Chapter 1070 Maybe It"s Real
Liveseyd was a floating city that the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt "imagined" out of thin air. No matter what, it was a miracle, a divine miracle.
It was even more magnificent than the Giant King's Court—more rugged and unique. Every stone pillar was nearly 100 meters tall, like a throne for the dragon to rest on. It was a city that left a deep, unforgettable impression just from hearing about it.
Therefore, although Audrey had never actually seen the City of Miracles, she instantly made connections from witnessing the scene. Of course, one of the main reasons for knowing that was because she knew that Groselle's Travels came from the Dragon of Imagination, Ankewelt.
As for Klein, as he had once divined the origins of Groselle's Travels and had seen the real City of Miracles, the Floating City, and now, he was sure that the island-sized city in the middle of the deep-sea crater was identical to Liveseyd. All it lacked were the dragons that flew in every direction!
Is this real, or is it a clone? Or is it a gathering of some special creature's subconscious in the book world? Klein was slightly surprised as he quickly analyzed the situation.
According to his divination results and the contents of the dream from Giant Guardian Groselle and Elven Songster Siatas, he was certain that, when Groselle's Travels was created, the City of Miracles Liveseyd still existed. When it reached the Giant King's Court, the City of Miracles Liveseyd still existed. When Groselle began his adventure and when Siatas was sucked into the book world, Liveseyd still existed. If the City of Miracles Liveseyd were to vanish, the various supernatural races wouldn't have any reaction.
In other words, these facts were undeniable proof that the city in the middle of the deep-sea crater was unlikely to be Liveseyd.
But very quickly, Klein remembered something.
That was the answer that Arrodes had once given him:
"…certain that it first appeared among the dragons, after the disappearance of the City of Miracles, Liveseyd."
This is interesting… What did the magic mirror rely on to confirm that Groselle's Travels was the first to appear and to believe that it was after the disappearance of the City of Miracles Liveseyd? It wasn't even able to see matters related to Zaratul, so how could it pry into the origins of an ancient god's possession? I originally used this conclusion to infer and consider things, but this point was completely overturned by my divination. I never expected… Klein observed the tall stone columns and magnificent city as many thoughts ran through his mind.
Suddenly, he grasped onto an idea:
The last owner of Groselle's Travel was Vice Admiral Iceberg Edwina, a member of the Church of Knowledge. They believe in the God of Knowledge and Wisdom;
The God of Knowledge and Wisdom can almost be confirmed to be one of the Kings of Angels who served the ancient sun god, the Angel of Wisdom;
And from the Church's history and the history of the Third Epoch, it's reasonable to suspect that the Angel of Wisdom is most likely the Dragon of Wisdom, Herabergen!
This was the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt's subsidiary god, a high-level member of the dragons!
This… The appearance of Groselle's Travels after the disappearance of the City of Miracles was thanks to the God of Knowledge and Wisdom passing it around through a certain method, which had convinced the magic mirror? If "He" really is a Dragon of Wisdom, it means that "He" was directly involved, and "His" level was already very high back then. "His" understanding of this matter definitely trumps the Groselle and Siatas… But how do I explain the scene I divined above the gray fog? Just recalling it now makes my head ache. What I saw was definitely the ancient god, Dragon of Imagination, "Himself… Klein cheered up when he managed to string up all these matters together, but he also fell into a state of puzzlement.
He tossed the gold coin continuously and quickly came up with some theories.
Since the City of Miracles, Liveseyd, was "imagined," couldn't it just be "imagined" again after it disappeared?
The original Liveseyd was stuffed into the book by the Dragon King Ankewelt. Then, the one that subsequently existed was one "He" "imagined" again?
This could fool all the dragons, but not the one that was known for being intelligent?
If this were true, then there were actually two instances of the City of Miracles, Liveseyd. The one here is the oldest one…
But here comes the question. Why didn't the Dragon of Wisdom enter the book "Himself1? Even if "He" wasn't a Spectator, with "His" title of being omniscient and omnipotent, "He" should have enough powers to perform a deeper exploration…
"He" has actually been here a long time ago, but didn't alert any living beings in the book. Also, because of certain motives, "He" left this City of Miracles here?
As thoughts surfaced in Klein's mind, The Star Leonard, who had both hands in his pockets, looked at him and then at Miss Justice, who had also been looking down in silence for a long time. He took the initiative to speak and break the silence:
"This city is grand and magnificent. It clearly doesn't belong to humans or humanoid creatures, but there's no need to stare at it for so long. You're not an architect after all."
Klein gathered his thoughts and glanced at Leonard.
"This might very well be Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt's City of Miracles, Liveseyd. In a sense, it's the divine kingdom of an ancient god."
Of course, if there was really another Liveseyd, the nature of the divine kingdom here didn't hold much importance. "Divine kingdom…" Leonard's pupils dilated as he repeated the keyword.
Audrey regained her senses and whispered, "Is it really Liveseyd?"
"It's only possible." Klein had already calmed down and replied simply, "It's not floating in the air like the legends, but has sunken to the bottom of the sea of collective subconscious, so it's hard to tell if it's real or fake."
At this moment, Leonard finally managed to control himself. He looked at the magnificent city in the deep-sea crater again and smiled self-deprecatingly.
"I didn't expect the day when I'll come to the divine kingdom of an ancient god…"
Frankly, if Miss Justice wasn't here, he wouldn't have been able to help but marvel at how "rich" Klein's life was.
Ever since he reunited with his former teammate, not only did he meet the two sons of god—Kings of Angels—he had also entered the mysterious book world and found a city suspected to be a divine kingdom.
This was many times more interesting than what he had experienced in the past year. The level of such matters was many times higher!
Of course, it was a lot more dangerous.
Having said that, he looked up at the floating "seawater phantoms" and asked thoughtfully, "How do you know if the sea of collective subconscious is real or if it's imagined?"
This was a continuation of the problem of determining Liveseyd's authenticity.
Audrey thought for a while and said with uncertainty, "There's no way to tell the difference, or rather, the sea of collective subconscious here is also real.
"In essence, collective subconscious is the accumulation and settling of strong emotions and feelings. Although the people in this world may be imaginary, their experiences, feelings, joy, anger, sadness, pain, and happiness, they all truly happened before…"
As she spoke, Audrey stopped as she vaguely realized something, but she was unable to say it out loud.
At this moment, Klein suddenly said, "The objects that 'He' can imagine will be conjured. The kingdom 'He' dreams of will surely descend upon the physical world…"
As his voice echoed, Klein put away the gold coin in his hand and jumped into the deep-sea crater, his black trench coat flaring up as a result.
The future that 'He' declares will definitely be carried out, becoming reality…"
As his figure glided down, the following words came out.
Audrey's green eyes were dazed at first before they lit up. Then, she "jumped" towards the City of Miracles.
"Aren't you going to divine the level of danger? This might be the divine kingdom of an ancient god!" Leonard looked at the two of them in surprise and blurted out.
In the education he received, this wasn't in line with the standard operating procedures.
When did you get the wrong impression that I didn't divine it? You just didn't notice my tiny actions. I just put away the gold coin… Also, I didn't get any warnings from my intuition for danger… Furthermore, if my theory is right, then the Dragon of Wisdom Herabergen should've entered this place before…If there's any form of danger that w head, it would've long been finished off by "Him"… If Miss Justice wasn't here, I'd really wish to berate you… As Klein silently lampooned, he adjusted his direction and speed, passing through a few thick stone columns that stood nearly a hundred meters tall. He descended one level after another before stepping onto the grayish-white ground.
He was in a Spirit Body state now and could fly if he wanted to.
About two to three seconds later, the silver-masked Justice Audrey landed beside him.
Audrey looked up, and after reeling from a few seconds of shock due to the grandeur of the stone columns and palace, she said, "Looking from the inside and looking from a distance feels completely different…
"Perhaps, this is how a rat truly feels in Backlund…"
As she spoke, Leonard also glided over and looked sideways at Klein.
It wasn't that he didn't believe in Klein, nor was he unaware of how cautious he was. He just needed to clarify such matters in a joint operation, because there was the possibility of teammates being unknowingly corrupted, turning reckless.
This was a conclusion the Nighthawks gleaned from their experience of repeated sacrifices.
"Currently, the indications don't point to much danger," Klein said truthfully.
Leonard no longer looked around and said, "The City of Miracles is really big…
"I mean that, for such a big city, even if we can fly, we won't be able to completely explore it without spending a few days here. Or perhaps, do you have a destination in mind?"
The second half of his sentence was said while looking at Klein.
Klein nodded and pointed to a huge palace that was more than 200 meters tall.
"There.
"If I remember correctly, that is the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt's residence."
This was what he saw in the dream divination.
Seeing that Klein already had a plan, as if he had received Mr. Fool's guidance, Leonard felt relieved. He looked at the grayish-white foundation on his feet and said, "Is this a divine kingdom?
"I don't feel anything."
At this moment, Audrey, who was observing the surroundings carefully, said with uncertainty, "All the abnormalities here seem to be gathering towards that palace."
She was referring to the place that Klein had pointed out to be the ancient god's residence.
Chapter 1071 Hall of Truth
In front of the grayish-white grand palace that was more than 200 meters tall, there were a few thick stone columns that were slightly shorter than it was, as though they were a squadron of soldiers standing at attention there.
Klein could imagine that, when the City of Miracles, Liveseyd, was still floating in mid-air, these stone columns would definitely have powerful dragons crouching on them.
These were the servants of the ancient god.
He then looked up at the open door and said to Leonard and Audrey, "Stay close to me. Once an accident happens, I'll immediately take you out of the book world and return directly above the gray fog."
This was the main reason why Klein dared to explore the area.
"Okay." Audrey and Leonard didn't try putting on a brave front as they walked to Klein's side and walked alongside him.
Relying on their Spirit Bodies' flight ability, the trio passed the stairs and entered the palace through the exaggerated and magnificent door.
The first thing they saw was a wide space that was enough for multiple dragons to roll around freely, as well as an ancient stone pillars that seemed to prop up the sky.
On the two sides of the hall, there were colorful and beautiful murals. They kept extending forward and intertwining themselves with a huge pillar that was multiple arm spans wide.
The giant pillar was in the deepest recesses of the hall right ahead of them. Without relying on anything else, just the pillar alone was enough to make people feel a strong sense of fear and make them experience the vicissitudes of time. It was like a fossilized deity.
Almost instantly, a grayish-white figure appeared on the pillar.
The figure was covered in scales, and every scale resembled a sturdy stone slab. Just the faint outline of the figure made it seem epic.
Dragon of Imagination, Ankewelt! Just as this thought flashed through Klein's mind, he heard an oddly familiar voice echoing in the spacious hall:
"Dragon of Imagination, Ankewelt!"
As Klein looked around in astonishment, he heard Leonard sigh emotionally.
"The deep air listen'd round 'Him' as 'He' rode, "And all the low wind hardly breathed for fear[l]…
…This fellow still has the mood to recite poetry, I wonder whose poem he's reciting… Klein turned to look at Leonard. Then, he heard an echo:
"This fellow still has the mood to recite poetry, I wonder whose poem he's reciting…"
At this moment, Leonard's expression was one of shock. He shut his mouth tightly and shook his head in denial.
But the next second, a voice sounded beside him:
"I didn't recite anything!"
"What's going on? Strange…" At the same moment Klein had this thought, he realized that the strangely familiar voice belonged to him.
As it echoed again, repeating the thoughts that flashed through Klein's mind.
Then, Audrey's gentle and mumbling voice sounded:
"This… This hall is able to let our thoughts present themselves in our surroundings, and is even able to conjure them? Hmm…When I saw that huge pillar just now, I was imagining what the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt looked like. It was based on the blueprint of the mind dragon I saw before…
"Why is whatever I'm saying—No, indeed, the 'hall' articulates it…"
So that's the case. Luckily, I didn't think of anything strange just now. Yes, rein in my thoughts, rein in my thoughts… Klein began to use Cogitation to focus his mind and not let his imagination run wild.
At the same time, the corresponding words echoed around him almost in sync:
"…rein in my thoughts, rein in my thoughts…"
"So that's what Mr. World's inner world is like. He's like a child who just started school, constantly emphasizing matters that he needs to take attention of. Also, the image for his Cogitation is actually layers of spherical lights. It's so beautiful. No, no, I'm not thinking of this! I'm not describing you like this. Mr_ World, I_m serious「^ thoughts kept appearing as she finally couldn't help but curl her lips.
As for Leonard, the voices around him were already echoing with "Hahaha."
"These two fellows… No, why am I using 'fellow'? Be polite, be more polite…" As Klein listened to his thoughts, he sighed helplessly. "This place is very suitable for playing 'Truth or Dare.' Perhaps it should be called 'the Hall of Truth.…"
"What game is that?" Audrey didn't need to open her mouth to express her doubts.
"It was probably invented by Emperor Roselle… I have to be careful not to think about things I shouldn't think about. Seriously, it's too difficult to rein in random thoughts without the use of Cogitation…" As Klein replied, he habitually warned himself, only to have the hall ruthlessly betray him again.
This time, Audrey laughed and said, "Haha, Mr. World actually has such a side to him. I actually failed to read it in the past…"
"Hahaha, to think you're experiencing such a day, Klein. No, what did I say…" Leonard suddenly raised his right hand and covered his mouth.
Unsurprisingly, he heard Miss Justice's "question":
"Klein?"
And a certain someone's complaint:
"Perhaps only turning them into marionettes can stop these fellows from having wild thoughts. Wait, what was I thinking? Phew, calm down, calm down…"
Klein took a deep breath and began to focus his attention on the matter itself.
"Let's take a look at what the murals describe. In ancient times, murals were very important methods for recording memories. They often contain plenty of information…"
At the same time he made the suggestion, he heard Audrey's inner thoughts laugh and think:
"Klein—is this Mr. World's real name? No, no—Don't think too much about it. Mr. World will be angry. No, I think it's more likely for him to feel embarrassed. No, no—this is all Lie's fault. Mr. World, please believe me! Phew, calm down. Calm down! Focus. Focus!"
Using the Spectator pathway's ability to control her emotions and thoughts, Audrey gradually reined in her thoughts and cast her gaze on the mural on the right.
Compared to them, Leonard's ability to control his mind was slightly weaker. There were still plenty of random thoughts resounding around him.
"Turning into marionettes… Is this fellow that dangerous now? Tsk tsk, so this is what's truly on your mind. Haha, Miss Justice's reaction is very interesting… I haven't seen that fellow in such an embarrassing situation in a long time…"
When Klein and Audrey began seriously looking at the murals and were exchanging their thoughts through the stirrings in their hearts, only then did Leonard gradually calm his thoughts and focus his attention.
The mural on the right depicted historic developments. There was a scene of human construction, scenes of snow- covered plains, war and migration, various nations and cities, as well as towers and fruits that represented zero communication barriers…
It was obvious that these murals started from the entrance and ended at the Dragon of Imagination's throne.
Towards the end, Klein suddenly noticed a familiar figure.
It was a gigantic dragon with bluish-blue eyes and ice-crystal scales.
It was the King of the North, Ulyssan!
"This… The book world's development is based on these murals?" As Klein's thoughts were exposed, he quickly looked back and found many blurry-faced adventurers hunting the frost dragon before opening a door to leave. The snow and ice melted before flourishing cities like Pessote appeared. They then discovered the weather turning cold, implying an end in which a new story was about to unfold.
"The contents of the murals will become reality in this book world?" Audrey couldn't help but have such a thought.
"This wall, this mural looks very ordinary. It's not even as good as the works of street artists… As expected of the Dragon of Imagination's residence. Is this the power and authority of an ancient god…?" Leonard similarly had poignant thoughts.
"It's possible." Before Klein could give a more tactful reply, he heard his own voice. "Let's look at the murals on the other side before putting everything together for analysis."
Leonard and Audrey didn't object and followed him to the other side.
During this process, they realized that even their Spirit Bodies couldn't fly in the palace.
As the murals were huge, it didn't take much walking before the three of them could see the corresponding content. The first mural near the entrance made Klein's pupils suddenly dilate.
In the mural, a giant with blurry looks, grayish-blue skin, and a single vertical was holding a hard-covered book in his hand!
"This…" Klein heard his own shocked and hesitant voice.
In the subsequent murals, the common highlight was the goatskin binding. There was a dark brown-covered book: it was obtained by the elves; the words on its surface changed; it was being put into a collection; It was obtained by different people, and it kept exchanging hands until it flew above the clouds and came to the cosmos where it landed on a gigantic claw.
In the next mural, the book seemed to have nothing to do with the scenes in front. It suddenly appeared over the surface of the sea and stayed inside a blurry ship.
In the penultimate mural, it was taken away by a man wearing a top hat before he left that ship.
The next mural was located behind the gigantic pillar suspected to be Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt's throne. It depicted that the book from before met a classic quill.
At this point, all the murals came to an end.
"0-08!" Leonard's shocked voice echoed in the hall.
"The Dragon of Imagination wants to create a set with the book and quill? What will happen? When dealing with Ince Zangwill, this scene almost appeared… But ultimately, it didn't happen because the book landed in my hands… before I sacrificed it to Mr. Fool. Otherwise, Adam was already prepared against it and deliberately provided some help?
"Oh right, previously while inside Groselle's Travels, the moment the ascetic mentioned the Angel of Imagination Adam, the frost dragon attacked the camp … It was because the book itself didn't allow him to finish his sentence, or had Adam heard his thoughts which became a connection for 'Him' to see and cast his gaze over, stirring up a certain reaction?" Klein's thoughts wandered before sounding it out loud.
During this process, he could only control himself to treat The Fool as another existence.
At the same time as he "spoke," Audrey's thoughts appeared:
"The contents on this mural will become reality in the physical world?"
[1] Adapted from Tennyson's Godiva.
Chapter 1072 The Call From Behind the Door
"The contents on this mural will become reality in the physical world…"
Be it Klein or Leonard, they couldn't help but repeat Miss Justice's words in their hearts.
If the murals on the other side determined the history of the book world, then it was only considered rather amazing. However, the discovery on this side would be enough to shake everyone's hearts and bring about a huge upheaval throughout their bodies.
The pictures you depicted would definitely show up on stage in the real world, not in an illusory world. This was the performance of a deity!
"It's not that exaggerated, right…" After Leonard repeated the statement, he whispered in a low voice, finding it hard to accept.
Klein, on the other hand, started his analysis out of habit.
"Even if 0-08 can only affect a big city, making it difficult for it to exceed this range, a Sequence 1 Author of the Spectator pathway should be similar… And the Visionary's Uniqueness has been confirmed to be in Adam's hands… Then what does this City of Miracles rely on to guarantee that the contents on this mural will become a reality?
"The divine power of the Dragon of Imagination from back then? When this book was formed, the contents of the murals had already been branded into the sea of collective subconscious, sinking right inside and spreading its infection in every direction, so as to drive generation after generation to accomplish this without realizing it?
"If this is true, then the possibility of making another mural become a reality would definitely be nil, as the Dragon of Imagination has already perished, and there's no way to provide any more divine power…
"But we can give it a try. If the contents of the new mural really happens in the physical world, it means that this City of Miracles really is Liveseyd, and it contains a huge secret. It also implies that matters regarding the Spectator pathway goes deeper than what I had imagined."
"Author? There's a potion name like that?" Hearing Klein's thoughts, Leonard couldn't help but mutter.
Compared to how the name "Dragon of Imagination" could be stretched to make an inference to the name "Visionary," the potion name of "Author" was more eye-catching. It made one's imagination run wild. It felt more like walking from reality and into the realm of fantasy.
Audrey, who had long known the name of the High-Sequence potions of the Spectator pathway, suddenly had another thought:
"Uniqueness… Mr. World actually managed to link up and analyze so many things in an instant. Impressive! Uh, did I praise him too directly? Mr. World has heard it all… This hall is really hard to adapt to… No, Mr. World, I really am praising you, I really mean it!"
Audrey felt a little ashamed at first, but then she quickly adjusted her state of mind, trying her best to keep calm.
"…As expected of a Psychiatrist. She adjusted herself really quickly…" A thought came to Klein's mind.
"As expected, Mr. World isn't as cold as he looks. He's the type of person who will inwardly mutter to himself-Uh… I didn't say anything!" Just as Audrey instinctively thought of something, she immediately denied it.
The same voice echoed around Leonard:
"Klein's Gehrman Sparrow disguise isn't bad. Almost everyone who knows him believes that he's cold and crazy. Hehe, who would've thought…"
Just as Leonard's thoughts were about to wander, a voice interrupted him.
"Shut up!"
Looking at the way Gehrman Sparrow was dressed, he spread out his hands, and held back his laughter as he said, "Look, that isn't cold enough, right?"
"Cold? Then I'll directly press the Unshadowed Crucifix against your head! If you don't want your Beyonder characteristic, donate it to the people who need it!" Without being able to use Cogitation to control his thoughts, Klein instinctively retorted.
"…" Audrey looked at Mr. World and then at Mr. Star, and her heart skipped a beat. "So they have so much drama in their hearts… I could only tell that was the case for Mr. Star, but I failed to read what's under The World's poker face. Uh… Jiant, Boss, Minnie…"
At crucial moments like this, the experienced Audrey forcibly manipulated her thoughts to begin reciting names so as to stop her thoughts from wandering off.
"Who are they?" Leonard's attention was diverted.
"They're the hounds and horses my family rears," Audrey replied politely.
"A hound costs 450 pounds…" Klein suddenly recalled Butler Walter's suggestion of buying a batch of hunting dogs when he purchased Maygur Manor.
"Why is the first thing on Mr. World's mind the price…?" This question floated into Audrey's mind.
Leonard pursed his lips. Even though he didn't say a word, he answered, "Isn't this normal? This fellow has always been a little picky about this, I remember…"
Before he could "finish," Klein coughed lightly and said, "We'll continue exploring the other areas, and when we have time, we'll perform experiments on the murals.
"Sigh, this hall really complicates matters very easily. The main point is that everyone's privacy is brought to the forefront if we aren't focused…"
Upon hearing the last sentence of his complaint, Audrey and Leonard couldn't help but laugh out loud-but not by their own will.
Seeing that Mr. World clearly didn't want the situation to develop into chaos again, Audrey raised her head, looked up at the ceiling, and focused her attention and got down to business.
"The mural on the right side controls the book world, and the left seems to affect reality… What if you draw the mural on the ceiling? What would happen?"
Klein immediately made a connection.
"The Dragon of Imagination's authority contains at least three aspects: An 'envisioned' kingdom will descend upon the physical world, a declared future that will happen in the real world, and 'imagined' objects that will be conjured… The first point corresponds to the right mural, and the second point corresponds to our guesses on the left mural. Then, could the blank spot on the palace's ceiling be related to the third authority?"
"As long as you draw an object you imagined onto the ceiling, it will be conjured and be usable?" Audrey easily understood what The World meant.
"Then what if I were to draw a Dragon of Imagination?" Leonard "suggested."
Klein glanced at him again.
"First of all, you would've had to have seen the Dragon of Imagination without completely breaking down and losing control. Secondly, you need to restore the main details of 'His' body. Finally, you have to know how to draw."
"…I might not know how to now, but it doesn't mean that I can't in the future. I can hire a home tutor to teach me," Leonard "grumbled" in reply. "And what does 'the main details' refer to? 'His' body structure, or the symbols and labels depicted from godhood?"
At this moment, Audrey pursed her lips and "said" with a brisk tone, controlling herself so as to not burst out laughing, "I can draw."
This was the basic skill for a noble lady, and Audrey was quite talented in this aspect.
"Yeah, we can try it in the future when there's time." Klein nodded and walked towards the giant pillar right in front of the main hall.
His plan for this expedition was to first gain a complete understanding of the situation before considering how to venture deeper.
At the same time, he thought of something else because of Leonard's question:
"The symbols and labels from godhood… These contain plenty of mixed knowledge. It can even let people learn the corresponding potion formulas and Beyonder powers after surviving the impact from witnessing it directly… Then, before the first Blasphemy Slate appeared, what would one obtain if they survived directly looking at a demigod or even an ancient god? There were no such things as potion formulas back then…
"Is it only through using a magic potion to advance one's Mythical Creature form step by step that the godhood aspect is able to contain this portion of knowledge? Or perhaps, after the potion formula appears, Mythical Creatures who used any method of advancement had the corresponding knowledge forged within them?
"If it's because of the two reasons I came up with, it means that the knowledge of godhood can change, and it can increase… Do angels of the Marauder pathway have the ability to alter such knowledge or even delete them directly?"
"Mr. World's considerations are so deep and profound. They involve very high levels…" Audrey couldn't help but "sigh."
Leonard couldn't control the voice in his heart either.
"There's such a thing? I should ask Old Man when I return…
"This fellow sure knows a lot… It's not entirely a pretense when he's acting as Gehrman Sparrow. At least this sense of profoundness seems to belong to him…"
"Thank you for your praise. Stop!" With a small blood bottle in one hand and the Unshadowed Crucifix in the other, Klein forced himself to rein in his thoughts and cast his gaze at the ancient god's "throne."
They were in their Spirit Body forms now. Although they were unable to fly due to the restrictions from the main hall, their top speed was still much faster than their human form.
It was only then that Klein realized that, behind the pillar that looked like the Dragon of Imagination's throne, there was a dark tunnel.
"I can't see anything. If only there was light…" A thought subconsciously flashed through Audrey's mind.
Then, in that tunnel, a pure and soft light shone out, illuminating the inside of the tunnel completely.
Without needing to enter, Klein, Leonard, and Audrey saw a pair of double bronze doors at the deepest end of the tunnel.
There were countless indescribable symbols covering the door, like countless chains that extended behind them, as if they were sealing something. It gave off a heavy and mysterious feeling.
In the City of Miracles of the dragons, in the residence of an ancient god, there was apparently a sealed door behind "His" throne.
Almost at the same time, the three of them seemed to look through the bronze door and into the darkness inside.
Following that, they heard the loud thumping of hearts.
It was from their own heartbeats.
Yet, they were in their Spirit Body states now, so there was no such thing as a heart!
After that, the bronze-green color on the surface of the Unshadowed Crucifix slowly peeled off, revealing a corporeal body formed from pure light that emitted a sun-like glow.
As for Klein, Audrey, and Leonard, they felt a baffling sense of coldness. It was as if every cell had their own sentience and wanted to form another "self."
In their illusory vision, in the darkness behind the bronze door, an eye opened. Its pupil was dark, filled with ghostly-blue cracks.
One after another, similar-looking eyes opened too. They were densely packed together and wore a cold gaze that stared intently at them.
At this moment, Klein and the others seemed to hear a silent calling. It was an extremely attractive shout.
Without any hesitation, Klein's Spirit Body burgeoned and enveloped Leonard and Audrey. He ended the summoning and returned above the gray fog.
Chapter 1073 Three Possibilities
As he returned to the world above the gray fog, Klein felt the coldness in his body rapidly dissipate. There were no more Worms of Spirit trying to give birth to new consciousnesses.
A moment later, the mottled long bronze table appeared in front of him. He saw that Miss Justice and Leonard's Spirit Bodies were gradually becoming clearer amidst the thin gray fog, although they still maintained a certain blurriness to them.
After the gray fog swirled around them and sank into the "ground," Klein asked, "How are you feeling now?"
He used Gehrman Sparrow's usual tone, but he immediately recalled how his inner grumblings, inner thoughts, habitual analysis, and him dissing Leonard had been exposed. He was no longer able to maintain his image in front of Miss Justice.
It's all Leonard's fault! Sigh, as per the doctor's advice, not only did I not wear a thick mask this time, but I even removed the thin kind… This thought flashed in his mind unconsciously as he cut off his thoughts and warily glanced around.
He still hadn't gotten rid of the fear of having his thoughts "spoken" out loud.
Luckily, this was no longer the place that he had named "the Hall of Truth." There were no more "magical" powers that he couldn't defend again via normal means.
It was obvious that Audrey and Leonard also had a similar trauma due to their post-traumatic stress. One of them suddenly pursed her lips, while the other sat up straight, as though they had instinctively thought of something.
After a few seconds of silence, they then remembered that The World had asked about their situation, so they quickly turned their attention back on the right track.
"I feel like something was being purified… I had the illusion that I would dissociate into a second personality—no, it wasn't a second personality—it seemed like a consciousness that didn't belong to me was awakening inside my body. Yes, it's now gone. Praise be to Mr. Fool!" Audrey rather professionally did a psychoanalysis on herself before sincerely expressing her gratitude.
I can openly accept such gratitude… That was a dangerous thought. Thankfully, Miss Justice's and Leonard's thoughts didn't steer towards The Fool while inside the Hall of Truth. Otherwise, I'd definitely not be able to resist the urge to "reply." That'd spell the end of me… My sense of shame will cause me to lose control on the spot, breaking down into a clump of Worms of Spirit… Klein's thought flashed as he seriously replied, "Praise be to Mr. Fool!"
"…Praise be to Mr. Fool." As a believer of the Evernight Goddess, Leonard hesitantly echoed and quickly changed the topic. "There's nothing wrong with me too. Just now, I felt something calling me from behind the bronze door. What about you?"
Seeing that Leonard had confirmed his condition, Klein placed the Unshadowed Crucifix and the metal bottle containing his blood onto the long, mottled table in front of him.
"I felt the same way too," he answered with certainty.
"Me too. It wasn't an illusion. I did an analysis on my own mind," Audrey said in a very clear and certain tone.
Leonard held his chin and said, "What could that be?
"It actually needed an ancient god to seal it behind 'His' throne…"
After what had happened before, he felt that he no longer had much of an image in front of Miss Justice, so his posture became more casual.
"We can try analyzing this…" Audrey carefully glanced at The World.
She had a deep impression of this gentleman's ability to gather information, make connections, complete an analysis, and infer the information in a short period of time.
Klein thought for a moment and said without any inclinations, "There are only three possibilities. One, it's a powerful creature from the Second Epoch of the real world. It's at least close to Sequence 0, and the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt had sealed it behind 'His' throne and beneath the City of Miracles Liveseyd. However, I don't think that's very likely. This is because that ancient god definitely had 'His* reasons for creating this book and stuffing Liveseyd into it while affecting the book world and the real world. It's unlikely 'He' would place an unpredictable element in here for prolonged periods of time."
"Yeah, we all know that we have to eliminate possible accidents, what's more, an ancient god." Audrey nodded slightly and began to discuss seriously with The World Gehrman.
At this moment, Leonard chuckled and said, "Perhaps an ancient god like the Dragon of Imagination had seen certain scenes of the distant future and believes that the sealed item will help 'Him' achieve 'His' goals?"
"That's why I said that it's not impossible, but it's highly improbable," Klein replied calmly. "The second possibility is that the sealed item is key to the Dragon of Imagination Ankewelt's ploy. Once this book and 0-08 meet, the seal will be released and that object will return to the real world and bring about certain changes. I believe that this theory has the highest possibility."
Amongst them, perhaps it also involves the Dragon of Wisdom's true attitude or intent.
"Then what could it be? Mr. Fool once said that, after Adam obtained 0-08, 'He' is even closer to being divine. The times have changed as a result. Does this mean that Adam has gathered all the ingredients for Visionary and is just short of the ritual… Is there anything wrong with my understanding?" Audrey shared her point of view.
"I'm not sure either. I'll pray to Mr. Fool and see if I can get a clearer revelation." Klein didn't want to say give a firm answer.
Unfortunately, Old Man is an angel from the Fourth Epoch and doesn't know much about the Second Epoch, but "He" isn't unfamiliar with Adam… The Star Leonard thoughtfully said, "I'll try…"
He wanted to say that he would try investigating, but upon recalling that the two knew his secret, he gave up such thoughts and directly said, "…try asking Old Man."
"Sorry to trouble you," Audrey sincerely thanked him.
From her point of view, this was a matter regarding the Spectator pathway. The person most concerned about this was undoubtedly herself, while others were merely providing help.
Then she said, "The third possibility is that there is some sort of object or monster sealed inside the book world?"
"Yes, it might be closely related to the book world, and destroying it might cause the book world to collapse. Therefore, all Ankewelt did was seal it." Klein shared his theory.
Audrey thought for a while before saying, "I have an idea regarding this possibility."
Seeing Mr. World and Mr. Star cast their gazes over, awaiting an answer, she slowed down her pace and said, "I'm considering it from a psychological perspective.
"Since that book world was created by Ankewelt's 'envisioning' it, the sea of collective subconscious there would definitely be formed as a result of 'Him.' It would have 'His' psyche, emotions, and feelings branded into it.
"Perhaps the City of Miracles, Liveseyd, seals the most extreme parts of these things. They're the trauma or fears of the Dragon of Imagination. Some terrifying matters from 'His1 consciousness might be projected onto this brand. As long as 'He' cannot defeat them, and if it hasn't been dealt with in the real world, the book world's sea of collective subconscious cannot be destroyed and can only be sealed. If it's ignored, they will slowly contaminate the sea of collective subconscious and make the development of history deviate from its intended path."
Leonard was more focused than when he attended Red Gloves meetings. He couldn't help but mention when he had heard that:
"As an ancient god that ruled the sky and the mind, what could've left an irremovable trauma and create such an intense sense of fear?"
"I don't know." Audrey shook her head frankly. "If it's just a psychological analysis, since it's sealed under the throne and at the bottom of the City of Miracles, and is reached by a tunnel, it means that the source of the trauma and fear comes from underground. Therefore, the Dragon of Imagination sealed it—no, 'He' isolated the mental projection coming from underground. Otherwise, why wouldn't it be beside the throne, in the depths of the hall, in a specially created jail, or somewhere else?"
Upon hearing Miss Justice's words, Klein instantly thought of what had happened to Miss Magician and Miss Judgment.
According to the information provided by the Sanguine, they found an ancient castle of unknown age. At the bottom of the castle was a bronze door that seemed to seal something terrifying that came from underground. Once they approached the door or stayed in its vicinity for too long, they would be corrupted, dying a tragic death!
It was an ancient castle that was built to defend against something unknown. It was originally guarded by humans from an unknown era… After the Sanguine discovered it, no one dared to enter… Back then, I thought that it might be related to Devils and that one needed to be a demigod in order to explore it… Could this be related to the seal in Liveseyd? Klein's thoughts wandered as he quickly found the relevant information from his memories.
On the way to the ruins of the battle of the gods on Cattleya's Future, he met a so-called "deep-sea well."
At that time, the Future's sailor, Nina, had dived to the bottom of the sea and did a series of investigations. She said that it wasn't a giant well. It was deep and dark, impossible for a human child to enter. The bottom couldn't be seen, and there were strange honeycombed signs of corrosion along the inner walls. Surrounding it were collapsed iron buildings.
In a sense, this is also a "tunnel" that goes deep underground… Klein looked around and deliberated before saying, "Do you remember the matter Miss Magician mentioned? Under an abandoned castle in Delaire Forest, there is a pair of doors that seals a powerful corruptive force."
"Ah, right!" Audrey instantly recalled the past. "Could it be that in the early days of the Second Epoch—in that ancient era—supernatural beings had some common, terrifying enemy that came from underground?"
"Perhaps." Klein couldn't give an affirmative answer, so he took the opportunity to say, "It might also be like the many predictions of the apocalypse which state that the danger comes from the cosmos."
"Yeah." Audrey and Leonard didn't know much about such matters, so they couldn't discuss this matter too deeply.
"Let's end it here for today. After we have a preliminary understanding of the situation, we will try to experiment on the murals. Also, remember to keep this a secret." Klein shot a look at Leonard and said, "Oh, after you return, pray to Mr. Fool and request that 'He' be the witness to our vows to not divulge each other's secrets."
Audrey didn't object and added, "I'll use Hypnosis here to forget certain matters here to prevent myself from remembering it when I return."
Chapter 1074 The Answer to Questions
After Audrey and Leonard left the gray fog, Klein didn't immediately return to the real world.
He was still sitting on the high-back chair that belonged to The World, silent for more than ten seconds.
Then, he beckoned for an item.
It was a "heart" that was the size of a child's fist, one that full of grayish-white wrinkles:
A Manipulator's Beyonder characteristic!
Holding the Beyonder characteristic, Klein stood up and walked out of the majestic palace. He entered the depths of the mysterious space above the gray fog and arrived at the staircase of light that seemed to lead to a divine kingdom.
Walking along the stairs, he walked up to the floating grayish-white clouds and stood in front of the strange door of light and the hanging transparent cocoons. Klein raised his right hand, lifting the brain-like, heart-like Manipulator Beyonder characteristic to his chest and extended his spirituality, hoping to use it.
He wanted to see if there were still any subconscious thoughts in the people inside the "cocoons." He wanted to see if they had put together a miniature sea of collective subconscious.
If that happened, he planned to use Hvin Rambis's Manipulator Beyonder characteristic to enter the consciousness and check on the psyche branding to figure out what the people who had been hanging above the door of light had experienced before their "transmigration." He wanted to know if they sensed anything during that long "slumber."
This was the inspiration that the expedition today gave him.
Of course, the Beyonder characteristic left behind by Hvin Rambis might not be able to help Klein do what he wanted.
It was because it hadn't been made into a mystical item, and it was very difficult to use effectively.
In an instant, the grayish-white and wrinkled "heart" in Klein's hand started to beat slowly as it emitted thumping sounds.
Klein then heard the synchronized heartbeats among the transparent "cocoons."
Thump! Thump…
This meant that the people inside were still alive, only in a certain state of slumber.
In Klein's vision, their figures gradually evolved into several blurry islands beneath them.
This represented their consciousness.
However, these spiritual islands were also trapped within transparent "cocoons," separating them from the prying eyes of the outside world.
Similarly, they were unable to integrate and create a sea of collective subconscious.
Unless the 'cocoon' is destroyed, there's no way to bypass them and enter the corresponding mind world… Klein muttered to himself and lowered the hand holding the Manipulator Beyonder characteristic.
After a few seconds, he sighed deeply and turned around to leave.
In Empress Borough, the opulent villa of Earl Hall.
With the silk blanket over her, Audrey, who was sleeping soundly with her eyes closed, suddenly opened her eyes.
She then sat up, moved to the side of the bed, and prayed sincerely to Mr. Fool, asking "Him" to witness her vow to secrecy.
After she was done with this matter, she pulled a pillow over and placed it behind her waist, reminiscing over the experiences that she had yet to "forget" during the exploration.
The history of ancient times is really interesting and terrifying… Mr. Star's performance is similar to my usual observations of him. He's more carefree and casual, and his thoughts easily wander in an uncontrollable manner. Yet, there are matters where he shows his experience and acuity. He's rather reliable… This isn't a contradiction, as many people have such "mixed layers to themselves"…
Mr. World is indeed a gentle person. He doesn't seem to wear much of an expression on his face, but he's secretly inwardly muttering something to himself all the time. His mental conversations with Mr. Star can practically be adapted into a play…
People call him a crazy adventurer who doesn't care about his surroundings, one that directly draws his gun to shoot when he sees a target… Well, at the last moment, I thought he would attempt to approach the bronze door, but in the end… He fled. No, he broke away so decisively! Audrey's lips slowly curled up when she thought of this.
Then, she made a conclusion.
The facts have proven that, in the mysterious world, unless one has completely lost all sense of rationality or has given up on thinking, there will not be any Beyonders who will really do crazy things. One has to be careful and cautious, not seeing things that shouldn't be seen, and not hear things that shouldn't be heard.
Audrey, you must remember this!
7 Pinster Street. Leonard returned to his body.
He quickly thought of how he should talk to Pallez Zoroast before pretending like nothing had happened and saying in a deep voice, "Old Man, I have something to ask you."
In his mind, Pallez's slightly-aged voice immediately laughed.
"You have to remember this. The more you ask, the more I can guess what you did tonight."
"It's not like there's anything that needs to be kept a secret…" Leonard replied habitually before getting down to the main issue. "Old Man, what do you know about the Amon's brother?"
"That depends on what you want to know." Pallez Zoroast tossed the question back at Leonard.
Leonard thought for a moment and said, "After Amon's brother obtained 0-08, is 'He' only short of the ritual to become a god?"
Probably." Pallez didn't give an affirmative answer.
Leonard wasn't too satisfied with this answer. Instead, he said, "I remember you mentioning it once. In the early stages of the Solomon Empire, the two Kings of Angels, Medici and Ouroboros were quite scared of Amon and his brother. This means that they were already very close to being divine."
This was something that Pallez had occasionally mentioned during their previous exchanges. This time, Leonard had confirmed it from some of Mobet's answers.
"Heh, I've only said the first half of the sentence. I didn't tell you that Amon and Adam are very close to being divine." Pallez rejected Leonard's claim. "There are too many possibilities as to why Medici and Ouroboros are afraid. It's not just because 'He' is close to being divine. It's not enough to make such a conclusion based on that."
The Sequence 1 angel cleared his throat and continued, "'Them' being close to being divine is one of the possibilities. Adam and Amon wield unique authorities, and them being hard to deal with is another possibility. For instance, you will always have no idea that Adam is sitting beside you. You have no idea if what you're doing was arranged by 'Him,' nor do you know that you're walking into 'His' trap by your own volition. Heh, I'm referring to you, not me. Of course, I also have to be way of such matters. Letting my guard down might result in terrible consequences for me too.
"As for Amon, 'He' has many different ideas and has a 'do-it' spirit, making it hard for people to guess 'His' motives and be on guard against 'Him.' Besides, 'He' is very good at deceit. There's always some conspiracy behind 'Him.' In that era, apart from the true deities, there was no one who wasn't afraid of 'Him.' Heh heh, even true deities had to be wary of him; otherwise, they might have certain authorities stolen by 'Him' at some point in time."
Leonard nodded indiscemibly and diverted the topic:
"Old Man, do you think the Spectator pathway is hiding any secrets?"
"I don't think there are any secrets below the level of angel. I'm not sure of anything above it." Pallez said after pondering for a few seconds.
Without waiting for Leonard to respond, "He" hesitantly added, "I heard from Medici that high-level Beyonders of the Spectator pathway are the hardest to lose control or go crazy, but it's also the easiest to lose control and go crazy."
"Why?" Leonard asked in surprise.
Pallez Zoroast scoffed and said, "I have some guesses, but I lack the necessary evidence and logic behind them. I don't want to tell you for the time being."
"You actually don't have any ideas or theories, right…" Leonard habitually grumbled.
"Don't try your little tricks in front of me." The slightly-aged voice wasn't affected at all.
Leonard didn't dare to ask further as he deliberated for a moment before saying, "Old Man, I went to a real dream this time. There were quite a lot of psyche remnants of people from ancient times in it.
"Do you know a viscount named Mobet Zoroast?"
"Mobet…" Pallez's voice suddenly aged significantly before returning to normal. "He's a direct descendant of my bloodline. He vanished after a large-scale war, and I thought that he had been killed by Amon or Jacob in passing, causing me to fail to divine the murderer… From the looks of it, things weren't that simple."
"Indeed." Leonard gave an affirmative answer. Then, he briefly provided the gist of things: "He's been dead for some time, leaving some of his psyche behind. In that real dream, he married a songster from the elves…"
After listening quietly, Pallez said after a while, "That's good, too…"
Leonard had originally wanted to mention that Mobet also addressed Pallez as "Old Man," but he suddenly couldn't bring himself to. He had no choice but to end the conversation there.
After witnessing Leonard's and Audrey's vow, Klein returned to the real world.
He tidied up the altar in the room, took out a pen and paper, and drew a complicated symbol that was a mixture of concealment and mystery prying.
He wanted to summon Arrodes to ask how it had confirmed that Groselle's Travels had appeared after the disappearance of the City of Miracles, Liveseyd.
After waiting for more than ten seconds, the full-body mirror in the room lit up with a faint aqueous light.
Silver words appeared one after another in the dim light:
"Exalted, benevolent, Great Master, your puny, loyal, and humble servant, Arrodes, is here to answer your summoning!
"Do you have any orders for me?"
"Some questions." After giving his answer, Klein was in no hurry to ask about the matter regarding Groselle's Travels, intending to start with something that wasn't very sensitive first.
He thought and said, "Arrodes, there's an abandoned castle in Delaire Forest. In the depths of it is a pair of bronze doors. It seems to be sealing some power coming from underground. Do you know what it is?"
The moment he finished speaking, the light on the full-body mirror's surface suddenly dimmed and turned pitch-black. In the pitch-blackness, white, liquefied words appeared one after another:
"I came from underground…"
Chapter 1075 No Response
"I came from underground…"
Looking at the ghastly-white words that appeared on the full-body mirror, a chill suddenly ran down Klein's back. His pupils dilated as he instinctively wanted to switch places with his marionette next door.
In the room where the valet was, Enuni, who was lying quietly, had opened his eyes.
His stomach began to expand and contract as though he had a second heart, one that beat extremely slowly.
At the same time, the scene of the magic mirror, Arrodes, answering where it came from flashed through Klein's mind:
Large amounts of black sticky liquid spewed out from an underground hole, writhing and expanding, an uneven number of hands and legs that turned into numerous monsters grew out. During this process, a speck of light was shot out along with the black liquid before landing on a rock, to which it rapidly fused together, turning into a mirror with ancient patterns and black gems adorning its two sides—Arrodes's main form.
It really came from underground… And this underground is the same as the underground area sealed by the bronze door inside the ancient abandoned castle… I didn't make the connection before… It's not like I could help it. There are just too many things that involve things from underground. Most of them have little special meaning, just like coal… Hmm, a few days ago, I didn't think that there was anything overly special with the underground… Klein controlled the urge within him and ignored the shock from Arrodes's answer, and he said with an unperturbed expression, "What's the exact situation?"
The ghastly-pale words changed and gave off a baffling feeling, as though it was almost crying.
"Great Master, I'm not exactly sure what happened. I only came to the surface and became a mirror before I gained true sentience. I don't remember anything from before.
"Oh yeah, there's something that might be related. Do you want to hear it?"
"Speak." Seeing that Arrodes's attitude was still alright, Klein heaved a sigh of relief.
The color of the words on the full-body mirror's surface had slightly recovered, and it became somewhat pure white:
"Didn't I say it before? I see support and dominance from you, and other than that special calling, I have similar feelings towards the underground. It makes me feel warm and makes me want to return to submit myself. This might be why I became your servant."
What? The things from underground give people the same feeling as the gray fog? They all involve support and dominance? Upon seeing Arrodes's answer, Klein jumped in fright once again. If not for his Clown's ability, he would've lost his composure.
At that moment, he suddenly recalled a Chinese joke he had seen in his previous life and substituted himself into it: "What? The things that the ancient gods fear come from underground?
"What? Arrodes also comes from underground?
"What? I also come from underground?"
This is really funny and scary… No, this might not be a joke. The original owner of the mysterious space above the gray fog, the creator of that strange door of light, the existence that pulled all the transmigrators over, might be related to the underground, or he has all kinds of connections with it… Klein's thoughts wandered as he instantly thought of many matters.
As an indescribable shadow loomed over him, he smiled and mocked himself, "No matter what, there are new clues and directions for the investigation into the gray fog and transmigration…"
Klein composed himself and asked in deliberation, "What do the Churches and secret organizations know about the underground objects that require sealing?"
On the full-length mirror, the white words returned to its silver color:
"It's almost unheard of. It seems to be concealed by some sort of power."
Isn't that "concealment"… Klein frowned slightly and didn't say a word.
The silver words on the mirror continued to appear:
"However, there are some legends that exist within a group of secret organizations.
"According to the legends, the underground is described as the lair of Devils and evil spirits, the source of humanity's decadence, the primordial sins and evil."
The first one is wrong. The underground object that needs to be sealed has a high chance of having nothing to do with Devils or evil spirits… Legends are actually similar to the mysterious symbols. Don't look at what is said, but peel off its outer skin and figure out what it symbolizes… This symbolizes the fear of the underground, from the body to the spirit, from one's consciousness to one's feelings? Klein's thoughts raced as he said with a nod, "It's your turn to ask a question."
"Great Master, your loyal servant, Arrodes, has a small suggestion. Do you want to hear it?" Silver words appeared on the full-body mirror one after another.
"Speak." Klein could vaguely guess what Arrodes was suggesting.
"Before you return to being divine, try not to investigate anything related to being sealed underground." The silver words quickly squirmed, reforming into a new sentence.
As expected… Klein sighed and calmly said, "Next question: how did you confirm that Groselle's Travels appeared after the disappearance of the City of Miracles, Liveseyd?"
The words on the surface of the mirror quickly distorted, merging into a clump, and then quickly dispersing:
"It's a revelation and information obtained from the spirit world; since it originated from the dragons' subsidiary god, the Dragon of Wisdom, your loyal servant believes that it can be confirmed.
"Great Master, is there a problem with that?"
How direct… After sighing, Klein instantly thought of how the Dragon of Wisdom, Herabergen, should've entered the book world before and approached the bronze door behind the ancient god's throne, likely having some knowledge of what was sealed underground due to "His" "omniscience." Furthermore, Klein believed that the ancient dragon had hidden a deeper layer of secrets in Groselle's Travels.
He could vaguely grasp it, but he couldn't tell what it was and grasp at it.
"No," Klein answered Arrodes's question.
Then, he probed, "Why didn't you mention the Dragon of Wisdom's true name?"
"It's because I don't dare to directly give the name of a god." Arrodes gave a confirmed answer in a tacit manner.
Klein nodded and didn't ask further.
"It's your turn."
"Great Master, do you have any more questions?" The silver word rapidly reorganized itself on the slightly dark mirror. "No, that's all for today." Klein shook his head.
With that said, he remembered what had happened the previous time and added, "I'll summon you again when there are new questions."
The full-body mirror immediately brightened, and the silver words sparkled:
Yes, Master!
"Your loyal and strong servant, Arrodes, is waiting for you to call again!"
This time, it wasn't a simple drawing but a white cat's paw with a red center.
…There's always something new…The corner of Klein's mouth twitched slightly as he watched the full-body mirror the bedroom return to normal.
He stood in the darkness, bathed in the crimson moonlight shining through the curtains. After standing quietly for a while, he returned to his bed and quickly fell asleep with the help of Cogitation.
The next morning, on Monday morning, Klein woke up 15 minutes earlier than usual. He led his valet, Enuni, down to the first floor and said to Butler Walter, "I had a nightmare last night. I want to visit the cathedral before breakfast."
Although Butler Walter was surprised by this, it wasn't too strange. After all, as long as the cathedral's doors were open, people could enter at any time.
He quickly arranged for a carriage and sent Dwayne Dantes all the way to the door.
When Klein arrived at Saint Samuel Cathedral, the door wasn't opened yet. He waited until eight before entering the main hall with the first batch of believers. He found a seat in the first few pews and sat down facing the Dark Sacred Emblem. Closing his eyes in the tranquil environment, he focused on chanting the Goddess's honorific name in ancient Hermes.
"The Evemight Goddess who stands higher than the cosmos and more eternal than eternity. You are also the Lady of Crimson, the Mother of Concealment, the Empress of Misfortune and Horror, Mistress of Repose and Silence…"
After he finished reciting the honorific name, he changed to his normal Loen language and said almost soundlessly, "There's an ancient castle in the middle of Delaire Forest. There's an ancient bronze door deep within it. It's sealing a powerful corruptive force… How should I eliminate this latent problem there?"
This wasn't a test of a deity, but an open report. As for what reaction the Church would have after that, and what they would see through their operations, was a whole other matter.
After repeating it seven times, he began to pray seriously.
Time passed. In the quiet and peaceful church, Klein stood up and walked out of Saint Samuel Cathedral with his valet, Enuni.
During this process, he didn't receive any revelations, nor did he see the matron of the Evernight cloister, Arianna.
The feedback itself meant something.
That was he wasn't qualified to know about the underground seal.
East Borough, in a two-bedroom apartment.
Fors pulled up the blanket and covered her head.
She abhorred the curtains here because they were too thin and translucent and couldn't block out the morning sun. That seriously affected her quality of sleep.
I have to change it. No, we might have to move again soon… Just as Fors's thoughts wandered about, she heard the sound of the bedroom door opening and Xio's familiar gait.
In a flash, her blanket disappeared and a letter landed on her.
Your letter, from Pritz Harbor," Xio informed her.
"…Teacher's reply." Fors sat up suddenly, opened the letter, and quickly read it.
After a moment of silence, she said, "I have to go out for a while. My teacher has already reached Backlund… This letter should've arrived two days ago!"
The letter had a date and address.
"The postman over here isn't that responsible." Xio glanced at her friend and said, "Will you be late?"
"Fortunately, Teacher said that he would wait three days for me." Fors hurriedly got off the bed and started changing her clothes.
She had a feeling that she would be able to understand the Abraham family more deeply this time, and also receive the potion formula of Traveler and some Beyonder ingredients.
Chapter 1076 Dorian's Request
Outside Room 2016 at the Hat Trick Inn on Cherwood Borough's 22 Hope Street.
Fors directly walked through the wall without drawing anyone's attention. Then, she knocked on the door in a rhythm that was previously agreed upon.
Not long after, Dorian Gray Abraham, who was dressed in black, with his broad shoulders and thick arms, unlocked the door and turned the doorknob.
The gentleman quickly sized up the area and made way for Fors to enter the room.
"I really didn't expect you to become a Scribe so soon…" After closing the door, Dorian carefully examined the door's lock before turning around and sighing.
Based on the standards of this era, he was considered a middle-aged man, but he was still a Sequence 7 Astrologer. He had no hope of advancing
Yet, his student, Fors Wall, took about a year to go from Sequence 9 to Sequence 6.
This comparison between the two made Dorian feel poignant and sad.
The Abraham family's bloodline should've been noble and enviable, but now, it was a heavy curse that made him depressed.
"It's because you taught me well." Although Fors didn't like going out and enjoyed staying at home, she would still be invited by the nobles from time to time. She was a best-selling author who participated in high society's literary salons, so she wasn't clueless as to how to speak. Furthermore, she had indeed obtained quite a bit of help from her teacher—from providing knowledge and money to formulas and ingredients.
Dorian looked at her and shook his head with a smile.
"It's not like you're my only student. As far as I remember, this advancement speed can only be matched by one person."
He paused and continued, "Next up, your target is Sequence 5 Traveler. And I have even higher expectations for you. I hope that you can obtain godhood and become a Sequence 4 Secrets Sorcerer.
"Of course, I also have a request. When you truly become a demigod, try to pray to a hidden existence and listen to 'His' answer to figure out what 'He' is talking about.
"This is indeed a bit dangerous, but a Sequence 4 demigod would have sufficient power to withstand it. Without any other elements at play, there shouldn't be any problems."
"Teacher, is this answer important to you?" Although Fors knew what was going on, she still acted curious and puzzled.
Dorian fell silent for a few seconds before sighing
"It's very important. My parents, my brothers, my sisters, my children, too many people have sacrificed their lives in pursuit of this answer, but to no avail…
"Don't worry. We paid such a huge price because there's an ancient curse on our family's bloodline, and you aren't related to us by blood.
"I don't expect to find a way to break the curse through that answer during my generation. However, I hope to know where it originates from and understand the cause of my death…"
Upon saying this, Dorian took a deep breath and didn't continue.
For some reason, Fors could feel the weight of time that had accumulated over a thousand years, generation after generation, bearing down on her shoulders.
She really couldn't imagine how painful it would be for a person's ancestors, parents, brothers, sisters, and children to directly or indirectly die from the same curse.
Thinking of how well her teacher had been taking care of her, Fors, who had only received this type of care from her elders, opened her eyes, lowered her head, and nodded.
"I'll try my best."
Dorian held back his feelings and nodded slightly.
"The most praiseworthy trait of yours is your kindness."
Fors felt a little embarrassed as she turned to talk about a phrase the teacher had mentioned.
"Family?"
She remembered that her teacher had never told her about the Abraham family. He had claimed that he, Lawrence, and Aulisa were members of a secret organization.
In order to differentiate between matters which her teacher had told her and what she had learned at the Tarot Club, Fors had done a serious list of what she should know before she left home, to prevent herself from accidentally revealing information she shouldn't have.
Dorian answered simply, "In order to solve the curse, everyone in my family joined that organization."
He immediately changed the subject.
"Why did you move out in a hurry this time?"
"I was targeted by official Beyonders." Fors first said a half-truth before complaining a little about the mailman.
Dorian didn't say anything else as he stepped away from Fors and set up a ritual. He summoned the music-loving void creature, Malmouth, and he made it spit out three items.
One was a transparent, nearly illusory crystal, and the second item was a piece of ancient goatskin parchment. The third was a small hunter's backpack.
"This is a Beyonder characteristic left behind by a Traveler. With it, you don't need to gather any additional main ingredients. This is the Traveler potion formula. This backpack contains the corresponding supplementary ingredients. If you don't have a good way to preserve them, try your best to finish digesting the Scribe potion within half a year. Otherwise, their spirituality will be completely lost…" Dorian handed everything over to Fors.
"Thank you, Teacher," Fors said sincerely.
Then, she unfurled the goatskin and quickly skimmed through the potion formula before placing her focus on the ritual.
"Set up special coordinates in four completely different spots deep in the spirit world which are all set up extremely far away from each other."
"The goal of this ritual is?" Fors thought for a few seconds and asked her teacher.
"After consuming the Traveler potion, you will wander the spirit world chaotically. When you grasp some degree of initial level over your powers, you will realize that you have lost your way. At that moment, you can use the four special coordinates to return to the real world. Otherwise, you will be trapped in the depths of the spirit world for a long time. Not only is it dangerous inside, but it will also assimilate you, making you lose your mind and become a living creature that is attached to the spirit world." Although Dorian had no hope of becoming a Traveler, he had seen students advancing to Sequence 5 before.
"Then there should be another alternative…" Fors muttered in thought.
"Yes." Dorian nodded and said, "Previously, there was something in the organization that could allow people to instantly return to the real world from the spirit world. Unfortunately, it was lost."
Without waiting for Fors to ask, Dorian said, "If I'm saying-if you really become a demigod and fulfill my wish, I'll hand over an important item that I'm in charge of to you. This is an expectation your teacher has for
you."
One of the powerful Sealed Artifacts of the Abraham family? Fors had a vague guess, but she didn't dare promise anything. She said the same thing, "I'll try my best."
Following that, she asked curiously, "Teacher, you mentioned that Sequence 4 is a Secrets Sorcerer. What about Sequence 3, 2, and Sequence 1?"
Dorian immediately laughed.
"You're only a Sequence 6.
"Yes, Sequence 3's name is 'Wanderer.' Sequence 2 is 'Planeswalker,' and the Sequence 1 potion name is 'Key of Stars.'
"Heh heh, it's a good thing that you mentioned this. I actually forgot to organize a list of things to take note of in the spirit world. These are things that must be remembered after becoming a Traveler.
"In that case, I'll stay for another night. You can visit me tomorrow for the documents."
As Fors ruminated over the names of the High-Sequence potions of the Apprentice pathway, she agreed.
"Alright, Teacher."
After settling these matters, Dorian paced back and forth and thought for a moment before instructing, "The Beyonder characteristics of the same pathway have a certain attraction towards each other. It's not obvious when one's at a low Sequence, but the higher the Sequence, the stronger it becomes.
"Sometimes, this kind of attraction isn't something you can directly feel, while also making you unknowingly approach a High-Sequence Beyonder of the same pathway. When you become a Traveler, you have to pay attention to this matter."
At this point, Dorian paused and said, "Not many demigods of the Apprentice pathway are still alive. Among them, you need to be extra careful of a man named Botis. He is the Saint of Secrets from the Aurora Order and, just like Lewis, he's a traitor of our organization. I will give you his portrait tomorrow."
Botis… Fors repeated the name her teacher had mentioned in her mind.
At the same time, she had a new understanding about the Aurora Order Oracle, Lewis Wien, over the previous chance encounter.
Perhaps it wasn't a chance encounter, but the attraction force between Beyonder characteristics. Teacher had a sufficiently powerful Sealed Artifact from the Apprentice pathway on him!
Fors quickly suppressed this thought and began asking for advice on how to act as a Scribe.
In the Berg household in the City of Silver.
There's actually a path that can bypass the front of the Giant King's Court and enter the interior from the Waning Forest and Barren Tunnel… Derrick Berg recalled the information he had been shared by Mr. World above the gray fog.
This was very important to the City of Silver, as the early-stage explorations after the Afternoon Town camp had set off implied that the closer they were to the Giant King's Court, the stronger the monsters that originated from the darkness were.
"I have to tell the Chief!" Derrick abruptly stood up and rushed out of his house, heading straight for the spire. As he wished, he saw the Chief of the six-member council, Colin Iliad.
He followed Mr. Hanged Man's instructions and said that he had recalled some murals he had seen in the Afternoon Town's "shadow." On it was a secret passage that led into the Giant King's Court.
Colin Iliad listened quietly without interrupting Derrick's narration. Finally, he nodded gently and said, "Good, you did well.
"What do you want to exchange for this contribution?"
"A mature mind dragon's complete brain." Derrick was prepared.
Colin didn't ask why as he thought for a moment and said, "If that secret passage is real, then the value will definitely exceed the complete brain of an adult mind dragon. Hmm… You can pick something else. Are you interested in the potion formula for a relatively higher Sequence of the Planter pathway?"
This is a question for Mr. Fool… While Derrick was enlightened, he said in surprise, "Do we have a relatively higher Sequence potion formula for the Planter pathway?"
He had no recollection of it.
"Of course. You should remember that the Giant King's queen is the Goddess of Harvest, but the surrounding areas lack the corresponding Beyonder ingredients. There's no rush. You can think about it again." Colin Iliad calmly changed the subject. "Are you skilled with your Priest of Light powers?"
"Yes," Derrick replied succinctly.
Colin was silent for a moment as he looked at the adolescent child before him and said, "What kind of Saint-level Sealed Artifact do you want to choose?"
Chapter 1077 Four Choices
What kind of Saint-level Sealed Artifact do I want to choose? Derrick Berg subconsciously considered what he needed.
Due to the fact that the Sun pathway was rather powerful against the monsters in the darkness, and with Thunder God's Roar, he didn't have the desire for Sealed Artifacts that provided offensive or supportive effects. Instead, the pain from being beaten up while making friends made him subconsciously hope to obtain a mystical item that could provide stronger defensive capabilities.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Derrick suddenly realized that the question wasn't directed at the Saint- level Sealed Artifact he wanted, but which Saint-level Sealed Artifact could be used to exchange for the Creator's cross from Mr. Fool.
He hesitated and frankly asked, "Your Excellency, do you have any suggestions?"
Colin glanced at him and left his original position. He slowly walked to the window and turned around.
"There are four Sealed Artifacts that are relatively suitable for you.
"The first item is called 'Sword of Silverdawn.' It was left behind by an elder who died thirteen hundred years ago.
"With this sword in hand, one can hide their malicious intent and certain actions, effectively interfering with divination and prophecy. They would obtain an exaggerated amount of strength and bring to their surroundings a dawn that can resist evil and degeneration.
"It can also stir up a powerful destructive Hurricane of Light. It can create an invisible and sturdy defensive wall around the wielder. Every time it connects to the land, its defensive strength will be unshakeable.
"At the tip of the hilt is a single-eyed, huge-mouthed head engraving with living characteristics. Feeding the corresponding herbs, essential oils, and medicine to this engraving will give the Sword of Silverdawn different effects. For example, Lightning Strike, Freeze, Purification, Decay, and Exorcism.
"This sword has strict requirements for its usage. It's impossible to lift up if one isn't at least 180 centimeters tall. Below 200 centimeters, it will be hard to unleash its full strength. In addition, the head engraving at the hilt is very fond of talking. It's always talking non-stop. If the wielder doesn't respond, the Sword of Silverdawn might suddenly give up resisting at a critical moment and even attack its owner. If the wielder is willing to converse with the head engraving, they will be pushed to the edge of madness."
This is what I want, a Sealed Artifact that's good at defense… Derrick muttered to himself. He didn't interrupt the Chiefs explanation as he quietly listened to him introduce the other Sealed Artifacts.
"The second is 'Twilight Mask.' This is from the first Chief. It's a mask made from a skull. It can hide any malicious intent, thoughts, and inclinations. It makes the wearer feel like a dead person without any thoughts.
"As long as one puts on this mask, one will possess the power of a real giant and have control over the undead. Any living creature that looks directly into the eyes of the wearer will immediately die. Even those that possess godhood will be seriously injured. And even without any direct eye contact, the target of the wearer will slowly wither away as if they were floating across a river of death.
"The person wearing this mask can also create a terrifying Twilight Storm. Any item stained with the dim light will disintegrate, rot, wither, and die, losing the vibrancy of life.
"Most of the attacks, aside from purification, are ineffective against the wearer of Twilight Mask, as though no one can kill a dead person.
"This Twilight Mask is extremely powerful, but it's extremely dangerous. Even if it's not doing anything, the people around it would suddenly die one after another for no reason. Therefore, it must have a proper sealing method…
"No matter who it is, once you put on this mask, you will hear the sharp shriek and howls that seem to come from deep within the Underworld. This is a psyche attack that will drive people crazy and make them lose their minds. At the same time, as long as you wear this mask for more than five minutes, you will permanently become its slave."
This Sealed Artifact is almost useless. Although it's powerful, it can only be sealed… Uh… Only a mighty existence like Mr. Fool can ignore its negative effects… Derrick opened his mouth but didn't say a word.
Colin Iliad did some recollecting and continued, "The third item is called 'Life's Cane.' It can control Beyonder creatures with low intelligence and reduce their insanity for a short period of time. It can use incomplete spirits and various materials to complete the ultimate 'Alchemical Life.' This could create an ordinary human that can exist for a long time. It can also create different dolls that could be used for battle and various kinds of things; this includes stone golems, mud golems, and steel golems.
"Any living creature lashed by this cane would have an increased tendency towards madness and losing control. Their bodies would also have a certain chance of mutating, producing watermelons, mushrooms, and wheat. Of course, these things cannot be eaten, as they would result in contamination.
"As for the living beings touched by the cane's tip, they'll be healed no matter how seriously injured they are—other than those that have already lost control.
"This cane will fill the surrounding areas with a vibrant life force. Be it plants or animals, it can grow with exuberance and reproduce rapidly. Unfortunately, it is useless against this land that is cursed.
"The person carrying Life's Cane has a high chance of mutating. The longer one holds it, the higher the odds. This will result in additional organs, or even them having missing body parts, being replaced by various plants."
Sounds very sinister… For some reason, Derrick felt a little horrified. Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "What's the fourth Sealed Artifact?"
"It's from a demon which lost control. I hunted it and called it 'Fallen Flute.'
This is a plain-looking silver flute. However, once someone blows it, the living around it will fall into an unavoidable illusion. Their anger, sorrow, pain, greed, vanity, arrogance, and other desires would rapidly swell. Some would have their mind explode, others lose their sanity or experience a loss of control.
"Being in the vicinity of Fallen Flute, all sentient beings, other than the wielder, will significantly have their mental facilities deteriorate and will easily make mistakes.
"At the same time, the wielder of the flute is exceptionally sensitive to danger. Sometimes, they can even predict the possibility of a threat to their lives one to two days early.
"Wherever this Fallen Flute is, one's humanity will gradually degenerate, and all kinds of desires will enter center stage as their beliefs are cast aside. The wielder will also turn cold and be unable to have normal emotions again. The more they use it and the more they carry it, the worse it will be. And this might result in conflict with their own pathway's acting, leading to an increased risk of losing control."
After introducing the fourth Sealed Artifact, Colin Iliad's light blue eyes, which seemed to be filled with stories, looked at Derrick and asked, "What do you think?"
"…I need some time to consider," Derrick replied rather skillfully.
"Indeed, this is really important to you. You can't rashly make a decision." Colin nodded. "Three days later, we will set off for the Afternoon Town camp. Tell me your answer before we set off, and reserve some time to familiarize yourself with the Sealed Artifact."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Derrick bowed seriously and left the Chiefs room.
He wasn't in a rush to return home to pray to Mr. Fool. Instead, he planned on heading to the training field first to temper his various "Sun" domain theurgical spells.
This was a habit engraved deep within the pulses of every single person in the City of Silver. Only a self-disciplined person who could endure hardship was able to live longer in these desolate and dark lands.
In a dark alley in the Backlund Bridge area.
Xio once again met the golden-masked MI9 member who clearly showed kindness to her.
The Judge potion formula might take some time," the golden-masked man said.
This was because, although the investigation into Xio didn't continue, it didn't end.
Xio pursed her lips and nodded, as though she had finally made up her mind.
"I don't want that formula anymore."
"You… gave up?" The golden-masked man was surprised and couldn't hide his joy.
Xio didn't directly answer as she turned her head to the side and said, "I-I'll exchange all my contributions for cash." After hearing her answer, the golden-masked man nodded in relief.
"It's best that you understand.
"Let bygones be bygones. You, your mother, and brother will have a brand new future.
Yes, if your contributions are exchanged for cash, it'll be about 2,000 pounds. I'll help you gain more. After that, you can continue being an outer circle member of MI9. Having an official status is very useful for unaffiliated Beyonders."
Xio was silent for a few seconds before her lips quivered.
"Thank you."
She could clearly sense the kindness coming from the man in front of her, so she sincerely thanked him.
However, there was no way she was giving up. The reason why she chose cash was because she had already reserved the Judge potion formula from The World Gehrman Sparrow—the crazy adventurer had also claimed that the Disciplinary Paladin potion formula would subsequently follow.
At the same time, giving up on the surface could effectively dispel the suspicions of MI9.
After briefly explaining the progress of the previous commissions, Xio bade farewell to the golden-masked man and left the alley.
On Tuesday morning, Fors went out early and came to the Hat Trick Inn in Cherwood Borough where she met her teacher, Dorian Gray.
"This is one of the things to take note of in the spirit world. This is a portrait of Botis." Dorian covered his mouth and yawned before handing a thick stack of paper to Fors.
Fors wasn't in a rush to read the documents as she cast her gaze at the portrait.
On it was a black-robed man who likely wasn't even forty. His brown hair was slightly curled, but it gave off an unusually firm feeling. His dark eyes seemed to contain countless objects.
This is the Saint of Secrets… Fors rubbed her fingers together and used her Trickmaster powers to burn that portrait. "Not bad. Very cautious." Dorian nodded approvingly.
He then carried his suitcase and said to Fors, "I have to return to Pritz Harbor. It will arouse suspicion if I come to Backlund for too long."
Fors knew that the situation in Backlund had been tense recently, so she was eager for her teacher to leave as soon as possible; therefore, she didn't hold him back and watched him leave the room.
Then, with the help of Door Opening, she walked all the way to the alley behind the hotel.
Just as she got her bearings and turned into a street, she suddenly saw a man in a black trench coat walking over.
The person swept a glance at her before looking away naturally. However, Fors's back muscles tensed up.
Her eyes reflected the other person's appearance:
A man who likely wasn't even forty. His brown hair was slightly curled, but it gave off an unusually firm feeling. His dark eyes seemed to contain countless objects.
Chapter 1078 The Hidden Secre
Saint of Secrets Botis… Fors had experienced many things recently, to the point of being watched by a King of Angels, so she didn't show any signs of abnormality. She retracted her gaze in a natural manner and didn't slow down her pace as she walked towards the man in the black trench coat.
After a few steps, they brushed past each other.
…Did he happen to pass by here because of the attraction between Beyonder characteristics? If he knew that Teacher was here, he wouldn't be so slow and would use Teleport to chase after him… Luckily, Teacher has already boarded the carriage and left the inn… Fors's heart calmed down, her tense mind relaxing a little.
She took a few more steps forward and looked up at the sky. She wanted to confirm if it would rain later.
At this moment, a raven flew over and landed on a tree along the way. It faced the spot where Fors had just passed by.
Fors stopped thinking about Saint of Secrets Botis as she maintained her speed and left the street.
As the Aurora Order hadn't held a gathering in Backlund for a long period of time, and with the target being a demigod, Fors didn't have any thoughts of seeking revenge for her teacher. Ignoring her lack of combat strength, just finding and locking onto a Secrets Sorcerer was a nearly impossible task.
…It's best that I wait till I become a Traveler. I might encounter Botis by chance before entrusting Mr. World the corresponding mission. I'll take the time to save up money… Now, it's certain that the Aurora Order has saints in Backlund… Hmm, I can't eliminate the possibility that during Botis's "Travel" elsewhere today, he was influenced by the attraction force of Beyonder characteristic and had accidentally lost his way in Backlund… Fors very naturally considered looking for The World Gehrman Sparrow's help.
From what she knew, this gentleman had killed two demigods with his own hands, and he had only become a demigod for three months!
In the upper echelons of the seven Churches, they only have about ten demigods… Based on Mr. World's progress, it will take him at most two years to wipe out the powerhouses of a Church… Of course, the real world isn't an ideal measurement… Having received higher education, Fors, who had been a surgeon, gradually let her thoughts wander. She walked to the street and boarded a rental carriage.
Above the gray fog, there was a mini-gathering with The Sun Derrick, The Hanged Man Alger, and The World Gehrman Sparrow.
However, unlike before, Mr. Fool was present as the witness because The Sun's main motive was to find out which Sealed Artifact could please this great existence, as well as to exchange it for the cross left behind by the Creator.
At the same time, he still had some questions to consult Mr. Hanged Man and Mr. World about, so he had applied for a private exchange.
Sword of Silverdawn, Twilight Mask, Life's Cane, Fallen Flute… These were all items that have outstanding powers and negative effects, ones that require sealing. This also confirms that the City of Silver doesn't have any Beyonders from the Artisan pathway. All the spoils can only be formed naturally. Even with a godlike Sealed Artifact, they can shatter the characteristics, but they are unable to reform them in a better way… As The Fool Klein listened to Little Sun's description, he quickly analyzed the pros and cons of different Sealed Artifacts in his mind.
The first thing he did was eliminate the Twilight Mask because the negative effects of the Sealed Artifact from the City of Silver's first Chief were too great.
Although Klein could let his marionette wear this mask and cut off the aural senses; thus, avoiding the continuous howls and screams. Furthermore, he didn't have to worry about his marionette becoming a slave to the Twilight Mask. However, in that case, his actual body might become a member of the dead who died suddenly for no reason.
Following that, Klein similarly gave up the Fallen Flute for the same reasons. This Sealed Artifact's ability to predict danger ahead of time was indeed better than the Desire Apostle in Creeping Hunger. It was alluring, but the negative effects were also not easy to avoid.
If Klein used this flute with his actual body, he would gradually turn cold and lose his normal emotions. This would be completely contradictory with the concept of using humanity to battle godhood to maintain balance. And if he were to hand it over to his marionette, he would experience a significant decrease in his mental facilities and easily make mistakes. This caused him to lose his main advantage as a Beyonder of the Seer pathway.
In addition, this flute will make the people around it give themselves up to degeneration and desires. I don't want the residents on Boklund Street to be degenerates who give up on their morals. By then, how many illegitimate children will be bom… I can only consider the Sword of Silverdawn and Life's Cane… Klein mumbled silently before quickly choosing between two.
The Sword of Silverdawn's head engraving seemed to have a living characteristic. To Klein, this meant that communication was possible, and as long as they could communicate, the negative effects could naturally be reduced. As for the height restriction, he could just ignore his thickness and only focus on his height. After all, this didn't affect a Clown due to its extremely high sense of balance.
Regarding the problem of mutation with Life's Cane, he could avoid it by handing it to his marionettes. When he lost or gained any organs, he could heal himself with Flower of Blood. And causing the surroundings to be filled with vitality, allowing for lush growth wasn't much of a negative effect.
Since the negative effects of the two Sealed Artifacts weren't too serious, he had to consider their effects. The Sword
of Silverdawn was clearly from a Demon Hunter of the Warrior pathway. Be it attacks or defense, they were both potent. It could hide his malintent and be good at dealing with Devils. As for Life's Cane, it was good at creating and causing mutations, which made it rather sinister.
After a few seconds of consideration, when Derrick asked for the answer, The Fool Klein spoke unhurriedly, as though he was discussing something ordinary.
"The cane."
In the end, he decided on Life's Cane!
In fact, the Sword of Silverdawn and Life's Cane had their own pros, making it a tough decision. Klein's final decision stemmed from an uncommon reason:
The sinister Life's Cane could be described as bizarre, so it could effectively aid him in acting as a Bizarro Sorcerer and raise his potion digestion speed!
"Yes, Mr. Fool!" Derrick replied, unable to hide his joy.
This meant that when he completed the sacrificial and bestowment ritual, he would obtain the cross from the Creator. After determining this, he cast his gaze at the figure at the bottom of the long bronze table.
"Mr. World, other than the complete brain of an adult mind dragon, do you still need a relatively high Sequence potion formula for the Planter pathway?"
As the secret passage of the Giant King's Court was shared by The World, he became the target of Derrick's question, and not Mr. Fool.
Of course, to Derrick, The World was Mr. Fool's Blessed. His answer represented Mr. Fool's intentions to a certain extent.
A relatively high Sequence potion formula for the Planter pathway… Sitting at the end of the long bronze table, The Fool Klein immediately had a headache and fell into an intense internal struggle.
He could roughly understand what the Chief of the City of Silver's thought process was. On the one hand, this experienced Demon Hunter hopes that he can usher in a bright future through the Giant King's Court's exploration, while on the other hand, he's still cautious and doesn't hold much hope. He's prepared to continue staying in the darkness, so he mentioned the Planter potion formula to see if Mr. Fool has the corresponding authority, or rather, does the faction that "He" watches over have a need for it. If this could bring about certain feedback, it would effectively improve the survival of the City of Silver.
Meanwhile, on Klein's end, Frank Lee had recently come to believe that he's just one step away from his research goals. When he becomes a Druid, he should be able to succeed. This made Klein very hesitant on whether he should give him a push.
…I don't know what the future holds… I'll just focus on what's in front of me. A Sequence 5 Beyonder who doesn't even have godhood wouldn't be able to do anything too serious. Furthermore, Ma'am Hermit is already a demigod. It's not a big problem for her to watch out for Frank…Klein thought for a moment and let The World Gehrman Sparrow say, "Sequence 5."
"What if there's more?" Derrick pressed.
Klein felt like he was being tested. After a few seconds of silence, he said, "If your side is willing to give it, then that works…"
"Alright." Derrick didn't probe any further. Instead, he asked the person beside him, "Mr. Hanged Man, I have a strange feeling about this. Why did the Chief suddenly mention the relatively high Sequence potion formula of the Planter pathway?"
The Hanged Man Alger looked at The World Gehrman Sparrow and said, "This should be a test from your Chief, to see if the City of Silver can change its environment.
"I remember you mentioning that you only know that the Goddess of Harvest is the Giant King's queen, and according to the records of the Sanguine from The Moon, the Goddess of Harvest is named Omebella. Your City of Silver originally believed in 'Her.'
"I was originally only certain that the name Omebella was real, so I didn't have any inclination towards other explanations. Now, with your Chief suddenly taking out a relatively high Sequence potion formula that you didn't know before, this makes me suspect that The Moon is right.
"This means that your City of Silver hid the fact that they once believed in the Goddess of Harvest. They even deliberately didn't mention 'Her' true name.
"There must be a huge secret behind this."
"A huge secret…" Derrick thought seriously but couldn't think of any secret.
Fortunately, this wasn't an important matter to him. He quickly ended the private conversation and returned to the City of Silver to prepare for the exchange of Sealed Artifacts.