"Only twelve hours?"
The Bronze Five's faces instantly froze in shock.
Seiya's pupils sharply constricted. The torches of the Zodiac Temple were like twelve sharp blades hanging over Saori's head, each moment reminding them of the passage of time.
There was no time to hesitate. Seiya took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Li Yu.
"Lord Li Yu, Miss Saori… I entrust her to you!"
Seiya's voice was a bit hoarse, yet every word was clear, filled with the weight of his entrustment.
Li Yu's gaze was as calm as water, sweeping indifferently over Seiya's anxious face.
He nodded slightly, his voice cool, yet carrying a reassuring certainty.
"Go. Before the twelve hours are up, I guarantee Saori will not die."
Before he finished speaking, Li Yu slightly raised his hand. A pure and extreme chill flowed from his fingertips, silently enveloping Saori Kido on the stretcher.
Saori's delicate body, encased in transparent ice crystals, was slowly lifted from the ground, as if supported by an invisible hand.
Immediately after, the chill rapidly condensed into a crystal-clear ice coffin, completely encasing her and perfectly preserving Saori Kido's fragile body.
The ice coffin glowed with a faint blue light, and Saori's pale, beautiful face was clearly visible inside.
That was the ultimate technique of Aquarius, Aurora Execution!
It could rapidly freeze a target without taking its life.
It was perfect for Saori Kido, as it could stabilize her injuries, buying the Bronze Five the maximum amount of time.
Seiya, Shiryu, Shun, and Ikki, seeing Li Yu's miraculous display, instantly felt their hearts settle.
Lord Li Yu truly lived up to his reputation as the strongest Gold Saint of this era. This Aurora Execution was effortlessly executed, yet exquisitely beautiful.
Seiya felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
The Bronze Saintss exchanged glances, hope and fighting spirit rekindled in their eyes.
"Let's go!"
Seiya was the first to turn, rushing without hesitation towards the first palace, the Aries Palace.
Li Yu clasped his hands behind his back, looking towards the Summit of Holy Mountain, where the statue of Athena was located.
He called out to Hyoga, who was carrying his bronze cloth box.
"Hyoga, it won't be easy for you to pass through the Twelve Palaces smoothly. You'll need to awaken the Seventh Sense to even have a sliver of a chance."
"The Seventh Sense, Master? I can't do that right now!"
A hint of confusion appeared in Hyoga's eyes.
Previously, when Li Yu taught him in the Ice Temple in Siberia, he had told him that above the Sixth Sense, there was also the Seventh Sense!
All the Gold Saints were strong individuals who had awakened the Seventh Sense.
He had tried before, but he was still a long way from awakening the Seventh Sense.
"Burn your Cosmo with all your might. The rest is up to fate!"
Li Yu looked at Athena in the ice coffin and said this with deep meaning.
Before Hyoga could ponder further, Seiya and the others' calls came from afar.
"Hyoga, hurry!"
Hyoga bowed deeply to Li Yu.
"Master, there's no time for your teachings now. Seiya and Shiryu are waiting for me. I must go save Miss Saori!"
"If I return alive, I will ask you about the greatest ultimate technique of Aquarius!"
"Go!"
Li Yu waved his hand, watching Hyoga depart.
In the Aquarius Palace, he had left a surprise for Hyoga. Hyoga's performance at that time would determine whether he would still consider him a disciple.
Everyone had left, leaving only Li Yu and Saori, sealed in the ice coffin.
Athena's divinity seemed to have completely silenced, no longer speaking to Li Yu, as if she had completely entrusted this area to him in trust!
Li Yu closed his eyes and sat cross-legged before the ice coffin.
If Athena hadn't lied to him, now was the best time for the dark forces hidden within the Sanctuary to act and kill Athena's reincarnation.
Li Yu voluntarily guarded Athena precisely to verify this matter.
A strange fragrance, a mixture of decay and sweetness, silently permeated the air, invading his senses without a sound.
This scent was eerie and alluring, capable of stirring the deepest desires within a person's heart.
Li Yu opened his eyes again, his pupils suddenly contracting.
The scenery before him abruptly changed. The white jade plaza at the foot of the Holy Mountain had completely vanished, replaced by a vibrant, flower-filled illusion.
He was now in a garden full of blooming mandalas, the air permeated with their rich fragrance. Each flower was exquisitely beautiful, as if truly real.
Li Yu reached out, his fingertips touching a delicate mandala petal. The sensation was fine and real.
He gently plucked a flower, brought it to his nose, and inhaled. The fragrance was intoxicating, captivating his heart.
Sight, touch, smell—all his senses told him that everything before him was real, without a single flaw!
"Indeed…"
Li Yu's lips curved slightly. Evil forces were indeed hidden within the Sanctuary, and at this critical moment, they couldn't wait to strike at him.
To silently pull him into an illusion, this power must have come from a god directly.
In the distance, a soft, melancholic harp sound quietly began, its notes mournful yet filled with deadly allure.
Li Yu slowly rose and walked towards the direction of the music.
Soon, he saw a pavilion made of white jade, faintly visible amidst the sea of flowers.
Inside the pavilion sat a long-haired, black-clad woman, gently caressing a large, ornate golden harp. As her fingertips plucked the strings, haunting notes emanated.
Li Yu narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sharp as a blade.
If he wasn't mistaken, this black-clad woman should be Pandora!
Not only was Athena secretly making arrangements, but Hades's side hadn't been idle these past years either.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Hades's faction had managed to extend its reach into the very heart of the Sanctuary.
The black-haired woman seemed to notice Li Yu's arrival. She stopped playing, her deep purple eyes, with a hint of playfulness and scrutiny, looking towards Li Yu.
The woman's appearance could only be described as flawless. Her features, figure, and even every subtle movement could only be described as perfect.
She was an artwork meticulously sculpted by the gods.
Legend has it that Pandora was the first human female created by Hephaestus and Zeus together. Her being was filled with temptation, lies, and sensuality!
The first human woman shaped by the gods indeed possessed extraordinary qualities.
She bowed slightly, her movements graceful and alluring. Beneath her black robe, her full, pale cleavage was faintly visible, exuding a mature and dangerous charm.
"Hello, Li Yu. I am Pandora, Hades's human representative."
Her voice was like the harp's, low and magnetic, with a subtle hint of seduction.
"I finally meet you. Please, have a seat!"
Li Yu's expression remained unperturbed. He spoke coldly.
"No need. State your purpose! If it's to persuade me to join Hades and grant me eternal life, then spare me the speech!"
He couldn't even fully trust Athena, so how could he possibly join Hades?
How could gaining eternal life through another's grace compare to the freedom and straightforwardness of igniting one's own divine flame and achieving immortality through one's own power?
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