Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Deep in a desolate valley eroded by wind and sand on the southern border of Mosa province.

Cohen and Nephthys followed an old woman in a faded linen robe to a very simple, even dilapidated, building site.

The sight before him truly astonished even the well-informed Cohen.

This so-called "temple" is less a hall for worshipping gods and more like a ruin forgotten for countless years.

Only a few charred and crooked wooden pillars barely support the dilapidated roof, and weathered rubble and withered thorns are scattered all around, showing no trace of the sacredness and mystery associated with words like "treasure key" and "ancient temple".

Nephthys gently removed the veil covering her face, revealing a stunningly beautiful face that could eclipse even the most desolate valley. She turned her gaze to the old woman who had led the way and softly confirmed:
"Mrs. McKinley, is this the Temple of Akhoran?"

After Cohen and Nefertis arrived in Mosa Province, they identified a general area based on clues provided by the Military Intelligence Bureau's investigation team.

A meticulous search then began, but after several days of investigation, having searched almost every corner of the area, they still found nothing.

The so-called "temple" seemed to have never existed; no decent ancient ruins or buildings with obvious religious features were found.

Just when they were about to give up, they heard about it by chance from an old traveling merchant in the area.

In a remote village in this region, there seems to be an elderly nun who served in an ancient temple when she was young.

After much searching and making numerous inquiries, they finally found the old woman named McKinley in a small, almost isolated mountain village.

She was in a small, simple church in the village, presiding over a mass for a handful of believers.

After Cohen explained the general situation to the other party, she said that there had indeed been a temple nearby, but she didn't know whether it was the Temple of Akhoran.

Clutching their last clue, Cohen and Nephthys followed the old woman for quite a distance, eventually arriving at the so-called "temple ruins" hidden deep in a desolate valley.

But the scene before them left the two of them extremely puzzled.

What they saw was nothing more than a ruin that had been almost completely erased by time.

A few charred, crooked, thick wooden pillars, as if burned by a fire and eroded by wind and rain, barely supported a dilapidated roof that had long since collapsed and was covered with thick withered vines and sand.

Scattered around were stones and rubble whose original shapes were difficult to discern.

The only thing that might indicate that there were once man-made structures here is a statue half-buried in the soil and weeds in the center of the ruins.

The statue is about half a person tall and covered with mottled dark red rust, making it impossible to discern its original form or the appearance of the deity it depicts.

Apart from that, there is nothing else.

Compared to the magnificent temples within the empire, even the simplest sand-dwelling altars on the edge of the desert probably have a more "temple" atmosphere and scale.

It is more like the ruins of a dilapidated hut belonging to an impoverished mountain dweller that has been completely abandoned for hundreds of years.

For a moment, even the air seemed to freeze.

Cohen frowned, his sharp gaze sweeping across the ruins, which were only a few dozen meters in diameter, trying to find any unusual traces, but to no avail.

Even hundreds of years ago, when the Robben family was at its peak, there really was a temple here that enshrined a certain deity and secretly kept the key to the family's treasure.

But after such a long period of time, especially with the utter devastation before him, a heavy thought arose in Cohen's mind.

Even if there really was a key hidden here back then, after hundreds of years of wind, sun, rain and sand, it would probably have turned to ashes long ago.

Or perhaps it was picked up and discarded as junk by some villager or hunter who stumbled upon this place at some unknown time.

Finding a key that may exist in legends is like finding a needle in a haystack.

The ruins before them only made this last hope seem even more distant.

To put it bluntly, given Cohen's current exalted position and immense power and resources, the so-called "treasure" left behind by a sorcerer family that had only existed for a few hundred years and had long since fallen into decline is nothing.

It no longer holds any appeal for him.

Given his current status and position, there would be no difficulty in publicly rebuilding the Robben family.

This trip deep into the province of Mosa was not only to fulfill his promise to Nephthys, but also to take this opportunity to make amends to the sorceress who had silently followed him all along, given so much for him, and never asked for anything in return.

Therefore, Cohen wasn't actually that obsessed with finding the legendary "Black Rose Key".

He was more concerned about Nephthys's feelings.

After all, this is not only a legacy of her family, but also a solemn wish entrusted to her by her mother before her death, which has extraordinary emotional significance for her.

Just as Cohen was secretly pondering how to appease Nephthys and "make up" for this regret in other ways, such as having Effie rebuild a symbolic building of the Robben family because of her, or searching for other precious relics related to her family history.

Nephthys, standing beside him, did not show the obvious disappointment or frustration he had expected.
Nephthys stood quietly in place, her beautiful eyes fixed on the metal statue that was half-buried in the soil, covered in rust and almost unrecognizable.

Her gaze seemed to be drawn by some invisible force, fixed firmly on a specific part of the statue.

She slowly walked to the statue, bent down slightly, and carefully brushed away the thick rust and dirt covering a certain spot on the statue's surface with her slender, fair fingers.

Gradually, a symbol, somewhat blurred by the passage of time but still recognizable in its general outline, emerged.

Cohen keenly noticed Nephthys's unusual expression, and he followed her gaze to the strange symbols that Nephthys had wiped off the rusted statue.

The main body of the symbol is composed of a Möbius strip formed by two silver snakes with their heads and tails intertwined, and a vertical eye pattern with simple yet remarkably expressive lines is engraved in the very center.

Cohen had never seen this symbol in any book or known family crest, but the ancient, profound, and even slightly sinister aura it exuded made him instinctively feel something unusual.

At this moment, Nephthys seemed completely captivated by the symbol, to the point that it could be said to have "devoured" her entire being.

She stared blankly at the symbol, her eyes becoming empty and unfocused, as if lost in some deep memory.

Unconsciously, he raised his slightly trembling right hand and carefully stroked the rusty symbol.

Just as her fingertips were about to touch that ancient symbol—

“Buzz——!!!”

A sudden change occurred!

An incredibly intense, blinding blue light erupted from Nephthys's body without warning, instantly enveloping her entire form.

Cohen was startled and instinctively stepped forward, trying to pull Nephthys away from the eerie statue.

However, the moment he approached, the dazzling blue light that enveloped Nephthys suddenly receded like a tide.

At the same time, a pattern emitting a faint blue light appeared out of nowhere on Nephthys's originally smooth and fair forehead, exactly the same as the statue symbol she had just wiped.

Especially the vertical "eyeball" in the very center of the pattern, which was now shining with an intense blue light.

The light shifted and swirled, as if an eye from the distant past was slowly opening.

He stared indifferently at the world! He stared at Cohen, who was so close!
This sudden and bizarre change made even Cohen, with his extensive experience and calm demeanor, feel a chill run down his spine.

He could clearly feel the energy fluctuations emanating from the patterns, ancient, obscure, and filled with indescribable power.

What troubled Cohen even more was that Nephthys, in this state, seemed to have completely lost her self-awareness.

His eyes remained vacant and lifeless, and his body swayed slightly, as if he were sleepwalking.

Her luscious, rosy lips parted slightly, and in an almost dreamlike voice, she repeatedly murmured an ancient and unfamiliar name:

"Aurasis, Aurasis..."

The eerie double-snake eye pattern that appeared on Nephthys's smooth forehead persisted for a moment before its light slowly faded. Her once seemingly alive, vertical eyeballs lost all their luster and finally disappeared completely beneath her skin, as if they had never existed.

As the patterns faded, Nephthys's empty, vacant eyes gradually regained their former clarity and brilliance.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she were slowly waking up from a long and deep dream.

She subconsciously raised her hand and gently touched her still smooth forehead, a hint of surprise on her face.

It took her a moment to fully come to her senses.

She turned to look at Cohen, who had been watching her intently with a serious expression.

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm the turmoil in his heart caused by the sudden influx of information, he said to Cohen:

"Sir, just now my mind was suddenly forcibly filled with countless fragmented yet clear images and knowledge. It felt like something that was dormant deep in my blood was suddenly awakened."

I think I know where the Black Rose Key is.

Upon hearing Nephthys's description, Cohen was jolted and instantly realized the true nature of the strange phenomenon he had just witnessed—the memory of bloodline inheritance!
Without a doubt, this is the memory of bloodline inheritance. What puzzles Cohen is why a sorcerer family with only a few hundred years of history would possess such a powerful memory of bloodline inheritance.
Generally speaking, only those who have reached the level of a high-ranking saint can activate their bloodline memories through clan markings and other means.

Could it be that the Robben family once had a saint-level figure?

According to Cohen, the strongest member of the Robben family at its peak was only a high-level legendary figure; they had never had a saint, let alone a high-level saint.

However, what Nephthys said next sent chills down Cohen's spine:
“Aurasis, the god of all thoughts, Aurasis Heart, the sorcerer blood flowing in the Robben family originates from this deity.”

Cohen's pupils suddenly contracted, and he turned sharply, his gaze fixed on the rusty metal statue, almost unrecognizable from its original form.

His shock at this moment was not because he learned that Nephthys's ancestor was a god, but because this so-called God of All Thoughts was a first-generation god who had fallen countless epochs ago!

Like Poseidon, the first sea god, he was a deity who existed from the beginning of creation.

Whether it's the various materials from his previous life in the game or the information he has gained in this life with his current status, there are very few records about the God of All Thoughts.

Detailed information about this deity—their name, authority, deeds, and symbols—has almost entirely vanished into the unimaginably long river of time, leaving only some vague and fragmented records.

Cohen only knew that such a deity existed, but he did not know his real name.

In a chaotic period, known as the "Genesis Era" or "Primordial Era," which is much older than the "war between gods and demons" traced back to by the mainstream belief system in mainland China today.

There seems to be an ancient deity who holds authority over "thoughts," "thoughts," or "minds."

Therefore, one can imagine the shock Cohen felt when he learned from Nephthys that their family's so-called ancestor was the God of All Thoughts.

How could the bloodline of a deity who may have perished millions of years ago possibly span such a long period of time, enough for continental plates to drift and civilizations to rise and fall countless times?

They remain relatively active and, in a "young" family with a history of only a few hundred years, can suddenly awaken such clear memories of their heritage?

In contrast, he preferred to believe that Nephthys had temporarily lost her mind due to the shock and was hallucinating.

But soon, Nephthys's words forced Cohen to believe her, and the sorceress touched the faded mark on her forehead.

His exquisite face was now shrouded in an unprecedented solemnity and piety, as if he were reciting an ancient sacred text engraved in the deepest part of his blood that could not be profaned.

Her voice was clear and deep, each word recounting the secret that had just flooded her mind:
"In the beginning, when Auracis, the god of all thoughts, was shaping the foundation of the minds and consciousness of all things, he split his vast and unparalleled divine consciousness into two halves—the 'Silver Serpent' representing reason, order, and logical deduction, and the 'Shadow Serpent' representing intuition, chaos, and the subconscious."

These two snakes chased each other yet kept each other in check, forming the primordial mental fluctuations of the universe.

Five hundred years ago, our Robben family ancestors received a divine revelation deep within the long-forgotten Temple of Akhoran.

Deep within the altar, they discovered the two embodied silver snakes, devouring each other's tails in an eternal cycle.

When the ancestor touched this symbol, his bloodline was activated, granting him the extraordinary ability to directly glimpse the thoughts of others. This established the sorcerer bloodline, renowned for its psychic abilities.

This detailed, logically clear, and perfectly explained explanation of the Robben family's core competencies and inherited memories left Cohen speechless.

All doubts and wishful thinking were shattered at that moment.

He had to accept this unbelievable yet undeniable fact—Nephthys, and her family, did indeed inherit the bloodline of a first-generation deity who had long since perished at the beginning of time.

Cohen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind about the Age of Gods, ancient secrets, and the enormous cause and effect and risks that might be involved.

He reached out and gently grasped Nephthys's slightly cold hand, saying softly:

"Alright, my sorceress."

Forget about gods and deities; they're ancient relics who've been dead for who knows how many years. All you have to do now is find the Black Rose Key and then go back and obediently become my queen.

Don't feel pressured, and don't let those old memories bother you.

He gently squeezed her hand, his gaze intense, and said:

"Regardless of your bloodline, you are first and foremost yourself, Nephthys Robben, my future queen!"

Nephthys's serious expression melted instantly, and she whispered:

“I can sense that the Black Rose Key is inside this statue.”

As she spoke, she cut open her arm, and blood gushed out.

The drops fell onto the rusty, ancient statue, which was engraved with a symbol of two snakes with ringed eyes.

Immediately afterwards, a slight spatial fluctuation rippled outwards from the statue.

Cohen's eyes lit up as he keenly sensed this peculiar power of spatial laws.

This is a spatial array activated through bloodline.

Using blood as a guide, an extremely ingenious small spatial sealing array attached to the statue was activated.

The real key is hidden in a miniature dimensional space attached to the prime material plane.

The spatial fluctuations lasted for about two or three breaths, after which a small hole, just big enough for a fist to pass through, quietly appeared at the location of the statue's eyeball.

Nephthys carefully reached into the spatial rift and took out a key with an ancient and unique shape.

It is the Black Rose Key that the Robben family has been searching for for so long!
The very next second Nephthys took the key!
"Click...click..."

The metal statue, which had stood there for countless years and held countless secrets, completely disintegrated with a slight "humming" sound, turning into a pile of dull metal fragments and rust powder.

It seems its sole purpose in existence is to guard this key. Once its mission is accomplished, it will immediately return to dust.

Finally found it, mission accomplished. Cohen breathed a sigh of relief, pulled Nephthys along, opened the Book of Time and Space, and quickly flipped to a certain page. Instantly, a dazzling silver-white light of time and space enveloped the two of them.

The intense spatial fluctuations vanished in a flash.

The next moment, the two figures had completely disappeared from the desolate and silent ruins of the valley...

……

Almost at the same instant that the statue bearing the mark of Auracis's divine power shattered and vanished from the material world.

Deep within the endless void, far removed from the prime material plane and transcending the ordinary concept of spacetime dimensions, lies an elusive, unpredictable, and indescribable chaotic realm.

It was also the area that caused the tremors when the mysterious power within Adel awakened and erupted.

Suddenly, an ancient, chaotic consciousness seemed to awaken from the deepest part of a dream that had slumbered for billions of years, uttering a faint murmur:
"After so many years, have we finally found a barely qualified descendant...?" (End of Chapter)