From the moment I was chosen by the holy relic

Eileen slowly inserted the glowing key into the groove of the sarcophagus. With a click, the seal on the sarcophagus seemed to be broken. Eric took a deep breath, gripped the sarcophagus lid with both hands, and pushed hard.

With a heavy rumble, the lid of the sarcophagus was slowly pushed open, and a blinding light burst forth, seemingly illuminating the entire temple. Eric squinted slightly and looked closely, only to see two items lying quietly inside the sarcophagus.

The first thing that catches the eye is an ancient book, its cover covered with intricate runes that radiate a mysterious light.

The other item was a pendant, lying quietly inside a transparent magic sphere, emitting a light like stars in the night sky. The pendant seemed to be made of some extremely rare mineral, crystal clear, with a silvery luster flowing across its surface.

A large gemstone is set in the center of the pendant, and a faint flame seems to flicker within it. With a gentle shake, countless sparks seem to flash within it. Ancient runes are also engraved around the pendant, exuding a mysterious and incredible power.

"This pendant is definitely no ordinary object," Eric couldn't help but murmur in admiration, his gaze fixed on the exquisite treasure for a long time.

"It is indeed a rare magical relic." Eileen nodded gently. "Its power goes far beyond its decorative function. I can sense the energy hidden within it, but for some reason, this energy is sealed. I'm afraid only by mastering the correct method can its true purpose be unlocked."

Eric carefully put the magic orb into his backpack, glanced back into the depths of the temple to make sure there was nothing else there, and then breathed a sigh of relief: "Alright, we've got the treasure, now it's time to leave."

Eileen nodded, and the two packed their gear, carrying the books and the pendant, and headed towards the temple's exit. Along the way, Eric remained vigilant, listening to the echoes within the temple, seemingly worried about other hidden dangers. Eileen, on the other hand, remained remarkably quiet, pondering the pendant's mysterious power.

The atmosphere inside the temple became quiet and solemn, their footsteps echoing in the empty space, as if revealing the secret of their impending departure.

Stepping out of the temple, the chilling atmosphere of the ancient stone hall still lingered in the air. Eric and Eileen walked side by side, Eric remaining vigilant and constantly watching their surroundings.

"Eric," Eileen whispered, "this door is not simple. Do you remember when we tried to open it before? We couldn't open it no matter what we did, but it opened as soon as your blood was on it. Don't you find that strange?"

Eric paused, clearly confused, but put on an indifferent expression: "I don't know either, maybe it was just luck."

Eileen's eyes flickered with a hint of doubt: "Eric, who exactly are you? You may not know, but this kind of mechanism doesn't just randomly select; it usually requires the blood of a specific person to trigger. It won't allow just anyone to open it unless you have some connection with this temple."

Eric frowned, lowered his head, and walked forward. Eileen didn't ask any more questions, but she became increasingly curious about Eric's identity.

They continued walking, when Eric suddenly spoke up: "Speaking of which, what do you know about those tomb raiders? Who's behind them?"

Eileen shook her head: "I don't know, but those who know about this temple are definitely not ordinary thieves; they seem to have a specific target."

Eric nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps they've already started escaping from Nosteria. I'd better pray to God I don't run into them."

However, they did not expect that upon leaving the ruins, they would be greeted by an unexpected scene: the corpses of several tomb raiders were hanging high on nearby trees, dark red blood slowly dripping down the tree trunks, and a strong smell of blood permeated the air.

Eileen covered her nose, frowned, and whispered, "It seems someone acted faster than us."

Just then, a low thud of hooves broke the surrounding silence. Eric looked up and saw a group of strangers in black cloaks riding towards them. The leader rode a black leopard, holding a heavy black longsword in one hand and the temple sword that the tomb raiders had taken in the other.

Eric frowned, his hand warily resting on his sword hilt. The man in black clearly noticed Eric's movement, but merely smiled coldly, raising his hand to signal his attendant to stop. His gaze held a scrutinizing quality, while a mocking smile played on his lips as he slowly spoke, "The knights of the Kingdom of Nosteria are indeed extraordinary."

Eric narrowed his eyes, staring at him: "Who are you?"

The man in black smiled calmly: "My name is Kadir," his eyes filled with pride. "These tomb raiders dared to desecrate the temple's treasures and have already received their due punishment."

Eric glanced coldly at the corpses hanging from the trees, his tone unfriendly: "Within Nosteria, the right to judge criminals belongs to the King. You have overstepped your authority."

"A trial?" Kadir sneered. "I'm just cleaning up your mess."

Eric gripped his sword hilt, his voice laced with suppressed rage: "First, these people are indeed guilty, but they should be judged by the king, not you. Second, you also broke the law by entering Nostria without permission."

Kadir remained unmoved, seemingly anticipating Eric's reaction, and simply said calmly, "I stopped the tomb raiding and protected the treasure; your king will surely reward me." He then changed the subject, "However, I have high standards, and I don't care for ordinary rewards. How about I give you the pendants you're wearing as my reward?"

Eileen smiled slightly, her eyes cold: "What? The pendant being hidden in the stone coffin isn't a well-known secret. How did you know?"

Kadir seemed unsurprised, giving a soft hum: "A mere elven mage like you has no right to know such things. The pendant is of no use to you. You might as well give it to me, and I can let you leave safely."

Eric sneered, meeting his gaze without flinching: "You people always use high-sounding reasons to steal what doesn't belong to you. This is Nosteria, all treasures belong to the King!"

A flicker of displeasure crossed Kadir's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and said coldly, "Knight, do you really think you have the ability to be our enemy? I've been patient enough with you."

Upon hearing this, Eileen gently pressed Eric's arm and whispered, "We don't need to confront them head-on. Their target this time is only the pendant, not us. Perhaps there's still room for maneuver."

Seeing Eileen's reaction, Kadir sneered, "A wise choice. Hopefully, you won't bring about your own destruction."

"However, in order to give the king an explanation, I will exchange it for the sword in your hand."

Kadir felt a pang of heartache. He had examined the sword and found that its materials were extremely precious; he had originally intended to sell it for money.

After much deliberation, he reluctantly agreed and threw the sword at Eileen.

Eileen took the sword and smiled at Kadir, "Sorry, the pendant's color matches my staff perfectly, I've changed my mind."

Kadir's expression changed, and he said coldly, "If that's the case, then I'll have no choice but to take it myself, from your corpse."