[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-mystic-calling-stone-of-glory":3,"chapter-mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-chapter-709":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1242315,1669,"Chapter 709 709: The False Coronation","mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-chapter-709",709,"\u003Cp>Ethan flipped through the air, twisting hard to regain control. He barely managed to steady himself, arms numb and tingling, the skin of his palms scorched raw and red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell was that thing…\" he muttered, breath ragged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the light pillar began to tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A low, thunderous rumble echoed from within—like hundreds of war drums pounding in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Thoom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Thoom… Thoom…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sand cracked open beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scorching wind burst from the fissures, searing and dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then they emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One after another, towering figures stepped out of the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their bodies were forged from stone and raw energy, clad in armor etched with glowing, jagged runes. Their eyes burned with a dim, eerie blue—cold and ancient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our energy-harvesting swarm… it's gone!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was it these outsiders?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They're not native to the desert!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air vibrated with a low, angry hum—like a hive of hornets murmuring in fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan hovered midair, eyes narrowed to slits, voice sharp as a blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His presence cracked like thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stone giants paused, taken aback for a heartbeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then one of them let out a harsh laugh. Energy surged from his body in waves, crashing outward like a landslide aimed straight at Ethan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Insolent insect. You dare question your masters—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A piercing shriek tore through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elira was already there, a blur of motion, stepping between Ethan and the oncoming force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her, the shadow of the Skytear Demon Moth unfurled like a curtain of night. Its wings shimmered with runes, and the air around it roared with pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moth's phantom collided with the giant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shockwave ripped across the battlefield, flattening dunes in every direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Space buckled. The air itself shredded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant roared, raising a hand—and from behind him, a new shape surged forth: a Behemoth, massive and spectral, formed entirely of energy. It slammed into the Demon Moth with a thunderous crash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light and shadow. Wind and stone. Energy and blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They clashed above the desert in a storm of chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then the others joined in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining giants stepped from the light, bellowing as their runes flared to life. Waves of power rippled outward, forming a battle array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All forces—engage!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's jaw clenched as he gave the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heartbeat later, the roar of the Emerald Castle army split the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hundreds of warriors surged forward, their energy flaring in unison. Crimson armor gleamed under the sun as they slammed into the enemy like a tidal wave of steel and fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The desert became a warzone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, look out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idra's voice cut through the wind—sharp, urgent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, she dissolved into a stream of soul-light and slammed straight into Ethan's chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—BOOM!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light and blood exploded at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their auras fused in a blinding flash, and the energy of the world surged toward them like an invisible flood, drawn from every direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan's chest seized tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—power. Immense, indescribable, ancient. It roared awake inside him like a sleeping god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes flared, molten gold and abyssal black colliding like twin stars on the verge of collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Idra… what did you do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was barely a whisper, lost beneath the roar of the desert itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground trembled. Winds howled. Blood-red sand spiraled into the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waves of energy pulsed outward from Ethan in concentric rings, tearing through the air. Even the sky split open, thin cracks spidering across the heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stone giants stood motionless, staring at him. In their eyes: fear. Not caution. Not wariness. Something older. Primal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them dropped to one knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words rasped from his throat, carried on the wind like a prayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At last… you've returned to us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, as one, the giants knelt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their voices rose like a tide:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All hail! All hail—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan stood frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel it—energy pouring from the light pillar, flooding into him, wrapping around his body like a second skin, trying to consume him whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too pure. Too violent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like a divine gift from another dimension—if the god in question had a cruel sense of humor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And buried in that power… was poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This isn't right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brow furrowed, muscles straining as if his own body were trying to tear itself apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy rampaged through his veins, scorching him from the inside out. If not for Idra sharing the burden within him, he would've already burst apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father! You have to offload some of it—now! Or it'll kill you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice rang in his mind, urgent and fierce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan gritted his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then threw his arms wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Streams of energy burst from him, splitting off in radiant arcs and shooting down toward the Emerald Castle army below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers were engulfed in light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their armor gleamed like fresh-forged steel, their auras flaring as power surged through them. Gasps rippled through the ranks as they felt their strength spike, climbing higher by the second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even that wasn't enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light pillar kept pouring energy into him, relentless as a tide that refused to recede.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it… still not enough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan raised one hand, fingers snapping into a seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Summoning Art—Goblin Legion!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vmmm—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousands of green portals bloomed around him like glowing spores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From each one, a goblin leapt out—massive, blank-eyed, their bodies humming with potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These weren't ordinary summons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were vessels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pillar's energy rushed into them, and the goblins began to glow—skin turning red-hot, runes blazing across their bodies like molten brands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, the goblins detonated in bursts of light, releasing the energy they'd absorbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And finally, the light pillar dimmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then shattered into drifting fragments, dissolving into the desert wind like a dream that had overstayed its welcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan stood hunched, chest heaving, sweat and blood mingling as they dripped down his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light-pillar giants remained kneeling, unmoving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty,\" said the one at the front, bowing his head. His voice was respectful, but cold—like steel wrapped in silk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You have borne the Primordial Force of this realm. That makes you our sovereign. Come with us—let us rebuild the Sandsea Dynasty together.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze drifted over the kneeling figures, slow and steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn't loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hunger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel it—beneath their reverence, a gnawing intent. They weren't here to serve. They were here to feed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he accepted the title of \"Emperor,\" they'd turn on him. Drain him dry. Then move on to the next vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're not looking for a king,\" he said quietly, lifting his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was low, flat, and final.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're looking for a sacrifice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steel flashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Shhk!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burst of light tore across the desert, blinding and absolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kneeling giants screamed—raw, guttural terror—before they were ripped apart, shredded by the very force they had tried to claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind returned, soft and dry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan lowered to the ground, slow and steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, the Emerald Castle warriors gathered, forming a loose circle. Their faces were a mix of awe and unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't turn to face them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just spoke, voice calm but edged:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The 'giants of the light pillar' didn't worship me. They worshiped power. And the moment they find something stronger than me, they'll kneel to that instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elira stepped closer, nodding slightly. \"So… what now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ethan looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrier in the distance had vanished completely. The sky was open again, sunlight pouring through like a promise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We leave this place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one argued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without another word, the Emerald Castle army turned as one, following their commander.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>",1285,"2026-06-05T15:15:48.805Z",1,"novelbin.me","3b65bca3d104324496eac1cdb9b53f0b496fbbd778c60aaea490bb72776a907e","mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-chapter-710","mystic-calling-stone-of-glory-chapter-708",1138,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmystic-calling-stone-of-glory-cover.jpg"]