out. If he didn't do as he was told, he would probably die on the spot.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner panic: "Okay...Okay, I'm willing to try, but you have to ensure my safety."

Xia Ling nodded, his expression solemn and serious: "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will protect you with my life. Now, please stand in front of the altar, close your eyes, take a deep breath, relax your body and mind, and feel the power in your body."

Following Xia Ling's instructions, the Emperor slowly walked to the altar, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down.

However, when he tried to feel the power in his body, he found himself at a loss and could not feel the existence of any power at all.

Seeing this, Xia Ling comforted him softly, "Your Majesty, don't worry. It takes time to feel the power. Now, please concentrate and imagine that you are the incarnation of Amaterasu, possessing endless divine power."

Under Xia Ling's guidance, the emperor gradually relaxed his body and mind. He began to imagine that he was the incarnation of Amaterasu, possessing endless divine power.

Gradually, he seemed to feel a warm power surging in his body, although it was weak, it was extremely firm.

Under Xia Ling's guidance, the Emperor gradually immersed himself in the warm and firm power. He closed his eyes and concentrated on imagining that he was the incarnation of Amaterasu, and the ancient divine power seemed to be slowly flowing into his body.

As his imagination deepened, the emperor felt an unprecedented power awakening in him. Although this power was weak at first, it became stronger and clearer as time went on. The emperor's heartbeat quickened, and he could feel some ancient and mysterious power flowing in his blood.

At this moment, Xia Ling's voice rang in his ears: "Your Majesty, please kneel down now towards the southwest. That is the direction where Amaterasu will descend. Use your heart to feel that power and resonate with it."

Upon hearing this, the emperor knelt down towards the southwest without hesitation.

His knees touched the cold shrine floor, but he was unaware, his entire focus focused on the power awakening within him.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, allowing his mind to completely merge with the power. He seemed to be able to hear the ancient spells flowing in his blood, which were resonating with his body with endless divine power.

With the emperor's kneeling and the resonance of the soul, the atmosphere in the shrine became more solemn and sacred.

Those ancient totems seemed to be activated and began to emit a more dazzling light. The talisman on the altar also became brighter, and the energy it released surged like a tide, covering the entire shrine.

The Emperor has successfully established contact with that power. Now, they just need to wait for the opportunity to use this power to set up a magic circle and seal the demon.

However, at this moment, an even stronger cold aura suddenly invaded the shrine!

(End of this chapter)