"It's all good if you know what to do. With your wisdom, I believe Old Wil will definitely handle this matter properly."
Lin Jie continued on with a sigh. "I know this might be a little difficult to bear as he is your son. However, you might regret even more in the future if you don't do so."
Alas, facing the truth is painful indeed. But the sooner a money-grubbing fellow like this is exposed, the better it will be for both Old Wil and society.
Lin Jie was just this sort of kind soul that does good deeds without leaving a name behind.
Wilde was aged and lacked affection, so being deceived wasn't out of the ordinary. However, as a friend, Lin Jie felt that he definitely needed to step out and remind Wilde at such times.
There were three types of friends that are advantageous. Upright, sincere, and knowledgeable.
Although Lin Jie felt he couldn't be all three, he still felt the need to give proper guidance when witnessing such a situation.
"Right now, you have chosen to indulge and that didn't just land you in unfavorable circumstances, it is also a great disrespect to the memory of Charles in your heart. It's mistake after mistake by choosing to go down this way. Do you really want to completely destroy him? Rather than regretting after it's too late, why not leave behind that last bit of beautiful memory?"
Yes, the returning Charles... was just but an empty shell. The actual Charles had died a long time ago.
How could Wilde attempt to deceive himself and treat the corpse before his eyes as Charles?!
That was utterly insulting to the memory of his disciple!
At this moment, Wilde was completely ashamed of himself but his gaze turned cold as he suddenly came to a realization. After some time, he uttered, "You are right. I was muddled this time. I will deal with this matter as soon as possible."
Those people that toyed with his feelings by using Charles were the ones that truly needed to be 'dealt with'.
Wilde wasn't oblivious to the truth. It was just that he clung on to the memory of his disciple, allowing himself to be voluntarily deceived to relive those times with his disciple...
Once this whole episode was over, what was meant to die would still be dead.
However, his actions had led to even greater risk, immersing him in a confused state where he couldn't determine between truth and false.
If he hadn't come over to the bookstore in his perplexed state, Wilde might really have continued imparting his incantations to 'Charles' out of guilt. And once those pulling the strings from the shadows obtained the last benefits, it was obvious what they wanted to do.
This was an out-and-out assassination attempt. Moreover, it had very nearly succeeded.
But fortunately, Mr. Lin's words were like the sharp cries of those northern monks, making him snap awake in an instant.
Lin Jie nodded and exhorted, "You must be decisive and not do a half-hearted job. A certain degree of ruthlessness must be used to deal with this sort of people, if not, they might easily return to haunt you."
In society nowadays, youths like these were punks and hoodlums. Without properly making clear one's stance, punks like these would not cease being bothersome.
Wilde flashed a weak smile. "Don't worry. I won't give him a second chance."
Thoroughly eradicating the source. This was the method Wilde was very well versed with.
Right now, those pulling the strings from the shadows would surely be laughing away. It was time to strike directly when they weren't prepared to react.
It just so happened that Wilde had gained some enlightenment regarding corpses and death from reading Mr. Lin's work. His level of mastery over incantations had improved considerably and he was very willing to experiment.
Lin Jie took a sip of tea and said contently, "That's the Old Wil I know! Your dispirited state just now looked just like how you were two years ago. Frankly, it made me somewhat disappointed. I'm still hoping that you would read more books and step away from the past."
An empty nester like Old Wil would find the spiritual aspect of life severely lacking and had quite a bit of emotional needs. However, the current circumstances wouldn't satisfy his needs.
Thus, Lin Jie occasionally indirectly instilled some fighting spirit so that he could deal with this matter with more enthusiasm which might be a good approach.
'Disappointed'? Not good!
Wilde's face stiffened. Mr. Lin had given him Corpse Devouring Sect, Rites & Ceremonies in hopes that he would help spread its contents. And then... restore the glory of this faith or perhaps establish a new one.
In any case, this book being given to him for research was equivalent to being entrusted with an invisible mission.
However, not only had Wilde failed to make any progress, he had gotten himself caught up in some trouble. That wouldn't do at all.
And now, these words were like a knock on the head and a reminder—You should be propagating the doctrine! Stop wallowing! You are now supposed to be working for me!
"I've seen your expectations and the help you have provided from your book. Please forgive my mistake. When this matter is settled, I'll no longer let you down."
Lin Jie waved his hands dismissively and chuckled, "There's no need to be so serious. Just visit more often and tell others about this place. That, for me, would be all I hope for."
Indeed, the selfless and giving bookstore owner hoped that he would disseminate these teachings.
"I understand. There will be an upcoming gathering soon. At that time, I'll make your voice heard."
"Oh? I shall anticipate it eagerly then."
Wilde sat and chatted with Lin Jie for quite some time till he finished his tea before bidding farewell in much better spirits.
——
Charles opened the door and smiled warmly at the old man outside. "Ahh, Teacher! You've returned."
The handsome young man had a look of reverence as he gazed at his teacher.
He reached out to help Wilde with his umbrella, before limping inside.
Naturally, it was impossible to return from a dream realm fissure unscathed. Losing a leg was a testament to the suffering Charles had gone through.
Wilde had a pained look as he watched his disciple walk. But after a deep breath, he managed to calm down. "Charles, go bring my ceremonial knife. You know where it's kept."
One who could accomplish such a perfect resurrection technique was probably of the same rank as himself.
That meant to say that there was a Destructive-rank black magician behind Charles' resurrection.
Charles grunted in acknowledgment and kept the umbrella away. "Are you going to test an incantation?"
Wilde replied calmly, "Mm, there's a very important incantation that I've got to test out. There are also some preparations I must do. Hurry on then, I'll need your help in a bit."
"I will definitely do my best," said Charles with a nod before he went to fetch his teacher's ceremonial knife.
He knew that his teacher's most commonly used sorcery tool was that obsidian ceremonial knife and hence, he didn't think too much about it.
As he was returning from the room where the sorcery tools were kept, Charles wondered how long more it would take for him to accomplish his mission...
He handed the ceremonial knife to Wilde and watched as the old man smiled kindly, then extended his hand.
Squelch!
The black obsidian knife pierced through Charles almost effortlessly.
The young man's eyes widened with shock and the last scene he saw as he crashed down was a spread of pitch-black aether on the ground like a carpet of thorns that covered his vision.
"Rest in peace, my child. There is tranquility in death itself."
Wilde watched as the blanket of thorns shrouded the corpse and blood-red threads that were like puppet strings peeled off from the flesh of the corpse. "Coffin of Eternal Rest... It's you after all, Morphey!"
With his ceremonial knife, Wilde cut through each and every aether string that joined the user and subject.
——
'Scarlet Cult' headquarters, secret prayer chamber.
Seated before the gloomy altar, 'Precant' Morphey's face was illuminated by candle flame.
A circle of candles surrounded the altar and in the center was a notch that was filled with blood.
Blood seeped out from holes on different sides, forming fine pillars that dripped down and dissipated upon hitting the ground like radiation and forming a huge and complex curse array.
Suddenly, the candles were extinguished and the pillars of blood ran dry.
Morphey's eyes snapped open and she instinctively backed away in shock. "Wilde, how could he?!"
A terrifying backlash of the curse being forcefully stopped struck before she was finished.
Kraackk...
The altar split open rapidly, fragmenting and turning to ash as it collapsed. The huge amount of aetheric energy became unstable and flooded out like a torrent.
Morphey was sent flying as though she had been charged by thousands of formless cavalry and crashed into the wall with a loud bang.
The entire secret prayer chamber collapsed.
Scarlet Cult black magicians rushed over to find everything in complete ruins as well as a massive crater with spiderweb-like cracks all around as a result of the torrential deluge of aether.
As well as the coughing Morphey who clambered out from underneath the rubble.