Chapter 38 The Great Canyon of Sfetor

After all the dust had settled, the earth, having gone through a period of rest and recovery, finally regained its vitality. Zeus commanded Apollo to drive the chariot of the sun to dispel the winter that shrouded the land. The handsome, golden-haired god urged the power of the sun, and the heavenly fire released scorching heat. Wherever the sunlight reached, ice and snow melted away, revealing the dark soil beneath. Dewdrops glistened on the withered branches, shimmering in the sunlight. Demeter, wearing a golden crown of wheat, also poured her divine power onto the earth. In the fertile soil, revitalized after an entire winter of rest, seeds buried deep within began to sprout and grow rapidly. Green shoots swiftly covered the entire land, and the continent burst with vibrant life as animals awoke from their slumber, running across the earth. The golden barriers of protection from the temples of the gods disintegrated into glowing particles that flew in all directions. The surviving humans rubbed their sleepy eyes and walked out of the temples. Seeing the thriving scene before them, their faces lit up with piety and joy. They silently prayed again, giving thanks for the grace and protection of the gods. Beyond the great Sphithor Canyon, accompanied by the power of the goddess of agriculture, a golden-green radiance quietly descended. As the light dispersed, the veiled goddess raised her eyes to gaze at the towering, rugged canyon. It seemed that the blessing of the sun had not reached this place. Although the earth had returned to spring, a dense chill lingered within the canyon, refusing to dissipate. The bitter wind howled, and the cold penetrated to the soul. Any ordinary creature touched by this wind would likely perish instantly. "Such a dense aura of death... it could indeed be the legacy of some god of the underworld. However, mortals cannot withstand this sinister energy, and even the third-class gods on Mount Olympus would be unwilling to venture into the Underworld. No wonder no one has noticed the legacy of Crys hidden here." Hebe gazed at the nearly tangible grayish-white miasma of death within the canyon and the thorny vines clinging to the cliffs, which emitted a faint blue glow. The deathly aura had transformed this land in an unpredictable manner, nurturing these fierce carnivorous plants. Any lost creature that wandered too close would inevitably become their prey. Frost quietly spread behind Hebe. "You've arrived." The pale power of death gathered beside her, smoke-like and fog-like, gradually forming the silhouette of a person. As the mist dissipated, a dark-haired god with black-gold wings appeared at Hebe's side. "This is the place?" Phagos's dark golden eyes surveyed the death-filled canyon. The thick aura of death did not discomfort him; on the contrary, it made the god of the underworld, with his dominion over death, feel perfectly at ease, as though he were a fish in water. "Yes, according to my historical observations, this is where Crys's Golden Wheat Staff and the Growth Divinity were last seen. The dense death aura here might be the result of the divinity extracting the surrounding vitality." The Growth Divinity possessed unparalleled control over life force. Its power to stimulate life could naturally also be used to strip it away, absorbing the vitality of an area hundreds of miles wide and shrouding it in death to serve as a cover—a clever tactic. However, Hebe faintly sensed that things were not so simple. Such a thick aura of death could not have been generated merely by the original inhabitants of the Sphithor Canyon. This suggested that, over countless years, the Growth Divinity might have been continuously capturing creatures and draining their life force in some manner. If it was merely to remain hidden, this would be an excessively elaborate endeavor. Such a vast amount of life energy... could it be that it is planning something... or perhaps nurturing something? "Phagos, the Growth Divinity is deliberately collecting life energy. We must find it quickly; I suspect it is already nurturing a new god." Hebe's violet eyes glowed with a golden light as the Divine Eye attempted to pierce through the gray fog of death and glimpse the depths of the canyon. However, the death aura, accumulated over countless millennia, was too dense for even the Divine Eye to break through. "Understood." Phagos nodded, gathering his deathly power into a sheer veil that he gently draped over Hebe. "This veil will protect you from the corrosive effects of the deathly aura, but the death energy here is far too intense, so it will only last for four hours. We must be quick." "Alright, let's go." Hebe summoned the Jade Bow and the Winter God's Crown. The Staff of Life was not suitable for use here, as life and death were inherently opposing forces. If the Staff of Life appeared in this deathly canyon, it would undoubtedly shine like a beacon on the sea, attracting the attention of the spirits born from the death aura. The Jade Bow could channel various divine powers, and under the blessing of the Winter God's Crown, the combat strength of the ice and snow power would be enhanced without arousing the dead spirits' suspicion. It was the best choice before identifying the true enemy. In Phagos's hand appeared a Frost Sword, a deathly artifact forged from the powers of Pale Terror and Plague, perfectly suited for use in this place. The two gods entered the canyon. "Intruders!" The moment they stepped into the canyon, an invisible wave suddenly erupted from the once silent gorge. On both sides of the canyon, the previously quiet vines and brambles went berserk, causing the ground to tremble. Their tendrils lurking underground were like fangs ready to hunt, and the bluish vines slithered like snakes, curling towards Hebe and Phagos, trying to entangle them. The small flowers at the ends of the vines suddenly bloomed, revealing mouths lined with razor-sharp teeth at the center of each flower. Once they bit down, they would not stop until they tore off a piece of flesh. Although the brambles were not as fast as the vines, they grew in large patches, their thorns protruding menacingly. The strange, dark green hue suggested a potent venom coursed through them. Hebe channeled the divine powers of purification and ice, launching silver-white arrows that shot forth with great speed. The ice power froze the arrows, while the purification energy exploded, shattering the vines and brambles into fragments, and causing the flowers to wither, leaving behind a rain of petals. Beside her, Phagos radiated the divine power representing frost and death. The Frost Sword in his hand unleashed streaks of icy death energy. Even though the plants were already tainted by the death aura and were mutated life forms, the deathly power of a principal god like Phagos was not something they could withstand, especially since frost is the bane of plants. Wherever the icy death energy passed, the vines and brambles were transformed into glistening ice sculptures, which shattered to pieces with the slightest touch. These carnivorous plants, which had occupied the entrance of the deathly canyon for countless years with impunity, suddenly faced a catastrophe today, meeting their doom at the hands of these two formidable intruders. Having devoured flesh and blood for countless years, the plants had developed a certain level of intelligence. After a prolonged struggle, they realized they were not only unable to harm the intruders but were also losing countless of their kind under the relentless assault. If this continued, there would be no vines or brambles left in the deathly canyon! Realizing the threat of annihilation, the plants retreated toward the depths of the canyon like a receding tide. Even though they were just a mass of vegetation, they somehow managed to convey a sense of desperate flight. "These plants may be weak, but they do have a bit of sense," Phagos muttered softly beside Hebe, flapping his wings. "Don't let your guard down. These are merely gatekeepers. The opponent is someone who could stand against multiple foes during the Titan War. The Growth Divinity is their core, and its power is undoubtedly formidable. There must be some powerful monsters lurking in the depths of this canyon." Although the tide of plants had receded, Hebe did not see it as a sign of victory. Being cautious before the enemy revealed its true strength was always wise. "Understood." Although Phagos had his own consciousness, Hebe was his main entity, and obeying her was an instinct, an unchangeable law. The handsome yet sinister god of the underworld also set aside his earlier casual attitude. The two gods continued their advance, and the deeper they went, the thicker the death aura became. By the time they reached the middle of the canyon, the death aura had already turned into a mist and was even condensing into droplets. "The death aura is too thick; my vision is clouded by a haze. Phagos, can you absorb some of it?" As the primary entity wielding the divinity of life, Hebe found that the balance between life and death was shifting against her. In such dense death aura, her powers were being somewhat suppressed. Fortunately, her counterpart was a god of the underworld; otherwise, this journey would have been far more challenging. "I can." Phagos nodded. As a god who held dominion over death, absorbing the death aura was not only harmless to him but would also significantly enhance his death-related powers. The dark-haired god spread his raven-black wings, each feather shimmering with a fine golden light, which reflected upon his handsome face, exuding an indescribable beauty of corruption and allure. The surrounding mist-like death aura seemed to respond to some sort of summons or guidance, surging toward Phagos and being drawn into his body. As he absorbed the deathly power, a faint blush appeared on his pale face, and his features grew even more intensely vivid and captivating. In less than half a moment, the concentration of the death aura in this area had noticeably diminished, and Hebe's previously obscured vision gradually became clearer.